HANNA-BARBERA

My son Josh and I have been collecting quite a bit of HANNA-BARBERA lately! My friend Patrick Owsley worked on all the H-B style guides a few years back. Check his blog by clicking on his name at the right. A few years back we had meetings with BILL HANNA & JOSEPH BARBERA and we talked about RANKIN/BASS and a few of their employees that worked for both companies. It was great hanging out with JERRY EISENBERG and IWAO TAKAMOTO and my pal SCOTT JERALDS. Wish I was on the West Coast right now...the snowy weather in Chicago today is brutal!

THE EASTER BUNNY IS COMIN' TO TOWN (1977)

Some people have been asking...What is up with the DELUXE EDITION of THE EASTER BUNNY IS COMIN' TO TOWN DVD? The answer...Nothing. The cover seen here at the right is the one you want to get. The DELUXE EDITION doesn't have any additional RANKIN/BASS material! It has some EASTER short cartoons that are unrelated. NEW WAVE did contact me about doing some extras for the disc BUT when I asked for payment...I never heard from them again.

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO (1960)

Another sneak peak at my RANKIN/BASS TREASURY book ! A few pictures provided by KYOKO KITA from the making of THE NEW ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO, which was the very first ANIMAGIC Production for RANKIN/BASS and RUDOLPH was their 2nd! Above you see ANIMAGIC puppet makers Reiko Yamagata and Kyoko Kita in action!

Animators Koichi Oikawa and Fumiko Magari prepare a scene for the RANKIN/BASS Production (then known as VIDEOCRAFT INTERNATIONAL). I posted tons of NEWS in JANUARY....to get it all, just click on JANUARY 2008 at the right!

Highland Park, IL

Looks like THE STARVING ARTISTS will be playing a place called GABE'S in Highland Park, Illinois soon. Met a cool band there recently and we are going to open one of their next shows. Stay tuned for details. In the meantime, still working on a few tracks to record at URANUS RECORDING STUDIOS in Tempe, AZ.

DVDs

Just got in some more RUDOLPH 1964 complete DVDs! Have had a rash of customers saying they never got their package and a few kooks that complain right away and blame me for this. I ship the next day. I also resolve problems without a problem.

EBAY

Posted some cool things on EBAY under seller ANIMAGIC1 and MISER BROS this weekend!

PATRICK is working on a FRED project!

Check out PATRICK OWSLEY's blog by clicking link at the right!

STEVE RUDE

My pal STEVE RUDE has some NEW things up! www.steverude.com

CBS NEWS Anchor RANDY SALERNO passes

Just got word that CBS NEWS ANCHOR Randy Salerno passed away last night in a tragic snowmobiling accident. KEVIN KREISS and I were on CBS NEWS with him during the Holidays of 2006 and he was a super nice guy. He will definitely be missed.

A few more pics from my upcoming RANKIN/BASS TREASURY book!

HIROSHI TABATA makes ANIMAGIC on the set of THE DAYDREAMER (1966)! Originally titled THE ENCHANTED WORLD OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSON (by ARTHUR RANKIN, JR.), it was released as THE DAYDREAMER. I worked on the DVD and CD Soundtrack release for this film. The CD has a lengthy interview I did with R/B musical composer MAURY LAWS.

PREVIEW of my RANKIN/BASS TREASURY book!

ARTHUR RANKIN, JR. at the MULTIPLANE working on THE KING KONG SHOW (1966) TOEI.

ARIZONA article

It is so cold in Chicago right now....wish I was in ARIZONA already! Here is a copy of the AP ARTICLE that came out over the Holidays in an ARIZONA paper! http://www.azcentral.com/ent/pop/articles/1204realrudolph1204.html

RANKIN/BASS TREASURY

Talking about doing a RANKIN/BASS TREASURY book. Sent a large package off to PALACE PRESS this AM to the editor to discuss. Hope we can pull it off. This is what the fans are looking for!

Another R/B collector's item...

This may be the coolest RANKIN/BASS items issued in the 1960's! It was made by ROSKO and the figure looks very much like the ANIMAGIC figure of PINOCCHIO from RANKIN/BASS' THE NEW ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO.

THE JACKSON FIVE & THE OSMONDS

YES...RANKIN/BASS Produced both THE OSMONDS & THE JACKSON FIVE cartoon series. Even back then, Michael Jackson had exotic pets such as his mice RAY & CHARLES and his pet snake. MICHAEL EISNER was involved with getting these series on ABC and the series did alot to boost the popularity of both acts. Donny Osmond remembers the cartoon series with fondness. I also heard from Marlon Jackson over the years and he requested some of my first book. Hopefully both series will wind up on DVD in the not too distant future.

