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== Production ==
== Production ==
Produced in the studios of [[WBAL-TV]] (Channel 11), the [[Hearst Communications|Hearst]]-owned [[NBC]] affiliate (also the major afternoon daily "[[Baltimore News-American]]") then at [[Charles Street (Baltimore)|North Charles]] and 26th streets in the [[Charles Village, Baltimore|Charles Village]] neighborhood, north of [[Downtown Baltimore|downtown]]. 'Romper Room'' was fairly successful in its early years, later moving in sequence to studios of competing stations [[WJZ-TV|WJZ-TV]] (then [[ABC]]) on Channel 13, then to [[WMAR|WMAR]]. Channel 2 on [[CBS]]. The [[CBS]] network offered to pick up the show for nation-wIde broadcasr, but the Clasters instead decided to [[syndicate]] and franchise it across the country, by taping episodes in Baltimore and selling the tapes to local stations or giving the option to local stations to produce their own version of the show for their cities. "Miss Nancy" (Nancy Claster) served as the first teacher of several on the program.<ref>{{cite news|title= 1st 'Romper Room' teacher Nancy Claster dies at 82 |work= [[The Baltimore Sun]]|url= https://www.baltimoresun.com/bal-nancyclasterobit-story.html|access-date=2011-12-24}}</ref>
Produced in the studios of [[WBAL-TV]] (Channel 11), the [[Hearst Communications|Hearst]]-owned [[NBC]] affiliate (also the major afternoon daily "[[Baltimore News-American]]") then at [[Charles Street (Baltimore)|North Charles]] and 26th streets in the [[Charles Village, Baltimore|Charles Village]] neighborhood, north of [[Downtown Baltimore|downtown]]. 'Romper Room'' was fairly successful in its early years, later moving in sequence to studios of competing stations [[WJZ-TV|WJZ-TV]] (then [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]) on Channel 13, then to [[WMAR|WMAR]]. Channel 2 on [[CBS]]. The [[CBS]] network offered to pick up the show for nation-wIde broadcasr, but the Clasters instead decided to [[syndicate]] and franchise it across the country, by taping episodes in Baltimore and selling the tapes to local stations or giving the option to local stations to produce their own version of the show for their cities. "Miss Nancy" (Nancy Claster) served as the first teacher of several on the program.<ref>{{cite news|title= 1st 'Romper Room' teacher Nancy Claster dies at 82 |work= [[The Baltimore Sun]]|url= https://www.baltimoresun.com/bal-nancyclasterobit-story.html|access-date=2011-12-24}}</ref>


In 1969, [[Hasbro]] bought Romper Room Inc. and renamed it Claster Television Productions.<ref>{{cite news|title= Update of classic may get to educate a new generation RETURN TO 'ROMPER ROOM' |work= [[The Baltimore Sun]]|url= https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1994-08-21-1994233124-story.html|access-date=2011-12-24}}</ref> Throughout the 1970s, Claster continued to make ''Romper Room'' and did not distribute anything else until 1978 when it brought the [[anime]] ''[[Star Blazers]]'' into the United States. It also developed the syndicated television series ''[[Bowling for Dollars]]''.
In 1969, [[Hasbro]] bought Romper Room Inc. and renamed it Claster Television Productions.<ref>{{cite news|title= Update of classic may get to educate a new generation RETURN TO 'ROMPER ROOM' |work= [[The Baltimore Sun]]|url= https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1994-08-21-1994233124-story.html|access-date=2011-12-24}}</ref> Throughout the 1970s, Claster continued to make ''Romper Room'' and did not distribute anything else until 1978 when it brought the [[anime]] ''[[Star Blazers]]'' into the United States. It also developed the syndicated television series ''[[Bowling for Dollars]]''.

