Old PBS Children's Show

[robink40]

I vagualy remember this but I could swear there use to be a childrens show on PBS called A Pocket Full of Fun. It was similar to the later childrens show Magic Garden. There were two female hosts and the only other thing I remember is a trunk they would pull stuff out of to play pretend. I grew up on Long Island, so I don't know if this was a regional thing or maybe I am just imagining it. Anyone?

[gena]

I grew up on long island as well, i don't remember that at all.
I do remember the letter people tho' . kind of creepy letter puppets.

[Scott]

I grew up on Long Island. I remember it on Channel 13. I must have been about 4 years old (in 1966). I don't remember much about the show. Only that I loved it and was so upset when it was cancelled.

[Ellis Feaster]

I remember Pocket Full of Fun! I thought I was the only one who rememberd this show! It seemed to be around 1966-ish. The theme song is on the very edge of my memory, with two women singing. I can't remember much, but I do remember the 2 women who hosted the show would talk to a little twinkling light, named Twinkle, that would move around the set, and go to different places. Wish I could remember more. It would pre-date PBS. I think it was NET back then.

[Glen]

I just did a search for it and this strand came up.  It was in black and white and aired UNTIL Sesame Street made its debut.  That is what I recall.  So, it was on until 1969.  I used to come home from 1/2 day Kindergarten and watch it at noon, lunchtime.  The plot thickens.

[Barnard]

I remember it too and grew up in new rochelle ny and watched on pbs channel 13

[Evan]

I also remember it from the same timeframe, but I saw it in a suburb of Philadelphia so it wasn't limited to Long Island. 

[PG]

I remember it well! I grew up in NJ and it was on channel 13. Not only was it singing bit I remember them making different things. Typical fun craft things with candy papers, always using glue, and safety scissors were a must! Wish they still had the old shows on reruns!

[til ox is fit]

I remember it also.  Same time period.  All I remember was that I loved it and it and was SO UPSET when it was canceled.  I grew up on Long Island.  It was on Channel 13.

[Karen P]

I recall it was well. I was born in 1965 so I must have been very young! I remember two ladies dancing in dresses.

[I remember]

Yes I also remember the 2 ladies singing with the Mic abound their necks....High Tech at the time, early to mid 60's.

[Denny]

I remember it also. Grew up in The Bronx NY watched it on channel 13, I believe one of the host was Miss Mary Ellen. The 2 host of Pocketful of Fun had an earlier similar show called Fun at One which aired at 1pm not sure what channel it was on.

[Richard Rick]

Wow. That this thread exists and other people remember the show!!

The host was, in fact, Miss Mary Ellen. The show shot in Pittsburgh at WQED. I watched it everyday after school -- this would have been around 1st or 2nd grade, so the 1966-era people are recalling, fits, but I remember it as later, in 1969. And it was my favorite show. Another favorite was Azzizi (spelling?) with an traditional African woman as host -- adorned in a Dasheki.

What's hazy: I either went on a field trip to A Pocket Full of Fun show . . . or, more likely, Miss Mary Ellen came to our school and read stories to us. She played an acoustic guitar and we did a sing-a-long. And we did arts and crafts, as well. I do remember Miss Mary Ellen always wearing a long denim jumper-type dress (with two big pockets) and her hair was in a single braid. I don't remember a second woman, however.

What everyone else remembers: there was, in fact, "Twinkie" the light and Miss Mary did wear a mic around the neck that rested on her chest.

Just wow. The memories.

[Brody]

This was a great show. I loved the craft segment. Awesome childhood memories.

[Suzie]

I remember watching this show as a treat once a week in kindergarten (69-70) and loving it, and then we voted on whether, moving forward, we wanted to watch it or Sesame Street. I wanted Pocket Full of Fun—I just remember the lady (since I wouldn’t have used the word “woman” then!) and that I was bummed out when Sesame Street won. Though maybe it ended up getting cancelled then? At any rate, fun to see this thread!

[Eileen S]

The other lady was Miss Eppy or Miss Effie?

[Richard Rick]

Wow. The thread is still here. I saw someone grocery shopping yesterday, a mature woman in a denim jumper and she reminded me of the show. YES! The other lady was Ms. Effie! Seeing it mentioned . . . now I remember the second "lady" on the show.

Wow. I wished someone would dig up photos from the show and post them. I'd love to see 'em.

[joymar]

Wow this message board is still up! I very vaguely remember Pocketful of Fun, I was in morning kindergarten and my teacher would wheel in the big TV so we all could watch the show. This was in the Hartford CT area. I just remembered the show’s name and that there were two lady hosts, I don’t remember anything else about it. I thought perhaps I imagined it, but it was in fact a real show! I wish there was video of it that still existed.