Another ‘Big Brother’

In the ‘50s, Clair Robert Emery, aka “Big Brother Bob Emery,’’ hosted a kids’ TV show on WBZ, in Boston, called the Small Fry Club. That “innocent’’ era saw many such gentle shows for Baby Boomers.

The show provided short films, including cartoons, along with demonstrations, songs, puppets and actors in animal suits who performed short sketches.

Emery promoted a bland friendliness, respect and good citizenship, and sang his theme song, “The Grass Is Always Greener in the Other Fellow’s Yard,’’ while strumming his trademark ukelele. How well did his lessons take?

In any event, he didn’t seem to hear the Orwellian echo of “Big Brother.’’