The History of
The Wallace & Ladmo Show’s origins date back to 1954. Although broadcast under a few different names throughout its run, it nonetheless aired continuously for nearly 36 years. A hodge-podge of cartoons, public service spots and comedy—with great emphasis on the comedy—this multi-award-winning daily comedy show (including 9 Emmys!) was a favorite of kids and adults all over Arizona. It is the longest running TV show (with the original cast) in history because producer/creator and original cast member Bill “Wallace” Thompson helmed the show from its beginning until it left the air in December 1989.
Let's turn on The Time Machine and travel back to relive
Wallace & Ladmo's History...
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In October, Kenneth John Joseph Kennedy (the future Goldust Charlie) is born in Chicago, Illinois and raised on the vaudeville circuit by parents Tom and Gertrude Kennedy (known as The Dancing Kennedys). [See Photo]
On July 13, Ladimir Walter James Kwiatkowski (the future Ladmo) is born in Cleveland, Ohio to Walter and Florence Kwiatkowski. Walter was a Cleveland juvenile police detective. [See Photo]
On December 18, William “Bill” Earnest Thompson (the future Wallace Snead) is born in New York City to William and Marie Thompson. William was an investment manager who worked on Wall Street. Bill is the first of 3 children for the Thompsons, followed by brothers Boyce and Tony. [See Photo]
The Thompson family moves to Bronxville, 20 miles north of New York City in Westchester County. Soon after, Bill starts his lifelong hobby of collecting toy soldiers. [See Photo]
On August 20, John Patrick Michael McMahon (the future One-Man-Stock-Company) is born in Leavenworth, Kansas (his mother's hometown) to Jack and Adelaide McMahon, vaudeville performers known as McMahon & Adelaide. He lives on the road with his parents until age 13 when he enrolls in a college preparatory boarding school in Des Moines, Iowa. [See Photo]
On May 6, Michael Condello (the future Commodore Condello) is born in Brooklyn, New York. When his parents divorce, his mother, Mae Pepper, brings young Michael to Phoenix. [See Photo]
Ken Kennedy moves to Phoenix after performing for troops around the world in the USO.
Around this time, Bill Thompson starts writing kids' stories featuring a character named Wallace Snead. He even draws detailed pictures of the character.
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On December 4, KPHO becomes the first local television station in Phoenix.
Around this time, Ladimir Kwiatkowski leaves Cleveland along with a few high school buddies to attend Arizona State College (ASU*) where the Phoenix climate will allow them to play baseball practically year-round. (*Arizona State University was known as Arizona State College from 1945 and underwent several name changes over the years until it was renamed to its current name in 1958.)
Around this time, Ken Kennedy is hired by KPHO after a chance encounter with one of the owners. Kennedy shines as a talented writer, producer, director, photographer, reporter, and actor.
Bill Thompson graduates from Bronxville High in New York.
Around this time, Stapley’s Western Caravan, a western musical program produced and directed by Ken Kennedy, introduces the Goldust Charlie character. Kennedy is cast in the role of Goldust after one of his bosses overhears him acting out the character for the performer originally hired to play the part. The character caught on but Stapley’s Western Caravan didn't and went off the air in 1951.
The Goldust Charlie Show airs weekdays from 4 to 5PM. The premise is Charlie operates a general store that has been bypassed by the freeway and thus does very little business. He entertains the local kids by running Our Gang comedies and Western films on an old projector. There’s no formal script for the show, just a format.
Another life-long passion for Bill Thompson begins around this time...Civil War re-enactments.
Lad Kwiatkowski leads Arizona State in hitting with a .358 average, including a triple, two doubles, and a single against the University of Arizona.
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On March 31, Ladimir Kwiatkowski marries Patsy Killough. They eventually have 3 boys (Kim, Robin, and Jamie) and 2 girls (Debra and Shari).
Lad Kwiatkowski is made captain of the baseball team at Arizona State, brings respect to the program at a time when official statistics were not even kept. Around this time Lad starts writing a column on football called Kwiat's Kwikies for Arizona State's daily newspaper, The State Press.
