Nov 19, 2014

Happy 55th Birthday, Rocky & Bullwinkle!

55 years ago today: "Rocky & His Friends" premiered.

In the post-Simpsons/South Park/Family Guy era, it may be a bit difficult to comprehend just how revolutionary Rocky and Bullwinkle were at the time, but Jay Ward, Bill Scott, and their team laid the foundation, both in tone and substance, for much of what has since become adult laid the foundation for much of animated TV animation.

See also Art by Jay Ward Productions: a visual essay by Darrell Van Sitters

See how Rocky, Bullwinkle, and the rest of the gang were introduced to viewers on Thursday, November 19, 1959. From the show's inception, it took jabs at politicians, the media, world affairs, and the military-industrial complex, while proving that a limited budget need not limit creative expression:

[Thanks, Dann Pryce, via Cartoon Brew's Facebook group]