Happy 50th, moose and squirrel! - Never Forgotten: a Foster's Home Community

Ccook50 · 11-19-2009, 11:00 AM

50 years ago today, Rocket J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose made their first appearances on TV. Rocky & His Friends premiered on ABC and aired 15 minutes a day Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5 PM Eastern. It was retooled in 1961 and aired in syndication as The Rocky Show (15 minutes) and on NBC prime time as The Bullwinkle Show (30 minutes). It was first developed in 1955 after Ward left Jerry Fairbanks Productions (where he co-created Crusader Rabbit, TV's first made-for-TV cartoon show) under the title The Frostbite Falls Review.

In 1961, creator Jay Ward stirred two controversies. The first came when he went to Washington seeking statehood for Moosylvania, an impoverished island he bought off one of the Great Lakes (it was also the landmark in two storylines of the show). Unfortunately, he arrived with this mission in the middle of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and he was ejected from the White House grounds.

The second controversy came when he developed the "Kirward Derby" in a story arc. The Derby made whoever wore it the smartest person in the world. There was a TV personality at the time, Durward Kirby (second banana to Allen Funt on Candid Camera), and he took offense to the name Kirward Derby. He threatened to sue Ward, who replied "Sue us. Please. We need the publicity."

11-19-2009, 11:00 AM	#1
Ccook50 Foster's Legend Don't forget to turn left at Greenland Join Date: May 2007 Location: Cumming GA Posts: 510	Happy 50th, moose and squirrel! 50 years ago today, Rocket J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose made their first appearances on TV. Rocky & His Friends premiered on ABC and aired 15 minutes a day Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5 PM Eastern. It was retooled in 1961 and aired in syndication as The Rocky Show (15 minutes) and on NBC prime time as The Bullwinkle Show (30 minutes). It was first developed in 1955 after Ward left Jerry Fairbanks Productions (where he co-created Crusader Rabbit, TV's first made-for-TV cartoon show) under the title The Frostbite Falls Review. In 1961, creator Jay Ward stirred two controversies. The first came when he went to Washington seeking statehood for Moosylvania, an impoverished island he bought off one of the Great Lakes (it was also the landmark in two storylines of the show). Unfortunately, he arrived with this mission in the middle of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and he was ejected from the White House grounds. The second controversy came when he developed the "Kirward Derby" in a story arc. The Derby made whoever wore it the smartest person in the world. There was a TV personality at the time, Durward Kirby (second banana to Allen Funt on Candid Camera), and he took offense to the name Kirward Derby. He threatened to sue Ward, who replied "Sue us. Please. We need the publicity." __________________ "God forgot to make stupidity painful." --Ivan Stang (Church of the SubGenius) Last edited by Ccook50; 11-19-2009 at 11:06 AM.