Television Depictions of Boys Clothes: Television Themes--Scouting


Figure 1.--

We haven't noticed any TV programs devoted to youth groups. I don't know if the Soviets ever had TV programs about the Young Pioneers. And of course the moral baggage of the Hitler Youth hardly lend them to use in a TV series. I think even Heimat side-stepped around the Hitler Youth. HBC has also noted some television programs that have depicted Scouts. There seem fewer TV programs that have had Scouting scenes than movies. And we have never seen a television program focusing on the Scouting movement itself. Again it is mostly American programs that we are familiar with. We do not, however, recall any television programs specifically about Scouting. "Leave it to Beaver" in 1958 had an episode in which Wally, Eddie, Chester, and Tooey join the Boy Scouts. Beaver, too young to join the Scouts, had to spend a lonely Saturday without brother Wally, until a storm caused the trip to be cancelled. All the boys wore short sleeved shirt, short pants uniforms with knee socks in this episode. "My Three Sons" in 1964 had Chip and Ernie and a few Scout friends on an weekend camping trip with dad Fred Mac Murray as scoumaster. Dad had a conflict: he was working on an important project with a colleague at the time, but he'd promised the boys to take them camping. Dad, the boys, and the colleague all go camping together with predictably unpredictable results. Last week, we noted that actor Ralph Hart from "The Lucy Show" always wore contemporary clothes. In one color episode, though, Ralph, Lucy's TV son, and their troop went on a camping trip. The uniforms were long sleeve and long pants, just as in an earlier B&W episode when the boys wore their Cub Scout uniforms.

(The) Adams Family (United States)

There is an "Adams Family" episode in which Pugsley joins the Scouts. The fun is the Scouts are the opposite of their beliefs. A funny epicode but under lying attack on Scouters. They are portrayed as a bunch of sissies. A reader writes, "There is a scene of late 1960s toys which I found humorous. A pogo stick! Wow thats going back some. The good memory for this is that the show was on satellite TV last night."

(The) Andy Griffith Family (United States)

I know there is an episode of the "Andy Griffith Show" in which Oppie wears the official Scout uniform and goes on a camping trip, but I don't recall the plot of the episode.

(The) Brady Bunch (United States)

Once, Marcia, showing certain feminist inclinations, joined Greg's boys' group (they were similar to the Boy Scouts, but a different name was used). This is one of the instances in which a made up group was created. This was necessary for the story line becazuse the Scouts do not allow girls. In retaliation, Greg and Bobby put Peter up to joining Jan's "Sunshine Girls". Peter appears in the Sunflower Girls uniform. Peter wore the black cap with sunflower emblem and a white blouse over long black trousers. Pete gamely tried to sell a hard-boiled looking man a box of the group's cookies. This is a bit unusual as the entire episode was devoted to Scouting, specifically the issue of gender conventions in Scouting.

Leave It to Beaver (United States)

I dpn't recall Beaver ever getting involved with the Cubs. There was an episode in 1958 in which Wally, Eddie, Chester, and Tooey join the Boy Scouts. Beaver, too young to join the Scouts, had to spend a lonely Saturday without brother Wally, until a storm caused the trip to be cancelled. They wear the official Scout uniform. All the boys wore short sleeved shirt, short pants uniforms with knee socks in this episode.

(The) Lucy Show (United States)

We noted that actor Ralph Hart from "The Lucy Show" always wore contemporary clothes. In one color episode, though, Ralph, Lucy's TV son, and their troop went on a camping trip. The uniforms were long sleeve and long pants, just as in an earlier B&W episode when the boys wore their Cub Scout uniforms.

Mister Ed (United States)

I know Cubs were pictured in one episode, but I don't know the details. A Cub Scout pack appears in one episode at the zoo. The boys are carefully outfitted in the official Cub uniform with short pants and kneesocks.

(The) Odd Couple (United States)

One television programme I remember in which a very brief image of a Boy Scout is seen, is in the opening credits of the TV version of "The Odd Couple" with Jack Klugman and Tony Randal. In the scene Tony Randal attempts to escort an old lady across the street, but she brushes him aside and takes the arm of a Boy Scout who just hapens to be crossing the same street. The Scout wears the green uniform with short pants and kneesocks. This was never part of an actual episode, but as it was n the credits, it played week after again even more frequently in sindication.

My Three Sons (United States)

"My Three Sons" in 1964 had Chip and Ernie and a few Scout friends on an weekend camping trip with dad Fred Mac Murray as scoumaster. Dad had a conflict: he was working on an important project with a colleague at the time, but he'd promised the boys to take them camping. Dad, the boys, and the colleague all go camping together with predictably unpredictable results. Of course it was Fred MacMurry who played Lem in the classic Boy Scout film--"Follow Me Boys".

Scout - Gang Show (England)

An English reader writes, "In the UK when Ralf Reader was alive there was a TV show he produced to raise money for the Scout movement. It was screened once a year on National TV. I think it was mainly screened on BBC TV. It was often shown in the spring. It was the "Scout - Gang Show". I think the cast was made up of lots of different Cub packs and Scout troops from all over the British Isles. It was often screened on a Sunday evening in the schedule slot for live variety shows from London's theatre land. There was often an LP record released shortly afterwards of the main production songs. I have at least three of these in my collection."

(The) Suite Life of Zack and Cody (United States)

Zack and Cody join a Scout-like group. I didn't catch the name. They go on an outing where they have to live off the land. Zack of course cheats and puts Cody to shame. They wear tan Scout-like uniforms.

To the Mannor Born (England)

The rivalry among the main characters extends over to Scouting. There is also a rivalry between the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides. A good part of one episode is devoted Scouting. Marjorie and ??? are Guide leaders. The girls apparently delight in booy-traping the boys' raft. At the end the Scout Hut collpses.

Tool Time (United States)

The younger boy Mark is a Cub and there is a pack meeting at home. The older boys, Brad and Randy, never joinrd the Scouts.







HBC






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Created: 3:08 AM 1/31/2008
Last updated: 12:58 PM 2/1/2008