The first Rankin/Bass TV special!

Howard Beckerman R.I.P.

 Howard Beckerman R. I. P. It looks like my friend Howard passed away. I always loved this 1963 picture Howard sent me of himself, with his

daughter Amy. This was the year that Howard story boarded Rankin/Bass' Return to Oz TV Special, which was their first TV special. The Special aired in February of 1964, on the same night The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan show for the first time. First appearing on NBC's The General Electric Fantasy hour, everyone thought Return to Oz would be the big hit! Ten months later, Rankin/Bass Productions Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer hit the air waves on December 6th, 1964, and went down in history. I was connected to Howard by Tony Peters, the designer of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Return to Oz. #howardbeckerman #returntooz #returntooz

60 years ago today! Feb. 9, 1964 - NBC television presents Return to Oz, an animated musical sponsored by General Electric. A pot-metal charm bracelet promotes the broadcast. The Rankin-Bass production lasts 55 minutes and is based on their animated shorts "Tales of the Wizard of Oz" (1960). #Returntooz #rankinbassproductions

Aired the same night as The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan show...

Rankin/Bass' Return to Oz

Rankin/Bass' first TV special, Return to Oz

Rankin/Bass' Return to Oz (Premiered February 9th, 1964)

 This was actually Rankin/Bass Productions' first television special, Premiering on NBC's the General Electric Fantasy Hour on February 9th, 1964.  The Beatles made a big splash on The Ed Sullivan show too!   GE Tied in an OZ Bracelet with all of the characters on it, if you bought one of GE's irons or houseware products.

Oz

Oz

Only a few of these were made. I transferred the demos to cd when I appeared at the National Wizard of Oz convention. #returntooz #generalelectric

GE

Though I have written about it in my books, many people don't realize that the General Electric Company not only sponsored the first three Rankin/Bass TV Specials on NBC, but they went on to form an Entertainment division called Tomorrow Entertainment, to sponsor the Rankin/Bass specials through 1974. The General Electric Color Fantasy hour was where the first three Rankin/Bass TV Specials aired on NBC-TV. #rankinbassproductions #history #television www.miserbros.com

I enjoy the demos more than the finished versions and there is an extra song or two. I transferred to cd years ago. It was the first Rankin/Bass tv special. #returntooz

Tuesday

Return to Oz

Return to Oz

Rankin/Bass' Return to Oz

 

Feb. 9, 1964 – NBC television presents Return to Oz, an animated musical sponsored by General Electric. The Rankin-Bass production lasts 55 minutes and is based on their animated shorts Tales of the Wizard of Oz (1960). A pot-metal charm bracelet promotes the broadcast.

Rankin/Bass' Return to Oz Premiered February 9, 1964 on NBC

 Rankin/Bass' Return to Oz Premiered on NBC's General Electric Fantasy Hour February 9th, 1964. It was Rankin/Bass' first television special. C. 2018 Miser Bros Press/Rick Goldschmidt Archives #oz #returntooz #thewizardofoz

I will have the original script at Oz: The national convention

RANKIN/BASS' RETURN TO OZ

c. 1964 RANKIN/BASS PRODUCTIONS

HOWARD BECKERMAN

HOWARD storyboarded RETURN TO OZ....