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Where are they now? A few of the cast and crew of the Bobby Benson show are still alive. Don Knotts later joined the Andy Griffith Show. He died on February 24th 2006. Clive Rice, the child actor who played Bobby Benson for years on the radio now lives in Virginia. He recently sent WSGS.com this email: "When traveling through Ohio, we listened to your radio station. Most enjoyable. I played Bobby Benson of the B-B from 1951 to 1955 on Mutual Broadcasting System out of New York. I joined the Navy after high school in 1959,and retired as a Chief Petty Officer in 1981. We returned to my wife's hometown of Roanoke, Virginia and have lived here happily ever since." Clive E. Rice, Roanoke, Virginia A few years ago, Clive Rice called the Big Dipper on WSGS during his call in talk show. Dipper often said it was his favorite caller, in the ten years he did the show. Home | News | Message Board | Trading Post | HazardKentucky.com |
Back in the good ol' days, kids wouldn't come home
from school and watch TV. They listened to their favorite adventure shows on WKIC
instead. 50 years ago one of the most listened to children's programs on WKIC was Bobby
Benson and the B-Bar-B Riders. The show was heard on the
station from 1949 until 1955. Benson outlasted virtually every other kids'
dramatic show including Superman, Green Hornet, Captain Midnight, Sky King, and Straight
Arrow. The B-Bar-B ranch featured: Bobby Benson - "The Cowboy Kid,"
Tex, Windy Wales, Harka, and Irish. Don Knotts (who would later go on to TV and
movie fame) was then in his mid-20s and was the voice of the old geezer, Windy
Wales. The 30 minute show was heard Monday through Friday at 5:30 pm and also
Monday at 8pm, Saturday at 5 pm and Sunday at 3pm.