George of the Jungle

Infobox Television
show_name = George of the Jungle


caption = Cover to a "George of the Jungle" VHS tape
format = Animated
camera =
picture_format =
audio_format =
runtime = 30 minutes with commercials
creator = Jay Ward
developer =
producer = Jay Ward
Bill Scott
executive_producer =
starring = Bill Scott
Paul Frees
June Foray
Daws Butler
narrated =
opentheme =
endtheme =
country = USA
language =
network = ABC
first_aired = September 9, 1967
last_aired = December 30, 1967
num_episodes = 17
list_episodes =
chronology =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
imdb_id = 0061256
tv_com_id =

"George of the Jungle" was an American animated television series produced by Jay Ward and Bill Scott, who created "Rocky & Bullwinkle". It ran for 17 episodes on Saturday mornings from September 9 to December 30, 1967, on the American TV network ABC. The half-hour program was distributed for many years by Worldvision Enterprises, currently part of CBS Television Distribution.

Program format

The show actually featured three segments in each episode in the form of three unrelated cartoons. The cartoons were "George of the Jungle", "Tom Slick", and "Super Chicken". The voices were primarily handled by the same three people over all three segments, Bill Scott, June Foray, and Paul Frees. The complete series is available now on DVD. [cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/George-Jungle-Complete-Series-Box-Art/8647 |title=Box Art for George of the Jungle - The Complete Series |accessdate=2008-01-30 ]

Unlike previous Ward series, the animation production was actually done in Hollywood. Some of the veteran animators who drew the series included Phil Duncan, Rod Scribner, and Rudy Zamora. Each segment's theme song was written by the team of Stan Worth and Sheldon Allman, though the cartoons themselves had little or no music scoring, as with "Bullwinkle". The cartoons are technically much more advanced than the crude animation in his earlier series, originating from a Mexican studio sponsored by Ward. Jay Ward was so pleased with "George of the Jungle" that he allowed the series to go over-budget, and thus lose money. The expensive production was the reason the series was limited to 17 half-hour episodes;

egments

"George of the Jungle"

The title segment, "George of the Jungle", is a spoof of the popular Tarzan story. The title character, George (voiced by Bill Scott), is a dim-witted but big-hearted "ape man" who lives in the jungle. He is called upon each episode to save its inhabitants from various threats. In the episode teaser, he is famous for not looking where he is swinging and thus slamming face-first into trees or other obstacles to the tune of, "George, George, George of the Jungle." Another running gag is that George keeps forgetting that he lives in a tree, and, as a result, falls to the ground from a high drop every time he leaves his house. George's two most frequent foes (like Boris and Natasha were to Rocky and Bullwinkle) were a pair of hunters named Tiger and Weevil. Tiger was significantly taller, wore a pith helmet and khakis and had a pencil moustache; while Weevil had a white t-shirt and shorts with hat. George's love interest is Ursula (voiced by June Foray), whom George refers to as, "Fella." He has an ape for a friend, appropriately named Ape (voiced by Paul Frees), who is far more intelligent than George. Then there is Shep, George's pet elephant who acts like a lap dog, or as George calls him, "great big peanut-lovin' poochie." Also of note is the Tooky Tooky (or Tookie Tookie) bird famous for his call: "Ah ah ee ee tooky tooky."

In 1997, the segment was adapted into a live action film, titled "George of the Jungle". Brendan Fraser played the title role, with Leslie Mann as Ursula, John Cleese as the voice of Ape, and Thomas Hayden Church as the villain. A direct-to-video sequel, "George of the Jungle 2" (without Fraser and Mann), was released in 2003.

"Tom Slick"

"Tom Slick" features the title character, Tom Slick (voiced by Bill Scott), a race-car driver who competes in races with his trusty vehicle, the Thunderbolt Greaseslapper. He is accompanied by his girlfriend, Marigold (voiced by June Foray), and his elderly mechanic, Gertie Growler (also voiced by Bill Scott). Tom's chief antagonists are Baron Otto Matic (voiced by Paul Frees) and his lackey, Clutcher (voiced by Daws Butler), whom the Baron often hits across the head with a monkey wrench.

