tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26069412626636709842024-03-14T04:10:18.685-04:00Saturday Morning SupercadeAn Examination of Retro-Cartoon Characters and the Far Reaching Effects of "The Golden Age of Saturday Morning Cartoons" ca. 1966-1990Matt. Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07240413323381294273noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606941262663670984.post-5569836273847201412011-08-11T13:10:00.000-04:002011-08-11T13:15:43.189-04:00Will It Be "Fan-Riffic"? (Cue Gong)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFIxsWUVG0EMD_9U_ZpJGdre_MOsogYEPoxMza227w6LPASe-2QU80fCi5ri9owlkJGZmVEE297An9bDwuEDWMIG9jgGAjrLbWL46zBo_Mcfr0xbMp3x0O5bhLY9MG8dyKEzPe8Mc2MpNE/s1600/HongKongPhooey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFIxsWUVG0EMD_9U_ZpJGdre_MOsogYEPoxMza227w6LPASe-2QU80fCi5ri9owlkJGZmVEE297An9bDwuEDWMIG9jgGAjrLbWL46zBo_Mcfr0xbMp3x0O5bhLY9MG8dyKEzPe8Mc2MpNE/s400/HongKongPhooey.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Alcon Entertainment, the company behind the 2006 <i>Wicker Man</i> remake and the <i>Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants</i> franchise, announced yesterday that they would be bringing a live-action/c-g hybrid of Hanna-Barbera's <i>Hong Kong Phooey</i> to the silver screen.<br />
<br />
Brett Ratner (<i>Rush Hour</i>) will produce with partner Jay Stern, along with Alcon founders Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove. Alex Zamm, who made Carrot Top's <i>Chairman of the Board</i>, has been chosen to direct, presumably based on his experience working in the c-g hybrid medium on such projects such as <i>Inspector Gadget 2</i>, <i>Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2</i>, and <i>Doctor Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts </i>(aka, Number 5.) <br />
<br />
The film is being designed as a starring vehicle for Eddie Murphy, who has been chosen to try to fill the Scatman Crothers sized void behind the voice-over microphone as Penry/Hong Kong Phooey.<br />
Whether or not he'll do that in the exact same voice he used as Mushu in <i>Mulan</i> (1998) and through countless <i>Shrek</i>-a-paloozas (2001-2010) has yet to be heard.
<br />
<br />
(Source: <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/eddie-murphy-voice-title-character-221518">The Hollywood Reporter</a>)Matt. Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07240413323381294273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606941262663670984.post-68953334297971885442011-07-04T00:03:00.000-04:002011-07-04T00:34:39.934-04:00America Rocks!Happy 4th of July!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUZGQEEx1XgSxm2Qp7Dbi3OEE-m9pMO0bGB_InTGqo3-7K-IEwDApRAOZqJreo5bbMhivGH-SdYtMsfnwSPnglf_43_x5Z1GEjfOUgEjGPpxDTuH-CcXlj7KykY6L3Bah1S-0sLVwBNxn/s1600/Schoolhouse-Rock-Fireworks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUZGQEEx1XgSxm2Qp7Dbi3OEE-m9pMO0bGB_InTGqo3-7K-IEwDApRAOZqJreo5bbMhivGH-SdYtMsfnwSPnglf_43_x5Z1GEjfOUgEjGPpxDTuH-CcXlj7KykY6L3Bah1S-0sLVwBNxn/s400/Schoolhouse-Rock-Fireworks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Have your own retro sing-a-long to the <i>Schoolhouse Rock</i> classic "Fireworks" after the jump!!!
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<iframe width="400" height="330" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ym2Ny1Te3LA?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
Ooh, there's gonna be fireworks (<b>Fireworks!</b>)<br />
On the Fourth of July (<b>red, white, and blue!</b>)<br />
Red, white, and blue fireworks<br />
Like diamonds in the sky. (<b>diamonds in the sky!</b>)<br />
We're gonna shoot the entire works on fireworks<br />
That really show, oh yeah,<br />
We declared our liberty 200 years ago.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Yeah! </blockquote>
<blockquote>
In 1776 (<b>fireworks!</b>)<br />
There were fireworks too (<b>red, white, and blue!</b>)<br />
The original colonists,<br />
You know their tempers blew (<b>They really blew!</b>)<br />
Like Thomas Paine once wrote:<br />
It's only common sense (<b>only common sense</b>)<br />
That if a government won't give you your basic rights<br />
You'd better get another government. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
And though some people tried to fight it,<br />
Well, a committee was formed to write it:<br />
Benjamin Franklin, Philip Livingston,<br />
John Adams, Roger Sherman, Thomas Jefferson,<br />
They got it done (<b>Oh yes they did!</b>)<br />
The Declaration, uh-huh-huh,<br />
The Declaration of Independence (<b>Oh yeah!</b>)<br />
In seventeen hundred seventy six (<b>Right on!</b>)<br />
The Continental Congress said that we were free (<b>We're free!</b>)<br />
Said we had the right of life and liberty,<br />
<b>...And the pursuit of happiness!</b> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Ooh, when England heard the news, (<b>Kerpow!</b>)<br />
They blew their stack (<b>They really blew their cool!</b>)<br />
But the colonists lit the fuse,<br />
There'd be no turning back (<b>no turnin' back!</b>)<br />
They'd had enough of injustice now<br />
But even if it really hurts, oh yeah,<br />
If you don't give us our freedom now<br />
You're gonna see some fireworks! </blockquote>
<blockquote>
And on the Fourth of July they signed it<br />
And 56 names underlined it,<br />
And now to honor those first 13 states,<br />
We turn the sky into a birthday cake.<br />
They got it done (<b>Oh yes they did!</b>)<br />
The Declaration, uh-huh-huh,<br />
The Declaration of Independence (<b>Oh yeah!</b>)<br />
In seventeen hundred seventy six (<b>Right on!</b>)<br />
The Continental Congress said that we were free (<b>We're free!</b>)<br />
Said we had the right of life and liberty,<br />
<b>...And the pursuit of happiness!</b> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b>We hold these truths to be self-evident,<br />
That all men are created equal<br />
And that they are endowed by their creator<br />
With certain inalienable rights.<br />
That among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.</b> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
And if there's one thing that makes me happy,<br />
Then you know that it's (<b>ooh</b>)<br />
There's gonna be fireworks! </blockquote>
<br />
Music and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens<br />
Performed by Grady Tate<br />
Animation by Phil Kimmelman & AssociatesMatt. Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07240413323381294273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606941262663670984.post-64464234814937662672011-05-27T10:17:00.000-04:002011-05-27T10:17:33.450-04:00Happy 100th Birthday, Vincent Price!I'll throw some tips on how to celebrate the day right over at <i>It's Time for Some Action</i>, but for now, ogle this awesome Vincent Van Ghoul (from <i>13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo</i>) piece from Chinese Deviant Art-ist <a href="http://sharksden.deviantart.com/">SharksDen</a>. There's a few other primo Price pieces up at his <a href="http://sharksden.deviantart.com/gallery/29574266">gallery</a> so hop on over there to check them out.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbmJrOR8HqRvtHsuLhMUxWrYIV3vj9QvD9L9dc64kJPMyiaMraBti8jzH7ziQsXLdX9CoBCc3DYdS2CIk4356Ure5sB1T8b27i5HjH6JhgYrSq5JR8-qbuIG06BAv2FWXML06T16coYFM/s1600/Vincent+Van+Ghoul.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbmJrOR8HqRvtHsuLhMUxWrYIV3vj9QvD9L9dc64kJPMyiaMraBti8jzH7ziQsXLdX9CoBCc3DYdS2CIk4356Ure5sB1T8b27i5HjH6JhgYrSq5JR8-qbuIG06BAv2FWXML06T16coYFM/s400/Vincent+Van+Ghoul.jpg" width="283" /></a></div>Matt. Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07240413323381294273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606941262663670984.post-33688005182336081222011-05-21T13:00:00.000-04:002011-05-21T13:00:05.983-04:00What's Black and Grey and Rolls Around The Parking Lot of McDonalds?Mr. T. and a pigeon fighting over an old french fry.<br />
