Does anybody here recognize these characters?

[The Artist]

This cast photo litho print came into the Museum as part of a donation. I've done a few searches on the web, but have not found anything to identify the show these characters were in, and when it ran, and the identity of these actors. I'm hoping someone here might recognize them from their younger years and provide the information I need to fully catalog this item. The names on the print are "Commander S" S3/C Stubby" (is that Sargent, Third Class?), and "Ambassador Max." Commander S has a parch on his left shoulder with the letters "ISS"

I'd appreciate any information anyone could provide on these characters.

 

[Orionblamblam]

All Hail Google:

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1958/08/14/page/77/article/tv-stars-headline-back-to-school-event

TVStars Headline Back-to-School Event

Miss Frances Will Open Shoppers' Festival Monday

Heralding the Back-to-School event at Old Orchard Shopping Center next week will be per- sonal appearances of three chil- dren s television favorites.

TV Persnalities

Miss Frances of Ding Dong School, Commander S and Stubby, and Miss Susan H e i n k e I of Susan's Show will meet children and present them with auto- graphed pictures.

South Mall

Opening Back-to-School - ities in the South Mall of Old Or- chard Monday, August 18th, will be the ringing of the familiar bell of WGN-TV's Ding Dong School. Dr. Frances Horwich, known to youngsters from coast to coast as Miss Frances, will greet kiddies that day- from 2 to 4 p. m. and spend a minute with each of them.

Other Celebrities

Commander 5 w h o presents space travel adventures from , and his sidekick, Stubby, will be on hand Wednesday, August 20th, from 2 to 4 p.m. Stubby, played by comedian Bob Gibbons, promises to bring along "Ambassador Max," the Martian puppet whose acrobatics delight their TV audience.

 

[Orionblamblam]

It would appear that these were late 1950's presenters on WNBQ television in Chicago, a purely local phenomenon. They probably introduced old Flash Gordon serials and crappy sci-fi movies and the like. Think "Elvira, Mistress of the Dark," but much less interesting to look at.

WNBQ ran from 1948 to 1964 ad was replaced with WMAQ-TV.

Ah, here we go:

http://chicagotelevision.com/Commander5.htm

Tells ya all ya need to know.

 

[The Artist]

Thank you Scott.

I did run Google searches on these names but didn't get that. Maybe the other things I've searched for and looked at on this computer kept that from coming up. This may sound strange, but I can do a Google search here at the Museum then go home and do the same search and see different results at home.

Thanks again.