User:George Goldtrap

Uncle Albert's General Store

During the 55 years I spent as a radio and television performer I served in a variety of areas; announcer, weathercaster, talk host, producer, director, etc. Because I like kids, there were a few years in my screen career that were especially delightful. I was once a TV cowboy!

Between 1962 and 1964, while staff announcer at a Kentucky TV station, I produced and hosted a live daily children's show called Uncle Albert's General Store. (Albert is my middle name.)

The show's format was much like the old Captain Kangaroo or Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. There was a familiar set, in this case an authentic looking General Store. A local grocer supplied popsicles and a local pet store occasionally visited with a variety of animal guests. Occasional walk in characters included puppets, special guest, and Uncle Albert's pet rabbit, 'Mr. Barnum', unique because he was born with only one ear. Our daily live audience of neighborhood kids supplied endless fun.

The prime attraction was the daily showing of a full-length cowboy movie alternating between the popular stars Roger Rogers or Gene Autry. The kids loved it, and so did Uncle Albert! The show had a very successful run. As a result I received many requests for pictures of Gene Autry, and/or Roy Rogers and of course Uncle Albert.

To satisfy all requests, and with the backing of a local sponsor, we created a unique promotional postcard. We obtained permission from Autry and Roger's professional agents to publish a public relations picture of all three TV heros in one pose, Rogers, Uncle Albert, and Autry. It required a bit of cut and paste technology from the station's promotion department, but it worked. The picture was published as a post card and distributed by the thousands to those who requested copies or those who met Uncle Albert at any of my public relations appearances.

Years later, after moving into the world of professional speakers, I had occasion to be with Roy Rogers at a public appearance in south Florida. Remembering the photograph, I took it along hoping to secure Roger's autograph. Rogers gladly obliged, but was puzzled and unable to remember posing for the publicity picture. Laughing, I pointed to the crude splicing of three separate photos, blended in the photo lab to achieve the desired effect.

Some years later, a local attorney, and cousin by marriage, began handling legal work for Gene Autry. At my request, he presented the picture to Autry and asked if he would add his autograph. He was pleased to do so, but like Rogers could not remember having ever posed for the shot. We let him in on the promotion secret and assured Autry that proper authorizations had been attained. To this day this prized photo hangs on my office vanity wall at Happy Talk Int'l in Ormond Beach. It is among the many autographed photos that I cherish from my years of association with celebrity personalities. This one however is really special. To my knowledge, it is the only picture in existence with both Autry and Rogers which contains the autograph of both men. The added bonus, for me, is a smiling Uncle Albert standing between the two images of legendary celluloid stars.

Eventually I moved on to other responsibilities. I’m not likely to ever again be a TV cowboy, but I do cherish the experience, and am very fond of this priceless reminder of day's gone by. It's one of many 'happy trails' highlights. The passing of both Rogers and Autry in recent years makes the picture all the more poignant. Maybe, for just a moment, it will transport you back to those Saturday afternoons at the local flick when real men in white hats always won out over the bad guys in the black hats....and never really hurt anybody.