The Flintstones’ success in 1960 prompted producers to develop their own cartoon series that would run in the evening. Several debuted in 1961. It didn’t take long for the networks to wish they hadn’t. The shows didn’t attract enough adults to suit sponsors, and that doomed them.
Critics didn’t warm to them either.
On the feature front, Gay Purr-ee was in development at UPA, which went through some distribution troubles. Some foreign features appeared on North American screens.
Hearings took place in Washington, D.C. regarding—of all things—the use of stock music in cartoon series. Noticeable by its absence is Hanna-Barbera’s name. It had jettisoned the Capitol and Langlois libraries for its TV cartoons in 1960 when Hoyt Curtin wrote libraries for the H-B shows.
And it’s a bit of a surprise to see the names Hugh Harman and Rudy Ising as they got involved in a proposed series that went nowhere.
This should definitely be the last of these year-in-review posts as I no longer have access to the source material.
July 5, 1961
If the upcoming release of the cartoon feature, "Alakazam The Great" goes as well as American International Pictures prexy Jim Nicholson hopes, AIP will exercise options on two more such animated ventures from the Toei Company of Tokyo, plus a third which would be an AIP-Toei coproduction. Nicholson, in New York for the last week to supervise final dubbing and scoring of "Alakazam," returns to his coast headquarters today (Wed.).
Distrib purchased worldwide rights (except for Japan and Okinawa) on "Alakazam" from Toei earlier this year. The color cartoon has been entirely reedited, dubbed (by Frankie Avalon, Dodie Stevens, Johnathan Winters and Arnold Stang) and scored (by Les Baxter) for its AIP release.
Nicholson obviously hopes that "Alakazam" will be the beginning of a long and profitable association between AIP and Toei. There also are plans afoot for AIP to make its next scheduled Jules Verne feature, "In The Year 2889," in conjunction with Toei. Those plans, however, await the result of preliminary negotiations to be started by AIP foreign chief Bill Reisch when he goes to Tokyo next month.
As Nicholson figures it, his company could profitably market two cartoon features a year, depending, of course, on the quality and appeal of the pix, as well as on the price for which they were obtained. He declines to say how much his company paid for “Alakazam,” saying only that it was "reasonable," but he figures the film will have to bring in a rental of about $600,000 to make a profit. The point is that although the original price was "reasonable," the company has poured a lot of added dough into the pic to ready it for the occidental market.
One of the more attractive aspects of cartoon features, says the prexy is that if they're any good at all they become perennial sources of income, being "reissuable" for every holiday season and constantly finding new audiences as new kids come into the world. And, unlike live-action-films, the characters in a cartoon never become dated. Witness the Disney repertory company which includes Snow White, Pinocchio, Dumbo, etc.
The AIP prexy, who began in the business as a projectionist and later became an exhib, including the manager of a Los Angeles house that specialized in cartoon shows year-round, says there are two kinds of cartoon features: the kind where the mother drops the kids at the theatre and asks the ticket-seller when the show will be out, and the kind where the mother (or maybe even father, or both) accompany the kids to the show. With such an "offbeat" as well as "in" character as Johnathan Winters adding his bit to "Alakazam," Nicholson thinks maybe AIP has a cartoon feature of more than Just kiddie appeal.
July 12, 1961
Cartoon producer Larry Harmon takes credit for the growing practice of having live actors depict tv film cartoon characters at fairs and special events devised to hypo sales at supermarkets and department stores. It was obviously suggested, he says, by success of format he originated for presentation of "Bozo the Clown." Format, first tried at KTLA here, consists of having a live Bozo introducing cartoons and doing commercial spiels before an audience of moppets in a circus tent setting. Program also includes games usually and contests, with prizes, for the kids. Since first introduced here, producer points out that 45 of the almost 200 stations televising "Bozo" cartoons have adopted the format. In virtually every city where this was done, he states, it wasn't long before the local "Bozo" became so popular with kids that he began to be called upon frequently for paid p.a.s at events whose promoters wanted to assure large kid turnouts.
Rome – 12 UPA cartoons bought here by Cino Del Duca will be combined into feature to preem as "Spettacolissimo" at upcoming Bordighera Film Comedy Festival.
July 18, 1961
Pete Burness has rejoined Jay Ward Productions as supervising megger of the "Dudley Do-Right Of The Mounties," segments of "The Bullwinkle Show," cartoon aeries to debut this fall on NBC-TV.
July 21, 1961
New half-hour tv cartoon series, "Wacko Wolf," was put into production yesterday by Larry Harmon.
Each half-hour film, according to Harmon, will be made up of three segs, with "Wacko Wolf" hero of opening seg and two other characters, "Ali Khat" and "Tico-Taco," being protagonists of other two stanzas. There will be connecting links between the three segs to make each half-hour film a unified show.
John Walker and Chuck McKimson have been set as directors of "Calvin And The Colonel," animated cartoon series with the voices of Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, being filmed at Creston Studios. Bob Ganon, executive producer, has completed the 18th segment.
Dona Prudencla Griffel, Mexican character actress, was inked yesterday by Jay Ward Productions to handle Spanish dubbing of Edward Everett Horton's narration in "Fractured Fairy Tales," weekly episode in "The Bullwinkle Show." Color cartoon, bowing on NBC-TV this fall, will be retabbed "Pasmorote" for Latin American viewers.
July 24, 1961
Larry Harmon has sold WKBT, LaCrosse, Wis., his "Bozo The Clown" tv cartoon series, thus making station the 199th outlet for syndicated series, distributed by Jayark.
Venice, July 23.—America made a very strong showing in the Venice Festival of documentary, arty, newsreel and children's films, just concluded here. ...
In moppet cartoon race winner was the Terrytoon "Drum Roll." Third first prize Bronze Lion went to John Hubley for his UN entry "Children Of The Sun," which won documentary animation competition.
July 25, 1961
UPA's full-length'er "Gay Purr-ee," with voices of Judy Garland and Hermione Gingold played by cartoon cats, now to be joined by Gene Kelly and Louis Jourdan as the tomcats . . .
July 26, 1961
American International's cartoon feature, "Alakazam The Great," has been awarded the Parents' Magazine Family Medal for September. Japanese cartoon has been dubbed into English by Frankie Avalon, Dodie Stevens, Jonathan Winters, Arnold Stang and Sterling Holloway. Music is by Les Baxter.
Two pilots for the five-minute series were made in Japan for Videcraft Intl. Inc., but Crawley got the nod for the $300,000-plus deal for world distribution. (It's actually for 130, with another 130 optioned.) BBG reportedly promised Videocraft a "55% Canadian" seal for its Japanese-made "Pinocchio" as well, if "Oz" was made in Canada. BBG chairman Dr. Andrew Stewart is quoted as saying the concession was made to encourage formation of a Canadian animation industry. This is the first major cartoon series made in Canada. Three have been shot, three are in production and 40 are expected to be in the can by Oct. 31.
