dave5838
15 posts
Aug 29, 2011
12:26 PM
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Who remembers the cast of the program? There was a dude, first name was Willie, last name skips my mind. Who else was on the program?
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AllenN71
296 posts
Aug 29, 2011
2:09 PM
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So long ago! There was a troupe of square dancers from our neighbor to the south; name of "The Kentucky Briar-Hoppers".
The theme was a stylized square dance tune played on a solo fiddle and absolutely nothing else - just like in the old barn dance tradition where there might be one, maybe two competent fiddlers in a county full of cornfields.
As a further aside, remember that back then (Gawd, back then I never thought the day would come when I called back then "back then"; TV seemed so moderne) the TV shows all had announcers who would announce the title of the show and the cast (LEAVE IT TO BEAVER! STARRING BARBARA BILLINGSLEY AS JUNE CLEAVER... etc.) Then the whole famiy would come running into the living room. I believe this was done because lots of us kept the TV on to keep the tubes (TUBES!!) warmed up and were otherwise occupied with hobbies, homework, and chores and not really minding the time.
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rr52c
15 posts
Aug 29, 2011
4:32 PM
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I remember Willie Shaw, Sally Flowers, Bonnie Lou and Estel McDew and the Blue Grass Boys.
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supersix
65 posts
Aug 29, 2011
5:24 PM
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Willie Thall was the early announcer, Dean Richards was the later. The theme song was "Down at the Huskin' Bee".
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Keugene48
181 posts
Aug 29, 2011
7:54 PM
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I found a good article on the Midwestern Hayride on the web site Cincinnati.com
My favorite was Kenny Roberts "The Jumping Cowboy". I also remember Ernie Lee and of course Kenny Price. You can hear some songs on You Tube too.
Last Edited by on Aug 29, 2011 7:55 PM
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Nile
28 posts
Aug 31, 2011
7:38 PM
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I believe the Willie was Willie Thal, right?
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maxed out
303 posts
Sep 01, 2011
2:01 PM
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Midwestern Hayride was on one of the few channels that was available back in the 50's and 60;s. Actually I remember the show with fond memories.. During the Christmas season I remember Willie would show all of the new toys that SANTA could bring us on Christmas eve. I loved Christmas so much when I was young. My family was not rich by any means but I loved what I did receive. It was a wonderful time for me.
Last Edited by on Sep 01, 2011 2:01 PM
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Chrissy
1 post
May 05, 2012
9:42 PM
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The Midwestern Hayride began on radio in the 1940's and was simulcast on radio and television from about 1948. Willie Thall was the host for many years, and then later Dean Richards. My mother's youngest sister, Helene, married Estil McNew in 1943, and they had already been working together with a group called the Kentucky Briarhoppers. Estil was from Rockcastle County, Kentucky and the group appeared on the Renfro Valley Barn Dance occasionally, the first time in 1939 I believe. The Kentucky Briarhoppers were the first group to take the traditional clog step a little faster than usual, and to have taps with cletes (loose plates) on their shoes, which made the taps ring more. They were not traditional "Western Style" square dancers and were unique with their own style and did not dance the flat-footed clog style. Estil called the squares and my aunt was the lead female dancer. My aunt made the costumes for the women and sometimes the shirts for the men if she couldn't find the right shirts in a western wear store. She also did much of the booking, as Estil had a full time job during the week. Sometime in the mid-fifties, Estil decided to form a group called the Tiny Eight, which soon became The Junior Kentucky Briarhoppers. My aunt made all the costumes for them too, usually smaller versions of the costumes of the older dancers. Both groups were very popular in the tri-state area of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. In the late '50's a labor dispute at WLW caused several acts to leave the Hayride, and the Briarhoppers was one of them. They went to Indianapolis and became stars on the Indiana Hoedown on Channel 6, WFBM with Charlie Gore and the Rangers, and other acts both local and from the Hayride cast as well. The Briarhoppers went back to WLW and performed under the name the Midwesterners at times on WKRC television as well. Estil and Helene divorced about 1966 and went their separate ways. I don't remember if he stayed with the Hayride and the dancers but I know she didn't. I believe the Hayride left the air in 1972. As a child we lived in central Indiana and were able to attend many of the shows in the area where the dancers were dancing. The Jr. group spent the night as my house guests in 1955. I practiced with the Jr. group but never danced with them. My step-cousin did dance with them however. The Cincinnati Museum has copies of several old Hayride shows with the various stars of the '50's. You can view them there,and buy them on CD if you wish.
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Kyttengyrl
3 posts
May 06, 2012
1:14 PM
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My grandfather loved the Midwestern Hayride and named my mother Bonnie Lou after the Famous Bonnie Lou! I believe some of his musical brothers played a few times on the show.
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theWiz
22 posts
Sep 17, 2012
9:08 PM
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I remember Willie Thal and some guy called the Bargain City Kid- they did commercials for Rinks Bargain City.
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pie8me
124 posts
Sep 18, 2012
9:19 AM
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Wasn't Kenny Price known as 'The Round Mound of Sound'? Seem to remember him being introduced that way....
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Mikey
163 posts
Sep 19, 2012
9:44 AM
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Kenny Price also did a stint on Hee-Haw in its declining years.
Willie(y?) Thal(l?) also worked as Ruth Lyons sidekick on the 50 CLub when Peter Grant (WLW news director)was unavailable.
In the early years of TV, all of the WLW stations were tightly coupled and most of the live programming aired on all four TV stations WLW-C, D, I and T simultaneously. Sometimes, when when the technical wind was blowing in the right direction, also on WLW-A in Atlanta.
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Mikey, Gatlinburg, TN
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luv my dayton
147 posts
Sep 29, 2012
8:43 AM
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Willie Thal is correct. This was yet another show that when it came on the family gathered around. Really miss those days.
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luv my dayton
148 posts
Sep 29, 2012
8:58 AM
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Have bought myself a number of old tv show dvd sets. Andy Griffith, I love Lucy, Leave it to Beaver, Ozzie and Harriet and others. Shows that never offended. Even have the Ozzie and Harriet Christmas shows. Although June Cleaver was a bit fixed up back in those days before slacks and jeans, that is pretty much how moms dressed even to do their daily chores. TVland runs some of these daily and then there is a channel called JLTV, with old Dinah Shore shows, Jack Benny, The Goldbergs etc. My escape from the usual fair that is called tv now adays.
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Tomco
19 posts
May 20, 2013
7:36 PM
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There was a female singer named Bonnie Lou on the Midwestern Hayride.
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Billd1952
66 posts
May 21, 2013
2:41 PM
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Bonnie Lou was a yoddeler. She was on Midwestern Hayride, and the Ruth Lyons show. Bonnie lives/lived in Brookville and did commercials for Boose Chevrolet. My favorites on the Mid Western Hayride was Zeek and Bill.
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