Happy Cephalopod Day!
Squiddly Diddly isn’t an icon, but given today is Cephalopod Day, he is getting some love
Called a squid but looks like an octopus
Squids have 10 tentacles, octopus have eight, but Squidly had six legs – four for walking, two others like arms
Lives in an aquatic park called Bubbleland
The bossy antagonist was Bubbleland Administrator Chief Winchley (voice was done by John Stephenson)
Squiddly continually tried to escape so he could use his musical talents to pursue a show business career
Can simultaneously playing a saxophone, a guitar and a set of bongo drums
A short clip of Squiddly encountering the Queen of Hearts
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Created by Hanna Barbera
Seen as a segments on the Atom Ant/Secret Squirrel Show
Two seasons, 26 episodes (20 the first, six the second)
First episode: Way Out Squiddly; October 2, 1965
Last episode: Baby Squidder; October 15, 1966
Squidly is voiced by Paul Frees
Known in other languages as Lula Lelé (Brazilian Portuguese), El Pulpo Manotas (Spanish), Squiddly la pieuvre ((French), Inky de inktvis (Dutch), Squiddly Diddly (Italian), Squiddly Diddly (German), Tako no Roku chan (Japanese)
Had an LP, Squiddly Diddly’s Surfin’ Surfari (Hanna Barbera Records, 1966)
Squidly appeared in Yogi’s Treasure Hunt, Yo Yogi!, and a MetLife commercial
Enjoy this tribute to Squidly Didley to Octopuss’s Garden, written by Ringo Starr, performed by The Beatles, and released on Abbey Road (1969)
A Frank Angle 
I have never seen this one before and the Grandkids and I enjoyed it…
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Bulldog,
Squiddly seems to be obscure for most, but glad you and the grandkids enjoyed this.
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I can’t recall this Diddly, but I like some Bo Diddly on occasion!
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Kimberly,
Therefore, here’s some Bo for your day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17W7496230Y
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This is a new one to me.
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Jim,
With only 26 episodes, that’s understandable.
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I do know this one, but not well.
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Debra,
Hooray for someone remembering Squiddly. Then again, there’s not much to remember.
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Me too, Frank. Never saw this one! Interesting concept though.
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Cathy,
But short lived.
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Oh, I’d missed those cartoon Saturdays, Frank!!!!!
At last, we are back to normal Saturday bliss!!! Happy weekend!! 🙂
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Marina,
It seems that I’ve been awhile … so I hope I can get a string together. Have a good rest of the weekend.
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This is a new one for me, Frank. Thanks for the smiles. Squiddly is so cute. 🙂
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Sylvia,
That seems to be the majority thought .. but I figure that could be the case. But I imagine you appreciate his musical talents.
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Naturally. 🙂
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Oh, this one’s an old fave, packed together with Secret Squirrel and Atom Ant on the Banana Splits Show! Good stuff, indeed – they used to play the Splits on one of the classic cartoon channels, but not for a while now. “Tra-la-la, La-la-la-la”. Oh, wonderful, now I’m gonna have that theme running through my head for a week. Thanks a lot, pal! :p 😉
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John,
While most readers didn’t know of Squiddly’s existance, lo’ and behold he turns out to be one of your favorites. Who would have thunk it? Hope the song sticks!
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I completely forgot about this character, Frank. Literally he was blocked out of my brain for 47 years. But like a bad fish smell, you brought him back to the forefront of my thoughts! Now that I am thinking about him, in the second clip where he’s carrying on with the Queen of Hearts (what a contrast in animation styles there — what was that about?) his voice reminded me of Pee Wee Herman’s, so maybe he influenced Paul Reubens’ character?
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Lame,
I didn’t see any reference to Pee Wee. However, the Chief’s voice was Mr Slate on the Flintstones. Meanwhile, sorry to bring up a painful memory … but after all, it’s Cephalopod Day.
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Frank, what a wonderful little character – will have a different look out when I order squid next time *smile – this is a new acquaintance for me. Thank you so much.
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Viveka,
Glad you enjoyed squiddly. Outside of birth defects, I don’t believe there are any 6-legged cephalopods.
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Frank, sorry for my governance … I don’t have a clue how many legs an cephalopods has. So I didn’t notice that .. I suppose they have 5!
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That;s OK. Cephalopods are “head-footed” mollusks. Three common examples are octopus (8), squids (10), and cuttlefish (10). …. and as a chef, I imagine you have cooked all three.
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I didn’t remember this one until this post Frank. Funny, made me smile.
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Val,
Squiddly isn’t a classic, but he is from the time period.
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Wow…You’re really diggin’ deep for that one.
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Hansi,
Squiddly wasn’t on my mind or on my list until I saw the Cephalopod Day note … and then he popped into my mind.
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I guess I’m another one who didn’t know diddly about Squiddly!
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Fasab,
It’s always good to get one past you.
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NIce to hear Octopus’s Garden again – love the video! The Beatles have been on my mind lately; we just watched the documentary “Good Ol’ Freda” about the woman who, as a teenager, was secretary to Brian Epstein and the Beatles. Great movie, here’s the link: http://www.goodolfreda.com/
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Lynn,
To me, The Beatles tune is the best part of the post! Thanks for the link about Freda … something that I didn’t know. What a few clips … interesting!
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I didn’t know Squiddly at all, Frank! I think I would have enjoyed this cartoon. Loved “Octopuss’s Garden” and the accompanying little cartoon video! How can you not smile at this? 🙂
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Debra,
Octopus’s Garden helped make this post! … and it’s rare when you don’t know one of my cartoon honorees.
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In the cartoon Squiddly’s sometimes referred to as an octopus & sometimes as a squid. Did HB think they were the same thing? It seems improper to call him an octopus when he only has 6 tentacles. Having 8 is how Octopi got their name. Oct means 8.
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Stephen,
Welcome first-time commenter. I would have to say that HB knew what it was doing all along … and at worst, trying to find their footing with this character. Given the shortness of Squidly’s lifespan, whatever they were trying wasn’t successful. You mentioned the 6 vs 8 tentacles … I mentioned this in the post, along with the point that squids have 10 …. so I imagine the solution may have to do with animation techniques at the time.
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I watched Squiddly Diddly before. I last saw this character and Chief Winchly at an Ice Skating Show back in 1987. It was titled Hanna-Barbera on ice. My previous ice skating shows were Smurfs on ice in 1989 and The Snorks on ice in 1990. Since the inception of the Funtastic World Of Hanna-Barbera I have attended every ice skating show from 1985-2013. Maybe Merilee from Butch Cassidy could perform a 2 lutz / 3 toe / 3 salchow in the next show. My other question about a cartoon is what does Kitty Jo from the Cattanooga Cats do for a living?
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