Where is Gary Ed Mach?
April 1st, 2008 by duane
I’m not much of a morning person these days. I would much rather stay up late and write odd bits of code than get up early and start my day. When I was younger, that was not the case. My brother, Christian, and I would wake up early… especially on Saturday morning, build a fort and prepare for hours of (mostly) animated entertainment. I’ve written about Saturday morning cartoons before, but no Saturday would be complete without a proper start: educational programming.
If I’m not mistaken, the major TV networks had to provide a certain amount of educational programming content (which is why G.I. Joe had their “knowing is half the battle” segment at the end of each episode). Metro Detroit’s Channel 4 (WDIV) began their Saturday morning programming with Kidbits which was filmed at the Detroit Science Center and hosted by Gary Ed Mach
Kidbits detailed science experiments that most kids could do at home with the help of their parents. I credit my early interest in science to this show. Gary Ed Mach was a great host that didn’t dumb down the content but still made it easy to understand. He appeared genuinely excited about simulating muscles with straws and balloons. Instead of commercials, public service announcements ran between segments. They explained the difference between TV and reality, what you should eat to be healthy, and why drugs are bad. The catch was, some weird white guy with a ‘fro starred in these service announcements. If I learned anything during the 80’s it’s “never trust a white guy with a ‘fro.”
What’s the point of all the rambling? Simple: where is Gary Ed Mach?! Why can’t I find any clips of Kidbits online. I know it has to be out there somewhere. So here’s a challenge to everyone reading this: find Gary Ed Mach or Kidbits. If there’s a tape or DVD to buy or a petition to put episodes back on TV, tell me! Something this great cannot disappear forever!
Entry Filed under: Remember When…,Television
56 Comments. Add your own...
1. Jeremy | April 17th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
The Pink Tornado!
4H
2. Steve | May 21st, 2008 at 2:54 pm
This will give you some info on Gary
http://www.zoominfo.com/Search/PersonDetail.aspx?PersonID=173377706
3. Jason | June 3rd, 2008 at 9:50 am
I watched Kidbits every week also, although I lived across the river outside of Windsor. I found myself humming the theme song this morning… I googled ‘kidbits wdiv’ and found your blog post. It would be nice to find someone who has every episode on VHS or something!
4. Duane | June 24th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Thanks for the comments, especially the info on what Gary Ed Mach has been up to!
5. aaron vaught | October 8th, 2008 at 9:54 am
i have 4 vhs tapes of kidbits,classic early 80’s(?)i am trying to figure out my new software that allows me to transfer vhs to my pc. then all will be uploaded on to youtube. i was dissapointed to see that kidbits wasnt repp’d on youtube.
6. duane | November 4th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Aaron, I am thrilled to hear this! I thought I had some old VHS recordings, but was sad to find none of them in my parent’s faux woodgrain VHS storage bin (very 80’s). If you post these on youtube, please let me know and I’ll link to them or embed them (whichever you prefer).
7. Steve | December 2nd, 2008 at 12:41 pm
hey aaron,
did you ever get the video transfered? if not let me know I can do it for you no problem! I would love to see them again.
8. Dan | December 20th, 2008 at 4:19 am
I really miss this show, so Aaron please if U can, youtube or what ever would be great. Got a little one here, and she was wondering what I used to watch.
9. DTW28 | January 6th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
I am beyond thrilled to find others who share my fondness for Kidbits.
The theme song alone was an absolute classic. I’d virtually kill to find a copy of it. Which brings us to…
AARON [!!!]—where’s the YouTube clips? You’ve got several of us chompin’ at the proverbial bit to see your footage, so HOOK IT UP!!! It’s been three months since you claimed that you would share your treasure with us. The public awaits…
.
10. DTW28 | January 8th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
GREAT NEWS!!! I found a link to the theme song. The track is called “Always There”, performed by Brass, Wood & Steel, off their self-titled 1977 album.
The track was originally recorded by jazzer Ronnie Laws.
Here’s a link to the BW&S version:
http://media.imeem.com/m/BvigYybDUG/aus=false/
Drink it in!
11. DTW28 | January 8th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
whoops…
the band is called Wood, Brass & Steel
12. DTW28 | January 8th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Wood, Brass & Steel covered the Ronnie Laws track, “Always There”
http://media.imeem.com/m/BvigYybDUG/aus=false/
THE THEME SONG TO KIDBITS!!!!