<br />
That's not me talkin'... That's someday Saturday morning stuntman "Super Dave" Osborne (comedian Bob Einstein) provoking fellow future cartoon caricature Mr. T. during a bit from Showtime's sketch comedy show <i>Bizarre</i> (1980-85).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpKee7fWFuDF3HJNitZ5r3TtzLoWKG3kYYvuXFalF5gn9AR8AuvU0Tbi5VX3FRRebxzk4_iMgwzyZkd7PJt9vxRGfgwgAcHIS-iAhgDEB5qhOucO9JICxqqcxoNkNVNI_zGtgaylj20F9P/s1600/Dave+T.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpKee7fWFuDF3HJNitZ5r3TtzLoWKG3kYYvuXFalF5gn9AR8AuvU0Tbi5VX3FRRebxzk4_iMgwzyZkd7PJt9vxRGfgwgAcHIS-iAhgDEB5qhOucO9JICxqqcxoNkNVNI_zGtgaylj20F9P/s400/Dave+T.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Although the minimum amount of research hasn't placed an exact date on the video, it can be deduced that it was shot between the release of <i>Rocky III</i> (5/28/82) and the debut of the <i>A-Team </i>(1/23/83), meaning that it's roughly a year before <i>Mister T.</i> started solving crimes with his team of gymnasts and a full decade before Fox aired <i>Super Dave: Daredevil for Hire</i>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawMrWNhByuPV1g664VagScJFhHF2CXQ6-I_5Og-Mviw81SYlLz6AHTOfw4u_vLJox6yRojbF0t-7W4GFWtHVX51bsRmXi6g1igCyeAT-rpMgmJK8zwlyWOjHWCrnYBRIi_PH_HfR4m_IL/s1600/mr+t.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawMrWNhByuPV1g664VagScJFhHF2CXQ6-I_5Og-Mviw81SYlLz6AHTOfw4u_vLJox6yRojbF0t-7W4GFWtHVX51bsRmXi6g1igCyeAT-rpMgmJK8zwlyWOjHWCrnYBRIi_PH_HfR4m_IL/s320/mr+t.jpg" width="195" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlPK_2KGe4Lcbx8fn3axdfQkTYH30iZli2rCDnEzZrilTCKJdNjv7BHVM2e6bke9gYKV2coIgl3gsQ0L5h_wcXIDqTKT6C3Pe-fL_W7mynMOcmgnUNOXqId_pcEawhEbHLbfvTUQQ_-Dm/s1600/Super+Dave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlPK_2KGe4Lcbx8fn3axdfQkTYH30iZli2rCDnEzZrilTCKJdNjv7BHVM2e6bke9gYKV2coIgl3gsQ0L5h_wcXIDqTKT6C3Pe-fL_W7mynMOcmgnUNOXqId_pcEawhEbHLbfvTUQQ_-Dm/s320/Super+Dave.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Check-out the clip after the jump. Be advised that some of the language is offensive - but, as you'll see, that's the whole point.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="330" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XuSUq6IZqFc?rel=0" width="400"></iframe> </div>
<br />
Why did we here at Supercade pick today to share this? Well, it's <b>Mr.</b> Laurence <b>T</b>ureaud<b>'s</b> 59th birthday! So... drink your school, stay in drugs, and don't do milk!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeaxi8gejwNQUqsOu5TXUtgo74lKd-UZ73qKD0sL0MnpHC-5MiYwZuUQK9fXa9C6dS694iuBXWjIoGqjzmWsA5oGvUZi80xA74e5eHyxD0SaTdBV0-aMygEP9VkDA3pUspXAEyKGNiop2Y/s1600/Mr+T+ad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeaxi8gejwNQUqsOu5TXUtgo74lKd-UZ73qKD0sL0MnpHC-5MiYwZuUQK9fXa9C6dS694iuBXWjIoGqjzmWsA5oGvUZi80xA74e5eHyxD0SaTdBV0-aMygEP9VkDA3pUspXAEyKGNiop2Y/s400/Mr+T+ad.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Saturday Morning Supercade pity the foo' who don't wish Mr. T. a "Happy Birthday"!Matt. Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07240413323381294273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606941262663670984.post-4696710142539937832011-05-19T16:33:00.000-04:002011-05-19T16:33:01.550-04:00NYC Hook and Ladder No. 8 to Potentially Close Its Doors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBhcX5Ye1JWeqwVjBAB_7Ndf-1XrDmx2U5iVf3jF83BC7Hs_6gqs30HVaeMCm4szO3qzMAbvS2C4lMuUAy0HPjGXCTWNHDWVu-y5Y-2V5lYhc5A2camhM-TqWKHBSg7x-IqUdGKWVd5go/s1600/Hook+and+Ladder+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBhcX5Ye1JWeqwVjBAB_7Ndf-1XrDmx2U5iVf3jF83BC7Hs_6gqs30HVaeMCm4szO3qzMAbvS2C4lMuUAy0HPjGXCTWNHDWVu-y5Y-2V5lYhc5A2camhM-TqWKHBSg7x-IqUdGKWVd5go/s400/Hook+and+Ladder+8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL83429XLRpUeRo0wQh6oa1f2wUYmB4jlz4_ZOaJqsVI3QDvI6vTLD107unUR6lP0TORbm2bEiQhc095zwkLvIcJyxAdojVBz8I86CkB_-3JSci08klCUik49TT9OT_dHj-la1LucqIMN-/s1600/the+real+ghostbusters+firestation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL83429XLRpUeRo0wQh6oa1f2wUYmB4jlz4_ZOaJqsVI3QDvI6vTLD107unUR6lP0TORbm2bEiQhc095zwkLvIcJyxAdojVBz8I86CkB_-3JSci08klCUik49TT9OT_dHj-la1LucqIMN-/s320/the+real+ghostbusters+firestation.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
Yup, the actual firehouse used in the <i>Ghostbusters</i> movie and then as the model of the headquarters seen in the <i>Real Ghostbusters</i> cartoon, comics, and video game franchises is on the list of firehouses in jeopardy thanks to proposed New York City budget cuts.<br />
<br />
I guess the biggest irony in this potentially tragic tale - for pop culture fans and at risk NYC inhabitants, alike - is that a building made famous in the 1980s for being an "abandoned" firehouse has been fully functional the whole time (the company was amongst the first to respond on 9/11) and it is now back in the public eye because it may become an abandoned firehouse.<br />
<br />
To read all about it click on over to the <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/fired_houses_on_budget_hit_list_8lrXt8orX5RQMeRZqO8tTP">New York Post.</a> <br />
<br />
<b>In other cartoon building news</b>: Castle Grayskull has been scheduled for demolition to make way for a new upscale boutique specializing in fur bikinis, ornamental laser pistols, and other <i>He-Man</i> memorabilia. The Sorceress, who was evicted after the rent became too high for her to afford, could not be reached for a comment, though there was a giant orange pigeon found choking on a Starbucks biscotti in an alley adjacent to the soon-to-be demolition site.<br />
<br />
<br />Matt. Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07240413323381294273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606941262663670984.post-82873888147431668882011-05-16T17:33:00.000-04:002011-05-16T22:03:25.407-04:00That's Crazier Than the Time Seth MacFarlane Rebooted The Flintstones!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizdathtLHGwnZ8jfUxlBQ7hXugIFqXjNNYf_7hg1yPH_vuttuSSQdObe0WkpGY94BBlBnqKkT8M1gR87o8tUWvR_eqApI2S1NsmN3MPRDi8REeHYc3qO_h8ufuRbbxGk4Wvy2LQM4Y5cru/s1600/Family+Flintstones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizdathtLHGwnZ8jfUxlBQ7hXugIFqXjNNYf_7hg1yPH_vuttuSSQdObe0WkpGY94BBlBnqKkT8M1gR87o8tUWvR_eqApI2S1NsmN3MPRDi8REeHYc3qO_h8ufuRbbxGk4Wvy2LQM4Y5cru/s400/Family+Flintstones.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Have your own zany <i>Family Guy</i> style cut-away by hopping over to Deadline who broke this story a couple of hours ago:<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/yabba-dabba-doo-seth-macfarlane-finally-gets-go-ahead-to-reboot-the-flintstones/">YABBA DABBA DOO! Seth MacFarlane Finally Gets Go-Ahead To Reboot 'The Flintstones'</a><br />
