Come On and ZOOM (Chapter 3)

 

Chapter 3: A Show with Ten Kids

ZOOM Season 4, which premiered in 1974, was great, but it had … ten ZOOMers. The only season to have them. They included (deep breath) Andrae Morgan, Cate Wadsworth Duddy, Carmen Hernandez, Tracey Dunlap, Tishy Flaherty, David Azzoto, David "Red" O'Brien, Tommy Schultz, Harvey Reed, and Norman Christian. Unlike the previous ZOOMers, these ZOOMers wore red and yellow shirts rather than red and blue ones.

It was during this season ZOOM released the "Come On and ZOOM" cast album, which shares its name with what I'm writing now. None of the Season 4 ZOOMers were in the first three seasons, and none of them would be returning for the next.

Season 5 of ZOOM premiered in 1976, and there were seven kids in the cast again - maybe because WGBH wasn't used to the ten kids Season 4 had. The new ZOOMers were Nell Cox, Levell Thomas Gethers, Ron Richmond Savel, Arcaido Gonzalez, Chris Blackwell, Jennifer Hardy, and Karen Wing Lew. 

Once 1976 became 1977, it was time for ZOOM Season 6. These new ZOOMers were Carolyn Malcolm, Amy Clark Ross, Shona Wiseman de Nile, Susan Hobbie Wolf, Nicholas Butterworth, Chee Kim, and John Lathan, and they went back to wearing red and blue shirts.

In 1978, after six seasons, ZOOM was cancelled, and the video you see above was the final scene. Though this wasn't the first time it was cancelled (see the previous chapter). 

After the show ended, a book by author Pam Benson was made called "ZOOMers Revisited: Where are they now?." The book was about what the ZOOMers were doing after they were on the show.

In 1998, a VHS tape of ZOOM called "The Best of the 70s" was released. It was re-released in DVD form ten years later as "Back to the 70s." Despite the book and videos, that would not be the end of the show. (FORESHADOWING)

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Come On and ZOOM: Part 2

 

Chapter 2: ZOOMing Into Success

Season 1 of ZOOM was a big hit. The show received critical acclaim and many positive reviews. In fact, it was such a big hit, it was clear that WGBH wanted more. And more they did! A second season was in production, and Kenny, Nancy, and Tracy were back, but with some new ZOOMers.

Who were the new ZOOMers? Maura Mullaney, Ann Messer, David Alberico, and Jay Schertzer. This new season brought many new Dos, Guests, Games, Songs, Stories, Plays, Raps, and Barrels.

The cast changed again the same season. Maura, Ann, Jay, and David stayed, while we met new ZOOMers Luiz Gonzalez, Bernadette Yao, and Leon Mobley.

Bernadette was well-known for the "arm trick" she did when she was introduced in the theme song. I'm even friends with her on Facebook (as well as Ann and Joe). Once again, new Games, Plays, Guests, Mail, Dos, Stories, and Songs.

And once again there was ANOTHER cast change in the same season. Luiz, Bernadette (does arm trick), and Leon returned, while new ZOOMers Edith Mooers, Lori Boskin, Danny Malloy Normas, and Neal Johnson Robinson were introduced.

With all these cast changes, the ZOOMers at home needed to know about them, so the ZOOMers on the show welcomed the new ZOOMers with a song called "How Do You Do" when they were introduced. This new cast brought even more new segments.

Two ZOOM books were published this season - the ZOOM Catalog (which I own) and Do a ZOOMDo.

Let’s move onto Season 3. Season 3 brought even more new ZOOMers - Danny McGrath, Mike Dean, Donna Moore, and Timmy Price Rudman. Edith, Lori, and Neal stayed. This season gave us new Plays, Mail, Games, Guests, Dos, Raps, and Songs.

The second cast for this season was Hector Dorta, Mike, Donna, Rose Clarkow, Timmy, Shawn Miranda Reed, and Danny. During this third season, a ZOOMer told the viewers the show was getting cancelled, and encouraged them to send letters, photos, and other content to keep it on air, and guess what? It TOTALLY worked! ZOOM stayed on air.

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Come On and ZOOM: Part 1

 

This blog is all about ZOOM, the PBS Kids show produced by WGBH Boston by kids, for kids, and starring kids. Once I started this blog, I decided that we should open it with a series of posts about ZOOM's history. My name is Maddie, and this is Come On and ZOOM!

Chapter 1: We're Starting Soon

This is Christopher Sarson. In the 70s, he would make something no kids show has been before.

There was a British show called "Why Don't You Switch Off Your Television Set and Do Something Less Boring Instead?". The programme featured real kids doing activities sent in by viewers. Sarson decided to make a PBS children's show inspired by this programme, but for an older audience than Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

The show was initially going to be called "ZOOM In, ZOOM Out," but later shortened to ZOOM. ZOOM it was!

With the name finally in tow, WGBH, Boston's PBS affiliate, made a pilot starring seven kids known as ZOOMers - Dr. Joseph Shrand, Jon Reuning, Tommy White, Kenny Marshal Pires, Nina Lille, Nancy Tates, and Tracy Tannebring. The ZOOMers, who all wore red and blue shirts, would do activities sent in by viewers, in segments such as ZOOMDo, ZOOMPlay, ZOOMGoody, ZOOMBarrel, ZOOMGame, ZOOMRap, ZOOMMovie, ZOOMGuest, and Tracy Asks. The ZOOMers would also sing covers of popular songs.

The kids had two word games - Fannee Doolee, a woman who only likes things with double vowels, and Ubbi Dubbi - a secret language where you would put "ub" in front of each vowel. Their address? ZOOM, Z double O M, Box 350, Boston Mass, 02134. Just sing it!

ZOOM premiered on PBS in January 1972. It was a bold and unique new show - one where viewers could write anything for it.

In 1973, the original ZOOMers released an album called "Playgrounds."

Christopher and WGBH didn't think ZOOM would be successful enough, and didn't think a second season would be made.

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Welcome to the Blog

Hi ZOOMFans. I'm Maddie, whom you might know from Parents and Kids Share Together. Welcome to the blog! Why have I started it? At almost fourteen years old, I'm ZOOM's biggest fan! I own VHS tapes, the Back to the 70s DVD, books, records, and a T-shirt. Hopefully ZOOM's history and legacy can live on here. Let's get ZOOMin'