13. SafeTinspector | January 14th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Na, na, na, nananana! Na, na, na, nananana!
14. SafeTinspector | January 14th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
I found a youtube of a more recent—and far older than I remember—Mach.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE4m_qTtLN0
15. aaron vaught | February 8th, 2009 at 1:30 am
hey! I had forgot I had been on this site, and someone reminded me after they googled my name. my pc crashed and i got a new one. To steve, I no longer have the software(lost when my pc went kaput) if the offer to have you do it still stands, or anyone for that matter, go to my youtube channel symptom1555 and message me. also, if any one wants message me on my channel, provide me with a self addressed envelope and i will send you wwhat i have. now these episodes are poor quality,(VCRs sucked back then) but they are full episodes,meaning the animation in between gary’s science, and all the commercials(look,look up! but i dont see anything…thats good there could have been electrical wires up there…)I will be happy to copy…you pay postage…
16. aaron vaught | February 17th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
just replied on you tube to previous poster steve. Don’t worry, you tube clips are coming…maybe steve will give us an update when he gets the tapes..
17. aaron vaught | February 17th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
by the way, if anyone still wants to know “Where is Gary Ed Mach?” here is a link…with photo, business phone and email!!
(let’s not stalk now,tho..)
http://ww2.esd.org/GENERAL/Staff.htm
18. nick in tucson | February 18th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
hey i grew up in detroit and loved kidbits, does anybody know how long till the clups will be on you tube? thanks to gary i know work in the missile defense desiging missiles.
i loved that show and hope my kids can see what i used to watch.
19. Gary Ed Mach | February 19th, 2009 at 8:41 am
Nick, Aaron, et al… Thanks for your interest in Kidbits. I, too, would be intersted in copies of the videos. I thought I had taped them off the air, but I just can’t seem to find that box in my attic. As you may have discovered, I have a new kids TV show underway for my current employer, The Engineering Societyof Detroit. It is called “SciEngiMathePLoration” and is distributed on public access channels on cable systems nationwide. We are currently in 70 TV markets in 20 States. The show is also streamed on our website, http://www.esd.org, under the Education tab. If you can help us get it on your local cable system, that woudl be great. Many systems require a local resident to “sponsor” a show made outside the area. Let me know! As Aaron noted, I can be reached thru the ESD. gmach@esd.org. As we used to say on Kidbits, “Keep ON Experimenting!”
20. duane | February 25th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Wow! Thanks for commenting, Gary! I’m absolutely honored to hear from you. I’m shocked that SciEngiMathePLoration hasn’t been picked up in the Metro Detroit area yet! What can we do to “sponsor” SciEngiMathePLoration in our area? How does sponsorship work?
On a more personal note, I’d like to confess that KidBits was very influential during my childhood. My school didn’t have much in the way of funding for a science program and I eagerly watched every airing (and re-airing) of KidBits that I could find! My favorite episode? The one where you built a model of arm muscles with balloons and straws!
Thanks again!
21. Steve | February 26th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Hey guys….. Aaron and I emailed eachother and he said he is willing to mail me the tapes and I will convert them to computer and upload them on youtube. I will post on this page when I get the tapes from aaron and then I will post when I upload them to youtube. and leave the links.
I too would also like to thank Mr. Mach for commenting, Very cool !
-Steve
22. Gary Ed Mach | March 3rd, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Gentlemen – No sooner than I had supplied you with my direct e-mail address, and my employment at the ESD was terminated. No funds! Anyway, if you wish to reach me I am now at gary16006@comcast.net.
Duane – The new show does air all around the Metro-Detroit area. Each cable-public access station puts it on a different schedule, but always on the “public access” channel. At some of them it is not on regularly, but most of them at least publish a program guide a week or two in advance.
23. Aaron Vaught | March 4th, 2009 at 10:03 pm
Steve, email me at symptom2001@comcast.net moved and got my new address…let’s do this thing!
24. nick in tucson | March 7th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
hey guys thanks for the update!! hope you can make it happen soon! we really appreciate it!! sorry to hear about your job gary hope you find something soon. later from the warm desert!!
25. Mark | March 11th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
I’m from Newfoundland, Canada and sooo happy to find this site. It proves that I didn’t dream this series up. Friend of mine and I were thinking of the public service announcements for safety belts for some reason, and quickly remembered the show. We thought it was kidbits, but couldn’t prove anything.