Crawley Films will do all the visuals, with soundtrack made at RCA-Victor studios in Toronto by Bernard Cowan Associates Inc., with Canadian actors Pegi Loder, Paul Kligman, Larry Mann, Alfie Scopp and James Doohan in leads, directed by Cowan. Thomas Glynn, vet Crawley director, is helming the visuals and all technicians are Canadian. So are five of the six key animators and as many others of the 35 needed as can be hired in Canada, the rest to come from U.K. (Crawley has rounded up 25 so far.) Firm has had a small animation unit for years for its commercial films, headed by Vic Atkinson. Dickie Horn, w.k. U.K. animator, is another of the key men, who also include William Mason, Barry Nelson, Dennis Pyke and English-born Robert Dalton, all Canadians. Story boards are being done by Tom Peters and Jules Bass, both of N.Y.—latter a member of Videocraft directorate. Script is based on the Frank Baum characters, partially renamed Rusty the Tin Man, Dandy the Cowardly Lion, Socrates the Straw Man. Dorothy and the Munchkins, however, remains the same. [snip]
July 26, 1961
Jay Ward Productions' "Rocky And His Friends," animated tv cartoon series, has been syndicated into 60 key markets, it was reported yesterday with the inking of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Detroit. Show is sponsored by General Mills which also sponsors NBC-TVs "Bullwinkle Show," another JW production.
August 1, 1961
Magnum Television International of Mexico City has been retained by Jay Ward Productions to syndicate firm's animated color cartoons in Latin America.
Ward produces "Rocky And His Friends" and "The Bullwinkle Show," latter set to bow Sept. 24 over NBC-TV.
Army Archerd column
UPA wants Milton Berle to lend his voice for yet another cartoon series.
August 2, 1961
The U.S. Treasury Savings Bond Division is building a children's savings stamp campaign around Jay Ward Productions' tv cartoon series characters, "Rocky And His Friends."
A 16-minute film is being made here by Ward and donated to the U.S. Treasury. General Mills, sponsor of the NBC-TV skein, is contributing 200 prints to be shown in schools and 150 tv spot announcements.
These are the winners at Locarno...
Silver Sail (for cartoon): to "Where Is Mama?" (Red China).
Fourth year for the Vancouver Film Festival ended with the festival jury awarding 28 prizes under such categories as short fictional, documentary, fine arts, science and agriculture, industry and commerce, travel, instructional, health, welfare & medical, public relations.
Festival judges Mrs. Kashiko Kawakita (Japan), Herman G. Weinberg (U.S.) and Norman McLaren (Canada) also honoured "The Magic Skin" (Zagreb Film, Yugoslavia) as best animated short film.
A special plaque was presented to judge Norman McLaren for his Lines Horizontal" (National Film Board, Canada)
Metro has purchased world release rights to 88-minute Japanese cartoon feature, "The Enchanted Monkey" (Toei) which just won a special mention at Venice Festival.
August 3, 1961
George Bruns will conduct the music and score the series of animated cartoons featuring the voices of Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll (Amos 'n' Andy). Half-hour show, "Calvin And The Colonel," is on ABC-TV's fall schedule.
August 3, 1961
Larry Harmon, who produces "Bozo The Clown" vidpix series, plans a theatrical cartoon feature, tentatively tagged "Moonlight And Music."
August 9, 1961
Herb Vigran has just completed chore as voice of sergeant in new projected tv cartoon series. "Beetle Bailey," based on Hearst Syndicate comic strip. Actor now moves into thesping spot in "Roaring 20's" vidpic, “Another Time, Another War.”
Columbia will reissue ten comedy shorts, including four "Mr. Magoo" cartoons.
"Magoos" are "Magoo Beats The Heat," "Magoo Goes Skiing," "Magoo Slept Here" and "Magoo's Masterpiece," while other six are "Let Down Your Aerial," "Red Riding Hood Rides Again," "Safety Spin," "Flung By A Fling," "The Gink At The Sink" and "Imagination."
In an effort to strengthen their relations with foreign companies, four Yugoslav film units have recently set up a separate corporation called Globus Film. All through the years, only one domestic export-import company, Yugoslavia Film, had been operating here. It handled all the native producing companies' export.
The four companies that founded Globus Film include Jadran, one of the top feature film producing companies in the land, Zagreb-Film, known for its short subject of all calibre and of which its cartoons reached world prominence.
August 11, 1961
Producers Studio, new tag for the old California lot taken over six months ago by Fred Jordan, is now about 75% capacity and activity is at greatest peak since the now defunct Enterprise Pictures operated the whole studio 1946-1948.
New rental deals include space to ... Dave and Phyllis Detiege Prods., which is making a feature cartoon, "Black Beauty"; a tv pilot, "Cloud Hopper," and is dickering with Ray Stark for rights to peg a tv cartoon skein on "Baby Snooks." Mrs. Detiege is Walt Disney's niece.
Other tenants include ... Larry Marmon, [sic] who makes "Bozo The Clown" and now is starting "Laurel & Hardy" video cartoon production.
Robert Hinkle, proxy of Sage Productions, discloses he will enter the animation field by making a tv pilot, "Little Billy Blue Shoes." Half-hour film will use both live and cartoon characters.
"Shoes" was created by Gerald Nelson and Mark Slade is the cartoonist.
A new character, "Super-Duper-Super," has been added to "Bozo The Clown" telefilm series by producer Larry Harmon.
August 14, 1961
Venice, Aug. 13. — John Hubley will serve as U.S. jury member at Venice Festival starting Aug. 30.
Writer-director's “Children Of The Sun” recently won a Venice Lion of Art Mark at the local Documentary Festival.
Hubley's first cartoon feature, "Of Stars And Men," incidentally will world - premiere non – competitively at fest.
August 15, 1961
Larry Harmon, long a tenant at Producers Studio, making "Boss The Clown" tv cartoons, plane building own production plant in Hollywood.
August 16, 1961
Set for Labor Day is Bugs Bunny cartoon, "Prince Violent," with "Strife With Father," "Daffy's Inn Trouble" and "A Hound for Trouble" also to go in Sept. "What's My Lion" and "The Grey Hounded Hare" are aimed for October, with November seeing "Beep Prepared" and "Leghorn Swaggled."
Adventure films are "Where the Trade Winds Play" and. "This Sporting World," to go in October and November, respectively.
Charles Boasberg, general sales manager of Warners, this week served notice on exhibitors, via the exhib trade organizations, that WB will not put up with bookings of "kiddie shows" programmed on a Saturday morning during the run of a WB percentage feature unless the theatre meets certain conditions.
Film company has a new exhibition contract with which it wants to make sure that the customers paying to see a specially-programmed moppet offering, in which WB does not participate in the gross, cannot remain in the theatre to see a following WB feature on which WB does participate.
