For those who were on the set of Captain Ernie's Showboat, one experienced walking through the WOC building itself on the way to the risers. Legendary WOC engineer Jon Book provides a tour inside of KWQC today in February 2007. Using the building guide from the 1960's, take a peek and see if something looks familiar.

This is the main entrance to the KWQC building. The area shown is the front desk walkway. In the picture below, one can see the waiting room seating of the entrance way. This is the first point as you were waiting your turn to get on the show. You would also notice the beautiful staircase which is a centerpoint of the entrance way. The next picture provides a glimpse of the front desk walk-out area as one begins to enter the guestroom itself. Former outstanding long time KWQC's receptionist Heidi Plummer was there to greet you. You are the best Heidi!

Referring back to the building guide, notice the next stop is marked "studio guest". The first picture is a view of the entrance of that room. This is where you began the final wait until the time to go on the air with Captain Ernie.

The next few pictures are shots inside of that room including the seating and bathroom areas.

One receives the invitation to proceed to the television studio and exits the room. They proceed down the hallway to the double doors. Most children at this point made a stop at the water fountain.

The treats given away on Captain Ernie's Showboat included all Hostess products; Ding Dongs, Ho-Ho's, Twinkies, Crumb Cakes, Cup Cakes and the list goes on. Unfortunately they were so fresh and delicious that the WOC crew would constantly raid the closet which they were stored in for the children. This raid took place all day long but especially occurred during the overnight crew's hours. Eventually a lock had to be placed on the door! This is the actual closet where they were kept on the top shelf.

The children would then sit on the risers which were brought out of storage on a daily basis around an hour before the show. This area today is the set of Paula Sands Live. One interesting point in the picture is the appearance of the 18 foot turntable which is embedded into the floor. This turntable is the exact point where the risers were and it was used during commercials on WOC TV 6 for many uses including showing cars on advertisements for Bob Neal Ford. Other times the children sat on the risers in the same general area, only this time on the south side of the room which today has the green background which is used for video backing.

This all occured in Studio A.

The area which is seen on a nightly basis as KWQC presents the news at 5pm, 6pm and 10pm is actually sitting on the exact spot where Captain Ernie's good ship Dixie Belle was located. Also included here is a picture of a peek behind where the Dixie Belle sat.

When the WOC building opened in 1963, The Showboat appeared in Studio B but eventually moved to Studio A. Below is a current shot of what is where The Showboat was originally located.

Continuing on with the tour, Jon provides shots of some interesting things in the basement including props from Captain Ernie's Showboat set, now in storage for over thirty years!

This area is where the risers were kept before and after the show. The following pictures are the risers themselves. The first risers picture is that of ones which were used from around 1970 through the end of the show in 1974 and the next picture is of the original risers which were around for a long, long time! If you were ever on The Cartoon Showboat, you sat on these risers!!!

Here is a WOC lobby chair now in storage. Perhaps you sat in this chair waiting for your turn on Captain Ernie's Showboat in the 1960's or early 1970's! Next are the lights which lit up the kids as they sat on the risers.

This is the hot press which was used to make pictures and images which were then shown on the screen. The images could have been for commercials or used during promotions.

Here we have the Studio A light boxes.

Presenting the Studio B light boxes.

Here is the turntable controller which was used in Studio A during automobile advertising shots.

WOC TV light scoops.

This is a TV mono-mic boom unit.

Here is the woodshop in the basement where Ivan Owens spent forty years building every set that you ever saw on WOC!

Jon also found this fun prop. It is a wood lantern post which may have been used during live Christmas programming.

Amazingly, Jon also found the actual railing from the Especially For You set with Pat Sundine! Here are pictures of the railing both with finished and unfinished paint.

Finally, this amazing discovery - this is the unit which played chimes on top of the Chiropractic College roof! How it ever ended up in the basement of KWQC is unknown!