User reviews

I grew up watching this from the 1960's on until Ladmo retired and felt a loss you couldn't imagine and even a worse loss when Lad passed on. I never was able to go and be in the audience but I felt a kinship with Lad and Wallace(Bill Thompson). smiles fondly(Ladmo Bags forever) Let s hear it for Wallace and Ladmo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Legacy and iconic local children's television entertainment, pure and simple.

The Wallace and Ladmo Show was a beloved children's television program that aired in Phoenix, Arizona from 1954 to 1989. There were several factors that contributed to its enduring popularity and success over the years.

First and foremost, the show was incredibly entertaining. It featured a mix of comedy sketches, musical performances, and guest appearances from local celebrities and community members. The hosts, Wallace, Ladmo, and Gerald, had a great rapport and their chemistry on screen was infectious. They were known for their quick wit and irreverent sense of humor, which appealed to both children and adults.

In addition to its entertainment value, the show also had a strong educational component. Wallace and Ladmo often used humor and satire to teach important life lessons and promote good values, such as honesty, kindness, and respect. They also provided a platform for local musicians, artists, and other creative individuals to showcase their talents and share their stories.

But perhaps the biggest reason why the Wallace and Ladmo Show was so great was its sense of community. The show was a fixture of Phoenix culture for decades, and generations of Arizonans grew up watching it and feeling like they were part of something special. The hosts and crew genuinely cared about their viewers and often went above and beyond to connect with them in meaningful ways.

One of the many reasons why I tell my kids (all adults now) why Phoenix was the best place to be a kid. I was watching this show at the same time Spielberg was. Knowing how much he loved this show, surprised he didn't somehow give it some kind of homage in the Fablemans.

P. S. When I was 7 years old, Ladmo and his wife cared for me when I was ill. Seems my mom was friends of the family. The way Ladmo was portrayed on the show was not much different than the way he was in life: a kind, gentle and goofy soul.

Dating and geolocating my childhood here, but my little sister and I were in the studio audience for a couple of episodes. My sister was chosen for a bag one of the times. I was happy for her, though I never got one myself.

It was great fun to see live. I'm sad it's not streaming anywhere now. I'd like the trip down memory lane. Maybe it will make it to Amazon soon - they've been adding other shows from the era (H R Puffinstuff, which gave me nightmares as a toddler).

Not much else to say except the theme song still randomly lingers in my brain for days, and poor Gerald, his ending was so emotional.

Great children's variety show, with no canned laughter - just a live audience of local kids, all hoping for their very own Ladmo bag. Good times.

There really isn't much point in describing the Arizona-based kids show. It was a true Arizona phenomenon, and if you didn't live it, you could not possibly understand. When I have tried to tell non-natives just how much impact it had in our state, I have often had them laugh in my face.

Folks, you have to realize that it was a different time! From the 1950s through the 1970s, there were no video games, or VCRs, or DVDs, or any other electronic gadgets that today's kids take for granted, nor was there cable TV. There was only antenna television over the free airwaves, and Wallace and Ladmo brought joy to tens of thousands of Arizona children who watched them everyday. Countless Arizona children grew up on Wallace and Ladmo, and our memories are strong.

When Ladmo died in 1994, thousands of Arizona residents who had watched him as kids jammed the funeral service, shutting off streets. The Arizona Historical Society Museum has a permanent exhibit on Wallace and Ladmo, a testament to their impact on the state.

But you had to have lived it to understand how a kids show could have had such incredible influence. So, to those of you who weren't there, stop ridiculing us for our memories, as you seem to delight in doing. You wrong us with your insults.

Perhaps non-natives would understand more (then again, maybe not) if more footage of Wallace and Ladmo existed. The bulk of their surviving footage is from the 1980s, their weakest decade. KPHO-TV in Phoenix sadly did not have the foresight to start preserving earlier.

I and countless others will always love Wallace and Ladmo. For us, they will live forever!

This was funniest show on TV for kids in Arizona in the 60s and 70s. They stole their material from all of the best comedians and comedy films, television and records; with the lack of home recording and playback, you didn't know this, you heard it for the first time from them and wondered how those other guys could steal from W&L. I saw them at several of their live shows and got to be on the show as a Ladmo Bag winner in 73. It was a large grocery bag with enough stuff to cover the bottom of the bag, which was disappointing, but it sure was fun to see the set and see them do their stuff in person (it was broadcast live every afternoon with a tape the next morning). The other best part were the Warner Bros. cartoons UNEDITED. Explosions, stereotypes and early 30s color cartoons were all there. Pat McMahon had some of the best characters: Aunt Maude and her tragic ending stories ("Bobby and Betty were never seen again." "All of the animals died in the forest fire."); Gerald, the worst villain on television (and the first boy to be made a Bluebird); Boffo (formerly Ozob), the clown who saw it as only a job and hated kids; and many others. Some of the late era cartoons were not good and the later characters were rather mild so they cause the loss of a couple of points. I think haters just didn't get the humor and that's a pity. Videotapes and DVDs are available for the curious and the web has plenty to sample. There's nothing like it on TV now. BTW, Steven Spielberg is a big fan and got his film debut on this show. He made a special greeting for their 35th anniversary show while filming Indy 3.