Louis Heyward
Louis “Deke” Heyward, the creator of “Winky Dink and You”, the first interactive TV show died at 81.
An award-winning writer and producer of radio, television and movies, he began his career as a writer on “The Garry Moore Show” and was later head writer for “The Ernie Kovacs Show,” but made TV history in 1953 with his creation of “Winky Dink and You.”
The show, featured Winky Dink, a cartoon character, who children at home would help out, by drawing on a “magic screen” a clear, clingy piece of plastic that was placed over the TV screen. If Winky Dink and his dog Woofer were stuck on the side of a rushing stream, the viewer could draw in a bridge with their “magic” crayons.
In lieu of flowers, fans are requested to use their magic crayons to draw a picture of Heyward rising from the dead.