Revision as of 21:08, 30 July 2023

Claster Television, Inc.
FormerlyBert Claster's Romper Room Inc. BV (1953–1969)
IndustryTelevision production
Television syndication
Founded1953; 71 years ago (1953) in Baltimore, Maryland as Bert Claster's Romper Room Inc. BV
FoundersBert Claster
Nancy Claster
Defunct2000; 24 years ago (2000)
FateClosed
SuccessorsAllspark
Entertainment One
HeadquartersBaltimore, Maryland,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Bert Claster (1953–1984)
Nancy Claster ("Miss Nancy"), (1953–1997)
ProductsTelevision programs
OwnerIndependent (1953–1969)
Hasbro (1969–2000)
ParentHasbro
Footnotes / references
[1]

Claster Television, Inc. was a Baltimore, Maryland–based television distributor founded in 1953 by Bertram H. (Bert) Claster and wife Nancy (Goldman) Claster as Romper Room Inc.[2] Bert was the former house manager of the landmark Hippodrome Theatre on South Eutaw Street on westside Downtown Baltimore. It was originally a producer of the children's show Romper Room, one of the first preschool children's programs.

Production

Produced in the studios of WBAL-TV (Channel 11), the Hearst-owned NBC affiliate (also the major afternoon daily "Baltimore News-American") then at North Charles and 26th streets in the Charles Village neighborhood, north of downtown. 'Romper Room was fairly successful in its early years, later moving in sequence to studios of competing stations WJZ-TV (then ABC) on Channel 13, then to WMAR. Channel 2 on CBS. The CBS network offered to pick up the show for nation-wIde broadcasr, but the Clasters instead decided to syndicate and franchise it across the country, by taping episodes in Baltimore and selling the tapes to local stations or giving the option to local stations to produce their own version of the show for their cities. "Miss Nancy" (Nancy Claster) served as the first teacher of several on the program.[3]

In 1969, Hasbro bought Romper Room Inc. and renamed it Claster Television Productions.[4] Throughout the 1970s, Claster continued to make Romper Room and did not distribute anything else until 1978 when it brought the anime Star Blazers into the United States. It also developed the syndicated television series Bowling for Dollars.

In the 1980s, Hasbro formed contracts with animation studios to make cartoons that would promote the sale of Hasbro's toys. In 1983, Claster distributed the animated series G.I. Joe, which was fairly successful. A year later, Claster distributed The Transformers, which was a major success for Hasbro and Claster.

G.I. Joe ended in 1987, while The Transformers left off airing new run episodes in the United States but continued to air for some time in Japan under the supervision of Takara, the Japanese rightsholder to the Transformers franchise. Beginning in 1989, Claster distributed a G.I. Joe animated series sequel that was made by DIC Entertainment. This ended in 1991. Romper Room finally ended in 1994 due to a loss of interest and popularity, giving the program a run of 41 years. Romper Room had been the longest-running children's show in history to date, a record that Sesame Street on PBS since 1969 and later HBO, passed in 2010.

In 1992, Claster Television made its only attempt at a teen/adult television area, Catwalk, but it only lasted for two years.[5]

In 1996, Claster syndicated ReBoot, the first all-CGI television show, for a short time after it was canceled by ABC. At the same time, they distributed a CGI revival of Transformers known as Beast Wars until 1999 (Its sequel, Beast Machines, would air on Fox Kids). Claster released The Mr. Potato Head Show in 1998, which was another attempt to sell Hasbro toys.

All of Claster's shows ended in 2000 when Hasbro formed a central media division. This division eventually became known as Allspark, and eventually folded into Entertainment One.[6]

List of television series distributed by Claster

References

  1. ^ "Nancy Claster, 82, Miss Nancy of 'Romper Room,' Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-12-24.
  2. ^ "Miss Sally of kids' TV". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2011-12-24.
  3. ^ "1st 'Romper Room' teacher Nancy Claster dies at 82". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2011-12-24.
  4. ^ "Update of classic may get to educate a new generation RETURN TO 'ROMPER ROOM'". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2011-12-24.
  5. ^ "Claster primed for 'Catwalk'" (PDF). Broadcasting. 1992-02-10. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
  6. ^ Foster, Elizabeth (October 9, 2020). "eOne takes the reins on Hasbro's content efforts". KidScreen. Retrieved October 22, 2020.