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The Moose That Roared: The Story of Jay Ward, Bill Scott, a Flying Squirrel, and a Talking Moose
For those of us who love The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show , these names conjure up memories of some of the wittiest, most inspired, and relentlessly hilarious half-hours of animation ever produced. There was a kind of gleeful magic to the shows, a cumulative joy that transcended the crude animation and occasionally muddy sound, and it's this quality that was the essence of the legendary Jay Ward and Bill Scott.
Jay Ward was the magnificent visionary, the outrageous showman who lobbied Washington for statehood for Moosylvania, and invited the press to a picnic on the floor of the Plaza Hotel's august Grand Ballroom. Bill Scott was the genial, brilliant head writer, coproducer, and all-purpose creative whirlwind, often described as the "soul" of the shows. In fact, Scott even provided the voices for most of the star characters, giving life to Bullwinkle J. Moose, Mr. Peabody, Dudley Do-Right, and George of the Jungle. From their tiny, oddball animation studio, Jay Ward Productions, they created some of the most memorable animation of all time, and gave birth to a family of characters whose undying popularity has cast them forever into the pop culture firmament. With their distinctively unorthodox, artist-friendly philosophy, Ward and Scott attracted some of the most talented writers and voice actors in the industry, and for a time, Jay Ward Productions was a kind of Camelot of cartoons. Now, through exclusive interviews with Bill Scott, Tiffany Ward, June Foray, and dozens of others intimately involved with the Ward epoch, as well as access to original scripts, artwork, story notes, letters, and memos, Keith Scott has created the definitive history of Jay Ward Productions, including episode guides and voice credits for all the Jay Ward cartoons.
From the first "Hey Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of a hat!" to the last "Watch out for that tree!", The Moose That Roared is not only the record of a legendary chapter in animation history, but also the story of a rare and magical relationship between two artists who were wildly, exuberantly ahead of their time, and the fascinating story of the struggle to bring their vision of bad puns and talking animals to unforgettable life.
Jay Ward was the magnificent visionary, the outrageous showman who lobbied Washington for statehood for Moosylvania, and invited the press to a picnic on the floor of the Plaza Hotel's august Grand Ballroom. Bill Scott was the genial, brilliant head writer, coproducer, and all-purpose creative whirlwind, often described as the "soul" of the shows. In fact, Scott even provided the voices for most of the star characters, giving life to Bullwinkle J. Moose, Mr. Peabody, Dudley Do-Right, and George of the Jungle. From their tiny, oddball animation studio, Jay Ward Productions, they created some of the most memorable animation of all time, and gave birth to a family of characters whose undying popularity has cast them forever into the pop culture firmament. With their distinctively unorthodox, artist-friendly philosophy, Ward and Scott attracted some of the most talented writers and voice actors in the industry, and for a time, Jay Ward Productions was a kind of Camelot of cartoons. Now, through exclusive interviews with Bill Scott, Tiffany Ward, June Foray, and dozens of others intimately involved with the Ward epoch, as well as access to original scripts, artwork, story notes, letters, and memos, Keith Scott has created the definitive history of Jay Ward Productions, including episode guides and voice credits for all the Jay Ward cartoons.
From the first "Hey Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of a hat!" to the last "Watch out for that tree!", The Moose That Roared is not only the record of a legendary chapter in animation history, but also the story of a rare and magical relationship between two artists who were wildly, exuberantly ahead of their time, and the fascinating story of the struggle to bring their vision of bad puns and talking animals to unforgettable life.
465 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 21, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
June 22, 2022
Pop culture can be drivel but it can also be evocative of its era, a lens on its values, dreams, and fears. Having grown up with the debut of The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and having younger siblings who were a decade behind and able to enjoy Tom Slick, Super Chicken and the repackaged Dudley Do-Right of the Mounties, I am aware of how Jay Ward’s cartoons reflected the sensibilities and both exasperations/aspirations of their prominence. What I didn’t know was how the trials and struggles of the entrepreneur who brought these characters to life had contributed to the authenticity visible beneath the overblown characters.
In The Moose That Roared: The Story of Jay Ward, Bill Scott, a Flying Squirrel, and a Talking Moose,I learned how a Harvard Business School graduate launching a real estate career was able to rebound from a freak truck accident (runaway truck in the hills of Berkeley, California crashing through front window/wall of his office) and dedicate the bulk of his life to producing what was fun, funny, and of high quality. I didn’t know how much pain and difficulty in walking Jay Ward went through. I only remember seeing publicity pictures of him in his Napoleon costume, bravely pitching his products. I didn’t realize how his first series, Crusader Rabbit was virtually stolen from him by unscrupulous business partners. Nor did I know about Jay Ward’s health emergency where an airline flight from New York City had to make an emergency landing in Salt Lake City for his benefit (p. 61).
