Princess Summerfall Winterspring
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Princess Summerfall Winterspring is a fictional character from the television show Howdy Doody.
One of several Native American characters to appear on The Howdy Doody Show, Princess Summerfall Winterspring's popularity surpassed that of her male counterpart, Chief Thunderthud. She was graceful, ponytailed, and dressed in what was considered at the time as a faithful representation of traditional tribal regalia. Her origins were of the fictional Tinka Tonka tribe.
Like everyone else on the show, she had the opportunity to interact with host Buffalo Bob in skits and segments where she was prominently featured. Along with the other female regulars on the show, she gave little girl viewers a character easier to relate to than the boyish Howdy Doody.
The royal girl bears one other significant distinction: unlike the other puppets, Princess Summerfall Winterspring became a real-life girl in 1951. Her live-action persona was played first by Judy Tyler (who died in a car accident at the untimely age of 23), then by Linda Marsh.
