The animation world in first part of 1961 was filled with announcements of new cartoons, though some were based on old ideas. There was an Edgar Bergen series. There was a Charley Weaver series. There was a Duffy’s Tavern series. There was one that actually made it to air. It was an Amos ‘n’ Andy series, except the characters were changed to animals to avoid racial controversy that killed the original. It was called Calvin and the Colonel.
Other ideas pushed ahead—Format Films created a series starring a chipmunk named Alvin. Bob Clampett brought his Beany and Cecil puppet show to animation. But others never quite made it—Keemar, the Invisible Boy, The Shrimp, Wellington Bones and Simpson and Delaney among them. There was only so much TV time available.
Hanna-Barbera put The Yogi Bear Show into syndication in January before the studio had all the cartoons ready for it; the show had been thrown together in three months. Cartoons from other H-B series were used for a number of weeks until enough episodes of Snagglepuss and Yakky Doodle were finally animated. A half-hour Mister Magoo show was also syndicated.
On the theatrical front, Disney released One Hundred and One Dalmatians. Munro won the Oscar, much to the surprise of producer Bill Snyder. He also convinced MGM to allow him to produce new Tom and Jerry shorts for theatrical release. Somehow, Snyder’s name got all the ink in Variety. The name “Gene Deitch” is nowhere to be found in the trade publication.
Let’s leaf through Variety for the first half of the year. There are a few reviews. Walter Lantz continues to gripe about money; he’d been doing it for about 15 years at this point. He’d produce cartoons for another decade.
January 4, 1961
Cartoon production for tv next season will soar to a record $30,000,000, in the opinion of Henry Saperstein, prexy of UPA Pictures and seconded by others in the inker field. The opinion is almost unanimous, too, that the catalyst that erupted the new entertainment form for video into the hottest item on next season's selling schedule is Hanna and Barbera's "The Flintstones."
It was foregone that there would be a rash of the comedy characters if "Flintstones" caught the brass ring in the rating ring. That it is an unquestioned success is freely admitted in the trade and since success begets success it was patent that there would be a heavy run of this type of programming.
Hanna-Barbera was first to break the network barrier in prime time but it had other winners going for them in syndication. These included "Rough and Ready," [sic] "Quick Draw McGraw" "Yogi Bear" and "Huckleberry Hound." Cartoonery will make another bid for network time next season with "Top Cat."
Saperstein's UPA will hang $1,000,000 tied up in 104 animations of "Mister Magoo" and another $2,000,000 in 156 issues of "Dick Tracy" in five-minute episodes. Last year UPA used 500,000 feet of film. This year the volume rose to 2,000,000 feet and next year the output will climb to 7,000,000 feet. More than 400 cartoon comedies are scheduled for next season.
January 11, 1961
California National Productions, telefilming subsid of NBC which has been given nearly $500,000 to make six pilots, has determined on the properties, according to Carl Lindeman Jr., programming vee-pee.
They are: ...
"The Wellington Bones Show," [half hour] cartoon series in color, scripted by Bob Woodburn, to be produced by Bob Woodburn and Herb Johnson for Alexander Film Co. of Colorado Springs.
"Heckle & Jeckle," the Terrytoons cartoon series which enjoyed an extensive run on CBS-TV until a couple of months back, is being placed into syndication via CBS Films. Series, being offered as 26 half-hours or as a 104-cartoon library, has already been picked up by seven stations.
Buyers are WNBQ, Chicago; WCCO-TV, Minneapolis; KLZ-TV, Denver; WSIX-TV, Nashville; WMCT, Memphis; WNDU-TV, South Bend; and KCPX-TV, Salt Lake City.
Sponsor is bankrolling the show twice weekly, Fridays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 5:30 p.m. (moving back this month with the web's Jan. 1 wrapup of American League pro football telecasts).
"Funday Funnies" features the Harvey Cartoon characters Casper, the Friendly Ghost, and Baby Huey, Herman, Katnip and Little Audrey. Harvey currently has pilots on two new cartoon series, on featuring the comic characters Mutt & Jeff, the other Hot Stuff, the Little Devil.
January 12, 1961
Gloria Greer column
Joe Barbera (of Hanna-Barbera) so taken with Bobby Ramos at the Biltmore that he has signed him to backstop six of his animated cartooners.
January 18, 1961
One Hundred And One Dalmatians
(COLOR)
Bright, wholesome family attraction, especially for the kiddies. Not quite in a league with Disney's most memorable full-length cartoon efforts of bygone years, but good enough to score favorably at the b.o.
Hollywood, Jan. 13.
Buena Vista release of Walt Disney production. With voices of Rod Taylor, J. Pat O'Malley, Betty Lou Gerson, Martha Wentworth, Ben Wright, Cate Bauer, Dave Frankham, Fred Worlock, Lisa Davis, Tom Conway, Tudor Owen, George Celling, Ramsay Hill, Sylvia Marriott, Queenie Leonard, Marjorie Bennett, Mickey Maga, Barbara Beaird, Mimi Gobson, Sandra Abbott, Thurl Ravenscroft, Bill Lee, Max Smith, Bob Sevens, Paul Wexler, Mary Wickes, Barbara Luddy, Lisa Daniels, Helene Stanley, Don Barclay, Dal McKennon, Jeanne Bruns. Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, Hamilton S. Luske, Clyde Geronimi. Screenplay, Bill Peet, based on book by Dodie Smith; art direction and production design, Ken Anderson; editors, Donald Halliday, Roy Brewer Jr.; music, George Bruns; sound, Robert O. Cook; directing animators, Milt Kahl, Marc Davis, Ollie Johnston, Frank Thomas, John Lounsbery, Eric Larson; layout, Basil Davidovich, McLaren Stewart, Vance Gerry, Joe Hale, Dale Barnhart, Ray Aragon, Dick Ung, Homer Jonas, Al Zinnen, Sammy June Lanham, Victor Haboush; layout styling, Don Griffith, Erni Nordli, Collin Campbell; color styling (Technicolor), Walt Peregoy; character styling, Peet, Tom Oreb; character animation, Hal King, Cliff Nordberg, Eric Cleworth, Art Stevens, Hal Ambro, Bill Keil, Dick Lucas, Les Clark, Blaine Gibson, John Sibley, Julius Svendsen, Ted Berman, Don Lusk, Amby Paliwoda. Reviewed at the studio, Jan. 13, '61. Running time, 79 MINS.
There are some adults for whom 101—count 'em—101 dalmations is about 101 dalmations too many, but even the most hardened, dogmatic pooch-detester would likely be amused by several passages in this story. Bill Peet's screen yarn, based on the book by Dodie Smith, is set in London and concerned with the efforts of Blighty's four-legged population to rescue 99 dognapped pups from the clutches of one Cruella De Ville, a chic up-to-date personification of the classic witch. The concerted effort is successful thanks to a canine sleuthing network ("Twilight Bark") that makes Scotland Yard an amateur outfit by comparison. Cruella winds up in the doghouse, and for the pups, every last syrupy-sweet one of them, it's arf-arf ever after.
Film purportedly is the $4,000,000 end product of three years of work by some 300 artists under the astute generalship of art director-production designer Ken Anderson and directors Wolfgang Reitherman, Hamilton S. Luske and Clyde Geronimi. It benefits from the vocal versatility of a huge roster of "voice" talents (see above credits). Background artwork by Al Dempster, Ralph Hulett, Anthony Rizzo and Bill Layne is exceptional, as is the subtly-shaded color styling of Walt Peregoy. Animation, both character and effects, are effective. Editing hy Donald Halliday and Roy M. Brewer Jr. is sound and smooth, music by George Bruns (as orchestrated by Franklyn Marks) a fitting complement to the action. There are three songs by Mel Leven, best and most prominent of which is "Cruella De Ville," which sounds infectious enough on first hearing to attain considerable popularity beyond the realm of the film. Tube
Ben Stone, renews his contract for voicing on the NBC-TV "King Leonardo" cartoon series after winding feature role in Gotham feature film production, "Satan in High Heels."
JOSEPH R. WILLIS
Joseph Roy Willis, 84, artist and pioneer in the field of animated film cartoons, died Dec. 30 in Albuquerque after a short illness.
Noted for his southwestern scenes and his portraits, particularly of Indians, he was at one time with the art department of McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. He also spent 10 years as chalktalk artist on the Chautauqua circuit.
His wife, two daughters, a son and a sister survive.
January 19, 1961
Format Films is preparing tv cartoon series, "Keemar, The Invisible Boy." Lou Carlino script is based on story by Herbert Klynn and Jules Engel. Pilot goes into production next week, Alan Zaslove directing.
January 20, 1961
Walter Lantz, pioneer cartoon producer, stated yesterday that he will make a number of cartoons in Japan if new wage negotiations force higher scales upon him. In any event, he said, he plans to turn out several subjects in Japan this year, where cartoons, of the same quality which costs from $30,000 to $34,000 for his present program here, may be made at $6,000 top.
New pay talks with Screen Cartoonists Local 839, IATSE, are skedded to begin Monday night. Guild hasn't yet indicated amount of its new demands, according to Lantz, who says he now pays overscale to all his employes.
Producer pointed out that if it were not for sideline products of his theatrical cartoons—such as tv programs, commercial films and commercial licensing—he could not remain in business, due to expense of cartooning. During the past 10 years, he noted, production costs have increased 31% while revenue from his theatrical program has decreased 86%.
Made Recent Survey
Lantz made his decision to expand his activities to Japan during his recent trip to the Far East, when he held extensive discussion in Tokyo with officials of Toie, one of Nippon's top film companies and which employs 300 artists for its own feature cartoon program.
Japanese artists are on a par with American, he said, although they don't have the imagination and are in need of American supervision, which will be provided for pix he’ll make there later in the year. A top Japanese animator receives a maximum of $60 monthly, according to Lantz, while here he is paid $250 weekly.
Continues U-I Work Here
Lantz made it clear, however, that he will continue to make his program of 19 cartoons annually for U-I release at his Hollywood studio, at least for the present Japanese Alms will be made for inclusion in his new television program, which he is now readying, if the quality of Japanese cartoons is satisfactory, he declared, then he will make a certain number for his theatrical program.
Japanese cartoon producers have run into the same problem there as exists here for their regular cartoons, according to Lantz; viz., costs are too great to warrant much a program. Consequently shorts have been abandoned in favour of feature cartoons. Lantz also noted that the Japanese have finer cameras for cartoon production than anything here, of Japanese manufacture. Toie, he said, operates five Cinemascope animation cameras of the latest type, plus four regular cameras.
