Tom Hatten
| Tom Hatten | |
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Hatten in 2013
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| Born |
November 14, 1926 Jamestown, North Dakota, United States |
| Occupation | Actor, TV Kids' Show Host, Radio Broadcaster |
Tom Hatten (born November 14, 1926) is an American radio, film and television personality, known as the long-time host of The Popeye Show (originally The Pier Point 5 Club) and Family Film Festival on KTLA Channel 5 in Los Angeles in the 1960s through the '80s. He has also appeared in dozens of musicals, movies and television shows.
Hatten was born in Jamestown, North Dakota. He served in the Navy during World War II and used the GI Bill to study acting at the Pasadena School of Theater. He graduated magna cum laude in 1950.
In 1952, he started working as a broadcaster at KTLA in Hollywood, later landing the part of the friendly sailor in the station's afternoon children's show, the The Pier Point 5 Club. He followed "Skipper Frank" Herman who appeared earlier in the afternoon with Cartoon Carousel.
Dressed in Navy whites, Hatten presented the animated works of Max and Dave Fleischer, easily obtained from a Paramount affiliate, starring as the spinach eating Popeye. A skilled artist and cartoonist, Hatten's included how to segments that taught how to draw the cartoon characters. Guests appeared on each program, and were given a large upright easel and sketch pad. Hatten would draw what he called a "Squiggle". The guests would create a drawing incorporating the squiggle without crossing any of the squiggle's lines. Hatten hosted two later versions of the show and told anecdotes about the Fleischers, the cartoons, or their studios.
The Pier Point 5 Club was given a more elaborate studio set and was renamed The Popeye Show. Hatten was dressed as a harbor master in a structure resembling a marina. The squiggle contest was retained and the show expanded to an hour. King Features created a new series of Popeye cartoons for the show. Jack Mercer, who had replaced William Costello (aka "Red Pepper" Sam) as the voice of Fleischer's Popeye, visited the show to recognize Hatten as the biggest promoter of the Max and Dave Fleischer Studio.
Hatten's show aired on Saturday and Sunday until 1985. The guests and games were gone, but it still featured Tom's cartoons. Hatten then hosted KTLA's Family Film Festival, where his cinema expertise was again displayed.
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