Semi-OT: ABC claymation Saturday morning bumpers

[MarkTheShark]

Hi -- I figured someone here might be able to fill in the blanks for me on this...

I always liked those claymation-type "after these messages" bumpers ABC used to use on Saturday morning. Just a short jingle, "after these messages we'll be right back," about five seconds long. I first saw them in 1985 -- though I hadn't been a regular viewer of Saturday morning cartoons on ABC at the time (I followed Bugs Bunny over there from CBS), so they may date from earlier than that -- and I seem to recall they quit using them at some point -- replacing them with live-action bumpers using real-life kids singing the same jingle -- and then brought them back again in the 1990s. Anyway...I found six of them:

(1) Cowboy jumps out from behind guitar case

(2) Cowboy sings the jingle, then a horse falls on him and winks (I think this is my favorite)

(3) Three 1950s type singers sing the jingle, then their torsos spin around so their "backs" are facing us

(4) Fire hydrant licks dog

(5) Fire hydrant grows big and scares dog

(6) Fire hydrant sprays dog with water

...were there any more? Is my memory playing tricks on me, or was there another one with the three 1950s singers where they bumped heads and then exchanged heads with one another?

Somewhere down the line I also seem to recall that there was another set of these coming out of the breaks where instead of "after these messages, we'll be right back," it was "and now, back to the show." I saw these later on, because for some time when they'd go back to a show after a break, the bumper would be specific to the particular show.

So I guess my questions are:

(1) When were these actually made, and what years were they used?

(2) Any others missing from the list above?

(3) How about "and now back to the show?"

Thanks!

[Marty26]

Actually, they started using those bumpers in 1988. Two years later, they replaced them with the Saturday Morning Posse. And then they brought them back around 1995-ish.

Anyway, that listing of bumpers seems to be about right.

[rrfan3267]

Also, the bumper with the 50s singers switching heads is real. :)

[Studio Toledo]

These bumpers never had "and now back to ..." as the shows themselves usually had their own title card break bumper lead-outs instead.

[Snowpeck II]

The switching heads one is the only one not on your list, and it is real. The shows themselves had "And now back to..." bumpers. However, when they brought back the jingle in 1993 with the "Bump in the Night" characters, there was a "Back to the Show" version.

Greg

[MarkTheShark]

The switching heads one is the only one not on your list, and it is real. The shows themselves had "And now back to..." bumpers. However, when they brought back the jingle in 1993 with the "Bump in the Night" characters, there was a "Back to the Show" version.

Greg

Thanks...I could have sworn (or affirmed) that I remembered that one because I seem to recall my late ex-girlfriend being creeped out by that one. I also could swear that there was a "and now back to the show" version that showed up later, but usually, the back-to-show bumper would be specific to whatever show was on.

Thanks! Maybe I can find that "switching heads" one around here somewhere. I found a few Bugs Bunny & Tweety Shows, but when I recorded them, I cut out all the breaks. D'oh!

[MarkTheShark]

These bumpers never had "and now back to ..." as the shows themselves usually had their own title card break bumper lead-outs instead.

Usually not, but I remember at one point seeing them -- much later on, and I remember being surprised to see them.

[Matthew Hunter]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PulgdPYQiFg

[The Silver Fox]

i seem to remember the bumpers starting to be used in the 87/88 season with bump in the night characters as well as the list mention.

At this time ABC still ran the Schoolhouse Rock, with Rocky opening (spoofed on Family ), they both ran till the 89 season then SHR was
retired till the fall of 90 when it returned for a few weeks before it made its final bow. (returning for a encore in fall of 93) The Clamation bumpers were retired around 1994 when Disney was in the beginings of purchasing ABC.

[MarkTheShark]

i seem to remember the bumpers starting to be used in the 87/88 season with bump in the night characters as well as the list mention.

At this time ABC still ran the Schoolhouse Rock, with Rocky opening (spoofed on Family ), they both ran till the 89 season then SHR was
retired till the fall of 90 when it returned for a few weeks before it made its final bow. (returning for a encore in fall of 93) The Clamation bumpers were retired around 1994 when Disney was in the beginings of purchasing ABC.

I recall Schoolhouse Rock being gone by the mid-1980s, then resurfacing on these Gawdawful VHS tapes hosted by Cloris Leachman and a bunch of obnoxious kids, doing bits in between the segments. Then one Saturday morning in the fall of 1992, I was shocked to catch one after Bugs Bunny & Tweety. I definitely have some of the Claymation bumpers recorded both in 1988 and 1995.

[Marty26]

I think the claymation bumpers may have actually been retired in Fall, 1997. IIRC, that was when ABC began using those Toy Story bumpers (or was that in the Fall of 1996?).

[nickramer]

The Toy Story bumpers appeared in 1996. I like those segments even though Buzz and Woody were voiced by different actors (some of the Pixar staff?).

[J. J. Hunsecker]

I think those bumbers were animated at Olive Jar Studios, (http://newenglandfilm.com/news/archives/99july/olivejar.htm) which was located in Boston. The studio was created in 1984 and shut its doors in 2000. They did several bumbers for Nickelodeon and Mtv, too.

[Marty26]

The Toy Story bumpers appeared in 1996. I like those segments even though Buzz and Woody were voiced by different actors (some of the Pixar staff?).

That would make more sense, since Toy Story was (finally) released on video in the Fall of 1996. I guess those bumpers were made to commemorate the event. ABC, I think, used them until about 2000. Correct?