<br />
or you can read the text right here:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>EXCLUSIVE: Seth MacFarlane is one of the busiest creatives in show business -- and he just got a lot busier. I've just learned that he's finally realized one of his life's ambitions: to reboot The Flintstones as a TV and film property. My scoop today follows years of very complicated negotiations between 20th Century Fox TV, where McFarlane is based, and Warner Bros Television, which owns the rights to the series after absorbing The Flintstones' famed producer Hanna-Barbera. Not only did the suits have a ton of deal points to work through, but I hear the "Yabba Dabba Doo" prehistoric family sitcom's rightholders were somewhat concerned how the classic series would be interpreted given MacFarlane's brand of raunchy comedies like Family Guy. (But, if you ask me, Universal's dreadful Flintstones films were the real abomination ...) So here are all the Hollywood players who had to unentangle this mess: MacFarlane's attorney Jim Jackoway, WME's Ari Emanuel and Greg Hodes; 20th Century Fox TV's Gary Newman, Ira Kurghan, and Howard Kurtzman; and Warner Bros Television's Peter Roth, Brett Paul and even Bruce Rosenblum. There's no broadcast date as of yet, but the reboot will air on Fox.<br />
<br />
UPDATE 2:15 PM: TOLDJA! Fox just announced the deal at its upfront this afternoon.</blockquote>Matt. Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07240413323381294273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606941262663670984.post-87987606454151084872011-05-11T12:00:00.000-04:002011-05-11T12:00:03.846-04:00Happy 100th Birthday, Phil Silvers!Comedic actor Phil Silvers would have celebrated his centenary today.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhauWvvRW9T3rO759G_g8y253E9slZb7xiJlJDbHKI3o3ERzo3YmWI04Dnw7wMQe94iILWmLoD3yyZBZH1sytz9IDtDhvo2xURWyZtsqopTFCzfpnZFiu3W_pPcGlgPVE6lV3ICXZ70CDF9/s1600/Silvers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhauWvvRW9T3rO759G_g8y253E9slZb7xiJlJDbHKI3o3ERzo3YmWI04Dnw7wMQe94iILWmLoD3yyZBZH1sytz9IDtDhvo2xURWyZtsqopTFCzfpnZFiu3W_pPcGlgPVE6lV3ICXZ70CDF9/s400/Silvers.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Born on May 11th, 1911 in Brooklyn, NY, Silvers found notoriety as a vaudeville performer before moving on to a career in film and television. His most famous work was his eponymous sitcom, which featured the actor in the role of Sgt. Ernest G. Bilko, a scheming confidence man who often avenged the wrongs done to the mentally inferior cohorts he surrounded himself with.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHm_Vui8zJjAGkMMMs5_A8YY3p8jSzxdZGiNMhJ7qKl0l5AY5kU5HrDmyH6mkVU0l1xCKtbhBQ8iIApkglqhkZ5XZe_l98OXs0r_T9Q_tVmADDt-o5mjLoIFgiBs7ysqnHnnNW8KMmydO/s1600/Hokey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHm_Vui8zJjAGkMMMs5_A8YY3p8jSzxdZGiNMhJ7qKl0l5AY5kU5HrDmyH6mkVU0l1xCKtbhBQ8iIApkglqhkZ5XZe_l98OXs0r_T9Q_tVmADDt-o5mjLoIFgiBs7ysqnHnnNW8KMmydO/s1600/Hokey.jpg" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSzLqA1X8_DqPbKkrUMfZmsIcHvNda0yujTGKKhE3oqvh8UTz7guf0sfQT-Owubcw5zBYkBGK9P6Vq26Qx6hhI404J7_7XVfDPfjVUapx7FPFyssxs65XBObYgPBGXWN6ll2OodWmglmg/s1600/Top+Cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSzLqA1X8_DqPbKkrUMfZmsIcHvNda0yujTGKKhE3oqvh8UTz7guf0sfQT-Owubcw5zBYkBGK9P6Vq26Qx6hhI404J7_7XVfDPfjVUapx7FPFyssxs65XBObYgPBGXWN6ll2OodWmglmg/s320/Top+Cat.jpg" width="236" /></a>Silvers' audacious comedic persona (indeed he was colloquially known as "The King of Chutzpah"), served as fodder for and the basis of a number of Hanna-Barbera's early funny animal characters such as Hokey Wolf and Top Cat, which is why Supercade has chosen to give an extra special shout-out to the man some 26 years after his death.<br />
<br />
Voted one of the <a href="http://animatedtv.about.com/od/showsaz/tp/top50chrctrs.02.htm">Top 50 Cartoon Characters of All Time</a>, Top Cat still enjoys some popularity thanks to re-runs on Boomerang, and he remains hugely popular in Latin America (especially Mexico, where he's known as Don Gato) where he and his gang of alley cat ne'er do-wells will be the subject of their own 3-D animated feature from Anima and Illusion Studios.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="257" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6AxW3xITri4?rel=0" width="400"></iframe></div><br />
Happy 100, Phil Silvers! Despite all the credit you're actually due, we're sure you're still schilling for more in true Bilko/Top Cat style where ever you may be suitably slacking in peace!Matt. Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07240413323381294273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606941262663670984.post-69297330925360397712011-05-10T12:00:00.000-04:002011-05-10T12:46:30.766-04:00A Diamond Jubilee "From Beautiful Downtown Burbank"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhRYqAOpt-nfv2nx7TPiK2DPDBtpsk2HM_eNxVEGFU8nZ5thPLHbaWJC9vEMhAiRHAZcObP3U7RndBI4VDarY972p3Wq0aoA8Ptn1iC1kNuZOG5wtGc-LopxTTip6HuUfrs3bNC_4SWTG/s1600/Gary+Owens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhRYqAOpt-nfv2nx7TPiK2DPDBtpsk2HM_eNxVEGFU8nZ5thPLHbaWJC9vEMhAiRHAZcObP3U7RndBI4VDarY972p3Wq0aoA8Ptn1iC1kNuZOG5wtGc-LopxTTip6HuUfrs3bNC_4SWTG/s400/Gary+Owens.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>If God (whichever one you may choose to believe in) were to have an announcer or narrator, odds are the creator’s go-to guy would be Gary Owens, who celebrates his 75th birthday today.<br />
<br />
A fixture on local California radio since the 1950s, Owens branched out into television announcing and his baritone has been the lead-in to everything from the seminal sketch comedy show <i>Laugh-In</i> (the source of this post's title) to <i>America’s Funniest Home Videos</i>. He was the original host of <i>The Gong Show</i> in 1976, and has also lent his voice to over 30,000 commercials.<br />
<br />
In the field of animation, Owens' voice provided the narrative thread through such programs as <i>Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels</i>, <i>The Perils of Penelope Pitstop</i>, <i>Garfield and Friends</i>, and<i> Buzz Lightyear of Star Command</i>. He also did a substantial amount of character work on Saturday morning cartoon shows, and when his flexible voice wasn’t relegated to the background as any number of cameo parts, his gallant intonations allowed him to take the lead as a quite a few memorable heroes including:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="330" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WJ6qpulpmnc?rel=0" width="400"></iframe></div><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdsfOHna-neMRpgo6Q2oiqti0pF1UtzD_Koqs8aR1eVnCTJ8V4pzmJiLYIRuHWXQ40mO2pTfqctBGvKoL90PK-9HlPqJz6JEgwQK-yywYYi4gdVVkgOmiAikub5SPbM-SR7FLcakNyTrY/s1600/Space+Ghost+Gary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdsfOHna-neMRpgo6Q2oiqti0pF1UtzD_Koqs8aR1eVnCTJ8V4pzmJiLYIRuHWXQ40mO2pTfqctBGvKoL90PK-9HlPqJz6JEgwQK-yywYYi4gdVVkgOmiAikub5SPbM-SR7FLcakNyTrY/s320/Space+Ghost+Gary.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Space Ghost</b><br />
<br />
