Slightly OT: Classic TV Cartoon Characters Who Should Have Been In Roger Rabbit

[speedy fast]

This post was partially inspired by some talk in the recent thread about Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

What classic cartoon characters who were made for television do you feel should have been in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

Here is who I think should have been in it:

The Flinstones and Rubbles
The Jetsons
Rocky and Bullwinkle
Boris and Natasha
Dudley Do-Right
Mr. Peabody and Sherman
Yogi Bear and Boo Boo
Huckleberry Hound
The Chipmunks (in their "Alvin Show" incarnations)
Beany and Cecil

[Brundledan]

Not to be a killjoy, but NO television cartoon characters belonged in Roger Rabbit. The movie takes place in 1947.

-Dan

[PlopKat]

I like ALL the characters you mention but the only ones on your list I would have been tempted to include in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" are Beany & Cecil (primarily because of the Bob Clampett connection).

Also, I would be inclined to add Crusader Rabbit and Rags the Tiger to the group at the end. They were among the first made-for-TV cartoons. However, they were so animated so minimally they sure would have stuck out in that fully animated crowd, and not in a good way.

-PlopKat

[Jon Cooke]

I agree... TV characters would have been WAY out of place in RR.

It would have been neat to see more theaterical guys like Popeye, Tom & Jerry, the Terrytoons gang, etc, though.


-Jon

[mmtper]

Not to be a killjoy, but NO television cartoon characters belonged in Roger Rabbit. The movie takes place in 1947.

-Dan

Maybe if they were all in baby buggies?:p :)

[Brundledan]

Maybe if they were all in baby buggies?:p :)

How about not....

http://www.antoniogenna.net/doppiaggio/anim/flintstonekids.jpg

[Studio Toledo]

I agree... TV characters would have been WAY out of place in RR.
TV also wasn't terribly in high demand yet as of '47 as well (probably only two or three stations were on the air in LA by then).

It would have been neat to see more theaterical guys like Popeye, Tom & Jerry, the Terrytoons gang, etc, though.


-Jon
True, somehow have :fox: and :crow: in my head too!

[ltnut]

I agree that TV characters would be out of place since TV was in the beginning stages in 1947. But something I've wondered after seeing Roger Rabbit on TCM is why was Droopy the only MGM character? It looks like at least Tom & Jerry would have been in it as well. Also, why was Betty Boop the only Fleischer/Paramount character? I understand why Popeye or Superman might not be in it since either of them could stomp Judge Doom. But why wouldn't they have had other Paramount characters like Casper, Little Lulu, or Little Audrey?

[JPox]

True, television 'toons would be out of place, but according to how 'toon culture was heading, (e.g. Speedy Gonzales is present when he is not set to appear in pictures until 1953....) there should have been some kind of hint of what was to come. (e.g. Hanna Barbera's Ruff & Reddy appeared in 1957....)

But going off topic a little, in the graphic novel, "The Ressurection of Doom" ( a sort of continuing story after the movie... ) there is a hint of limited-animation when Roger takes a job on a television show. The director just wants Roger to turn his head and move his lips, nothing else! Roger can't help but stretch 'n squash 'n move so he ends up getting fired.

[J. B. Warner]

But going off topic a little, in the graphic novel, "The Ressurection of Doom" ( a sort of continuing story after the movie... ) there is a hint of limited-animation when Roger takes a job on a television show. The director just wants Roger to turn his head and move his lips, nothing else! Roger can't help but stretch 'n squash 'n move so he ends up getting fired.

Man, I've got to find this graphic novel someday...

[JPox]

Here's a shot of the cover and a couple of pages of the story.
This was produced in 1989. So I don't know? Maybe your local comic shop, book store, or ebay maybe?

[RetroMan]

Wow! That novel must be worth every penny! And it shows the main reason for which TV characters wouldn't work on a movie like WFRR - Everything about them is flat, they almost look like paper cutouts (and then there's the limited animation). It wouldn't look right even if the movie were set in the 1960's.

Can you imagine if So White and de sebben dwarfs had a cameo here?

[J. B. Warner]

Ooh, that book does look fascinating. I do believe that I shall try to track it down.

[Studio Toledo]

Wow! That novel must be worth every penny! And it shows the main reason for which TV characters wouldn't work on a movie like WFRR - Everything about them is flat, they almost look like paper cutouts (and then there's the limited animation). It wouldn't look right even if the movie were set in the 1960's.
Only amused someone in '89 made such a good statement there!

[The Silver Fox]

orginally there was to be a sequal made but the idea did not fly to long, as with The Rescures Part 3.

But a in a fan fiction world i can see maybe it set in 1986 or 1990, were Rodger could see how the industry has changed.
in a part here set in this time i can see
Fintstones
Gummi Bears
Care Bears
Jetsons
Rocky and bullwinkle
TN Tuxedo
Underdog
Gadget
Zipper
Garfield
Rescue Rangers
ducktales Crew
Baloo
Tale Spin Crew
and alot more....

