Although this show has held up well for over half a century, there's no denying that it's extremely strange and probably not something that today's kids would even get.The first bizarre thing to happen is Peabody explaining how he has come to own a boy.It seems like the kind of origin story that could mess up a kid.After the first episode they make an intro for them and it shows Peabody in various places in time even though he explained in the first episode that he built the Way-Bac machine just so his boy could have a place to play.But it's weird in a good way and I love the constant recapping of the story for some reason.I was going to watch the whole first season before I reviewed this but after hearing Bullwinkle read a poem called "I Love Little Pussy", I had to get this done.Yes that's really a poem that he read.Game over, Bullwinkle wins.
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13Funbags9 May 2017
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IonicBreezeMachine27 August 2021A series of segments consisting of the serialized adventures of a flying squirrel named Rocky and his dimwitted Moose fried Bullwinkle, classic fairy tales and fables given an ironic or deconstructive twist in Fractured Fairy Tales or Aesop & Son's Fables, an intelligent dog, Mr. Peabody, and his adopted boy, Sherman, travel through time helping historical figures with their problems, and a dimwitted but well intentioned Canadian Mountie named Dudley Do-Right squares off against the villainous but always foiled Snidely Whiplash.
Following Jay Ward's establishment of TV animation as a viable avenue with the cartoon, Crusader Rabbit, Jay Ward had lost rights to the character as the result of a protracted legal battle. The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends became the next major project for Jay Ward and running from 1959-1964, became a pop culture phenomenon that helped inspired many series that came afterwards.
While the animation on the show is noticeably economical with simple shapes and usages of static backgrounds and frames, the show makes up for its frugal use of resources by way of clever writing that works on both a simple surface level, as well as injection of subtext beneath the surface that skewers everything from cold war politics to prevalence of mass media. The show in many ways is like reading a collection of Sunday newspaper comics with Rocky and Bullwinkle's adventures parodying serialized adventures while other shorts such as Mr. Peabody, Fractured Fairy Tales, and the rest are basically "done in ones" that work as set ups to punchlines that hit more often than miss.
There's a lot in The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends one can point to that can be traced to newer more contemporaneous animated series. With it's variety based format and usage of cheeky subversive background humor it's pretty clear that shows like Animaniacs that took a similar approach owe a lot to their existence from tropes and tools experimented with in this show. The show also gives us some terrific variations in humor with Rocky and Bullwinkle's buddy dynamic hitting all the right notes on their adventures and misadventures as they run afoul of Pottsylvanian agents Boris & Natasha often inadvertently escaping death whilst unaware such a threat existed, Mr. Peabody with his dry pompous intellectually superior delivery, and the deconstructions of classic children's fables and fairy tales good naturedly skewering the tropes and cliches in ways that we take for granted with the likes of the enduring Shrek franchise.
While most of the humor is really good, not all parts of the show are equal. The Dudley Do-Right shorts while charming are one of the weaker elements as it's a very one note parody of silent film era melodramas such as The Perils of Pauline or "Northwesterns" which had waned in popularity considerably in the 50s losing favor to the much more popular westerns. There are also occasion flubs in the writing where word plays, puns, or punchlines won't land as well as they should, but the quick pace and variety elements of the show ensure that no joke is lingered on for too long.
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends helped shape the landscape of TV animation with its unique format, memorable characters, and clever writing more than making up for its thrifty budget. While not every element of the show is equal, the variety appeal of the show where you were never sure exactly what you'd get kept its audience coming back for more and made it a benchmark in TV animation. -
As other previous reviewers have pointed-out,this show did indeed have a lot of material aimed at adults. However,there is also quite a bit of silly humor in it for the kids too. Kids at the time that this show was made weren't stupid,and quite likely many in the younger audience understood and appreciated much of the 'adult' humor presented in the show. That's my opinion at least,because I understood a good-bit of it when I first saw it in re-runs at age 7 or 8. Watching it today,many years later,I still find it to be very funny and entertaining. Not bad for a cartoon ! Check it out,you will surely like it.
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rupie9 July 1999There is no doubt that "Rocky and "The Avengers" were the most intelligently funny tv shows ever made. Like "Sesame St", "Rocky" was written to appeal to adults as well as children and more than half of the humor was aimed at the grownups. The show is vibrant proof that you don't have to plumb the depths of scatology, profanity, and smut - as tv today does - to be funny. "Rocky" left us laughing our keisters off, and we didn't feel we had to take a shower after seeing it.