Gary’s voice boomed and echoed through the minds of countless young Saturday morning junkies as Hanna-Barbera’s first original superhero Space Ghost. His heroic battle cry carried the character through his first two incarnations in 1966 (on <i>Space Ghost and the Galaxy Trio</i>) and 1981 (on the SG segments of <i>Space Stars</i>) before he handed the character off to George Loew for the 1994 meta-cartoon <i>Space Ghost: Coast to Coast</i>. However, in a twisted bit of <i>SG:CTC</i> brilliance, Space Ghost, Zorak and Moltar manage to summon a Space Ghost doppelganger named “Gary” (voiced by Owens) allowing for the two Space Ghosts to ego maniacally argue who the real Space Ghost is before Gary turns into Owens, himself, and is blasted by Space Ghost.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21Bnx34H2462ahLM0Yia1v3FnDGojbPvnIzsk9gtORl9XTbSVWdBzoVcRXehrcg5LjYty84x6ijgS0Mu986KmaYIxcPHkt4vU5tACKEiGXuVLTCjUnfOPFskaWScwfBequQJmRZ5VFzhc/s1600/ramjet2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21Bnx34H2462ahLM0Yia1v3FnDGojbPvnIzsk9gtORl9XTbSVWdBzoVcRXehrcg5LjYty84x6ijgS0Mu986KmaYIxcPHkt4vU5tACKEiGXuVLTCjUnfOPFskaWScwfBequQJmRZ5VFzhc/s320/ramjet2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Roger Ramjet</b><br />
<br />
A year before Space Ghost, Owens was putting his heroic baritone to use as the titular<i> Roger Ramjet</i>, a product of the Cold War, Ramjet was a jingoistic, yet somewhat dimwitted, agent of the government whose arch-nemesis was Noodles Romanoff of N.A.S.T.Y. (the National Association of Spies, Traitors and Yahoos). An heroic daredevil whose powers and pep were fuelled by taking Power Energy Pills which gave him the “power of twenty atom bombs for twenty seconds” - a plot-point that wound never have been possible later in the decade and for the next 30 years when parents would be taking note of ANY manner of drug reference in children’s programming.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjatX3JQmpNHOrX6YkYBxZY9_4sjVGOzzkACzoVbBzBdnh2pQ680SOcXocFYBURC5bZtww3XOrOhK4Y0tQXkjF0BFAGD4tNOg4QBfBdkzs3xHiszus9RSlVgyXSsFHw1pllG_jnHa6C8Dek/s1600/Powdered+Toast+Man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjatX3JQmpNHOrX6YkYBxZY9_4sjVGOzzkACzoVbBzBdnh2pQ680SOcXocFYBURC5bZtww3XOrOhK4Y0tQXkjF0BFAGD4tNOg4QBfBdkzs3xHiszus9RSlVgyXSsFHw1pllG_jnHa6C8Dek/s320/Powdered+Toast+Man.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Powdered Toast Man</b><br />
<br />
Possessed with a great sense of humor (he was even a writer for the screwball and pun-laden animation styling of the Jay Ward Studios), Owens is not above poking fun at his past work as demonstrated when he re-used his Space Ghost voice to comedic effect on <i>Dyno-Mutt: The Dog Wonder</i> (though he played the straight-laced Blue Falcon) and then as the super-surreal Powdered Toast Man on <i>Ren and Stimpy</i>. Farting his way into children’s hearts and breakfast nooks, Powdered Toast Man and his SpaceGhost/Birdman-esque shouting of his own name, allowed for a surreal look at the superheores of Saturday Morning’s golden age that <i>Ren and Stimpy</i> creator John Kricfalusi had such a twisted love and a slight dose of contempt for. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRkL7xK2CBHrwxE8h3Ejiw-P6ZgFoGn1AbJhZK5FBnkPAHLwwQuRcIr0wCLR-UL0Ctx_UVaqg0SSEzHgJ97WrwrKS45-4BnQVooq_grpkATsnZEBro7fY74nQhRJAQ7W3dePhsSrkgkw6b/s1600/Legends+Sprang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRkL7xK2CBHrwxE8h3Ejiw-P6ZgFoGn1AbJhZK5FBnkPAHLwwQuRcIr0wCLR-UL0Ctx_UVaqg0SSEzHgJ97WrwrKS45-4BnQVooq_grpkATsnZEBro7fY74nQhRJAQ7W3dePhsSrkgkw6b/s320/Legends+Sprang.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Batman</b><br />
<br />
After creating the quintessential superhero voice with his portrayal of Space Ghost, spoofing it as the Blue Falcon and Powdered Toast Man, Owens was cast to pay a loving homage to his own legacy as the voice of the Silver-Age Batman in the landmark 1998 episode “Legends of the Dark Knight” of <i>The New Batman Adventures</i>. In an episode largely remembered for a segment faithfully adapted from Frank Miller’s grim and gritty <i>Dark Knight Returns</i>, Owens brought levity and old school heroics to the proceedings in a clip inspired by Dick Sprang’s run on the comic as well as the 1960s Batman live action show. Clearly a forerunner to the current <i>Batman: The Brave and the Bold</i>, the segment does stand-out after multiple viewings and may actually be the better of the short stories with a fair amount of credit due to Owens somewhat ironic portrayal of the not-so-dark Knight.<br />
<br />
Gary Owens was inducted to the Radio Hall of Fame in 1994 and was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, also for his contributions to the medium of radio. At 75 Owens is still going strong and is currently the voice of Antenna TV, a satellite television station dedicated to airing retro programming from the 50s through the 90s.Matt. Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07240413323381294273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606941262663670984.post-28005845862038810542011-05-09T13:00:00.000-04:002011-05-09T16:20:48.202-04:00IN July... The Saturday Morning Legacy of Orson Welles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTEt-b0YVg6DYD04OKY-tkqBUNirRJHEA0cpPpDNOCyCnE_QTnDIvGQV-wovGtw8xJF4QM4NYM5ZUvT4iUDpwX6fttI3cay6KyIAF41ECZfVEfs7fLeEl4-83vPU4Fu2n75L_5SArE5Ty/s1600/Welles+Cigarette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTEt-b0YVg6DYD04OKY-tkqBUNirRJHEA0cpPpDNOCyCnE_QTnDIvGQV-wovGtw8xJF4QM4NYM5ZUvT4iUDpwX6fttI3cay6KyIAF41ECZfVEfs7fLeEl4-83vPU4Fu2n75L_5SArE5Ty/s400/Welles+Cigarette.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Born on May 6th, 1915 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, George Orson Welles - "L'enfant terrible" of classic cinema - would have celebrated his 96th birthday last Friday had he not shuffled off his (gigantic) mortal coil in 1985. His legacy lives on not only through his history making body of work in theatre (a groundbreaking production of <i>Julius Caesar</i> and the all black <i>Macbeth</i>), radio (<i>Mercury Theater on the Air</i>, <i>The Shadow</i>), and film (<i>Citizen Kane</i>, <i>Lady from Shanghai</i>, and <i>Touch of Evil</i> being undisputed classics), but through the countless homages made to him in the medium of television animation.<br />
<br />
An abbreviated list of cartoons that have referenced Welles and his oeuvre includes: <i>The Care Bears, Casper, Earthworm Jim, Family Guy, Futurama, Garfield, The Simpsons</i> (countless times), and <i>Tiny Toons</i>; most of which have given a nod to his defining works - the riot inducing <i>War of the Worlds</i> broadcast and <i>Citizen Kane</i> ("Rosebud" probably being the most quoted line in the history of cinema), or have made light of his later years as a corpulent, cantankerous, celebrity pitchman.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXoKOeTi4cxj0CYMR77d2DfsTg5rh6LCz4KiLy8B1G7wi280s9IW2-UmjT1wT3VFhvZtCHbB9qhg1onUJfZv_3y_CjZRVIDeFfl-gNdF87XjnpDahA-5MjKLnyMOcv7OcI3Xa_xuALv-Zc/s1600/Futurama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXoKOeTi4cxj0CYMR77d2DfsTg5rh6LCz4KiLy8B1G7wi280s9IW2-UmjT1wT3VFhvZtCHbB9qhg1onUJfZv_3y_CjZRVIDeFfl-gNdF87XjnpDahA-5MjKLnyMOcv7OcI3Xa_xuALv-Zc/s320/Futurama.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Futurama</i> opted to mash up the old school <i>War of the Worlds</i> Welles with the old-aged bearded chubbo. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