Having observed the entertainment (albeit mostly interactive entertainment) industry at close range, I could identity with Ward’s mistrust of ad agencies and network executives. And having lived through the era when all (or at least most of) my generation figured we could die in nuclear conflagration at any moment, I loved the Cold War humor of the The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle because laughing masked the fear. And, as a self-confessed fan of “clever” word play, I’ve never forgotten those “punful” titles (two-for-the-price-of-one) like “Bullwinkle Bites Back” or “Nothing but the Tooth” (Episode #90, p. 362). My favorite might have been “You’ve Got Me in Stitches” or “Suture Self” (Episode #122, p. 364). No, I don’t have a phenomenal memory. Part of the beauty of this book is that it features 50+ pages of show notes (complete with listings of uncredited voice actors) for all of the aired episodes and even the Cap’n Crunch commercials.
The Moose That Roared: The Story of Jay Ward, Bill Scott, a Flying Squirrel, and a Talking Moose was not only a valuable and pleasurable reminiscence of an art form that helped shape me as an individual, it is a tremendous historical reference that has enabled me to appreciate the artistic quality of Ward’s “limited animation” series across the board (storyboard?). The late Bill Scott who wrote or edited and polished most of the scripts over the years was also a consummate voice actor and, most importantly, the voice of Bullwinkle. I laughed at the threat from Red Skelton (another cherished comedian of my childhood) to litigate over the voice of Bullwinkle sounding like the voice of Clem Kadiddlehopper (to which the comedian was reminded of how much Clem’s voice resembled ventriloquist Edgar Bergen’s Mortimer Snerd character and even, to some degree Disney’s Goofy—p. 182). As a kid, I remember laughing at the Kirward Derby storyline, even then knowing that there was a television personality named Durward Kirby. I thought it was great fun, but the personality apparently didn’t get the joke (p. 181-182). As I completed the book, I lamented the fact that a lot of difficult and valuable editing work on silent and early voice film classics of comedy had been done by Scott and film editor extraordinaire Skip Craig, though the one I would most have enjoyed seeing, the W. C. Fields feature, was never released due to an artistic difference between the Fields estate and Jay Ward (p. 300). Also sadly, the Buster Keaton feature was primarily screened in the U.K. as opposed to the U.S. (p. 300).
I remembered some early episodes of The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle with what even a pre-teen Johnny viewed as crude animation. I wondered what Val-Mar was. The Moose That Roared: The Story of Jay Ward, Bill Scott, a Flying Squirrel, and a Talking Moose tells the horrifying (and yet, almost miraculous) story of outsourcing to Mexico with a studio built from scratch at the assistance of network and ad agency executives with a conflict of interest (pp. 66-69). Fortunately, for those who don’t realize what an accomplishment this was, the book provides a useful and informative glossary of technical terms in animation within its reference section (pp. 426-427).
The Moose That Roared: The Story of Jay Ward, Bill Scott, a Flying Squirrel, and a Talking Moose is a lively, bittersweet history of an iconic studio. Though never as lucrative or prolific as the studios at Disney, Warner, and Hanna-Barbara, Jay Ward Productions offered significantly more substantial artistic value than the others (at least, in the television production end). Personally, I would have relished even more stories and information on the voice actors involved over the years: Daws Butler (there is a lot, but I selfishly wanted more), William Conrad (what there was seemed very interesting, considering I’ve heard nearly all of his Gunsmoke episodes), Hans Conried (it was great, but there are always more stories about this fellow), June Foray (as talented as she was, she seems barely discussed in this work), Stan Freberg (for his influence more than his actual voice-acting, but still…), and Paul Frees (actually, he got quite a bit of coverage, though scattered). Having said that, of course, I recognize that the book is almost 450 pages as it is. What publisher would have let Scott write more on such a specialized subject. I think The Moose That Roared: The Story of Jay Ward, Bill Scott, a Flying Squirrel, and a Talking Moose served its purpose because, as the old show-biz adage goes, it left me wanting more.
