Looking Back: Viewers Were Nuts For 'Hickory Hideout'

Some of the best-known personalities in TV history weren’t exactly actors – Bert and Ernie, Howdy Doody and Kermit the Frog were all puppets.

Two popular characters during the early days of Cleveland television were Nutso and Shirley Squirrely. The pair appeared on “Hickory Hideout,” a children’s TV show that ran from 1981 to 1991.

A recent exhibit at the Cleveland Public Library featured the duo and their creator, Nancy Sander, as well as other cast members, like Smelly Bob and Know-it-Owl. 

Actress Kathryn Hahn received her start on the show as a kid and went on to national TV and movie roles.

WKYC has recently been sharing old episodes on YouTube for fans to reminisce. 

Screenshot from the TV program [WKYC TV 3]