Sally Starr, famed TV host, dies at 90

[BumRushDaShow]

Last edited Sun Jan 27, 2013, 07:21 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: 6abc.com

Action News

January 27, 2013 (WPVI) -- Sally Starr, a former 6abc variety show host and Philadelphia broadcast legend, has died. She turned 90-years-old just two days ago.

For nearly 20 years, beginning in the 50s, when TV was in its infancy, Sally had daytime shows here on Channel 6.

Born Alleen Mae Beller in 1923, she had her name legally changed to Sally Starr in 1941.

Sally had many accomplishments and was a member of the Philadelphia Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame.

Edit to add a photo -



Read more: http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/entertainment&id=8970011

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Anyone who is a boomer in the Philly, S. Jersey, & Delaware area knows who she was.

One of my favorite childhood morning TV hostesses. She had it a bit rough the last 20 or so years but managed to hang in there to make it to 90.

R.I.P. and thanks for the many memories.

[djean111]

1. Boomer born and raised in South Philly here - remember her very well. Popeye Theater!!!!!

[BumRushDaShow]

4. LOL Yeah

I became a spinach lover because of Popeye!

I think she was about the last of the local children's TV hosts outside of Carter Merbreier ("Captain Noah&quot who is alive and kicking but retired. "Wee Willie" Webber (who passed in 2010), Gene London, Chief Halftown, etc.,. In fact, last night on 1210 WPHT's "Remember When" show, I think it was Jimmy who was mentioning how Merbreier has been bemoaning the loss of this type of locally-produced programming geared for children. Of course cable and 24/7 cartoon channels have pretty much torpedoed the genre and I expect the local stations don't want to pay a local host because it's cheaper to run a syndicated program.

[MgtPA]

8. I think Gene London is still alive.

I was on his show (in 1961)

[MarianJack]

10. He was another of my favorites.

Our next door neighbor worked at channel 10 and said that he was one of the nicest guys you'd ever meet.

PEACE!

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Yes he is.

OMG found this!

[MgtPA]

2. Three Stooges, Popeye, & Clutch Cargo

(with his pals, Spinner & Paddlefoot!)

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Everytime I see the opening credits of Sponge Bob

I think of Clutch Cargo and the real talking mouths inserted in the animation.

[life long demo]

3. RIP Sally Starr

I remember the blond hair and cowboy hat.

[Blue State Bandit]

6. Aunt Sally!

I used to go to her farm when I was a kid.

How sad.

[SteveG]

7. I remember coming home

from school and watching her Popeye Theater show and Chief Halftown's. This was in 1957. It came on right after Dick Clark's American Bandstand which also aired on 6.

[MarianJack]

9. When I was a kid I wouldn't miss her show.

She was my heroine when I was a little boy. When my father took a powder when I was 6, I dreamed of talking about it with Sally Starr.

I got a chance to meet her in Philly in the early 90s. She was a wonderful and gentle lady! RIP, Sally from one of your little buckeroos.

All righty-rooneyand...

PEACE!

[madashelltoo]

12. R.I.P. Aunt Sally

My afternoons were filled with your smiles.

[onethatcares]

13. may she have a great ride into the sunset.

my wife and I were just talking about her.

R.I.P. Sally.

[graham4anything]

14. R.I.P. Sally...while from NYC remember seeing her on tv on trips (we had Officer Joe Bolton)

and a shoutout to the now deceased Office Joe Bolton in NYC, who did the same thing over the years in NYC and has been deceased a while now.
Office Joe introducing the Three Stooges, and the Little Rascals and other shows.

from wiki-
Joe Bolton (September 8, 1910 – August 13, 1986) was the host of the WPIX show "The Clubhouse Gang" and "The Three Stooges Funhouse" as Officer Joe Bolton.[1] Bolton was also the Police Chief host of "The Dick Tracy Show".

Bolton was born in Flushing, New York to Florence Youngling and Joseph Reeves Bolton II.[2] By 1920, his parents were living in Manhattan where his father was a sales manager for hotel supplies.[3]

He started his broadcast career in 1927 as a staff announcer for WOR in Newark, New Jersey. He was the announcer for DuMont Television Network's talent show Doorway to Fame in 1947, but he left DuMont for WPIX on May 15, 1948 to be a news announcer and weatherman



On January 17, 1955, he appeared as "Officer Joe" and hosted The Clubhouse Gang, and showed the Little Rascals. WPIX lost the rights to The Little Rascals, and in September 1958, he switched to hosting The Three Stooges Funhouse. This program aired on weekdays at 5:30 pm. He showed Three Stooges shorts until May 7, 1970. At one time, he showed Dick Tracy cartoons as "Police Chief Joe".[4]

Bolton also acted in The Outlaws Is Coming (1965), the last feature film by The Three Stooges. He and eight other hosts of local television shows for children were cast as villains. (More information about Bolton's performance in The Outlaws is Coming can be found in "The NYC Kids Shows Round Up" section of TV Party.Com.)

Bolton retired in 1975 to Santa Monica, California, and died in 1986 at Santa Monica Hospital of a heart attack.[1][2]

Bolton has two children: a daughter, Catherine Bolton of Manhattan, and a son, Joseph Reeves Bolton IV of Port Salerno, Florida

Do they have hosts like these anymore for today's kids?

[FlaGranny]

15. Sally liked ice hockey.

I remember sitting right behind her a couple of times at Jersey Devil hockey games. This was before the Devils became a major team - they played in Cherry Hill.

She may also have had a country western nightclub off Route 73 near Berlin, at least we used to call it Sally Starr's place, but I've never seen any record of her owning it. We used to go there in the late 60's. Anyone know for sure?

RIP Sally.

[woodsprite]

16. I had a chance to take my kids to see her a few years ago.

Sally was at the Carousel Park's Wild West Day dressed in typical Sally cowgirl attire. She was an awesome lady. Remember her messages to the kids from her hospital bed?

My childhood was full of Sally Starr, Mr. Rogers, Captain Noah, Chief Halftown, Gene London, Pixanne, Dr. Schock (and his daughter "Bubbles&quot , Al Albert, and Adam Android. I believe all were Philly personalities. I think Chief Halftown and Captain Noah and his wife are still alive. Gene London is still around, and got me started drawing more than the average kid. I was lucky enough to have some of my drawings shown on Captain Noah's show. I'm sure I was one of many kids that got to meet Capt. Noah, Chief Halftown, and Sally Starr and get their autographs, also won some chotsky prize from Adam Android because my chosen hamster won the races he had on his show.

They were local celebrities and accessible to their kiddle audience. It's not like that much today. I was glad that my kids were able to meet her.

RIP Sally!

Here's a link to a video of her over the years: