Kellogg's Honey & Nut Corn Flakes 1982 Animation Cel: Calorie Counting Crows

 

In 1982, there was a commercial for a short-lived cereal called Kellogg's Honey & Nut Corn Flakes.  The ad featured a hand drawn, orange crow in a live action world---and a cheeky, modified version of "Turkey in the Straw" that seemed to delight in playing with the word "Nuts".  I was able to acquire a hand painted animation cel from this commercial for $59.  I believe the Crow was animated by Murakami Wolf Swenson, an animation studio famous for the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and also quite a bit of commercial work for Kellogg's in the 1980s, including a Raisin Bran Cel that I also bought.  These cels are pretty meticulously made, as they feature painted shading directly on the cel.

I remember a lot of things from 1982, but I don't remember this commercial.  Thankfully, it exists on YouTube.

This ad kind of seems like a Saturday Night Live skit---almost like a parody of the Cocoa Puffs Cuckoo Bird, Sonny.  The Crow also appeared in print media for the cereal, but apparently not on the cereal boxes.  Honey & Nut Corn Flakes lasted a few years, but the Crow was short lived.

Ray Raisin in the Sun: Kellogg's Raisin Bran 1981 Animation Cel

 

What's the scoop, Sun?  In 1981, reporter Ray Raisin interviewed Sunny, the Kellogg's Raisin Bran mascot, about two bigger scoops of raisins being put in boxes of Kellogg's Raisin Bran cereal.  Years before the Claymation California Raisins, Kellogg's had its own singing and dancing cartoon raisins.  I recently found and purchased an animation cel of Ray Raisin (with a pencil drawing of Sunny)---for $40!

Before computers were used to color animated characters for cartoons, character drawings were transferred to clear plastic sheets (called cels), and the painting was done on the back.  This Raisin Bran advertisement took things to another level---the characters had meticulous shading painted right on to the cel.  This must have been an astonishing amount of work (possibly airbrushed?).  A TV commercial had a much bigger budget and care given to it than the TV shows the ads ran with at the time.

I believe the Kellogg's commercials were produced by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson, which ironically went on to produce the hand-drawn California Raisins Saturday Morning cartoon in 1989, as well as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (among countless other projects).

Ray Raisin was voiced by the legendary Paul Winchell (the original voice of Tigger from Disney's Winnie the Pooh).  I believe Sunny was voiced by Joel Cory (who voiced the Helping Hand in commercials for Hamburger Helper).

Two bigger scoops of raisins are the reason Kellogg's Raisin Bran's so pleasin'!  That song is stuck in my head now.

Filmation's Ghostbusters (AKA The Version With The Gorilla)

Everyone is familiar with the Ghostbusters.  You know, the cartoon with the Gorilla that wears pants.  Say what?!

Filmation's 1986 animated Ghostbusters TV series was the cause of confusion and frustration for many children in the 1980s.  It was actually NOT a rip-off of the 1984 Bill Murray film with Slimer and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.  Filmation created a live action Ghost Busters show way back in 1975 (and yes, it had a gorilla character, too!).

The live action 1975 Ghost Busters TV show starred Forrest Tucker as Jake Kong and Larry Storch as Eddie Spencer.  Tracy the Gorilla was played by Bob Burns.

The 1986 Filmation Ghostbusters cartoon focused on the sons of the original Ghost Busters.

The Ghostbusters voice cast included some legendary cartoon actors.  Jake Kong Jr. was voiced by Pat Fraley (Disney's "TaleSpin").  Eddie Spencer Jr. was voiced by Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime in "Transformers").  Tracy the Gorilla was voiced by Filmation producer Lou Scheimer.  Belfry the Bat was voiced by Susan Blu (she's provided character voices and been a voice director on many, many cartoons).

The Ghostbusters have their own flying machine called the Ghost Buggy.  It is sort of like a haunted version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

The Ghostbusters are assisted by Futura, the Ghostbustress of the Future (Susan Blu).  The have to fight off ghouls like Scared Stiff (Pat Fraley) and Haunter (Peter Cullen).

The main villain the Ghostbusters have to fight is Prime Evil (Alan Oppenheimer).  He fits in well with other Filmation villains like Skeletor.

This comic book was packaged with action figures based off the show.  I actually noticed the toys before I knew about the cartoon.

Prime Evil also has help from ghoulish Mysteria (Linda Gary), a Werewolf named Fangster (Alan Oppenheimer), and two-faced Fib Face (Lou Scheimer).

Brat-A-Rat (Peter Cullen) is Prime Evil's cackling, flying rat creature sidekick.

I like how theatrical and dramatic Prime Evil acts.

Prime Evil is foiled again!  He would have gotten away with it if it had not been for those meddling kids and their Gorilla.

