Long-ago South Jersey Kids Mourn TV Host Gene London

Gene London has died at 88-years-old. That name won’t mean much if you grew up in North Jersey like me. But if you grew up in South Jersey, Gene London was likely a household name.

He hosted a children’s TV show called Cartoon Corners a.k.a. The Gene London Show which ran from 1959 to 1977. 18 years is a long run for any show, and London’s went through a series of changes over it’s run. The first version had him working in a general store beside a confetti factory working for 3 and 1/2 cents per week for “Old Dibble-Puss” (Mr. Dibley) according to Wikipedia.

The show ran on WCAU-TV. He was one of the most popular children’s TV hosts in Philadelphia and South Jersey history.

A few things you may not know about Gene London. He was born Eugene Norman Yulish in Cleveland Ohio. After the kids’ show was done he moved to NYC and became a fashion designer. Also, he was gay. In 2016 he married his long-time partner John Thomas.

Here’s his official obituary.