Dartman's Advent Calendar 2011: Day 14

After hearing El Vez sing about Poncho Claus yesterday, we settle down for an older treat today. Open the flap and see what's behind door #14. Enjoy!

Advent Calendar 2011 Day 14

Safety Lessons From Our Favorite HB Characters

I feel like I am a little late in posting this after hearing about all of the horrors that went on on Black Friday. But back in 1973, Hanna Barbera released a record with tips from many of their characters on how to be safe. The original album came with a coloring book and a poster. While I have neither the coloring book or the poster, I do have the album and it's pretty cool. All together there are 36 lessons to be learned from the likes of Wilma Flintstone, Quick Draw McGraw, Yogi Bear, Top Cat, Snagglepuss, Peter Potamus, Barney Rubble, Touche Turtle, Magilla Gorilla, Wally Gator, Dixie, Fred Flintstone, Huckleberry Hound, Boo Boo Bear, Riccochet Rabbit, Augie Doggie, Elroy Jetson and more. So take their advice and stay safe. Here is "Hanna Barbera presents Hear See Do". Enjoy!

Hanna Barbera Presents HEAR SEE DO

“Now Here’s Something We Hope You’ll Really Like…”

There have been a number of children’s records based on cartoons. Today we share one that features Bill Scott, June Foray, Paul Frees and all the rest performing the voices of Rocky, Bullwinkle and the other characters we’ve come to know and love. This tells the story of how Rocky and his friends put this record together by way of original songs and audio from a few of the old cartoons themselves. This one popped up on the ol' playlist in the car the other day and my son thought it was great. In fact, he kept having me repeat the first track over and over because he loved it so much. As a result, I share it with you today. Here is "Rocky & His Friends". Enjoy!

Rocky & His Friends

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2011!!!

Halloween-A-Thon 2011: Betty Boop's Halloween Party.

Halloween-A-Thon 2011: Scrappy's Ghost Story

Classic Television Episode of The Month: Danger Mouse

Enjoy!

Classic Television Episode of The Month: Return To The Planet of The Apes

This animated series had great intent but poor execution. If it was better animated it could have been amazing! Anyway, I picked this episode solely for the music playing in the truck that the ape is driving in it. The music playing on the radio is "I'm Going Humanoid Over You". Hilarious! Enjoy!

Dartman's Advent Calendar 2010: Day 5

Today we find our first video surprise hidden behind the flaps of our Advent calendar. It's the original 1953 animated short for "Frosty The Snowman". This was the first cartoon version of the famous song written as a follow up to "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer". It would be 16 years later that the infamous television special featuring Jimmy Durante would make it's debut. Here is "Frosty The Snowman". Enjoy!

Classic Television Episode of the Month: The Archie Show

The 25 Posts of Christmas: Christmas With The King

No, it's not a post featuring Elvis but a great cartoon from 1933 entitled, "Christmas Night"! Enjoy!

Tricks & Treats 09: "Hair Raising Hair"

Tricks & Treats 09: Goofy Teaches Us All About Halloween

Here's a super cool educational short from Disney in which Goofy and others teach us the origin of Halloween. Very cool! Here's Disney's Haunted Halloween! Enjoy!

Tricks & Treats 09: "A Witch's Tangled Hair"

I Before E Except After C

Charlie Brown holds a unique spot in pop culture. Like Mickey Mouse, everyone on the planet knows who he is. Back in the day, it was one of the highlights of any holiday to make sure you were home and watching when the Charlie Brown special for that season was on. Back then, there were no VCRS or DVDS or DVRS. There was just the television and if you missed the special that year, you had to wait a whole year to get your chance to see it again. In addition to the holiday specials, the Peanuts gang branched out into films with the 1969 film, "A Boy Named Charlie Brown". It was the first of what would become many feature films starring Charlie Brown and the gang. It is of course the story of our anti-hero. Charlie Brown and his many attempts at being appreciated. He actually gets it when he wins the local spelling bee and heads to the national finals. Of course, at the finals he loses all that he has gained when he misspells the one word that he above all others should know: beagle. And thus, the cycle begins anew. What was so great about all of the Peanuts specials and films that were done in the 60s and 70s was the amazing musical score by Vince Guaraldi. The music consisted mostly of uptempo jazz tunes that had been heard since some of the earliest Peanuts television specials aired back in 1965; however, for A Boy Named Charlie Brown, they were given a more "theatrical" treatment, with lusher horn-filled arrangements. Guaraldi was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score for his work on A Boy Named Charlie Brown. The film also included several songs sung by the cast: Failure Face (sung by Lucy and the other girls to discourage Charlie Brown from entering the spelling bee), I Before E Except After C (sung by Charlie Brown and Linus while studying for the spelling bee), and Champion Charlie Brown (sung by the entire cast after Charlie wins the school spelling bee). This was a first as all of the music with exception of the traditional Christmas carols sung in the first special was instrumental. Rod McKuen wrote and sang the title song. He also wrote Failure Face and Champion Charlie Brown. The film also features a Jew's harp, which Snoopy plays to help Charlie with his spelling. For many, it was their first and probably only time they would ever see that instrument and the film has become so associated with the Jews Harp that Snoopy appears on the box for the instrument which is sometimes referred to as "Snoopy's Harp". Here for you now is that incredible soundtrack album featuring Vince Guaraldi. Another great thing about this abum is that it plays more like a story record as it features dialogue from the film interspersed with the music. Here is "A Boy Named Charlie Brown". Enjoy!

A Boy Named Charlie Brown OST

Interesting Side Note: A Boy Named Charlie Brown features the instantly recognizable voice of Peter Robbins as Charlie Brown. The film marked the last time he would voice the character.

Betty Boop's Halloween Party

Super 8 Theater Presents: Top Cat

A great super 8 home movie reel featuring Top Cat in "Goofy Golf". Beautifully digitised by my good friend, Mark "Dangerboy" Nelson who added the delectable soundtrack (can anyone guess where the music is from originally?!) as well! Enjoy!