To celebrate the occasion I've compiled a list of my five favorite characters based on Orson Welles that have popped up on Saturday mornings (and in one case, the cinemas) throughout the years:<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmypXX3KoiIlhmCVWSBVkONGZ3ktt-FQ7u1Xbo4-2-5h9u8yiH2HqmjrGzqa8Md8d5tGrcPcju2gP5rs_qOy_MO7KIhy0C_zqE8paxuv7hr8ZBcLozEA3N42SWO_WsLi-htKFPOVRqXb_/s1600/unicron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmypXX3KoiIlhmCVWSBVkONGZ3ktt-FQ7u1Xbo4-2-5h9u8yiH2HqmjrGzqa8Md8d5tGrcPcju2gP5rs_qOy_MO7KIhy0C_zqE8paxuv7hr8ZBcLozEA3N42SWO_WsLi-htKFPOVRqXb_/s1600/unicron.jpg" /></a></div><b>Unicron</b><br />
<b> </b><i>Transformers: The Movie</i>, 1986<br />
<br />
A lot of hoopla, and much hulabaloo, has been made over the fact that the last contribution Orson Welles made to the medium of film was a voice-over cameo in <i>Transformers: The Movie</i>. As Unicron, Welles gave voice to a planet devouring robot that transformed roughly into a planet himself. Although the character, especially the toy, bore a strong resemblance to the actor at the time he recorded the part, personally, I have never seen mention as to whether or not <i>Transformers</i> designer Floro Decy took the actor's appearance into consideration when brainstorming the look of Unicron - but when you compare a shot of the unproduced Unicron toy to a shot of Welles in the early 80s, it's hard not to say that they look at least somewhat alike.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgguE4BuMhM8T4FVrhhm08uPNexvJrx0dskohLSKngn_9v8evfAoqA8GRqZJc06Y25u-cn1vA2P3O2ih3CdqDUZWC7kp0XP0doACs49Vdw74IkSWIMDkbxNa5pzNcmgLP2YqRr7qWkc9X49/s1600/Unicron+Toy.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgguE4BuMhM8T4FVrhhm08uPNexvJrx0dskohLSKngn_9v8evfAoqA8GRqZJc06Y25u-cn1vA2P3O2ih3CdqDUZWC7kp0XP0doACs49Vdw74IkSWIMDkbxNa5pzNcmgLP2YqRr7qWkc9X49/s320/Unicron+Toy.jpg" width="198" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIlrgrmGNpYdjgWGnCitigxQE5k2O3j0DQCZLB3fiFWV7U7vanGKSz42ziyHNMdrVQJ91uIQtWJCjO0gQ3UVqjcDNvhFrPKttfaAlVaCD0E9yFZqg4gx7J-zEXSkL1oEfNbbQS-oC_v9N/s1600/Fat+Orson.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIlrgrmGNpYdjgWGnCitigxQE5k2O3j0DQCZLB3fiFWV7U7vanGKSz42ziyHNMdrVQJ91uIQtWJCjO0gQ3UVqjcDNvhFrPKttfaAlVaCD0E9yFZqg4gx7J-zEXSkL1oEfNbbQS-oC_v9N/s320/Fat+Orson.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br />
Ultimately there is no real significance to his casting, or the fact that this would be his swan song. Although Unicron was considered the main antagonist of the movie, the part had little screen time, and was a complete cash grab for Welles, who always was aware of the fact that his voice was his real money maker - much to the chagrin of movie geeks who revered his filmmaking skills above all. The fact that Welles had also transformed into something roughly the size of a planet by the time he collected his <i>Transformers</i> check, had everything to do with the fact that it would be his last role. So, yeah, Unicron's a bit of a cheat as far as this list goes, but when one can put that picture of the toy next to the one of a late era Orson how can you resist? <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="330" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TG4GaPcLgOs?rel=0" width="400"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7p4jBUHCORF5QLpa8YicwKEfsok0uzIW_tOUsAZwBKCFq9kbNCss8UVvrptpGvV3h8tVr2hW0fUMESEV1DoPItr2ZVJDu66m0o7HXz1M4aHctHo1Qbu3GhkSxaF_udij2V-ld3uH6nWks/s1600/Kane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7p4jBUHCORF5QLpa8YicwKEfsok0uzIW_tOUsAZwBKCFq9kbNCss8UVvrptpGvV3h8tVr2hW0fUMESEV1DoPItr2ZVJDu66m0o7HXz1M4aHctHo1Qbu3GhkSxaF_udij2V-ld3uH6nWks/s320/Kane.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Mr. Kane</b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">"Stage Fright," <i>Beetlejuice</i>, 1989<br />
<br />
During his lifetime, Orson Welles was considered the "American Shakesperean" - this side of the Pond's answer to the likes of Olivier, Gielgud, and their ilk. Indeed his first brushes with stardom came as the director of the all-black "voo-doo" production of <i>Macbeth</i> that he staged in Harlem in 1936, which he followed up the next year with a Broadway run of <i>Julius Caesar</i> that referenced the fascist regimes that were coming to power in Europe at the time.<br />
<br />
<i>Beetlejuice</i> paid a small homage to Welles' roots in the theatre (the theat<i>re</i> being the artform, while the theat<i>er</i> is a building) by casting him - again the older, rounder, scarf wearing version - as Mr. Kane (get it?) the director of Miss Shannon's School for Girls' drama department. Although he looks like Orson, and the <i>Beetlejuice</i> creative team pushed the Shakespeare bit by having Kane direct a production of <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> (which BJ turns into a horror-themed farce), they didn't imbue Kane with Welles' most identifying characteristic - his voice - leaving this incarnation a little flatter (but not much fatter) than others.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="330" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7LtuDh6VA9M?rel=0" width="400"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="330" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/noPuB8dH6mw?rel=0" width="400"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg83Sd3vBnEB7fq6emzvds0FjMLtVPpmn6g7XNrtYBuoXuKve18pmLW8yEzhi5kgd7BKsJ6ac1u3RoMRtpqNcupAgMsJu4hp1wP1ENISI8s6961_RCseJhL9hVYlQwSHO-agSlp_0sWVW7Z/s1600/Montague_Kane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg83Sd3vBnEB7fq6emzvds0FjMLtVPpmn6g7XNrtYBuoXuKve18pmLW8yEzhi5kgd7BKsJ6ac1u3RoMRtpqNcupAgMsJu4hp1wP1ENISI8s6961_RCseJhL9hVYlQwSHO-agSlp_0sWVW7Z/s320/Montague_Kane.jpg" width="320" /></a><b>Montague Kane </b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">"Zatanna," <i>Batman: The Animated Series</i>, 1993</div><br />
Orson Welles had a life-long love affair with magic, indeed, he often performed tricks as part of his appearances on numerous talk-shows and sitcom cameos (most notably <i>I Love Lucy</i>) throughout his lifetime. He also had a knack for exposing frauds which he explored in the "personal essay film" (part documentary/part fictional narrative) <i>F is for Fake</i>.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizlDjW8TV8snpUB0Mfr8WeJRCBNmn_ZuyEihs3vrpU8y5o5XSEz0KWVIe9TKh4rGbWPaKQsVfmX6x2jumBhqTf8Uvf_AIBmTT_brVxy1w1o2_5UPgTpj05m_XL-yXLSutcqNug0hfWsTHp/s1600/Orson+Welles+Beard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizlDjW8TV8snpUB0Mfr8WeJRCBNmn_ZuyEihs3vrpU8y5o5XSEz0KWVIe9TKh4rGbWPaKQsVfmX6x2jumBhqTf8Uvf_AIBmTT_brVxy1w1o2_5UPgTpj05m_XL-yXLSutcqNug0hfWsTHp/s320/Orson+Welles+Beard.jpg" width="229" /></a>In yet another Saturday Morning meta-machination, cartoon creators - this time those behind the legendary <i>Batman: The Animated Series</i> - found a way to bring an animated incarnation of Welles into their universe through the actual Orson's passions, this time in the form of Dr. Kane (get it - again?) a con-man who debunks magicians and then uses their tricks against them to commit crimes.<br />
