Jay Ward Productions, Inc. (sometimes shortened to Ward Productions) is an American animation studio based in Costa Mesa, California. It was founded in 1948 by American animator Jay Ward. As of 2022, the studio was headed by Ward's daughter, Tiffany Ward, and granddaughter, vice president Amber Ward.
 Jay Ward's Bullwinkle logo used from 2015 to 2019. | |
| Industry | Animation |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1948 |
| Founder | Jay Ward |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
Key people | Tiffany Ward (president) |
| Subsidiaries |
|
Before 2022, when the studio signed a distribution deal with WildBrain, the Jay Ward catalogue was managed by Bullwinkle Studios, a joint venture between Jay Ward Productions and the DreamWorks Animation subsidiary of NBCUniversal.
History
editThe company was based on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, across Sunset Boulevard from the Chateau Marmont.[3]
Jay Ward Productions today
editBy 2002, Jay Ward Productions had formed Bullwinkle Studios LLC, a joint venture with Classic Media (then an Entertainment Rights subsidiary), to manage the Jay Ward characters. Bullwinkle Studios's first production was George of the Jungle with Studio B Productions, a unit of DHX Media. The series was broadcast on Teletoon, then added to Cartoon Network. Jay Ward's daughter, Tiffany Ward, is the president of Ward Productions and Bullwinkle Studios.[2][4] Classic Media was acquired in 2012 by DreamWorks Animation,[5] which was later purchased by the Comcast-owned NBCUniversal in 2016.[6]
On February 3, 2022, Jay Ward Productions signed a deal with WildBrain to produce new content based on its portfolio.[7] The agreement also includes distribution rights to the entire Jay Ward Productions library. However, DreamWorks retains the distribution rights to its co-productions.[8]
Television programs
editAnimation
editJay Ward Productions
edit- Crusader Rabbit (1950–1959) (owned by 20th Television)
- Rocky and His Friends/The Bullwinkle Show (1959–1964)
- Hoppity Hooper (1964–1967)
- The Dudley Do Right Show (1964–1966)
- George of the Jungle (1967)
- The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show (2015–2017)
- The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (2018–2019)
Bullwinkle Studios
edit- George of the Jungle (2006–2008, 2015–2017)
Live-action
edit- Fractured Flickers (1962–1964)
Commercials
editGeneral Mills
edit- Cheerios, using characters Rocky and Bullwinkle (1959–1970), Boris Badenov (1959–1970), Aesop and Son (1960–1970), Dudley Do-Right (1961–1970), and Hoppity Hooper (1961–1972)
- Trix, using characters Rocky and Bullwinkle (1959–1970) along with Hoppity Hooper (1961–1972)
- Cocoa Puffs, using characters Rocky and Bullwinkle (1959–1970) along with Hoppity Hooper (1961–1972)
- Jets, using characters Rocky and Bullwinkle (1959–1970) along with Hoppity Hooper (1961–1972)
- Wheat Hearts, using characters Mr. Peabody and Sherman (1959–1970)
- Frosty O's, using characters Dudley Do-Right (1961–1970) and Hoppity Hooper (1961–1972)
- Lucky Charms, using characters Boris and Natasha (1964–1970) along with Hoppity Hooper (1964–1972)
Quaker Oats Company
edit- Cap'n Crunch (1963–1984)
- Quisp and Quake (1965–1973)
- Monster Munch (1966)
- Aunt Jemima (1968–1973)
- King Vitaman (1968)
- Frosted Oat Flakes (1968–1969)
- Fudge Town Cookies (1968)
- Mr. Chips Cookies (1968–1969)
- Scooter Pie Cookies (1968)
- Cinnamon Bear Cereal (1969)
- Cinnamon Flakes (1969)
- Crackles (1969)
- Gauchos Cookies (1969)
- Mister E (1969)
- Pronto (1969)
- Scooter Pies (1969)
- Vitaman the Great (1969)
- King Vitaman (1970–1971)
- Halfsies (1979–1982)
- Hi-Lo's (1980)
Films
editLive-action
edit- Boris and Natasha (1992) (TV film)
- George of the Jungle (1997)
- Dudley Do-Right (1999)
- The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (2000) (live-action/animated)
- George of the Jungle 2 (2003) (direct-to-video)
Animation
editJay Ward Productions
edit- Snidley's Monster (1961) (short film)[9]
- Sleeping Beauty (1961) (short film)[9]
- The Phox, The Box, and The Lox (1999) (short film)
Bullwinkle Studios
edit- Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014)
- Rocky and Bullwinkle (2014) (direct-to-video short film)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Verrier, Richard (July 23, 2012). "DreamWorks Animation buys 'Casper,' 'Lassie' parent Classic Media". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 25, 2013. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
- ^ a b Elliot, Stuart (January 16, 2008). "A Classic Series, Retooled and Swingin'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 5, 2017. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
- ^ "Roadside America.com: "20-Foot-Tall Rocky and Bullwinkle (In Transition)"". Archived from the original on 2016-03-31. Retrieved 2016-07-22.
- ^ "Businessweek: Private company information for Bullwinkle Studios, LLC". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on 2016-10-07. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
- ^ "DreamWorks Animation buys 'Casper,' 'Lassie' parent Classic Media". Los Angeles Times. 2012-07-23. Archived from the original on 2020-09-20. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
- ^ Bishop, Bryan (2016-08-22). "DreamWorks Animation is now owned by Comcast". The Verge. Archived from the original on 2020-11-08. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
- ^ ""HOKEY SMOKES, BULLWINKLE" - WILDBRAIN AND JAY WARD PRODUCTIONS JOIN FORCES ON LEGENDARY CLASSICS: GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE, MR. PEABODY AND SHERMAN, DUDLEY DO-RIGHT, ROCKY & BULLWINKLE, SUPER CHICKEN AND MORE". WildBrain. February 3, 2022. Archived from the original on February 5, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ "WildBrain to refresh classic Jay Ward animation". Archived from the original on 2022-02-23. Retrieved 2022-02-23.
- ^ a b "Cartoons Considered for an Academy Award – 1961 |". Archived from the original on 2019-10-20. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
Further reading
edit- Collier, Kevin Scott (2017). Jay Ward's Animated Cereal Capers. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 978-1976576843.
- Scott, Keith (2001). The Moose That Roared: The Story of Jay Ward, Bill Scott, a Flying Squirrel, and a Talking Moose. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 0312283830.
- Citters, Darrell Van (2013). The Art of Jay Ward Productions. Oxberry Press, LLC. ISBN 978-0615847863.