Roger Awsumb (July 10, 1928 â€" July 15, 2002) was an American
television show host and radio broadcaster in Saint Paul and Brainerd,
Minnesota. He is most known for his lead role in the children's
television show he created, Lunch With Casey, that aired on the Twin
Cities area channel 11 from 1954 until 1973. Awsumb exemplified the
pre-syndication era of local children's television that featured a
lead performer-host in character â€" in Awsumb's case it was as
railroad engineer.Roger Leonard Awsumb was born on July 10, 1928 in
Saint Paul, Minnesota to Ardin I. Awsumb of Saint Paul, Minnesota and
Petra C. (Johnson) Awsumb of Trondheim, Norway. He was of Norwegian
descent from both parents and the youngest of four children. His
siblings were Ardin W., Kenneth P., and Doris V. Awsumb. Roger Awsumb
graduated from Saint Paul's Central High School in 1946. After serving
in the United States Army from 1946 to 1947, he attended Macalester
College where began his radio career, and graduated in 1950.During a
brief stint in 1951 at radio station KDLM 1340 AM in Detroit Lakes,
Minnesota, Awsumb developed a Casey Jones children's show that became
the basis of television career. Roger returned to the Twin Cities in
1952 and transitioned from radio to television. He began making on air
appearances as a railroad engineer named “Casey Jones†in 1954
with the character and concept quickly evolving into its own show.The
top-rated Lunch With Casey show was part of the peak era of children's
television programming in the United States. On air, Awsumb adopted a
railroad engineer persona with the name Casey Jones. His noon-hour
show featured jokes, skits, songs, and cartoons, with non-actor
children joining Awsumb and other characters live on set for the fun.
Awsumb is most remembered for playing the ukulele and singing "The
Happy Birthday Song" during each show. It's disputed whether he or
musician Jim Hobbins wrote the tune. Awsumb and his supporting cast
filled up an hour-long block of television air time each weekday with
mostly original content. Despite airing thousands of shows over its
run, few recordings exist today as each episode was broadcast live and
station tapes were often reused.
television show host and radio broadcaster in Saint Paul and Brainerd,
Minnesota. He is most known for his lead role in the children's
television show he created, Lunch With Casey, that aired on the Twin
Cities area channel 11 from 1954 until 1973. Awsumb exemplified the
pre-syndication era of local children's television that featured a
lead performer-host in character â€" in Awsumb's case it was as
railroad engineer.Roger Leonard Awsumb was born on July 10, 1928 in
Saint Paul, Minnesota to Ardin I. Awsumb of Saint Paul, Minnesota and
Petra C. (Johnson) Awsumb of Trondheim, Norway. He was of Norwegian
descent from both parents and the youngest of four children. His
siblings were Ardin W., Kenneth P., and Doris V. Awsumb. Roger Awsumb
graduated from Saint Paul's Central High School in 1946. After serving
in the United States Army from 1946 to 1947, he attended Macalester
College where began his radio career, and graduated in 1950.During a
brief stint in 1951 at radio station KDLM 1340 AM in Detroit Lakes,
Minnesota, Awsumb developed a Casey Jones children's show that became
the basis of television career. Roger returned to the Twin Cities in
1952 and transitioned from radio to television. He began making on air
appearances as a railroad engineer named “Casey Jones†in 1954
with the character and concept quickly evolving into its own show.The
top-rated Lunch With Casey show was part of the peak era of children's
television programming in the United States. On air, Awsumb adopted a
railroad engineer persona with the name Casey Jones. His noon-hour
show featured jokes, skits, songs, and cartoons, with non-actor
children joining Awsumb and other characters live on set for the fun.
Awsumb is most remembered for playing the ukulele and singing "The
Happy Birthday Song" during each show. It's disputed whether he or
musician Jim Hobbins wrote the tune. Awsumb and his supporting cast
filled up an hour-long block of television air time each weekday with
mostly original content. Despite airing thousands of shows over its
run, few recordings exist today as each episode was broadcast live and
station tapes were often reused.
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