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Bullwinkle is more than a classic cartoon character – he is an icon.
#3 (with Rocky) on TV Guide’s Great Cartoon Characters
Resume
Name: Bullwinkle J. Moose
Middle initial J for is from the two J’s: Jay Ward (creator) and Bill J Scott (co-producer, head writer, and Bullwinkle’s voice)
Named after Bullwinkel Motors, a car dealership in Berkeley, California
Gender: Male
Home: Frostbite Falls, MN (a parody on International Falls, MN)
Occupation: Former coat rack
Education: Studied under Francis the Talking Horse, attended M.I.T. (Moose Institute of Toe-dancing), attended Wossamatta U, and received an Honorary Mooster’s Degree from Wossamatta U
Football quarterback at Wossamatta U
As Mr. Know-It-All, received several awards from prestigious universities that have yet to exist
Political: Bull Moose Party
Wealth: Received fortune in the form of a cereal boxtop collection and an Upsidaisium mine from Uncle Dewlap’s will
At one time, a part-owner, part-governor of the island of Moosylvania
Debuted with blue gloves, which became white on the second episode
On to the Show
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60 episodes of Mr. Know-it-All
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39 episodes of Bullwinkle’s Corner
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“Hey Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat.”
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Background
Debuted November 19, 1959 as Rocky and His Friends on ABC with Jet Fuel Formula
Moved to NBC in 1961 as The Bullwinkle Show
Ended June 27, 1964
Created by Jay Ward, Alex Anderson, and Bill Scott
Produced by Jay Ward Productions
With satire and humor, the writing appealed to adults as well as children
Animation outsourced to a studio in Mexico
Music by Frank Comstock (1959–1961) Fred Steiner (1961–1964)
Sponsored by General Mills
Voiced by Bill Scott
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Narrated by actor William Conrad
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Show composed of episodes, with each episode ending with a cliffhanger and the announcer giving two titles (actually puns of each other) for the next segment
5 seasons, 163 episodes, 366 segments
27 continuing storylines
Two collection of WAV files sound bites from the show: one and two
Supporting Characters in the Show (tributes linked): Rocky J Squirrel, Boris and Natasha, Peabody and Sherman, Dudley Do-Right, Fractured Fairytales
Ending of a show showing the story continuing another time
Loved this. Boy you brought back memories of Saturday morning cartoons. Thanks !!
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Unfettered,
You hit my purpose of these posts right on the head!
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Makes me smile every time dear sir!
Audra
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Oh … you may be the first Audra I ever met. By the way, and where are you located?
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Yea it’s a weirdo name. CT
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Oh no … not weirdo … and thanks for the place it. Just one of my quirks liking to know where people are.
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And you are where?
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Cincinnati!
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I should have known that. Right? Forgive me
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BTW —- have you seen John Erickson lately in your blog travels?
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Not to much. He did send me an email saying he was cutting back. He did a great post and then poof gone. Hopefully all is well
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Thanks … same at this end.
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Love Rocky and Bullwinkle!
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Debra,
You have good taste!
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Brings back memories
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TBM,
And loads of them for me.
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thanks for sharing these delightful moose-capades. Great memories of a time when cartoons meant comedy (at least for me).
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Mobius,
Moose-capades! … a wonderful description … and Moose, Squirrel, and friends were known for their satire and puns for adults!
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🙂 Enjoy your weekend Frank. 🙂
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Thanks … you too!
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Yep, this definitely reminds me of my dad and Saturday’s mornings. Bullwinkle was one of his favorites. 😀
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Good Morning Alex,
Glad I was able rekindle those Saturday morning memories with your dad!
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Bullwinkle!! If only I could speak in that voice….me loves him! 🙂
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Suzanne,
Because you like the voice, hope you watched the video of the voice actors.
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Well remembered. Always loved the voice 🙂
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Fasab,
Bullwinkle is a classic, and I hope you watched the video of the voice actors – which is a hoot!