Lantz will use 78 cartoons from his 1987 to 1956 programs for tv series he's propping, and additional Japanese cartoons will be added to these. He currently is in his third year with Kellogg for a program of 26 teleshows. His UI program last year was raised from 13 to 19 subjects, so that he could create new characters and build up a backlog of theatrical films which he could put sooner on tv screens.
January 25, 1961
There will be a mechanical Fred Flintstone making the station and department store rounds shortly.
SG's merchandising director Ed Justin has made a deal for the manuafcture of an almost life-sized Fred Flintstone and it'll be ready for distribution soon. Designed to promote the ABC-TV cartoon series and the Flintstone merchandising line, the mechanical man will have a built-in interview tape, and it will be equipped to speak with synchronized mouth and arm movements.
In a memo to stations, Justin said: "we will furnish you with a script-so that a local m.c. may interview Fred at the mike in your studio. You ask the questions and Fred will give the answers. He will end the 'interview' by singing 'Flintstones' song."
January 26, 1961
Dennis Farnon has been signed by Format Films to score new animated tv series, "The Shrimp," created by Sy Gomberg with vocal effects by Shep Menken, June Foray and Kathleen Freeman. Mel Leven has been set to clef theme.
Jay Ward and Bill Scott, producers of tv cartoon series "Rocky and His Friends," have sold skein to four-city Australian network. General Mills, recently renewed series for another 52 weeks on ABC-TV.
January 27, 1961
USC's Department of Cinema and Fine Arts has set a series of 16 classes on cartoon animation, commencing Feb. 6, aimed at helping alleviate the shortage of personnel in that phase of the film industry.
Lecturer will be Bill Scott, partner in Jay Ward Productions; Les Novros, owner of Graphic Film Corp.; Herb Klynn, president of Format Films; Bill Melendez, producer-director for Playhouse Pictures; Gus Jekel, president of Film Fair, and Ray Thursby of Format Films.
February 1, 1961
Hopping on yesterday's headlines of America's orbiting flight with a chimp aboard, cartoon film producer Walter Lantz is rushing "Chimpastronaut" into production. Jack Hannah will direct.
Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, the voices of "Amos & Andy," will do a new half-hour weekly stanza next season for ABC-TV. It'll be animated, with Gosden and Correll serving as voices, and the stanza, called "Calvin & the Colonel," might take the 8 p.m. Friday slot in the fall.
ABC is definitely committed to 26 "Colonel" half-hours, budgeted, like the animated "The Flintstones," at nearly $60,000 a week. Gosden and Correll have been off the air since CBS Radio a few months ago killed their "Amos & Andy Music Hall." There are reruns of a live action "Amos & Andy" telefilm series still on the market, but the two creators were not part of the cast. ABC says that it has an exclusive on the Gosden and Correll voices, which suggests they might end up doing a little for ABC Radio too.
"Colonel" will be patterned, in cartoon form, after familiar characters. The animated characters won't have the same names or same backgrounds as Amos, Andy and their friends, but it's possible that many of the cartoon characters will sound and act like their live predecessors.
Walt Disney is reportedly not interested in doing an animated adult situation comedy at this time. Disney recently thumbed down a chance to do such a show for NBC-TV. There is a precedent in "The Flintstones," the Hanna-Barbera entry on ABC-TV prime time. It appears that NBC-TV wanted to go ahead, although the web couldn't have been particularly enthusiastic about paying an alleged record price of $80,000 to $86,000 a week for a Disney half-hour cartoon. Disney himself, who has frequently been described as a man who won't undertake a project unless he likes it, didn't want it, so it's reported.
This probably means that in '61-'62, Disney will only do one regular show for NBC-TV, that being the Sunday night 7:30 to 8:30 hour (in color) which he is transferring from ABC-TV. Still, there is a chance that the producer will do a few specials for NBC-TV.
February 8, 1961
A new children's series, "Davey and Goliath," is set for tv distribution by the National Council of the Churches of Christ. Filmed in Hollywood, budget for the teleseries ran to $250,000.
United Artists Associated finds "Popeye," the Paramount theatrical cartoons, hitting a renewal pace of over 90%. To date, most every station which had the original contract expire, has picked up the "Popeye's" for another ride, of from three to five years.
Stations renewing the series include WINK, Ft. Myers; WFGA, Jacksonville; WSOC, Charlotte; WEEK, Peoria; WPTA, Ft. Wayne; WTTV, Indianapolis; WMTV, Omaha; KGUN, Tucson; KGW, Portland, Ore.; and KROD, El Paso, Tex. All told close to 30 stations have signed renewal pacts.
Tom Judge, whose job was cut out from under him two weeks ago when CBS-TV decided to disband its CBS Production Sales taping unit, has joined the web's Terrytoons subsidiary as general sales manager. He'll handle all sales except those of theatrical cartoons, specializing in commercials and program sales.
Judge was director of the Production Sales operation. Prior to that, he was an account exec at WCBS-TV, N.Y., and earlier, was eastern sales manager of CBS-TV Spot Sales, leaving that post to serve in a national sales spot with Westinghouse Broadcasting before rejoining the web at WCBS-TV. He'll report to Terrytoons v.p.- general manager Bill Weiss.
Jay Ward and Bill Scott have sold their half-hour "Rocky and His Friends" teleseries to a four-city Australian market and also are near a deal with John Manson II, head of Magnum Television, for Latin and South American distribution of a Spanish-dubbed version of "Rocky." Purchaser will finance cost of dubbing and making of Spanish language titles.
General Mills, which recently renewed two-a-week cartoon series for another 52 weeks, holds exclusive domestic rights to property, currently aired over ABC-TV.
Down Under cities include Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.
February 9, 1961
Franz Steiner has been signed by Jay Ward Productions to score new batch of "Rocky And His Friends," cartoon series on ABC-TV.
February 15, 1961
The cartoonery headed by Jay Ward and Bill Scott has sketched out "Green Hopper," 30-minute show revolving around a frog, wolf and bear; "Simpson And Delaney," a Laurel & Hardy animated duo; and "Super Chicken." Each, of course, will be dubbed with human voices. Hans Conried, Alan Reed and Chris Allen already have voiced the "Hopper" pilot.
Also in the offing is "Fractured Flickers," comprised of film footage from silent pix, re-edited into unusual situations. As all cartoons will be given original background scoring, and to this end, Ward-Scott is assembling a library of musical tracks. Frank Comstock, Dennis Farnon and Fred Steiner thus far have been employed as composers. An album of music from "Rocky" already has been marketed by Golden Records.
General Mills, sponsor of "Rocky" show, is going to slot that program in 11 p.m. slot in two cities — New Haven and Pittsburgh — on an experimental basis.
If the rating response warrants, General Mills will similarly slot program in other cities, according to Ward and Scott.
Stu Ostrow, veepee of Frank Music, headed for the Coast yesterday (Tues.) for huddles with Meredith Willson on the upcoming Warner Bros, filmization of "Music Man." Ostrow and Willson, who wrote the score and libretto for the long-run Broadway tuner, will discuss the scripting and the scoring of the pic musical as well as make arrangements for a soundtrack set to go to" a diskery. Capitol Records put out the original Broadway cast album of the show.
During his Coast stay, Ostrow will also continue negotiations for the animated cartoon project of Milton Schafer's "Mommy Gimme A Drink Of Water," which will be produced by Frank Music and Playhouse Pictures. Ostrow will also meet with Coast cleffers on projects for the 1961-62 Broadway season.
N.Y. Daily News indie WPIX has picked up UPA Pictures' "Dick Tracy" series. The Tracy cartoon strip has been with the Daily News publication as long as Orphan Annie, according to comic savants. New five-minute vidversion will have most of the unusual Tracy villians such as "The Brow," "Flattop" and "BB Eyes" in comic roles.
The matinee tariff for Walt Disney's "101 Dalmations" was $2—just for adults. There were tickets available for the kiddies at $1.25. This was over the weekend.
Thus has come to the fore a new focusing on picture prices.
Disney's cartoon obviously is an expensive proposition for the family toward which it is aimed. It's expensive in that the film entertainment of a bygone era was the poorman's entertainment.
Last week's story in VARIETY told how many Broadway legit shows are being made available on a two-for-one basis—that is, two admissions for the price of one. In other words the young man and his date can catch a legiter for just about the same amount that would be required for a film show.
This takes into consideration the fact that the film demanding $3.50 per copy is no longer commonplace. They're on a hard-ticket basis, these roadshow attractions such as "Exodus," "Ben-Hur," "Spartacus" and "Alamo."
What's it all mean? It obviously means that the one-for-all entertainment of pictures has ceased to be. Pictures are costlier in their production phases and consequently are becoming costlier for the public.
And where do we go from here? More and more pictures are being made involving upper-stratosphere budget figures. To embue them with economic soundness means that they must be marketed on increased scales.
So, it can no longer be said that theatricals are on the menu for the impoverished. The man in the street has to contend with babysitting prices and, if he has an automobile, the parking charges. If he's out to dinner, that's another abundance of loot. It adds up.
Curiously, the pennies and nickels added to food and parking, etc., don't seem to matter. But the enhanced boxoffice price for films evidently is a detriment.
Walt Disney Productions showed a profit for first quarter ended Dec. 31, 1960, earnings rising to $115,689 or 7c per share on 1,626,023 shares of common stock outstanding, from a first-quarter loss that year of $165,939, equal to 10c per share, it was revealed at annual stockholders meeting.
While first-quarter gross was down $1,044,091 from last year's corresponding revenue, costs and expenses were $1,325,619 less than 1959's like period. Current quarter’s earnings were after tax provision of $119,000. No tax provision was required last year.
Film revenues were approximately the same as last year but television revenue was down $617,670, due mostly to timing of deliveries which should even out by the end of the year, stockholders were told. Disneyland Park revenue was off $363,916, due primarily to smaller attendance because of inclement weather.
Stockholders also were apprised that charges for amortization of film and tv subjects for current quarter account mainly for the reductions in costs and expenses.
Shareholders were told, too, that the first quarter is normally the low period of the year, with major take coming from last six months, and company looks forward to profits in second quarter and to a good profitable year.
