I watched some of a wildlife programme about Yellowstone Park last night, and it's all wrong, you know. It is, and will ever be, Jellystone Park to me. Much of my childhood was shaped by Hanna Barbera cartoons. You could keep worthy numbers like Blue Peter. I liked the cartoons, and the odder, the better. So, Yogi Bear (hey, hey, hey, how's it with you, Boo Boo? I'm ... smarter than the average bear. Is that a picanic basket?), The Flintstones (Yabba Dabba Doo, but it was really rather ruined once the babies Pebbles and Bam Bam joined them, though Betty Rubble was ever a complete babe) and, most of all, Huckleberry Hound, who had a Southern drawl and sang snatches of My Darling Clementine, were always my chosen viewing. Of course, I watched British cartoons too. Noggin the Nog (and Nogbad the Bad), Captain Pugwash et al, some of which I can't think of right now.
Then there was one about a lion king, whose name I seem to remember was King Leo, originally enough, and the hero was an advisor or courtier called Odeo Colonie (accent on the second O in the second word, as in cologne-ee), both loyal and true blue - he was a skunk, but I remember nothing else about it and there was a bird called Yackey Doodle Duck, and we named a budgie after him, but I don't remember much about him either. I remember him as yellow, but I must either have had a book or imagined it, or it was his description, because there was only black and white television in those days.
The other favourite was Top Cat, which was marvellous. Then there was Tom and Jerry of course. I also appreciate that some of the cartoons weren't Hanna Barbera. I'm not sufficiently bothered to check which were and which weren't.
I read a lot and was quite pretentious there - I read A Pilgrim's Progress when I was about 8, which was the hardest going I could have imagined - I slogged through it determinedly at the rate of a page a day - and then started on Shakespeare with The Tempest. I'm not sure why, I read them in bed on my own, but I was certainly an odd child. But in television watching, I was as lightweight as they come.
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We didn't have a television when I was a young child. I did read a lot of books. Many beyond what would nowadays be considered my reading age.
Oh, Tom and Jerry. Loved that show. And Woody Woodpecker. Watched them both after school for years. I was also a big fan of Hannah Barbera- remember Precious Pup, Squiddley Diddley, Magilla Gorilla, The Hillbilly Bears? Oh, joy. Now I'll have to head over to amazon.com.
Dad always laughed at one cartoon I watched. One of the characters was a pony named Luke Warmwater.
Did they have Classics Illustrated comics when you were a child? Condensed versions of classic literature in comic form.
Adored Yogi and Boo Boo. Quite agree The Flintstones went downhill after the kids. Hey! Betty was my first crush!...oh eck..did I really say that..;-)
Top Cat (bizarrely renamed Boss Cat over here as it was on the BBC - no advertsiing and there was a Top Cat cat food around then) was a particular favourite of mine.
Noggin The Nog? Yep. Ivor The Engine, The Clangers, Trumpton..."Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble and Grubb"...;-)
Rhubarb the dog and Custard The Cat!
The Wombles!!!
Bagpuss!!!
Mr. Ben!!!
....and of course....
the greatest of them all...
...even better than Captain Pugwash....
The one....
the only....
MAGIC ROUNDABOUT!!!!!!!
"I wonder if Florence is a virgin"...said Dougal
'BOIIING!!!' "Time for bed" said Zebedee
"Oh yes please" said Florence
Well? Jasper Carrot loved it too!...;-)
As a family, we were all obsessed with books and reading. I still get quite anxious at the prospect of not having a book to read - although I read fewer books than I ever have, because I've got such a long bloglist!
I was fortunate enough to grow up with television, as my parents bought one to watch the coronation. There's nothing like popular culture to bring back the memories.
For me it was Yogi and only Yogi.
I still use the phrase 'Gee whadda homely kid' which the ranger said when Boo-Boo was disguised as a baby.
Yogi has only ever been equalled by Homer Simpson. In fact, I think Homer was probably influenced by Yogi - Matt G is about our age, isn't he?
I think "homely" is the finest description that there possibly can be. It's devastating, and yet kind. The first example of political correctness?
Oh, Lordy, Lordy, I just sent an email and left out a vital word and had to send another email putting it in.
It was to the headmaster. He'll think I'm one over the eight.
No, really, I'm quite embarrassed. I'm usually so intimidating.
Huckleberry Hound is still on here.Every Southern family named their hound Huckleberry. My hound now is not so named, but the neighbor's dog is. My favorite after HBH was the Rocky and Bullwinkle show, It featured Dudley Dooright of the Mounties and fractured fairy tales. Hilarious.
I have no idea what any of you are talking about - except Homer Simpson, of course.
Back in East Angular in 1960, we were the only people with a dog named Huck. In fact, I still have never met another. I'm vastly jealous that HH is still on TV with you. The same programmes or remakes?
My sympathy, Dave, on your deprived childhood.
There is a cartoon network channel on TV. Supposedly for children, ha ha. They show reruns of all the old cartoons that have been mentioned. It's a much more pleasant channel to watch than the evening news.
Amiable dispatch and this enter helped me alot in my college assignement. Thanks you as your information.
I loved cartoons too, still do.....the simps simps as the kids used to call them are still a fave. Tho' I do have a soft spot for road runner and wily cyote.
I even ended up working in a London design studio which specialised in cartoons in the designs...bliss. all day every day drawing and colouring in bugs bunny et al!
In Vegas last November, I ended up trying to explain what Top Cat was to an American. He claimed to have never heard of it and kept trying to correct me, saying "Oh, you mean TOM Cat!"
I didn't punch him though. I am mature, see.
What a total dick. What sort of American hasn't heard of Top Cat? And if he hasn't, why would he argue about it?
I'd not have punched him either. I'd have verbally mashed him into little bits and spat him out though. I trust you were more mature and just blanked him for the rest of the visit.
Bet he hadn't heard of Sergeant Bilko or Damon Runyon either. Twit. To argue, that is.
If your college assignment (there's no e in the middle) is about early 60s tv cartoons, then I despair, actually.
I didn't even mention Bugs Bunny and the rest, Sarah. I loved them all. And one of my children has told me that he models himself on Homer Simpson, which I heartily approve of.
Nothing I had to chip in, so I just stay quiet.
I trust my frivolity doesn't shock you, Mago.
"Here he comes to save the day!"
I am not familiar with Top Cat either, but I won't argue about it, so no punching*-O
I do know Sergeant Bilko and Damon Runyon.
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