Hanna-Barbera cartoons always seemed to have some great pairings: Yogi and Boo Boo, Fred and Barney, Pixie and Dixie, you get the idea. But the one I'm sure nobody mentions is Sniff and Snuff. Who are Sniff and Snuff you ask? They were characters created in partnership with the California Division of Forestry. The two strived to keep California safe and fire-free and appeared in a few PSAs on television in 1967, which you can see below. A big thanks goes to Craig Davison of the Cartoon Research Facebook group for shedding light on these!
If the fact almost nobody remembers these guys didn't make it obvious, Sniff and Snuff didn't exactly take off. After these ads, they fell off the face of the Earth. And I mean that in the literal sense. The next time they showed up was in 1969, when they visited the moon, learning that ignoring fire safety precautions caused it to be the inhabited land we know today. Kind of weird, but it's obvious they were tapping into America's fascination with the cosmos following the space race with this one. You can check those ads right here, thanks to Internet Archive user "California-Revealed".
Apparently, Geico insurance isn't the only thing that's easy enough for a caveman to do. They can also make cartoons! At least, according to these three fun pieces of artwork that appeared in the March 1st edition of The Los Angeles Times in 1964. These drawings show a simplified demonstration of how cartoons are made, from the earliest sketches until the cartoon is finally assembled in the editing room. I've seen the first drawing before, but I've never seen the others until now. I don't know for certain the artist behind these, but I suspect this is Dick Bickenbach's work.
Putting life into cartoons
This does not represent a minor revolt at the Hanna-Barbera cartoon studios. Rather, Fred Flintstone and his pal, Barney Rubble, are simply showing how their animated color cartoon series, "The Flintstones," is produced for ABC. They demonstrate how the studio's artists prepare individual transparent "cels," and how they edit the film. Then there's the typical recording sessions held by the show's voices, Mel Blanc, Bea Benaderet, Alan Reed and Jean Vander Pyl. It all adds up to a lot of work for the people behind the scenes. That's the way it is each week with a cartoon series—then it's back to the old drawing board.
This week marks seven years since we lost the irreplaceable June Foray, arguably the greatest voice actress animation has ever had. The list of characters she's voiced is nothing short of impressive: Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Granny, Natasha Fatale, Witch Hazel, Cindy Lou Who, Spider-Man's Aunt May, Magica De Spell, and the list goes on and on. She worked with everyone from Warner Brothers to Disney for over seven decades. I'd share the great Chuck Jones quote on her, but I'm sure you've heard it at least once before.
Unfortunately, I haven't gotten to spotlight her much on this blog. I already have a little something planned for her birthday in September, but until then, check out this great cel the Hanna-Barbera folks made in tribute to her. This was done at some point in the nineties and is signed by both Bill and Joe. It features several of the characters she portrayed in the studio's shows, as well as a lovely poem celebrating her.
I feel I should mention who's who in this piece, as even I drew a blank trying to remember some of these characters. The only ones I recognize are Grandma Cavemom from The Flintstones Kids, Granny from 2 Stupid Dogs, and Jokey Smurf. The characters to the side of Granny and the dinosaur I don't know, but they also look like characters from The Flintstones Kids. While it's a lovely tribute, the character selection could've been better. Come on, no Grandma Dynamite or Tanya?
It's been about a month since its launch, so why don't we check in on what's new with MeTV Toons? At this point, I imagine a lot of you have been watching the channel if you have access to it. If you want my two cents on the channel, I think it's been great so far, and it looks like it'll only get better in the months to come. From schedule changes to convention panels, here's the latest news on MeTV Toons!
Over the last week or so, the channel has seen its first major schedule changes. For the Hanna-Barbera shows, Penelope Pitstop has replaced airings of Wacky Races, while Yogi's Space Race replaced Yogi's Gang. The Flintstones Family Specials block on Sundays has also begun airing The New Fred and Barney Show, and the original Scooby-Doo has been swapped out with The Scooby-Doo Show. Starting tomorrow, The Secret Squirrel Show will replace airings of Atom Ant.
If seeing some of these shows leave the schedule disappoints you, don't worry. The plan is to rotate series in and out of the schedule, which will help the channel stay fresh without having to make original programming. That info comes straight from Neil Sabin, the vice-chairman of Wiegel Broadcasting, who recently did an interview with the YouTube channel Black Nerd Comedy. The video is above, but if you simply want the highlights, here they are.
