Bill Thompson of KPHO's 'Wallace and Ladmo Show' dies
http://www.kpho.com/story/26097758/bill-thompson-of-wallace-and-ladmo-dies
Bill Thompson has died at age 82.
You might remember him better as "Wallace Snead" from the "Wallace and Ladmo" show that aired on KPHO for years.
His son told CBS 5 News late Wednesday afternoon that Thompson had been in the hospital for a couple of days.
Wallace and Ladmo started in 1954, in black and white, with Thompson, who at that time was the KPHO art director and studio floor director.
A new cartoon package had been acquired and the program manager needed someone to "fill-in" between cartoons and commercials. Wallace volunteered and so began the show.
He soon talked his friend Ladimir Kwiatkowski, a KPHO camera operator, into joining him as a "sidekick." Ladimir's name was shortened to "Ladmo" and "The Wallace and Ladmo Show" was born.
The two performed various comic sketches in between cartoons, with Ladmo often locking the camera off, and running around in front of the camera to perform the various bits.
A few years later, Channel 5 hired a young weatherman named Pat McMahon. McMahon, who grew up in a vaudeville family, often watched Wallace and Ladmo from the sidelines and was astounded at the stunts these two performed.
Soon Wallace enlisted McMahon's help and the trio was complete. Lucky contest winners would be invited to appear on the show to receive a Ladmo Bag, which became a Holy Grail to Arizona kids.
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RIP, Wallace. So glad I was able to be on the show, meet you (and Ladmo), and get a Ladmo bag. You were the real deal on and off the show. You'll always be remembered.
http://www.kpho.com/story/26097758/bill-thompson-of-wallace-and-ladmo-dies
Bill Thompson has died at age 82.
You might remember him better as "Wallace Snead" from the "Wallace and Ladmo" show that aired on KPHO for years.
His son told CBS 5 News late Wednesday afternoon that Thompson had been in the hospital for a couple of days.
Wallace and Ladmo started in 1954, in black and white, with Thompson, who at that time was the KPHO art director and studio floor director.
A new cartoon package had been acquired and the program manager needed someone to "fill-in" between cartoons and commercials. Wallace volunteered and so began the show.
He soon talked his friend Ladimir Kwiatkowski, a KPHO camera operator, into joining him as a "sidekick." Ladimir's name was shortened to "Ladmo" and "The Wallace and Ladmo Show" was born.
The two performed various comic sketches in between cartoons, with Ladmo often locking the camera off, and running around in front of the camera to perform the various bits.
A few years later, Channel 5 hired a young weatherman named Pat McMahon. McMahon, who grew up in a vaudeville family, often watched Wallace and Ladmo from the sidelines and was astounded at the stunts these two performed.
Soon Wallace enlisted McMahon's help and the trio was complete. Lucky contest winners would be invited to appear on the show to receive a Ladmo Bag, which became a Holy Grail to Arizona kids.
---------------------------
RIP, Wallace. So glad I was able to be on the show, meet you (and Ladmo), and get a Ladmo bag. You were the real deal on and off the show. You'll always be remembered.
