60TH ANNIVERSARIES

 We enter the home stretch with the shows turning

*Intros or images for Cartoonville and Do You Know? are unavailable. 

SATURDAY MORNING MASTERS: ALLEN SWIFT

ALLEN SWIFT

(January 16, 1924-April 18, 2010)

Notable Roles: Howdy Doody, Phineas T. Bluster, Dilly Tally, Inspector John J. Fadoozle, Fubadub, Mighty Mouse, Odie O. Colognie, Itchy Brother, Tooter Turtle, Simon Bar-Sinister, Riff Raff, Electric Eel

Born Ira Stadlin, Swift began as a comedy performer in nightclubs that took the liberty of giving him a new stage name as they didn’t like the sound of his own. Swift decided to come up with his own and created it from a combination of his father’s favorite humorist, Jonathan Swift, and his own, Fred Allen. As his career took off, his agent, Lew Grade, got him an audition for The Howdy Doody Show to replace all of the actors that had walked off over a salary dispute. The show had given up trying to find suitable sound-alikes and were settled on just getting all-new voices when Swift surprised them with his ability of mimicry and impressions (skills he was told would hinder his career). He became the new voice for most of the puppet characters, including Howdy himself, as well as one of the show’s writers. He was also one of the actors to portray Mighty Mouse and various other characters for Terrytoons. In 1956, he became a children’s show host himself as “Captain Allen” Swift on The Popeye Show, which showcased classic Popeye cartoons. His run on the show ended in 1960 due to creative differences, as did The Howdy Doody Show due to declining ratings. Swift moved on to several shows and shorts, including most of Total TeleVision’s output beginning with King Leonardo and His Short Subjects and Gene Dietch’s group of Tom and Jerry cartoons, as well as some Broadway plays. Swift took part in a number of advertising campaigns including voicing Frito Bandito for Fritos Corn Chips, a talking drain for Drano, and Captain Cupcake for Hostess. His impersonation skills came in handy once again as Archie Bunker and Adolf Hitler in MAD Magazine’s vinyl recording of “Gall in the Family Fare”.  Swift’s last credited work was providing his voice to various episodes of Cartoon Network’s Courage the Cowardly Dog. Swift died in 2010 after a several year bout with various health issues.

Saturday Credits:

The Howdy Doody Show

Mighty Mouse Playhouse

King Leonardo and His Short Subjects

Tennessee Tuxedo and his Tales

Underdog

The Beagles

The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie

Sesame Street

BRADLEY BOLKE DEAD AT 93

You can read the full story here.

He starred in The New Casper Cartoon Show as The Ghostly Trio, Witch and well over a dozen minor characters; Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales as Chumley Walrus, Flunky, Jerboa Jump, Peanut and Platypus; and The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie episodes “The Mad, Mad, Mad Monsters” and “The Red Baron” as Norman and Shmitzel, respectively.

 

55TH ANNIVERSARIES

*Note: intros for Cartoonville/Cartoonies and Do You Know? aren't available.

JOE HARRIS DEAD AT 89

It has just been reported that illustrator, producer and composer Joe Harris died on March 26th.  You can read the full story here.

Harris, while working in advertising in the 1950s, developed the Trix rabbit for General Mills as well as storyboarded and wrote the copy for the commercials. In the 1960s, he became an integral part of Total Television performing various functions, the least of which was character design, on King Leonardo and His Short Subjects, Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales, Underdog, The Beagles and Go Go Gophers.

GEORGE S. IRVING DEAD AT 94

George S. Irving died on December 26th. You can read the full story here.

Irving was a regular in shows produced by Total Television, voicing many roles in Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales, King Leonardo and His Short Subjects, Underdog (for which he also served as the series' narrator) and Go Go Gophers.