Photo Record
Images
![[Big Al in front of CKCO-TV station]](https://s3.amazonaws.com/pastperfectonline/images/museum_44/057/thumbs/2010_010_003_001.jpg)
Metadata
Collection |
Waterloo Region Museum |
Object ID |
2010.010.003.001 |
Object Name |
Print, Photographic |
Title |
[Big Al in front of CKCO-TV station] |
Description |
Black and white photograph with a white border. Al Jones/Big Al is standing in the back of a convertible, waving his hat, and looking directly at the camera. He is dressed as a cowboy. White convertible with "Big Al" painted on the side. CKCO logo near the back of the car. Red brick and angel stone building in the background. Large neon sign on the side of the building reads "CKCO-TV/Channel 13". "Central Ontario Television Ltd." is on the front of the building. Trees in the background. Stamped on the reverse in purple "Roy Purkis/for/CKCO - TV/Kitchener". |
Date |
1955 |
Date |
1965 |
Photographer |
Purkis, Roy |
Copyright |
University of Waterloo Library, Special Collections and Archives, Roy Purkis fonds |
History |
CKCO-TV began broadcasting March 1, 1954 from a transmitter located on Baden Hill in Wilmot Township. The call letters stood for Canada, Kitchener, Central Ontario. The station was an affiliate of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) until 1964, when it became affiliated with CTV. The station was originally owned by Central Ontario Television, a consortium that included Famous Players and Carl A. Pollock. Electrohome acquired control of CKCO in 1970, when Canadian broadcasting laws required domestic ownership of stations. As of 2010, the station is owned by CTVglobemedia and no longer uses its call letters. It is instead referred to as CTV Southwestern Ontario. Al Jones (1911-1984) aka Big Al hosted several television shows on CKCO in the 1950s through the 1970s. Al retired in the late 1970s. Big Al's Ranch Party was a live, half hour show starting at 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday. It was a mix of interaction with Al, audience participation games, cartoons, drop-in guests, and talented youngsters. Al usually had a sidekick, who changed throughout the years. The talent segments were eventually spun off into a Sunday noon hour show called Big Al's Talent Showcase. Al also hosted Cartoon Capers, a noon hour weekday show which interspersed cartoons with viewers birthday pictures and drawings. The shows all had a cowboy theme until Cartoon Capers was changed to a railroad theme. Al also did on call appearances - parades, fairs, and other promotional events. |
Search Terms |
CKCO-TV Central Ontario Television Limited |
People |
Jones, Al Purkis, Roy |