Bing Bong Bang, It’s Boomerang!

⸺ by Charles Iliya Krempeaux

⸺ published 2007-04-06T14:44:00-07:00

From Humuhumu via http://www.junkyardclubhouse.com/2007/04/06/bing-bong-bang-its-boomerang/:

Just when you think that the Internet holds all the answers, it fails you. My search for information about Boomerang, a ’70s kids’ TV show from my native Seattle, has turned up nearly bupkes. I did learn something very interesting… I had no idea that Marni, the host of Boomerang, was none other than Marni Nixon. Nixon is the reason Julie Andrews won her Oscar for Mary Poppins. Well, that’s not fair — that was a well-earned Oscar. (Those who already know this story can skip ahead a couple of paragraphs.) Julie Andrews had starred on Broadway in the hit musical My Fair Lady, and won a Tony award. But when My Fair Lady was turned into a Hollywood film, Julie Andrews was not yet a name movie-goers would recognize, and Warner Brothers cast Audrey Hepburn in what really should have been Julie Andrews’ role. Walt Disney knew better, and cast Andrews that same year in Mary Poppins. Mary Poppins, and Julie Andrews, became a smash sensation. When the press started to dig a bit, and learned that Audrey Hepburn didn’t actually sing her parts — that the beautiful voice behind “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” and “I Could Have Danced All Night” was actually Marni Nixon… well, Jack Warner started to look like a fool for having ditched Julie Andrews. In Julie Andrews’ Oscar acceptance speech for Mary Poppins, she thanked “the man who made this all possible… Jack Warner,” which makes me love Julie Andrews even more. Marni actually has a brief role in Mary Poppins, as one of the animated geese, but didn’t meet Andrews while working on that film. When Nixon and Andrews later worked together on The Sound of Music (Nixon played one of the nuns), Andrews introduced herself with a hearty handshake, and exclaimed “I really love your work!,” probably with a cheeky look in her eye. Marni also was the singing voice for Maria in West Side Story, and she did some vocal work for a Mr. Magoo album, “Magoo in Hi-Fi” and provided “ethereal voice effects” for some Esquivel albums. She was a very, very successful session singer in Hollywood. I’m still having trouble reconciling the host of Boomerang with this Hollywood figure, but it comes together a bit when I hear the Boomerang theme song again — the song’s not exactly a winner, but it sure brings back memories, and that voice is loverly: ⁁ boomerang-song/boomerang-song-marni-nixon.mp3 This still leaves plenty of holes about Boomerang the show, though. I can fill in a little bit more from my own memories: It aired on channel 4, KOMO, which was Seattle’s ABC affiliate. It was filmed during the late ’70s into the early ’80s, and continued on in reruns for a while. Marni’s co-star was a yellow puppet boy, who looked like a cross between Bert from Sesame Street and Terrence from South Park. I̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶’̶t̶ ̶r̶e̶m̶e̶m̶b̶e̶r̶ ̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶n̶a̶m̶e̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶I̶ ̶c̶o̶u̶l̶d̶n̶’̶t̶ ̶f̶i̶n̶d̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶o̶n̶l̶i̶n̶e̶.̶ His name was Norbert. (Thanks melberoo!) There’s one episode in particular that I remember, where Marni was hired to do a commercial for some silver polish, but she tries the polish and it doesn’t work very well, and she decides to not do the commercial. It was a lesson about not whoring oneself out, and whenever I’m faced with similar scenarios, I always think of Marni’s frustration with the silver polish. Overall, the show was on the schmaltzy side, and if we’d had the variety of cable back then, I probably would never have watched it. So anywhere, there you go. That’s all I could find about the Seattle show Boomerang. Maybe someday something more will show up.

From William M (robotab@gmail.com):

i remember boomerang! i don’t think i even really realized it was local. i do remember that my parents took us all to some classical music night(at least that’s how it felt as a child) at some theater in seattle and marnie was the performer singing. the only part of the show i really remember is that for an encore(at least i think it was an encore) she introduced some piece and said it was supposed to be a duet, but she’d do it anyway. well, when it came time for the other singer’s part the conductor turned around and started singing.

From Humuhumu:

Oh, I’m so glad I’m not alone! I imagine this whole post is snoozeville to most of the JYC readers, but I’d hoped it’d mean something to Seattleites. I wasn’t sure if it was local myself. As I got older, I figured it must have been, since it wasn’t something that ever got referred to in popular culture. I was also looking for info on Hot Fudge (specifically, the opening theme song), which I thought was local, but I was wrong. It was produced in Detroit. We didn’t like Hot Fudge — it was on super early on Saturday mornings, and if we turned on the TV and it was on, we knew we’d miscalculated, and woken up too early. I don’t remember it very well, but I remember the theme song juuuuust enough for it to bug me, and I hope that hearing it again will let it rest. I remember it being funky and weird. Anyway, I couldn’t find the Hot Fudge theme song.