When was this series originally produced? I remember seeing this in the early-mid 90s, early saturday mornings i think on WDIV-4 NBC Detroit, which was our NBC afilliate at the time.
Really surprised they are not online at all. Would love to see them again.
26. Chris | March 12th, 2009 at 4:56 am
Wow! We’ve found Gary Ed Mach! I grew up in Troy, Michigan and have very fond memories of Kid Bits. I was very, very young and the science was a bit beyond me, but it definitely sparked an interest in learning, and because of this, I am indebted to you, Mr. Mach. A few years ago I was asking all of my friends if they could remember the theme tune or other info about the show. I eagerly looking forward to tapes surfacing and being put up on the internet, youtube or elsewhere.
Very happy to see this page,
Chris
27. Gary Ed Mach | March 12th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Mark (Newfoundland) – Kidbits was produced in 1980 and aired from late 1980 thru 1997 on WDIV – 4, the NBC affiliate in Detroit. You wern’t imagining those things. Orignially, the show was a series of 65 five minute segments that were broadcast daily in Detroit at 6:55 a.m. to give the kids a dose of science on their way to school. After a couple runs in that format, the shows were grouped into half hour segments with 5 – five minute programs. When this was done, various public service announements were inserted between the segments to separate them. Spots on seat belts, watching TV, getting exercise, and I think even the Girl Scouts were used. At one point, the half hour shows were expanded to 1 hour by inserting great old time Bugs Bunny cartoons between the science segments. Hell, even I used to watch the show then, as it ran on kids “prime time”, 10:00 a.m. Saturday morning. The show ran continuously in some form or another until 1997. I never knew WDIV reched all the way to Newfoundland- very cool! Maybe Dan Cleary watched? – Go Wings!
28. Gary Ed Mach | March 12th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Chris (Troy) – Thanks for the compliment! My curent kids science show runs on the Troy cable TV system, on the CMN channel, 18, Monday nights at 8 p.m. Yes, I know I am older and fatter than I was in 1981! Next week I am interviewing to be a presenter at the Detroit Sceince Center’s new Toyota Engineering Theater. I was thinking, if I get the job, we could have a Kidbits reunion show! Could be fun!
29. Eric | March 16th, 2009 at 11:21 pm
Im from Thunder bay ontario Canada, and I used to watch Kidbits every morning before school. I woul dhave been around 6 years old at the time it aired, and now I have a 6 year old whos interested in science. I’ve even shown him the “hole in your hand” trick from the “optical illusions” episode. w00t!
30. duane | March 17th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
I’m sorry I didn’t think to ask this earlier… but is there a list of air times for SciEngiMathePLoration anywhere? If not, let’s start one that lists city (or area), cable provider, channel, day and time! I’ve been watching the public access channel in the Brighton-Hartland area, but all that’s to be found are old character generator announcements and notices. (Reminds me of my days working with Video Toasters and Amiga computers.)
Also, if you have any episodes of KidBits, please upload them to YouTube (I believe fair use would apply at this point?) and let us all know!
31. nick in tucson | April 6th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Hey guys just wondering if there’s any info on putting KidBits on youtube?
32. Rob | April 23rd, 2009 at 10:36 am
Hi, guys…
Just wanted to add my enthusiasm for the show as well. Always an early morning favorite. The two episodes I remember best were the lifting an ice cube with a piece of string, and the baseball bat chair.
Thanks a lot Gary for taking the time to post here! The new Science Center is a lot of fun and it would be great to see you get involved there again.
I have to agree with Chris and Duane regarding the show’s influence on my curiosity and excitement about science. I vividly recall my bugging the heck out of my mother to gather the supplies together for me to conduct an experiment!
Also, if you guys are stuck on the VHS transfer issue, my brother works at a local post-edit house and can transfer them to DVD in a flash.
The ‘fro guy was always on the PSA’s about watching television. Remember the tag, “Hey, there’s a SMART way to watch TV”? One showed a good cowboy in a black outfit and a bad cowboy in a white outfit to illustrate all is not necessarily as it seems in TV land. Wasn’t Time for Timer in between spots too? “Hanker for a hunk of cheese”
Those are all over youtube, but I have had no luck looking up the TV watching PSA spots.
33. Rob | April 23rd, 2009 at 11:51 am
So after deciding to search yet again for the TV watching PSA’s I came across this page with a TON of 70’s & 80’s TV audio. At the very bottom of the page are three clips from the PSA’s.