Some theatres around the country make it a practice of putting together packages for the youngsters on Saturday mornings and school holidays. These mostly are made up of cartoons and older shorts kid-appeal reissues.
Boasberg said his company is willing to waive the boxoffice percentage from such programs, in instances where the regular film is from WB, on condition that the "kiddie show" is part of the theatre's regular policy and that the theatre is cleared of all patrons on about noon.
Walt Disney Productions has made a notable fiscal comeback for a Hollywood producer in the recent era. Significantly, the important earnings gains are attributable to theatrical productions, whereas the television income showed only a slight increase and other businesses in Disney's diversified scheme of things were off.
Net profit for the nine months ended July 1 was $2,273,083, equal to $1.46 per share on 1,626,023 common shares outstanding. The provision for taxes was $2,828,000. In comparison, the nine months ended July 2, 1960, brought a net of $323,151, or 20c per share, on the same number of shares out and after a tax provision of $525,000. The gain in the new nine-month period was over 600%.
Third quarter net was $1.05 per share compared with 26c per share for the corresponding 13 weeks of last year.
Total gross for the nine months amounted to $43,852,820, up $10,031,214 from 1961's $33,821,606. Film revenue increased by $10,227,107 and television income by $44,558. The wholly-owned Disneyland Park revenue fell by $20,085 and income from other subsidiary enterprises, including publications, character merchandising,. non-theatrical films, music and records was off by $220,366.
Three feature productions particularly contributed to the strong upbeat, these being "Swiss Family Robinson," "The Absent-Minded Prpfessor" and the "One Hundred and One Dalmations" cartoon. Interesting aside is that all three obviously constituted "family" fare in an era indelibly marked by "adult" cinematics.
In release now via Disney are "Parent Trap," a comedy, and "Nikki, Wild Dog of the North," adventure story. Completed and awaiting release are "Greyfriars' Bobby," "Babes in Toyland" and "Moon Pilot." "Toyland" is set as the producer's Christmas-time release. In current production are "Castaways" and "Bon Voyage," both live action, and "Sword in the Stone," animated cartoon feature. "Wonderful World of Color," weekly hour program which Disney is producing for NBC-TV exposure, premieres Sept. 24. Roy Disney president of the company, noted the "excellent returns" from the theatricals which, along with Disneyland summer season returns, ought to "give us a very profitable year."
August 18, 1961
Minneapolis, Aug. 17.—Stunt pulled to publicize opening of "La Dolce Vita" four weeks ago at Academy Theatre here has cued a rival exhib to put a reverse English on gimmick and gamer himself a flock of newspaper space for opening of "Alakazam The Great" at his own Uptown Theatre. For "Vita," Academy operator Ted Mann imported Mario di Vecchi, U.S. distrib of film, to rep Italian producer at local preem, and staged a gala reception for visitor at Minneapolis airport.
Harold Field, longtime rival of Mann's, burlesqued stunt with an arrival celebration of his own to bally "Alakazam." He brought in a monkey by plane and gave it the full red carpet treatment.
Field had a limousine waiting at airport for monkey and presented the simian with "the key to Como Park Zoo." A "suite" was reserved at an animal hospital. Critter was passed off as the monkey's uncle of Alakazam, cartoon simian who was reported "too busy to appear." Substitute was flown in as coming from Rochester, Minn., "where he has been having a psychiatric check-up." The simian is to be given away at conclusion of "Alakazam" engagement.
August 23, 1961
Some vet performers find themselves offstage as "voices" for cartoon characters. Roster on "Dick Tracy" series, which debuts this fall on WPIX, N.Y., includes: Everett Sloane, the voice of sleuth Tracy; Benny Rubin as "Joe Jitsu"—Nipponese private-eye; Paul Frees, another screen, tv and radio vet, is heard as "Go-Go-Gomez," "Heap O'Callory" and "B-B Eyes.
Milton Berle fills in as columnist
One of the more important changes [in television] has been the evolution of the cartoon situation series. So many cartoon series have sprung up that it won’t be long when all the television shows will be in cartoon and only commercials will have real people. Madison Avenue found out that the viewer leaves the set for the refrigerator during a live show and stays glued during a cartoon. One agency is combining both elements. They're putting out a situation comedy cartoon commercial. Just for insurance they'll have a western plot, and an audience participation gimmick.
August 28, 1961
Jack Hellman column
JOE BARBERA (HANNA &) WOULD LIKE to tilt a lance with the columnists who write that animation is a plot to put actors out of work. "No such thing," says the very animated animator. "We have the figures to prove that we use more actors than most half hour shows. Last year we used 284 different actors and in every cartoon there's always a call of from 12 to 16 actors. While it takes only four hours to record a half hour cartoon, the pay is comparable to what is paid on non-animated shows. Daws Butler, whose voice is heard on three Hanna-Barbera cartoon series, drew $300,000 last year. Bea Benadaret has said, 'give me one more cartoon series and I can retire.' Does that look like we're plotting the professional demise of actors?"
August 30, 1961
With two cartoon shows set for the fall. Jay Ward Productions is expanding its staff here and in Mexico City from 150 to 200. Two fall releases are "The Bullwinkle Show" on NBC-TV and 60-city syndication of "Rocky and His Friends."
Ward and coproducer Bill Scott will boost writing-directing-layout and design personnel here from 18 to 30. Proportionate increase also will be made at Mexico City studio where company has animating.
September 6, 1961
Film rights to "Your Rugged Constitution," Bruce and Esther Findlay's book about the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, have been acquired by Mitchell J. Hamilburg, who intends to produce for worldwide distribution.
Film will dramatize the country's democratic heritage and is planned for dubbing in all foreign languages. Book has sold over 3,000,000 copies since 1962 and has been serialized in 86 newspapers.
Production is slated for Nov. 1 in widescreen and color. Hamilburg will produce with three top stars, plus using animated cartoon characters, historical photographs, art masterpieces and previously-unreleased film footage from the Congressional Library and Smithsonian Institute archives. Produceris currently negotiating to premiere before the United Nations in N.Y.
Cartoon segments will be produced by Jack Kinney Productions. Second unit will photograph documentary aspects while shooting is underway in Hollywood.
Major studio release is now being discussed, according to Hamilburg.
Co-producer Bill Scott will host.
In a unique pubservice effort, Mighty Mouse of CBS-TV and Deputy Dawg, syndicated cartoon character of CBS Films were recently linked together for a 15-minute radio feature for UNICEF. (United Nations Children's Fund). Mighty Mouse acted as host to Deputy Dawg and other charcters in an informational-entertainment feature that describes the work of UNICEF around the world. Also featured on the program is special guestar Danny Kaye singing "The Ugly Duckling Song." Disk will be released by the U.S. committee for UNICEF in time for the annual Halloween "Trick or Treat" drive. Mighty Mouse, who was selected as the official ambassador for the '61 UNICEF drive, also will be seen in a one-minute UNICEF tv spot.
