Definitely a popular cartoon at my house, especially with my four younger siblings. I'll have to revisit an episode. I'm sure being more than a decade older than you I saw it from a different perspective. I'm going to share your back story with my son who without reservation I would call a cartoon-addict.
I'd be curious to know whether the "big kids" who watched caught onto more of the political satire and Cold War commentary than I obviously did back then. It's really quite subversive in its humor.
I would wish to brag and say oh yes of course I was onto the war commentary and satire, but that would be such a lie. I just got engaged with the characters, good and evil, but I never equated their actions as directly linking onto real world affairs. Now that I have looked at just one of the episodes, I'm saying OMG! https://youtu.be/_Lta51VFutU?si=Djl1SiEMc6ywx1nw
It's really quite remarkable. Pat Priest and I put together a retrospective one year for the Peabody awards at the end of the Cold War on how it was covered and included a clilp from Rocky and Bullwinkle. The Soviets banned it. And Canada wouldn't air it because of its depiction of Dudley-Do Right, the Mountie.
Mr. Peabody and Sherman was another Jay Ward production. And created the trademarked image of Cap'n Crunch for Quaker Oats. The image is a cartoon self-portrait of Jay with his bushy handlebar moustache and Admiral Nelson-style hat. What a creative cat!
The next step after ID'ing the island was Ward and Craig trying to make Moosylvania an actual state! They attempted to get the White House on their side, but they ended up coming at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis and were turned away.
Great to hear from another fan. I thought about including more about Jay Ward and his cross-country tour in an Econoline van from Callifornia to DC collecting tens of thousands of signatures on a petition to make Moosylvania the 52nd state. October 15, 1962 they show up at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue shortly after satellite images of ballistic nuclear weapons under construction in Cuba came to President Kennedy's attention. Ward produced a mini-album of the Moosylvania Jazz Festival and self-published a songbook with a national anthem for Moosylvanians. Here's to Rocky and Bullwinkle!
What were the funnies you grew up on? Did you watch comedy programs? I remember Red Skeleton, and Jackie Gleason. Did you watch cartoons on Saturday mornings?
l was totally unaware of the satire but the images are engraved on my brain as such a familiar part of my childhood! I'm going to watch the episode you linked here!
I loved that show! I didn’t understand the political satire at the time (except for Boris and Natasha, the not so scary Russians) and it’s so much fun to catch up. I remember reciting “Eenie meenie chili beanie, The spirits are about to speak!” about a million times. The rest of it, “Are they friendly spirits?” “Friendly? Just listen!” was such a great commercial intro, mocking the whole idea of sponsorship. I got that part, loud and clear. That show was so smart and funny. Thanks for sharing this part of the story, Jill.
Awe this brings back memories for me too. I used to watch rocky and bullwinkle as a kid. I hope it still airs somewhere in our massive amount of choices for tv these days. It was a classic.
Great to hear from you as a member of a younger generation which shares this common cartoon universe of Rocky and Bullwinkle. With all those choices today for tv programming, even cartoons, it makes me wonder what shared media moments bind together a generational cohort today.
Ah good old Boris and Natasha too. In Buffalo, once in syndication, it aired on Sunday am, and we would only catch it if we got home from church on time!
Sunday mornings after church, we'd read the comics in the newspaper. Remember silly putty? If you mashed it on the comic, it would lift the ink onto the putty.
I love your puppy, Rocky, but I was the American Bandstand generation (born in 1945), so I never watched Bullwinkle. It's still amazing to learn about the cultural link to Lake of the Woods.
The cool kids watched American Bandstand. I remember when Soul Train came on. The Monkees were also revolutionary Saturday morning programming. First hearthrobs.
In this case, I think it was the older kids, not the cool kids. I was too old for cartoons but a perfect age for American Bandstand and teased hair. I'm glad to know about the politics of Bullwinkle.
Definitely a popular cartoon at my house, especially with my four younger siblings. I'll have to revisit an episode. I'm sure being more than a decade older than you I saw it from a different perspective. I'm going to share your back story with my son who without reservation I would call a cartoon-addict.