Board of directors, following stockholders meet, declared company's regular dividend of 10c per share payable April 1 to stockholders of record March 17.
All incumbent directors and officers were reelected, with exception of John E. Barber, not a candidate for coming year because of reasons of health. George Bagnall was elected to this vacancy on board of directors.
YOGI BEAR
Producer: Hanna-Barbera Productions
Production Supervisor: Howard Hanson
Animators: Lew Marshall, Laverne Harding, Brad Case
Voices: Daws Butler, Don Messick, Doug Young
Writers: Warren Foster, Mike Maltese
Distributor: Screen Gems
30 Mins.; Thurs., 7 p.m.
KTTV, Los Angeles (film)
Funniest and most inspired of all the charming, contagious Bill Hanna-Joe Barbers cartoon; characters is Yogi Bear, lovable veteran of H-B's "Huck Hound" series hereby elevated to star status. Enormously popular in support, he should be an even bigger favorite in his new prestige category. The beauty of "Yogi," as well as most of the other H-B creations, is that he can be appreciated wholeheartedly by adults as well as children. In the world of animated animals, he has no peer.
As on the other two syndicatedtv offerings out of the H-B cartoonery, the new program is divided into three episodes, only one of them featuring the title character. It is here that the "Yogi Bear" show can stand some improvement. The "Augie Doggie" section, an offshoot of H-B's "Quick Draw McGraw" series, is fine. But "Snagglepuss," a new character (a Bert Lahrish lion), needs work. Unlike most of the other creatures that populate these three shows, "Snagglepuss" seems to lack the satiric overtone and defies viewer identification.
The wonderfully witty scripts of writers Warren Foster and Mike Maltese put the punch into "Yogi" and his companions. If anyone can do it, they are the ones capable of sprucing up "Snagglepuss." Animation, although second in value to the writing on these H-B endeavors, is skilled and effective. Animators on this premiere were Lew Marshall, Laverne Harding and Brad Case. First-rate character voicing is by Daws Butler, Don Messick and Doug Young. Music is incorporated with taste and sense by Hanna and Hoyt Curtin. Production supervisor is Howard Hanson. Series should be a winner for sponsor Kellogg's and is, of course, a merchandiser's delight. Tube
February 16, 1961
Warner Bros. and Walt Disney Productions have come up with two entries each in nominations for the Short Subjects Awards for the upcoming 38d annual Academy sweepstakes. Nominations in other categories will be announced Feb. 27.
Selections, five in the Cartoon bracket and four in the Live-action class, were balloted by a special nominating committee consisting of all active members of the Short Subjects Branch, plus three members chosen from each of the nine other Academy branches. Hal Elias is chairman.
Nominations Include:
CARTOON SUBJECTS: "High Note," WB; "Munro," Rembrandt Films, Film Representations, Inc., William L. Snyder, producer; "A Place In The Sun," George K. Arthur-Go Pictures, Inc., Frantisek Vystrecil, producer; "Goliath II," Disney Prods., Walt Disney, producer; "Mouse And Garden," Warner Bros. ...
Final screening of the nominated shorts will be held Feb. 26, at the Academy Theatre. Acad members present will view the films and select choices for the winner in each classification.
Winners will be announced April 17 on the Oscarcast.
Jack Hellman column
Sy Gomberg's animated "Shrimp" has $76,000 price tag. Also getting into the cartoon sweepstakes is Phil Rapp with "The Bickersons"
February 16, 1961
NBC will get into the crowded animation field next season with a generous helping from the stockpile of cartoons as part of its over-all deal with Walt Disney. Present plan is to lead off the Thursday night lineup with the pen-and-inkers, probably running as late as 8 o'clock. Currently the early evening entries are Ann Sothern and "Angel," the former cancelled and the latter doubtful for next season.
This format is in line with the other webs, which are blocking out the early evening hours with cartoons for the small fry to get them off to bed before the heavy stuff starts. For the late night adult trade to raise the intellectual level, the three nets are booking informational, cultural and documentary programs. In between will be action-adventure and shoot-'em ups, with a sprinkling of comedies.
February 22, 1961
MISTER MAGOO
Producer: Glan Heisch
Animators: Ken O'Brien, Jerry Hathcock, Bob Bentley, Ed Solomon, Chick Otterstrom, Frank Braxton, Bob Goe, Chuck Downs
Assoc. Producer: Abe Levitow
Distributor: Television Personalities
20 Mins.; Thurs., 7 p.m.
ARNOLD BAKERS
WNEW-TV, N.Y. (film)
(Donahue & Coe)
WNEW-TV, buying the new "Magoo" series, has grouped the episodes for a 20-minute cartoon show, anchored by 10 minutes of news at the tail end. Picking up the tab for the weekly 30-minute package is Arnold Bakers.
Myopic Mister Magoo surely has his moments, but stretching the nearsighted cartoon character over a 20-minute span strikes a one-joke chord. Adults could tire of the central gimmick, but kiddies, who have a taste for repitition, may think otherwise.
The episodes, themselves, have a two world flavor. Many of the cracks are way above the heads of the juves, but the situations and some of the slam-bang, wild action, are right on their level. First episode was Mister Magoo taking a trip to Alaska, depicted as a land of icebergs for which the Alaskan Chamber of Commerce should sue. There was no mention of Mister Magoo's nearsightedness in this one, leaving it up to the viewer to make that assumption.
Magoo came into his own in the episode about "Misguided Missiles." It was a wild, fun expedition that should set back the Russians a century ago, if the episode could be shown in Moscow. There was another okay episode, and two short Magoo bridge cartoons to fill out the 20 minutes. The quality of the animation fluctuated, with Magoo getting the best treatment.
Some lesser characters never captured Magoo's high, unique, merry style.
The accompanying 10 minutes news show, titled "Mister Magoo Looks At the News," had a few animal feautres for the youngsters and a straight news roundup for the grownups. Gloria Okon was the hostess for the program and delivered the commercials in okay fashion. Horo.
Television Personalities Inc. has racked up a gross of $2,000,000 to date on its two- five-minute animated syndicationers, "Mr. Magoo" and "Dick Tracy," both out of the UPA shop. "Magoo," In four months of selling, has sewed up 70 markets; "Tracy," in its first week, six.
Stations are using the series in various ways, according to UPI topper Henry Saperstein. Some are stripping the five-minute episodes, some doubling them up in a 15 minute cross-the-board format, and some showing them five-ply in a half hour program once a week. WGN-TV is doing the latter, Wednesdays at 8 p.m., opposite Perry Como.
"Magoo" has been shot in 104 episodes and "Tracy" in 180.
With the television tide of animated cartoons on the upsurge, Ward-Scott Productions, producers of ABC-TV's "Rocky and His Friends," are gearing their activities for the filming of three additional tv shows.
Ward-Scott, an animated cartoon factory headed by Jay Ward and Bill Scott, have sketched out plans for the production of "Green Hopper," 30-minute show revolving around a frog, wolf and bear; "Simpson and Delaney," a Laurel & Hardy animated duo; and "Super Chicken."
Each of the shows, of course, will be dubbed with human voices. Hans Conreid, Alan Reed and Chris Allen have already been voiced-in for the "Hopper" pilot which is currently being shopped around the ad agencies. Previously completed and in the offing is "Fractured Flickers" a show comprised of film footage from silent pix which is reedited to bring about unusual and funny situations. Each of the "Fractured" shows, according to Ward and Scott, will cost in the neighborhood of $50,000 per segment.
All animated shows will be scored with original background music and themes. With this in mind, Ward-Scott are expanding their activities whereby they'll swing some of their activities in a musical direction. Already under way is the building of a musical library which will include musical tracks for the various shows. Depending on the value of the music, some will be used for release as recordings.
Frank Comstock, Dennis Farnon and Fred Steiner thus far have been employed as composers for the company which in time hopes to hire additional composers for score-work. An album of music from the "Rocky" show has already been wax-marketed by Golden Records.
Both Ward and Scott are also of the opinion that animated cartoons are misjudged by ad agencies as shows only for the youngsters. "That's not so," they chorus, adding: "all ages of the tv public respond to animation. Look at the reaction of animation cartoons in use as commercials."
Further pair said that General Mills, sponsor of the "Rocky" show, is going to slot that show in an adult time slot in two cities on an experimental basis. Areas to cop an eye at "Rocky" at a later time, 11 p.m., are New Haven and Pittsburgh.
If the rating response at the late hour favors "Rocky" then General Mills will follow that slot pattern in other parts of the country.
Also in the works by Ward-Scott Productions is a 90-minute animated spectacular for television. Latter will be aimed at the juve trade, and those oldsters too that dig the cartoon bit, during Christmas season. Spec will be peppered with carols, hymns, and Christmas stories.
ABC-TV, which has had rating gold dust with the "Flintstones," plans another adult cartoon series out of the Hanna Barbara studios, titled "Top Cap." [sic] Web, next season, will up its cartoon entries to four in the nighttime. Others will be “Calvin and the Colonel” and “Bugs Bunny.”
March 1, 1961
"Alvin," of course, is based on the Ross Bagdasarian characters he created a couple of years back on disks and which subsequently became a big source of merchandising coin as well as disk bestsellers. "The Shrimp" is based on the Saturday Evening Post cartoon character.
Network hasn't made a final decision on the two shows, principally because it's still unsure on whether to go with half-hours or an hour against "Wagon Train." Decision should be made in about a week, after program v.p. Oscar Katz returns from the Coast and a look at the hour-long pilots being filmed for the network. Also, if the half-hour route is picked, while "Alvin" seems the choice for 7:30, the network is considering its "Oh Those Bells" comedy series as an alternative choice for 8 to 8:30.
Katz' Coast jaunt—he planed out over the weekend—was primarily to observe the progress of several hourlong pilots In production, since the only holes in the network's fall schedule are those periods being set aside for hour shows, principally Wednesday 8:30 to 9:30 (as well as the possibility of 7:30-8:30) and Thursday 7:30 to 8:30 and 9 to 10.
Diversification moves of [Britain’s] Independent Television Corp. (ITC) now range from specials to cartoons, with representation still heavy in the traditional half-hour vidfilm field. ...
Additionally, ITC has made a deal with Hal Tunis in production and distribution of the "Diver Dan" series, partially animated.
Herschel Lewis' Mid-Continent Films is prepping its third release, this one an animated cartoon feature titled "My Pal George is a Horse." Project likely won't be off the boards before early '62.
