The Dipsy Doodle Show (lost animated special; 1974): Difference between revisions

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'''''The Dipsy Doodle Show''''' was a 1975 special intended to serve as a pilot for a children's series mixing live action and animation. Among the sequences was the lead named character recalling the decision by their ancestor, Yankee Doodle, to stop dreaming "the King's Dream", leading to the American Revolution.  
'''''The Dipsy Doodle Show''''' was a live-action/animated television special intended to serve as a pilot for a children's series released in 1974.


The series, sponsored at the time by General Foods and produced in Ohio, never panned out and the episode has not been seen since the initial broadcasts on various independent stations. It does not exist in either home video or online, where only stills of the special exist.
==Premise==
The special is about Dipsy Doodle, an "all-around good guy" who draws characters and stories in his "Mageramic Doodlearium", which would come to life.<ref name="SBDD">[https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SBS19740526.1.84&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1 San Bernardino Sun Archive from May 26th, 1974, featuring an article about the special.] Retrieved 02 Apr '21</ref> He is also the ancestor to Yankee Doodle. ''The Dipsy Doodle Show'' would include shorter stories as well, such as "Windwagon Smith" which is about old men in a prairie discussing a story about a flying windwagon, and "A Salute to the Turtle", about a militant turtle who selfishly demands "equal time". Sometimes Dipsy gets involved with the stories himself, such as with "The Wise Fools of Gotham", and "The Little Red Hen".<ref name="SBDD"/>


A production staff member has this recollection:
==Production==
''The Dipsy Doodle Show'' was jointly created by Metromedia Television, Capital Cities, and Storer Broadcasting, and partnered with General Foods. They were aided by a child development advisory board and were created specifically for the 7-10 year old demographic, an area that was largely neglected by TV at the time.<ref name="SBDD"/> The special was a mix of live-action and animation, a "first" for television, and was broadcasted on May 30th, 1974.


<blockquote>"''The Dipsey Doodle'' was an ambitious and complicated project combining live actors with animated characters in sketches designed primarily for a young audience. Lacking sufficient studio time at WJKW-TV, the principal photography was taped at WUAB. The animation was created by Rick Reinert Studios. Tony Lolli was the studio director, Jerry Leonard wrote the script and directed the cast. Frank Gari and Lee Bush wrote the eight songs and incidental music that was played by a 30 piece orchestra. As Executive Producer, I bit my fingernails down to the second knuckle. The show played in a number of major markets under the sponsorship of General Foods."</blockquote>
The special's live-action segments were recorded at the WUAB TV station in Ohio, as the production crew lacked studio time at WJKW-TV.<ref name="DDWBH">[https://neohiotvmemories.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/tv-memories-album/dipsy-doodle/ North East Ohio TV Memories page on ''The Dipsy Doodle Show'', containing a comment from the executive producer of the special, Bob Huber.] Retrieved 02 Apr '21</ref> The animation was done by Rick Reinert Studios. Jerry Leonard was the writer of the script, while Frank Gari and Lee Bush wrote the music that played during the special.<ref name="DDWBH"/> The cast for the live-action actors include Jonathan Freeman (who would later go on to voice Jafar in Disney's ''Aladdin'' (1992)), Karen League, Harry Gold, Emil Herrera, Sara Louis, Michael McGee, and Helene Leonard.<ref name="SBDD"/>
 
==Availability==
''The Dispy Doodle Show'' has not reappeared in any home media release since its broadcast in 1974. The only evidence of it online is a couple of ads and a still of Dispy Doodle with the rest of the cast.
 
==Cast/Crew==
*Jonathan Freeman - Jon
*Karen League - Karen
*Harry Gold - Harry
*Emil Herrera - Emil
*Sara Louis - Sara
*Michael McGee - Mike
*Helene Leonard - Helene<ref name="SBDD"/> 
 
*Bob Huber - Executive Producer
*Tony Lolli - Studio Director
*Jerry Leonard - Writer/Cast Director
*Frank Gari - Composer
*Lee Bush - Composer<ref name="DDWBH"/>


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery mode=packed heights=275px>
<gallery mode=packed heights=275px>
The Dipsy Doodle Show still.jpg|A still of the special.
The Dipsy Doodle Show still.jpg|A still of the special.
DDS1.jpg|Another ad for the special.
</gallery>
</gallery>
==External Link==
*[https://rickreinert.fandom.com/wiki/The_Dipsy_Doodle_Show Rick Reinert Wiki page on ''The Dipsey Doodle Show''.] Retrieved 02 Apr '21


==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Lost animation|Dipsy Doodle Show]]
[[Category:Lost animation|Dipsy Doodle Show]]
[[Category:Lost TV|Dipsy Doodle Show]]
[[Category:Lost TV|Dipsy Doodle Show]]
[[Category:Completely lost media|Dipsy Doodle Show]]
[[Category:Completely lost media|Dipsy Doodle Show]]

Revision as of 15:22, 2 April 2021

The Dipsy Doodle Show ad.jpg

Newspaper advertisement of the special.

Status: Lost

The Dipsy Doodle Show was a live-action/animated television special intended to serve as a pilot for a children's series released in 1974.

Premise

The special is about Dipsy Doodle, an "all-around good guy" who draws characters and stories in his "Mageramic Doodlearium", which would come to life.[1] He is also the ancestor to Yankee Doodle. The Dipsy Doodle Show would include shorter stories as well, such as "Windwagon Smith" which is about old men in a prairie discussing a story about a flying windwagon, and "A Salute to the Turtle", about a militant turtle who selfishly demands "equal time". Sometimes Dipsy gets involved with the stories himself, such as with "The Wise Fools of Gotham", and "The Little Red Hen".[1]

Production

The Dipsy Doodle Show was jointly created by Metromedia Television, Capital Cities, and Storer Broadcasting, and partnered with General Foods. They were aided by a child development advisory board and were created specifically for the 7-10 year old demographic, an area that was largely neglected by TV at the time.[1] The special was a mix of live-action and animation, a "first" for television, and was broadcasted on May 30th, 1974.

The special's live-action segments were recorded at the WUAB TV station in Ohio, as the production crew lacked studio time at WJKW-TV.[2] The animation was done by Rick Reinert Studios. Jerry Leonard was the writer of the script, while Frank Gari and Lee Bush wrote the music that played during the special.[2] The cast for the live-action actors include Jonathan Freeman (who would later go on to voice Jafar in Disney's Aladdin (1992)), Karen League, Harry Gold, Emil Herrera, Sara Louis, Michael McGee, and Helene Leonard.[1]

Availability

The Dispy Doodle Show has not reappeared in any home media release since its broadcast in 1974. The only evidence of it online is a couple of ads and a still of Dispy Doodle with the rest of the cast.

Cast/Crew

  • Jonathan Freeman - Jon
  • Karen League - Karen
  • Harry Gold - Harry
  • Emil Herrera - Emil
  • Sara Louis - Sara
  • Michael McGee - Mike
  • Helene Leonard - Helene[1]
  • Bob Huber - Executive Producer
  • Tony Lolli - Studio Director
  • Jerry Leonard - Writer/Cast Director
  • Frank Gari - Composer
  • Lee Bush - Composer[2]

Gallery

External Link

References