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Review: 'WPIX/11's 60th Birthday Bash'

Verne Gay | Off Camera

June 13, 2008

WPIX/11'S 60TH

BIRTHDAY BASH

Tomorrow, starting at noon, ending with a 9 p.m. special hosted by Jim Watkins and Kaity Tong.

Reason for watching: If you grew up in the New York area, you have a favorite PIX memory, period, and that will be stirred tomorrow.

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What it's about: Beginning with reruns of classic shows that aired on Ch. 11, there are twofers of "The Little Rascals," "Abbott & Costello," "The Three Stooges," "Adventures of Superman," "Get Smart," "My Favorite Martian," "I Dream of Jeannie," "The Odd Couple" and "The Honeymooners." The 9 p.m. special is a mad and comprehensive dash through the years, with classic footage and aforementioned memories.

The bottom line: There was once a lovably eccentric TV station in New York called Ch. 11, or just plain "PIX" (now owned by the Tribune Co., parent company of Newsday.) The reason for this eccentricity is history. Back in 1948, when a big-stakes game of musical chairs called "network affiliation" began, Ch. 11 went its own way, becoming what's called an "independent." Like all indies, WPIX - then allied with the Daily News - was a scrappy competitor that had to fight for viewers on budgets far below those of the big boys who were tied with the major networks. This meant reruns, kids shows, old movies, the Yankees and much, much more. The WB and CW are, of course, only recent corporate additions, and the indie label has long been shed. But did you know that Thomas Dewey gave his first TV interview to WPIX, back in 1948? (I didn't). Or that to fill all those hours without sports or news, WPIX created "Night Owl Theater," "Six Gun Movie" and "Chiller Theater"? Or that Ed Sullivan got his start here with "Little Old New York"? Or that the Yankees called this home for 47 years? Or that Joe Bolton, the station's weatherman, moonlighted as "Officer Joe" and hosted "The Little Rascals" and "The Three Stooges"?

Lovably eccentric, and a lot of happy memories. We need those these days.