Antother Good One Moves On

"Clancy the Cop" died the other day.

Actually John Gallos died, he was the guy who played Clancy on TV, and by that I mean local TV. There was a time in this land where just about every local TV market had a "Clancy the Cop." Not unlike Captain Kangaroo or Mr. Rogers, Clancy's afternoon show was meant for kids, and along with his pal, the sleuth Willie Ketchem, and Carmen the nurse, the bits and sketches were part entertainment, and part civics/manners for the under-12 crowd. The show ran on the CBS station here on the egde of The Tundra from 1961 until 1977, when, partially thanks to Peggy Charren, it was tossed for that Phil Donohue idiot.

He did a little bit of everything in the business, which contrasts with today's TV dolts who are barely capable of doing one thing. Here's just a few of the hats he wore:

Gallos worked for WCCO-TV for nearly 50 years, and filled almost every role at the station. He worked as a news, weather and sports announcer, in addition to hosting the musical quiz show "Play or Pay". He also spent 20 years hosting children's shows, in addition to hosting the "John Gallos Comedy Hour". The last program he hosted was "Sunday Morning with John Gallos", which was the nation's longest running local religious talk show. He was inducted into the Museum of Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2002.

Isn't it amazing that whether it's Jimmy Sterwart, or James Doohan, or Charles Durning (who isn't even dead yet) you never knew that these guys slogged it out in WWII until you read their obituary?

(Gallos) earn(ed) a combat infantry badge for his service with the Army's 66th Black Panther Division in World War II and working for the Armed Forces Radio Network in Europe.

In the summer of 1992 I began an internship at that same CBS station. I was a bit unsure at first, not really familiar with the structure or my responsibilities. In the very first week, I happened to reach for a door handle, only to have that door opened for me by John Gallos, who said something along the lines of "After you, my good man . . ." in a gracious and accommodating manner. Here's the industry veteran, already being shown the road by the industry he helped craft, going out of his way to be kind to the latest intern. What in impression.

Gallos was 82, and had been married 54 years, so he had a good run, as we like to call it here are the Dog Farm.