Pogo

Pogo was the title of a long-running daily comic strip created by Walt Kelly, as well as the name of its principal character. Pogo, set in the Georgia section of the Okefenokee Swamp, often engaged in social and political satire through the adventures of the strip's funny animals. The strip also used much slapstick physical humor; the same series of strips could often be enjoyed by young children and by savvy adults on different levels.

Other media

Pogo quickly branched out from the comic pages into other media, although not quite to the degree of many contemporary comic strips. Some attribute the comparative paucity of material to Kelly's pickiness about the quality of merchandise attached to his characters.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Music

An LP called Songs Of The Pogo was released in 1956, collecting a number of Kelly's verses (most of which had previously appeared in Pogo books) set to music by both Kelly and orchestra leader Norman Monath.

Related Topics:
LP - 1956 - Orchestra

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

While professional singers provided most of the vocals on the album, Kelly himself contributed lead vocals on two tracks: Go Go Pogo (for which he also composed the music), and Lines Upon A Tranquil Brow. He also contributed a spoken portion for Man's Best Friend.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Songs Of The Pogo was released on compact disc in 2004, including previously unreleased material.

Related Topics:
Compact disc - 2004

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Animation

Three animated cartoons were created based on Pogo.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The first, Pogo's Special Birthday Special was produced by animator Chuck Jones in honor of the Comic Strip's twentieth anniversary in 1968. It starred June Foray as the voice of both Pogo and Miss Mam'selle. The general consensus is that the special, produced for NBC Television, failed to capture the charm of the comic strip and is generally dismissed by fans.

Related Topics:
Chuck Jones - June Foray

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Walt and Selby Kelly themselves wrote and animated We Have Met the Enemy, And He Is Us in 1970, largely due to Kelly's dissatisfaction with the Birthday Special. The short, with its anti-pollution message, was animated by hand, and some have blamed the strain of the project on worsening Kelly's health and hastening his death three years later. The storyboards for the cartoon formed the first half of the book of the same title.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1980, the motion picture I Go Pogo was released. Directed by Marc Paul Chinoy, this stop motion animation (or "Claymation") picture featured the voices of Skip Hinnant as Pogo; Ruth Buzzi as Miz Beaver and Miss Mam'sell; Stan Freberg as Albert; Arnold Stang as Churchy; Jonathan Winters as Porky, Mole, and Wiley Catt; and Vincent Price as the Deacon. While some fans have embraced the movie, others have dismissed it as (as with the Birthday Special) lacking Kelly's wit and charm.

Related Topics:
Stop motion - Claymation - Skip Hinnant - Ruth Buzzi - Stan Freberg - Arnold Stang - Jonathan Winters - Vincent Price

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

None of the three animated versions of Pogo are currently available on VHS or DVD.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~