Celebrating 70 years of ‘Wallace and Ladmo’

“The Wallace and Ladmo Show” turned 70 years old on April 1. Now, an exhibition about the show is opening at Sunnyslope Historical Society and Museum.

“The Wallace and Ladmo Show” was a children’s program that aired on KPHO in Phoenix from 1954 to 1989. Bill Thompson, who hosted the show, created the character of Wallace Snead. Ladimir Kwiatkowski, a cameraman working at the station at the time, joined the show as Ladmo. In 1960, Pat McMahon joined the cast and developed a list of characters, including Gerald, Aunt Maud, Captain Super and Marshall Good.

In the 1960s, Ladmo bags appeared on the show, paper grocery bags filled with candy, potato chips, cans of soda and assorted coupons. Wallace credits Pat McMahon with coming up with the idea of putting items from the show’s sponsors in a bag to be given to winners of the show’s contests. The Ladmo Bag could also be won by children in the in-studio audience or at stage performances.

Julia Taggart, President of the Sunnyslope Historical Society and curator of the exhibit, joined “Arizona Horizon” to share some of the special elements included in the exhibit.

The exhibition runs through December.