Bill Thompson marries Donna Cope and heads west to Arizona. Eventually, they have three kids (Carrie, Annie, and Tony). Bill's first job in Phoenix was in the circulation department of The Phoenix Gazette, but he was determined to get a job at KPHO and went every other month checking on openings.
Ladimir Kwiatkowski graduates from Arizona State College with a journalism degree and is offered a chance to play for a Cleveland Indians farm team. However, Lad "saw the future in television” and applied at KPHO where he’s hired and starts working 4 hours later. Lad helps produce live shows before becoming a studio camera operator.
In January, KPHO finally hires Bill Thompson as a studio floorman and art department member assistant. [See Photo]
Now a station employee, Bill repeatedly approaches Ken Kennedy about being on the show and over time wears him down. ‘Wallace Snead’ finally makes his first appearance on The Goldust Charlie Show in the spring as Goldust’s nephew. [See Photo]
While playing Goldust’s nephew on the show, Wallace ad-libs, "You don't like me!" during a scolding by Goldust which halts the live production for several minutes until the studio crew can stop laughing. The line becomes a catchphrase, and Wallace finds himself the talk-of-the-town. In September, he appears on the cover of TV Views, a local program listings publication, along with his now popular line in quotes. [See Photo]
Wallace starts making personal appearances at schools and stores throughout the Phoenix Valley, holding contests and giving out prizes. In October, he performs a stage show with Goldust Charlie at the Arizona State Fair.
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The station acquires a package of cartoons dating mostly from the ’30s & ’40s and recruits Wallace as host of their new carnival of cartoons show. “All the staff announcers turned the job down because they were afraid it would hurt their dignity…so I got it by default.” (Bill Thompson, 1984)
In January, Wallace’s new show debuts on Monday the 24th as Cartoon Carnival. A week later the name It's Wallace? appears in television listings.
(Later on, the traditionally observed anniversary date for the show becomes April 1st, 1954…grandfathering in the period Bill spent as Wallace on The Goldust Charlie Show.) [See Photo] [See Photo] [See Photo] [See Photo]
Programming statistics reveal that the viewership for KPHO’s new kids’ show, It's Wallace?, is 20 percent adults!
It’s around this time that Pat McMahon attends St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa. He studies theater, radio, and television. While still in school, on a whim, Pat applies for a clerical position at local radio station KSTT, but the program director likes his outgoing personality and hires him as a disc jockey, giving him the enviable afternoon drivetime slot. Pat plays his favorite records, which include Fats Domino and Little Richard, making him somewhat of a hero and revolutionary for the times to his fellow college students. Eventually, Pat ventures out to do commercials in other Midwestern cities, including Chicago.
Lad begins a summer Pee Wee and Rookie baseball league at Tempe High School keeping kids busy weekday mornings from 8 to 10.
A toy store in Phoenix owned and operated by George L. Bradbury, III, The Toy Cottage (already a sponsor of other programs at KPHO since 1954), becomes one of the first—and longest—sponsors of Wallace’s show providing toys and other items for the shelves on the set, the Ladmo Bags, and for various contests until the last episode airs. [See Photo] [See Photo] [See Photo]
Sometime in January, Wallace asks camera operator Lad Kwiatkowski to help him in a skit. Lad locks the camera into place and joins Wall around in front. During the live bit, Lad forgets his line…but his endearing charm and natural chemistry with Wallace generates genuine off-the-cuff hilarity and makes him an immediate hit! As more bits follow, ‘Lad’ morphs into ‘Ladmo’ and the name sticks. [See Photo]
Ladmo starts joining Wallace for the weekend public appearances. They increase drawing power for their live shows by adding a trio of variety acts: a ventriloquist (Bill West performing with his puppet as Albert and Stinky), a duo of young country singers (Larry and Dick Smith known as The Smith Kids), and an illusionist (Van Cunningham appearing as Allan Van the Magician). [See Photo] [See Photo] [See Photo] [See Photo]
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Ken Kennedy finally opens his 10-acre western town film studio. Built in Cave Creek north of Phoenix over a 5-year period, the studio, with its western street set and adjacent sound stage, is expected to draw movie production companies from Hollywood. Wallace and Ladmo start filming their own silent western comedies there for It's Wallace?. [See Photo] [See Photo] [See Photo]
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