The Ghostbusters and their enemies have all sorts of gadgets, houses and accessories to translate into toys.

Oooh!  Look at the Ghost Command Haunted House and the Ghost Buggy!  I never had these.  I bet they are worth a lot now.

Check out the Tracy the Gorilla figure with his Feces Flinging Action Arm!

This is a nice gender-neutral set of toys, with flowing hair on Futura , as well as TV reporter Jessica Wray (Susan Blu) and villain Mysteria.

Prime Evil and his pals want to haunt your house.

Brat-A-Rat was sold with Belfry, which were the only two Ghostbusters action figures that I had.

Belfry (and the Ghostbusters comic book) has survived in my Halloween decorations for decades.  I lost Brat-A-Rat many years ago.

Belfry wrapped up each episode of Ghostbusters, similar to Loo-Kee's role on Filmation's "She-Ra."

"She-Ra" featured a villain sidekick character named Imp who looks a bit similar to Belfry.  Visit Loo-Kee Here! It's She-Ra and He-Man! to explore the world of the Masters of the Universe.

For more fun with Gorillas and Ghostbusters, check out King Kong, Christmas Ape.

Amazing Stories: Steven Spielberg Presents Brad Bird's Family Dog

When I was a kid in middle school in 1987, I was completely obsessed with the "Family Dog" episode of Steven Spielberg's NBC series, "Amazing Stories." The film was written and directed by Brad Bird (director of Disney Pixar's "The Incredibles" and "Ratatouille"), and was different from anything seen on TV at the time. It wasn't just the quirky character designs (by Tim Burton). This was not a Saturday Morning kid's cartoon.

I remember being slightly surprised when Skip Binford (voiced by multi-talented veteran voice actor Stan Freberg), the father character, complained about "that cheap damn dog food!" Gasp! It was rare to hear a cartoon character curse back then. Annie Potts (probably best known for her role as Mary Jo on the series "Designing Women") gives an outstanding performance as mother Bev (she would later voice Bo Peep in Disney Pixar's Toy Story and Toy Story 2---it's too bad she wasn't in Toy Story 3). Scott Menville (a prolific voice and screen actor, who was Wayne Arnold's friend Wart on "The Wonder Years" TV series) played Billy, the nasty little boy that terrorizes the poor Dog. Brooke Ashley is Buffy, the little girl that is somehow cute and a bit bizarre. I think my favorite part of the film is the "Home Movies" section, narrated by the family. The interplay between Bev and Buffy here is hilarious. The cast also includes Brad Bird, Mercedes McCambridge, Marshall Efron, Stanley Ralph Ross, and Jack Angel.

The animation was created by some well known animators, including Duncan Marjoribanks (he was the lead animator for Sebastian the crab in Disney's "The Little Mermaid" and Abu in "Aladdin"). I think I can spot some of his animation when the Dog is riding in the car with the robbers (the scene where the fat robber is upset with being called "The Dog Gang" and suggests they get a cat, which triggers an attack from the Dog).

I ripped this advertisement out of TV Guide magazine. On the back, it shows what was on TV the night "Family Dog" debuted in 1987.


Nickelodeon viewers could catch episodes of "You Can't Do That On Television" and "DangerMouse." HBO was still showing Jim Henson's "Fraggle Rock." In reruns were shows like "Bosom Buddies" (starring Tom Hanks) and "The Facts Of Life" (what was Tootie up to this week?) plus older favorites like "The Jeffersons," "The Honeymooners" and "Donna Reed." Newer programs included "Kate and Allie," "MacGyver" (what will he make out of a Dixie Cup and a rubber band to save the world this time?), "ALF," and "My Sister Sam" (many remember this Pam Dawber sitcom being in the news due to the tragic death of star Rebecca Schaeffer).

"Family Dog" proved to be very popular, and it was spun off into its own series from Universal, Amblin, Warner Brothers and Nelvana Animation in 1992. The show featured a new cast, and the magic of the original was missing. It did not last very long.

As I write this, you can find the original on YouTube:





I feel sorry for the poor Dog. Would you want to live with this family?





I wonder if the actors got to ad-lib anything. The dialogue sounds very natural.




Buffy's burping baby doll and Bev's reaction is one of my favorite parts of this show.

I wonder if it's just a coincidence that "Family Dog," Tim Burton's "Frankenweenie" and "Toy Story" all feature Bull Terriers as main characters. Maybe it's because there's something inherently funny about their appearance.

Live Action Lady And The Tramp: The Real Life Reference Models

It's not too difficult to imagine Walt Disney's 1955 film, "Lady and the Tramp" as a live action film. Walt Disney himself pretty much created a live action cast in order to create the animated film. The model for Tramp was actually a female dog, and like the Tramp, she almost ended up in the pound.