September 11, 1961
Army Archerd’s column
Five minutes talk and a coupla fast sketches by Hanna-Barbera were all that were needed to convince Columbia's Abe Schneider to okay a feature version of their Yogi Bear . . . Long-sold on the cartoon bar's vidpopularity, Schneider required no further proof — such as Kellogg's revelation to H-B last week that 40 million boxes of corn flakes with Yogi's birthday gift offer of a comic book is already a sellout. That's a lotta corn flakes! . . . It was inevitable that this news follows the pattern of the remarkable cartoon kids: six sites have been offered to build H-B amusement parks, a la Disneyland, natch, but on a smaller scale. Rides to fit their cast of celluloiders, Yogi, Huckleberry, Flintstones, Top Cat, etc. and the habitats for the characters who will fill a three-acre studio H-B is now in the process of building . . . Current plant so busy, much dubbing done with humans on the run, such as Saturday a.m.'s session at Mel Blanc's house. You'll be happy to hear he is progressing very well . . . While on a cartoon kick, "Bullwinkle's" (NBC) Bill Scott got a temporary nix on a guesting aboard Irv Kupcinet's show, a CBS affiliate. "Network opposition," was Kup's explanation.
September 20, 1961
New York, Sept. 19.—Universal-International will release 36 color shorts and one in black-and-white during 1961-'62 season. Walter Lantz is set to make 19 new color cartoons, with reissues skedded on seven Woody Woodpecker cartoons.
King Features, distributing new episodes of "Popeye," has concluded a deal with WPIX, N.Y., for 208 episodes. Daily News indie has had a successful "Popeye" kiddie strip for years.
Since King first began to do the new "Popeye" series, it has been sold in more than 100 markets domestically. New "Popeye" cartoons also are appearing in Canada, Australia,' South America and soon will debut in the Philippines.
Seven Arts Associated ... has also sold all 191 Looney Tunes cartoons to KBAK-TV, Bakersfield, Calif., and KCPX-TV, Salt Lake City.
September 21, 1961
Jack Hellman column
IF THINGS LOOK BLACK AND YOU WANT to be happier with your lot in life, we'd suggest a visit to Mel Blanc in his Pacific Palisades home. Nine months ago his car was smashed up and little hope was held for his recovery. He's now in a wheel chair after months In traction with 22 breaks in one leg among his multiple injuries. But he had the will to live and greets visitors with a big, wide smile. Most of his 200 voices have been heard in cartoons and commercials and despite his painful injuries he has mustered courage to keep working in his own sound-proofed studio. You'll get the same reaction if you call him on the phone; a cheerful hello and even some of his trick voices. You'll admire his pluck and feel a lot better. The medics have told him he'll be as good as new in another three months. May we say for Mel that he's one of the finest gentlemen in the business.
September 26, 1961
Army Archerd column
September 27, 1961
"The Interview," five-minute animated cartoon produced by Ernest Pintoff that's been a hot comedy item in artie film houses, will be run off on Steve Allen's premiere show tonight (Wed.) on ABC-TV
ABC-TV is preeming "Top Cat" tonight (Wed.), but there was a problem originally of how to promote the cartoon series via one of tv's traditional pre-preem road tours to warm up local audiences.
Screen Gems, the outfit that sold "Cat" to the web, solved the touring problem. SG flack chief Gene Plotknik, giving his show the edge over the three other cartoon series preeming this fall, got producer Hanna-Barabera [sic] to have Arnold Stang and Maurice Gosfield, the show's main voices, prerecord five-minutes of banter with local tv emcees. Gosfield and Stang ask the questions and spaces are left on the disk for answers, which any local performer can answer.
That accounts for the voice part of promo. As for "bodies," Plotnik got Eaves to turn out costume replicas of the cartoon characters involved, Top Cat and his pal Benny the Ball, which are being bicycled around to ABC affils in special containers. Costumes have been worn by office boys and flack gals at the local station level, who have gestured, mimed and danced to the words of Stang and Gosfield. The "Cat" has played nine major markets since Aug. 15.
Main trouble? Plotnik says that there were no press interviews as on other promo tours. "With the press these days," he says, "you can't get down the answers in advance."
September 29, 1961
Political overtones are seeping into vidpix cartoons, too. Larry Harmon, producer of "Bozo The Clown" series, has added a new character tagged "Slippery," listed as "an international spy."
October 3, 1961
Walter Lantz is branching out from film cartoon production into music publishing field with formation of Lantz Music Corp. With Lantz prexy, other officers of pubbery are Gordon Zahler, veepee; Robert Lee Miller, secretary; Jack R. Perry, treasurer.
In addition to publishing tunes from Lantz theatrical and tv productions, new company will bring out other material.
October 4, 1961
UPA's "Mister Magoo" has added 14 markets and "Dick Tracy" 16 in the past six weeks, bringing their totals now to 131 and 78 respectively. The animated cartoon shows are distributed by Television Personalities Inc., a sister-company also prexied by Henry G. Saperstein.
Three stations purchased both series during the selling period. They are KFDA-TV, Amarillo, Texas; KOCO-TV, Oklahoma City, Okla.; and WRAL-TV, Raleigh, N. C.
Proposal for a settlement with creditors was filed under Chapter 11 in Federal District Court, N.Y., by Felix the Cat Productions. Involved in the proceedings were subsids Felix the Cat Creations and 411 Sound Recording Studios.
Proposal was subject to the approval of preferred creditor. Laird, Bissell Meeds, who has notes of $57,500. Felix the Cat Productions, stating that it was insolvent, proposed an arrangement with unsecured creditors, whereby it would pay them 20% of royalties from copyrights and 20% of its residuals which Felix the Cat Productions is entitled to under its contract with Trans Lux Television. The payments, to start about six months hence, would continue until said assets are exhausted, or the debts are paid in full.
In wake of the filing, Trans Lux Television issued a statement announcing that all 206 episodes of Felix the Cat cartoon series have been delivered and that the series is completed. "Felix the Cat" cartoon is currently being telecast on over 75 stations.
The American motion industry Is being chewed out for its presentation at the Edinburgh Film Festival by a sabre-tooth official U.S. Government memo. It assails the industry for not doing its part in helping Uncle Sam out overseas...
Here are some more excerpts from the secret document:
"When America Day at Edinburgh features 'The Exiles', an appalling picture of American Indians 'on the town' in Los Angeles; 'Angel Baby', a small, insignificant 'B' picture about evangelism in Florida, and 'Of Stars and Men', a beautifully made but highly complex cartoon film which attempts to visualize man's relationship to the universe,—when the U.S. is represented by films like these, the time has come for some very serious conversations with the American motion picture industry. The Yugoslav film industry has been suffering from the misconceptions, held by most foreigners, including American film people, that it is still a branch of the government. Actually, for the last four years it's been a group of privately held cooperative companies who are free to make their own deals, at home and abroad, within certain broad limits that govern any business community.
