The Genius of Jay Ward: Rocky, Bullwinkle, Rarities and More
Presented by the UCLA Film & Television Archive.
Part of the UCLA Film & Television Archive screening series Archive Television Treasures. Learn more at cinema.ucla.edu.
In-person: Introduction by animation historian Jerry Beck; Amber Ward, Vice President of Jay Ward Productions.
On November 19, 1959, on ABC, the world of animation was forever altered by the premiere of an unlikely dynamic duo: a tall, dim-witted moose, Bullwinkle, and his spirited partner, a flying squirrel named Rocky. An original mix of purposely bad puns, parodies, Cold War satire and inspired character design, the program Rocky and His Friends proved as popular with adults as with children. The stealth wit and charm of the series is attributable to a full roster of gifted talent — from co-creator/producer Bill Scott (the voice of Bullwinkle) to voice actors such as June Foray (as Natasha Fatale) and a litany of animators and writers. At the head of the studio producing this rare gem in the vast wasteland was the show’s co-creator/producer, a quirky, visionary genius with a fondness for Napoleon hats named Jay Ward.
Throughout the 1960s, the credit “A Jay Ward Production” on a television program signaled intelligent, irreverent, joyfully groan-worthy humor delivered by unforgettable characters that were always earnest and sometimes none too bright (Tom Slick, George of the Jungle, Super Chicken). From the gleefully twisted history lessons of “Mr. Peabody and Sherman” to fable-wrecking “Fractured Fairy Tales” and beyond, Ward’s beloved creations equally broke and lampooned all conventions, mildly thumbing their noses at the establishment along the way.
Join us for a mega-mix tribute to pioneer Jay Ward featuring familiar favorites and rarities from the Archive! Introduced by animation historian Jerry Beck and Amber Ward, Vice President of Jay Ward Productions.
DCP, b&w, color, 120 min. Production: Jay Ward Productions. Producers: Jay Ward, Bill Scott. Executive Producer: Ponsonby Britt, O.B.E. With: Bill Scott, June Foray, William Condrad, Hans Conried, Edward Everett Horton.
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