Longtime children’s TV host dies at 88

For nearly two decades children in Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania watched Gene London on WCAU-TV in the morning.

On Sunday, the children’s television pioneer and beloved Philadelphia broadcast legend and international film fashion historian died, surrounded by his loved ones in Reading.

His family said the cause of death was a cerebral hemorrhage after a fall Friday. He was 88.

London, born in Cleveland as Eugene Yulish, hosted a show from 1959 to 1977 that aired under a variety of titles, including “Cartoon Corners” and “The Wonderful World of Gene London.”

London would greet the children who were guests on the show, sing the theme song, tell classic stories, voice each character and sketch scenes from the stories.

His family wrote in his obituary, “Though Gene was 88, his inimitable energy and passion could make you believe he was still in the prime of his life, and even until last week, he was vibrant, still driven by his creativity and infectious spirit, having become internationally recognized for his ‘Designing Hollywood: Golden Age Costumes from the Gene London Cinema Collection.’”

The collection numbers more than 60,000 gowns, dresses and accessories, and includes original fashion masterpieces worn by Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Katharine Hepburn, Debbie Reynolds, Judy Garland, Rita Hayworth, Henry Fonda, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, James Cagney, Grace Kelly, Leslie Caron, Lana Turner, Doris Day, and more in such significant films as “Singin’ in the Rain,” “Ben-Hur,” “To Catch a Thief,” “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” “Mildred Pierce” and more, including 10 Oscar winners.

But London will best be remembered for his shows where London used a drawing pad to illustrate scenes and characters from the tales he created, telling stories, drawing pictures and presenting a daily soap opera as a downtrodden store clerk prone to daydreams and fantastic adventures. Famous movie stars like Kirk Douglas, Lucille Ball and Mary Tyler Moore would guest star on the program to promote their films and projects.

London made a trip to the Allentown Art Museum last fall for a lecture about his exhibit there.

The exhibit, subtitled “Golden Age Costumes from the Gene London Cinema Collection,” included 60 vintage costumes from the Golden Age of Hollywood movies, including those worn by Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Judy Garland, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Katharine Hepburn, Charlton Heston, James Cagney and more.

He began his Allentown Art Museum talk by saying, “My real name is Eugene Yulish. I grew up in Cleveland. Everybody was poor during the Depression. But we could go to the movies. I love the make-believe.”

London seemed overwhelmed by the adulation of the estimated 120 who filled the auditorium. London spoke calmly and softly. After his talk, he listened to each person waiting in the long line.

Tamaqua native Cathie Kenesky was one of the fans who waited to see him.

“He was gracious and classy. I wondered why the line to get in was moving so slowly. He greeted and talked to every single person in line. Class act! He was my childhood hero!” she posted.

In a phone interview for the Lehigh Valley Press, London recounted his love of the movies, the influence of his mother’s aspirations on his career, and how he has collected some 60,000 Hollywood costumes.

Before his career in Philadelphia, London was on children’s shows telecast 1957-1959 in New York City, including “Johnny Jupiter,” a puppet show where he played Re-ject the Robot; “Tinker’s Workshop,” on WABC-TV, playing Tinker Tom the Toymaker, and NBC-TV’s “Today” show with host Dave Garroway, for holiday-themed specials.

“I got better and better,” says London. “I thought I was hot stuff. I went into the program manager (at WABC).” “Farmer Brown” cartoons from the 1920s were telecast on “Tinker’s Workshop.” “I said, ‘Get better cartoons or I quit.’ He said, ‘You’re fired.’ ”

He went to Philadelphia.

“I walked from Independence Hall to WCAU on City Line because I didn’t have enough money for the subway. Jack Dolph was the program manager there. I told him all the things I could do. He said, ‘Tell me a story.’ I told him ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.’ He called in the staff. I changed my voice for each character. Jack Snyder, the general manager, said, ‘Hire the kid. He’ll make us a fortune.’

“They had a set, a pub set, left over from a show and they painted flowers around it and made it look Pennsylvania-Dutch. And we did our first ‘Cartoon Corners’ General Store.

“The first show changed all the ratings. After the third show, it was the highest-rated show in Philadelphia.

After “Cartoon Corners,” London ran a collectible clothing shop, Gene London: The Fan Club, along West 19th Street, New York City, from 1992 until 2002. London also became a spokesman for Mikimoto, traveling the world to represent the jewelry firm.

“The truth of my life is that I love the movies. To me, the movies of the golden age are an extraordinary time in our country. It’s a 20th century phenomenon of our age,” he said.

The family invites his fans to share your favorite Gene London stories on his Facebook Fan page.

Private services will take place later this week in his native Ohio, and his wish for a public memorial in Philadelphia, for his friends and fans, to come share stories and celebrate his life, will be announced at a later date.