In The Moose That Roared: The Story of Jay Ward, Bill Scott, a Flying Squirrel, and a Talking Moose,I learned how a Harvard Business School graduate launching a real estate career was able to rebound from a freak truck accident (runaway truck in the hills of Berkeley, California crashing through front window/wall of his office) and dedicate the bulk of his life to producing what was fun, funny, and of high quality. I didn’t know how much pain and difficulty in walking Jay Ward went through. I only remember seeing publicity pictures of him in his Napoleon costume, bravely pitching his products. I didn’t realize how his first series, Crusader Rabbit was virtually stolen from him by unscrupulous business partners. Nor did I know about Jay Ward’s health emergency where an airline flight from New York City had to make an emergency landing in Salt Lake City for his benefit (p. 61).
Having observed the entertainment (albeit mostly interactive entertainment) industry at close range, I could identity with Ward’s mistrust of ad agencies and network executives. And having lived through the era when all (or at least most of) my generation figured we could die in nuclear conflagration at any moment, I loved the Cold War humor of the The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle because laughing masked the fear. And, as a self-confessed fan of “clever” word play, I’ve never forgotten those “punful” titles (two-for-the-price-of-one) like “Bullwinkle Bites Back” or “Nothing but the Tooth” (Episode #90, p. 362). My favorite might have been “You’ve Got Me in Stitches” or “Suture Self” (Episode #122, p. 364). No, I don’t have a phenomenal memory. Part of the beauty of this book is that it features 50+ pages of show notes (complete with listings of uncredited voice actors) for all of the aired episodes and even the Cap’n Crunch commercials.
The Moose That Roared: The Story of Jay Ward, Bill Scott, a Flying Squirrel, and a Talking Moose was not only a valuable and pleasurable reminiscence of an art form that helped shape me as an individual, it is a tremendous historical reference that has enabled me to appreciate the artistic quality of Ward’s “limited animation” series across the board (storyboard?). The late Bill Scott who wrote or edited and polished most of the scripts over the years was also a consummate voice actor and, most importantly, the voice of Bullwinkle. I laughed at the threat from Red Skelton (another cherished comedian of my childhood) to litigate over the voice of Bullwinkle sounding like the voice of Clem Kadiddlehopper (to which the comedian was reminded of how much Clem’s voice resembled ventriloquist Edgar Bergen’s Mortimer Snerd character and even, to some degree Disney’s Goofy—p. 182). As a kid, I remember laughing at the Kirward Derby storyline, even then knowing that there was a television personality named Durward Kirby. I thought it was great fun, but the personality apparently didn’t get the joke (p. 181-182). As I completed the book, I lamented the fact that a lot of difficult and valuable editing work on silent and early voice film classics of comedy had been done by Scott and film editor extraordinaire Skip Craig, though the one I would most have enjoyed seeing, the W. C. Fields feature, was never released due to an artistic difference between the Fields estate and Jay Ward (p. 300). Also sadly, the Buster Keaton feature was primarily screened in the U.K. as opposed to the U.S. (p. 300).
I remembered some early episodes of The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle with what even a pre-teen Johnny viewed as crude animation. I wondered what Val-Mar was. The Moose That Roared: The Story of Jay Ward, Bill Scott, a Flying Squirrel, and a Talking Moose tells the horrifying (and yet, almost miraculous) story of outsourcing to Mexico with a studio built from scratch at the assistance of network and ad agency executives with a conflict of interest (pp. 66-69). Fortunately, for those who don’t realize what an accomplishment this was, the book provides a useful and informative glossary of technical terms in animation within its reference section (pp. 426-427).
The Moose That Roared: The Story of Jay Ward, Bill Scott, a Flying Squirrel, and a Talking Moose is a lively, bittersweet history of an iconic studio. Though never as lucrative or prolific as the studios at Disney, Warner, and Hanna-Barbara, Jay Ward Productions offered significantly more substantial artistic value than the others (at least, in the television production end). Personally, I would have relished even more stories and information on the voice actors involved over the years: Daws Butler (there is a lot, but I selfishly wanted more), William Conrad (what there was seemed very interesting, considering I’ve heard nearly all of his Gunsmoke episodes), Hans Conried (it was great, but there are always more stories about this fellow), June Foray (as talented as she was, she seems barely discussed in this work), Stan Freberg (for his influence more than his actual voice-acting, but still…), and Paul Frees (actually, he got quite a bit of coverage, though scattered). Having said that, of course, I recognize that the book is almost 450 pages as it is. What publisher would have let Scott write more on such a specialized subject. I think The Moose That Roared: The Story of Jay Ward, Bill Scott, a Flying Squirrel, and a Talking Moose served its purpose because, as the old show-biz adage goes, it left me wanting more.