There will be special celebrations for specific months and holidays. For example, October will lean heavily on Scooby-Doo shows and specials.
The Yogi Bear Show and Huckleberry Hound will debut on the network soon. Both will be restored, complete with the original opening and closing segments. Hokey Wolf and Pixie and Dixie will be coming along for the ride.
New Hanna-Barbera shows coming include Dastardly and Muttley, Lippy the Lion and HardyHar Har, Loopy De Loop, Jeannie, and The Superfriends. I should also mention that The Superfriends come to Blu-Ray this fall!
New prints are also in the works for Touche Turtle, Top Cat, Magilla Gorilla, Wally Gator, and Frankenstein Jr..
Overall, there's some exciting stuff in the cards for MeTV Toons' future, and that's only on the Hanna-Barbera side of things. There's plenty more where that came from, as well as a lot of stuff they are currently working on acquiring.
Last but not least, if you're heading to San Diego Comic-Con this week, MeTV Toons will be there as well! The panel is held on Friday from 1-2 PM, and will feature Jerry Beck, Eric Bauza, Bob Bergen, Neal Sabin, Candi Milo, and Jeff Bergman as guests. Attendees will get a sneak peek at the network's Bugs Bunny birthday documentary (which will air on the channel the following Sunday), and a free gift. Give it a look if you're going, and while you're at it, head on over to Greg Ehrbar's Hanna-Barbera panel as well!
And with that, I think I've covered every single bit of news (Hanna-Barbera adjacent news, at least) related to MeTV Toons. The channel's been great so far, and it looks like it'll only get better as time goes on!
This week's featured video is a strange one for sure. This is a TV commercial from 1980 for Dr. Pepper, a soda brand I really don't think I need to explain to anyone. At first, it seems like your standard eighties commercials, and it is, but look who appears during the commercial's final seconds. It's everyone's favorite caveman, Fred Flintstone, who proclaims that he, too, is a pepper! Joining him in the celebration is Jimmie Walker, best known for his role on the sitcom Good Times, and the lead of An American Werewolf in London, David Naughton. Naughton was essentially the mascot for Dr. Pepper at the time, which makes me wonder if any of my readers remember this particular ad campaign?
You know what company sounds like the perfect sponsor for your primetime animated adaptation of Alice in Wonderland? Why, a drugstore of course! For Hanna-Barbera's 1966 take on the classic story, the drugstore Rexall collaborated with them to help promote the special. It seems like a weird pairing, but it's not that odd if you look at the company's history. Rexall, who no longer exists (the locations in Canada merely use the name through licensing), sponsored several radio shows, including Amos and Andy and The Jimmy Durante Show. Coca-Cola was also a sponsor for the special. Take a look at this colorful advertisement promoting both the store and the special, as well as a sweepstakes readers could enter for a chance to win a 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado.
Naturally, when the special was broadcast, a series of commercials for Rexall accompanied it. Check them out below!
Much of the merchandise released of the special also made mention of the Rexall partnership. Below's a candy dish and a promotional comic book, the latter of which was only available at...you guessed it, Rexall. What were you expecting, Spirit Halloween?
As many of you may already know, this year sees the release of two Hanna-Barbera books. Already out is Kevin Sandler and Tyler Williams' Hanna and Barbera Conversations, and next month sees the release of Greg Ehrbar's Hanna-Barbera: The Recorded History. I really enjoyed reading the former and I'm especially excited to see the latter, but in the meantime, I've got a special treat to share with you all.
If you've never heard of Stu's Show, it's a podcast revolving around classic television. Hosted by Stu Shostak, many of the show's episodes over the years have also focused on classic animation, featuring guests like Jerry Beck, June Foray, Tony Benedict, and many, many more. Tomorrow will feature a discussion with the authors of both books, and I cannot wait to hear it. Give the episode a watch if you're interested in either of these books, and if you like what you hear, please check out more episodes of Stu's Show. It's been going on strong for over fifteen years, so you're bound to check out at least one or two episodes that'll interest you. I'd also recommend donating to his Patreon, as you get some really neat VIP offerings, such as invitations to live shows. Overall, it looks to be a great discussion between four individuals who know their stuff!