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A_Different_Drummer9 November 2013Huge irony, as animation (aided by computers) is being re-discovered in the present, that the highest compliment one can pay to an animated feature in our current age is to say that "the market is kids, but adults will find things in the script to enjoy also." Folks, here is big revelation. That trick is not new. In fact, the producers of this ground-breaking series, Jay Ward and Bill Scott, not only invented that approach, they virtually patented it. The segments, especially the poetry, fractured fairy tales, and trips back in history, had puns within puns within puns. And, of course, puns only work if you already know the answer, so in effect this series was written by adults, for adults, and, in order to bring home a paycheck, I am sure these guys had to console themselves with the inevitable truth that the vast majority of their audience would, unfortunately, be children. (But, through the magic of DVD, streaming video and God-knows-what-new-media will arrive in the decades to come, adults can finally get a chance to match wits with the writers of this half-century old show.) And the casting? William Conrad was a "force" in Hollywood in those days, directing behind the scenes, doing voice-overs, and ultimately had his own show (Cannon). Horton had one of the most distinctive voices in the history of TV, with a pitch un-matched even to the present. And Hans Conried actually appeared on talk shows of the era to show how many different voices he could do. Even the intros to the commercials were unique and ahead of their time -- "SAY ROCKY WATCH ME PULL A RABBIT OUT OF A HAT!" Defines the word "classic."
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I also love The Bullwinkle Show as well as the superb Rocky and His Friends. The animation is some primitive moments but also a number of appealing ones too. The story lines may go over the heads of some younger viewers, but I always found them entertaining and interesting, especially the Peabody segments. The characters are incredibly strong with some of the most vivid personalities of any cartoon characters in the history of cartoons, and the writing has such a smart and subtle satirical edge. The voice work, with veteran June Foray among the most notable, is excellent. All in all, a revolutionary cartoon yet proves itself to be much more than that. With such great characters and outstanding writing, Rocky and His Friends is one of the best animated shows I've seen. 10/10 Bethany Cox
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corner-222 July 2006As 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. -
lee_eisenberg26 May 2007No matter what you call it - "Rocky and His Friends", "The Bullwinkle Show", "Rocky and Bullwinkle", or something else - you can't deny how great this show is. A total parody of the Cold War, they hit everything right on the mark.
Equally as great as the parts where Rocket J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose battle the evil-and-proud-of-it Soviet spies Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale, are the Fractured Fairy Tales (narrated by Edward Everett Horton), Mr. Peabody's Improbable History, and Dudley Do-Right. Whether Prince Charming turns Sleeping Beauty into a circus attraction, Galileo needs help with a scientific experiment, or whichever dastardly scheme Snidely Whiplash is plotting, it's one of the greatest shows of all time. The "Simpsons" of its era, if I may say so.
So, June Foray has every reason to be proud of her work on this. I'll always love it. I never saw the 2000 movie, but every review said that it sucked. -
StrictlyConfidential8 September 2020Quirky and eccentric, these unique cartoons from 1959-1963 may have been crudely drawn (that was part of their charm), but, hey, in a goofy, good-natured sort of way, they were still really quite enjoyable and entertaining to watch, even from an adult's point of view.
So sit back, relax and indulge in a few giggles and guffaws as Rocky & Bullwinkle, and their friends (and enemies) amuse you for hours on end with non-stop wackiness and some of the zaniest adventures imaginable (the Fractured Fairytales were particularly delightful).
The characters in these distinctive cartoons were especially amusing for delivering some of the most deliberately awful puns that you're ever going to hear. -
a-alexander1192 April 2021I have to laugh to myself when millennials tag an old program as "dated". No kidding, it was years ago, there wasn't 4K UHD in the 60's. But R&B is an all-time classic. I was approaching my teens when it made its debut, and I absolutely loved it.. still do as I near 70. A lot of the double entendres were aimed at adult-level comprehension, but it didn't matter. Characters like Cold War villains Boris and Natasha.. you didn't hate them, you laughed at them, and Bullwinkle's dim-wittiness was all too comical. It was ahead of its time. I so miss "dated" entertainment.
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michael_weho21 October 2018It's been over 55 years since I started to watch this show. I gotta say I enjoy this show more as an adult than I did as a child. I mean lines like: "meanwhile on Veronica Lake there sailed the Ruby Yacht of Omar Kayam" is just too much and wasted on kiddies.