March 3, 1961
MGM has acquired worldwide release rights (outside Nippon) to a cartoon feature made in Japan by Toei, titled “The Magic Boy.” It is Metro's first such direct acquisition of a Nipponese pic.
Although figure could not be confirmed yesterday, reports were buy was flat $100,000.
March 8, 1961
General Foods has purchased half-sponsorship of "Alvin and the Chipmunks," new cartoon series, and CBS-TV has definitely slotted the stanza on Wednesdays at 7:30 as its challenge to "Wagon Train."
The network's 8 to 8:30 choice to compete against the second half of "Wagon Train" hasn't been selected yet, but it looks like either "Father Knows Best" repeats or "Oh Those Bells" with another cartoon series, "The Shrimp," now considered just an outside chance.
"Alvin" is produced by Format Films in association with Ross Bagdasarian, creator of the Chipmunk characters, big record hits of a year ago.
Some ex-ABC-TV first-runs almost ended up in a prime time NBC-TV slotting, but the whole thing was called off. Latter was considering use of "The Best of Disney," taken from current and previous ABC-TV-exposed hours, for Fridays at 7:30 come fall.
Old ABC hours revert to Disney's company when the longtime network-Disney tie ends at the end of this season. Whether the reruns go or not, NBC-TV will have an hour a week of new Disney films and cartoons on Sundays, sponsored by Eastman-Kodak and RCA.
March 9, 1961
Bill Snyder's deal with Metro for production of new Tom & Jerry cartoons in Europe, closed more than six months ago, today was publicly announced by Robert Mochrie, sales veepee, to more than 75 delegates before winding two-day sales sesh at Astor Hotel. During past several years Metro reissued T&J's in color and other shorts singly and in packages. About five years ago Metro curtailed all shorts production when $80,000 minimum cost per subject was found prohibitive. Snyder, through bis Rembrandt Films, has produced cartoons abroad for half Metro's tally sheets. He's been quietly making T&J's to build backlog for one a month release starting May 8.
Former trade paper reporter, Snyder has imported numerous foreign features and shorts, one or two winning Academy recognition.
March 10, 1961
Mel Blanc Associates has been formed to service ad agencies with humorous tv and radio commercials. Blanc, president of new firm, long has been a performer on the Jack Benny Show, and is the voice of Bugs Bunny and other Warner Bros, cartoon characters.
Seriously injured in an auto accident Jan. 24, he now is recovering and expects to participate actively in all phases of the enterprise in the near future.
Staff includes Noel Blanc, production director, and script writers Henry Marx and Richard Clorfene.
Animation consultant is Johnny Burton, formerly exec producer of Warner Bros. cartoons.
March 15, 1961
Mattel Toys is going to replace its Sunday "Matty's Funday Funnies" next January with a stanza called "Beany & Cecil." Program holds ABC-TV's 5-5:30 p.m. anchorage.
"Huckleberry Hound," distributed by Screen Gems, has been sold in 25 countries and promises to be one of the most widely circulated shows in foreign distribution. SG's current bestseller abroad is "Rin Tin Tin."
Animated series, produced by Hanna-Barbera, has been dubbed in five different languages: French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Japanese. "Hound" started playing in Latin America a year and a half ago. That was the first time, according to SG, that regional dialects were deliberately used in the Spanish dubbing of the tv series, done for the purpose of emphasizing the varied characterizations of the cartoon personalities. In Latino market, series now is playing in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.
Other sales include England, Belgium, Finland, Spain, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.
In many of these countries, "Quick Draw McGraw," which in the U. S. started in the fall of '59, a year after "Hound," has also begun telecasting in native tongues. "Flintstones," latest out of H-B's shop, already playing in English-speaking countries, is being readied for the international rounds.
The big program craze today is animated cartoons. They'll come into their own on tv next season, as the three networks, sketching in fall plans, move to slot cartoon shows in prime evening time.
Cartoon race marks the first clear programming trend for next season. Just as ABC-TVs success with "Maverick" ushered in the hour vidfilm trend on the webs, ABC - TVs rating magic with "Flintstones" appears to have started the bandwagon rolling, with NBC-TV and CBS-TV getting into the act and ABC-TV increasing its cartoon shows.
The cartoon derby now embraces indie packagers and producers, some new, some well established houses as Walt Disney and tv's own major cartoonery, Hanna-Barbera.
CBS-TV for next season has slotted an all-cartoon hour for Wednesdays starting at 7:30 p.m. Initial half-hour animated series, out of the Ted Ashley shop, will be "Alvin and the Chipmunks," with General Foods picking up half-sponsorship. The other animated series is "The Shrimp," created by Sy Gomberg. Apparently, though, there' is some dispute whether CBS-TV has "The Shrimp" locked in, for a spokesman of the NBC-TV rival camp feels that NBC-TV, too, is a "Shrimp" contender.
NBC-TVs "Walt Disney Show" next season, slotted Sunday nights from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., will consist partially of new Disney cartoon. In fact, it's understood that half of the Sunday evening show will be composed of Disney cartoons. Same web wanted to package a Friday night half-hour show, titled “The Best of Disney,” consisting of old Disney cartoons, but that deal, for one reason or another, collapsed.
Edgar Bergen' Series
Don Quinn is coming out of semi-retirement to take on the post of supervising head-writer on a new animated cartoon series, "The Edgar Bergen Show." Bergen, his wife Frances and daughter Candy form the basis of the characters in the animated stanza, but also animated as characters rather than puppets are Charlie McCarthy, Mortimer Snerd and other Bergen creations.
Series, packaged by Bergen and Bruce Eells' new company, Television Artists & Producers Co., is an adult family situation comedy stanza, set in Beverly Hills. Among the wrinkles on the show is the use of "guest stars," that is, caricatures of stars like Bob Hope and Jack Benny, who've given their permission for use of their names and caricatures in the show as neighbors of the Bergens.
Cartoons will be produced by the Bob Clampett Organization on the Coast. Clampett, now an indie cartoon house, formerly did the "Bugs Bunny" shows at Warner Bros. Quinn, Bergen and Clampett would collaborate on scripts, with Quinn in charge.
Ells is currently in N. Y. with storyboards and presentations, and reportedly has stirred up considerable interest among agencies. He's also meeting with networks over possible time slots for the stanza.
ABC-TV, which began the trend, has slated two new cartoon shows for next season in prime evening time, bringing its cartoon total for next season to four shows.
"Top Cat," with Bristol-Myers and Kellogg sharing sponsorship, is slotted Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m.; and "Calvin and the' Colonel" Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. H-B's "Flintstones" returns Fridays at 8:30 p.m. and "Bugs Bunny" will occupy the same Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. slot.
While the rating noise kicked up by "Flintstones" and "Bugs Bunny" accounts for the other webs moving in on the evening cartoon-field, the success of made-for-tv animated shows stems largely from the long-standing fruitful relationship between H-B, Kellogg, and Screen Gems.
SG, picking up the first H-B cartoon package, "Huckleberry Hound," sold it to Kellogg for national spot syndication. That deal fathered "Quick Draw McGraw," and "Yogi Bear," all out of H-B, with SG as the sales agent and Kellogg as the national spot advertiser.
Among new cartoon shows being pitched for network sale are "Simpson and Delaney," being, offered by Bill Cooper Associates; and two from California National Productions, "Sir Wellington Bones," and Bob Fielding and Ray Elliot doing a voice over spoof of old movies. "Wellington" is being offered as a half-hour weekly entry, but the show in syndication could be sliced down in five-minute segments.
Next season's network count now is seven cartoon shows and the possibility is good that more will tumble in the schedule before the '61-'62 season is locked.
San Antonio, March 14.
Tie-in promotion for Disney's "101 Dalmatians" here includes a coloring contest for the under-13 set, winner to receive a registered Dalmatian pup.
San Antonio News and H.E.B. Food Stores are cooperating with the Josephine Theatre,' where the full-length cartoon is current.
Hollywood, March 14.
Trio of Japanese film figures have set up Data International Films Ltd., for purpose of purchasing films for distribution in both U.S. and Japan. George Fukuda is prexy; Dr. Wallace Nagata, v.p.-director; David T. Yokazeki, secretary-treasurer.
Initial American release will be "White Snake Enchantress," feature cartoon produced by Toei Film Co., Tokyo. Negotiations also are on with same firm for a second cartoon, "Sayuku."
Future co-production deals are being sought between Japanese and American companies for worldwide distribution. Data also is seeking pix for tv and theatrical distribution in Nippon.
Norman Maurer, producer of Columbia's "Three Stooges Meet Hercules," which rolls early May, is inventor of new animation process Dynatoon which he says photographs live action and automatically converts action to, cartoon without aid of artist or artists. Maurer, prexy of Process Illustrated Films, Inc., stated his attorneys Lyon & Lyon had heard from patent offices in Washington he would be Issued 12 claims in patent in June. Inventor also asserted he had been working on patent for past three years. Possibility exists he may do a Stooges film in Dynatoon and color after "Hercules."
March 17, 1961
Golden Globes
Hanna-Barbera Productions, "for progress on international television in cartoons."
March 21, 1961
Format Films today delivers to Four Star Television pilot of Sy Gomberg's tv cartoon series, "The Shrimp," scheduled for fall airing. Series is being produced by Herbert Klynn with Jules Engel as associate producer. Leo Salkin is story editor.
March 22, 1961
NTA Pictures has sold the color cartoon, feature "Gulliver's Travels" to the Soviet Union through its official agency Sovexport Film.
Negotations for the sale, which have taken place for almost two years, resulted through several visits to Moscow by Vernon Burns, now NTA general manager. Burns said that with the consummation of this sale, NTA is currently working out details for additional film sales with Sovexport Films.
Jay Ward and Bill Scott have put alltime high complement of five directors and five writers to work on "Rocky And His Friends" tv cartoon series. Directors are Bill Hurtz, Ted Parmelee, Jim Hiltz, Gerard Baldwin and Lew Keller. Writers are Chris Hayward, Lloyd Turner, Chris Jenkyns, George Atkins and Al Burns.
March 23, 1961
Army Archerd column
Jay Ward added a cartoon character to his "Fractured Fairy Tales," agent played by a fox named "Murgatroid Cornelius Applefinger." His pals just call him "M.C.A."