"Super Chicken"

"Super Chicken" features the title character, Super Chicken (voiced by Bill Scott), as a superhero who has a lion sidekick named Fred (voiced by Paul Frees). Super Chicken usually begins their adventures with the battle cry, "Quick, Fred, to the Super Coop," and when Fred comments on his latest injury, responds with a variation of the theme, "You knew the job was dangerous when you took it." Following his own mistakes, Super Chicken remarks, "I'm glad no one was here to see that!"

"George of the Jungle" episodes

George was featured in the following six-minute episodes: [ [http://www.bcdb.com/cartoons/Other_Studios/W/Jay_Ward/George_of_the_Jungle/index.html Big Cartoon DataBase: George of the Jungle index] ]

# "The Sultan's Pearl" (September 9, 1967)
# "The Malady Lingers On" (September 16, 1967)
# "Oo-Oo Birds Of A Feather" (September 23, 1967)
# "Ungawa, The Gorilla God" (September 30, 1967)
# "Little Scissor" (October 7, 1967)
# "Monkey Business" (October 14, 1967)
# "Next Time, Take The Train" (October 21, 1967)
# "The Desperate Showers" (October 28, 1967)
# "The Treasure Of Sarah Madre" (November 4, 1967)
# "The Trouble I've Seed" (November 11, 1967)
# "Dr. Schpritzer, I Presume?" (November 18, 1967)
# "Rescue Is My Business" (November 25, 1967)
# "Big Flop at The Big Top" (December 2, 1967)
# "The Chi Chi Dog" (December 9, 1967)
# "A Man For All Hunting Seasons" (December 16, 1967)
# "The Forest's Prime Evil" (December 23, 1967)
# "Kings Back-To-Back" (December 30, 1967)

2007 Series

Infobox Television
show_name = George of the Jungle (2007 TV series)


caption =
format = Animated
camera =
picture_format =
audio_format =
runtime = 22 minutes
creator =
developer =
producer =
executive_producer =
starring =
narrated =
opentheme =
endtheme =
country = CAN
language =
network = Teletoon Canada (Canada)
Cartoon Network (USA)
Nicktoons (UK)
first_aired = December 21, 2007
last_aired = present
num_episodes = 26
list_episodes =
chronology =
preceded_by = George of the Jungle (1967)

followed_by =
website =
imdb_id =
tv_com_id =

Classic Media developed a new "George of the Jungle" Flash animation series in 2007. The new version of the series is co-produced with Studio B Productions and Teletoon Canada, and currently airs on Teletoon in Canada and on Cartoon Network in the United States (starting with a Christmas-themed episode December 21st, 2007). The series is scheduled to air on Nicktoons in the United Kingdom and Disney Channel Asia in Southeast Asia. [cite web |url=http://news.awn.com/index.php?newsitem_no=19982 |title=WGBH & Studio B to Produce Martha Speaks Animated Series For Public TV |accessdate=2008-01-30 ] [cite web |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/features/e3ica23d1ee9d4a1835fd164ac22939eacc |title=Seven toons likely to draw an animated response from international buyers. |accessdate=2008-01-30 ] [cite web |url=http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=9cb57990-f94e-42e5-9a1c-d8b1353ef622 |title=George returns to the jungle, with postmodernism in tow |accessdate=2008-01-30 ] The series officially premièred on Cartoon Network on January 18.

Cultural references

"Weird Al" Yankovic did a cover version of the "George of the Jungle" theme on his 1985 album "Dare to Be Stupid", which later appeared on the soundtrack of the 1997 live-action film. Another cover of the theme by The Presidents of the United States of America also appeared on the soundtrack and was the title theme for the film.

References

External links

* [http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/tv_shows/georgejungle/index.html Official Cartoon Network site]
* [http://telebisyon.net/George-of-the-Jungle-2007/ 2007 version of George of the Jungle]