I'd be curious to know whether the "big kids" who watched caught onto more of the political satire and Cold War commentary than I obviously did back then. It's really quite subversive in its humor.
I would wish to brag and say oh yes of course I was onto the war commentary and satire, but that would be such a lie. I just got engaged with the characters, good and evil, but I never equated their actions as directly linking onto real world affairs. Now that I have looked at just one of the episodes, I'm saying OMG! https://youtu.be/_Lta51VFutU?si=Djl1SiEMc6ywx1nw
It's really quite remarkable. Pat Priest and I put together a retrospective one year for the Peabody awards at the end of the Cold War on how it was covered and included a clilp from Rocky and Bullwinkle. The Soviets banned it. And Canada wouldn't air it because of its depiction of Dudley-Do Right, the Mountie.
We have definitely untapped a magnificent new topic for a dissertation!
Mr. Peabody and Sherman was another Jay Ward production. And created the trademarked image of Cap'n Crunch for Quaker Oats. The image is a cartoon self-portrait of Jay with his bushy handlebar moustache and Admiral Nelson-style hat. What a creative cat!
Count me as one of their biggest fans.
The next step after ID'ing the island was Ward and Craig trying to make Moosylvania an actual state! They attempted to get the White House on their side, but they ended up coming at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis and were turned away.
Great to hear from another fan. I thought about including more about Jay Ward and his cross-country tour in an Econoline van from Callifornia to DC collecting tens of thousands of signatures on a petition to make Moosylvania the 52nd state. October 15, 1962 they show up at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue shortly after satellite images of ballistic nuclear weapons under construction in Cuba came to President Kennedy's attention. Ward produced a mini-album of the Moosylvania Jazz Festival and self-published a songbook with a national anthem for Moosylvanians. Here's to Rocky and Bullwinkle!
I seem to have missed a decade of cultural info.
What were the funnies you grew up on? Did you watch comedy programs? I remember Red Skeleton, and Jackie Gleason. Did you watch cartoons on Saturday mornings?
l was totally unaware of the satire but the images are engraved on my brain as such a familiar part of my childhood! I'm going to watch the episode you linked here!
I loved that show! I didn’t understand the political satire at the time (except for Boris and Natasha, the not so scary Russians) and it’s so much fun to catch up. I remember reciting “Eenie meenie chili beanie, The spirits are about to speak!” about a million times. The rest of it, “Are they friendly spirits?” “Friendly? Just listen!” was such a great commercial intro, mocking the whole idea of sponsorship. I got that part, loud and clear. That show was so smart and funny. Thanks for sharing this part of the story, Jill.
I remember that intro, too. Rather subversive to teach kids to be skeptical of advertising claims. .
Awe this brings back memories for me too. I used to watch rocky and bullwinkle as a kid. I hope it still airs somewhere in our massive amount of choices for tv these days. It was a classic.
Great to hear from you as a member of a younger generation which shares this common cartoon universe of Rocky and Bullwinkle. With all those choices today for tv programming, even cartoons, it makes me wonder what shared media moments bind together a generational cohort today.
Rocky the puppy was adorable!
If Substack enabled images in comments, I would share the pic of me and my brother in our Bullwinkle and Rocky sweatshirts!
Your Rocky is a sweetheart.
Ah good old Boris and Natasha too. In Buffalo, once in syndication, it aired on Sunday am, and we would only catch it if we got home from church on time!
Sunday mornings after church, we'd read the comics in the newspaper. Remember silly putty? If you mashed it on the comic, it would lift the ink onto the putty.
Absolutely!
My grandkids still play with Silly Putty!
One of the joys of grandkids is rediscovering your own childhood?
I love your puppy, Rocky, but I was the American Bandstand generation (born in 1945), so I never watched Bullwinkle. It's still amazing to learn about the cultural link to Lake of the Woods.
The cool kids watched American Bandstand. I remember when Soul Train came on. The Monkees were also revolutionary Saturday morning programming. First hearthrobs.
In this case, I think it was the older kids, not the cool kids. I was too old for cartoons but a perfect age for American Bandstand and teased hair. I'm glad to know about the politics of Bullwinkle.