; ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁all ▁tele phone ▁ex changes ▁had ▁names ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁numbers . ▁ ▁The ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁tele phone ▁exchange ▁for ▁the ▁television ▁station ▁was ▁Gar field . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁Thomas ▁was ▁h ired ▁by ▁Chicago ' s ▁W B KB - TV ▁( now ▁W BB M - TV ) ▁for ▁an ▁afternoon ▁variety ▁show ▁initially ▁called ▁The ▁Fra z ier ▁Thomas ▁Show . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁put ▁in ▁some ▁time ▁as ▁the ▁host ▁of ▁an ▁evening ▁music ▁program , ▁Musical ▁N ite - cap . ▁Thomas ' ▁afternoon ▁show ▁was ▁renamed ▁P ett ico at ▁Party ; ▁his ▁announ cer ▁for ▁it ▁was ▁Ray ▁Ray ner . ▁ ▁Gar field ▁Go ose ▁made ▁his ▁Chicago ▁debut ▁on ▁P ett ico at ▁Party . ▁It ▁was ▁not ▁long ▁before ▁the ▁station ▁saw ▁that ▁Thomas ▁and ▁his ▁go ose ▁pu ppet ▁were ▁the ▁most ▁popular ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁program . ▁On ▁September ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 9 5 2 , ▁Fra z ier ▁and ▁Gar field ▁went ▁on ▁their ▁own ▁in ▁a ▁show ▁called ▁Gar field ▁Go ose ▁and ▁Friend ; ▁the ▁show ▁went ▁on ▁the ▁air ▁directly ▁opposite ▁N BC ' s ▁How dy ▁Do ody . ▁ ▁This ▁was ▁a ▁time ▁of ▁great ▁transition ▁in ▁Chicago ▁television ; ▁W B KB , ▁which ▁was ▁broadcast ing ▁on ▁Channel ▁ 4 , ▁changed ▁its ▁management , ▁frequency ▁and ▁call ▁letters ▁to ▁being ▁owned ▁by ▁CBS , ▁broadcast ing ▁on