From The Scoop: Princess Summerfall Winterspring
From the December 23 issue of Gemstone Publishing's The
Scoop:
Who can forget the glory days of Howdy Doody? We've covered several fun
facts and characters regarding the long-running and iconic children's program
here at Scoop over the years, but we've never devoted an entire feature to one
of the show's most famed females: Princess Summerfall Winterspring.
We felt it was her time to shine.
One of two Native American characters to appear on The Howdy Doody
Show, Princess Summerfall Winterspring's popularity surpassed that of her
male counterpart, Chief Thunderthud-Kowabunga. She was graceful, ponytailed, and
dressed in what was considered at the time as a faithful representation of
traditional tribal regalia. Her origins were of the fictional Tinka Tonka tribe.
Like everyone else on the show, she had the opportunity to interact with
host Buffalo Bob in skits and segments where she was prominently featured. Along
with the other female regulars on the show, she gave little girl viewers a
character easier to relate to than the boyish Howdy Doody.
The royal girl bears one other significant distinction: unlike the other puppets, Princess Summerfall Winterspring became a real-life girl in 1951. Her live-action persona was played first by Judy Tyler (who died in a car accident at the untimely age of 23), then by Linda Marsh.
• Produced for the benefit of all who enjoy the hobby of collecting, Gemstone Publishing's The Scoop is available free of charge to anyone who wishes to receive it. To view the latest edition, or to sign up, visit The Scoop online by at http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com.
The royal girl bears one other significant distinction: unlike the other puppets, Princess Summerfall Winterspring became a real-life girl in 1951. Her live-action persona was played first by Judy Tyler (who died in a car accident at the untimely age of 23), then by Linda Marsh.
• Produced for the benefit of all who enjoy the hobby of collecting, Gemstone Publishing's The Scoop is available free of charge to anyone who wishes to receive it. To view the latest edition, or to sign up, visit The Scoop online by at http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com.
