Mr. Twister Time

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Mr. Twister Time was a weekly 15-minute television program on WBRC-TV which was hosted by R. B. Broyles Furniture Co. general manager Allen Clark and sponsored by the store. It began airing in 1953 and continued into 1961. The program, produced by Ed Nichols, usually consisted of a handful of short skits or musical performances. Stanleigh Malotte provided background music.

The furniture store held a weekly prize drawing, with winners announced on the program. In 1954 Clark was convicted of holding an illegal lottery and fined $25. He appealed the conviction. Court documents detailed that the air time cost the store $99.50 per week, and that the prize drawing normally cost the store about $150 in prize merchandise, both of which were included in the store's advertising budget. The program was viewed by around 35,000 to 40,000 people, and received approximately 5,000 to 6,000 entries each week. The Alabama Criminal Court of Appeals found that the elements of an illegal lottery had not been proven and overturned Clark's conviction.

Clark was known for displaying the Christian Bible during his program, and often gave away miniature children's Bibles. He closed each show with the adminition "Take your children to Sunday School and church of your choice every Sunday and don't forget to pay your tithes, because the world at its worst needs you and your church at its best."

The program was dropped when WBRC switched from CBS to ABC in 1961.

One of the "Mr Twister Time" children's Bibles was found among the effects of Denise McNair, who was killed in the 1963 bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church.

References

  • "James Allen Clark v. State of Alabama" (December 7, 1954) Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, 80 So. 2d 308
  • "Thames, Roger (November 12, 1954) "Here's a chance to say your 2 cents worth about video." The Birmingham News, p. 46