First Animated Series Produced Specifically for Television in 1950

First Animated Series Produced Specifically for Television in 1950

American animated 1950's children'due south boob tube program

Crusader Rabbit
Title card
Created past	Alexander Anderson Jay Ward
Starring	First series: Lucille Elation 2nd serial: Ge Ge Pearson Russ Coughlan Both series: Vern Louden Roy Whaley
Opening theme	"Rabbit Fanfare" (adapted from "The Trail to United mexican states") and "Main Title Rabbit" (adjusted from "X Piffling Indians")
Land of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	455 195 (black and white) 260 (colour)
Production
Executive producers	Jerry Fairbanks (1950–52) Shull Bonsall (1956–59)
Running time	4 minutes
Product companies	Television Arts Productions (1950–52) Jerry Fairbanks, Inc. (1950–52) Capital letter Enterprises/Television receiver Spots (1956–59)
Distributor	Metromedia Producers Corporation 20th Television [i]
Release
Original network	Syndication (1950–1979) WNBC (1950–1967) and KNBH (1949) (NBC'south owned-and-operated station in New York and Los Angeles) (1950–1967)
Picture format	Black and White (1947–1952)[ citation needed ] Color (1956–1959)
Start shown in	1947-1948
Original release	August 1, 1950 (1950-08-01) – December 1, 1959 (1959-12-01)

Crusader Rabbit is the first animated series produced specifically for television. ^[ii] Its main characters were Crusader Rabbit and his sidekick Ragland T. Tiger, or "Rags". The stories were 4-infinitesimal-long satirical cliffhangers. ^[three]

The concept was examination marketed in 1948, ^[4] while the initial series – Crusader vs. the State of Texas – aired on KNBH (at present KNBC) in Los Angeles get-go on August 1, 1950 (not August 1, 1949 equally some sources erroneously state). ^[v] The program was syndicated from 1950 to 1951 for 195 episodes, and then was revived in 1959 for 260 color episodes. ^[4] Jay Ward, who went on to create The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show , was involved every bit business manager and producer. ^[six]

Production history [ edit ]

The concept of a drawing series fabricated exclusively for television came from animator Alex Anderson, who worked for Terrytoons Studios. Terrytoons turned down Anderson'southward proposed series, preferring to remain in theatrical moving picture animation. Consequently, Anderson approached Jay Ward to create a partnership – Anderson being in charge of production and Ward arranging financing. Ward became business organization manager and producer, joining with Anderson to form "Television Arts Productions" in 1947. They tried to sell the series – initially presented as part of a proposed serial, The Comic Strips of Boob tube, which featured an before incarnation of Dudley Do-Right of the Mounties – to the NBC idiot box network, with Jerry Fairbanks as the network's "supervising producer". ^[4] NBC didn't broadcast Crusader Rabbit on their network, but allowed Fairbanks to sell the series in national syndication, with many NBC affiliates, including those in New York and Los Angeles, picking it upwardly for local showings. WNBC-TV in New York connected to show the original Crusader Rabbit episodes from 1950 through 1967, and some stations used the plan as late equally the 1970s.

The original series employed express animation, appearing virtually as narrated storyboards with frequent cuts and minor motion by the characters, much in the manner of another early on NBC animated program, Tele-Comics . This was due to the limited upkeep that producers Jay Ward and Alex Anderson worked with to film the series. In 1948 Clarence East. Wheeler created the original opening and closing theme for the animated series, adapting and composing the folk melodies "The Trail to United mexican states" (known on cue sheets as "Rabbit Fanfare") and "X Little Indians" (known as "Master Championship Rabbit"). ^[7]

Each program began with a title sequence of a mounted knight galloping across the screen. The episodes and then featured a brusk, usually satirical, adventure in the form of a movie serial, ending with a cliffhanger.

