Saturday 31 August 2019

Thank You For Reading

I love old cartoons and I love 1950s stock music. This blog was started ten years ago as a place to document the stock cues used on every cartoon on the first season of “The Huckleberry Hound Show,” along with a few frames from each and some random thoughts. That goal was passed long ago. We’ve now reviewed every cartoon from all four seasons of the Huck show, save Hokey Wolf, as well as every short from my favourite series, Quick Draw McGraw. That’s all I really wanted to review. Somehow, things kept going and “The Yogi Bear Show” cartoons and “The Jetsons” have been reviewed as well. There have been just over 1,320 posts.

All blogs come to an end. So my intention is to make this the last post.

I’d like to use this space to thank everyone who has dropped by here over the years. I’d especially like to thank those who have left comments, or corrected my mistakes and typos, or added information that I didn’t know. I’m not an animator, I’ve never worked in animation, I can’t even draw. I’m just a guy who likes old cartoons. Having people who know the industry take the time, put up with my lack of knowledge, and add their insights here has been of great benefit, I think, to all the readers.

Rewatching cartoons that I first saw more than 55 years ago (and, in many cases, have rarely seen since) has been an interesting exercise. I’ve watched them with fresh adult eyes, not with nostalgic ones; I don’t pine for childhood days of 1963. Not all of the cartoons were great. Some were disappointing. But others hold up very well and are still pretty entertaining. People should love cartoons for what they are, not because of who we were before adulthood. And I still find it funny that someone came up with a cartoon character that only says “Yowp!”

I’m bowled over by the fact I’ve had the chance to chat with Tony Benedict and Jerry Eisenberg. I’d never have thought, years and years ago, I’d ever talk to anyone whose name I saw on the TV whenever the credits were shown. They’re both very nice people. And funny, too. What pleasure they’ve brought to so many people. Isn’t that a great legacy? Author Jerry Beck has taken some of his limited personal time to be incredibly encouraging. I devoured his Scarecrow Press book he wrote with Will Friedwald when it came out almost 40 years ago and am a little floored he has corresponded with a complete stranger like me. Animator Mark Kausler has been kind and generously volunteered any help he could give, especially his knowledge of cartoons and animators. He is a true friend of animation history. I am fortunate to have had a chance to correspond with Elliot Field, the retired KFWB rock jock who was the original voice of Blabber Mouse in 1959.

Thank you to those who dug up and sent me the Capitol Hi-Q and Langlois Filmusic cues you’ve heard for decades in these cartoons. I looked for them for years not knowing exactly what I was looking for. It’s so fun to hear them without voices or sound effects on top of them. (As a side note, YourPalDoug really is a pal. So is that entertaining pianist, Dave Powers).

Richard Holliss contacted me out of the blue from the U.K. and asked if I’d like scans of his colour Yogi Bear and Flintstones comics. You can thank him for his generosity; the artwork is a treat and it’s a shame there’s never been a will by a publisher to put them in a book.

Thank you to the late Earl Kress. He knew more about these cartoons than probably anyone else and graciously shared his knowledge. He hunted down stock music so it could be cleared for use on CD and DVD. He rummaged through Hanna-Barbera’s archives looking for decent film of bumpers so fans could see them again. And listened to reels of Hoyt Curtin’s recording sessions. Earl’s an unsung hero and I really miss him.

It’s a little stunning to see that this blog has attracted readers from all over the world. And, judging by people who are on the Yowp Facebook account, Hanna-Barbera cartoons cut through race, age, religion, political beliefs and sexual orientation. They unite people around the world with smiles and laughter. Humanity needs something like that every day.

So, again, thanks.


53 comments:

  1. Thanks..I just wish you had time to review the Flintstones..there is Tralfaz..your sister blog..

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  2. This is one of my main go-to's on line. I will be very sad to see it end. But I know you planned on ending it years ago, so thank you for the extension. I have enjoyed endless delights on this blog, and of course my favorite feature was the comic strip reprints. Thanks to you, I have hard copies that I can savor time and again. I will truly miss your presence on line. Hanna-Barbera and Disney are my favorites, but you know that by now. I hope and trust that the archives will remain in place for a while yet?

    Best wishes in your future endeavors. I hope you realize you have been a great friend and have brought great satisfaction over the years.

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  3. No, thank YOU, Mr. Y owp! Your hard work has made these old cartoons even more enjoyable than they already were. Animation historians from this time forward will owe you a huge debt!

