Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!

Last updated

Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!
Hey There Its Yogi Bear 1964.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by
Screenplay by
Based on The Yogi Bear Show
by William Hanna
and Joseph Barbera
Produced by
  • Joseph Barbera
  • William Hanna
Starring
Edited by
Music by
Production
company
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date
  • June 3, 1964 (1964-06-03)
Running time
89 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1.13 million (US/Canada) [2]

Hey There, It's Yogi Bear! is a 1964 American animated musical comedy film produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and released by Columbia Pictures. [3] The film stars the voices of Daws Butler, Don Messick, Julie Bennett, Mel Blanc, and J. Pat O'Malley.

Contents

Based upon Hanna-Barbera's syndicated animated television show The Yogi Bear Show , Hey There, It's Yogi Bear! was the first theatrical feature produced by Hanna-Barbera, and the first feature-length theatrical animated film based on a television program. [4] [5] In keeping with the limited animation of the television series, the film was not fully animated, but did contain more detailed animation work than the show. [6] The long-awaited epilogue series, The New Yogi Bear Show , premiered on September 12, 1988, and consists of 45 episodes.

Plot

Boo-Boo Bear wakes up from winter hibernation, excited about the new Spring. Then Yogi Bear wakes up, only interested in finding some food to eat. Cindy Bear unsuccessfully tries to woo Yogi. After Ranger Smith thwarts Yogi's latest attempts to grab some food, Yogi gets angry and convinces the Ranger to transfer him out of Jellystone National Park. Smith prepares Yogi to be sent over to the San Diego Zoo along with an identification tag. Yogi first says goodbye to everything, but tricks another bear named Corn Pone into going to California instead of him and Boo-Boo and Cindy remain unaware of this, thinking Yogi has departed for good.

Soon, Yogi is stealing food from all over the park under the alter ego "The Brown Phantom". Smith believes "The Brown Phantom" is a mysterious bear-like vigilante whom the Park Commissioner hired to replace Yogi, and scares away all of the Jellystone goers and gobbles their food up shortly after stealing it. He threatens whoever it is to be sent to the zoo and comes up with a clever plan to stop "The Brown Phantom" and save the park, not knowing it is actually Yogi. Cindy, wishing to be with Yogi at the zoo, angers Smith into mistakenly sending her away. However, she gets sent to the St. Louis Zoo by train instead, as the San Diego Zoo does not need any more bears. When she realizes her true destination, she gets very sad, crying since she knows she would be far from Yogi now. Late that night, Cindy falls out of the train and becomes lost. A traveling circus, run by the Chizzling Brothers, is looking for a great act to raise their ratings, when suddenly, their dog Mugger runs off and scares Cindy into walking on the telephone wires, the perfect act to save their circus.

Yogi has recently missed Boo-Boo and, above all, Cindy. Ranger Smith tricks "The Brown Phantom" in going to the St. Louis Zoo as part of his plan to save Jellystone. Soon, Yogi and Boo-Boo escape from Jellystone to find Cindy. After an extensive travel, Yogi and Boo-Boo locate Cindy, who is being kept a prisoner, forced to perform her high-wire act for the Chizzling Brother's circus. As Yogi confronts the manager, Grifter Chizzing, he is tricked into joining Cindy in her cage, where Grifter tells him he's now in "show biz." Boo-Boo releases Yogi and Cindy and they make their exit. Meanwhile, Ranger Smith decides to let them find their way home to avoid trouble with the Park Commissioner, who thinks Yogi, Boo-Boo, and Cindy are "The Brown Phantom" and Smith's two henchmen, who bring the picnic baskets to it after its scares, and they send the police to hunt down "The Brown Phantom", which is the second part of his plan. As Yogi, Cindy, and Boo-Boo make their way home, they crash a barnyard party, somehow escaping afloat a river with the barn's door. Then, while Cindy & Yogi dream about a honeymoon in Venice, they find themselves suddenly being chased and hunted by the police, as they somehow became fugitives, but make their escape.

