Local Legends presents

WEBSTER WEBFOOT'S WEBPAGE!

"Uncle" Jimmy Weldon has entertained, informed and motivated thousands of people across the nation with the help of his little pal Webster Webfoot, who is always by his side.

Jimmy was born on September 23, 1923 in Dale, Texas. His family lived in Dale till Jimmy was seven when they moved to Chickasha, Oklahoma.

The professional acting jobs may have been few and far between in Chickasha but leave it to Jimmy (and his mom) to land a starring role in an "Our Gang" comedy at the ripe old age of eleven. Jimmy's mother had read how a Hollywood Company was going through small towns making films and decided to take little Jimmy, thus cementing the acting bug.

By the age of 12, Jimmy was delivering newspapers and discovering his talent for talking like a duck. He succeeded, with much practice after watching a co-worker who also talked like a duck. With this it wasn't long before he entered a Jimmy Wakely amateur contest, singing "Three little Fishes" like Donald Duck. While not gaining a legion of fans, he did impress one man, Jimmy Wakely himself. Bucking up the young lad with words of encouragement, he advised him to go home and write an act with Donald and his nephews, promising he would get another shot on the show. With his mother's help, Jimmy had an act together one-month later when Jimmy Wakely returned. Everyone loved his act.

Weekly amateur Contests were held at the Million Dollar Theatre in Los Angeles and you couldn't stop Jimmy and his winning act. However, World War two took Jimmy to the European theatre in Patton's Third Army Combat Engineers. He became an Air Force pilot and developed a life long love of flying that would rival his love of acting and entertaining. In the service he could combine the two, being an emcee for USO shows.

Through the service, young men were also given the opportunity to stay in Europe for schooling. One of those schools had a new enrollee in Jimmy Weldon as he became a student at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, England.

Another life changing event, Jimmy met his wonderful wife Muriel Jones. You might remember Muriel, she worked on the TV series "Little House on the Prairie" for it's entire run. She also played a nurse on "Trapper John MD". Unfortunately, she passed away on March 5, 1988.

After the war, he returned to Chickasha and his first job, an announcer, on the local radio station. Webster Webfoot was 'born' there and four years later introduced to a television audience in Dallas, Texas. He was an immediate success and appeared with national entertainers.

Webster became very real to a lot of kids out there. Webster's official birthday is February 31st. Webster is always three years old. To demonstrate how much Webster and Jimmy were adored, Jimmy tells this next story.

Bob Stanford aired "The Frito Kid" sponsored by the Frito-Lay Corporation. Bob was the Frito Kid and his Enemy was Snake Bit Sam (Played by Easy Marvin, who later moved to Hollywood and became an announcer on an NBC network program with Jimmy and Webster). They worked up a bit that had Snake Bite Sam kidnapping little Webster and putting him in an oven to have roast duck. Kids all over were on the edge of their seats, terrified that Webster's goose, (ah, duck...) was cooked. So many viewers were upset that Bob had to go on camera and tell his audience that Webster would be fine and back on tomorrow, unscathed.

Jimmy and Webster with Kate Smith.

Ed Sullivan gets a "winged welcome".

The Ideal Toy Company developed a Webster Webfoot doll that didn't quite resemble Webster very much (you had to look at the name on the label to read that it was Webster). Jimmy's family pitched in to design Webster Webfoot towels, Cardigans, T-shirts and caps. The Sanger Brothers department store sponsored the show in Dallas at WFAA-TV. While there, Webster Webfoot dolls, T-shirts, caps, towels, cardigans and records were developed.

Webster Webfoot was the longest running show in the Dallas/Fort Worth area (where he was running at the time). He had the same sponsor- the Sanger Brothers department store. Webster called it Mister Sanger Brothers. In the early 50's Webster and Jimmy would have on such guests as Kate Smith and Ed Sullivan. Each week the show had officers giving safety hints to the kids.

Jimmy Wakely was about to reappear in Jimmy Weldon's life again when Wakely happened to be performing in the Sportatorium. Jimmy and Webster were appearing each day at the Dallas fair when they rushed to finish the last show to try and meet up with Wakely ten minutes before he was to go on. Luckily he did and Jimmy and Webster reintroduced themselves to Wakely. The announcer for the show came up with the suggestion that Jimmy and Webster being the hottest personalities in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, introduce Wakely to the crowd. Jimmy Weldon grabbed Webster and headed for the stage. The crowd went wild. Jimmy told how Wakely had encouraged him 12 years before. After the introduction, Wakely wouldn't let Jimmy and Webster leave the stage, so they spent the rest of the show with Wakely who told him that he'd be in Hollywood in two weeks and that he should come with him.

Less than two weeks later Jimmy Weldon met with MCA in Hollywood and The May Company in Los Angeles offered to sponsor him.

Webster's adventure in Hollywood started the first week in September of 1952 on KLAC-TV Channel 13. His Producer was George Tibbles who later was the sole writer for fourteen years on "My Three Sons".

Jimmy visited all The May Company children's departments where all things Webster were sold. Each children's department had a Webster Webfoot Headquarters. On their first appearance over 5,000 fans came out to see Jimmy and Webster.

Jimmy and Webster were nominated the outstanding children's show for 1952, 1953, and 1954. They also did numerous parades in the Southern California area, such as the 1953 Huntington Park Christmas Parade.

Jimmy stretched his acting wings (sans Webster) in "Halls of Ivy" as Calhoun Gaddy and on "Dragnet" with a very impressed Jack Webb (among others). Ralph Edwards met Jimmy at a party and asked to talk to him about doing a children's show on the NBC network. When they did get together later they developed "Funny Boners" a Truth or Consequences-type kid's game show, emceed by Webster and Jimmy Saturday Mornings in 1955.

Thanks to Clarice Parti for sending us this rare pin.

By 1959, Jimmy took a shot at the Big Apple by playing host on "The Hi Mom Show" replacing Shari Lewis on NBC in New York. Channel 13 in Los Angeles wanted him back. Jimmy's replacement in New York? Jim Henson, Muppets creator.

The Los Angeles show lasted till 1961. Bill Mitchell produced the channel 13 show on went on to write for "The Dating Game", "The Newlywed game", Press Your Luck", among others. From 1962 to 1964 Jimmy was on in Fresno and Bakersfield and did a live show in Salinas.

Jimmy went on in the 60's to do the voice of the Hanna-Barbera cartoon character "Yakky Doodle" (a little duck, naturally), as well as in the 1970's as the voice of "Solomon Grundy" on "The Super Friends". Jimmy's done work on the"Knight Rider" series and has appeared in many plays as well.

Today Jimmy has become one of the top motivational speakers in America. He and Webster have spoken to more National Management Association Chapters than any other speaker. Companies like Boeing, AT&T, McDonnell Douglas, Rockwell, Bendix...to name a few.

Jimmy & Webster jump in their Beechcraft Bonanza (proudly showing Webster's picture on the fuselage) and fly all over California - often to Las Vegas - to speak to a group.

If you would like to say "Hi" or read more about Jimmy Weldon and Webster Webfoot you can get a copy of his excellent book (he'll even sign it for you!) or an audio or video cassette of the same (it's highly recommended here at Local Legends). Simply click on the book to visit Jimmy and Webster's site. You'll never stop learning and laughing with Jimmy and Webster.
	Read a Local Legends interview with Jimmy and Webster!

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