The inspiration for Lady was a cocker spaniel named Blondie, owned by Disney animator Hamilton Luske. Like Lady, she no doubt had a loving family.

These wonderful pictures are from a fantastic article from a 1988 issue of The Disney Channel Magazine celebrating the world television premiere of "Lady and the Tramp" on May 7th. "A Dog's-Eye View of Life" was written by writer and film historian Frank Thompson.


This article offered a glimpse of the behind-the scenes work it took to make Walt Disney's beloved film a reality.

(The little clip above is out of order here, but I wanted to include everything from the article for posterity. Call me a modern day microfiche).



Here is Frank Thompson's article. You can zoom in on things so you don't hurt your eyes.



I'm happy that the real-life Tramp ended up in a good home! Since the model for Tramp was actually a female, I originally had a different title for this post: "The Tramp Was A Lady!"

The talented Peggy Lee was a major player in "Lady and the Tramp."


Some years ago, Walt Disney World had commercials featuring real dogs (inspired by "Lady and the Tramp") enjoying a visit to the Resort. I got a kick out of learning that the "Tramp" dog in the ad was really female, and the "Lady" dog was actually a male.

U.S. Acres (Garfield's Friends) At The Indianapolis Zoo

I have many relatives in Indiana, which happens to be the state where Garfield the Cat's cartoon production empire is located. I have family in Plainfield, Indiana, just minutes from the site of the proposed Garfield Theme Park that did not happen (we followed that for years, and I saw where it was supposed to be built).

U.S. Acres ("Orson's Farm" in other countries) was a comic strip launched by Garfield's creator, Jim Davis, in 1986. The main character was Orson the Pig, who lived in a barnyard full of wacky characters like Wade the Duck, Roy the Rooster, Booker and Sheldon (baby chicks), and sheep siblings Bo and Lanolin.

There are some lesser known characters shown here, too. The dog is named Cody and the cat is named Blue. They appeared in earlier strips, which I remember reading in the Indiana newspapers during family visits. The identity of the horse and calf shown on this sheet of stickers (dated 1985) remained a mystery to me for a few years, until I visited The New Indianapolis Zoo in July, 1988.



The New Indianapolis Zoo was years in the making (I remember seeing a model of it when I was a little kid). This Zoo was really unique because it featured dolphins (though the Whale and Dolphin Pavilion did not open until Fall 1988, so I did not get to see it).



The Zoo was split up into different sections called "biomes." The Encounters biome was home to domestic animals, and included an interactive exhibit called the "U.S. Acres County Club." Yes, I double-checked that--it says "County" Club, not "Country."



The U.S. Acres County Club is not labeled on the map, but it is right next to the Encounters Arena. I was really impressed with this well-themed Zoo. I have only been that one time, and I know it has changed quite a bit.

The Encounters Arena was home to a Birds of Prey show. A lucky child from the audience was chosen to feed the owl a mouse.


I'm only kidding---that did not happen!

The U.S. Acres County Club is seen in the background here.

Here's a better view from the Encounters Arena:


I don't have any pictures of the inside of the U.S. Acres area, but it was decorated with images of the characters, including the calf (here I learned his name was "Chuck"--clever) and a fiberglass ride-on/photo opportunity figure of what turned out to be "Jodie" (or was that Jody?) the horse. This area also featured various real animals, including farm animals, ferrets, and a cat.

Visitors could also meet Orson the Pig near the Encounters Arena.


In the Fall of 1988, the U.S. Acres characters had their animated television debut as part of the long-running "Garfield and Friends" series on CBS Saturday Mornings. Blue, Cody, and the horse and calf characters were never seen on the series. I guess they were written out with no explanation, like Richie Cunningham's older brother on "Happy Days" and little Judy Winslow on "Family Matters."

The Magic Roundabout Annual 1977

Viewers of the Nickelodeon series "Pinwheel" (which ran on the cable network from 1977 to 1990) are probably familiar with "The Magic Roundabout." This was a stop-motion animated series featuring a shaggy canine named Dougal.


If you didn't know the characters from watching the show "Pinwheel," there's a good chance you may have seen them somewhere else.


"The Magic Roundabout" was created by Serge Danot back in 1963 in France. The series had its initial run on French TV from 1964 to 1971.


The show was also broadcast on the BBC in the United Kingdom, with new scripts and voices, from 1965 to 1977 (the year of this Annual). This version was shown on "Pinwheel."


Dougal and his colorful, cheeky friends had all sorts of imaginative adventures.


My family did not have cable, but I was able to watch Nickelodeon with neighborhood kids that did have the channel.


Lots of kids in America probably talk about having "a spot of tea." It seems like there are many popular animated shows imported to the United States from England. One of my favorites was "Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings," which was shown on "Captain Kangaroo." I still remember the theme song--"Well, you know my name is Simon, and the things I draw come true..." Nickelodeon also showed "Danger Mouse" and "Count Duckula." I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, but after watching all these shows, I think I could blend in pretty well in Birmingham, England.



