From Soupy to Nuts!: A History of Detroit Television

by Tim Kiska

Book Overview

Back in the 1940s – before coaxial cable from the East Coast reached Detroit – television was as local as Vernors, Sanders Hot Fudge and Hudson’s. There was room for clowns, bowlers, philosophers,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1879094703
• ISBN13: 9781879094703
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Momentum Books LLC
• Length: 223 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 8.1" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

From Soupy to Nuts

This is a MUST READ for anyone who lived in Detroit in the 50's and 60's. Nostalgia reigns as the authors comprehensively share information on television favorites such as Bill Kennedy, Captain Jolly and Poopdeck Paul, Milky the Clown and more. Loved it.

A recommended specialty pick for broadcasting and Detroit-specific collections

You need to be a fan of Detroit television or TV history to enjoy the specialized From Soupy To Nuts! A History Of Detroit Television, but such an audience will relish this cruise through Detroit television shows and background. Black and white photos accompany spotlight biographies on some of the most famous show personalities of the past, from Robin Seymour, host of 'Swingin Time', to news show personalities such as American Black Journal. A recommended specialty pick for broadcasting and Detroit-specific collections.

Nostalgia Overload!

Wow! Being a Detroit ex-patriot, I was thrilled when a friend sent me this book for Christmas! Was a trip down memory lane. And I remembered almost everyone listed in this wonderful book. Of course it was sad to learn that some of my favorites had passed on, especially Rita Bell. I grew up in Detroit and left in 1974. This book took me right back to those early years in my life. Anyone who lived in Detroit during the '50 through the '7o's will surely enjoy this visit with old friends.

A great trip down memory lane

I was browsing this book at one of the local retailers here in Detroit and bought it online later. I just moved back to Southeastern Michigan after living in the Los Angeles area for 18 years. This book blasted me back to my childhood and teen years when was growing up in Detroit. It had everyone in it I had remembered. It is obvious the author had a real passion for the material. Recommended for anyone who grew up in Southeastern Michigan.

Time gone by comes alive

(Full disclosure: I worked with Tim in the Arts and Entertainment section of the Detroit News while he was researching this book. I'm proud to comment on his labor of love.) Authors who have an affinity for their subjects usually do a better job at presenting their stories. As the former TV critic for the Detroit News, author Tim Kiska is a subject-matter expert on the nuts and bolts of the Metro Detroit television market. But Kiska's real gift is that of combining his insider knowledge of the medium with a deep love and respect for Detroit's diverse group of local personalities. The hundreds of vignettes - ranging from characters like the gravely serious Bill Kennedy to the follicle and sobriety-challenged news anchor Bill Bonds - are warm and thoughtful looks at local television before it was packaged and managed into generic dullness. Kiska covers the prim, the profane, the pundits and the professional personalities with equal measures of flavor and detail. It's a love letter to another time while addressing the journalistic questions of "who, what, where, when and why." In short, it's a complete work with lots of heart. Publisher Momentum Books has enhanced Kiska's work with a beautifully crafted book loaded with period pictures, a clean layout on bright, glossy paper and an eye-catching cover. A whimsical introduction by wacky weatherman Sonny Eliot as well as a sweet foreward by the author completes this book. This is a quality piece of literature and history that deserves a spot on your bookshelf.