This point was stressed in New York last week by Vlado Teresak, newly arrived U.S. head of Globus Film, a recently formed agency set up to rep five, or approximately half, of Yugoslavia's film production companies....
Among the companies being repped by Teresak are Dubrava Film Studios, which are primarily rentals studios, and Zagreb Film, which is doing a lively business in animated work. Company has turned out a cartoon series, "Hounds for Hire," for Cinemagic of New York....
October 6, 1961
Kenneth Grossman, former MGM production exec, has been named manager of Creston Studios, producer of animated cartoon shows for tv.
October 9, 1961
Jack Hellman column
CHAIN BREAKS . . . WALTER LANTZ, WHO HAS BEEN MAKing theatrical cartoons in Hollywood for 46 years, takes a dim view of those little pen-and-ink characters flitting about the networks. Aside from "The Flintstones," which he describes as the best of the job lot, he noted a shortage of quality in the animation. Nor can he understand how a cartoon producer can come out at current costs. A quality cartoon, he says, can't be made for less than $85,000 as against the normal budget of $60,000 for a half hour live or filmed show. "It's the old story," said Lantz, "of not enough good animators to fill all the needs." Lantz will break into tv with "Woody Woodpecker," which has a profitable theatrical history. He has put together 11 "Woodies" with his wife, Grace Stafford, as the voice of the lumber scourge, with an added live-action educational feature . . . General Foods, which bought "The Alvin Show" to compete against Kellogg, now wishes it hadn't. Agency doesn't think it will get past 13.
October 18, 1961
New York, Oct. 17.—Show Corporation, U.S. indie distrib, plans still another variation in New York playoff when it distributes an animated feature version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in December. In addition to firstrun at the Guild Theatre, midtown artie, pic will get special "point of purchase" showings once each day in 20 other metropolitan arties for 14 days, Dec. 18 to Jan. 1. The morning and matinee showings will be separate from regular attractions at arties. They will also precede conventional playoff of pic following Guild.
Film, in Eastman Color and CinemaScope, features animated puppet technique of Jiri Trnka, who made pic in Prague. Richard Burton narrates. Old Vic Company provides acting voices.
June Foray yesterday cut voices for "Hawaiian Aye," a WB cartoon. She'll also warble a pair of hula tunes.
Stan Laurel and the late Oliver Hardy will become cartoon characters in primetime on NBC-TV next season. Half-hour series being animated by Larry Harmon are released through Jayark Films Corp.
Paul Finnell [sic] will be the director, with scripts by Carl Kohner. Laurel is a consultant. Each program will be a complete story, according to Mort Werner, NBC-TV program veepee.
The Herald-Sun TV, Ltd., is Australia has bought the "Courageous Cat" cartoon series from Tele Features.
Other recent sales of "Courageous Cat" cartoons have been made to WFLA, Tampa, Fla.; WAGA-TV, Atlanta; WlTL Milwaukee; and WSPO, Toledo.
CARTOONS: PEOPLE LIKE PEOPLE
TAKE A BEATING ON TV ARBITRONS
What may turn out to be the shortest-lived cycle of any programming form in tv is now being hatched on the national Arbitrons. The result could spell disaster in the short span of one season for the seven animation-cartoon shows riding the three networks. In one way or another they're all getting hurt.
Something like $28,000,000 is involved, at the rate of approximately $70,000 per weekly segment on each of the series, and the unfortunate part of it is that the network, by virtue of the high production costs, are committed to firm 26-week commitments and can't do anything about it. Because of the economics of cartoon-making, and the necessity of inviting reruns to help recover some of the invested loot, the webs are obliged to ride with them through the season, regardless of the mounting Arbitron evidence that, where prime time is concerned, people like people.
(This is in contradistinction to the kid-slanted late afternoon cartoon fare circuiting the stations via syndication, suggesting anew that the animation form is basically juve fodder rather than all-family entertainment.)
Inspired by the success of last season's "Flintstones" entry, ABC-TV In particular went whole hog in animation-cartoon this season, with the following added starters: "Calvin & the Colonel," "Top Cat" and the non-animated chimps in "The Hathaways," plus, of course, the new cycle of "Flintstones" and "Bugs Bunny." NBC turned over Sunday at 7 to "Bullwinkle" and CBS put its Wednesday night chips on "The Alvin Show."
Here's what's been happening:
Tuesdays, "Bugs Bunny," ABC-TV, third in its time period, beaten by "Marshal Dillon" (Gunsmoke rerun) and "Laramie;" "Calvin and the Colonel," ABC-TV, bad third in its time period, against "Dobie Gillis" and "Hitchcock."
Wednesdays: "Alvin Show," CBS-TV, badly beaten by "Wagon Train," but coming out quite a bit ahead of Steve Allen, placing second; "Top Cat," ABC-TV, bad third in its time period, with Joey Bishop and "Checkmate" in competition. Fridays: "The Hathaways," ABC-TV, third in its time slot, not too far behind "International Showtime," but badly beaten by "Rawhide." "Flintstones." in its second season out on ABC-TV, is the only one of the "non-people" shows, to draw an above 30 share of audience. "Flintstones," according to initial Arbitrons, is second in its time period, nosed out by "Route 66," but beating "Robert Taylor: Captain of Detectives."
The early evening hours are not measured by the daily national Arbitrons. A look-see at the 24-city Nielsen of Oct. 1., finds NBC-TV's "Bullwinkle" in its Sunday at 7 p.m. berth running third to "Lassie" and "Maverick."
Toei Motion Picture Co. of Japan has opened a New York office with Haruo Yoshida as manager.
Exec will be concerned with the promotion, sale and distribution of Toei including features, cartoons and industrial and commercial pix.
Chico Marx, the man who never really retired, in a sense will still be "in the show," despite his sudden passing Oct. 11 in his Beverly Hills home of a heart attack, The 70-year-old comedian, eldest of the Marx Bros, and known to millions as piano-playing, Italian-dialect member of the brothers act, will appear with Groucho and Harpo as a life-like figure in an animation comedy teleseries Screen Gems is prepping.
It was Chico's third attack in the last two years, and like the others it came almost on the eve of his getting back into his "Italian" character and making with the laughs again. The figure of Chico in a special tri-cinemation—and secret—process was completed only a few weeks ago. Series will be made up largely of earlier comedy routines when the Marxes appeared together, according to studio, which will bring the Marx Bros, to fresh audiences as well as those who followed them on the Broadway stage and later in motion pictures.
October 19, 1961
Under terms of complaint, Bosustow seeks to recover damages for alleged breach of a written contract dated June 27, 1960, between himself and UPA, Saperstein and De Met. Bosustow claims he was to be employed for a period of 10 years, of which the first five were on an exclusive basis and second five years on a non-exclusive basis. Defendants, according to complaint, since July 15, 1961, on their contention they were poverty-stricken, have failed to pay Bosustow the weekly salary of $600, weekly expense account of $100, and failed to maintain the life insurance and other insurance policies provided by contract. Bosustow also charges that Saperstein and De Met agreed to purchase and pay for his stock in UPA and that they have failed to complete this transaction. He further alleges that UPA, Saperstein and De Met have been causing a transfer of the assets of UPA to Television Personalities Inc., in order to impoverish UPA, and to transfer all of assets from UPA to Television Personalities, in order to defeat the contractual rights of Bosustow.