PATRICK OWSLEY ART

PATRICK OWSLEY is still doing RANKIN/BASS art commisions! Check his blog by clicking the link at the right. He did the FROSTY THE SNOWMAN style guide and alot of the art that appears in DVD sets including FELIX THE CAT, GO GO GOPHERS, TENNESSEE TUXEDO, FROSTY THE SNOWMAN and more!

THE BALLAD OF SMOKEY THE BEAR (1966)

Fans are REALLY enjoying THE BALLAD OF SMOKEY THE BEAR Collector's DVD! It originally appeared on THANKSGIVING DAY 1966 on the GENERAL ELECTRIC FANTASY HOUR on NBC (As RUDOLPH did) and there was a SMOKEY THE BEAR in the Macy's THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE to tie in with it. RANKIN/BASS Eye Candy!

THE ENCHANTED WORLD OF DANNY KAYE (1971)

I have talked about this one before. GREAT RANKIN/BASS original documentary on this DVD Produced by RANKIN/BASS in 1971. I actually own a film print of the documentary given to me by MAURY LAWS. It shows the behind-the-scenes of the special being made and is narrated by ARTHUR RANKIN, JR. and DANNY KAYE! Well worth seeking out. www.AMAZON.com has it in their MARKETPLACE.

Collector's DVD

Have the Collector's DVD without the package now! E-mail: Rickgoldsc@aol.com TREASURE TROVE of ANIMAGIC!

ANIMAGIC1

Getting in some cool collector's DVDs of THE TOMFOOLERY SHOW and FESTIVAL OF FAMILY CLASSICS and much more! Keep an eye on EBAY under seller ANIMAGIC1 and MISER BROS for some cool stuff!

ENGAGEMENT 01-19-2008

I got engaged, to the love of my life, JOSEPHINE this past Saturday night at CITE RESTAURANT in LAKE POINT TOWERS Chicago, IL. It was on our eleventh month Anniversary!

HERE COMES PETER COTTONTAIL (1971)

http://www.timeandspacetoys.com/ still has PETER COTTONTAIL ENESCO figurines for sale! I designed this whole line some years back. I felt it was VERY faithful to the special! Looking good right now for the TREASURY treatment to my ENCHANTED WORLD book! Keep your eyes on the blog.

TV's THE NEW ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO (1960)

Working on some collector's DVDs from THE NEW ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO and TALES OF THE WIZARD OF OZ. Two of the earliest things RANKIN/BASS Produced. I offer the TV soundtracks to PINOCCHIO and RETURN TO OZ already. I always loved the early design of these shows by TONY PETERS. Both of these were Produced with a great deal of CANADIAN talent and they recieved the CANADIAN SEAL OF APPROVAL.

George Barris TV's BATMOBILE

www.timeandspacetoys.com is taking pre-orders on the NEW version of the classic TV BATMOBILE!

DAVID SHELDON gift card

Here is one of the cool TARGET Gift cards my friend DAVID SHELDON created. Check out his site at www.dksheldon.com

ALLAN MELVIN passes

We were sorry to hear that veteran character and voice actor ALLAN MELVIN passed away Thursday. He recently did the introductions on the SGT. BILKO/PHIL SILVERS SHOW DVD set and besides doing the voice of MAGILLA GORILLA and other H-B characters and acting as SAM THE BUTCHER on the BRADY BUNCH and BARNEY HEFNER on ALL IN THE FAMILY...I most recently watched him as SGT. HACKER on the GOLMER PYLE SHOW. The world of entertainment will definitely miss him! He was 84.

Posted some cool NEW things on EBAY...

Posted a few new cool things on EBAY under seller ANIMAGIC1 and MISER BROS. If you have any questions OR are looking for something, just e-mail me at: Rickgoldsc@aol.com THANKS! It was 2 Degrees here in CHICAGO today and FROSTY too!

THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR (2008)

Here is another PAUL COKER, JR. painting/model sheet from my RANKIN/BASS Project with ANDY WILLIAMS & THE OSMONDS...THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR. Andy's Christmas shows were the BEST! He is the ONE Celebrity that is still with us that I think BEST represents the Holidays! Johnny Mathis would be another.

PATRICK OWSLEY ART!

Click the link on the right hand side of my blog and commision PATRICK to do some GREAT art for you of RANKIN/BASS characters... E-mail: Powsley@flash.net

COUSIN CRICKET

Here is COUSIN CRICKET from www.flexitoon.com They are making a music video!

THE ENCHANTED WORLD OF RANKIN/BASS: A PORTFOLIIO 2008

Many people have been asking about a 3rd printing of my first book. I definitely want to do it for the Holidays 2008! I was talking to McFARLAND PRESS and then I bought the new I SPY book and was very disappointed in the quality of the book...especially the photo reproductions. My friend JERRY BECK put me in touch with his publisher for the HANNA-BARBERA TREASURY, BUT I haven't heard back from them. I would love to do it full color with pullouts. I can certainly update and add more info. Keep your fingers crossed.

