Trivia

By all accounts, he was a man who genuinely loved children and was concerned for their welfare. On principle, he would never do commercials for any product a child could not use, and on November 27, 1963, the Monday after John F. Kennedy's assasination, Becker went on the air to try to explain to the kids just what had happened in a way they would understand.

Sandy Becker served as the first host/performer of WABD TV Ch.5 NYC's "Looney Tunes Show", which ran weekday evenings from Monday April 11, 1955 to Tuesday July 8, 1958. He was the first host/Performer of "The Bugs Bunny Theater" which was seen Friday nights on WABD TV Ch.5 in NYC, from Friday September 14, 1956 to Friday September 6, 1957.

Children: Joyce, Annelle, Curt.

"The Sandy Becker Morning Show" was on the air weekday mornings on WABD And on WNEW TV Ch. 5 in New York City from Monday September 26, 1955 to Friday June 7, 1968.

A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, he was radio's "Young Doctor Malone" for many years before turning to TV work.

Hosted "Fun House" weekday afternoons at lunchtime on WABD TV Ch. 5 in New York City from Monday June 27, 1955 to Friday September 23, 1955.

He wrote, produced and manipulated his puppet characters in an hour long puppet version of Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol". It aired on WNEW TV Ch. 5 in New York City on Saturday night December 23, 1961.

Best known on his WNEW TV series for his various comic characterizations: Simpleton Norton Nork, who did everything in pantomime, the windy Big Professor, and manic disc jockey Hambone, the latter given to outrageous costumes and off-the-wall poetry ("Cut your grass so the ants can't pass.").

Like his contemporary Bob Keeshan (Captain Kangaroo), Becker never talked down to his audience, but communicated as an adult on a child's level. His hand puppet Marvin Mouse was played as a concert pianist, and after a brief exchange with Becker, would play an excerpt from a famous piano piece. This was often a child's introduction to classical music.