A computer animated "The Magic Roundabout" theatrical feature was made in 2005. In the United States, it was called "Doogal," and it was recast with different actors and re-written in places. I've never seen this movie, but I do remember that there was a set of "Doogal" toys at McDonald's. I don't think the CGI "Doogal" did very well in the States. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Alvin And The Chipmunks By Richard Scarry

Long before the CGI animated Alvin and the Chipmunks known today, or the various hand-drawn versions from the Nineties, Eighties, Seventies and the Sixties, there was Richard Scarry's storybook illustrations.

Author and illustrator Richard Scarry is probably best known for his long-running "Busytown" series, featuring characters like Huckle Cat and Lowly Worm.

"The Chipmunks' Merry Christmas" Little Golden Book from 1959 was one of the earliest pieces of Alvin and the Chipmunks memorabilia. This was written by David Corwin and illustrated by Richard Scarry. Alvin and the Chipmunks were the creation of musician Ross Bagdasarian, Sr., and debuted in 1958.

These illustrations are quite charming.


The Chipmunks' human friend, David Seville, is not featured in this story, but their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Chipmunk, are.

Alvin, Simon, and Theodore do have to stern music teacher named Mr. Owl, who gets to yell at Alvin since Dave is not around.


Don't worry, Chipmunks, Mr. Owl won't gobble you up if you misbehave (he's a tiny owl!).

The Chipmunks sing their famous song!


I like the watermelon painting in the background.

I seem to remember Alvin wanting the hula hoop, but here it is Theodore...

What does Alvin want for Christmas? Where is Alvin?!? What happens next?!!

Well, there's a wolf, and a car chase, and---wait, that's not what happens!


There is an appearance by Santa and Alvin gets what he deserves for Christmas. A lump of coal, because he was naughty. No! A Christmas tree, of course!

Hanna Barbera's The Biskitts

The Biskitts was a Hanna Barbera Saturday Morning cartoon that debuted in 1983 on CBS. At the time, shows like the Smurfs were very popular, so somebody had the idea to make a series with a civilization of tiny dogs living in a castle in a swamp.




The Biskitts had a job to do. They were the guardians of a royal treasure, and they took the job seriously.

The Biskitt I remember the most was Shiner. He was the antagonist of the group, and kind of a jerk. He was voiced by Jerry Houser, who played Marcia Brady's husband in all those Brady Bunch TV movies and specials like The Brady Brides and the Brady Bunch Christmas.




The tiny Biskitts faced all sorts of dangers, including a bobcat named Scratch (Peter Cullen, the voice of Eeyore in many Winnie the Pooh cartoons).



The Biskitts were small enough to ride on the turtles and frogs that lived near the castle.




The Biskitts had to guard their treasure from King Max, the Gargamel character from this show. King Max was voiced by Kenneth Mars, who would later voice King Triton in Disney's The Little Mermaid.



The character named Bump was voiced by Bob Holt. As a kid, I remember hearing his voice on The Monster Plantation ride at Six Flags Over Georgia (he was a tennis player monster). When the ride was refurbished and reopened as The Monster Mansion, his voice there was lost.


The other Biskitts were Sweets (Kathleen Helppie), Wags (Darryl Hickman), Lady (B.J. Ward), Downer (Henry Gibson), Wiggle (Jennifer Darling), Scat (Dick Beals), Spinner (Bob Holt) and Mooch (Marshall Efron). Their voices can be heard in many different animated shows.



In one episode, the Biskitts discovered a Bizarro World civilization of pint-sized cat characters called The Whiskers. While The Biskitts had to deal with Scratch the wild cat, I believe The Whiskers were pursued by a giant rat.


The idea of a tiny hidden world of creatures was quite common from Hanna Barbera in the early 1980s. There were the Smurfs, the Snorks, the Trollkins and the Paw-Paws to name a few.


I guess the swamp's gators probably didn't like the idea of becoming Biskitt transportation.



King Max's Moat Monster was pretty freaking scary looking. He was voiced by Frank Welker. If you ever hear animal sounds in a movie, chances are good that Frank Welker provided them.



King Max had help looking for The Biskitts.


In addition to his court jester, Shecky (Kip King), Max had his dogs, Fang and Snarl.



True to the phrase, "Dog Eat Dog," Fang and Snarl were not friends with The Biskitts.



I'm really surprised that there wasn't some sort of toy line with these characters (plush toys and PVC figures at least). As a kid, I loved collecting toy animals, and I know for a fact that kids still do this today. Maybe Hanna Barbera and Warner Brothers could re-launch The Biskitts and The Whiskers.