If the Branson Tourism Center’s Branson Show Schedule could be rolled back 50 years to 1959 what a difference the schedule would look like. The nearly 100 shows on the 2009 schedule reflect everything from the outdoor drama of Harold Bell Wrights Ozark tale, “The Shepherd of the Hills” to comedy, magic, acrobatics, animal and pet, and music and variety shows of just about every genre and testify as to why some call Branson, Missouri the “live entertainment capital of the world.”
The show schedule for 1959 would have showed none of that future potential. Indeed, a show schedule wasn’t even needed because there was only one show in Branson, the “Baldknobbers.” They started small, just a tiny country music show being presented two days a week in a rented 50 seat room in the basement of the Branson Community Center located on the southeast corner of what is now Business Highway 65 and College Streets.
Called “the show that started it all,” the Baldknobbers was started to provide night time fun and entertainment for visiting tourists, primarily fishermen. The show’s simple format was entertaining, blending original unique comedy routines with popular country music presented by the Mabe brothers, Bob, Bill, Jim and Lyle along with the help of Delbert Howard and Chick Allen. Even the name of the show, the “Baldknobbers,” was adapted from the areas local history and a group of vigilantes called the “Bald Knobbers” because they held their meetings on a “bald” hilltop with no vegetation.
The comedy was a central part of the show and evolved into two characters, “George Aggernite” and “Droopy Drawers” played by Lyle and Jim Mabe, respectively, presenting their own unique blend of Ozark humor. When the music was added to the mix and it was all presented by an enthusiastic and talented cast who knew how to interact with their audience, the result was a formula that has been bringing people back for over 50 years.
After performing in historic downtown Branson and on the Lake Taneycomo Lakefront for nine years the Baldknobbers moved to their current location on W. Highway 76, now commonly referred to as the “Branson Strip,” in 1968. With that move, “the show that started it all” joined “the first show on the strip” the “Presleys’ Country Jubilee” and, as they say, “The rest is history.”