Enjoy…
http://dt.prohosting.com/70s/childtv/childtv.html
34. Jennifer | May 6th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
I grew up in Detroit in the 80’s and I loved this show!! I saw my first optical illusions on this show, and I love the weather episode. If there is a way to put these shows on DVD, please let me know, I would be very interested in a copy!! Thank you!!
35. WindsorBoy | May 14th, 2009 at 1:20 am
I also grew up with Gary and Kidbits. It was a great show, and Gary was a terrific host. He never talked down to his audience, and treated them like respect; he was a lot like some of my best science teachers in high school. The only downside is that I totally destroyed the kitchen every Saturday morning trying to do some of the experiments. The actor in “There’s a Smart Way to Watch TV” was Lenny Schultz. Here’s a recent article:
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070907/NEWS/709070313
And some videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zisjRy2AlJo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEZVusznRXA
36. F | June 7th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
What a great show that was. You have to wonder why you don’t see more shows like that now that get kids interested in science and engineering. I went on to become an engineer.
37. nick in tucson | June 12th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
hey guys just wondering if there’s any news on uploading kidbits on you tube??
38. Dr. Mike | June 22nd, 2009 at 10:31 am
Holy cow! I’m getting the warm fuzzies just reading this thread. Count me in among the young-ins who would get up early to catch Gary hosting Kidbits! Like many others who commented before me, Kidbits had a positive influence on my young mind, and helped to steer my interest toward the physical sciences. I earned a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Wayne State (a great Detroit university), and am trying to foster a love for science within my 3 young daughters. Thanks to Gary for adding his comments. It would be a treat to see him in person at the newly-revamped Science Center.
39. Gary Ed Mach | July 2nd, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Dr. Mike – The Detroit Science Center thing did not work out, but I do have a new kids science show sponsored by the Engineering Society of Detroit. You can see it on line at http://www.esd.org. It’s called “SciEngiMathePloration” and is distributed directly to cable public access channels. Thanks for your kind thoughts. I, too, earned one of my degree’s from Wayne State (Law)...Go Tartars…er, ah, Warriors!
40. Justin | July 5th, 2009 at 7:54 am
“Belt your teacher, belt someone. Belt your sister, belt someone. Belt your pitcher, belt your catcher, belt your preacher, belt someone. So don’t be in a race, just get that shoulder strap in place. Go belt someone today!” Ahhh, the depths of my mind sometimes impress me!”
41. Eric | July 10th, 2009 at 9:20 am
haha. i remember that one!
Does anyone remember that show that used to come on before kidbits? This guy would sit in a room with a bunch of kids talking about issues that kids face? I used to watch that show before Kidbits, and for some reason it poped into my mind and cant for the life of me remember what it was called…
42. Detroit TV Flashback! | T&hellip | July 22nd, 2009 at 9:36 pm
[...] time find commercials and TV shows from the past (though I still can’t find any episodes of Kid Bits!). Here are a few for your viewing [...]
43. Jason | August 11th, 2009 at 10:03 am
I used to wake up early for Kidbits. I loved that show. Gary taught me that every action has an equal and opposite reaction by standing on a skateboard and pushing against a table. Thanks Gary!
44. Scott | November 9th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
Saw Gary today at Rockler Woodworking and Hardware in Royal Oak…Felt kinda silly being 34 and excited about seeing him…Kidbits was a big part of my childhood…no word on episodes and availability.
45. C. Sobieniak | November 29th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Noticed Gary Ed Mach was here a bit ago.
I was one of those who saw Kidbits since it was the only thing on at 6-7 in the morning before the networks began their cartoon lineups in the 80’s. Usually that part of the morning often was reserved for some form of local kiddie stuff which ranged anywhere from syndicated cartoons to preemptions from the networks or even shows put out by the TV stations themselves (today these slots are often reserved for infomercials, news or religious/miniority programming). Here in Toledo, WSPD/WTVG had on “Uncle Ben”, while WTOL produced the familiar “Patches & Pockets” program that lasted from the 1970’s to at least the late 80’s…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQKDF4msTUc
My memory of Detroit TV back then is pretty vague (never even notice Sir Graves Ghastly on WJBK so I kick myself for that), but Kidbits was something I saw early on as it fronted Warner Bros. cartoons on 4 (more on that later).