The tv trend toward more cartoon series in primetime received buttressing yesterday when CBS-TV slated for fall primetime a skein pegged on Ross Bagdasarian's "Alvin & The Chipmunks." Slated for Wed., 7:30, half-hour series automatically bumps Ziv-UA's "Malibu Run" of the web's sked — although conceivably that hour show may be slotted elsewhere, although deemed doubtful.
"Alvin And Chipmunks" will be paired with two other Bagdasarian cartoon creations. The songwriter, who popularized "Alvin" via 12 million disk sales, is doing all original music for the cartoons, which will run in three seven-minute segments.
General Foods has bought alternate week sponsorship.
Format Films, according to prexy Herb Klynn, is producing the cartoons.
New York, March 22. — Walt Disney, on the threshold of his eighth year in television, is preparing a series of 25 one-hour programs for NBC-TV's Sunday night schedule next season. While he admits to spending "way over what I get" (from NBC) for the 7:30-8:30 p.m. series, he seemed enthused about the prospects of being presented for the first time on video in color.
"I've been living with color since '82 — a world I've lived in longer, I think, than anyone in Hollywood."
Partly because of the desire of parent RCA to advance the cause of tint television, NBC-TV has long been pushing multichrome. The "mutuality" of color interest by the network and Disney led to the new program's title, "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color." "I'm not selling color for RCA," he said. "I'm selling it for myself."
So far, Disney has at least 80 ideas buzzing for his NBC-TV 60-minute weekly series. He only needs 25, each of which will be repeated. Depending on their "appeal," he might repeat some of the stanzas a third time in future seasons. This is one way to "get money back," he said, since he’ll be spending over budget on many episodes.
A firm picture of what will be seen on tv next season was not offered, Disney submitted, because he wanted to see whether, when new things come in, he can achieve the fine-line programmatic balance he seeks.
Tversions Of Feature Pix
Among the stanzas that have a good chance of being presented, however, are hours on European carnivals, on dance and on music (with the Vienna Boys Choir). He's also shooting a tversion of Jules Verne's "The Castaways," with Hayley Mills in the lead, a program on mathematics and a multi-parted Disney remake of "Prince & The Pauper" to be shot in England with Guy Williams in one of the leading roles. Williams was his "Zorro."
Two of Disney studio's former theatrical features will also be used on NBC-TV. One, he said, is chosen, the other not. "Tonka," done with Sal Mineo not too long ago, will be seen on the air in two hour programs as "Comanche," about an Army horse that survived Custer's last stand. (Subsequent to the interview an NBC press release noted that Disney would present "The Silver Skates" as a two-part offering on the series. "Skates" was begun two years ago, the web said, as a feature pic.)
The producer dwelled happily on the creation of a new character for tv — Ludwig Von Drake — who'll apparently have Donald as an occasional sidekick, who will narrate live action shows on music and the carnivals of Europe. He'll evidently appear in other stanzas too.
Disney declared, "I'd like to do more animation . . . At ABC they wanted me to cut down on animation and put in more westerns. I did." He's going to cut out most of the historical adventure characters when his programs appear on NBC-TV, he advised, and he's also going to eliminate the Tomorrowland offerings, because of the high expense ($400,000 to $450,000 in negative costs for an hour of such futuristics).
March 27, 1961
Toei Pictures Corp. of Japan has given American International Pictures rights for distribution of the color cartoon, "The Enchanted Monkey," AIP toppers James H. Nicholson and Samuel Z. Arkoff disclosed over weekend.
March 29, 1961
San Francisco, March 28.—First-run films look strong this week, with "101 Dalmatians" at the Fox shaping to a fine $25,000.
Production budget for the new "Beany & Cecil" animated cartoon show on ABC-TV next year is $2,000,000. Mattel Toys bought the half-hour Sunday afternoon series to start in January, 1962.
Understood the web bought the show for two years, with sponsor Mattel firmed-up for one year, via toy outfit's agency, Carson & Roberts of Hollywood. Parties to the deal include Television Artists & Producers Corp. (TAPC) and Snowball, Inc., cartoon producers. TAPC, headed by Bruce Eells, is the financing and distributing agency. Bob Clampett, creative head of Snowball, was formerly with Warner Bros., where he was the creator of the Bugs Bunny series. New series is based on the comic book characters created by Clampett, "Beany Boy" and Cecil and the Seasick Sea Serpent." Clampett also created the puppet series "Time for Beany" years ago.
Production of the series is now underway at new Hollywood facilities recently acquired by the company, according to A. C. R. Stone, prez and business-financial head of Snowball.
Eells organized TAPC following his resignation last year as exec v.p. of United Artists Television. Prior to joining UA he was v.p. and a director of Television Programs of America.
Cereals line, is partially underwriting the syndicated "Dick Tracy" animated series distributed by Television Personalities Inc. and produced by UPA Pictures. Through Benton & Bowles, GF is guaranteeing spots in the five-minute shows in all markets in which they're purchased, but on a depending-on-the-market basis. In most cases to date, it's two or three spots per week.
Series, in first two weeks of syndication, has dotted 15 stations for a reported total of $750,000. TPI's companion piece, "Mister Magoo," is now in over 100 markets, and sales have passed the $1,500,000, according to prexy Henry Saperstein. "Tracy" is available in 130 episodes and "Magoo" in 104. Latter is already on the air, but former isn't expected to start until June.
April 4, 1961
Produced by Jay Ward and Bill Scott, cartoonery is introducing new character in the segments named Douglas Doright, [sic] a Canadian Mountie who strongly resembles Nelson Eddy and has a "remarkable voice similarity with Eddy."
[Weekly Variety of this date notes the show will be called “Bullwinkle.”]
April 5, 1961
Chicago, April 4. — What's the union for robots ? That's what WBKB here has to find out before it can use one for "personal appearances" this week.
Station is confronted with a new jurisdictional dispute between NABET and IATSE over who's to operate the remote controls, an engineer or a stagehand. The robot in question Is one developed by Screen Gems to promote ABC-TV's "Flintstones." It's a 300-pound mechanical replica of the character, Fred Flintstone.
"Real Life" cartoon will tour the ABC-TV affils after making its debut on the Chi station.
Biographic's "Do-It-Yourself Cartoon Kit" is U.K.'s official short film entry at Cannes Film Fest.
Sturm Studios, producers of animated and "live" commercials, is being reorganized and expanded to enter the fields of programming production, syndication and other activities, under the aegis of newly-appointed prexy Harold Hackett and exec v.p. Raymond Junkin.
William Sturm, who started the studios 12 years ago, remains as v.p. Orestes Calpini is secretary and George Richfield, treasurer.
One immediate area of expansion will be the field of tv cartoon programming, with pilots slated for production. Future plans also include the formation of several new divisions within the framework of the company, divisions relating to purchase of outside properties, syndication facilities, and production, of filmed series. Paralleling the expansion there will be no let up in the planned expansion of current commercial cartoon biz, it was emphasized.
Hackett assumed the presidency following a one-year tenure with Sales Programs, Inc. Prior to that he was prexy and chairman of the board of Official Films for eight years, leaving Official in '60. Before that he was for 19 years v.p. in charge of radio and tv for Music Corp. of America.
Junkin, a longtime associate of Hackett, has been prexy of Sales Programs, Inc. Junkin's last post at Official was v.p. in charge of sales.
April 7, 1961
Organization of a new production-distribution company which plans diversification into all entertainment fields was disclosed yesterday. Alvin Schoncite told DAILY VARIETY that Fidelity Mining Corp., of which he is sec.-treas. and exec operations head, has purchased the defunct Kenmore Studios, Hollywood Sound Service and Globe Releasing Corp. and has plans to develop what he termed "a major film studio operation on a small level." ...
To be sold in either package or single units, the slate includes a full-length feature cartoon, "Panda And The Magic Serpent," bought from Toy Films of Japan.
April 18, 1961
Santa Monica, April 17.—Bill Snyder, prexy of Rembrandt Films, was surprised at winning the best cartoon award for "Monro." He came out specially from N.Y. with the belief that Warners would win it.
April 19, 1961
Alan Dinehart has been signed as associate producer on Hanna and Barbera's new fall tv cartoon series entry, "Top Cat" Dinehart will continue as associate producer on "The Flintstones."
New York, April 18.—At request of Film Producers Assn., composed of local filmakers, Screen Cartoonists Guild has made survey of cost increases in past 10 yeara, from 1960 to 1960. Animators in 1960 received $125 weekly and today get $178, results show. Story editors formerly were paid $125, also layout men. They now receive $175. Cameramen earned $103 in 1960, now get $146. Background artists have been boosted to $159 from $112. Assistant animators from $78 to $110.
Bill Scott and Jay Ward, producers of "Rocky And His Friends," have completed negotiations to syndicate the cartoon series next September under the title, "Bullwinkle." Latter is name of one of show's characters.
"Rocky" switches to NBC net in Sept., as well, with both to be sponsored by General Mills.
London – The husband and wife cartoon team of John Halas and Joy Batchelor celebrate their 21st anni next month and will mark the occasion with a small luncheon party at May Fair hotel.
TV Marketeers also made a deal to represent the Bernie Sindell Agency of Beverly Hills in N.Y. and the first property under the deal is a new half-hour adult cartoon series called "Straight Talk Jackson." Color pilot has been filmed.
April 20, 1961
Larry Harmon has option on deal to produce series of tv cartoons simulating figures of Laurel and Hardy. Deal was made with Laurel and Oliver Hardy's widow. Mitch Gertz agented.
April 21, 1961
King Features' "Popeye" tv cartoons have grossed more than $4,000,000 in the U.S. via syndication in last 18 months, according to Al Brodax, director of King Features tv dept.
In association with William L. Snyder's Rembrandt Films, King will produce and distribute a new series of 104 cartoons, "Samson Scrap And Delilah." First already is completed, balance will be made mostly abroad.
Brodax states deal is on with national network for entire output.
April 24, 1961
Writers Al Bertino and Dick Kenny [sic] have been inked by Rembrandt Films prexy Bill Snyder for his cartoon series. They were formerly with Walt Disney, Lantz and UPA.
April 25, 1961
Recent syndication sales of "Bozo The Clown" have expanded cartoon series' outlets to 140 stations, counting Canada, Larry Harmon, who produces skein, disclosed yesterday.
April 26, 1961
Jay Ward and Bill Scott have resigned Edward Everett Horton for 62 segs of their new "Bullwinkle" series. Pair flew the actor in from Wilmington, Del., where he was doing stock, for first new episode Monday.
