As big fans of Jay Ward and Bill Scott, we've posted about Jay Ward Productions on many occasions.
On the natal anniversary of Jay Ward, we're thrilled and delighted to spotlight his studio's creative, imaginative, satiric and funny animated shows again!
The great Jay Ward was born in San Francisco on September 20, 1920.
First and foremost, the gang here insists that readers purchase The Moose That Roared painstakingly researched and entertainingly written history of Jay Ward Productions by character actor-voice artist-impressionist and film/radio/animation historian Keith Scott.
Here's an interview with Keith.
After reading Keith Scott's book, watch Maurino Amoruso's film Of Moose and Men: The Rocky & Bullwinkle Story, begins with clips from the devastatingly funny "Moosylvania" story.
The Jay Ward Productions legacy of hilarious cartoons began in Berkeley back in the late 1940's with CRUSADER RABBIT, produced by Jay and written in mass quantities by Alex Anderson, nephew of Terrytoons producer Paul Terry.
Alex Anderson, who wrote a gazillion episodes of Crusader Rabbit elaborates:
After a few pilots that didn't sell, most interestingly The Watts Gnu Show, the next Jay Ward series on TV was. . .
Rocky & His Friends!
At first the series was Rocky & His Friends - Adventures of Bullwinkle & Rocky with Fractured Fairy Tales or Aesop & Son and Peabody's Improbable History.
It would subsequently air in the early 1960's on Sunday prime time as The Bullwinkle Show.
Of the Jay Ward Productions, especially love Fractured Fairy Tales and the incredible roster of character actors/voice talents - Bill Scott, June Foray, Paul Frees, Bill Conrad, Daws Butler, Edward Everett Horton, Hans Conried, Charlie Ruggles, Walter Tetley, Hal Smith, Chris Allen and more.
Are we fans of Fractured Fairy Tales here? Yes. Let's watch a slew of them!
Also enjoy the cousin to the Fractured Fairy Tales series, Aesop & Son.
Also incredibly funny: Peabody’s Improbable History!
Another favorite is Dudley Do Right.
Especially love the long unaired "Stokey The Bear" episode.
Even the lesser-known Jay Ward Productions series, such as Hoppity Hooper, are frequently wonderful, in large part due to the incredible voice talents (Bill Scott, June Foray, Paul Frees, Bill Conrad, Daws Butler, Edward Everett Horton, Charlie Ruggles, Walter Tetley) and the consistently brilliant comedy writing by the talented team of writers: Lloyd Turner, Allen Burns, Chris Hayward, Chris Jenkyns, Jim Critchfield and George Atkins.
And then there was Fractured Flickers. . .
Hans Conried, fresh off his stretch as a frequent guest on Ernie Kovacs' surreal take on game shows Take A Good Look, was Fractured Flickers' very reluctant host. Fractured Flickers featured incredibly funny voice acting throughout by Jay Ward regulars Bill Scott, June Foray and Paul Frees.
In this cartoon buff's opinion, the last outstanding animated series made for television until The Simpsons debuted as segments on The Tracey Ullman Show was George Of The Jungle.
The befuddled apeman, Tom Slick and Super Chicken always get this avid Jay Ward aficionado ROFL.
After George Of The Jungle, the Jay Ward Studio made numerous commercials and a few pilots.
The last was RAH RAH WOOZY in 1980. Imagine how much more fun Saturday morning would have been had the networks bought the Jay Ward pilots (especially Fang The Wonder Dog) and they were the rare non-Filmation or non-HB series then.
How do we finish a Jay Ward tribute? Hmmmm . . . with Amber Jones’ documentary on Jay’s co-producer, head writer, colleague and pal Bill Scott, the voice of numerous Jay Ward characters!
Is it fun to see blazing animation and film history luminaries from Mark Evanier to Mark Kausler to Keith Scott to Frank Welker to Will Ryan, Corey Burton, Frank Welker, Billy West, June Foray, Daws Butler, Jay Ward, Skip Craig, Jymn Magon, Brian Cummings and more? Yes! Is the writer of this blog pleased to be in the credits? Yes!
Further Acknowledgments (a.k.a. read these articles!)
In His Own Words: Bill Scott On Unsold Jay Ward Pilots
A Closer Look at Jay Ward’s Cartoon Cereal Serials
Sneak Peek-At Darrell Van Citters' New Jay Ward Book
The Moose and the Showgirl: The life and times of the Bullwinkle statue, 1961-2021 by Harry McCracken
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