November 29, 2020
Author Keith Scott's thorough bio and examination on Jay Ward, Bill Scott, and everything related to the brilliant and ahead of its time Bullwinkle and Rocky cartoon are covered in this book. Scott relates the trials and hard times had by Ward in getting the show off the ground, finding incredible artists, voice talents, animators, storytellers and the right people to succeed in getting the series created and on television with studios both in the U.S. and in Mexico.
The book contains synopses of all the stories as well as related cartoons like Dudley Do Right, Fractured Fairy tales, and Peabody and Sherman and a wealth of information on just about everyone who was involved with all the cartoons. I really enjoyed the parts about the voice actors like Bill Scott, June Foray, Paul Frees, and the others. I grew up watching Bullwinkle and marveling at the puns that Bill Scott is said to have come up with. Scott not only did writing but voiced Bullwinkle and Mr. Peabody to name just a few.
The book contains synopses of all the stories as well as related cartoons like Dudley Do Right, Fractured Fairy tales, and Peabody and Sherman and a wealth of information on just about everyone who was involved with all the cartoons. I really enjoyed the parts about the voice actors like Bill Scott, June Foray, Paul Frees, and the others. I grew up watching Bullwinkle and marveling at the puns that Bill Scott is said to have come up with. Scott not only did writing but voiced Bullwinkle and Mr. Peabody to name just a few.
June 10, 2020
Those fortunate few who enjoyed Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Bullwinkle the Moose and their friends when they were new (1959-1964), tend to have especially warm feelings about these characters. This book is written by one of those people, except that he got an especially strong dose of love for the creations of Jay Ward, his writers, performers and animators. As a result, he did the sort of research that normally supports a doctoral dissertation and included all of it in his book "The Moose That Roared." To say that it contains too much is an understatement. There is a lot of material about the business hurdles which the creators overcame, their financial problems, their difficulties with networks, censors and sponsors, the ill health of some of the principal players, the unprofessionality of animators in Mexico, and loads of other details. The sum of these detracts from the delight in revisiting Rocky, Bullwinkle and their pals. The story begins appropriately enough with the story of Crusader Rabbit and his sidekick Rags the Tiger. This early TV animation was the foundation on which all of Wards' later efforts were built. The text provides remarkable detail about not only Rocky and Bullwinkle but also Natasha Fatale, Boris Badenov and Fearless Leader, Dudley Do-Right, Nell Fenwick and Dudley's horse, Mister Peabody and Sherman, Aesop Junior and Aesop Senior, George of the Jungle, Ursula and Ape, and Cloyd and Gidney. The text is followed by ninety pages of appendices, including episode-by-episode data. I had hoped to recapture some of the joy of "Fractured Fairy Tales" and "Bullwinkle's Corner" and "Peabody's Improbable History." I had hoped to enjoy the kind of humour which entertains children while, at the same time, having a separate level of meaning which makes it entertaining for adults, as well. I looked forward to groaning at the puns and chuckling at the silliness. Instead, I read what seemed a preservationist reference book which was mostly dry. It reminds me of a bit of dialogue from one of the shows:
Rocky: Bullwinkle, do you know what an A-Bomb is?
Bullwinkle: Sure, a bomb is what some people call our show.
Rocky: I don't think that's very funny.
Bullwinkle: Neither do they, apparently.
Rocky: Bullwinkle, do you know what an A-Bomb is?
Bullwinkle: Sure, a bomb is what some people call our show.
Rocky: I don't think that's very funny.
Bullwinkle: Neither do they, apparently.
February 11, 2022
Probably more than you ever wanted to know about Jay Word and his creations, up to and including biographical sketches of the animators, producers, writers, and voice talents who brought Bukkwinkle & Co. to life. Starting off with CRUSADER RABBIT (which I remember from my childhood), Jay Ward was responsible for a string of well-remembered and beloved cartoon characters. The animation was passable, but what really made the shows sparkle was the writing. I think my only complaint about the book - which is well-written and nothing if not comprehensive -- us that I would have liked to see more artwork, including some color pages. "Moose and squirrel" would have benefited from that. Still, don't let that dissuade you from reading this book, especially if you, like me, remember the cartoons from your youth and recalls laughing like a loon at the jokes.
June 22, 2011
In an era of American Dad and Family Guy, the purveyors of today's animated shows are used to the irreverent and sometimes crude humor of the creations of Seth MacFarlane. Eons ago, another brand of humor rose up from the era of early television to challenge the status quo of comedy in the animated sphere. Jay Ward and Bill Scott were the main players in bringing us a plethora of characters that were adored by the baby boomers and have only recently declined in their prominence after the bulk of them began airing almost 50 years ago.