New York, April 26.—Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera, who are not members of National Cartoonists Society, won the NCS silver award for their "Flintstones," acclaimed the year's best animated cartoon.
Jay Ward and Bill Scott, producers of tv cartoon, "Rocky And His Friends," have announced "Operation Loudmouth." "Loudmouth" is a promotional stunt to acquaint industry circles with their productions, featuring semi-monthly humorous mailers sent to trade papers, tv editors, ad agencies and network execs. In addition to the mailer, blimp advertising, sky writing, Good Humor trucks and trade ads will be exploited to promote Ward productions. Also utilized in two-year operation will be a ten-foot statue of "Bullwinkle Moose," cartoon character, which will be sculptured by William Obelin, and unveiled at their Sunset Strip studio shortly.
Television Personalities, Inc., has hit the $1,000,000 gross mark in sales on its "Dick Tracy" cartoon series.
New stations added to the list of some 30 markets include: WBS, Atlanta; KPRC, Houston; KENS, San Antonio; WTTV, Indianapolis; WPTA, Ft. Wayne; WPRO, Providence. "Magoo" series, also marketed by Television Personalities, under the sales direction of v.p. Al Unger, has added WTMJ, Milwaukee; and WSB, Atlanta, to its list.
Three of 13 "Tom & Jerry" subjects for Metro have been completed, (Switchin Kitten," "Down and Outing" and "Greek Cat"), five are, in production and another five being written in N.Y. and here. While in Hollywood, Snyder has been after writers to build his stable for future activity. Fourth "T & J" "Mouse Into Space" is almost finished. Plan is to deliver one a month starting May.
Additional, indie producer is making 28 "Popeye" subjects for King Features. Al Brodax, formerly with William Morris Agency, heads King Features film cartoon division which has sked of 208 briefies—6 to 7 mins.—to turn out. He's also been here looking for new writers to work on those not being parceled out to Synder.
Group of 10 cartoons based on stories by famous writers, another project, has five Ludwig Bemelman shorties being caricatured from collection "Madeline," namely "Madeline's Rescue," "Madeline and the Gypsies," "Madeline and the Bad Hat," "Sunshine," and "Fifi." "Rescue," "Gypsies" and "Sunshine" are fini. Two of the remaining five are "Anatole" and "The Happy Line."
There will also be two cartoons based on famous western songs, one being "My Darling Clementine."
Additionally there's a feature cartoon subject now being written for Snyder in Italy. It's based on a classic in public domain and will take two years to make, producer revealed.
A show biz gimmick in connection with merchandising is developing lucrative business for outdoor and kiddie theatre situations.
Impersonators of cartoon characters are becoming important bookings for fairs, shopping centres, kiddie matinees in theatres and elsewhere.
A major boom in this type of booking has taken place with the upbeat in animated cartoon series on television. " Huckleberry Hound" and "Yogi Bear" are being merchandised by Screen Gems. Latter, which produces the "Huckleberry Hound" series has been sending out a live act consisting of both these characters. That act is already set for 35 dates this year. SG is also preparing another act based on other Hanna-Barbera characters, "Quick Draw McGraw" and "Baba Looey."
Also hot sellers on the juvenile circuits are the characters drawn out of "Rocky & His Friends" over ABC-TV. Leon Newman, Licensing Corp. of America veepee, is currently booking a pair of characters, "Rocky and Bulwinkle," as an act. This twosome played a long series of dates last year, and have been working shopping centres and theatre dates during the winter. They will play park and fair dates during the summer as well as appearance in various stores.
LCA is also prepping acts based on characters in "Leonardo" and "Pip the Piper" kid shows, on NBC and ABC respectively.
Wide Moppet Appeal
These cartoon characters have wide appeal for the moppets, thus can be used in a wide variety of situations where juve enticement is necessary. Because of the merchandising tieins with these bookings, the acts are now being booked by the turns' packagers. Previously they were booked by regulation talent agencies. In this way, displays of the sponsors' products can be made so that the merchandiser can get full value out of the appearance.
The packagers have also had to routine the act, as well as supply costumes, music, etc. In some cases, there are several acts with the same characters making the rounds.
History of the cartoon acts goes back as far as "Popeye" and the "Mickey & Minnie Mouse" days. "Howdy Doody" & "Clarabelle" have been making the rounds of the kiddie time, and there have been representations of the "Seven Dwarfs" on the circuits. However, with merchandisers in the picture, the custom of booking cartoon characters based on teevee representations is likely to increase.
May 2, 1961
Larry Harmon has secured rights to base a tv cartoon series on Laurel & Hardy, and plans series of 26 half-hours. Deal was set with Laurel and his late partner's widow, Lucille Hardy Price, through Mitch Gertz Agency.
When cartoons are drawn it is understood they will be offered first to networks, then syndicated (as Harmon now markets "Bozo the Clown") if no web deal materializes.
Jayark Films will handle sales worldwide. If syndicated, there also will be series of five-min. Laurel & Hardy cartoons.
Pen-and-ink work will simulate appearance and comedy style of team and voices will approximate the original subjects'. L&H, who retired in 1984, made over 100 films, mostly shorts at MGM.
May 9, 1961
Michael O'Shea will be the voice of "Top Cat," the Hanna-Barbera cartoon series for ABC-TV. Previously set were Maurice Gossfield, Allen Jenkins and Leo DeLyon.
May 10, 1961
Bill Conrad inked by Jay Ward and Bill Scott to do 52 "Rocky & His Friends" and 52 "Bullwinkles." Cartoons, not playing cards
Gabby's Diner
(Walter Lantz cartoon. Directed by Jack Hannah. Story, Homer Brightman. Technicolor.
Running time: 5 mins.)
Theatrical cartoons, like newspaper comic strips, enjoy extraordinary longevity once they catch on. A successful animated character will endure for generations. Such a character is Woody Woodpecker, already a kind of tradition in the realm of the short subject.
No doubt Woody has undergone some slight animation refinements since he first burst on the screen, but the story formula is basically the same—the tried and true approach in which our feathered hero, slight in physical stature but outrageously canny in averting disaster (the classic comedy premise), outwits yon boob villain who is almost invariably bent on cooking up a tasty dish of roast woodpecker. That's the way it goes in "Cabby's Diner," latest in the series. "Woody" is essentially a cartoon for children, and should be programmed accordingly for best results in today's market.
London - Three 15-second films, featuring a cartoon character, Susie Koo, have been produced by Screen Partners for television campaign for Koo and Gold Beef Canned fruit.
ABC will soon have more web rerun properties on the syndie market with 170 episodes of the cartoon series, "Matty's Funday Funnies" (retitled "Casper the Friendly Ghost & Co.") for station sales.
May 11, 1961
Stan Laurel is coming out of retirement to act as story consultant for Larry Harmon's Laurel & Hardy tv cartoon series.
May 12, 1961
With the growing boom in cartoon programming looming ever larger in tv CBS-Films Inc. has organized a new unit, to be called CBS Animations. Organisation will be headed by Merle S. Jones, president of CBS Films.
CBS-Films owns Terrytoons, which currently produces "Deputy Dawg," "Mighty Mouse" and "Heckle And Jeckle" cartoon aeries now in syndication and overseas sales markets. It is stated that Terrytoons division will continue to remain a separate entity, but its staff can be called upon and utilized by CBS Animations.
Thomas Judge, general sales manager of CBS Films, states "CBS Animations is being staffed with artists and writers who have vast backgrounds and experience in animated commercials and animated programming."
Judge said the new department will "temporarily be located in New York."
With the networks leaning more heavily on cartoon programming this fall, "Huckleberry Hound" goes hour-long over CBS, ABC-TV has inked "Rocky And His Friends" and "The Bullwinkle Show" out of the Jay Ward-Bill Scott stable for hour-long series, and NBC slating Walt Disney's famed cartoon characters, the CBS Films move is seen as a natural progression with heavy emphasis on selling their material into syndication and overseas markets.
Cameraman Max Morgan and John Folk have been signed as part of the staff for the new shift.
May 15, 1961
American International has signed Jonathan Winters to his first film contract, as voice of chief character in feature color cartoon, "Alakazam The Great."
Other well-knowns are to be signed for remaining voice characters.
May 17, 1961
New York, May 16.—Paramount cartoon studio will expand activities here, Howard Minsky, exec in charge and asst. general sales manager, discloses. In preparation are new theatrical series featuring Cliff Arquette's "Charlie Weaver" and other "Mt. Idy" characters; "Barney Google," "Krazy Kat" and "Beetle Bailey"; Jackie Gleason's tv characters, including "Reggie Van Gleason" and "The Poor Soul." "Abner The Baseball," two-reel color special, has just been completed, and new tv series, "Kid From Mars," is prepping.
Additionally, studio produces "Popeyes" quota for King Features TV Syndicate, teleblurbs. New York,
May 16.—Larry Harmon is propping new half-hour tv cartoon series, "Waco Wolf." Harmon is here to discuss with networks and ad agencies other proposed cartoons, too.
Periodically, the artisans and story craftsmen at Warner Bros.' three-decade-old cartoon division (Looney Tunes) set aside their gallery of celebrated animated characters (Tweety, Sylvester, Road Runner, et al.) to indulge in some offbeat cartoon expression. The departure recently earned them an Academy Award nomination for "High Note," a highly-imaginative and semi-instructive six-minute romp involving some prankish ant-like antics on the part of the notes of the musical scale. The Michael Maltese yarn, fortified with eye-pleasing layouts by Maurice Noble and deftly directed by Chuck Jones, describes with skill and humor the effect of one errant and inebriated note (after tanking it up In the sheet music of "Little Brown Jug") on a serious but doomed rendition of "Blue Danube."
But by and large the Burbank cartoonery adheres to its venerable formula of cat-and-mouse, cat-and-canary, road-runner-and-coyote. Occasionally, as in "Mouse And Garden," the traditional fare contains that extra something that merits Academy recognition. In the case of "Mouse And Garden," a well-drawn vignette with a faint moral (share and share alike, or else), the characterizations no doubt were responsible for much of the artistic recognition received but, nomination or no, there is room for an argument on that score. "Mouse And Garden" is guilty of a common practice in cartoondom toward which one may harbor major reservations — namely the practice of endowing animated animals with human characteristics and familiar celebrity-like voices to such a degree that the native charm and character of the animal itself becomes superfluous and is virtually forgotten.