They hitch a ride in a moving van, but find themselves in the middle of a busy city (later revealed to be New York City) and make a run from the police to the top of a hotel and across to a high rise under construction. The next morning, Ranger Smith sees the three bears on television and decides to rescue them from "The Brown Phantom" in a helicopter as the final part of his plan to save Jellystone. With the name of "The Brown Phantom" cleared up (who is revealed to be Yogi, who simply wanted an excuse to return to the park), all the commotions have made great publicity for Jellystone and Ranger Smith gets promoted to Chief Ranger by the Park Commissioner in gratitude for saving the park from "The Brown Phantom", bringing all three bears back to Jellystone, where they promise to be "good bears" from now on.

Cast

Uncredited

Production

The animated musical film was produced and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with a story by Hanna, Barbera, and former Warner Bros. Cartoons storyman Warren Foster. Another Warner Cartoons alumnus, Friz Freleng, served as story supervisor. [7] When the Warner Bros. Cartoons studio closed in 1963, several of its animators, including Gerry Chiniquy and Ken Harris, also joined Hanna-Barbera to work on this film.

Release and reception

A review from the May 27, 1964, issue of Variety pointed out that the scarcity of theatrically released feature animated films made Hey There, It's Yogi Bear! highly marketable. The review called the film "artistically accomplished in all departments". The review commented that the script was a bit redundant, but that the songs were "pleasant, if not especially distinguished". [8]

After its 1964 release, the film was reissued on January 17, 1986, [9] [10] as part of Atlantic Releasing Corporation's short-lived Clubhouse Pictures label. [11]

Home media

The film was released on VHS two times in the United States in the 1980s by Paramount Home Video and KVC Home Video. GoodTimes Home Video re-released it in 1992. These releases use the 1986 Clubhouse Pictures reissue version.

On December 2, 2008, Warner Home Video released the film on DVD in North America. Unlike a concurrent DVD release of another Hanna-Barbera feature, The Man Called Flintstone , it is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen (both films were animated in 1.33:1 and matted to 1.85:1 for theaters). A R2 DVD was released in the UK on January 31, 2011, and is also presented in 1.78:1.

The film was released on Blu-ray under the Warner Archive Collection on May 30, 2023. [12] Unlike the previous releases however, the original Columbia Pictures opening logo is left intact. [13]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The rights to the individual characters are presently owned by Warner Bros.

Related Research Articles

<i>The Huckleberry Hound Show</i> American animated television series

The Huckleberry Hound Show is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, and the second series produced by the studio following The Ruff and Reddy Show. The show first aired in syndication on September 29, 1958, and was sponsored by Kellogg's. Three segments were included in the program: one featuring the title character, Huckleberry Hound, another with Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks, which starred two mice who in each short found a new way to outwit the cat Mr. Jinks, and a third starring Yogi Bear and his friend Boo-Boo. The series last aired on December 1, 1961.

<i>Wally Gator</i> American animated television series

Wally Gator is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that originally aired as one of the three segments from the syndicated block The Hanna-Barbera New Cartoon Series. The other two segments that compose the series are Touché Turtle and Dum Dum and Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har. The segment consisted of 52 episodes that aired from September 3, 1962, to August 26, 1963.

<i>The New Yogi Bear Show</i> American animated television series

The New Yogi Bear Show is an American animated sitcom, and the sixth incarnation of the Yogi Bear franchise, produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that aired in syndication from September 12 to November 11, 1988. This series serves as the final season and a revival to the 1961 series, also serving as a continuation/sequel to the 1964 theatrical film adaption.

<i>Yo Yogi!</i> American animated television series

Yo Yogi! is an American animated television series, and the seventh entry in the Yogi Bear franchise, produced by Hanna-Barbera that aired from September 14 to December 7, 1991, on NBC for 13 episodes.

Yogi's Great Escape is a 1987 animated made-for-television film produced by Hanna-Barbera as part of the Hanna-Barbera Superstars 10 series. The two-hour film aired in syndication.

<i>Boo Boo Runs Wild</i> 1999 animated parody TV special of The Yogi Bear Show for Cartoon Network

Boo Boo Runs Wild is a 1999 stand-alone animated television special and a parody of the Hanna-Barbera cartoon series The Yogi Bear Show. It was made by The Ren & Stimpy Show creator John Kricfalusi and his company Spümcø. Boo Boo Runs Wild originally aired on Cartoon Network on September 24, 1999, along with A Day in the Life of Ranger Smith, a similar Yogi Bear-themed stand-alone special. Despite Boo Boo being the arguable star of this short, it is title carded as "A Ranger Smith Cartoon". The short is dedicated to Ed Benedict, the original character designer for The Yogi Bear Show and other Hanna-Barbera properties of the 1950s–1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cindy Bear</span> Fictional cartoon character

