The Secret Sign-"T" Stands for Thornbury's and Thornbury's Stands for Toys!

Looks like Uncle Jim is holding a booklet about the very popular "Guess Who" children's program while some of the kids are ready to get a prize by showing that they know the secret sign.

The "secret sign" was another of Uncle Jim's promotional ideas.  He and his employees would carry around some trinket toys and if the youngsters would make the "T" sign with their fingers, they would receive a small reward. The "T" sign would mean that they knew that "T" stands for Thornbury's and Thornbury's stands for toys.  Uncle Jim must have stayed up many nights trying to figure out what his next promotion was going to be!

Another Uncle Jim Promotion-1964 Thorny Club

Cover of 1964 Thorny Club Official Members Book

You know all the characters on the Thorny Bucks pictured here, don't you?  On the bottom left, you have the one and only, Uncle Jim.  His $10.00 Thornybuck was worth a nickel.  Fireman Bill is on the $1.00 buck, Trigger Tom is on the $3.00 buck and Amy, the charming Queen of Toys out did them all on the $50.00 buck.

Uncle Ed Kallay Helped With the Guess Who? Show

Uncle Ed Kallay, a Louisville celebrity, works with the puppets on one of the Guess Who sets.

   

The Guess Who? Show Advertisement from 1962

"Toy Sales SOAR" thanks to the Guess Who? Show.

This is the next part of the flyer advertising the Guess Who? show on WAVE-TV every Saturday morning.

And the last page that touts Thornbury's Toys sales increases in part to the popular TV show.

Fireman Bill in Thornbury's Toys Blazer

Fireman Bill was really a fireman with the St. Matthews Fire Department.  He was a very talented artist and was one of Thornbury's long-standing and devoted employees. 

Fireman Bill Presents Three Great Toys

Fireman Bill is shown in this excerpt from "1964 Thorny Club Official Members Book containing Home-viewers Games on Guess Who! and Toys Sold by Thornbury's Toys". Note in the lower right-hand corner the "Fireman Bill Drawing Set - Play "Guess Who?" at home. Everything you need to draw and trace while your friends "Guess Who?""

The Guess Who Show Was a Local Favorite

This was the set up for the Guess Who show, which aired on WAVE-TV. The young contestants would watch Fireman Bill draw a cartoon character and as soon as they could identify the character, the child would  press the buzzer on their bike and the light would  go on.  They would then identify the character and accumulate points to win the prizes shown behind them.

A real person dressed up as Thorny the Monkey would pop out of the Thornbury's version of a "jack in the box". That's Fireman Bill with Uncle Ed Kallay who helped emcee the Guess Who show.

Uncle Jim is getting the contestants ready.

Uncle Jim with Thorny, Captain Campbell and Fireman Bill

Uncle Jim feeds Thorny the Monkey at  Thornbury's Toys.

Captain Campbell is poised to help the contestants on the Guess Who show. (late 60's)

Can you guess who Fireman Bill is drawing for the kids on the Guess Who show?