From melberoo:

i LOVED this show!!! i was searching the web, trying to find info, but there is none :( i came across this site :) that theme song really brings back memories :) i’m from vancouver, canada and it was on tv here for the same duration it aired in seattle. the little yellow co-star was NORBERT ! there was a character named MELINDA too (pink girl) :)

From Humuhumu:

NORBERT! Oh, thank you. I kept thinking it was Bert, but I thought that couldn’t possibly be, because he looks too much like Bert from Sesame Street to get away with that. Norbert. Ahhh. I don’t remember Melinda, maybe someday a picture will crop up that will jog my memory.

From craiglaw:

Thank you so much for putting the theme song on this site! I don’t think I will get the smile off my face for a while after hearing that. I loved the show as a kid. It was the best part of the weekend! Long live NORBERT!

From Cat KAz:

I, along with a group of other kids, were chosen from the Seattle girls’ choir to sing and tape the Show’s introduction. I’m the one holding the letter “M” on the barn! It was so fun being in the recoring studio with Marni Nixon! I’ve been trying to find a clip of that to show my kids but, alas, have had no luck. Pleae email me if you know how to find stuff like that on the internet! catkaz@comcast.net

From B:

Im happy I came accross your website. I was just searching all over for this song. Im happy I found your clip. Thanks:O) It made me smile and brings back great memories of watching this show when I was young. Now I only wish I could see some old shows maybe someone has a copy and can put it up on YouTube?!! I hope.

From Humuhumu:

I love that so many other people are looking for Boomerang info, too. B, I second that, PLEASE let there be someone out there that can put something up on YouTube! Cat Kaz, that’s too cool! If I ever track down the opening, I’ll be sure to let you know. You might try contacting KOMO, too — since you’re actually in the opening, it might spark their interest in helping you find the old footage.

From Subacca:

Wow. I have been searching for a while to find some info on this show. The theme song has been stuck in my head for a week!

From Scoots:

Thank you! Like you, I had no idea it was local until a few weeks ago when I made a joke about Norbert and no one had any idea what I was talking about. Despite my explanation (going so far as to sing the theme song) even the older folks in the group had no idea what it was. Thank you for letting me know I’m not crazy!

From Travis Moegling:

So glad that I found this site. I was beginning to think maybe the whole show was made up inside my head! I loved the beginning of the show, when they spelled Boomerang with big letters on the side of that old barn. It was a great show with a lot of personality! Would be neat to see it back on tv somewhere or youtube!

From greg:

oh wow – i totally remember Boomerang – even though i grew up and lived in Northern BC – we used to get all the Seattle networks – Komo, Kiro, King – back than there were only 3 networks… i used to get up early and watch it every sunday, she always reminded me of julie andrews and norbert – haha – thanks for the memory and glad to see i am not the only one who remembers watching it

From Billy:

“Norbert” purchased at a local garage sale for $2.00! I found this in the Seattle Times archive today. Another fact I learned was that the show was filmed in Carnation, WA on a local farm their. September 11, 2002 Jean Godden / Times staff columnist A TV star fallen on hard times West Seattle resident Gina Terrana could scarcely believe her eyes at the West Seattle garage sale last week. Could it be? Oh, surely not. But then she paid the price — $2 — and took home the bright yellow puppet with the shock of red fur hair. What a bargain. Turns out the puppet is Norbert, star of “Boomerang,” a KOMO-TV kids’ series that aired in the ’70s and ’80s. Norbert — although stripped of his trademark rugby shirt — looks like a second cousin to Ernie of “Sesame Street” fame. During its heyday, “Boomerang” won some dozen Emmys for Norbert and his buddies, among them puppeteers Lee Olson and Kathy Tolan; writer Nancy Schwedop; performer Marni Nixon; director Ken Schwedop, and producer Barbara Groce. Terrana says, “Norbert is staying at my house right now. But if the Museum of History & Industry wants him, let me know. He deserves a secure retirement.”

From Humuhumu:

Jean Godden, the stalwart bearer of fluffy tidings. $2! That’s unbelievable. Poor Norbert. Thanks for the heads-up!