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The show centers on two characters: Rocky the Flying Squirrel and Bullwinkle the Moose. But when the episodes were being produced, I guessed they were meant to focus slightly more on Rocky. That explains why the title of the show in earlier seasons was called Rocky and His Friends. But somehow Rocky faded overtime, and Bullwinkle began to shine, thus the show in later seasons went by the title The Bullwinkle Show.
How on Earth did the cute Rocky eventually lost the spotlight to the moose? Fans are likely to come up with one theory or another. But in my view, the problem occurred during the show's pre-production period. Too bad whoever chosen the cast didn't see it happened.
When trying to decide who should play a young male character, a child actor would be the best option. But in Rocky's case, they selected an old tomboy to do his words. If they can't find a child actor, they could have choose that baby-faced Walter Tetley, who played Sherman, to be that flying squirrel. But instead they choose an old tomboy. Because of that, viewers find it nauseating they way Rocky is performed and therefore eventually turning their attention to Bullwinkle. Bullwinkle may not be cute but his comical naivette makes him fun to watch. -
movieman_kev5 October 2005I watched this all the time as a kid (reruns of course, I'm getting old, but I'm not THAT old) I loved laughing at Bullwinkle and his trusty friend Rocky, always wondering what would happen next. I got a kick out of the fractured Fairy Tales as well. But I think my favorite part of the show would have to be the Mr. Peabody segments. Even as a kid I loved anything to do with time travel so Peabody and Sherman's adventures in the Way-back machine thrilled me to no end. I'm so glad that the episodes are now on DVD so I can introduce my niece to them and not subject her to the awfully lame brain-rotting cartoons of today.
My Grade: B+ -
cheffychic12 November 2000Hey, Rocky and Bullwinkle is the best cartoon around. Now, I am a big fan of cartoons and the first time I saw Rocky and Bullwinkle, I had to watch more and more. It is such a corny show, yet, it is so funny to watch. Bullwinkle, lights it up, with his dimwittedness and dumb punch lines. I love the other segments of the show like Aesop and Son, Fractured Fairy Tales and the "infamoose" Dudley DoRight. This is classic, and frankly, I don't think there will be another show quite like it. "Now, here's something you'll really like!" (P.S. the only disappointment of R&B history, if you haven't seen it, I warn you, you'll waste your time and money).
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gilligan196525 January 2015I must be getting irritable in my old age of 49; and, with an inquisitive young Son who's proving me an idiot by being smarter than I...I'm seeking out old shows I used to watch as a child of his age.
Along with this great show, I can NEVER find "Jonny Quest;" "Star Trek" TOS; "The Wild Wild West;" "The Twilight Zone" Original Series, or, any "Twilight Zone" at all; "The Six Million Dollar Man;" nor, any other "CLASSIC" show on TV; even on TV-Land - the 'supposed' classic TV channel - besides "Bonanza" and "Gunsmoke." Both GREAT SHOWS!
"Rawhide"and "The Rifleman" ARE now on AMC...God Bless them!
I said..."What the heck!" And, I bought all of these great shows on DVD due to my impatience of waiting for a 'classic' TV channel to show' classic' TV shows.'
This cartoon, "Rocky and His Friends," is such an amazing, clever, and, creative cartoon! Although the cartoon graphics are simply done, they're simply-amazing! This actually adds to the ambiance of the show; and, along with its imaginative stories, crazy antics, and, clever 'twists-and-turns' in segments like "Grimm Fairy Tales;" "Peabody and Sherman;" and, my personal favorite, "Fractured Fairy Tales;" this all becomes a 'PERFECT' variety show for kids!
SPECIAL NOTE - I just love that June Foray, the lovely lady with the lovely voice of 'Rocky," is from Springfield, Massachusetts...right near where I grew up! :)
This show incorporates so much of classic prose, poetry, and, history, that, I don't believe that people nowadays can even begin to understand the jokes because they were never exposed to and don't understand the stories and histories that the jokes are poking fun at! Especially, in the US!?!? Although unimportant, does a 17 year-old in the US even know who "Goldilocks" is or was? How about "Little Red Riding Hood!?!? What about George Washington? Probably not! :(
In other words - you can't run until you can walk...and, as far as what this 'cartoon' jokes about, most people nowadays wouldn't understand the jokes that this cartoon provides because they have no prior knowledge of the classic stories and histories that are being joked about!?!? This show, even though it's a cartoon, is great...if you have a 'simple' background of 3rd grade education in 1964...which equals at the very least...an associates degree nowadays!?!?
