48 years ago, on Monday, April 1, 1963 the children’s show “Birthday House” premiered locally in New York on WNBC-TV. It was a kid’s show, broadcast each morning that was really just a big birthday party. Basically, real children, from the audience, celebrated their birthdays on the air in the “birthday house.” But it was hosts Paul Tripp and his wife, Ruth Enders Tripp, who made the show.
A cherished possession I have saved for 45 years; an “autographed” photo of Paul Tripp from “Birthday House.”
The Tripps were originally educators. (It was their work with children that first got them noticed by TV producers). So while they played games with the kids in the studio, and us at home, they were actually teaching us. Who knew? I sure didn’t at the time.
Tripp and his wife had previously hosted a CBS morning show for kids called, “On The Carousel” from 1954 to 1959.
Whenever I think of “Birthday House” or see a clip from the show, it makes me think of my wonderful mother… and I like that.
“Birthday House” was broadcast until September of 1967.
Raised by TV 
Leave a Reply