I just found one episode I had saved from a rerun in the 90’s I plan to stick up on YouTube soon if anyone’s interested in checking it out, complete with such dated PSA classics as Pink Tornado and 4-H! I have another episode that was taped by my late mother about 27 years ago when the series was presented in an hour-long format I believe.
Back then, the idea WDIV had was to weave the segments in with cartoons from the pre-1948 Warner Bros. library of cartoons. I sorta laugh at that nowadays since it seems kinda ironic to watch a cartoon with Bugs Bunny defying the laws of physics, then get told how physics works as a ‘reality check’! Still haven’t capped that episode though, but it’s rather in fragments as my mom never kept the ads or most of the show intact in the recording, but I was glad to have it. That was probably around 1981 or 82, but the segments were repackaged into a half-hour format that WDIV would air after 1983.
I think they repeated Kidbits for at least 15 years going by my memory. I can see how hit would leave a lasting impression on many to have watched that show from time to time, and the wide-reaching audience it has since WDIV along with other Detroit channels had been offered to Canadian cable/satellite subscribers for decades. Impressed me having found that out a while back at noticing a YouTuber from Winnipeg posting clips of 2, 4 and 7 on his page (for a while, WTOL 11 was offered too).
46. Gary Ed Mach | December 4th, 2009 at 9:59 am
Dear C – Can’t believe you have an episode or two or of the show! I will jump over to You Tube to check it out. The history of the show was that it was launched in 1981 as a series of 5 minute segments broadcast at 6:55 a.m. The thought was to give school kids a shot of science just before starting the school day. We made 65 five minute programs (13 weeks worth). After a couple runs in this format, the station decided it was too cumbersome, and repackaged the show into “weekly” segments, with five of the 5 minute shows. We had produced them in weekly “themes”. Following that, they wre repackaged once again with the old Bugs Bunny cartoons into 1 hour shows and run on Saturday morning “prime time, 10:00 a.m. Even I used to watch it then, as those old cartoons were the best. After this, they once again reverted to the 1/2 hour format, and continued running the show until 1997. Thus, the original 13 week series had a sixteen year uninterupted run on WDIV and affiliates. Thanks for your memories, and “Keep On Experimenting!”
47. Eric | December 5th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
I didnt know the show was originaly 5 min. segments..When I watched it, the show was in the half hour format. Would explain why I vaugly remember some episodes Garys shirt would change colour from segment to segment!
Would love to see some episodes on youtube!
48. Eric | December 5th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxNO7J26Yp8&feature=related
w00t!
Thanks to who put it up (=
49. nick in tucson | December 5th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Wow thanks Eric for the link!! Any way we can get more on youtube, would love for my kids to watch!
Thanks for who put it up!
50. Eric | December 5th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
I wish I had a VCR back then, and then I probably would have recorded it
I found it on youtube today and had to share the link! Hopefully whoever put it up will have some more!
51. mark taylor | January 10th, 2010 at 10:23 pm
hello mark here from flint michigan usa and yes when 1990 rolled in i started to watch wdiv when i had cable and when sat came i would watch kidbits but i would like to know is did wdiv have the rights to the song always there by brass wood steel
52. CHRIS | February 1st, 2010 at 9:04 pm
THAT SHOW WAS SO THE EFFIN SHIT!!!!....use to watch that from the house in Waterford…i would wake up early just to watch that ish
53. Lestai | May 17th, 2010 at 3:04 am
Yhanks for your great website! ^^
Lesbian Hentai
54. Paula | June 27th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
In late december of 2009, someone posted 3 sections of one episode on Youtube. I wish there were more, but that’s it. This show had to be good to get me up at 5am every saturday morning. I wish you could find it elsewhere.
55. Alex | August 1st, 2011 at 12:56 pm
It’s great to read all of these comments and adoration for Gary Ed Mach, since he’s my UNCLE! I also loved KidBits and am fortunate enough to have Gary as part of my family and would like all to know that he’s as wonderful and gracious and certainly as entertaining in life as he was when behind the camera (you should see him MC a family reunion auction!). It warms my heart to see so many fond of my uncle and the show that brought him this brief but lasting fame.
56. David | August 4th, 2011 at 12:51 pm
There are some episodes of Kidbits on YOUTUBE. That was one of my all-time favorite shows when I was a kid…. Gary keep it simple and easy to understand…..and fun.
Leave a Comment
Some HTML allowed:
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed