Buffalo Bob Smith
Robert Emil Schmidt (November 27, 1917 – July 30, 1998), nicknamed Buffalo Bob, was an American radio and television personality and presenter; he was well known as the host of the children's show Howdy Doody.
Buffalo Bob Smith
July 30, 1998 (aged 80)
Pinecrest ARP Church
- Television personality
- host
1943–1991
3
Biography[edit]
Early life and radio[edit]
Born in Buffalo, New York, as Robert Emil Schmidt, he attended Masten Park High School.
Schmidt got his start in radio in Buffalo at WGR (AM) though he switched from WGR to WBEN's late morning radio slot in 1943, as part of a move which also brought Clint Buehlman's early morning show over from WGR to WBEN at the same time. (The WBEN morning slot had opened when its host, future NBC-TV personality Jack Paar, was drafted into the military.)[1]
WBEN was seeking to break WGR's #1 position in local popularity; shaking the position of network-fed Don McNeill's Breakfast Club and its grip on ratings for the 9 am time slot was an important part of the plan. WBEN first poached (from WGR) Clint Buehlman's popular early morning show, which ended at 9am, followed by 15 minutes of local news. Then, Buffalo Bob appeared at 9:15 am. Within a period of time, Smith had won the #1 spot in late mornings for WBEN, and McNeill dropped to second in the Buffalo market. Smith's popularity in Buffalo won the attention of NBC, which brought him to New York after the war to host early mornings on flagship station WNBC, a post he held through the early 1950s before concentrating on television. For a time between 1947 and 1953, he appeared mornings on WNBC while hosting and producing the daily Howdy Doody show.[2]
After Howdy Doody[edit]
In 1970 and 1971, Smith embarked on a live tour of college campuses. The shows, organized by producer Burt DuBrow, mixed nostalgia with more contemporary humor, such as Buffalo Bob finding a package of Zig Zags (rolling paper) allegedly belonging to Clarabell. One show, on April 4, 1971, was recorded and released as an LP, on the Project 3 Total Sound Stereo label. It was titled Buffalo Bob Smith Live at Bill Graham's Fillmore East.
Smith had a summer residence in Grand Lake Stream, Maine. He was well-liked by locals and occasionally hosted local events. He owned radio stations WQDY in Calais, Maine, WMKR (now WSYY) in Millinocket, Maine and WHOU in Houlton, Maine.[5]
Later life[edit]
His other screen efforts include films, Track of Thunder (1968) and Problem Child 2 (1991), as Father Flanagan. He also made guest appearances on Happy Days and What's My Line, as well as the television specials, NBC's 60th Anniversary Celebration (1986), and It's Howdy Doody Time (1987). After his retirement, Smith retired to Henderson County, North Carolina, becoming a member of the Pinecrest Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARP) in Flat Rock.[6]
Death[edit]
He made a live infomercial appearance to promote Howdy Doody Entertainment Memorabilia on July 3, 1998, on QVC, which became his last public appearance. Smith died of cancer four weeks later on July 30, 1998, in a hospital in Hendersonville, North Carolina, three days before puppeteer Shari Lewis, whose show coincidentally had taken over the time slot which Howdy Doody had previously occupied.[7][8]