I watched Rootie at 6 PM on NBC, right after the much-superior Howdy Doody Show. Rootie had a Dalmation pup named Gala-Poochie. The pup spoke like "Rrr Rrr Rrr Rrr." And Rootie was the only one who could translate him. Poochie had a friend, "El Squeako" the mouse, who spoke in squeaks and Poochie was the only one who could translate *him*. The dog and the mouse had a common nemesis in the cat. I don't remember ever seeing the cat. Rootie's girl-friend, Polka Dottie, wore braids and a polka dot dress. The mustachioed villain, Poison Zumac, had his name changed to Poison Zanzaboo in time. Maybe they were afraid kids would touch real poison sumac, thinking they were getting involved with the character. Poison Zumac was always trying to con Rootie by disguising himself and asking for help. Trying to trick Rootie out of his magic Kazootie. Rootie would ask the audience "Is this really really a poor old car?" "No!", the kids in the audience would holler, and Rootie would beat the villain off the puppet stage. "Take that! And that! And that!" In one episode Zumac stole the white line from the center of the road so people would lose their way. "Who is the boy who is full of zip and joy. He's Rootie Kazootie. Who is the lad who will make you feel so glad. He's Rootie Kazootie. I'm the leader of the Rootie Kazootie Club. And with me there is (woof-woof) Gala Poochie, the pup. So let's all hear, a Rootin Kazootin cheer for Rootie Kazootie." Rootie would make his entrance tearing open a paper with the show's logo and begin every show singing a popular song. I remember "It's a Barnum Bailey world" and "I've got the world on a string." He also sang "Polka Dottie" to the tune "Pretty Baby". "Big Todd Russell" was the human who stood in front of the puppet stage and kept the action going. The only other human was "Mr. Deedle Doodle" a policeman dressed like an old-fashioned London Bobbie and just came in, blowing his whistle, and ran out again. Naomi Lewis was the actress credited as the voice of Rootie and Dottie. But I could only find one other credit for her on IMDb, a one-time appearance on an early-fifties radio program. If Ms. Lewis ever did another broadcast or appeared in a film or on Broadway, she did it under another name. Some old Rootie footage is available on You Tube! Tony Fennelly
Review of Rootie Kazootie