<br />
This Kane brings some welcome relief in Orson homages, as it doesn't depict the grizzled grotesque of Welles in his later years, rather the somewhat suave, yet pompous, mustachioed media-personality that he was circa the late 40s/early 50s; and unlike his <i>Beetlejuice</i> counterpart, this Kane at least tries to sound like his namesake by having actor Michael York give a passable Welles impression in the role.<br />
<br />
(However, there is one voice-actor who has built most of his career and tons of television memories around what's considered the best impression in the business... but we'll get to that after this <i>Batman</i> episode.) <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="200" id="swf_player_id_for_ie_who_sucks" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.peteava.ro/static/swf/player.swf?3"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="menu" value="false"><param name="flashvars" value="streamer=http://content.peteava.ro/stream.php&file=530675_standard.mp4&image=http://storage2.peteava.ro/serve/thumbnail/530675/playerstandard&hd_file=&hd_image=http://storage2.peteava.ro/serve/thumbnail/530675/playerhigh&autostart=false"><embed src="http://www.peteava.ro/static/swf/player.swf?3" id="__ptv_pl_530675_624_384__" name="__ptv_pl_530675_624_384__" width="320" height="200" allowscriptaccess="always" menu="false" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="streamer=http://content.peteava.ro/stream.php&file=530675_standard.mp4&image=http://storage2.peteava.ro/serve/thumbnail/530675/playerstandard&hd_file=&hd_image=http://storage2.peteava.ro/serve/thumbnail/530675/playerhigh&autostart=false"/></object> <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEkNJdHRtBhVv2CkYGhbmD0Fd0fyXUXDhWWLRKh2yrfZkafUlc2jtv2TIDJ7pDzi3AKpxA0o4TnJm9ZlnadDnMnBOh2y4CeT864Y7MJH5Ql30FGpbSwBr8vZx3Qvi369fOdYPcX22t9hm/s1600/Critic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEkNJdHRtBhVv2CkYGhbmD0Fd0fyXUXDhWWLRKh2yrfZkafUlc2jtv2TIDJ7pDzi3AKpxA0o4TnJm9ZlnadDnMnBOh2y4CeT864Y7MJH5Ql30FGpbSwBr8vZx3Qvi369fOdYPcX22t9hm/s320/Critic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Orson Welles </b><br />
Various episodes, <i>The Critic</i>, 1994-95<br />
<br />
After a tumultuous career in the cinema, Welles took to commercials using his powerful voice and persona to pitch products such as Paul Masson wines and Findus - a European brand of frozen foods.<br />
<br />
During the Masson ads Orson took to sampling the product providing for some interesting <a href="http://youtu.be/Nvxwf1jxdaM">drunken outtakes</a>, but, perhaps, his most notable foray into advertising came when he walked into a sound booth one day to record a series of ads for Findus and was less than happy with the copy he was given to read and how the spots' director was handling the session.<br />
<br />
The recording became infamous, and in pre-Internet days was passed and traded around the commercial recording community as a form of currency for people who collected such oddities. If fact, the term "Frozen Peas" was coined and used for a time to informally identify such a blooper reel, while the actual tape of Welles was referred to as either "In July" or "Yes, Always" after two of the most quotable lines in the clip. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="330" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/V14PfDDwxlE" width="400"></iframe></div><br />
Former stand-up comedian and voice actor Maurice LeMarche got hold of the recording, memorized it, and used it as the basis of the Orson Welles impression he would perform during vocal warm-ups at the microphone. Writers and producers of <i>The Critic</i> loved the impression so much that Welles - voiced by LeMarche - became a recurring character on the show, often referencing the spite-filled rants from the Findus outtakes in the strangest circumstances.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="330" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6i7ycxiog40?rel=0" width="400"></iframe></div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">The "go-to guy" for voicing Orson, LeMarche has also performed the role on <i>The Simpsons</i> and <i>Futurama</i>, and provided the vocal track for Tim Burton's depiction of the auteur in the movie <i>Ed Wood</i> looping over a physical performance by Vincent D'onofrio in the movie's climactic meeting of the world's worst and greatest filmmakers. But, his impression had already garnered it's own brand of fame when he tweaked it a bit as the voice of a certain mouse with plans to take over the world...</div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggDkDyN5X_8Uv8EnbEVHiBv3qJqROEZnuB1MeSOzTxS13qkpapnFAoBlhYrHS9EgbaGSQtujyPInZLqF363MSVPIgt9WTtmbv1yfKsKvyG80rcHa4OCxxu82c6C3XUNFazr7xQFbzJqD1a/s1600/Brain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggDkDyN5X_8Uv8EnbEVHiBv3qJqROEZnuB1MeSOzTxS13qkpapnFAoBlhYrHS9EgbaGSQtujyPInZLqF363MSVPIgt9WTtmbv1yfKsKvyG80rcHa4OCxxu82c6C3XUNFazr7xQFbzJqD1a/s320/Brain.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>The Brain </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Animaniacs/Pinky and the Brain</i>, 1993-2001<br />
<br />
Maurice LaMarche has called his vocal work as the Brain: "65% Orson Welles and 35% Vincent Price," although Orson got most of the love and a lot of shout-outs during the character's near decade long run on the tube.<br />
<br />
According to the site <a href="http://www.swlink.net/%7Etudorose/b2.htm">Citizen Brain</a> which traces the connections between the actor and the animated rodent, there are no less than ten Pinky and the Brain shorts from either the <i>Animaniacs</i> or the <i>P & B</i> spin-off that directly reference Welles career including: "Pinky and the Fog" in which Brain becomes a radio superstar as a character named "The Fog" who can "befog men's minds" much in the way Welles' Shadow was able to cloud them; "Brain Noir" which included nods to numerous Film Noir masterpieces including Welles' <i>Touch of Evil</i>; and "Yes, Always" a direct spoof of the Findus incident:</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="330" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AlXEC8kcbqc?rel=0" width="400"></iframe></div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Happy Belated Birthday, Mr. Welles, and wherever you may be we hope someone is pondering what you're pondering...</div></div></div>Matt. Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07240413323381294273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606941262663670984.post-48844632012409153792011-04-30T15:00:00.000-04:002011-05-02T21:11:33.774-04:00The Saturday Morning Closet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhCQuhgPsL_S03Cpjyv6i4hn79cGQ5kjLiS0cqg0_YYe83Y1L4jyQvO1tiVbvda7COLpAw9YNG01Zjoh1cybAprJEaZ4R1GXYBg6lFE60vhqZIYeok6MOMaTjboisZ6fIdD7Qp6Xss9oD/s1600/j-crew-ad-toenails.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhCQuhgPsL_S03Cpjyv6i4hn79cGQ5kjLiS0cqg0_YYe83Y1L4jyQvO1tiVbvda7COLpAw9YNG01Zjoh1cybAprJEaZ4R1GXYBg6lFE60vhqZIYeok6MOMaTjboisZ6fIdD7Qp6Xss9oD/s400/j-crew-ad-toenails.jpg" width="353" /></a></div>Recently, J. Crew came under media fire for an ad in which their president and creative director, Jenna Lyons, is depicted affectionately gazing at her son - who has just had his toenails painted pink. Beneath the photo a caption reads: “Lucky for me I ended up with a boy whose favorite color is pink. Toenail painting is way more fun in neon.”<br />