From Joe Sidlauskas on June 25th, 2007:

This is amazing! I’m 38 years old and for the last few mornings i’ve been waking with the “Boomerang” song riddled in my head! I had a crush on Marni because of her voice. I knew as a child it MUST have been local because of that farm! I also remember someone falling in the haypile and getting hay thrown in the face playfully and another child making airplane wings with his arms,loved the beginning of the show! I’ve been around the world in the military & as a civilian and always had that song with me-and I’m a rocker! Boomerang and of course JP Patches were part of what made growing up in the “Great Pacific Northwest” so beautiful! Joe-Glendale,AZ

From christy marlowe on June 29th, 2007:

I am SO GLAD I found this site. Just by chance I decided to look up Boomerang and found nothing until now. Thank you for that opening song! It brought back memories. I had no idea it was a local show. I, too, loved the opening and wish I could see it once again. I also watched Dusty’s Treehouse, Banana Splits, and Star Blazers, among some others. I saw J.P. Patches live at some Elks Club event my Grandpa took me to. I was picked to go on stage and he made me kiss some boy!! I thought that was so “yucky” being so young. Anyway, what neat information I have learned tonight and I think I’ll listen to that song once again….. Christy- Orting, WA

From Jill Remensnyder on July 2nd, 2007:

Ah! Sunday mornings and Boomerang! Good times! No one I know- other than my brother- ever knows what I’m talking about when I start belting out the lyrics to the song! I always thought Melinda was Peppermint Patty’s long last relative in a parallel universe of some sort… Maybe it’s time to bring the show back with a hip twist? Is a letter writing campaign in order? Who’s in?

From Scott on July 27th, 2007:

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I loved this show growing up! It is sooooo cool finding info on the web. Sometimes I feel like I’m the “Last Northwesterner” in the Almost Live sketch. I remember my mother telling be something about the intro being filmed at a barn in Carnation, but am overjoyed to see it here. Bing, Bong, Bang…

From Cynthia on August 19th, 2007:

Thank you so much for this. I loved this show as a kid, and was beginning to think I dreamed it too. There was also a goody goody little girl puppet named Libby on the show who often acted as a conscience to Norbert and Melinda. You should email KOMO and see if they have some archives they would put on You-Tube. It’s a funny looking thing, something like an airplane wing and when you throw it….

From Mischka on August 22nd, 2007:

Wow……I think a tear actually came to my eye. I have been searching for that song for so long. I’m a washington native, grew up in Gig Harbor and watched the show religiously. I still remembered the words, word for word. Thank you so much for creating this page. How can I get a copy of the song?

From mandee on September 6th, 2007:

OMG!! Everyone in my family and friends thought I was making this up when I talked about Boomerang!! I would even sing the theme but no one believed me :( Glad to know I’m not insane and others loved this show as much as me! If anyone has footage I’d love to see it. I’ve been looking for tapes for years!

From mandee on September 6th, 2007:

Could I get you to email me the song?

From deanna on On September 14th, 2007:

I always tried to explain this show to everyone as well!no one remembers it at all. they say im making it up! Ill have to show them this site, yous are my proof!What i remember the most is when they are spelling out boomerang with the letters, and a girl jumping of a ladder into a pile of hay. I would love to see footage of this as well!

From Debbie on October 14th, 2007L

This was my daughter’s favorite show when she was 2 & 3 years old. I would love to get a copy of an episode or even the theme song for her. If anyone has made any progress in obtaining it, please post.

From Dawn on November 28th, 2007:

I had no idea Boomerang was Seattle only – no wonder. Now I just have to figure out that other show from my childhood that is currently driving me crazy. The only thing I remember is that when they sang the alphabet, they ended with Zed instead of Z.

From Dawn on November 28th, 2007:

Ooooh, it just came back to me – the Polka Dot Door. Phew.

From Kevin Linn on December 16th, 2007:

Hello, I been really looking for this show. I use to watch it when i was younger. I remember watching it at my parents house in Longview Washington. I didn’t know it was local i think i watched it on PBS station.

From Janine on January 1st, 2008:

I would love to get copies of this show for my kids. I watched it all the time. Norbert had a friend with a blue face, named Crusher, I Tjhink. The video clip of the opening is now on YouTube. “You throw a ball against the wall, . . .” I can’t get it out of my head.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

As a young child, Charles Iliya Krempeaux watched the Boomerang TV show created by Marni Nixon (i.e., Margaret Nixon). The very memorable — which was the intro theme song to the Boomerang TV show — is still sticky music for him. He has also played the for his children (who also seem to enjoy it).