Bullwinkle Show's Fractured Fairy Tales

There’s a whole generation of children watching cartoons and kid shows of dubious socially redeeming value. At least, that’s what many parents of the Baby Boomer era think. To them, the fare offered early Saturday mornings while their parents slept in, was of better quality, funnier and more entertaining than today’s offerings. Nostalgically speaking, most generations think things were better in their heyday. To be fair, there are still some good children’s shows, but parents are advised to scrutinize shows their kid’s watch.

That’s something Boomer generation parents never seemed to worry about. Guidelines for TV shows seemed to be stricter then. A good example was “The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show” that was originally broadcast from November 19, 1959 to June 27, 1964. During the first two seasons it was called Rocky and His Friend's and eventually toThe Bullwinkle Show.

It came off as sort of a cartoon variety show with Rocky and Bullwinkle being the star attractions. It was supported by other segments including:

· Boris and Natasha: Basically the stars two main adversaries characterized as bumbling Pottsylvanian spies with voices sounding strangely Russian.

· Peabody's Improbable History: Peabody, a historical canine genius and his pal, Sherman, traveling through time.

· Dudley Do-Right: Royal Canadian Mounty in a parody of old-time melodrama.

· Fractured Fairytales: Quite possibly everyone’s favorite comical supporting act, spoofing the classics, with voice characterizations that couldn’t help but elicit a few chuckles.

What is a fractured fairy tale? One writer defined it as “…a fairy or other folk tale modified in such a way as to make us laugh at unexpected characterizations, plot developments or contrary points of view.”

Fractured Fairytales was narrated by Edward Everett Horton who provided the voice for a host of multiple characters on the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. Horton was born March 18, 1886 in Brooklyn, New York.

In the early 1920s he was manager for the Majestic Theatre in Los Angeles. To his credit he worked in a number of films for over fifty years including the films Too Much Business (1921) and The Gang's All Here (1941). In fact, it seemed he appeared in almost every American comedy made during the 1930s. Horton would perhaps be recognized today for his semi-reoccurring role in the 1965 sitcom F-Troop as medicine man, “Roaring Chicken.” Horton passed away in 1970.

Acomplete listing of the 91 episodes produced can be found at: http://www.brownielocks.com/rumpelstiltskin.html