If you have a classical, historical, and, geographical background..."Rocky and His Friends" is classically-historically-geographically background-groundbreaking; and, especially GREAT for you!
If you're a slug; or, have an associates or bachelors degree in liberal arts; or, work as a social worker; a children's therapist; a lawyer, or, a judge, in any capacity...this show, nor, any other show that views complexity of the mind or intellectuality of the soul, as a virtue...is "NOT" for you! :) -
TheLittleSongbird28 December 2011I always have loved animated shows and cartoons, and I find The Rocky and Bullwinkle/The Bullwinkle Show one of the best there was. The animation is a tad on the primitive side, but it can have an appealing look to it. What makes the show are the characters and the writing. The characters are timeless, not just Rocky and Bullwinkle, Rocky being adorable and Bullwinkle hilarious, but support characters like Boris and Natasha. The writing is superb, with a satirical edge that is both sarcastic and subtle while managing to be laugh-out-loud funny. The episode ideas were original and interesting. Rocky and Bullwinkle's are wonderful, as well as Dudley Doright, Peabody and Fractured Fairy tales. Aesop's Fables weren't quite on the same level but had some good moments. The voice work from June Foray, Paul Frees, William Conrad and Bill Scott is to me some of the best of any cartoon show. Overall, a classic cartoon series and one of the best. 10/10 Bethany Cox
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loracat-7763613 August 2020I'm 65 years old in 2020. I remember watching Rocky and Bullwinkle as a kid. I loved all the characters in all the segments of the show. However, I didn't catch all the jokes and puns at the time, but I can sure appreciate the humor now. Those were the good old days!!! Remake movies of the various segments of this show don't stand up to the original. Also, kids' cartoons today are mostly garbage! Just because they have fancy computer generated visuals doesn't mean the writing is any good. PBS has the only decent shows for kids these days! Give me the "Good Old Days" of TV!
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Tornado_Sam11 August 2020Whatever you call it, be it "Rocky and His Friends" (original title) "The Bullwinkle Show" (the re-titled title) or "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends" (the DVD release title), this early cartoon from the early sixties, even preceding "The Flintstones", is a true classic. Like most of the productions of Jay Ward, the animation tends to be among the cheapest and most basic ever made, filled with its mistakes largely in part because of a lower budget, making it more technically poor in comparison to other cartoons of the time. The best part of the show, however, is how it manages to appeal to all audiences through subtle contrasts of characters and writing - something that one can't say about most animated series today.
The premise of R&B is the part that appeals to little kids - two friends, an anthropomorphic moose and squirrel, have a series of crazy adventures, told in the manner of a radio program. Most of these adventures normally involve a pair of two 'Pottsylvanian' spies named Boris and Natasha, who work for what is supposed to be a form of the Soviet Union, but that tends to remind me at least more of Nazi Germany. All of the characters are outstanding, the duo of Rocky and Bullwinkle being among the most memorable in the history of animation, Rocky being the straight man and Bullwinkle the lovable idiot. The stories always tend to be of the more ridiculous sort - whether it's trying to recover a recipe for an unknown powerful Jet Fuel, unmasking box top counterfeiters, or finding the treasure of the late race car driver Monte Zoom. The art, as in all Jay Ward productions, is the cartoon-y, simplistic style not unlike most other cartoons of the time, giving the show a cheerful, bright look that is intended to appeal to younger audiences. Visually and structurally, it is a show for kids, causing most adults to dismiss it at first glance with the mindset of being 'just another Saturday morning cartoon'.
However, such an assumption would be wrong. The part of the show that makes it click with grownup audiences is the writing, which contains some of the most brilliant, witty and satirical dialogue in the history of cartoons. The puns and the word plays contained within the episodes is, simply put, outstanding and something that most cartoons today fail to do in their more childish and silly humor. Most kids below ten and even several years older would not normally catch such humor, but this is not to say it is wasted upon their younger minds. The series was a true family show, quite potentially before the term itself existed, in its subtle contrast of the typical kiddie cartoon mixed with the sophisticated wittiness of the adult world. Two very opposite things, and yet, the show blends them so brilliantly it's really quite a thing to behold.