Following are two new cartoons, yet to be released, out of WB's stable:
REBEL WITHOUT CLAWS
(Directed by Friz Freleng; layouts, Hawley Pratt; story, Freleng. Running time: 6 mins)
Tweety, the canny canary noted for the fact he "tawt he taw a putty cat," plays a rebel courier assigned to dispatch a message to Gen. Lee in this morsel of animated mayhem-and-haw backdropped against the Civil Waw. Tweety's pursuer is the notorious Sylvester, the feline noted for his active salivary gland and the foreboding slurp that forms on his tongue and seeps into his inflection whenever a rodent or feathered friend appears. "Rebel Without Claws" is fairly conventional in story and style, likely to please the young and get by with the adult whose sense-of-humor is susceptible to the widest latitude of intended merriment. For others, it will prove a nifty popcorn counter opportunity.
* * *
LICKETY-SPLAT
(Directed by Chuck Jones; layouts, Maurice Noble; story, Jones. Running time: 6 mins.)
Probably the most straightforward of all the Looney Tune characters is the road runner, an absolutely unbeatable creature all alone on top of the survival-of-the-fittest scale. Sharing this series of adventures with him is a hapless coyote, unquestionably the most frustrated pursuer in the business.
The question here is not whether the speedy road runner will be caught, but rather how poorly the coyote will fare in the chase. The charm lies in the ingenious plans and devices rigged up by the coyote for the capture that never comes, but inevitably results in a backfire by which the coyote becomes his own victim. Although the art work is especially fine on this occasion, there are no story frills or fancies. This is a cartoon with true singleness-of-purpose.
To get the maximum charge out of roadrunner's escapades, one must be at least latently fond of a good practical joke and appreciative of the effect a detonated high explosive can have on a coyote's face and personality.
One of Warner Bros.' new Looney Tune cartoons is the object of a protest just filed by 20th-Fox with MPAA's Title Registration Bureau.
Cartoon is a Bugs Bunny escapade titled "Satan Place," which 20th apparently deems in conflict with its "Peyton" pix.
May 19, 1961
Dennis Farnon has been signed by Jay Ward Productions to tune up "Bullwinkle" cartoon series, debuting this fall on NBC-TV.
May 22, 1961
Jack Hellman column
ART RUSH JETSTREAMED TO N.Y. YESTERDAY to get squared away with NBC-TV's David Levy on the eight Roy Rogers-Dale Evans specials for next season. He’ll also buzz Madison Ave. on Cliff Arquette, whom he has taken under wing. Mt. Idy's leading citizen will be showing up on someone's network in half hour color cartoon, "Charlie Beaver." The characters, naturally, will be his home towners.
May 23, 1961
Projects included in new high figure will be two features, 82 half-hour boxing shows for tv, 104 half-hour Ding Dong shows featuring Dr. Frances Horwich, football, baseball, bowling, golf and educational shorts, 6 theatrical animations starring Dick Tracy, three Mr. Magoo shorts for theatres in addition to other subjects in hopper.
With Peter De Met, his partner, Saperstein plans to issue public stock over the counter as soon as necessary data can be compiled for Securities & Exchange Commission.
Saperstein said last year UPA made 260 6-min. cartoons with 120 employes, compared to six cartoons and 36 employes year before he and partner acquired controlling interest in UPA. In past five months he and Aeld sales force sold $2,760,000 cartoons to tv.
"Gay Purr-ee," first animated feature, will be animal musical costing $1,300,000 with songs by Yip Harburg and Harold Arlen. Second will be untitled musical costing $900,000.
For Christmas, 1962, UPA will have ready an hour cartoon for NBC with Mr. Magoo as Scrooge and Jerry Bong Bong [sic] as Tiny Tim.
Saperstein hopes to get major release, now in negotiation, for "Gay Purree." He hopes to have it ready for summer, 1962. Columbia, which released and financed "1,001 Arabian Nights," made two years ago, will not be the distributor.
Saperstein noted foreign theatrical markets are wide open to cartoon features. "So why throw all our chips into tv?"
May 24, 1961
Marvin Miller has been signed by Globe Releasing Corp. to narrate all trailers, television and radio commercials for the color cartoon feature, "Panda And The Magic Serpent." Miller also dubbed eight voices In cartoon and did narration. Picture goes into national release June 15.
First station to sign for Seven Arts Associated's Looney Tunes cartoons is WOR-TV. N. Y. Package consists of 191 cartoons.
WOR-TV previously bought Seven Arts' "Films of the 50's, Volume One." initial package of Warner Bros. post-'48's.
General Mills has bought alternate half-hours of "National Velvet" when the program assumes its new Monday-at-8 time period on NBC-TV next fall. With the addition of "Velvet," which was bought the minute the network decided to drop the program from a tentative Sunday-at-7 anchorage, it looks like Gen Mills will be putting between $7,000,000 and $8,000,000 in NBC next season.
Same bankroller is going to pursue its original plan to underwrite all of the "Bullwinkle" cartoon series. "Bullwinkle" was supposed to go in at 6:30 Sundays, but last week it was moved up to 7 to replace "Velvet."
"Velvet" will be the first network offering on Monday nights next season, because 7:30 to 8 p.m. was returned by NBC to affiliated stations for local programming.
Besides "Velvet" and Bullwinkle," GenMills has also bought three daytime quarter hours a week at NBC-TV, plus half of "King Leonardo" and half of "Pip the Piper," both Saturdays, and all of the 12:55-1 p.m. news strip.
May 25, 1961
Army Archerd’s column
The Marx brothers are mulling an offer for a cartoon tv series based on Chico, Harpo, Groucho. Chico is making good progress, is expected out of Cedars in a week.
May 31, 1961
Larry Harmon Productions is increasing production staff 100% as it preps six new tv cartoon series. Currently in production are "Bozo, The Clown," "Laurel And Hardy" and "Wacky The Wolf."
North American News Alliance is planning a move into tv programming with the formation of a new subsid. Newspaper & Television Alliance (NATA) with headquarters in the syndie firm's Times Bldg. offices. ...
Also considered is a video cartoonseries based on the feature "There Oughta Be A Law," which is based on suggestions from readers.
May 31, 1961
This is the time of year when networks pick up sponsors for their new fall programming. But CBS-TV, in a real switcheroo, has lost a client for a new fall show.
The client is General Toy, the show is "Alvin and the Chipmunks," slated for the Wednesday 7:30 to 8 period with General Foods as the alternate sponsor. General Toy had given CBS an order on the show a couple of months ago, conditional only in that it gave the company the right to see a pilot or some filmed material before the order became final.
What CBS didn't bank on was the fact that in cartoon production, unlike live-action, there's not only no pilot film to be shown, but because several episodes are laid out at once and go through the prefilming processes of storyboard, sketches, color drawings and final, cells before anything is put to film, there's often no film to show a client until a few weeks before air time.
In the case of "Alvin," CBS doesn't expect any finished footage from Format Films until well into July. General Toy insisted it see something, and CBS flashed back the word that there was none available, and unless the client immediately firmed the order, it would have to take the position that General Toy wants out and would look elsewhere for a sponsor. So far CBS hasn't gotten an answer from the client, and is starting to put out feelers for alternate prospects.
Back of the General Toy move, however, is understood to be some internal conflicts in the company over tv policy and use of the "Alvin" characters for licensing and merchandising.
Toei is readying its fourth animated feature film tentatively titled "The Orphan Brother," for June release.
Company sold its first three cartoon feature pix for U.S. distrib: "White Snake Enchantress" (to Data, International), "Magic Boy" (to Metro) and "Enchanted Monkey" (to American International).
June 2, 1961
Dodie Stevens, Frankie Avalon, Jonathan Winters, Sterling Holloway and Arnold Stang are dubbing voices. Lou Rusoff is the producer.
Chicago, June 1.—According to Henry G. Saperstein, who bought out UPA Pictures around a year ago, the animation company is having the best year in its history, chiefly through the syndication click of the five-minute "Mister Magoo" and “Dick Tracy” series. Together, in a joint total of 260 installments, the shows represent an investment of $8,000,000. In a few months on the syndie mart they've already brought back $2,600,000 in sales, Saperstein says. The series are being distributed by Saperstein's other company, Television Personalities Inc.
UPA, which had used 600,000 feet of film in 1969, produced 2,000,000 feet in 1960 and expects to use more than 7,000,000 this year, Saperstein says. He notes, too, that a staff of 40 at the start of 1960 has grown to more than 260 at the studio. Animation house has been doing spot commercials and institutional Alms in addition to the motion picture and telefilm cartoons.
June 7, 1961
Album Reviews
"The Flintstones" (Colpix). This click ABC-TV cartoon series turns up on this disk via a couple of typical comedy sketches, "The Snorkasaurus" and "The Big Bank Robbery." Fans who go for this show on television will no doubt for this disk package. For the rest, this comedy may lack the visual element to make it fully effective.
Seven Arts Associated for the year ended Jan. 31, 1961 signed deals amounting to $6,000,000 on the initial group of 40 pix from the Warner Bros. post-'48 library.
Yearend report stated that estimated profits for the first fiscal quarter of 1961, primarily from the distribution of feature films for television, will total approximately $1,500,000 before provision for taxes. Seven Arts growing library of pix, being distributed under the aegis of sales v.p. Robert Rich, now totals 231 post-'48 pix and 199 cartoons. These pix are from the libraries of 20lh-Fox and Warner Bros. In addition, Seven Arts has pre-'48 product.
Vancouver [International Film Festival] has acceptances to date from Czechoslovakia. Mexico and India. Czechoslovakia will send animator Jiri Brdecka and Ceskoslovensky Film export director Richard Falbr. Brdecka authored the script for Bomb Mania," a cartoon which has been entered in the festival competition.
June 9, 1961
Judy Garland, who recently made her Hollywood return with a role in Stanley Kramer's "Judgment At Nuremberg," yesterday polled a parlay — agreeing to costar with Bing Crosby in "By The Beautiful Sea," and to topline "The Lonely Stage," which will tee-off new four-pix pact inked between Stuart Millar and Lawrence Turman with United Artists.
Further, Miss Garland has firmed that deal with Henry Saperstein. United Productions of America prexy, to dub voice for "Gay Purree," musical cartoon with music by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg, who are writing six songs for her. Saperstein also is seeking Gene Kelly, Maurice Chevalier and Charles Boyer. Hermione Gingold was previously set for a major part.