Keith Scott, an Australian voice-over artist who fell in love with the cartoon characters of Bullwinkle, Rocky, Boris and Natasha brings us this comprehensive history of Jay Ward Productions. The book consist of 315 pages of text, several appendices covering the artists, musicians and other sundry players in the Jay Ward universe and an extensive description of all of shows that Jay Ward and Bill Scott were involved in from the early Crusader Rabbit cartoon shows of the late 1940s, thorough the Bullwinkle zenith of the early 1960s, to the disbanding of the production company in 1984.
What stuck me about this book was the intricate description of Ward and Scott's ventures in developing their material and the hard luck they had with many animated and live action projects. Major highlights include the lost of control of their Crusader Rabbit work due to legal snafus, their run-ins with NBC over the needling by their cartoon characters of everything that was going on in the world at that time where politics, famous figures and even the network brass were not spared from the ridicule of the moose from Frostbite Falls, the motivation behind doing most of their work in Mexico and the maintaining of their empire via a lucrative deal with the Quaker Oats Company.
I now have an great appreciation for Jay Ward who could produce cartoons that were biting, yet not crude as with the MacFarlane cartoons of today. Most of the greats who were associated with these shows, Paul Frees, Edward Everett Horton, Daws Butler, Bill Scott and Hans Conried, have long since departed the scene, yet this book brings them back to life and reminds us that with a good voice and some humor on the side one can be a star.
I can perhaps admit that this book was written by a strong admirer of Jay Ward (Keith Scott did the voice of the abortive Rocky and Bullwinkle movie of ten years ago) and as such might have bias, but don't let that keep you from exploring this slice of history that is quickly retreating into the past. I wonder if they could have done a fractured flicker of one of Paris Hilton's crummy movies. Five stars.
Keith Scott, an Australian voice-over artist who fell in love with the cartoon characters of Bullwinkle, Rocky, Boris and Natasha brings us this comprehensive history of Jay Ward Productions. The book consist of 315 pages of text, several appendices covering the artists, musicians and other sundry players in the Jay Ward universe and an extensive description of all of shows that Jay Ward and Bill Scott were involved in from the early Crusader Rabbit cartoon shows of the late 1940s, thorough the Bullwinkle zenith of the early 1960s, to the disbanding of the production company in 1984.
What stuck me about this book was the intricate description of Ward and Scott's ventures in developing their material and the hard luck they had with many animated and live action projects. Major highlights include the lost of control of their Crusader Rabbit work due to legal snafus, their run-ins with NBC over the needling by their cartoon characters of everything that was going on in the world at that time where politics, famous figures and even the network brass were not spared from the ridicule of the moose from Frostbite Falls, the motivation behind doing most of their work in Mexico and the maintaining of their empire via a lucrative deal with the Quaker Oats Company.
I now have an great appreciation for Jay Ward who could produce cartoons that were biting, yet not crude as with the MacFarlane cartoons of today. Most of the greats who were associated with these shows, Paul Frees, Edward Everett Horton, Daws Butler, Bill Scott and Hans Conried, have long since departed the scene, yet this book brings them back to life and reminds us that with a good voice and some humor on the side one can be a star.
I can perhaps admit that this book was written by a strong admirer of Jay Ward (Keith Scott did the voice of the abortive Rocky and Bullwinkle movie of ten years ago) and as such might have bias, but don't let that keep you from exploring this slice of history that is quickly retreating into the past. I wonder if they could have done a fractured flicker of one of Paris Hilton's crummy movies. Five stars.
November 16, 2015
This is a painstakingly detailed book about Jay Ward Productions, the animation studio which created the Rocky and Bullwinkle shows. It should only be read by the most ardent fan of animation (in general) and Bullwinkle (in particular). Not for the faint hearted.
August 31, 2019
Like many other Baby Boomers, I was a big fan of Rocky and Bullwinkle! Frankly, I still enjoy watching the shows! They are timeless! When I saw this book, I was intrigued and wanted to read about the creative genius behind these legendary characters.
The book details the seemingly endless hurdles that Jay Ward and company encountered in trying to get Bullwinkle and Rocky and other program ideas to air.
The book does have some interesting moments. Several stories are shard - some of the frustrating difficulties encountered, others of hilarious experiences and of the unique character that was Jay Ward.
