What a Voice! Back to Susan Morse....

RANKIN/BASS' RETURN TO OZ premiered on NBC's THE GENERAL ELECTRIC FANTASY HOUR in February of 1964. It was the first RANKIN/BASS TV Special Produced in a long line of TV Specials. I have Romeo Muller's original script for this special in my collection. I had no idea that the wonderful signing voice of Dorothy in the special was different than the speaking voice of Susan Conway Mitchell. Susan Morse did the singing for Dorothy and it is something to hear! The special is available on DVD from www.amazon.com and I recommend it! GREAT quality and a great cover too.

Susan and her Mom in Chicago. She was touring with the SOUND OF MUSIC shortly before she landed the signing gig for RANKIN/BASS' RETURN TO OZ! It is unfortunate that this performance went un-credited until now :)

RANKIN/BASS' THE HOBBIT RARE alternate cover

Something else for Amber Lee
c. 1977 RANKIN/BASS PRODUCTIONS/RICK GOLDSCHMIDT ARCHIVES

For Amber Lee
c. 1977 RANKIN/BASS PRODUCTIONS/RICK GOLDSCHMIDT ARCHIVES

c. 1964 RANKIN/BASS PRODUCTIONS/RICK GOLDSCHMIDT ARCHIVES

RANKIN/BASS' THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY, BOOK 2

c. 1976 RANKIN/BASS PRODUCTIONS/RICK GOLDSCHMIDT ARCHIVES

I have this one on DVD! The only RANKIN/BASS TV Special to be nominated for an EMMY!

an MOM Promotional card c. 1960 RANKIN/BASS PRODUCTIONS

Tad Mochinaga, head ANIMAGIC Technician and animator on many of the RANKIN/BASS classics including MAD MONSTER PARTY

It's not Christmas without these songs...

A few of my quick ENESCO preliminary concept drawings. I helped launch and give direction on many of the RANKIN/BASS ENESCO figurine sets including the RARE HERE COMES PETER COTTONTAIL series.

I was just going through one of my old sketchbooks and looking for a few of my old Christmas card designs...these are some of the preliminary sketchs I did for them.

CAR 54, WHERE ARE YOU? arrives on ME TV in Chicago...

Starting next Saturday night!

Elizabeth Montgomery of BEWITCHED

c. 1972 RANKIN/BASS PRODUCTIONS/RICK GOLDSCHMIDT ARCHIVES
from THE ENCHANTED WORLD OF RANKIN/BASS: A PORTFOLIO (MISER BROS PRESS)

Email Rickgoldsc@aol.com

The restored ANIMAGIC figures of Santa and Rudolph will be on a cable show December 9th! More news to follow....

Hiroshi Tabata makes ANIMAGIC on the set of RANKIN/BASS' SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN' TO TOWN (1970)

c. 1970 RANKIN/BASS PRODUCTIONS/RICK GOLDSCHMIDT ARCHIVES

Snow has arrived!

Our first real snow storm rolled in around midnight and we should have 2-4 inches by noon tomorrow! It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

RETURN TO OZ (1964) and Susan Morse

Original lead sheet for "I Wanna Go Back"

I heard from Susan Morse Friday night! She sang for DOROTHY in RANKIN/BASS' first TV Special RETURN TO OZ, which premiered on THE GENERAL ELECTRIC FANTASY HOUR about 10 months before RUDOLPH! I wasn't aware that SUSAN CONWAY MITCHELL only did the speaking voice of Dorothy until tonight :) More to follow!

From my dear friend Phyllis Diller

Remembering Ron Santo

Sorry to hear about Ron Santo today! He passed away at age 70. I had the pleasure of meeting him a few times and my son Josh and I attended the 1969 CHICAGO CUBS reunion some years back. I wish he would have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of fame in his lifetime.

RANKIN/BASS' RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER had 11.3 Million viewers Tuesday night!

2nd only to GLEE???

Josh in Champaign, IL at First and Green street

RANKIN/BASS' SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN' TO TOWN on ABC TV at 7pm Central tonight!

c. 1970 RANKIN/BASS PRODUCTIONS/RICK GOLDSCHMIDT ARCHIVES

More from my friend Ron Murphy! He is posting these on EBAY!

Our friend Corey Duffel in the new TRANSWORLD SKATEBOARDING MAGAZINE BUYER'S GUIDE! Love his new OSIRIS SHOES!

click on article to enlarge to read

I love this newspaper and the cool RANKIN/BASS articles Kevin Castle has written!