Cindy Bear is a cartoon character created by Hanna-Barbera Productions. She is one of the primary supporting characters of the Yogi Bear franchise as well as a regular in the stable of frequently appearing Hanna-Barbera animated personalities. Cindy was originally portrayed by voice actress Julie Bennett, who reprised the part for most of the character's appearances from the 1960s through the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ranger Smith</span> Hanna-Barbera cartoon character

John Francis Smith, more commonly referred to as Ranger Smith, is a fictional park ranger first appearing in the 1958 Yogi Bear cartoon series. The character is Yogi's main antagonist, and appears in other Yogi Bear series, including Yogi's Gang (1973), Yogi's Treasure Hunt (1985), and Yo Yogi! (1991), as well as the 2010 live-action Yogi Bear film. The cartoon character has been primarily voiced by Don Messick and Greg Burson.

<i>Yogis First Christmas</i> 1980 American animated musical television film

Yogi's First Christmas is a 1980 American animated musical television film starring Yogi Bear and produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. It first aired in syndication through Operation Prime Time on November 22, 1980. Throughout the 1980s, it was offered to U.S. television stations split up one episode per day for four days as a one-week strip syndicated program, generally during the week of Christmas. The film was written by Willie Gilbert and directed by Ray Patterson.

Yogi and the Invasion of the Space Bears is a 1988 animated made-for-television film produced by Hanna-Barbera for syndication as part of the Hanna-Barbera Superstars 10 series. This Hanna-Barbera production was the last to feature Daws Butler as the voice of Yogi Bear and Julie Bennett as Cindy Bear. Yogi and Boo-Boo go on an out-of-this-world voyage. When they are kidnapped by spacemen, the duo are cloned, and the clone bears soon invade Jellystone Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boo-Boo Bear</span> American animated television and film character

Boo-Boo Bear is a Hanna-Barbera cartoon character on The Yogi Bear Show. Boo-Boo is a shorter anthropomorphic bear who wears a blue bowtie. Boo-Boo is Yogi Bear's constant companion, and often acts as his conscience. He tries to keep Yogi from doing things he should not do, and also to keep Yogi from getting into trouble with Ranger Smith – often saying, "Mr. Ranger isn't gonna like this, Yogi." It is not readily apparent whether Boo-Boo is a juvenile bear with a precocious intellect, or simply an adult bear who is short of stature.

<i>Yogis Ark Lark</i> 1972 American animated television special

Yogi's Ark Lark is a 1972 American animated television special produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, intended to raise ecological awareness. Written by Bob Ogle and Dick Robbins and directed by Joseph Barbera and William Hanna, it was broadcast on ABC on September 16, 1972, as part of The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie and served as the two-part episode for Yogi's Gang.

Yogi the Easter Bear is an American animated television special starring Yogi Bear, produced by Hanna-Barbera and animated by Filipino animation studio Fil-Cartoons. It was broadcast in syndication on April 3, 1994. This is one of Don Messick's last voice-over roles; he suffered a debilitating stroke in 1996 and died in 1997. It would also be the last official Yogi Bear media for 16 years until the release of the live-action Yogi Bear film.

<i>Yogi Bears All Star Comedy Christmas Caper</i> 1982 American animated Christmas television special

Yogi Bear's All Star Comedy Christmas Caper is a 1982 American animated Christmas television special starring Yogi Bear. It is the third and final Yogi Christmas special. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, it first aired on December 21, 1982 on CBS. Along with Yogi's traditional cast, the characters also met up with many other Hanna-Barbera characters, including Magilla Gorilla and Fred Flintstone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huckleberry Hound</span> American animated television character

Huckleberry "Huck" Hound is a fictional cartoon character, a blue anthropomorphic coonhound dog that speaks with a North Carolina Southern drawl. He first appeared in the series The Huckleberry Hound Show. The cartoon was one of six TV shows to win an Emmy Award in 1960 as an "Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Children's Programming"; the first animated series to receive such an award.

