An Explanation of My Current Avatar and Signature...

[LoyalTubist]

Those of you who grew up in Southern California between 1954 and 1966 recognize the man in my avatar as Engineer Bill, whose real name was Bill Stulla. His gig was a local, live children's TV show that aired at 6:30 in the evenings called Cartoon Express (it wasn't all cartoons, though). Bill dressed up like a railroad engineer and ran a huge model train layout in the studio. What most people remember about Engineer Bill was the infamous Red Light/Green Light milk drinking game. It was something like Simon Says. "Green Light" meant to start drinking milk. "Red Light" meant to stop. The trick was that he could say different words, such as, "Red Night" or "Green Flight."

Bill Stulla died on August 12, 2008, at the age of 97. My pictures here are a tribute to him. And my name is Bill, too.

You can read the biography I wrote about Engineer Bill on my Old Time Radio 'blog here.

[TubaRay]

And I believe the San Antonio version would be Cap'n Gus. I used to watch that show as often as I possibly could.

[Donn]

Tacoma's (and Seattle's) Brakeman Bill (Bill McLain)


Ran about 20 years, from 1954. Man's still alive, as far as I know.

[LoyalTubist]

I don't intend to change this. I like the electric train in the signature.

[Tubaryan12]

Cleveland's version was Captain Penny:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Penny" target="_blank

[LoyalTubist]

Actually L.A. had other people besides Engineer Bill.

There was Sheriff John, Skipper Frank, Hobo Kelly (a woman), Chucko the Clown, Bozo the Clown (first played by Pinto Colvig, the original voice of Bozo... then Vance Colvig Jr. his son)... and many, many, more...