However, I feel it is geared more to hard core Jay Ward and animation devotees. The author relates a seemingly endless list of names that were involved with Jay Ward Productions. Though these people obviously played a role, the telling tends to get bogged down and hard to keep track of who's who.
There are several sections in the last quarter of the book that attempt to clear up the who's who but by the time I got to that part, I just wanted to get it finished.
There is also a large section near the end that lists all the shows, characters and synopsis of episodes. Each also lists the voice artists and other information. For me, that would be one of the more interesting sections to read .
HOWEVER, as I am legally blind and was reading the book in Kindle, I would have had to enlarge my font settings to read the minuscule font. I had also struggled to read some of the small font that was often used in the earlier sections of the book - using both my very powerful reading glasses and a magnifying glass to read the paragraph or page as needed. By the time I got to the episode and character info, I decided to just bookmark the various sections of shows/shorts I was interested in for future reference rather than bothering to resize the font.
Writers and publishers really need to take into consideration the visual needs of their readers. Pick a font size and stick to it. Let Kindle users select a fond size for the whole book and publishers can use italics,bold or indentation to distinguish sections. Stop trying to blind us even more with microscopic fonts!
It took me several months to finish this book as I just couldn't keep myself interested in the endless names. I rarely take that long to read a book but I just couldn't get into it the way I'm sure the author intended. Sorry.
The book details the seemingly endless hurdles that Jay Ward and company encountered in trying to get Bullwinkle and Rocky and other program ideas to air.
The book does have some interesting moments. Several stories are shard - some of the frustrating difficulties encountered, others of hilarious experiences and of the unique character that was Jay Ward.
However, I feel it is geared more to hard core Jay Ward and animation devotees. The author relates a seemingly endless list of names that were involved with Jay Ward Productions. Though these people obviously played a role, the telling tends to get bogged down and hard to keep track of who's who.
There are several sections in the last quarter of the book that attempt to clear up the who's who but by the time I got to that part, I just wanted to get it finished.
There is also a large section near the end that lists all the shows, characters and synopsis of episodes. Each also lists the voice artists and other information. For me, that would be one of the more interesting sections to read .
HOWEVER, as I am legally blind and was reading the book in Kindle, I would have had to enlarge my font settings to read the minuscule font. I had also struggled to read some of the small font that was often used in the earlier sections of the book - using both my very powerful reading glasses and a magnifying glass to read the paragraph or page as needed. By the time I got to the episode and character info, I decided to just bookmark the various sections of shows/shorts I was interested in for future reference rather than bothering to resize the font.
Writers and publishers really need to take into consideration the visual needs of their readers. Pick a font size and stick to it. Let Kindle users select a fond size for the whole book and publishers can use italics,bold or indentation to distinguish sections. Stop trying to blind us even more with microscopic fonts!
It took me several months to finish this book as I just couldn't keep myself interested in the endless names. I rarely take that long to read a book but I just couldn't get into it the way I'm sure the author intended. Sorry.
December 23, 2025
You better have a strong interest in Rocky and Bullwinkle and creator Jay Ward. This book can be somewhat dry in its retelling of the long story of getting the cartoon to the airwaves. It also tends to spend more time than expected on the many failures of Ward's company to sell the rest of their ideas which to be generous likely sounded like good ideas at the time. It might be like reading a book expecting All in the Family and Sanford and Son creation stories and getting instead a detailed analysis of the dozen plus Lear failures from the late 70s though the 90s written with a fan's perplexity about why they failed when the creator was clearly a genius.
Still folks interested in the show or the history of animation will find much that is instructive here and that makes it worth wading through.
Still folks interested in the show or the history of animation will find much that is instructive here and that makes it worth wading through.
May 20, 2024
This is a meticulously researched look at one of the greatest animated cartoons of all time, a cartoon that was years ahead of its time. To be honest, the book sometimes goes deep into the weeds with details that probably only die-hard R&B fans will care about. But considering that it's unlikely there will ever be another bio of Jay Ward, et al, it's nice to have this level of detail for those who want it. And the book goes into detail about Ward's other productions, such as George of the Jungle and years of Cap'n Crunch commercials. Scott also delves into Ward's life outside of TV, painting a whole picture of a complicated man. This is definitely a definitive examination of all things associated with R&B, complete with extensive appendices, bibliography, and index.
December 7, 2024
I don’t give a five star review often, but this book was a treat. The Jay Ward animation studio was a unique place where some great cartoons were hatched. Rocky and Bullwinkle, George of the Jungle, Fractured Fairy Tales, Capn’ Crunch cereal commercials and a bunch more!
