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

Writers:

Jim Critchfield (writer)
Bill Scott (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

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:

Time Travel | Cult TV | Breaking The Fourth Wall | Cold War | Cartoon Moose

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

June Foray	...	Rocket J. Squirrel / ... (47 episodes, 1959-1961)
Bill Scott	...	Bullwinkle J. Moose / ... (47 episodes, 1959-1961)
Edward Everett Horton	...	Fractured Fairy Tales narrator (36 episodes, 1959-1961)
Paul Frees	...	Boris Badenov / ... (34 episodes, 1959-1961)
William Conrad	...	Narrator (34 episodes, 1959-1961)
Walter Tetley	...	Sherman (32 episodes, 1959-1967)
Leon Askin	...	Fearless Leader (29 episodes, 1959-1960)
Daws Butler	...	Various Fairy Tale Characters (12 episodes, 1959-1960)

Series Directed by
Gerard Baldwin		(28 episodes, 1959-1960)
William T. Hurtz		(28 episodes, 1959-1960)
Gerald Ray		(28 episodes, 1959-1960)
Jim Hiltz		(26 episodes, 1959-1960)
Ted Parmelee		(26 episodes, 1959-1960)
Dun Roman		(26 episodes, 1959-1960)
Rudy Zamora		(26 episodes, 1959-1960)
Pete Burness		(2 episodes, 1960)
Bob Schleh		(2 episodes, 1960)
George Singer		(2 episodes, 1960)

Series Writing credits
George Atkins		(28 episodes, 1959-1960)
Chris Hayward		(28 episodes, 1959-1960)
Chris Jenkyns		(28 episodes, 1959-1960)
Lloyd Turner		(2 episodes, 1960)
Jim Critchfield		(unknown episodes)
Bill Scott		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Bill Scott	....	producer (36 episodes, 1959-1961)
Jay Ward	....	producer (36 episodes, 1959-1961)
Bud Gourley	....	associate producer / associate producer: Gamma Productions (26 episodes, 1960-1961)
Ponsonby Britt	....	executive producer (10 episodes, 1959-1960)

Series Original Music by
Frank Comstock		(unknown episodes)
Dennis Farnon		(unknown episodes)

Series Animation Department
Sam Clayberger	....	layout artist (2 episodes, 1960)
Dave Fern	....	layout artist (2 episodes, 1960)
Frank Hursh	....	layout artist (2 episodes, 1960)
Don Jurwich	....	layout artist (2 episodes, 1960)
Joe Montell	....	layout artist (2 episodes, 1960)
Roy Morita	....	layout artist (2 episodes, 1960)
Alan Shean	....	layout artist (2 episodes, 1960)
Shirley Silvey	....	layout artist (2 episodes, 1960)
Sam Weiss	....	layout artist (2 episodes, 1960)
Al Wilson	....	layout artist (2 episodes, 1960)

Series Music Department
Frank Comstock	....	composer: theme music (26 episodes, 1959-1960)

Series Other crew
Skip Craig	....	staff (12 episodes, 1959-1960)
Sam Clayberger	....	staff (10 episodes, 1959-1960)
Roy Morita	....	staff (10 episodes, 1959-1960)
William Schleh	....	staff (10 episodes, 1959-1960)
Alan Shean	....	staff (10 episodes, 1959-1960)
Harvey Siegal	....	staff (10 episodes, 1959-1960)
Barbara Baldwin	....	staff (2 episodes, 1960)
Adrienne Diamond	....	staff (2 episodes, 1960)
Art Diamond	....	staff (2 episodes, 1960)
Roger Donley	....	staff (2 episodes, 1960)
Sal Faillace	....	staff (2 episodes, 1960)
Carlos Manríquez	....	staff (2 episodes, 1960)
Jesus Martinez	....	staff (2 episodes, 1960)
Bob Maxfield	....	staff (2 episodes, 1960)
Dun Roman	....	staff (2 episodes, 1960)
Jean Washam	....	staff (2 episodes, 1960)

Production Companies

• Bullwinkle Studios (restored version)
• Jay Ward Productions
• P.A.T.

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1959) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Classic Media (2003)
• Classic Media (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Classic Media (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Producers Associates for Television (PAT)
• Shout! Factory (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Wonder (2003) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Gamma Productions  animation (1960)
• Glen Glenn Sound Company  music recorded by
• Val-Mar Studios  animation (1959)

Also Known As:

"Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends" - USA (alternative title)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:G

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:

Mr. Peabody:Hello again. Peabody, Sherman, and Wayback here. Sherman's the one with the glasses.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "The Simpsons: Simpson Tide (#9.19)" (1998)

Four decades later, this is still a winner

As a kid, I wasn't a big fan of the Saturday morning kid shows, even though I was a TV addict. But then I discovered "Rocky and His Friends". What a difference! Clever, witty plots and dialog - even the episode titles were hilarious. Then some network executive with brains and imagination (a rare breed) apparently noticed that some of the jokes were going over the heads of the kids, and adults would enjoy them more. Theshow moved to a different network and to a Sunday evening time slot, so the whole family could watch. The format changed slightly, and the title became "The Bullwinkle Show." But the wit remained, and the show became a long-running success.

Now, more than four decades later, the show has held up very well. It is still funny, still full of surprises. And the humor is still far above the level of most of the comedy shows on TV (live or animated).

As a teenager, I thought I understood the humor in the name of the villain Boris Badinov (bad enough, get it?) It took me another fifteen years to realize that it is also a pun on the name of the Russian opera Boris Gudinov. I wonder how long it will take before I get ALL the plays on words in all the episodes.

By the way, fans of this show should look out for "Sheep in the Big City", which, though by no means a copy, is obviously inspired by Rocky and Bullwinkle.