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I loved Rocky and Bullwinkle, although I think the humor and satire was written more for adults – during the Cold War era. Much of it probably went over my head as a very young child…
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Cathy,
Boris and Natasha were perfect Cold War characters – but I imagine the lines got kids to laugh, but the adults are the ones who got the bigger laughs.
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Oh, I love this moose!
🙂
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Marina,
He has many fans!!!!
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No wonder!
🙂
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Rocky and Bullwinkle are easily my favorites! Occasionally I watch them to this day, so amused by how clever they are! I loved Fractured Fairy Tales, too, but really loved Boris and Natasha! Thanks for all the good clips. These really make me smile!
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Debra,
Glad you enjoyed this. Meanwhile, I want you to know that Fractured Fairytales is on my list of future posts!
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A classic for sure, Frank. Thanks for the smiles.
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Elyse,
You are very welcome … and hope you had a royal weekend.
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I always thought it was aimed much more at kids than adults.
But then, the great cartoons always are…
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Guapo,
As I watch Bullwinkle today, no question in my mind that the writers know how to entertain kids, but with the adults getting the bigger laugh.
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Love this, Frank! I think a lot of cartoons had adult humor sprinkled throughout. It used to be that parents actually watched many cartoons with their children on Saturday mornings. I remember when the Flintstones debuted as an evening cartoon, and our entire family watched.
As for Rocky and Bullwinkle, we were huge fans, but my very favorite segment that I waited for every time was Fractured Fairy Tales. Your post sent me over to YouTube to watch a fractured Hansel & Gretel. 😉
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Maddie,
Glad to know that you are such a big cartoon fan. I too loved the Flintstones, thus a reason why I honored them in the past.
Go news about Fracture Fairytales … I have them on the list for a future post.
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Classic. I’ll never be too old to watch a talking moose and flying squirrel. I love you, cinematic animation. 🙂
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Ryan,
Well said, Moose and Squirrel are classics!
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Rocky and Bullwinkle! I loved them growing up, they were such fun. The snippet of their people behind the voices was awesome, what fun to see the faces behind them.
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Val,
Gotta agree with you on the clip about the voices … nonetheless, a true classic cartoon!
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One of the great ones!
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Hansi,
And no surprise you enjoyed Moose and Squirrel.
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Had forgotten the head-spinning entendres…and how quickly they leapt to the next. Such writing genius…such unabashed fun! Once again Frank…thanks for pointing all of us “of a certain age” in the direction of….younger days…
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Jots,
Because I was such a cartoon fan during my youth, I love doing these! … so glad to see that you enjoy them! Cheers to our youth!
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Ahh…Bullwinkle rocks…
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Rogue,
Absolutely!!!!
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Even though the animation was lacking in comparison to what was produced by Warner Bros in the 30s, 40s and early 50s, I loved Rocky and Bullwinkle due to the wonderful storytelling. June Foray, who voiced Rocky is still alive — and working — at age 95!
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Lame,
Indeed, Bullwinkle had great writers … but I had no idea Jane Foray was still alive and working. Amazing!!!
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I loved Bullwinkle, especially when Boris & Natasha and the good ole Canadian Mountie Dudley Do-Right were in the show.
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Redhead,
Always good to have another Bullwinkle fan in the midst … and I suggest you follow the Boris and Natasha link …. and just so you know, Dudley Do-Right is on my list to do.
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So wonderful. A show that secretly impacted/influenced a whole bunch of kids.
Nothing better than a good story, great writing, some insight, and a few laughs along the way
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Mouse,
There is no doubt that the writers of Bullwinkle influenced an entire generation!
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Aw… that was awesome. It reminded of the Bug Bunny and Tom and Jerry. That’s what I used to watch. Thanks!
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Teeny,
Glad you enjoyed this but … I haven’t honored Bugs yet, but I honored Tom and Jerry last weekend. Here ya go.https://afrankangle.wordpress.com/2013/04/06/on-a-classic-cat-and-mouse/
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That was so cool! Thanks 🙂
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