The other segments within the half-hour show are also great, as they too feature this exact same component of the R&B portions. Fractured Fairy Tales takes many creative and superb twists on well-known fairy tales, while Aesop's Fables does a similar thing with the numerous fables of Aesop. Dudley Do-Right is always funny and entertaining as well in being its own side story (hence the reason why this part later got its own show), while Peabody's Improbable History does strange takes on world history. These segments are refreshing breaks from the main attraction, and the manner in which the show carries out like a radio program by having the two segments in each episode separated by all the other bits in the middle makes it all the greater.
Of course, as mentioned above, the technical side of R&B leaves much to be desired. The animation is extremely cheap with plenty of mistakes and looking no better than the constrained movements one would find in a flipbook. The voice actors were clearly limited, as many of the voices is the Fractured Fairy Tales, Aesop's Fables, and Peabody's Improbable History are reused over and over again, as if the actors didn't have a huge range of voices they could switch to. This is not to say any of the voices are particularly grating or annoying; they're really not. The repetition of hearing the same voices reused is what makes this problematic, showing how small the budget must have been.
Nonetheless, even despite these criticisms, it is not the use of a big budget allowing great animation and a variety of voices that makes R&B work. It is the combination of a kiddie show premise filled with all the wit and humor that adults can enjoy. "The Bullwinkle Show" will always remain a classic in cartoon history because of this, with a variety of unforgettable characters, stories, and jokes that make it a milestone. That's what the show was all about to begin with, and it is because of this that I give it a full 10/10. -
I grew up on these presentations and am still growing upon them. They are no more children's stories as "Alice in Wonderland" is. What child knows of the Ruby Yacht of Omar Khayyam? Or Apple Pandowdy. Many other references are over one's head as a child but still just as much fun to watch.
The show follows a simple formula that starts with a series of cliffhangers starring Rocky and Bullwinkle. You are required not to miss any of the installments to keep track of what is going on. Next in the formula, "Fractured Fairy Tales" I am afraid that this is where I acquired my classical background. Many of the fairy tales have alternate endings. The narrator of the tales is Edward Everett Horton (Mr. Witherspoon in "Arsenic and Old Lace.") Then we come to "Bullwinkle's Poetry Corner" or "Mr. Know-it-All" where he meets with many slapstick situations. Again, this is where I picked up my poetic background. Then there is the hat trick (wrong hat), "Peabody's Improbable Histories," "Dudley Do-Right," or "Aesop's and Son." Wrapped all up in 22 minutes with a concluding cliffhanger.
There are more characters in the shows than I can mention in the review, but they add to the viewers' enjoyment, yet Gidney and Cloyd come to mind. -
There was a station in Huntsville, Alabama that used to play Rocky and Bullwinkle early on Sunday mornings. The reception was poor, but I would wake up early, nonetheless. I never got the jokes, but I knew that there was something there that I was missing and laughed anyway (Remember the Ruby Yacht of Omar Kiyam? Hilarious! What kid gets that joke?). I loved the other shorts too--Mr. Peabody, Bullwinkle's Corner, Dudley Doright, Fractured Fairy Tales, Mr. Know It All--which all seemed to be just as funny, and in some cases funnier, than the moose and squirrel.
I am only 27, but the show reminds me of better times, and I enjoy watching it to this day, finally being able to get the jokes. I can never find it, but when I do, and I rarely do, I sit and watch and remember. I am not sure if I will ever see the live action/animated version of the film, however, because I hate what modern technology has done to the animated characters I grew up loving in flat monotone colors. Isn't this the only way to view Rocky and Bullwinkle, and if Peabody the dog and his boy Sherman ain't in it do I really want to pay money to watch? Oh well, maybe the film will make the TV show more available. One can only hope. -
Sargebri26 October 2004Long before Bart, Homer and the rest of the Simpsons came along; this show revolutionized animated cartoons and showed that cartoons could not only be entertaining, but could also provide a great deal of social satire. This was definitely the crowning achievement of Jay Ward and his troop of actors and writers. This also was the first cartoon series that could appeal to both adults and children. It appealed to children because its two titular stars were a couple of fuzzy animals and the adults were able to get into it because of the fact that it provided a great deal of social and political satire that they could relate to, especially in the dark days of the Cold War. Also, the supporting features (Peabody and Sherman, Fractured Fairy Tales and Aesop and Son) all helped make this one of the most entertaining and influential cartoon series ever.
