Barnaby and Me

by Linn Sheldon

Book Overview

"A revealing and hilarious look at [Sheldon's] career, which blossomed along with TV itself. The anecdotes are endless."-- Sun Newspapers Amazing but true stories from one of the most beloved figures... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1886228353
• ISBN13: 9781886228351
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Gray & Company Publishers
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.3" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

My father and him used to be close friends in the 1950's. I remember this man for all the good that

Hi all, Admittedly, I have not read or purchased this book but I am going to now. I may also get a copy for each of my family members. I would have hoped that he would have personal stories such as what my letter contains in his autobiography. Oh well. Maybe the next book, huh Mr. Sheldon? To understand Mr. Sheldon is to understand most major cities in the US with children's TV in the 1950's. It was like providing a surrogate parent or friend on TV to the kids that were watching. There was ethics and you trusted those who spoke to you on TV in those days. Yes, Mr. Sheldon didn't interject much personal beliefs or feelings with his Barnaby character but you got a sense of who he and his character was just by listening and watching. You just knew this may was a good man and a friend to all that met him, in person or on TV. As the baby boomers are entering their twilight years we reminisce, of course. Things you think about and remember have some deeper significance and sentiment. All things remembered are endearing to us. Mr. Sheldon is one of those strong memories to me.....and others, I feel. Here is a copy of an email that I was to have forwarded to deliver to Mr. Sheldon and it never was. My family's feelings and memories about him are spelled out here. I remember him well. (here is that letter) Hello there, specifically to you, Mr. Sheldon, (and to whoever can help me link up with this man). Allow me to re introduce myself. I don't know if you remember me. I am James Gray. As a child growing up in Cleveland (0-8 years), Warrensville Heights, to be exact, I clearly remember Mr. Lin "Barnaby" Sheldon. To me he was a personal friend to my parents, he came over to our home to play cards on a regular basis. I used to ask my Dad...who is this guy, he said this is the man who plays Barnaby on TV, son. I am not sure how my father met him but my Dad used to be General Manager of a Oldsmobile dealership in Cleveland. I believe it was Deberry Oldsmobile or something like that. Never the less, my Dad must have had some good connections cause he also knew the owner/manager of what was called the Shaker Steak House in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Back to Mr. Sheldon. I even remember Linn's 45 rpm record he did called "Bofo the Christmas Dog". He did a signing of his record at the Higbee company in Cleveland. They did that in those days. Since the original writing of this letter I did some research and now own this record again...after all these years. FYI..if anyone wants this record I got it at: FLIP SIDE records and collectibles in Hermitage, Pa. Email: order@flipmall.com or their website at www.flipmall.com. A Judy Johnson is the owner. Phone is also: 724-342-0824. For some weird reason I still remember some of the words: "Bofo, goes where Santa goes, and Santa goes where Bofo goes. On Christmas Eve when all is dark, children hear Bofo bark. Woof! Woof!". That's all I remember. Just a related sid

THIS BOOK BRINGS BACK SOME GREAT MEMORIES

I GREW UP WATCHING BARNABY FOR MANY YEARS AS A SMALL FRY. HE WAS AND STILL IS ONE OF MY HEROES. LINN SHELDON DOES A GREAT JOB DESCRIBING HIS LIFE, CAREER, AND ADVENTURES IN SHOW BIZ. HE IS VERY CREATIVE, HUMOROUS, DETAILED, AND WITTY. HE WRITES WITH CLASS AND DIGNITY. HIS TELLING OF THE DARK SIDE OF HIS LIFE (ALCOHOLISM) IS VERY HONEST, TOUCHING, AND HUMOROUS. I AM A RECOVERING ONE MYSELF. I CAN IDENTIFY WITH HIS FEELINGS AND EXPERIENCES. THIS IS A VERY TOUCHING LOOK AT A VERY LOVING AND CREATIVE MAN WHO BROUGHT A LOT OF JOY TO MANY CHILDREN IN CLEVELAND OVER A FEW DECADES. VERY VERY RECOMMENDED.

Barnaby & Me

Although it is about the life of a television performer,one who was a pioneer in the industry, I feel that this book is an easy read, fun, and hard to leave alone...I find myself referring to favorite chapters many, many times. This is not a book about Cleveland, it is a book about everyone. Someone should do a musical or movie about this author.

Beautifully written stories about a remarkable life

Like millions of others in this region, I grew up watching Barnaby on TV. Linn Sheldon was on television for 32 years as Barnaby, the elfin-eared pal of children and parents alike. Left to fend for himself at the age of seven, he lived by his wits and with the kindness of sympathetic citizens in Norwalk, Ohio. As a teenager he hitchhiked across America playing the banjo for meals, spent three years on the MGM lot, and returned to the Cleveland area to begin a career as actor and standup comic. In 1948 he joined WEWS-TV in Cleveland, the first TV station in the region, and his accounts of early televion are fascinating. In time his fame spread well beyond Cleveland to Westinghouse TV markets, and he did extensive work in Texas as well. As his career developed, so did his need for alchohol. He made and lost a fortune, married four times, and had serious bouts with depression. His stories about his drinking days and his brushes with the psychiatric community are at once moving and hilarious. Now retired and healthy again, he looks back on his life with the same kind of joy and sensitivity he imbued in the character of Barnaby. Reading it made me feel like a kid again enthralled with the musings of this wonderful elf.