Attachments have been levied on certain of the defendants' properties by the Sheriff of L.A. County, Bosustow reported yesterday.
October 24, 1961
Warner Bros. today removes the wraps and starts shooting a tv pilot, "The Wonderful World Of Philbert," first combo live action-and-cartoon series WB yet has blueprinted.
Joanna Barnes and William Shallert have been cast as man-and-wife, key figures in "Philbert," and Trustin Howard will do the voice of title character, which will be cartooned. Idea for series is credited to Shallert, WB, most active of major studios making vidpix, heretofore fielded only one cartoon series, "Bugs Bunny." "Philbert," like other tv projects at Warners, first will be offered to ABC.
October 25, 1961
King Feature Syndicates' sales of the new made-for-tv "Popeye" cartoons has just passed the $4,500,000 mark. Latest sale was to KTAL-TV, Shreveport, La., the 112th station to sign for the 220 newly produced subjects.
King has so far delivered 150 of the new "Popeyes." Production of the remaining 70 is due to be completed early next spring. Animation is being done in both Hollywood and New York.
Over 90% of the stations that have bought the new cartoons already were playing the original theatrical "Popeyes." Some of the stations are mixing the old with the new subjects on their local "Popeye" shows. Some are running solely with the King "Popeyes." Other stations making deals with King include: WSOC, Charlotte, N. C; WRDW, Augusta, Ga.; WDSM, Duluth; KRCG, Jefferson City, Mo.; KTTS, Springfield, Mo.; and WSPD, Toledo.
October 26, 1961
Jack Hellman’s column
"WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN SLOW STARTERS SO WE'RE NOT worried that we didn't show up in Nielsen's top 20. Once we get warmed up I think well go all the way." To Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, all the way means whatever distance longevity applies to tv’s animated cartoons. They like to think of it in the term of 2 to 4 years. Gosden and Correll, who have gone from Sam 'n' Henry, to Amos 'n' Andy to their current characters, Calvin and the Colonel, over a span of 35 years on radio and tv, can recall painlessly that their first A & A was reviewed in a Walla Walla, Wash., paper as "radio's biggest flop has just arrived." Later the same columnist hedged by calling them "the Abie's Irish Rose of radio." It's all history by now and while thankful for the past their immediate concern is to get "Calvin" on the high road. They full well know it's a challenge to be met squarely, what with such a paucity of good writers and animators. In Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher, who have worked with "the boys" for 16 years after they had been through a hundred or more, they believe they have the best in the business—and "the fastest writers we've ever seen." As with other cartoon producers, they admit that good animators are hard to come by. "Sure there can be improvement in the animation of 'Calvin'," said Gosden, "but once we've got that licked we'll need only good adult stories to get on the winning track. But we're never satisfied and keep trying to make the next one better." Correll recalled that even at the top of their spectacular careers with Amos 'n' Andy they were always searching for new ways to improve the show.
While the animation of 23 segments have been completed, there'll be some fixing up to do and this becomes a major problem. One cartoon requires from 13 to 15 weeks for actual production and any changes require sometimes weeks, according to this team of perfectionists. But once they get over the hump of matching up the animation with the feel of the characters, they reason that the show will be in orbit. Modest and uncritical, they refuse to comment on the good or bad of other networked cartoons. "The good ones will survive as with any other form of entertainment," they agree. How many, they decline to hazard. While it took three months for Amos 'n' Andy to catch on, they believe they can better that mark with "Calvin." Of all their matchless accomplishments in radio and tv, they take personal pride in the fact that Pepsodent, which sponsored them 33 years ago, is now one of their bankrollers. What lies ahead for Gosden and Correll? Nothing more than to make "Calvin" the best cartoon series in tv.
October 27, 1961
Taken from top to bottom, "Wagon Train" was high point-taker in Wednesday night's Arbitron with 28.8, with Steve Allen bringing up the rear at 8.9. Animated cartoons fared none too well, "Top Cat" taking 11.6 and "The Alvin Show" 12.9. Best gain over the preceding ARB report was posted by Joey Bishop at 28.1, a four-point pickup. "Mrs. G. Goes To College" checked in at 13.7.
October 31, 1961
"Gator" is voiced by Bill Thompson and Paul Frees, Thompson and Alan Reed do "Turtle," Mel Blanc, "Lippy."
H&B is going into live and animated commercials for first time, with veepee William Warwick heading this division. Hour long cartoon variety show also is being prepped, to include three-five segment format with a regular animated emcee.
H&B currently is putting together its first cartoon feature on "Yogi Bear" with Columbia, using regular "Yogi" voices Daws Butler, Don Messick and Julie Bennett. Theatrical pic is for release in Thanksgiving, 1962. "Flintstone" feature is also on the boards for Col. U.S. Information Service has approached H&B about a "Flintstone" propaganda film. "Loopy De Loop" theatrical is being expanded.
Partners also plan additional guest star deals in future cartoon segs similar to the Hoagy Carmichael guesting on "Flintstones." H&B employs 185 people and last year used 275 actors and 100 musicians, latter guaranteed 60 hours of work. Company has 386 merchandising deals.
November 1, 1961
Robert Goulet has been set for singing lead opposite Judy Garland in "Gay Purr-ee," UPA feature length cartoon featuring Harold Arlen-Yip Harburg score. Singer takes a week's leave from his "Lancelot" role in "Camelot" on Broadway to do the film. He arrives Nov. 9, accompanied by manager Norman Rosemont.
King Features Syndicate has begun Spanish dubbing of its made-for-tv "Popeye" series following the sale of the cartoons in Spain. New series had previously been sold for airing in Venezuela.
With the Spanish sale, KFS has set the new "Popeyes" in a total of seven countries outside the U. S. over the past six months, bringing their total international gross to $500,000. Other countries in which the new "Popeyes" are sold are Canada, Australia, Philippines, Japan and Brazil.
In Canada, where "Popeye" distribution is handled by Sovereign Film Distributors, the cartoons now are playing on CBC stations including Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.
November 2, 1961
"New Breed" will be moved up a half-hour in "Calvin's" slot to be followed by "Yours For A Song" and "Alcoa Premiere." "Calvin" has been plagued by weak ratings, having as lead-ins "Bugs Bunny" and "Bachelor Father." Its competition is "Dobie Gillis" and Alfred Hitchcock. Voices on "Calvin" are those of Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll (Amos 'n' Andy).
