The Most Effectual Colorful Cat

To say that Hanna-Barbara’s animated series, Top Cat, has a colorful cast of characters is to make a statement that is literally true. Not only are the cats of NYC’s Hoagy’s Alley quirky and quaint in their Damon Runyon-esque way but also they are also graphically depicted with vibrant color schemes.  From Benny the Ball (purple) and Choo-Choo (pink) to the Brain (orange) and Top Cat himself (yellow) these big-town tabbies are anything but the black, white and beige tones normally seen on your every day housecat. The Hanna-Barbera artists’ decision to depict their lively felines in a rainbow of hues made their second prime-time series (after The Flintstones) more fun. First of all, cartoons are supposed to be colorful. And even though Top Cat was never broadcast in color on its short, one-season run on ABC, these primary-colored pussycats were tailor-made for tie-in publications, including storybooks, coloring books and this sticker fun book, published by Whitman.

A Lion By Any Other Color

The Hanna-Barbera characters have been used for all kinds of merchandising through the years. In the 1950s, the H-B stars were featured on Kellogg’s cereal boxes. Kellogg’s was of course the sponsor of the early H-B shows such as Huckleberry Hound. Here is Snagglepuss on Cocoa Krispies. Interestingly, he is not colored in his trademark pink but in a very standard-issue brown. Did Kellogg’s think that since Snagglepuss is a lion he should be brown? Or did they alter his famous color scheme because they wanted his color to reflect the cereal? Exit, stage right!

Aurora Art (And A Halloween Teaser)

Here's an artful ad—actually a 1960s poster for the window or wall of a hobby store or toy shop—  celebrating some of the classic hobby kits (otherwise known as models) issued by the famed Aurora Plastics Company in the 1960s. Everyone from Zorro (the Disney connection) and Spider-Man (a latter-day Disney connection) to Superman and Superboy are represented. But if you are looking for the acclaimed Aurora monster models, you'll just have to wait until October. In fact, come back all through October for the annual Tulgey Wood celebration of Halloween. Aside from those Aurora versions of the classic Universal Monsters, there will be lots of spooky fun—and once again I'll be participating in the annual Countdown to Halloween blog-a-thon. Be sure and be here in Tulgey Wood on October 1 for all the trick-or-treat tomfoolery.

Your Invitation To The Christmas TV Party

Looking for a special way to celebrate Christmas in July? Then swing on by the Christmas TV Party, happening right now at Christmas TV History and hosted by holiday media specialist and author  Joanna Wilson. Everyday this month, a special guest blogger will make things merry and bright with recommendations of Yuletide specials, movies and even websites. I will be chiming in myself with some fun festivities so be sure and stop by the Christmas TV Party.  

Merry Christmas In July!

Happy July, Merry Christmas! It's a Tulgey Wood tradition to give a nod to the Yuletide season which  is only one-half year away. So be sure and stop by Tulgey Wood in December for the annual Christmas extravaganza. In 2014 the celebration will celebrate on that wondrous tradition of Christmas albums—the spirited recordings, of course, but also the festive art that adorns the album covers. Enjoy the art from this Three Suns LP below and be sure and drop by Tulgey Wood... well, all year but definitely in December.

Meet The Muppets At The Oscars

The Academy Awards are tonight so unless you're walking the red carpet why not stop by D23.com and check out the article I wrote all about the Muppets and the Oscars? (This content is for D23 Members only but you can join FREE at the website.) In the meantime, here are that power couple, Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, at the Oscars 2012. As a bonus, Kermie and Piggy pose in front of a photo of Walt Disney from the March 25, 1954 Academy Awards ceremony, the year he took home an armful (four, to be exact) of Oscars.  

Month by Month with Moi

Just posted today on D23.com is another of my Muppetology articles. This one rings in 2014 by celebrating that famous calendar girl, Miss Piggy. Check out “Miss Piggy: A Pigfor All Seasons.” by Jim Fanning at D23.com—and don’t forget to click on the images for a larger view. You don’t want to miss a single page of this fun calendar. 

Have a Goofy New Year!

To welcome 2014, here's the January 1938 issue of Mickey Mouse Magazine (Issue #28). The headline for this post should probably be something like "Duck! Here Comes The New Year" as it's Donald (not Goofy) who represents the incoming year. Donald pretended to be a baby in at least one on-screen appearance before the cover was created, in Modern Inventions (1937).  However, the inspiration for this infant appearance may have been Officer Duck (1939) which may have been in development if not production at this time. Happy New Year!

The Presents Have All Been Opened With Care

Aside from being the Feast of Stephen, the day after Christmas Day is all about playing with the gifts —and in this fun cover from Woody Woodpecker Issue 88 December 1965, Woody, Knothead and Splinter enjoy their new toys. This cover art (drawn I believe by Paul Murry) was originally published for the Walter Lantz anthology title New Funnies, Issue 246, cover date January 1955. But whatever the year, this cover with the classic wind-up men (make that wind-up Woodpeckers) is a Christmas treat.

Glad Tidings, Great Joy

It's now Christmas Day, and to celebrate here's the View-Master set retelling the story of Birth of Jesus. This unique set, while covering the same territory as the View-Master set entitled The Christmas Story, stages the scenes with costumed actors. The scenes were created and photographed by Church-Craft Pictures, Inc., and reportedly Hollywood's favorite Biblical epic director Cecil DeMille actually directed at least some of the three-dimensional tableaux. Originally produced in 1947, this timeless View-Master set was in print for decades, and apparently still is available. Merry Christmas, everyone.