    Good luck on your future endeavours. Hopefully, we'll see you again very soon!👋

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  4. Sorry you're quitting, but it's understandable since you reached your goal for the blog. When I started looking at cartoons more closely as a teenager, I became a real snob against Hanna-Barbera's TV work, but your blog really made me see all of the quality that went into those quaint cartoons. (Just don't ever make me watch that 1975 version of Tom & Jerry again. Please!) Best wishes for everything you do.

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  5. Your blog will still be my number one go to daily as a source of Hanna Barbera info. Thank you for your fine efforts as I will be forever appreciative of them...I think now may be the time to collate the massive amount of information you've gathered into the definitive book on Hanna Barbera? Just a thought..God Bless.

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  6. Knew this day was coming for I guess about two years, since you said the blog would end when you had run out of material from the studio's early years, but it's still sad to see it end after a decade. Thanks for all the information you've gathered, the interviews and the audio/video files from the brief period when Hanna-Barbera took what they and others had learned from making cartoons for theatrical releases for all ages, and applied that knowledge to making entertaining cartoons on the far lower TV budgets.

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  7. I also kinew the day was coming..how about the Tralfaz one or some other blogs..kind of glad in a way the Yogi and Flintstone comics wonb't be reviewed anymore since they were headed into the early 70s, aka HB's downfall, esp.with Flintstones:I'd be shocked to think Fred's daughter already became the Josie/Daphne Blake l;ike teen she was by 1971 in the comics..and Bamm-Bamm. One day a little baby, next day, the emasculated Alan(of Josie)/Fred(of Scooby) like teenager he became by fall '71.thanks for everything,sitll keeping my blogs up....too bad the Flintstones, Hokey Wolf or Loopy De Loop or some more post-1961 HB short segemtn shows (Wally Gator,etc.) could not be reviewed, but everything comes to an end//

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  8. Oh my - You never did tell me what you dislike about The Flintstones: On the Rocks ("Meet the Sethstones? Not Likely" 4/15/12).

    Thank you for all the great topics and discussions over the years,and for tolerating my occasional smart-assery. I do hope you will keep both blogs up. They are invaluable research material.

    "Ay-dios, a-my-goes!" - Sheriff Huckleberry

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  9. a hole has opened in my facebook page. so long, Yowp, may your future endeavors be laden with reward after reward.
    you shall be sorely missed.

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  10. I’ve only scratched the surface of your blog, but I’ve enjoyed my visits here very much. I hope it stays online—I have a lot of catching up to do. Great work, Don! Best to you going forward.-Dan Roberts

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  11. Nosotros estamos agradecidos. Lástima que no continúes este interesante sitio. Un fuerte abrazo y gracias nuevamente.

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  12. You will never know how many lives your work will touch in a positive way and how many people in the future will take a better look at this art in a fuller context with greater detail. I truly appreciate all the time and effort, knowing how much it takes and how sometimes you wonder if it's worth it. It is worth it. Please know that. Thank you.

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  13. And I second all the above sentiments. Great blog, sad to see it end. However, I'm interested in what you now plan to do with your time?

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  14. Don't do it, Yowp-Yowp!
    This is not time to finish this wonderful blog!
    You gonna let various HB-fans from the whole world orphans (including me and various HB-fans who are friends of mine)!
    For Heaven's sake, Yowp-Yowp! Continue with this wonderful blog!
    Please! Continue!


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  15. Jim In LouisvilleKY31 August 2019 at 14:53

    Enjoyed this blog. Thanks for all your efforts. I still hope that one day the Quick Draw McGraw Show will be released on DVD!

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  16. I regret not commenting here more than I should, but every post has been a blast to read. Thanks Yowp. Hope you'll still be around on the interwebs.

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  17. Aloha, Yowp. Yours has been one of my very favorite blogs and I’d stop by almost every day. I’ll miss you!

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  18. Yowp, thanks for all your hard work and dedication over the last ten years. Your blog has been my #1 bookmarked favorite. I’ve sincerely enjoyed your funny HB cartoon reviews, interesting transcribed articles, and the great stock music you have shared with those who love it as much as you do. I look forward to dipping into your archives and enjoying your posts all over again. Thanks, again, Yowp! You’ve earned a rest!

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  19. Sorry to see this blog coming to an end but the knowledge and the fun bits we learned here, will stay with us forever! Good bye and good luck, Yowp!

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  20. I am sad to see this blog go, but I'm glad your accomplished what you set out to do, and for all the great work you have done. Thank you very much.