THE WACKY WORLD OF MOTHER GOOSE (1966)

Here is the 3rd DVD I Produced for ANCHOR BAY in the trio of RANKIN/BASS movies that were originally co-produced by JOSEPH E. LEVINE. Notice the RANKIN/BASS name and logo on the front cover of the DVD. I also wrote the liner notes. Each ANCHOR BAY DVD has an Easter Egg on them. When you go to the SPECIAL FEATURES section and watch the trailer for the specific film on the DVD...the other two trailers can be found by clicking around for an icon. You can get this one at http://www.amazon.com/ very cheap in MARKETPLACE. We also sell the soundtrack CD.

FLEXITOON

Visit our puppet friends at www.flexitoon.com

THE DAYDREAMER (1966)

THE DAYDREAMER is one of my favorite RANKIN/BASS feature films and I was lucky enough to work on the ANCHOR BAY DVD release of the film. It is a LIVE-ACTION and ANIMAGIC film with a star studded cast including BORIS KARLOFF, BURL IVES and RAY BOLGER. The black and white TV Commercials on this DVD are a real treat. I wrote the liner notes and provided the still gallery. If you don't have this DVD, pick it up at http://www.amazon.com/

MAD MONSTER PARTY (1967)

It is always fun to look at the MAD MONSTER PARTY model sheets by Jack Davis! Jack is still doing great work but slowing down these days. A few years back he worked on another RANKIN/BASS monster project. He is the BEST!

WILLY McBEAN & HIS MAGIC MACHINE (1965)

Here is a cool shot from the RANKIN/BASS feature film WILLY McBEAN & HIS MAGIC MACHINE (1965) Courtesy of KYOKO KITA. It is from the CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS section of the film. One of my favorites!

Nobody wants a CHARLIE-IN-THE-BOX!

HIROSHI TABATA poses CHARLIE IN THE BOX on the set of RANKIN/BASS' TV SPECTACULAR RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER in 1964. It is sheer ANIMAGIC!

Think SPRING!

With this weather in Chicago, I am already starting to THINK SPRING! Here is one of the collector's CDs we offer.

THE FESTIVAL OF FAMILY CLASSICS

RANKIN/BASS did a wonderful series called FESTIVAL OF FAMILY CLASSICS that Paul Coker, Jr. designed in the early 1970's. It was a cel animated show and featured many of the literary classics. They are often used in school classrooms these days. In fact, this is how my kids were introduced to RANKIN/BASS. Some are available on DVD right now and others I am having transferred to collector's DVDs such as PAUL BUNYAN, YANKEE DOODLE DANDY, THE CHRISTMAS TREE, JACK O' LANTERN and others.

Another Holiday greeting...

It is snowing in Chicago today! Here is a neat greeting that Nadina and Mike Field sent out last year, of their son BENJI Louis (Born August 12, 2007)! Nadina tells me she is Associate Art Director now at MAD MAGAZINE. PAUL COKER, JR. still works for MAD and of course, JACK DAVIS did for a very long time. Both PAUL & JACK designed most of the RANKIN/BASS shows, including the ones that inspired the toys that are pictured with BENJI!

Happy Monday!

My cold is definitely better this week! Working on some new collector's DVDs and CDs for all of the collectors that are building up their collections. Starting my day with a cup of RUDOLPH Hot Chocolate! :)

THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. DVD box set from TIME-LIFE

Even though we are not properly credited, GARY MATHESON and I provided all of the memorabilia on BONUS DISC 2 in the COLLECTOR'S ONLY section in the new MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. DVD box set. The way this came about is...GARY and I provided this material for the first U.N.C.L.E. CD soundtrack set from FILM SCORE MONTHLY by Lukas Kendall and they just lifted the material from that and credited others. We were properly credited in the CD and we also provided memorabilia for the I SPY soundtrack CD for our friend EARLE HAGEN. I still love what TIME-LIFE did with the DVD set and am glad it finally was released.

HIROSHI makes more ANIMAGIC

HIROSHI TABATA works on the set of SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN' TO TOWN for RANKIN/BASS in 1970.

New shipment of collector's DVDs arrives...

Just got in another shipment of fun collector's DVDs of RARE RANKIN/BASS shows to watch! Many have asked about the titles...just e-mail: Rickgoldsc@aol.com Most have not been released and there are no plans to release them.

All caught up....

If you ordered something from us, it is in the mail! Finally caught up. The last 10 days after the Holidays have been the craziest! Enjoy! THANK YOU for making this Holiday season the Biggest and the Best!

Even though the Holidays are over...

