The first show ever to feature Rocky and
Bullwinkle was Jay Ward Productions' Rocky and His Friends.
It ran from September 29, 1959 to September 3, 1961
on ABC and was seen on Saturday evenings from 6:30 to
7:00.
The
main plot line featured Rocky, the flying squirrel,
Bullwinkle, his devoted companion, Mr. Big, the evil
midget, and his Pottsylvanian accomplices, the infamous
Boris and Natasha.
Voice talents include June Foray as Rocky, Natasha and Nell Fenwick; Bill Scott as Bullwinkle, Mr. Peabody and Dudley Do-Right; Paul Frees as Boris; Hans Conreid as Snidely Whiplash; Walter Tetley as Sherman; Charles Ruggles as Aesop; William Conrad as the narrator; and Edward Everett Horton as the narrator of Fractured Fairy Tales. The show was created by Jay Ward and Alex Anderson and produced by Bill Scott.
In 1961 the show moved to NBC and retitled The Bullwinkle Show. There it stayed until fall of 1964 when it returned to ABC for nine more years. From then on, the show has been shown in reruns. There is also a video series available from Buena Vista.
The History: It all started with the animation genius for Jay Ward. Born in 1920, he was destine to become one of the most comical and satirical writers for animation to date. In 1950, he had the honor of producing the first animated program made for television, Crusader Rabbit. It appeared that the transfer of animation from the silver screen to the small screen was a hit. Crusader Rabbit lasted two years on early network television.
The series lead way to 'Rocky and His Friends' in 1959, co-created with Alex Anderson. Often credited as an early version of the Bullwinkle Show, the prime time cartoon premiered in November 29th at 6:30pm on ABC. The series was an instant hit among children and adults. Kids loved the witty characters, while adults enjoyed the social commentaries and satire. The show starred Rocky, the flying squirrel, Bullwinkle, his motley friend, and the two Pottsylvanian spies, Boris and Natasha.
While The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle flip flopped from local stations to Nickeloden (they renamed it Moose-O-Rama?!) in the early 90's the fans remain true, supporting the series. Luckily the moose and squirrel found a stable home in 1996 when Turner Broadcasting's Cartoon Network picked up the series. The channel now has become a meeting place for other of classic cartoons. In 1998, Cartoon Network also acquired the rights to The Dudley Do-right Show, making it the ultimate place for Rocky and Bullwinkle fans. Today Rocky and Bullwinkle still live on in national commericals and the hearts of viewers.