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  21. All the times before when you said that "Yowp" was ending, and then you continued, I thought you weren't really serious about ending your blog. But now, it seems you ARE serious! I wanted to thank you for always mentioning my Catblog in your "We Yowp For Yowp' column each time I did a new post, and for encouraging me to continue. The music cues you posted by Geordie Hormel and many more composers were my favorites. Thanks to you I have several mp3 discs I've made of the early H-B Enterprises music cues, which I listen to often. I'll never stop thanking you for that! I also enjoyed your analysis of animators' work, even though you've never animated yourself. The odd smear cels you posted were especially fun, and you tributes to Carlo Vinci and George Nicholas. Well, until we meet again, (in a very sad register): YOWWWWPPP!

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  22. No more YOWP? I guess what I'll have to do is go back to the beginning and re-read the archives from 2009--and this time, make sure to save all the Sunday pages, which is what led me here to begin with. I'd hoped that we'd get to see at least a sampling of the final Gene Hazelton entries for both strips, whenever that was (Wikipedia says 1988 for YOGI and late '90s for THE FLINTSTONES, and who knows who was drawing either at the end--but Wikipedia is as accurate as Wikipedia is). Since you don't indicate an ending is impeding for your TRALFAZ blog, I'm assuming that any future H-B material you run across will wind up there, so at least it's not goodbye, more like "see you when I see you." But nonetheless, thanks for everything!

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  23. Thanks, it's been a blast. Hoe does that work with blogspot? Will the blog itself dissolve when you stop paying? Or can we come back and read everything we missed?

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  24. Thanks, thanks, thanks for countless hours of fun and info on my favorite things in the world. Hate to see you go, but we will still have the Tralfaz site to visit. Uhh, we WILL still have Tralfaz won't we?? I had better head over there and see if there is a similar announcement! Any way, best of luck to you, and thanks again!

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  25. Thanks for all of your wonderful work & friendship.
    Keep in touch.
    Your Pal,

    Doug

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  26. Congratulations for all your accomplishments with this blog, Yowp. God bless you for all the wonderful Hanna Barbera Material you posted throughout the years. I'll surely miss this blog.

    Farewell, and good luck to you.

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  27. Never felt this shocked about the passing of a favorite blog of mine...

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  28. I'm sad to see this great blog go, but I can certainly understand your desire to bring it to a close, given your lack of time to maintain it, and given the fact that you achieved your goals for the blog long ago.

    From the bottom of my heart, thank you for the many delightful hours I spent here, ever since I stumbled upon this blog back in 2013! For six years, through my joys and disappointments, tough and pleasant times alike, this blog always managed to bring a smile to my face... much like the early Hanna-Barbera cartoons themselves.

    Thanks, also, for the great deal I've learned about Hanna-Barbera, as well as about animation in general, from this blog. As far as I'm concerned, you are, at this point, a true animation historian.

    All the best...

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  29. "Not all of the cartoons were great. Some were disappointing. But others hold up very well and are still pretty entertaining. People should love cartoons for what they are, not because of who we were before adulthood."

    "Hanna-Barbera cartoons cut through race, age, religion, political beliefs and sexual orientation. They unite people around the world with smiles and laughter. Humanity needs something like that every day."

    Well said. Couldn't agree more.

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  30. Yikes! Really? So very sad to say goodbye to Yowp! Was a little late to the party, so will have to dig into the archives! Thanks so very much!

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  31. Hans Christian Brando2 September 2019 at 10:26

    We'll miss you, Yowp. Good dog.

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  32. Pretty much all that I could possibly say has already been said, but sincere thanks for all the great posts over the years and for all the fine hours I've spent just a-browsin' through here and Tralfaz.

    And a great big "mahalo" for all the wonderful info you've sniffed out of near-innumerabubble (as Mr. Jinks might say) old newspapers and magazines. If we had a copy of that sad trombone music used in quite a few H-B cartoons, I'd be playing it right about now if I could. Good luck in whatever personal endeavors you intend to embark upon A.B. (After Blogs).

    -Evan

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  33. Thanks for many great reads but--oh no! I was always hoping you would decide to take on more but totally get it. I only discovered this blog about 2 years ago and as time has allowed have dipped back into the earlier posts. Hopefully they will remain and give me somewhere to go to get my fill of Yowp.