We are still REALLY busy in the Enchanted world of RANKIN/BASS! Many, Many orders are coming in and we are doing our best to keep up. THANKS so much for your patience. The photo of the RANKIN/BASS Christmas caroling elves is from TONY PETERS! Apparently, these ANIMAGIC figures were used in some GE commercials that I have not located yet. It's possible that it was in 1963. Maury Laws told me he worked on some GE COMMERCIALS BUT not the ones that appeared during the first few airings of RUDOLPH. These were commercials that ran in 1962 or 1963.

HANNA-BARBERA

My son Josh and I have been doing alot of HANNA-BARBERA collecting these days. Here is a cool segment of a piece of art that my friend PATRICK OWSLEY did and offers at his blog (Click on his link to the right). Patrick and I had the pleasure of having meetings with BILL HANNA & JOSEPH BARBERA some years back with our friend SCOTT JERALDS. What a GREAT studio! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Jerry Beck's HANNA-BARBERA TREASURY book too.

CRYPTIC MAG

Wrote a new magazine article on MAD MONSTER PARTY for CRYPTIC MAGAZINE. Should be out on news stands soon. I also wrote the booklet that is in the DVD and provided the extras on the disc. My very first RANKIN/BASS article was in MONSTERSCENE Magazine.

HIROSHI TABATA

HIROSHI TABATA makes ANIMAGIC on RANKIN/BASS' SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN' TO TOWN (1970).

Monday

I got a really bad cold that hit me harder today. I need to drink some BUMBLE hot chocolate. PLEASE be patient with your orders...I did go to the post office this am and will try to be prompt.

Recording project

Working on two new songs to possibly record at URANUS STUDIOS in Tempe, AZ on our Spring trip for a 3rd CD project. A song called "Clear Confusion" written by my girlfriend Josephine and a song called "No one is better," that I have worked on with THE STARVING ARTISTS.

THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR

Here is another PAUL COKER, JR. painting/model sheet from my RANKIN/BASS Project THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR with ANDY WILLIAMS and THE OSMONDS. I was just watching complete episodes of THE ANDY WILLIAMS SHOW from TIME-LIFE and what an amazing talent Andy is! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND those DVD sets!

From my RANKIN/BASS collection

Another cool item is the MATTEL talking hand puppet of KING KONG & BOBBY BOND from 1966. One of the few RANKIN/BASS shows that actually had some toy items released before my book THE ENCHANTED WORLD OF RANKIN/BASS came out in 1997.

JULES BASS with the cast of RETURN TO OZ (1963)

JULES BASS plays the piano as SUSAN "Dorothy" CONWAY sits on the piano. I got in touch with Susan a few years back and she was very happy to read my first book and think back on her RETURN TO OZ days. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the DVD release of the very first RANKIN/BASS TV Special.

THE LIFE & ADVENTURES OF SANTA CLAUS

THE LIFE & ADVENTURES OF SANTA CLAUS Collector's DVD has been very popular. Glad to help out. Maybe this will make an official release happen...

Bernard Cowan

Bernard 'Bunny' Cowan played a huge role in the recording of the Canadian voice actors for the early RANKIN/BASS Productions including RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER! We hope that his archives, courtesy of his son Elliot, will be part of a RANKIN/BASS DVD box set this year! It is all up to CLASSIC MEDIA & SONY WONDER.

Her is my friend Kyoko Kita...

Putting the original finishing touches on the adult RUDOLPH 'Animagic' figure.

In a series of RANKIN/BASS collection pics...

Here is another one. A COLLEGEVILLE COSTUMES costume of PINOCCHIO from RANKIN/BASS' TV series THE NEW ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO. My plans are to do the third printing of THE ENCHANTED WORLD OF RANKIN/BASS: A PORTFOLIO like Jerry Beck's HANNA-BARBERA TREASURY book. It would be nice to flip through and pull out some cool RANKIN/BASS collectibles.

...and FROSTY too!

Cold these days in Chicago! Still getting lots of orders and packing them all right now and every day! I do have more RUDOLPH 1964 DVDs now with extras. You do not have to buy as part of the collector's package either. Expecting NEW ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO and TALES OF THE WIZARD OF OZ soon too. Have a GREAT weekend!

THE WACKY WORLD OF MOTHER GOOSE (1966)

I still have a few of these wonderful RANKIN/BASS Soundtrack CDs available. The fine folks at PERCEPTO put this out and it sounds Amazing! A GREAT soundtrack to a somewhat forgotten RANKIN/BASS feature film.

Still have...

Collector's CDs and DVDs! E-mail: Rickgoldsc@aol.com

All the best....

I heard from ARTHUR RANKIN, JR. yesterday and he wanted to wish all a very happy and prosperous 2008!