Buffalo Bob Smith
The cheerful, sweater-clad host who ushered American children into the television age with a freckled marionette named Howdy Doody.
1917–1998 (age 81)·American television show host·Birthday: November 27·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Before becoming a national babysitter, Buffalo Bob Smith was a radio singer and bandleader. His big break came when NBC needed a host for a new children's program called 'Puppet Playhouse.' Smith, with his warm, booming voice and avuncular charm, was the perfect fit. He didn't just host; he created a participatory universe from a studio called the 'Peanut Gallery,' where a live audience of kids cheered for the freckled puppet Howdy Doody and his friends. For thirteen years, the show was a daily ritual, blending simple comedy, cowboy lore, and early marketing genius. Smith's genuine rapport with children and his pioneering use of the new medium helped define children's television, making him one of its first and most beloved stars.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Buffalo was born in 1917, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Buffalo Was Born
The biggest hits of 1917
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Buffalo's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1917Born
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Started school
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1930Became a teenager
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1933Could drive
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1935Could vote
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1938Turned 21
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1947Turned 30
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1957Turned 40
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 50
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 60
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 70
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 80
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
1998Died at 81
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
Key Achievements
- Created and hosted 'The Howdy Doody Show,' one of the first and most successful children's television programs in history.
- Pioneered the use of a live studio audience of children, dubbed the 'Peanut Gallery.'
- The show was one of the first NBC programs to be broadcast in color.
- Helped establish the model for merchandising tie-ins with television characters.
Did You Know?
The character Howdy Doody had 48 freckles, one for each state in the Union at the time.
He was a skilled musician and often played the piano and sang on the show.
The famous greeting "Hey, kids, what time is it?" was answered with "It's Howdy Doody time!"
He continued to perform at nostalgia conventions and reunions well into the 1990s.
“Hey, kids, what time is it?”
