ImagiNation: The Golden Age of Toronto Kids' TV

A new book from Dundurn Press by Retrontario creator Ed Conroy

A nostalgic look back at fifty years of children’s television from the beloved — Polka Dot Door, Today’s Special — to the bizarre — Kiddo the Clown, Maniac Mansion.

From the time CBC sputtered onto screens in 1952, children’s television has been at the centre of Canada’s cultural output. The country’s first television host was an onery puppet named Chichimus, who set the stage for future Toronto-based puppeteers, producers, directors, and actors to make children’s television their own. With the studios of CBC, TVOntario, CFTO, and eventually YTV all located in Toronto, the city’s televisual output was staggering and fed by the imagination and hard work of the local talent.

Featuring over 100 children’s programs broadcast between 1950 and 2000, ImagiNation is a memory-filled trip for anyone who spent their weekdays after school or Saturday mornings staring at the squawk box. The story of each Toronto-produced series is covered — from inception through production to broadcast — along with the tales of local stations and the people who made it all happen.

Fans of Polka Dot Door, Degrassi Junior High, Readalong, YTV, Uncle Bobby, Mr. Dressup, and much more will find their favourites — plus shows they’ve forgotten they loved (or loathed). Whether you adored Jerome the Giraffe, Hammy the Hamster, the Fraggles, or the Grogs, ImagiNation is a trip you won’t want to miss.