Outside of Howdy Doody and the Muppets, Kukla and Ollie were probably the most popular and successful puppets ever to appear on television. Unlike Jim Henson's characters, however, they haven't endured or survived beyond the death of their creator. Burr Tillstrom (1917-1985) first brought his quietly funny and eccentric hand puppets to TV in the autumn of 1947. Accompanied by a personable lady named Fran Allison, the mild-mannered, yet egocentric dragon named Oliver and the enthusiastically nice bald little fellow named Kukla (Russian for doll) made their debut on a show originally titled Junior Jamboree on a Chicago station. The title became Kukla, Fran, and Ollie early in 1949. As the coaxial cable spread across the country, so did the half-hour show. By 1951 the popular program was seen nationally at 7 PM weeknights. Initially intended for kids, the Kuklapolitans eventually attracted a large and enthusiastic...