<br />
While J. Crew treated the ad as a non-issue, almost all of the major news outlets not only helped to create but stir the argument that the advertisement was "blatant propaganda celebrating transgendered children." <br />
<br />
Whether or not one personally believes that the ad purposefully blurred the “gender lines,” or looked to condone and promote a “homosexual life style” amongst children, gender and sexuality is a topic that is often called into question in media that is aimed at or involves children, whether the intent to create a sense of overt sexuality is there or not.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ8oqAiQ82lY9GXZSGa5sEw7tnBBCylimSEXFT8YwWjUaXCMyUFa4RQb9IF5bf5Ex4wLY3X8swsGtD8xvde-nUnIfTb8ZA9WAFeO7ckQ4tFUXxyYeotHR7VYZQoqSKCKbx7DRTA9WMuoUV/s1600/Batman+and+Robin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ8oqAiQ82lY9GXZSGa5sEw7tnBBCylimSEXFT8YwWjUaXCMyUFa4RQb9IF5bf5Ex4wLY3X8swsGtD8xvde-nUnIfTb8ZA9WAFeO7ckQ4tFUXxyYeotHR7VYZQoqSKCKbx7DRTA9WMuoUV/s1600/Batman+and+Robin.jpg" /></a></div>While the subject definitely pre-dates it, perhaps the most famous case of a character from “children's entertainment” being “exposed” as homosexual propaganda was in 1954 when Dr. Frederic Wertham proclaimed that Batman’s relationship with Robin was “like a wish dream of two homosexuals living together.” Furthermore, Wertham claimed that “the Batman type of story may stimulate children to fantasies.”<br />
<br />
While both Batman’s sexuality and the effect of depicting it in the comics have been the subject of debate ever since, other characters, especially in the medium of television animation, have been dragged onto the battlefield of the (Trans)Gender War, that adults have been fighting in the name of children that they may or may not even have; and where a topic like this could be (and most likely is) the subject countless doctoral dissertations and media studies articles, often facts are left out of the discussion when examining the subjective nature of “behavioral studies,” or the need for a persecuted minority to identify with and idolize a media personality… even an animated one. <br />
<br />
Here are three cases of retro-cartoon characters that have found lives as gay icons (in either a positive or negative sense), and a look at whether or not the truth was dragged out of the closet with them: <br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<b>Prince Adam/He-Man</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKa793U3Qq262Mvqsa_ZZX4TmJVDa3Yyb6Foh_PZ7ghZvV0wbPGQMrC0ccx7WMiD6_I4yh3c8Vcm5hOgwV8GkfFHbwyXRMC1x4tFiwEdo3f-O4zVTpe_oipEKGaJJlyWx1d4VU_Ib6WED5/s1600/adam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKa793U3Qq262Mvqsa_ZZX4TmJVDa3Yyb6Foh_PZ7ghZvV0wbPGQMrC0ccx7WMiD6_I4yh3c8Vcm5hOgwV8GkfFHbwyXRMC1x4tFiwEdo3f-O4zVTpe_oipEKGaJJlyWx1d4VU_Ib6WED5/s400/adam.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The pink-clad yet heavily muscled, effeminate sounding Adam raises a phallic symbol above his head to become the near nude, tanned, baritone powerhouse He-Man – who battles a lisping, cackling, embodiment of a “boner” (Skeletor.) That’s essentially the entire case of the “argument” if there is any, and while some members and advocates of the gay community (like the organizers of the LBGT art show “<a href="http://skeletorsaves.tumblr.com/">Skeletor Saves</a>”) have embraced the seemingly insulting premise for proof of He-Man’s sexuality... It’s all rather flimsy at best.<br />
<br />
The characterization of He-Man, as a fur bikini wearing sword handler, goes back to when the original toy line was being pitched as merchandising for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s original “Conan” movie. The concept of Adam and his transformation came when Filmation was brought on to help market the toys through animation. Originally meant to be a teenaged weakling in training who looked drastically different from his alter ego (as later depicted in the 2002 series), budgetary concerns forced the animation company to use the same physical model for Adam, requiring the writers and actor to differentiate the two personas by making Adam seem to be the exact opposite of the uber-masculine He-Man, thereby “feminizing” him. <br />
<br />
As per the Clark Kent-Lois Lane-Superman dynamic, the writers tried to create a love triangle of un-requited crushes for Adam-Teela-He-Man, but that concept seems to get lost in the memories of fans who are more interested in seeing their heroes dance to club re-mixes of 4 Non Blondes songs.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fy6faAgrLg4?rel=0" width="420"></iframe> <br />
<br />
(For more about the complete origins of He-Man, the homosexuality "debate" and how you can possibly debunk it at your next dinner party click over to a post that I wrote about the subject <a href="https://www.intangiblethings.com/sacblog/2009/02/09/monday-media-madness-just-how-fabulous-were-those-secret-powers/">here</a>.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Velma Dinkley</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7D2ltAyWBsMWdt9jpsTEC6aBv1mlLj1HFrXBX9x0lKNUbW9mtVAYog2KuIX73bQa0uW7Rsv_T-xHYCL8J8yd3mokJcd1c994dTG1oxfUJ5-t-6bNVqfcmTNjlmTnxd2rXbN3uHHYTeo5h/s1600/Velma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7D2ltAyWBsMWdt9jpsTEC6aBv1mlLj1HFrXBX9x0lKNUbW9mtVAYog2KuIX73bQa0uW7Rsv_T-xHYCL8J8yd3mokJcd1c994dTG1oxfUJ5-t-6bNVqfcmTNjlmTnxd2rXbN3uHHYTeo5h/s400/Velma.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Rumors of Velma’s lesbianism have been circulating since the 1969 premiere of “Scooby Doo, Where Are You?” Again, they’re based upon the flimsiest of suppositions – While Daphne and Fred were always seen as a “couple,” and Shaggy was deemed too immature to be sexual (or, even worse a zoophile), Velma was a smart, unattached woman with short-cropped hair… so, she must be a lesbian, right?<br />
<br />
In the early 00s, <a href="http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20020614&slug=scoobyside14">creators of the live-action “Scooby-Doo” theatrical films managed to feed into that perception</a>, by choosing to her portray her sexuality as “ambiguous” (according to actress Linda Cardellini – screenwriter James Gunn, however claims to be “pretty sure she’s gay.”) <br />
<br />
