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“On Your Mark?!” review by Kevin Butler
ABC TV Network & Local: WNEW TV Ch.5 in NYC
Saturday mornings: Saturday September 23,1961-Saturday December 16,1961
Host/Moderator/Creator: Sonny Fox
Announcer: Johnny Olsen
The format of this saturday morning kids tv game show has a panel of four kids boys and girls ages 8 to 12..who have genuine ambiitions to become doctors, lawyers, pilots, teachers, actors,etc.
The panel has to try and answer questions and perform skills based upon their expertise on the subjects..EG’s operating on a paitent,knowing about the Eygptian Dynasty, aeronautical skills, dramatic techniques, musical compostions and theories.
On Your Mark with Sonny Fox on Saturday mornings ABC TV Network in 1960s
The young person..who is able to answer the questions and complete the assigned tasks in the least ammount of time would win a scholarship to a medical school,a chance to go on an archaeololgical expedition,learn about astronautics at Cape Canaveral,attened a drama school,work on a tv show as a guest actor etc.
Because Sonny Fox was under an exclusive contract to host tv shows for WNEW TV Ch.5 in NYC only…the series almost didn’t get on the air..until the heads of Metromedia TV and The ABC TV Network made a deal. “On Your Mark?!” could air on The ABC TV Network..but not on their NYC flagship station:WABC TV Ch.7..the series would air on
WNEW TV Ch.5.
Despite the program’s noble concept..”On Your Mark?!” was not a hit with the young viewers..who felt that the format was unrealistic and “On Your Mark?!” was cancelled following The Saturday December 16,1961 broadcast.
The series was pre-taped before a studio audience of kids at one of The ABC TV Studio theaters in NYC.
I remember a show with Sonny Fox as host, but not sure if it was On Your Mark, it was on Sundays schedule – think it was called Wonderama
Wonderama – yep i beleive you are totally correct Jimmy
I was selected as a panelist for On Your Mark in 1961, having been recruited at a summer Science and Arts Camp in Darien, Connecticut. I would love to see some of those old episodes, but have not been able to locate any of them on NetFlix or Hulu.
Thanks, Owen Hale
There is only one tv kinnie film clip of’On Your Mark”..Owen..that was seen on ABC TV’s “Saturday Morning Sneak Peek”in the fall of 1983..It showed Sonny posing a question about the Wright Brothers to a panel of three kids.