"Big Jon and Sparkie" (sometimes written as "Big John and Sparkie") was a popular children's radio show in the 1950s, created by and starring Jon Arthur.Here are some key facts about the show:

• Hosts: The show featured "Big Jon" (voiced by Jon Arthur) and "Sparkie," who was portrayed as a "little elf from the land of make-believe" but thought and acted like a real boy. Sparkie's voice was actually Jon Arthur's recorded voice played at a fast speed. Jon Arthur also voiced almost all the other characters in the show.
• Concept: While intended for children, the show was also popular with adults due to its gentle humor and entertaining themes. It often incorporated educational elements, a radical concept for children's programming at the time, predating shows like "Sesame Street."
• Original Run: The show began in 1950 at WSAI in Cincinnati and was carried daily on 181 ABC stations. It also had a popular two-hour Saturday morning show called "No School Today," which reached 12 million listeners on 275 stations.
• Theme Song: The show's instrumental theme song was "Teddy Bear's Picnic."
• Legacy: "Big Jon and Sparkie" influenced later children's television shows like "The Howdy Doody Show" and "Captain Kangaroo." While it didn't successfully transition to television itself, it found a new life on the Family Radio Network from 1962 to 1982.
• Other Media: The radio program was adapted into a four-issue comic book and even inspired a promotional newspaper.

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