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ccook4516 January 2005Rocky 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. -
StreepFan1269 September 2002This is one of the funniest television shows I have ever seen. The best part is that as I get older, I find it funnier. When i was little, I just laughed at Bullwinkle's voice. But as i get older and older I start to appreciate the satire and humor. Modern sitcoms and cartoons should take a lesson from this show.
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rcj536520 February 2007"The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle" was the most unconventional cartoon show ever devised for television during the late-1950's and throughout the entire 1960's. Arguably for its time,was the pun-laden,satirical "The Bullwinkle Show". Bullwinkle was a dim-witted moose from Frostbite Falls,Minnesota whose diminutive pal Rocky was a flying squirrel with an aviator's cap. The unlikely duo faced another twosome of Cold War combatants,trench-coat clad Boris and husky-voiced Natasha,whose sole mission was to "kill moose and squirrel." They never succeeded,with thanks due in varying proportions to Boris' stupidity,Rocky's quick thinking,and interactions with other odd types,including aliens from outer space,robots,demented bureaucrats,and much more. Topping it off was a narrator whose comments brought occasional responses in support or opposition from the participants,ending it all by telling viewers to "tune in to our next episode",or "be with us next time for",or "don't miss our next episode of",and giving two jokey titles for the next serialized adventure(which lasted no more than about eight minutes in length giving within a half-hour show). The result was a concoction that appealed to both adults and children.
One supporting segment later had its own spin-off consisting of various characters like Sherman and Peabody and of course Dudley Doright. Another was "Fractured Fairy Tales",the title segment of which featured a hapless fairy opening the first pages of a volume of classic fairy tales,then getting snapped up by the suddenly closing book.(If you're wondering where the producers got their ideas for the movie "Shrek",they got the insight from this segment of the Bullwinkle Show) Narrated by Edward Everett-Horton,the segment of "Fractured Fairy Tales" was an off-the-wall rendition of Cinderella,Sleeping Beauty,Rapunzel,and other well-known classics,plus along with the narrator who,as in the main show talked with the characters. "Peabody's Improbable History" had a bespectacled pooch(with a Ph.D and highly intelligent)take his pet boy Sherman back in time via his Waybac machine and make dry comments about circumstances that did not square with what history said had happened. The "Mr. Know-It-All" segment featured Bullwinkle's helpful but bumbling attempts to answer viewers' questions. And "Aesop and Son" featured a young looking curly-haired kid named Aesop telling his tunic-wearing offspring so-called parables with such characters as a lion who caught a cold every time he roared because he wanted to sing. The moral of of that one was "Psychiarists are very good,but they're never cured the common cold." And this within a segment of other stories that ran within an eight to nine minute time frame within a half-hour show. Another Bullwinkle segment was "The Poetry Corner",where Bullwinkle takes a stab of classic poetry with hilarious results.
The cartoon was the only original series in ABC's late-afternoon lineup when it premiered on November 19,1959(which was by the way filmed in color but telecast in black and white),airing under the title of Rocky and Friends. However,it continued successfully well at ABC-TV until September 3,1961. On September 23,1962 the series moved from ABC over to NBC-TV,and this time around was in color with new episodes and under a new title "The Bullwinkle Show". Series creator and also executive producer Jay Ward offscreen antics were the keys to some of the great writing that they had on this animated classic(along with co-writers Allan Burns and Chris Hayward the writing team behind a lot of classic TV shows including "Mister Ed","Get Smart",and so forth). The series remained with the peacock network until September 5,1964. At the start of the 1964-65 season,the "Bullwinkle" show return to ABC in repeated episodes from September 20,1964 until September 2,1973 and was mostly shown on Saturday and Sunday Mornings for the remainder of its run on the ABC network. From 1963 through 1973(ten years)the show not only aired on weekends in repeated episodes,but also had a loyal cult following in the syndicated markets too from 1973 until 1981. There was a final network run of the series for NBC during the 1981-82 season. Did you know that William Conrad was the narrator for this series and later on Bill Scott? Voice regulars included June Foray(who basically did the voices for all of the female characters on the show and also the voice of Rocky and other young boys),Bill Scott(was one of the co-producers and was one of the writers for the show and was not only the voice of Bullwinkle,but did the voices for the characters of Mr.Peabody,Dudley Doright,and Aesop),Charles Ruggles,Paul Frees(who was the voice of Boris and other characters),and Walter Tetley.