<i>Yogi Bear</i> (film) 2010 film by Eric Brevig

Yogi Bear is a 2010 American live-action/animated comedy film directed by Eric Brevig and written by Brad Copeland, Joshua Sternin and Jennifer Ventimilia. Based on the Hanna-Barbera animated television series The Yogi Bear Show, the film stars Anna Faris, Tom Cavanagh, T.J. Miller, Nate Corddry and Andrew Daly, alongside the voices of Dan Aykroyd and Justin Timberlake. The film centers on Ranger Smith as he teams up with his girlfriend Rachel Johnson, Yogi Bear, and Boo-Boo Bear to stop their home, Jellystone Park, from being logged. Production on the film took place in New Zealand in October 2008.

The Yogi Bear Show is an American comedy animated television series, and the first entry of the Yogi Bear franchise, produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. A spin-off of The Huckleberry Hound Show, the show centers on the adventures of forest-dwelling Yogi Bear in Jellystone Park. The show debuted in syndication on January 30, 1961, and ran for 33 episodes until January 6, 1962. Two other segments for the show were Snagglepuss and Yakky Doodle. The show had a two-year production run.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yogi Bear</span> American animated television and film character

Yogi Bear is an anthropomorphic animal character who has appeared in numerous comic books, animated television shows, and films. He made his debut in 1958 as a supporting character in The Huckleberry Hound Show.

<i>Laff-A-Lympics</i> American animated television series

Laff-A-Lympics is an American animated comedy television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The series premiered as part of the Saturday-morning cartoon program block Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics, which consists of 24 episodes, on ABC on September 10, 1977. The show is a spoof of the Olympics and the ABC primetime series Battle of the Network Stars, which debuted one year earlier. It featured 45 Hanna-Barbera characters organized into teams which competed each week for gold, silver, and bronze medals. In each episode, the Really Rottens would try in each event to cheat only to get caught by Snagglepuss each time. One season of 16 episodes was produced in 1977–78, and eight new episodes combined with reruns for the 1978–79 season as Scooby's All-Stars. Unlike most cartoon series produced by Hanna-Barbera in the 1970s, Laff-A-Lympics did not contain a laugh track. Scooby’s Laff-a-Lympics was originally owned by Taft Broadcasting; Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution currently owns the series through its two in-name-only units, Warner Bros. Family Entertainment and Turner Entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts</span>

Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts is a chain of more than 75 family friendly campgrounds throughout the United States and Canada. The camp-resort locations are independently owned and operated and each is franchised through Camp Jellystone, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sun Communities. The current President of Camp Jellystone is Robert (Rob) Schutter, Jr.

References

  1. ↑ "Hey There, It's Yogi Bear (U)". British Board of Film Classification . April 4, 1964. Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Big Rental Pictures of 1964", Variety, 6 January 1965 p 39. This figure is rentals accruing to distributors, not total gross.
  3. ↑ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 933–934. ISBN   978-1476665993.
  4. ↑ Beck, Jerry (2005). The Animated Movie Guide . Chicago: Chicago Review Press. p.  113. ISBN   1-55652-591-5.
  5. ↑ Heitmueller, Karl (April 10, 2007). "Rewind: Will Big-Screen 'Aqua Teen' Be Next 'South Park' — Or 'Scooby-Doo'?". MTV. Archived from the original on December 14, 2007. Retrieved October 29, 2008.
  6. ↑ Sennett, Ted (1989). The Art of Hanna-Barbera: Fifty Years of Creativity. Studio. pp. 64–66. ISBN   978-0670829781 . Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  7. ↑ Barrier, Michael (1999). Hollywood Cartoons. New York: Oxford University Press. Pg. 562-563. ISBN   0-19-516729-5.
  8. ↑ "Hey There, It's Yogi Bear (film review)". Variety . May 27, 1964.
  9. ↑ Solomon, Charles (1989). Enchanted Drawings: The History of Animation. Alfred A. Knopf. p. 277. ISBN   0-394-54684-9.
  10. ↑ "Hey There, It's Yogi bear (Re-issue)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on September 13, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2008.
  11. ↑ Hurlburt, Robert (April 26, 1986). "'Yogi Bear' Fun For Whole Family". Miami Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on November 7, 2015. Retrieved December 25, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Hey There, It's Yogi Bear Blu-ray (Warner Archive Collection)". Archived from the original on May 20, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2023– via www.blu-ray.com.
  13. ↑ "Columbia Pictures/A Hanna-Barbera Production (1964)". YouTube . June 8, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.