Crusader Rabbit was syndicated from 1950 to 1952,^{[ citation needed ]} totaling 195 episodes (divided into 10 "crusades"), and and so re-aired for many years. It featured Crusader Rabbit, his companion Ragland T. Tiger ("Rags"), and their occasional nemeses – Dudley Nightshade and Whetstone Whiplash with his sidekick, Bilious Green. Some episodes featured Crusader's and Rags' friend Garfield the Groundhog. Ragland Tiger's name came from the jazz tune "Tiger Rag" and his middle initial "T" stood for The (equally in Rags The Tiger), while Dudley Nightshade'southward name was a play on the poisonous plant, "deadly nightshade". As a running gag, another grapheme would enquire Rags what the "T" stood for, to which he would reply, "Larry. My begetter couldn't spell!"

The series was revived and 13 new "crusades" (totaling 260 color episodes) were produced in 1956 by Shull Bonsall's Uppercase Enterprises. Bonsall purchased Goggle box Arts Productions and gained the rights to Crusader Rabbit during a protracted legal boxing between Jay Ward, Alex Anderson, Jerry Fairbanks and the NBC network over ownership of the series. Blitheness was provided past Bonsall's Creston Studios, also known every bit TV Spots, Inc., supervised by Bob Ganon and Gerald Ray. The new serial was not seen until early 1959.

The revived (2nd) series used an opening and endmost theme from the British "Impress" product music library licensed by Emil Ascher publishing of New York. It was titled "Juggins", and was composed past Van Phillips, the professional name of Alexander Van Cleve Phillips. ^[7]

Lucille Elation provided the vocalism of Crusader Rabbit in the original serial; she was replaced by Ge Ge Pearson in the revived serial. Vern Louden played Rags in both. Dudley Nightshade was voiced past Russ Coughlan, and narration was past Roy Whaley.

Legacy [ edit ]

The success of Crusader Rabbit inspired many more television cartoon character packages. Jay Ward would later produce The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show . ^[2]

Home video [ edit ]

In 1985, Rhino Entertainment released the offset ii volumes of Crusader Rabbit in a planned^{[ citation needed ]} domicile video release of all the original episodes. However, 20th Century Play tricks claimed the distribution rights by their acquisition of previous possessor Metromedia Producers Corporation.

In 2009, AudioTape, Inc. released a three-DVD set of 11 Crusader Rabbit serials; two from the black-and-white era (including "Crusader Rabbit Vs. the Land of Texas") and ix from the colour era.

In pop civilization [ edit ]

• There were two Dell Publishing comic books featuring Crusader Rabbit and Rags. ^[4]
• In 2009, Lulu.com published Where Is Crusader Rabbit Now That Nosotros Really Demand Him?, a biographical novel almost soldiers in the Vietnam War by William K. Millar Jr.
• A Get out it to Beaver episode mentions a Crusader Rabbit sweatshirt in the lost and found.

First series [ edit ]

The start series aired in syndication, with production of 195 episodes ending in 1951. ^[4]

Episodes [ edit ]

• Crusader vs. the State of Texas (15 chapters)
• Crusader vs. the Pirates (twenty capacity)
• Crusader and the Rajah of Rinsewater (20 chapters)
• Crusader and the Schmohawk Indians (fifteen capacity)
• Crusader and the Smashing Equus caballus Mystery (xx chapters)
• Crusader and the Circus (x chapters)
• Crusader in the 10th Century (30 chapters)
• Crusader and the Mad Hollywood Scientist (15 chapters)
• Crusader and the Leprechauns (25 chapters)
• Crusader and the Showboat (25 chapters)

Product staff [ edit ]

• Executive Producer: Jerry Fairbanks
• Producers: Jay Ward, Alex Anderson
• Director: Alex Anderson
• Story: Alex Anderson, Joe Curtin, Hal Goodman, Arthur North, Lloyd Turner
• Artists: Alex Anderson, Bob Bastian, Bob Bemiller, Chuck Fusion, Randy Grochoski, Ed Rex, Ted Martine, Bob Mills, Lee Mishkin, Grim Natwick, Russ Sholl, Jim Scott, John Sparey, Dean Spille, Spaulding White, Volney White
• Photographic camera: Bob Oleson, Jack Williams
• Music: Clarence E. Wheeler
• Editor: Tom Stanford

Voices [ edit ]

• Lucille Bliss — Crusader Rabbit ^[4]
• Vern Louden — Ragland T. ("Rags") Tiger ^[four]
• Russ Coughlin — Dudley Nightshade ^[4]
• Roy Whaley — Narrator

Second series [ edit ]

The second series premiered in 1956 syndication with 260 episodes produced, ^[4] xx "chapters" per episode. They were later edited into 13 one-hour programs.