June 13, 1961
Singer Dodie Stevens returns today from a two-week tour of the Orient to report tomorrow to American-International to dub her voice for the feature cartoon, "Alakazam, The Great."
Jay Ward Productions has set Bill Oberlin as assistant producer to Ward on "The Bullwinkle Show," cartoon series debuting on NBC in fall.
June 13, 1961
Gross revenues of Terrytoons will be up approximately 20% in 1961 over 1960, Willim Weiss, veep and general manager of the CBS Films division, predicts in New York. Weiss, however, declines to reveal any solid figures, declaring that such info is confidential.
Exec says that most of the increase will be from upped returns from Terrytoons' tv activities. Cartoonery now has three series in syndication and two on the nets, plus another net show in the offing —"Lariat and Sam." Company's theatrical cartoon schedule continues, at a steady 18 new shorts a year.
Major problem with the theatricals is the increasing labor costs. Even so, Terrytoons has managed to keep overall costs fairly steady, says Weiss, by finding price-saving methods in other areas. For the last six months, company's New Rochelle plant has been using tho new Xerox duplicating machine, cutting time and costs considerably.
As for the "new style" of cartooning, Weiss indicates that Terrytoons is "taking it easy," letting the subject of the individual cartoon dictate the pictorial style. As example, he cites the obviously Japanese influence in the pictorial quality of Terrytoons' "Hashimoto" series. ("House of Hashimoto" was an entry in the shorts division at this year's Cannes fest.").
In the past, he says, Terrytoons has experimented and found that when its pictorial style went "too non-representational," both adults and kids in the general audience were disturbed. "And it isn't as if we were designing cartoons for the kid audience," he says. "Cartoons have never really been designed for kids, but for the adult audiences" who, presumably, go for "representational" pen-and-ink fantasy stuff.
Asked how Terrytoons' domestic and foreign business had been shaping up in the last year, Weiss was non-committal, though he did point out that Terrytoons business was closely connected with the fortunes of 20th-Fox features, since 20th handles the Terrytoon product theatrically here and abroad. And, as anybody who reads the film trade press knows, 20th's film earnings have been off the last two years.
Terrytoons' prestige, however, has been building. In addition to its entry at Cannes this year, company expects to have some shorts in competition at Venice late this summer, in both the theatrical and tv category. Terrytoons 1961 theatrical sked is completed, while animation is completed on nine of its 18 shorts for 1962, and scripts have been completed on all of the '62 lineup, as weil as some of the '63.
June 16, 1961
Another series of "Bozo, The Clown" tv cartoons has been teed by producer Larry Harmon.
June 19, 1961
Norman Wright Prods. plans to pilot "Ring-A-Ding Dudley," new cartoon series, between July 1-16. For past 14 years Wright has been producing industrial films.
June 21, 1961
Screen Gems' foreign biz is up 40% in the current fiscal year ending June 30, '61, according to Lloyd Burns, v.p. in charge of international operations....
These are the shows which SG has sold in England: "Flintstones," "Father Knows Best," "Rescue 8," "Huckleberry Hound," "Burns and Allen," "Patti Page'," "Crazy Cat Cartoons," "Dennis the Menace," "Shirley Temple," "Winston Churchill," "Rin Tin Tin," "Scrappy Cartoons," "Ivanhoe," "Tightrope," "Tales , of Texas Rangers," "World Championship Golf," and "Route 66."
Jayark Films reports signing of 12 new markets for the "Bozo the Clown" cartoon series, making the total stations now carrying the show 157.
Licensing agreements also have been signed in Saudi Arabia and the Virgin Islands, bringing the worldwide "Bozo" count to 198.
New U.S. stations include WABI, Bangor; WAGM, Presque Isle, Me.; WCNY, Watertown, N.Y.; WDSM, Duluth, Minn.; WISN, Milwaukee; WNCT, Greensboro, N. C; KFLY, Lafayette, La.; WALA, Mobile; WHEN, Syracuse; KHSL, Chico, Calif; WRAL, Raleigh, N. C ; and WOAY, Oak Hill, W. Va.
William Dozier, v.p. in charge of Coast activities for Screen Gems, has left for London.
While in the British capital, Dozier will confer with Columbia Pictures, BBC and ITV exec for a few days and view the rough cut of "Gulliver," a new tv cartoon series filmed for SG by Charles Schneer. From London, Dozier will visit Paris, Vienna, Prague, Copenhagen and Moscow.
CBS-TV regained some lost sponsorship ground this week it persuaded General Foods to take on full sponsorship of its Wednesday night “Alvin and the Chipmunks” animated series. General Foods had originally been pencilled in for half.
Program had been sold out until couple of weeks ago, when General Toy Co. pulled out, claiming it hadn't been allowed to see footage on the show, as per contract. Actually there was no footage to show yet, and CBS wanted a yes-or-no answer on General Toy sponsorship. General Toy said no without the footage, and CBS then started shopping its half.
Everybody and his brother seems to have a cartoon series for sale-and airing during the season after next. This would suggest that the only thing that might slow boom in animation is the somewhat less than enthusiastic response of the networks.
One network source unhappily estimated that in the last few weeks, some 20 cartoon ideas; storyboards, rough sketches and film "samples" had crossed his desk. Among those making the rounds for '62-'63—since the coming season's programming is already inked in and, because it takes at least nine months advance warning before an animator can successfully or comfortably turn out a full series—are:
An idea for an Edgar Bergen-Charlie McCarthy cartoon, ditto Fibber McGee & Molly, "Duffy's Tavern" and Frances Langford and Don Ameche. all of which have their roots either in old radio formats or old radio personalities. Then there is "Shrimp," a sample being peddled by William Morris, a Jay Ward-Bill Scott entry based on Sampson & Delilah, and two King Features' "Krazy Kat" and "Barney Google."
"The Three Stooges." now seen on local tv via live-action syndication (taken from the old theatrical short subject library), is also being proposed to ABC, CBS and NBC.
While there are to be several new half-hour animations on the networks this coming fall, the webs have decided to move cautiously in preparing additional shows of this genre for seasons beyond that. Among other fears, the networks say they're afraid they'll again kill a good thing (cartoon shows have been reasonably successful so far) by overexposure.
Meantime, Coast producers are pouring out about $35,000,000 worth of product, none of which is included in the list of 20 or so subjects designed for network airing in '62-'63. Most of the Hollywood product appears to be for immediate consumption by the networks or in syndication to the tv stations. Beyond Hollywood's present output, there is a thriving animation business in N. Y., headed by Peter Piech's Production Associates of Television and his Leonardo TV Productions, which right now have "Rocky & His Friends," “The Bullwinkle Show” and "King Leonardo" in network time slots. Piech is associated with Jay Ward Productions in some ventures.)
The popularity of cartoon characters on video is creating a condition within the ranks of performers that encourages moonlighting and doubling. The appeal of such shows as "Huckleberry Hound" and "Rocky & His Friends" with moppet viewers has caused the creation of characters depicted in the cartoons to play supermarkets, fairs, department stores and other sales areas.
Because these acts work in the daytime, they are in position to doff their animal suits and work in regulation cafes and club dates in the evening. An example is the "Rocky & Bulwinkle" act, produced by Leon Newman, veepee of Licensing Corp. of America.
Pat Cooper dons a moose head to portray Bulwinkle. Once he gets a lineup on his route for LCA, his agent Charlie Green scampers for cafes and club dates in the same area. His partner in the act, Rocky, a squirrel character, also does the same. Rocky is played by midget Patty Malone, who is a singer-comedienne.
However, according to Cooper, there are problems connected with playing a moose before moppet audiences. But they are all created by adults who encourage their children to throw such comestibles in the moose's mouth as pizza, popcorn, soda pop, ice cream, etc. It fails to provide Cooper with any nourishment. All it does, he says, is to block the air passages in his costume and force him to clean the inside of his animal suit afterward.
There are also some of the lighter moments in connection with his work, said Cooper. For example, one mama asked him if he were a man inside this costume. "No." he corrected her, "I'm a horse." At another time, a Negro father approached him and asked if he were a “bigoted moose.” He assured him he wasn't. Whereupon the Negro father asked him to hug his two children.
Parents encourage children to try to take off his moosehead to see who's inside. They also pinch him to see what the reaction will be and encourage the kids to do likewise. He's grateful for comparatively easy work before an audience of drunks in a nitery.
June 28, 1961
Steve Krantz, v.p. and general manager of SG, Ltd. [has] sold SG's new cartoon show "Top Cat" out of the Hanna Barbera stable to CTV.
CTV, the commercial network in Canada, is due to debut in the fall. CTV stations will be operating in the following markets: Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Halifax, Winnepeg, [sic] Edmonton, and Calgary.
American International Pictures' James H. Nicholson and Samuel Z Arkoff revealed a 13-picture production and release slate tabbed at a $10,000,000 budget to cover the last six months of this year. ...
Three of the release slate are full-length cartoon features, with "Alakazam the Great," color and MagiScope cartoon featuring voices of Frankie Avalon, Dodie Stevens, Jonathan Winters, Sterling Holloway and Arnold Stang and music by Les Baxter, set to go out in July. Other two are still in production, one titled "The 7th Wonder of Sinbad" and the other as yet untitled. Both are co-productions with Japan's Toei Productions.
Official American entry at San Sebastian International Film Festival will be Walt Disney's cartoon feature" "101 Dalmatians," according to reports from the Basque capital city. Festival will also invite Marlon Brando's "One-Eyed Jacks."
June 29, 1961
Burgeoning cartoon activity at Creston Studios is creating a housing problem in Hollywood. To meet the needs of expanding production, Creston's prexy Shull Bonsall has bought 24-room apartment building adjoining the studio for remodelling as an annex for the immediate tenancy of the animation and ink-and-paint departments. New acquisition gives Creston five buildings for the stepped-up production of new series for tv. TV Spots, commercial film division of Creston, maintains its present quarters in the same block.
On the production line at Creston are "Calvin And The Colonel," "King Leonardo" (daytime strip), "Beetle Bailey" for King Features, and several projected properties for the 1962-'63 season.
Thanks for bringing back "Cartoons of ____". Endlessly fascinating.
ReplyDeleteThis will be the final year, TCJ. I no longer have access to the source material, though I've banked other snippets from it that'll be posted over the next ten months.
ReplyDelete