This is an exhaustive reference book that reads like a story. You get to hear from all the folks that put these shows together, the writers, animators and sound talent, almost everyone gets some press, including the secretaries!
The one thing i would have liked to have seen is a little more about the hands on process of animation, but that’s quibbling now.
If you have any love for cartoons, this read is a no brainer. Find this book and check it out.
This is an exhaustive reference book that reads like a story. You get to hear from all the folks that put these shows together, the writers, animators and sound talent, almost everyone gets some press, including the secretaries!
The one thing i would have liked to have seen is a little more about the hands on process of animation, but that’s quibbling now.
If you have any love for cartoons, this read is a no brainer. Find this book and check it out.
March 1, 2020
Informative and nostalgic
Keith Scott gives a detailed history of the Jay Ward Studios. Includes many anecdotes of the antics of the freewheeling crew that created Rocky, Bullwinkle, Dudley Doright, George of the Jungle and a host of others. A great balance between raw facts and amusing storytelling.
The kindle edition layout gets messed up a bit between main text and sidebar text in places, but not enough to cause trouble reading.
Keith Scott gives a detailed history of the Jay Ward Studios. Includes many anecdotes of the antics of the freewheeling crew that created Rocky, Bullwinkle, Dudley Doright, George of the Jungle and a host of others. A great balance between raw facts and amusing storytelling.
The kindle edition layout gets messed up a bit between main text and sidebar text in places, but not enough to cause trouble reading.
November 21, 2022
If you were a fan of Rocky and Bullwinkle, or Hoppity Hooper, or even George of the Jungle, this is a really good read. It is the story behind the crafty minds of Ward Productions, as well as the definitive guide to the episodes and where to find them. It does get a bit wonky when they describe the production process. But what I really enjoyed was the eyewitness accounts of the behind the scenes.
January 29, 2025
This was quite a detailed summary about the cartoon series of Bullwinkle Moose, Rocky the flying squirrel and other animated series that came from Jay Ward and Bill Scott and there were many more that were involved in the history of those cartoons and more. Very interesting! Books On Film and Entertainment
May 27, 2025
The definitive story and resource for all fans of Jay Ward productions. I've been a huge Jay Ward fan for years but didn't realize that Bill Scott rightly deserved equal billing. They were of my dad's generation, and he had the same sense of humor. He introduced me to Rocky and His Friends, and I hope to introduce my grandchildren to them. They represent the golden age of cartoon comedy.
did-not-finish
July 4, 2020I am not sure what I expected with this book. It is a very involved history of Moose and Squirrel and how they came to be TV stars. Lots of notes and references, lots of names to follow. I am giving up reading at page 99, because it is just a little too detailed for me.
September 28, 2017
Perhaps a bit too long, but still fun.
June 20, 2020
It's got neat stuff in here like
Commercials for the Quaker Oats Company
like
1963 Captain Crunch commercials
1968 Aunt Jemima Pancakes [How to Catch a Waffle Whiffer]
August 27, 2023
Fun and filled with interesting information, but probably only for real Jay Ward obsessives.
September 27, 2023
Definitive biography of Jay Ward and his production staff.
April 17, 2025
Very comprehensive.
October 7, 2022
Anyone who grew up watching Rocky and Bullwinkle will enjoy this little history lesson. A bit too verbose at times when the author recreates several episodes of his favorite series. And a bit dated written in 2000. But still interesting. Printed in 10 pt font it was a challenge for older eyes to read the hardcover version
April 1, 2011
And Now For Something You'll REALLY Like!
I found Mr. Scott's book to be an easily readable, fascinating and fun look into the life and work of Mr. Jay Ward.
Mr. Ward was a man about whom little has been written before this. Mr. Scott does an admirable job, in my opinion, of telling his story and renewing interest in his work. I, for one, will be buying every Rocky & Bullwinkle DVD there is to buy, chiefly on the strength of the memories resurrected for me by this book.
Mr. Ward apparently was also a big kid at heart, himself (in the sense that he loved to have fun and, if something wasn't fun, he wouldn't do it. Even to the point, at times, of turning down some projects.) He also believed in producing a quality product in a time when "children's cartoon" and "quality product" were not synonymous phrases. Kudos to Mr. Ward for taking that approach to his work! He was also ahead of his time, and very right, in believing that kids were smarter than most people thought back then and, as such, would be capable of understanding the type of humor employed in his cartoons. I guess you could say he was one of the first people to express, through his work and in his own special way, that "Kids are people, too". Again, kudos for that!