Episodes [ edit ]

• "The Not bad Uranium Hunt" (also known as "Mine Your Own Business concern")
• "The Yukon Gamble" (besides known as "Thar'southward Gilt in Them Fills")
• "Tales of Schmerwood Woods" (also known as "Cheat's Bout")
• "West We Forget"
• "Sahara You"
• "Gullible's Travels"
• "Should Auld Acquaintance Be for Cotton" (also known as "Belly Acres Mystery")
• "Zilch Atoll"
• "Scars and Stripes"
• "Apes of Rath"
• "Caesar's Salad" (likewise known as "At that place'southward No Place Like Rome")
• "The Great Baseball Mystery" (also known every bit "Gone With the Air current-Up")
• "The Search for the Missing Link"

Production staff [ edit ]

• Executive Producer: Shull Bonsall
• Director: Sam Nicholson
• Animation Managing director: Bob Bemiller
• Story: Chris Bob Hayward, Barbara Chain
• Story Sketch: Jack Miller
• Music Scoring: Fine art Becker
• Sound Effects: Ray Erlenborn, Gene Twambley
• Layout: Ed Levitt
• Animators: Alex Ignatiev, Bob Matz, Reuben Timmens, Joseph Price, John Sparey, Marv Woodward
• Backgrounds: David Weidman, Eleanor Bogardus, Rosemary O'Connor
• Ink and Paint: Martha Buckley, Maggi Alcumbrac
• Production Planning: Dave Hoffman
• Photographic camera: Julian E. Raymond, Ted Bemiller
• Editors: Charles McCann, Norman Vizents
• Production Supervision: Bob Ganon

Voices [ edit ]

• Ge Ge Pearson – Crusader Rabbit
• Vern Louden – Ragland T. ("Rags") Tiger
• Roy Whaley – Narrator
• Russ Coughlan – Dudley Nightshade

Come across besides [ edit ]

• List of animated television serial

References [ edit ]

1. ^ "Beyond the Simpsons: What Blitheness Avails Disney Volition Ain by Acquiring Play a joke on" Animation Scoop
2. ^ ^{a b} Lenburg, Jeff (2006). Who's Who in Animated Cartoons: An International Guide to Picture show And Television's Laurels-Winning And Legendary Animators . Hal Leonard Corporation. pp.348–349. ISBN 978-1557836717 . Retrieved Nov 20, 2012.
3. ^ Perlmutter, David (2022). The Encyclopedia of American Blithe Tv Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 141–142. ISBN 978-1538103739 .
4. ^ ^{a b c d eastward f g h i} Crusader Rabbit at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on April 15, 2012.
5. ^ "Debunking The Myths: Crusader Rabbit and Walt Disney" Cartoon Inquiry
6. ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Boob tube Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 224–226. ISBN 978-1476665993 .
7. ^ ^{a b} "Crusader Rabbit" ClassicThemes

Further reading [ edit ]

• Kevin Scott Collier. The Hare Raising Tales of Crusader Rabbit. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2022. ISBN1723388726
• Fred Patten. "2 ½ Carrots Tall: TV's First Blithe Cartoon Star: Office ane, The Story Behind Crusader Rabbit" Comics Scene #vi (November 1982), pp. l–56; "Part 2, The Stories of Crusader Rabbit" Comics Scene #7 (Feb 1983), pp. xx–22.
• Fred Patten. "Some Notes on Crusader Rabbit" Animatrix (UCLA Blitheness Workshop) #half dozen (Summer 1992), pp. 29–36.

External links [ edit ]

• Crusader Rabbit at IMDb
• Crusader Rabbit at Toonopedia
• "Bubble Trouble," a Crusader Rabbit children's book

First Animated Series Produced Specifically for Television in 1950

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusader_Rabbit