However, her cartoon counterpart has recently taken definite steps toward “straightening” up: the current incarnation of the series “Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated” has Velma persuing a romantic relationship with Shaggy, who, much to the credit of those who cry bestiality on his part, is reluctant to get involved because of his attachment to Scooby. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1saROILJ85eZm9tCEQPuXYgMtazCRRRydrGowxYkM46Psoy8Gn4rggfGsK34Q6ON07G4qUcmCJ3oJ5NqOAjTiMJg8DpK4m3DsuIDFsbeephjx_R7dq0QI5h87uFCjkaWiyo5sSciQXeo/s1600/shaggy+and+velma+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1saROILJ85eZm9tCEQPuXYgMtazCRRRydrGowxYkM46Psoy8Gn4rggfGsK34Q6ON07G4qUcmCJ3oJ5NqOAjTiMJg8DpK4m3DsuIDFsbeephjx_R7dq0QI5h87uFCjkaWiyo5sSciQXeo/s320/shaggy+and+velma+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<b>Vanity Smurf</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkhNZhuH6SMgKHpEMjsT384XNr-igTVItVnDyWOQ3BnX1iNy25O9QTkTFRTZvqRS-3L_307b8TuyvS3ixfCswUX0e7W2XN_rxSdMgOKih4Mf1xXx7RwFhsjiUTKsDqU85IQQtmzlPie4r/s1600/schtroumpf-coquet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkhNZhuH6SMgKHpEMjsT384XNr-igTVItVnDyWOQ3BnX1iNy25O9QTkTFRTZvqRS-3L_307b8TuyvS3ixfCswUX0e7W2XN_rxSdMgOKih4Mf1xXx7RwFhsjiUTKsDqU85IQQtmzlPie4r/s320/schtroumpf-coquet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Well, even Nine Culliford, the original colorist for the comic strip series the Saturday morning cartoon was based on, has said that “Le Schtroumpf Coquet” (as he was originally known) was gay...<br />
<br />
That’s right, in a <a href="http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1703303,00.html">2008 interview</a> Culliford, who was also married to The Smurfs creator Peyo, told Time Magazine: “Well, I did tell my husband that Vanity Smurf was like that, and he said, 'I never thought about it, but you're right'… Who knows? Maybe in a few years we'll be able to say something like that about him." (For clarification, Mrs. Culliford was speaking positively to a journalist about J.K. Rowling’s outing of Dumbledore, and that is the “that” to which she refers.) <br />
<br />
There is a catch that can turn this into a quagmire: although technically “male,” the Smurfs are inherently asexual – they don’t reproduce (storks bring the babies) and there wasn’t even the concept of a female Smurf until Gargamel magically introduces one to the village. So to say that Vanity is “gay” leads to the implication that gay is a form of behavior more akin to a personality trait, than a form of sexuality.Matt. Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07240413323381294273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606941262663670984.post-71511701651254450392011-03-30T22:00:00.000-04:002011-05-01T00:08:42.299-04:00The Feast of San Giuseppe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioieCfYvluAM1Ds61gi-uYF54CwVSTLNu8hFcXkW0EQs962Usfju1Tn06qRoqIqO2PzHhx8g-qeVN1X-3EH2hQ2dzW5OrPbRSYSzWa2u8YtQGI1SGnaNeIODzcAnvDBI-5LtqXTrH4aHSR/s1600/mtv_geek_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioieCfYvluAM1Ds61gi-uYF54CwVSTLNu8hFcXkW0EQs962Usfju1Tn06qRoqIqO2PzHhx8g-qeVN1X-3EH2hQ2dzW5OrPbRSYSzWa2u8YtQGI1SGnaNeIODzcAnvDBI-5LtqXTrH4aHSR/s400/mtv_geek_logo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Can't give the Irish any love without mentioning the Italians. The Feast of San Giuseppe just passed on the 19th, so see what characters I would have shared some zeppoles with over <a href="http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/03/30/five-italian-toons/">here</a>.Matt. Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07240413323381294273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606941262663670984.post-17232388786840834952011-03-17T03:00:00.000-04:002011-04-30T23:46:04.918-04:00Happy St. Patrick's Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioieCfYvluAM1Ds61gi-uYF54CwVSTLNu8hFcXkW0EQs962Usfju1Tn06qRoqIqO2PzHhx8g-qeVN1X-3EH2hQ2dzW5OrPbRSYSzWa2u8YtQGI1SGnaNeIODzcAnvDBI-5LtqXTrH4aHSR/s1600/mtv_geek_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioieCfYvluAM1Ds61gi-uYF54CwVSTLNu8hFcXkW0EQs962Usfju1Tn06qRoqIqO2PzHhx8g-qeVN1X-3EH2hQ2dzW5OrPbRSYSzWa2u8YtQGI1SGnaNeIODzcAnvDBI-5LtqXTrH4aHSR/s400/mtv_geek_logo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I spent some time talking about what retro-cartoon characters I'd want to throw down with this St. Paddy's Day over at MTV GEEK!<br />
<br />
Check it out over <a href="http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/03/16/five-toons-to-celebrate-st-patricks-day-with/">here</a>.Matt. Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07240413323381294273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606941262663670984.post-42081102991331876222011-03-11T20:00:00.000-05:002011-05-14T15:43:08.583-04:00Happy Birthday, Frank Welker!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioieCfYvluAM1Ds61gi-uYF54CwVSTLNu8hFcXkW0EQs962Usfju1Tn06qRoqIqO2PzHhx8g-qeVN1X-3EH2hQ2dzW5OrPbRSYSzWa2u8YtQGI1SGnaNeIODzcAnvDBI-5LtqXTrH4aHSR/s1600/mtv_geek_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioieCfYvluAM1Ds61gi-uYF54CwVSTLNu8hFcXkW0EQs962Usfju1Tn06qRoqIqO2PzHhx8g-qeVN1X-3EH2hQ2dzW5OrPbRSYSzWa2u8YtQGI1SGnaNeIODzcAnvDBI-5LtqXTrH4aHSR/s400/mtv_geek_logo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
MTV GEEK! allowed me to pay tribute to one of the best voice-artists of all time, Frank Welker, in honor of his 65th birthday.<br />
<br />
Hop on over <a href="http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/03/11/happy-birthday-frank-welker-the-voice-of-megatron-fred-slimer-and-many-others/">here</a> to check it out.Matt. Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07240413323381294273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606941262663670984.post-62570467239192937432011-03-09T00:48:00.000-05:002011-05-05T21:11:11.877-04:00Breaking the Saturday Morning Color Barrier<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioieCfYvluAM1Ds61gi-uYF54CwVSTLNu8hFcXkW0EQs962Usfju1Tn06qRoqIqO2PzHhx8g-qeVN1X-3EH2hQ2dzW5OrPbRSYSzWa2u8YtQGI1SGnaNeIODzcAnvDBI-5LtqXTrH4aHSR/s1600/mtv_geek_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioieCfYvluAM1Ds61gi-uYF54CwVSTLNu8hFcXkW0EQs962Usfju1Tn06qRoqIqO2PzHhx8g-qeVN1X-3EH2hQ2dzW5OrPbRSYSzWa2u8YtQGI1SGnaNeIODzcAnvDBI-5LtqXTrH4aHSR/s400/mtv_geek_logo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Recently, I wrote a post for <a href="http://www.mtv.com/geek/">MTV News</a> about the pioneering characters of color on Saturday Mornings. I covered the Pre-Golden Age character Mammy Two Shoes, as well as the "firsts" Pete Jones (<i>The Hardy Boys</i>, 1969-71), Valerie Brown (<i>Josie and the Pussycats</i>, 1970-72), and <i>The Harlem Globetrotters</i> (1970-71).<br />
<br />
Check it out <a href="http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/03/07/pete-val-and-meadowlark-breaking-the-saturday-morning-color-barrier/">here</a>.Matt. Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07240413323381294273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606941262663670984.post-39080351310150550012011-01-26T15:22:00.000-05:002011-04-30T23:30:23.037-04:00The SmurfsI already have (what one hopes to be) a fairly in-depth and somewhat comprehensive look at <i>The Smurfs</i> at one of my other blogs that I affectionately call Smurfology.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Nl4qqdzdh90vv0_b2RgRWLBP8OX6RacYd6sii6GjeAo7g6-ge56riiIoG9x0khjXf5bCS9F23IwvqqzVIRGoKV2wiIy0kBmxQLDzn2lbDuetykvXSXBwbC8EeEyzSWXVcmipHg3Njq-c/s1600/01+Color.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Nl4qqdzdh90vv0_b2RgRWLBP8OX6RacYd6sii6GjeAo7g6-ge56riiIoG9x0khjXf5bCS9F23IwvqqzVIRGoKV2wiIy0kBmxQLDzn2lbDuetykvXSXBwbC8EeEyzSWXVcmipHg3Njq-c/s400/01+Color.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Check it out <a href="http://www.threeappleshigh.net/">here</a>.Matt. Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07240413323381294273noreply@blogger.com0