Guide to the Hank Stohl Photographs and Videotapes c1950-c1990
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Hank Stohl Photographs and Videotapes
- Creator
- Stohl, Hank
- Collection Number
- MSS 726
- Extent
- 1 linear feet (One box)
- Date
- c1950-c1990
- Abstract
- Hank Stohl was a puppeteer, actor and writer who became famous in Pittsburgh for his puppets, Knish, Rodney Hackenflash and Connie the Dog. From 1952-1963, he appeared on children's television shows on KDKA and on WTAE. After leaving Pittsburgh, he moved to Los Angeles where for the next twenty years he appeared in movies, commercials and on television. The collection includes eleven videos of his television appearances and one of his puppet shows, a news article and press release about a puppet exhibit in Pittsburgh, and photographs.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Sponsor
- This collection has been made accessible as part of an NHPRC-funded Basic Processing grant.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
History
Hank Stohl was a puppeteer, actor and writer who became famous in Pittsburgh for his puppets, Knish, Rodney Hackenflash and Connie the Dog. He was born Henry S. Zakowski on July 1, 1927 in Ohio. When he began working in television in Ohio in 1948, he changed his last name to Stohl, his mother's maiden name. Stohl created Knish in 1952 for an audition for Mitzi's Kiddie Kastle on WDTV, KDKA's predecessor. He later created Knish's friends, Rodney and Connie who appeared with Knish on KDKA's Kay Dee Kartoonand Big Adventureand on WTAE's Popeye 'n' Knish. His puppets became so popular that at one point the Knish Good Kid Club had 10,000 members. In 1964, he moved to New York where he hosted a show on WPIX. After retiring his puppets in 1968, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.
Prior to moving to Los Angeles, Stohl had appeared in theater productions at the Pittsburgh Playhouse and at Little Lake Theatre in Canonsburg, Pa. He continued acting on the stage in California, and he appeared in movies and popular television shows such as The Odd Couple, Little House on the Prairie and The Waltons.
Stohl died on December 15 2008 in Whitehall Pa. He was survived by his wife, Anita, and his children: Donna Zeller, Henry S.Zakowski II, Julianne Gemino, Michael Hegley, Erik Stohl and Robert Perry.
Scope and Content Notes
The Hank Stohl Photographs and Videotapes contains Knish Good Kid Club membership cards, Knish Big League Cards, a photocopy of a newspaper article and a press release about the puppet exhibit at the Children's Museum (1990), photographs of Stohl with and without his puppets, a headshot of Knish, a cassette of promos and commercials, and videotapes. There is a video of a Knish, Rodney and Connie puppet show (1993), and there are eleven videos of excerpts of Stohl's television appearances, and his television commercials (c1970- c1990).
Conditions Governing Access
None.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift from Hank Stohl in 2002.
Archives accession # 2002.0286
Preferred Citation
Hank Stohl Photographs and Videotapes , c1950-c1990, MSS 726, Thomas and Katherine Detre Library and Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Kelly J. Smith on 02/10/2012.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Senator John Heinz History Center. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Thomas and Katherine Detre Library and Archives of the Senator John Heinz History Center.
Separated Materials
To the museum: Knish, Rodney Hackenflash and Connie the Dog puppets
Subjects
- KDKA-TV (Television station : Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- WTAE-TV (Television station : Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Stohl, Hank, b. 1927- d. 2008
- Children's television programs
- Puppet television programs