"Rocky and His Friends" (1959)TV series 1959-1964

Writers:

Jim Critchfield (writer)
Bill Scott (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

19 November 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Animated antics of flying squirrel Rocket J. Squirrel, or Rocky, and his dim companion, Bullwinkle J...

Plot Keywords:

Spoof | Time Travel | Character Name In Title

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Edward Everett Horton	...	Fractured Fairy Tales narrator (12 episodes, 1959-1960)
June Foray	...	Natasha Fatale / ... (12 episodes, 1959-1960)
Paul Frees	...	Boris Badenov (12 episodes, 1959-1960)
William Conrad	...	Narrator (12 episodes, 1959-1960)
Walter Tetley	...	Sherman (12 episodes, 1959-1967)
Daws Butler	...	Various Fairy Tale Characters (12 episodes, 1959-1960)
Bill Scott	...	Bullwinkle J. Moose / ... (12 episodes, 1959-1960)

Also Known As:

Frostbite Falls Follies (USA) (working title)
Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends (USA)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G | Argentina:Atp

Company:

Bullwinkle Studios

Trivia:

The first episode, Part One of the Jet Fuel Formula story arc, was recorded in February 1958. However, subsequent episodes were not recorded until February 1959, using a different soundtrack stock. This led to some notable changes in the performances of the voice cast - in Part One of Jet Fuel Formula the clarity of the voice cast is noticeably better than in subsequent episodes, particularly the voice performances of June Foray and Paul Frees; a close listen finds that the studio echo of the session bleeds into the soundtrack. For subsequent episodes the different soundtrack stock used eliminated this echo. In addition, the voice cast's performances began changing, particularly William Conrad's narrations. Throughout Part One, Conrad's narration is totally straight, but in Part Two he began in inject a mild flamboyance to his narration in keeping with the show's whimsical flavor, and as the series continued his narration became ever more comically melodramatic.

Quotes:

Edgar: Now there's something you don't see every day, Chauncey.
Chauncey: What's that, Edgar?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror V (#6.6)" (1994)

"Hey, Rocky!" or "Hat Tricks Aren't Necessarily Hockey"

Rocky and Bullwinkle is "Must See TV" today as it was for me when I was four years old. Back then, the story lines went over my head, but the star characters were so strong, their personalities so vivid that they have stood the test of time while many of their contemporaries and those that followed have languished in obscurity.

Looking back at the very onset of the show with the Adventures Of Rocky & Bullwinkle DVD set, the show seemed to attempt to find itself both from a story nature and the art (Rocky's appearance changes quite drastically between episodes seven and eight of the "Rocket Fuel" serial and again between episodes five and six of "Box Top Robbery"), but once the show found itself deservedly attracting a grown-up audience, the story writers let it all hang out. Pop culture wasn't the target of the show, it was culture of all persuasions. It came fast and furious and that's what made the show so funny. Consider the following from the "Treasure Of Monte Zoom" serial, when Boris Badenov sets fire to a bridge:

Bullwinkle: "This is an ethical dilemma fraught with portents!"

Rocky: "What does that mean?"

Bullwinkle: "I dunno...I heard it on 'Meet The Press'."

Rocky and Bullwinkle has shown that brilliant writing and terrific heroic characters can offset the low-budget animation, and that heroes that can thrill us and make us laugh will have a spot in our hearts for life.