The Rocky and Bullwinkle Book [Hardcover]

Louis Chunovic (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1996

The adventures of Bullwinkle J. Moose, Rocket J. Squirrel, and their bumbling adversaries, Boris and Natasha, come to life in a detailed account of each episode of the classic animated series, behind-the-scenes anecdotes about its creation, original artwork, and a host of memorabilia.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In the late '50s and early '60s, the most subversive show ever to hit the airwaves enchanted millions of American grade-schoolers. The kiddies tuned in to watch Bullwinkle J. Moose and Rocket J. Squirrel of Frostbite Falls, Minnesota, indulge in cartoon acrobatics and rattle off a series of unbelievable puns. This encyclopedic volume details their every adventure, from chasing the wailing whale Maybe Dick to joining the football team at Wossamotta U. The sinister Pottsylvanian spies Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale sneak into a goodly share of the pages, along with Dudley Do-Right, the square-jawed Mountie; Snidely Whiplash, the luxuriantly mustachioed villain; Mr. Peabody, the beagle who knows everything; and his boy Sherman. It's a loving, cleverly-illustrated tribute to these saviors of the free world and an admiring paean to the twisted, hilarious genius of Jay Ward, their modest creator, who set the standard for TV animation for generations to come.

From School Library Journal

YA. The popular cartoon show that debuted in 1959 and continued for only five years is remembered as one of the most innovative and beloved series in TV history. The combination of simple unsophisticated drawings of Rocky the Squirrel and Bullwinkle the Moose and their contrasting sophisticated dialogue and that of the voice-over narrator made for wry political and social satire as well as obvious humor. Here is a history of the show, complete with biographies of the main characters; photos of promotion campaigns; discussion of the animation, acting, and directing techniques; and a complete summary of each of the 298 episodes. Lavish illustrations and photographs complement the text, which provides historical as well as artistic background. A browsable reference for cartoon fans, an informative guide for aspiring cartoonists, and a unique history for students of political and social satire.?Jackie Gropman, Kings Park Library, Burke, VA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 211 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553105035
• ISBN-13: 978-0553105032
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 11.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,186,668 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Counterfeit Stoogie or Close But No Cigar!, December 15, 1999

By 

Oldest & Wisest (Alexandria, Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rocky and Bullwinkle Book (Hardcover)

To begin with, if you are a R&B fan (as I am), you have to have this book. It is beautifully done physically and worth the price just for the plot synopsis of all the hundreds of episodes. The lack of five stars is due to the fact that it could have been so much better. There is remarkably little text in the book, which is disguised by very large type and great amounts of white space. I was able to read it all in little more than an hour. Then what text there is is devoted almost exclusively to the eccentricities of Jay Ward and his outlandish promotional stunts for the show. This is interesting but I would like to have learned more about the creation and development of the series. Why a moose and squirrel, for example? Then, as the author freely admits at the end there is almost nothing about the other denizens of the R&B world, Sherman & Peabody, Aesop, Dudley Do-Right, etc. Even the plot synopsis was lacking in that it was mainly just a recitation of the continuing plotline which was probably the least humorous thing about the episodes. It would have been better to follow the model used by the Simpsons episode guides (although admittedly, these came out AFTER this book was published) and give classic lines, contemporary references, things the viewer may have missed, etc. In conclusion, this book, like Prohibition, is a noble but failed experiment.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a bit of good nostalgia, July 13, 2001

By 

[e-mail] (Manchester, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rocky and Bullwinkle Book (Hardcover)

Yes it's me again.

I have received my copy of the Rocky and Bullwinkle book and I have loadsa words to describe it: FABULOUS, MARVELLOUS, MAGNIFIQUE, WONDERFUL, FUNNY, WITTY and all that.

The creators of our favourite cartoon heroes and villains obviously had a great time making the series, were well respected by young and old alike. The talent was outstanding. I particularly liked the comments of Matt Groening, (he of Simpsoms fame) and the respect that was well earned over the years.

Louis Chunovic certainly did his homework well in producing this gem of a book. I thought it was a great tribute to Jay and all the crew who made these characters possible, and I wish the British were more aware of them.

Rocky, Bullwinkle, Mr Peabody, Dudley, Aesop & son, Sherman, Cloyd and Gidney, as well as those no-goodniks Boris, Natasha and Fearless Leader (or Mr Big, as he's often known as) have gone down in the cartoon hall of fame along with Mickey Mouse, Tom and Jerry, and the Warner Bros characters.

I say to you brothers and sisters, if you don't know of the moose and squirrel then where've you been the last 40 years?

Cartoon lovers, little and big kids should rush themselves this book and WALLOW!!!!

A great read and great fun!!! GO BUY! NOW!!!

Bye bye for now.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The only REALLY comprehensive book on Jay Ward and his group, April 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Rocky and Bullwinkle Book (Hardcover)

If you are ever in need of the answer to important questions such as "Who is Ponsonby Britt?" Or "What Happened to Jay Ward at The Gates to the White House When he and Publicist Howard Brandy Drove there to campaign for Statehood for Moosylvania?" These and other questions will be answered when you buy this book. It is well worth the price just for the trivia,not to mention the complete episode guide and insight as to who these geniuses were. I am in the animation business and I feel this book is one of the most important tomes of the twentieth century.It should be a staple in every American Home, and kept right next to the family Foistboinder and box top collection.