[FleischerFan]

Really, only Popeye and Tom & Jerry should have been included somewhere in WFRR. The TV Toons would have been horribly anachronistic and not meshed with the style of the film at all.

"The Resurrection of Doom" was produced by Marvel Comics and shouldn't be hard to find. They also did a graphic novel adaptation of the film.

When Disney got back into the comic business themselves (albeit briefly), they also published both "Roger Rabbit" (18 issues) and "Roger Rabbit's Toontown" (5 issues). There is also a "Roger Rabbit in 3-D" one-shot comic that's very hard to track down (I think it only came in a pre-pack available through Wal-Marts).

If you've never read it, I would also recommend Gary Wolf's original novel "Who Censored Roger Rabbit?" It was the basis for the film, but you'll find quite a few differences.

[Daffysleftfoot]

I would have liked to have seen Gertie the Dinosaur in that flick. Although maybe she was and I missed her. :o

[Geezil]

Can you imagine if So White and de sebben dwarfs had a cameo here?

Yep! And then Leonard Maltin would have been rounded up to do yet another intro for the "WFRR" DVD set. ;)

[The Silver Fox]

Unforturally, WCRR is no longer Published, i tried to find this a few years ago. Are they avaible on Ebay?



Really, only Popeye and Tom & Jerry should have been included somewhere in WFRR. The TV Toons would have been horribly anachronistic and not meshed with the style of the film at all.

"The Resurrection of Doom" was produced by Marvel Comics and shouldn't be hard to find. They also did a graphic novel adaptation of the film.

When Disney got back into the comic business themselves (albeit briefly), they also published both "Roger Rabbit" (18 issues) and "Roger Rabbit's Toontown" (5 issues). There is also a "Roger Rabbit in 3-D" one-shot comic that's very hard to track down (I think it only came in a pre-pack available through Wal-Marts).

If you've never read it, I would also recommend Gary Wolf's original novel "Who Censored Roger Rabbit?" It was the basis for the film, but you'll find quite a few differences.

[JDWeil]

Well Spielberg has said that tried to get Felix the Cat but that he found that licensing fee was too high.

[Brundledan]

Yep! And then Leonard Maltin would have been rounded up to do yet another intro for the "WFRR" DVD set. ;)

A 45-minute intro that we would not be allowed to fast-forward through, skip past, or lower the volume on. :D

-Dan

[Brundledan]

Unforturally, WCRR is no longer Published, i tried to find this a few years ago. Are they avaible on Ebay?

It shouldn't be too hard to find -- a few years ago I bought a copy through Ebay from Gary Wolf himself. :)

Fans should also try to dig up the sequel, WHO P-P-PLUGGED ROGER RABBIT?

-Dan

[doctoon]

I would have loved to have seen an historic racial take on Toon Town in 1947--like having Li'l Eightball, Harman-Ising's Bosko, the CLEAN PASTURES truant, the black Tom and Jerry maid, the black Little Lulu maid, the ANGEL PUSS boy, So White, the TIN PAN ALLEY CATS lead, the black Little Audrey maid, Buzzy the Crow, or Jasper riding the "colored" section of a bus or train or being refused service in the place where Betty Boop was working.

[frizfrelengfan]

Since WFRR was a tribute to the golden age, the TV characters would have looked terribly out of place. However, it would have been interesting to see (at least in cameos) some of the characters from the silent era such as Gertie the Dinosaur, Farmer Al Falfa, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and KoKo the Clown.

[J Lee]

If you wanted to fudge the issue, you could have snuck Crusader Rabbit and Ragland T. Tiger (http://bullwinkle.toonzone.net/crusader.htm) into the original "Roger Rabbit", along with the prototypes for Rocky & Bullwinkle and Dudley Do-Right, since they were all developed in 1948 by Jay Ward and Alex Anderson

On the other hand, a sequel set around 1958 or so, with the theatrical industry dying and some TV producer trying to lure Jessica Rabbit (as opposed to Roger) into a limited animation series, would offer up an opening for a film that could use the early made-for-TV characters and have a halfway decent plotline.

[Studio Toledo]

Well Spielberg has said that tried to get Felix the Cat but that he found that licensing fee was too high.
Funny if the Oriolo Family demanded such a big fee. (at least they got away with that cat's image above the tunnel to Toontown)

[Studio Toledo]

Unforturally, WCRR is no longer Published, i tried to find this a few years ago. Are they avaible on Ebay?
I think someone out there put the whole book online for those to read.

[Studio Toledo]

I would have loved to have seen an historic racial take on Toon Town in 1947--like having Li'l Eightball, Harman-Ising's Bosko, the CLEAN PASTURES truant, the black Tom and Jerry maid, the black Little Lulu maid, the ANGEL PUSS boy, So White, the TIN PAN ALLEY CATS lead, the black Little Audrey maid, Buzzy the Crow, or Jasper riding the "colored" section of a bus or train or being refused service in the place where Betty Boop was working.
Why would that be VERY interesting? I'd buy it!

[FleischerFan]

Both of Wolf's Roger Rabbit books are available through Amazon. While out of print, Amazon's private sellers have editions of both books available for sale.