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  34. Jim...It has been a joy. As Pokey mentioned above, you talked about this day a few years back. Finally, it's here. I have learned more than you'll ever know by reading this blog. Of course, my favorites were from Santa Yowp every December, where you did music cue blogs highlighting the various libraries, composers, well known composers who were ghostwriters and posting the cues. You'll be missed, but you have put endless hours, research, and years into this. Time for a rest. Thanks for the everything.

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  35. I'm sad but at the same time i'm glad because You were able to complete your mission, not everybody can say that, thank You for all these years, your biggest fan in Venezuela

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  36. Say it ain't so! Fantastic blog! You will be missed. Do something else! I learned so much from you. Thank you.

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  37. Many thanks for the blog over the years. I wasn't a frequent visitor but every time I did wander by, there was some pearl of information about some of my favourite cartoons... and my Dad's (who died last year)... Even though we both loved Yogi, Huck and the others (and for me, especially Quick Draw), I always enjoyed Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy -- I always recognized both of us in those characters... and I hope the site hangs around for a bit so I can keep being reminded of the link HB cartoons helped forge between me and my Dad. Good luck with your future efforts, Yowp... :) --from an Aussie contemporary

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  38. Well Yowp, I also am among the very sad to hear I am losing a dear friend. I come here very often and there aren't that many places I frequent regularly. You are going to be missed a lot. I have dreaded this day coming and the hole left behind
    is going to be big. Thank you for a job well done.

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  39. Praying for you, your family, and friends my friend. I hope y'all feel better and all goes well for y'all soon. God bless. Feel free to pm me if y'all ever need someone to talk to. Remember forgiveness towards the people that have hurt y'all can really help y'all. God loves y'all.

    Beat of luck.

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  40. To quote the Isley Brothers:
    "The livin' has got to go on."
    It is NOT I who should be thanked;
    rather, Braa, it's YOU, YOU, YOU.

    For cold example:
    The rise/demise of one Lawrence Samuel "Art" Goble would have been
    FOREVER BEYOND MY KEN, Sir, IF NOT FOR YOUR CURIOSITY AND RESEARCH.
    DOGGED, that is.

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  41. Thanks for all your work over the years. Your blog will be missed.

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  42. Good job and thanks! See ya on Tralfaz!

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  43. Thank you for your time and effort. I have enjoyed reading your posts and cherish the stock music.

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  44. Thank you for years of enjoyment!

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  45. I first came upon your blog in September 2011. At the time, I was in a motel, sitting through a hurricane. The first entry I saw was "Sing Along with Ubble and Ubble". It was a real pleasure to download the Quick Draw McGraw songs that I hadn't heard in 50 years, when I was 5. They got me through the hurricane, and I've listened to them since.

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  46. Thanks for all the great posts. I'm certain this blog will remain a great reference point for myself and other animators that frequent it for inspiration.

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  47. It was an honour reading your blog,sir.

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  48. Please,try to preserve this wonderful work, keeping it available for reading, for all fans, like me !

    Congratulations for this historical and marvelous work !

    With my compliments,

    Philippe

    Rio de Janeiro - Brazil

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    Replies
    1. Thanks a lot, yowp! I agree with every word Philippe wrote. "Please try to preserve this wonderful work!"

      Best wishes!

      Carsten from Germany

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  49. I remember in 1989. when I was six, on RTB2 (former Belgrade channel 2) every second tuesday at 6pm they would air two Hokey Wolf cartoons in a row. I waited every two weeks in front of a tv to catch them. Thats when I realized the power of cartoons.I stumbled from time to time on this blog and was amazed by the level of detail this blog has. Congratulations and thank you. Wish you luck!

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  50. I've enjoyed your blog a lot for a number of years now and still find new treasures when I read through the archives. Thanks for all your hard work.

    Like somebody mentioned above, this blog is a rich resource for artists seeking inspiration. I'm a (non pro) cartoonist and have learned a lot studying the Flintstones and Yogi dailies/Sundays you've posted. Thank you!

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  51. THANKS A LOT for writing this awesome, awesome blog. I will continue to visit it and read your articles, so numerous, with beautiful drawings, interesting facts and opinions, to say it basically. I see that you've added some more posts after this "last" one. And, I am so glad you did. What you've put together here is so valuable. You deserve all the nice things that have gone your way because of its existence. Cheers :) y GRACIAS again from this Hanna Barbera 50y old fan from Argentina

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  52. I wish had had discovered this earlier than a couple of years ago! At least it’s all there for all of us to enjoy. Thank you for all your hard work.

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