From Crusader Rabbit, (the first children's cartoon created specifically for television in 1948) to Rocky & Bullwinkle, to Cap'N'Crunch and Quisp & Quake (to show you what I've learned, I didn't even know he created these last two!) they're all here to be remembered and enjoyed anew.
So, sit back, relax, read and enjoy....This really is a wonderful book.
I found Mr. Scott's book to be an easily readable, fascinating and fun look into the life and work of Mr. Jay Ward.
Mr. Ward was a man about whom little has been written before this. Mr. Scott does an admirable job, in my opinion, of telling his story and renewing interest in his work. I, for one, will be buying every Rocky & Bullwinkle DVD there is to buy, chiefly on the strength of the memories resurrected for me by this book.
Mr. Ward apparently was also a big kid at heart, himself (in the sense that he loved to have fun and, if something wasn't fun, he wouldn't do it. Even to the point, at times, of turning down some projects.) He also believed in producing a quality product in a time when "children's cartoon" and "quality product" were not synonymous phrases. Kudos to Mr. Ward for taking that approach to his work! He was also ahead of his time, and very right, in believing that kids were smarter than most people thought back then and, as such, would be capable of understanding the type of humor employed in his cartoons. I guess you could say he was one of the first people to express, through his work and in his own special way, that "Kids are people, too". Again, kudos for that!
From Crusader Rabbit, (the first children's cartoon created specifically for television in 1948) to Rocky & Bullwinkle, to Cap'N'Crunch and Quisp & Quake (to show you what I've learned, I didn't even know he created these last two!) they're all here to be remembered and enjoyed anew.
So, sit back, relax, read and enjoy....This really is a wonderful book.
March 26, 2014
Having enjoyed the cartoons of the Jay Ward studio since childhood, I was always left with questions about the people and history behind them. Thanks to this book, I no longer have those questions. Scott has compiled information from published sources, original interviews, and his personal experiences with many of the key players. The book is not so much about the particulars of the cartoons as the history of the studio itself, and with often unexpected but welcome details as well as short biographies and appendices. I left with a new appreciation for the role of many of the show's writers, and the major contributions of Bill Scott, and a better understanding of what Jay Ward did at the studio, his vision for animation and early television, and his battles to maintain his vision. Like 'Termite Terrace', the Jay Ward studio seemed a place where funny people focused on making each other laugh, and we were the better for it.
June 7, 2012
If you are at all interested in Rocky & Bullwinkle or the career of Jay Ward -- or just interested in TV animation in general -- you must read The Moose That Roared. It's an informative, lively, and thoroughly-researched volume about an important chapter in pop culture history. The guides and appendices at the back of the book are extremely helpful as well. Apparently, before this book came out, there was very little available to read about the Ward cartoons other than various magazine and newspaper articles (many of which are quoted here). Keith Scott has done a lovely job with this topic.
December 19, 2016
It took a while to warm up to this book, even though I love Rocky, Bullwinkle and all of the assorted crazy characters of Jay Ward and Bill Scott. Growing up in the sixties, I was greatly influenced by the humor and intelligence that they offered in the guise of a cartoon series. The book gave a heavy look at the behind the scenes politics involved with the studios, funding and production problems, but once the focus was on their various shows it was very enlightening. It also brought back a lot of wonderful memories. With the exception of the Simpsons, "They just don't make 'em like that any more."
June 20, 2013
If you ever enjoyed Rocky and Bullwinkle and wanted to know about their production, this is the book to read. You feel like you really got to know the wonderful people that brought this show to life. I loved this cartoon as a kid, but now when I watch them, I realize there is a whole new level of meaning in the stories they tell. The humor has an adult level that I never saw as a kid. Give them a try and you will fall in love again.
June 18, 2014
This book is definitely for the current Jay Ward fan looking to know more about the production of his or her beloved cartoons, as opposed to someone looking for a gateway into the world of Jay Ward. The author had a tendency to get a bit bogged down in technical animation details, but overall paid beautiful tribute to the characters and their creators. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to watch my George of the Jungle DVD's now.
March 15, 2012
I got about halfway through. it was interesting, but a little TOO detailed. I had to finish another library book that was due, then couldn't finish or renew this one. I might give it another shot later.
March 4, 2009
Keith Scott has produced a loving tribute to the team at Ward Productions. This book makes me want to watch every Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon with it as a concordance.
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