November 7, 1961
Tv cartoon producer Larry Harmon has formed a music company under his name, to market all songs composed for his syndicated cartoon series, "Bozo The Clown," "Laurel And Hardy" and others.
November 8, 1961
"Supercar," Independent Television Corp.'s new kiddie series, has been sold to the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., marking the fourth CBC sale for ITC this year. Kiddie cartoon series already has been scheduled in N.Y., Chicago, Pittsburgh. Detroit, Washington, Seattle-Tacoma, and in other U.S. cities.
November 13, 1961
Mirisch Co. has entered cartoon field, setting up a coproduction deal with UPA on "Gay Purr-ee," animated feature for which Judy Garland, Red Buttons, Robert Goulet and Hermione Gingold, among others, are dubbing the vocals.
Coproduction was set by Harold Mirisch and UPA prexy Henry Saperstein. UPA has had project in works some months. Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg have written eight tunes for cartoon. With entry of Mirisch into production, United Artists release obtains, of course.
November 22, 1961
The new tv season is only two months old, but this is already the week when a lot of 'programs on the three networks come up for grabs. For this is the week when notification on cancellation occurs on all the dubious entries on which sponsors have committed themselves for 13 weeks....
There's a plot afoot at ABC to move both "Top" Cat" and "Calvin and the Colonel" into Saturday night as back-to-back 7:30 to 8:30 cartoon entries, thus filling the gap by the vacating of "Roaring '20s." Both cartoon shows in their present berths are hurting.
The new "Popeye" is public relations conscious. King Features Syndicate, now in the midst of producing 220 new "Popeye" cartoons for tv, is angling a number of the new subjects at various public services.
For instance, a new "Popeye" telefilm, titled "Uncivil War" has Olive Oyl, Wimpy and Brutus demonstrating just about every unsafe driving technique in the books, with dire consequences. Other "Popeye" films show the hero fighting Brutus over tree conservation and whipping Wimpy for starting a forest fire. "Tooth Be, or Not Tooth Be," which is in production, will have Popeye's Pappy giving Swee'pea the need for dental care. What about the old "Popeye" films? Mr. Sailor, in some segments, single-handed wins the war against the Japs. Times have changed.
November 27, 1961
Hanna-Barbera Productions has signed Harvey Bullock, Larry Markes and Jack Raymond to write scripts for "The Flintstones" tv cartoon series, present season's shows. Series is produced and directed by Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera.
November 28, 1961
Larry Harmon, who produces the syndicated "Bozo The Clown" tv cartoons, has been commissioned by NBC-TV to produce another animated series next season, "to be aired in primetime according to assurances by network execs." Harmon earlier this year sold animated series, "Laurel And Hardy," to NBC-TV. He is also making "Wacko The Wolf," color series not yet sold. Harmon said his studio will probably double its personnel in the coming year "and there definitely will be no 'runaway' production on any of my series or productions."
Larry Harmon, who produces "Bozo The Clown" tv cartoon series, is readying a comic strip on character.
November 29, 1961
Army Archerd column
Hanna-Barbera unhappy the current SatEvePost yarn reads like there's bad blood between 'em and Walt Disney. "He's the father of our country, so far as we are concerned," Barbera said yesterday. (Post yarn quotes him: "If Disney starts making cartoons for tv on a regular schedule, he will either have to change his style completely or go broke. We’ll see how much of a perfectionist he is then") . . .
H-B plotting a second full-length feature in addition to Yogi Bear — NOT based on one of their vidcartoons . . . Uncle Walt also takes it on the chin from "Bullwinkle" bosses Jay Ward and Bill Scott in Newsweek which says their "proudest boast is that they never worked for Walt Disney." But yesterday, Ward laughed, "I'm sure Disney doesn't know we exist"
Clampett's original "Time For Beany" served as the source of "Matty's Funnies With Beany And CeciL" Cartoon series started locally on tv in 1949 and won three local Emmy Awards.
Cartoon and "Room For One More" will be the replacements for the cancelled "The Roaring 20's."
Ross Bagdasarian, creator of CBS-TV's "The Alvin Show," has built a storyline around his "Chipmunk Song" and will air the 14,000,000 disk seller ditty on Dec. 13.
First time the tune was presented on tv was a lip-sync version by Bagdasarian on the "Ed Sullivan Show" in 1959. Disk established an all-time single period release with 4,000,000 sales In 1958 and has been an annual Yuletide disk seller since. Bagdasarian does all "three" voices, Alvin, Simon and Theodore.
December 1, 1961
ABC-TV has ordered four more segments of Hanna-Barbera's "Top Cat" to round out an even 30 which will take the cartoon series through March. Understood the extra episodes allow for enough repeats to finish out the season. Cartoonery is also expecting orders from Kellogg for further segments of the nationally syndicated (190 markets) "Quick Draw McGraw," "Huckleberry Hound" and "Yogi Bear."
December 6, 1961
S&W Productions has been formed by Chuck Saxton, Harry Williams and Frank Smith to produce series of tv cartoons, "Kookie Kops." Hugh Harmon and Rudolph Ising will do the animation.
During last Friday's one-day hearings before the subcommittee of Chairman John Dent, the voice of the American Federation of Musicians president, Herman Kenin, was directed against his union's pet peeve—musical sound-tracks made in foreign countries. These are entirely related to television, rather than theatrical, films. But the emphasis of Kenin has its own illumination.
Kenin filed a list of "runaway" television soundtracks and gave the AFM estimate on the number of man hours and wages lost. This is possibly the first such detailing ever set forth for the official minutes of a Government probe. The list follows:
BOB CLAMPETT CARTOONS
52 “Beany & Cecil” (1/2 hour)
5 men—24 sessions
Man jobs: 120
Salaries Lost: $12,000
CRESTON STUDIOS
26 “King Leonardo” (1/2 hour)
5 men—12 sessions
Man jobs: 60
Salaries Lost: $6,000.
LARRY HARMON PRODUCTIONS
39 “Bozo the Clown” (1/2 hour)
5 men—18 sessions
Man Jobs: 90
Salaries Lost: $9,000
39 “Laurel and Hardy” (1/2 hour)
5 men—18 sessions
Man Jobs: 90
Salaries Lost: $9,000
39 “Wacko Wolf” (1/2 hour)
5 men—18 sessions
Man Jobs: 90
Salaries Lost: $9,000
UPA PICTURES, Inc.
100 “Adventures of Dick Tracy” (5 minutes)
5 men—9 sessions
Man Jobs: 45
Salaries lost: $4,500
100 “Mr. McGoo” [sic] (5 minutes)
5 men—9 sessions
Man Jobs: 45
Salaries lost: $4,500
JAY WARD PRODS.
52 “Rocky & His Friends” (1/2 hour)
5 men—24 sessions.
Man Jobs: 120
Salaries Lost: $9,000.
