The cover of the Jan. 9, 2022, PacificNW magazine of The Seattle Times (Photo courtesy Debra Prins, design by David Miller)
We are delighted that PacificNW magazine of The Seattle Times granted Clay the opportunity to prepare a cover story on Ruth Prins for the print edition of Jan. 9, 2022.
Below are links to:
The cover story
The personal backstory
A wide array of “web extras.”
These items include kinescopes of “Wunda Wunda” shows unseen since they first aired in the 1950s and 1960s, along with photos, children’s drawings, fan letters, news clippings, songs, promotional items and original writings by Ruth Prins — all of which document the saga of the local TV pioneer who many of us as youngsters learned from and knew fondly as Wunda Wunda.
Ruth Prins as “The Story Lady” regales grade-schoolers with the 1960 book “The Trouble with Jenny’s Ear” by Oliver Butterworth on “Telaventure Tales,” which ran 16 years on KING-TV. (University of Washington Libraries Special Collections UW41317)
Paul Hansen — the son of Edward Hansen, who served as Music Man for the “Wunda Wunda” children’s show on KING-TV from 1964 to 1972 — speaks Dec. 5, 2021, about being on the show’s set as a youngster and about his appreciation for Ruth Prins, who played the title character. (Clay Eals)
Dressed as Wunda Wunda and backed by a display of mailed-in children’s drawings, Ruth greets young fans June 5, 1954, at the grand opening of The Toy Shop at Seventh and Pike. (Forde Photographers, courtesy Debra Prins)
Ruth Prins’ World War II memoir: “Over Here! Over Here! Sketchbook of an Army Wife (1942-1945).” Click on image to see the entire 51-page pdf. (Courtesy Debra Prins)
An alternate cover image: A 1960s promotional photo of Ruth Prins as “Wunda Wunda” rests atop the corresponding original costume and hat, loaned by Prins’ daughter Debra. Though her attire was quite colorful, many of those who viewed her on TV when they were children remember her only in black-and-white. (Clay Eals, with design assistance from Leslie Howells. Photo and costume components courtesy Debra Prins)
2 thoughts on “A Wunda-ful adventure: In local TV’s earliest years, Ruth Prins touched the youngest of hearts”
Thank you so much – these are wonderful.
Are there photos of the kids who joined her on the individual Wunda Wunda shows? I was one of them, pre-1958; I attended Warren Avenue Elementary at the time.
Thank you so much – these are wonderful.
Are there photos of the kids who joined her on the individual Wunda Wunda shows? I was one of them, pre-1958; I attended Warren Avenue Elementary at the time.
No such photos have surfaced yet, Cathy. Please let me know if you discover any. –Clay