Gator Tales
Gator Tales (1988-1999) is a local children's television show produced in St. Louis, Missouri by local CBS affiliate KMOV. The show aired on Saturdays and Sundays in key states throughout the Midwest from 1988 to 1999, including Missouri, Arkansas, and Illinois.
The 30-minute show, which stressed the development of good character values and self-esteem, featured a mischievous puppet alligator named "Grouchie Gator" and his puppet friends (created & performed by puppeteer Doug Kincaid and "The Kincaid Karacter Puppets"), a visiting storyteller friend, and an occasional walk-on guest star. The storylines revolved around "Grouchie's Place" (Grouchie Gator's swamp store)and usually involved Grouchie getting into some sort of trouble through a never-ending variety of crazy schemes, only to be gently shown the error of his ways by his storyteller friends, via their recitation of an appealing folk tale (with a subtle moral lesson at the end), related to the situation at hand.
"Gator Tales" was produced by Al Frank (later Rebecca McDowell), and was directed by Skip Goodrum. Doug Kincaid, in addition to co-creating (with brother William Kincaid) and performing Grouchie Gator and the other "Kincaid Karacter" puppet characters, also designed and created the set and props for the show, as well as writing the scripts for all the episodes. From 1988-93 the part of the storyteller was played by Bobby Norfolk, and from 1994-99 the role was filled by Annette Harrison. The show at times featured guest appearances by local actors, the most notable being Todd Newton.
"Gator Tales" won numerous regional Emmy Awards during its 11-year run on KMOV, and was one of the last of the "classic" local children's television shows to be produced, prior to the eventual dominance of syndicated broadcast programming, cable TV and the growth of such national children's television giants as Nickelodeon.
Doug Kincaid starred on "D. B.'s Delight", another children's show, prior to his work on "Gator Tales".
References
St. Louis Post Dispatch, Monday March 20, 1989, "Kids Learning Responsibility With "Gator" Aid", article on "Gator Tales" television show and Bill & Doug Kincaid
St. Louis Sun TV Magazine, Oct. 28, 1989, "Gator Aid", article on "Gator Tales" and Bill & Doug Kincaid