39 “The Bullwinkle Show” (1/2 hour)
5 men—18 sessions
Man Jobs: 90
Salaries Lost: $6,000
December 11, 1961
Annoyed by what he termed "interminable stalling" of United Artists homeoffice execs on financing, after he had made a deal with The Mirisch Co. for "Gay Purr-ee," color cartoon feature, Henry G. Saperstein, prexy of United Producers of America, has completed a new arrangement with prexy Jack L. Warner and Ben Kalmenson, exec veepee of Warner Bros., for WB financing and distribution of pic.
On return Saturday from New York, Saperstein asserted he "got tired " of being put off by the UA execs and negotiated "a better deal" with Warners, that Warners has added $300,000 to what had been a $7,000,000 project.
"Purr-ee" has vocals by Robert Goulet, now on Broadway in "Camelot," and by Judy Garland, in addition to dubbed dialog by Hermione Gingold, Red Buttons, Morey Amsterdam and Paul Frees. Cartoon will take another seven months before completion.
December 13, 1961
Hanna-Barbera Productions is readying five new half-hour animation projects, despite acknowledgment by Joe Barbera yesterday that "It's been a pretty bad season for cartoon shows." Scripting the new projects are Warren Foster, Mike Maltese, Tony Benedict, Harvey Bullock, Ralph Wright, Jack Raymond and Dalton Sandifer.
Barbera opined that it's been adismal season for the new cartoon shows because (1) "from Monday through Thursdays animated shows shouldn't be on after 8 p.m." and (2) "I don't think the is enough talent around to make these shows."
He said H-B Productions is setting up a training course to develop animators, writers and others needed for animation entries. Barbera pointed out "for 15 years not one new person was trained for this business. Movie cartoons were going downhill during that period. Consequently people left the business to write comic books, become artists, turn to other fields. So suddenly we are faced with a great shortage in talent, writing, all the means we need for animation." He added H-B's own new entry, “Top Cat,” has had its troubles, but attributed it to the time slot on ABC-TV, and added the network recently picked the show up for four more segs, making it 30.
As for the company's new product, he said, "We want to prove there is nothing wrong with a good cartoon show." "The Flintstones" is currently being seen in 39 countries, he added. Barbera said he was not free to disclose the names of his new properties at this time.
HOLLYWOOD—William L. Snyder in from Gotham to seek writers for his Rembrandt Films' cartoon series.
Larry Harmon, head of the company which is producing the "Laurel & Hardy" color cartoon series for NBC-TV next season, is doubling. He'll use his voice for that of Stan Laurel's. Another actor is being lined up this week for the voice of the late Oliver Hardy.
The boss of the Larry Harmon Picture Corp. is an old hand at faking voices. He was Bozo the Clown for many years and, after leasing the rights to Bozo from Capitol Records, has parlayed that character into one of the most successful ventures in show biz. The "Bozo" tv show is now heard on 203 stations, worldwide, including 185 stations in the U. S. with a total of 75 "live" Bozos now in tv circulation. Harmon owns the show which is released via Jay-Ark distributors.
Harmon, in New York from the Coast this week to wrap up some details on the "Laurel & Hardy" series with NBC, is also prepping another animation series titled "The Wacko Wolf," a character stemming from the "Bozo" series.
December 20, 1961
George Gruskin is expanding his personal management business to embrace packaged tv shows for tv. The former production head at Paramount-TV is propping a cartoon series based on the "Blondie" cartoon strip with the stars of radio stanza, Arthur Lake and Penny Singleton. John Greene, who wrote the "Blondie" scripts for 10 years, will be executive producer and head writer.
Gruskin is now dealing for the tv rights and failing to strike a deal with the "Blondie" creator, Chic Young, will develop a new family comedy for the stars.
Series of 156 "Felix the Cat," dubbed in Spanish, has been purchased on a library basis by Telesystema Mexicans, the Emilio Azcarraga string of tv stations.
Fremantle, distributors of the series overseas, also has sold the series in Argentina, Ecuador, Venezuela and Brazil.
"Popeye Pipeline," a new house organ for Popeyniks, makes its debut this month, as a service to stations and others involved in the King Features Syndicate series. First issue contains a history of the origins of Popeye with reproductions of his first appearance in a cartoon strip on Jan. 17, 1929.
Seventh annual Tours Short Film Festival, Dec. 7-11, for the second year running gave its Grand Prix to a French item....
Jiri Trynka's "Passion" emerged an inventive animated pic on car mania from Czechoslavakia while Yougoslavia's "The Dreamer," made by Branko Ranitovic, was another cartoon of offbeat proportions. The Yank "Zip and Snort" (WB), of Chuck Jones, was a controlled and risible slapstick cartoon that got plenty of laughs if no prizes.
December 27, 1961
Filmed television shows for the moppet market are going the way of "The Lone Ranger"—into the dusk, over the hill and fadeout. A onetime staple of the network schedules, the filmed kid shows now have dwindled down to a hardy few which have been able to hold out against the zooming production costs and the high-cost-per-thousand statistics. ...
With the decline of the filmed series, there has been a burgeoning of the cartoon shows. Significantly, however, cartoon shows such as "Top Cat," "Calvin and The Colonel," "Bulwinkle," "The Alvin Show" and 'The Flintstones," are not strictly kiddie shows. In order to earn back their costs, which are as great as the filmed stanzas, the cartoons have been straddling both the kiddie and the adult market. The fact that most of the cartoons have fallen on their face between the two stools is another mater [sic].
December 27, 1961
"Bozo The Clown" tv cartoon series producer Larry Harmon is spinning two characters out of "Bozo" into proposed other series of their own. Characters are "Snooper Sniffer" and "Kookie Koyote."
How odd that they said Herb Vigran finished recording Sarge's voice for the Beetle Bailey cartoon when they actually ended up going with Allan Melvin. I wonder if Herb really did record and they changed their mind?
ReplyDeleteI'll bet you're right.
DeleteKFS did do one Beetle Bailey cartoon in 1961 using Joe Oriolo's staff from the Felix the Cat cartoons (which looked no different from the usual Paramount animation). I think Vigran may have done the voice of Cookie in the pilot effort.
Delete(My big surprise here was seeing that June Foray did the voice for Granny in "Hawaiian Aye" in 1961, since if that's the same cartoon as "Hawaiian Aye, Aye", it wouldn't be released by Warners until three years later, after the studio had shut down production.)
J Lee:
DeleteI've seen that Beetle Bailey one.
(this year, as a matter of fact, on YouTUbe. And with Winston Sharples's music, here just informally WIn a la Joe's "Hercules" show, there was even one more Paramount animation connection.)
Most likely, going with Alan Melvin gave them the more "gruff" voice the character needed. Vigran's voice was too common man and not threatening.
DeleteDid Larry Harmon ever get any of these announced cartoon series completed and on the air? The only ones of his I know of are the Bozo and the Laurel and Hardy cartoons, neither of which I liked when I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteNot that I know of. Hanna-Barbera had to pick up the Laurel & Hardy series to get it on the air.
Delete