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Crusader Rabbit

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TV Series

The Resume

    (August 1, 1950-December 1, 1959)
    Syndicated (through to 1979)
    Lucille Bliss as Crusader Rabbit (Series 1, 195 black-and-white episodes, 1950–1952)
    Vern Louden as Ragland T. Tiger (aka ‘Rags’ ‘Larry’ Tiger)
    Russ Coughlan as Dudley Nightshade
    Roy Whaley as the Narrator
    Ge Ge Pearson as Crusader Rabbit (Series 2, 260 color episodes, 1956–1959)
    The exploits of a short white Don Quixote-like rabbit and a tall tiger in ‘the first animated series produced specifically for television’
    Created by Jay Ward and Alex Anderson

Why Crusader Rabbit might be annoying:

    It was initially pitched to NBC as part of a Comic Strips of Television package (which they rejected).
    All of the first series episodes – running between 15 and 30 chapters each – started their titles with ‘Crusader.’
    The Bliss series, particularly, was limited animation to the core — almost entirely made up of static imagery and narration.
    Contrary to lore, there were other villains besides Nightshade.
    The first series collapsed in numerous lawsuits, not the least of which was borrowed production money that wasn’t repaid. (Two ‘crusades’ would be left unreleased.)

Why Crusader Rabbit might not be annoying:

    Nevertheless, the New York and Los Angeles affiliates of NBC would run both series to 1967.
    Unlike Peter Rabbit, the characters of the Crusader universe were conceived to have contrary appearances to their personalities (with Rags being something of a coward).
    Anderson originally pitched the rabbit as a donkey, to his uncle’s Terrytoons studio. (The animators didn’t want to draw donkeys, but his uncle kept the new character.)
    The second-season episodes – also using the movie serial format and premise – would be edited into hour-long programs.
    Among the many subsequent television animated character packages inspired by its success would be Rocky & Bullwinkle — also a Ward / Anderson collab.

Credit: Cool It All Right?


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