The Uncle Al Show

A local Cincinnati TV show that ran until 1985, the longest local show in TV history. Musician and artist Al Lewis hosted the show "The Corner Drug Store." He would draw pictures and play his accordion. Children outside the studios heard the happy accordion music and wandered in and started jumping up and down to the polka music. Al Lewis was pleased and surprised with the response. It got to be an everyday occurrence with more and more children coming in the studios dancing and hopping around to the music. Hundreds of letters would pour in from parents wondering how they could get their children on his show. WCPO TV started sending tickets out and reserved enough to fill the studio. The response was so overwhelming that the ticket list would be booked up for two years. Now with so many children to entertain, Lewis, who was now being called Uncle Al needed assistance.