The Enchanted World of Rankin-Bass News

JANUARY 2006 NEWS!

Happy New Year From Father Time!

Father Time as he looks today

HAPPY NEW YEAR from FATHER TIME ~ as he looks today! The old man has come a long way since he was voiced by Red Skelton in 1973's RUDOLPH'S SHINY NEW YEAR, but he still looks great!

One Star In The Night

By popular demand! Many fans have written us requesting the lyrics to the song, One Star In The Night, featured in the Rankin/Bass holiday classic The Little Drummer Boy. R/B composer Maury Laws was kind enough to respond to your demands! So, here we present, at your request...the official lyrics to One Star In The Night!
One Star In The Night
Music by Maury Laws
Lyrics by Jules Bass
One Star In The Night
Singing silently,
You can hear the music if you listen with your heart.
One Star In The Night
Shown o’er Bethlehem, Magic in the moment when that lonely star began its lovely song.
Angel’s lulaby
On that holy night,
Sung unto a Savior who was born beneath its glow.
One Star In The Night
Rainbow in the dark,
One night to remember; that peaceful night the King of Kings was born.

Miser Bros. Press To Publish Chicago Kid's TV Book By Rick Goldschmidt!

Behind the scenes at WGN's Bozo's Circus with Bob Bell as Bozo and Ned Locke as Ringmaster Ned

Ray Rayner makes the cover of The Chicago Sun-Times' TV Preview

RICK GOLDSCHMIDT, the foremost authority on Chicago Kid's TV, has recently written a book that will bring back the good old TV days, if you lived in Chicago during the 1960's and 1970's called CHICAGO KID'S TV. He expanded on his many articles from www.tvparty.com and put them into 217 pages of book with over 500 images (Quite a number in color).

Behind the scenes at WGN's Dick Tracy Show with Ray Rayner hosting as Officer Pettibone

If you saw the show 'BOZO, GAR and RAY' over the Holidays on WGN-TV, this is more of the same PLUS many other shows that were broadcast on Chicago TV for kids and even adults! Shows like SVENGOOLIE starring Jerry G. Bishop, BJ & DIRTY DRAGON on CARTOON TOWN starring Bill Jackson and much, much more!

A vintage article about Bozo's Circus Clutch Cargo Bobbleheads

Rick was also assisted by many other experts and TV Historians from the Chicagoland area. Look for a CHRISTMAS 2006 Release!

WGN Studios

Rick is also assisting with a book on the hit TV Series I SPY starring ROBERT CULP and BILL COSBY! This book has the involvement of all the surviving cast members and crew too! Some time back Rick assisted with EARLE HAGEN's I SPY Soundtrack CD release from FILM SCORE MONTHLY. This book will have Excellent images and the support of CULP and COSBY!

Robert Culp and Bill Cosby in I Spy

Bozo the Clown in
The Year Without A Santa Claus?

Rick's friend Pat Kotz has made a wondrous Christmas/Bozo discovery. While viewing "The Year Without A Santa Claus" recently, he noticed a Bozo-like figure in the background. He captured the image on his computer and sent it to us (actual screen capture pictured above). He believes it is a Kohner push puppet like the one he has pictured in the insert. The animators must have covered up the silver Push Puppet Bozo label because of the reflection.
Very cool! Thanks, Pat!

Clutch Cargo and Patrick Owsley!

DVD cover art by Patrick Owsley

Check out the awesome cover by our friend and talented artist Patrick Owsley for the new Clutch Cargo DVD! Patrick has contributed to both this website as well as the two books, and we're always happy to show off his latest work!

Nestle Does Rankin/Bass' Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town!

During the Holidays 2005, NESTLE Chocolate did a series of candy based on the RANKIN/BASS TV Classic SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN' TO TOWN to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the holiday special, which aired on the ABC-TV Network for the first time in year!. There was a nice plastic figure of SANTA on top of a clear tube with NESTLE CRUNCH Christmas bells inside. You can still pick some of this candy in WALGREEN's during their 50% off sales.

Rick's Denver Post Interview!

Rick was interviewed back in December '05 for The Denver Post for an article titled "Scary Christmas!" shout Rankin-Bass specials By Michael Booth. The article deals with how some people are simply creeped out about the Rankin/Bass holiday specials! Insightful and funny, it certainly shows how we each have our own unique perspectives on the world! Like it says in the article "One person's creepy is another's charming"! It's refreshing to see the world of Rankin/Bass through a different set of eyes! And, yes, we admit it....sometimes they are a little creepy!
Click here to read the article at DenverPost.com

Jack Davis' Christmas Card!

Here's the Christmas Card we received from Rankin/Bass character designer Jack Davis! Jack designed all of the characters in Mad Monster Party, but many of you will also recognize Jack's work as a featured artist in MAD Magazine, as well as movie posters and advertisements. We love Jack's work and appreciate his holiday greetings!

Paul Coker's Christmas Card!

Here's the Christmas Card we received from Rankin/Bass character designer Paul Coker! Paul designed all of the characters in Frosty the Snowman and many other R/B holiday specials, but many of you will also recognize Paul's work as he was also a featured artist in MAD Magazine. We love Paul's work and appreciate his holiday greetings!
(DISCLAIMER: PAUL COKER's views are not necessarily those of RANKIN/BASS PRODUCTIONS or of RICK and MARK at RANKINBASS.COM)

Paul Coker's Christmas Card

Kirsten Ulve's Christmas Card!

Here's the Christmas Card we received via email from artist Kirsten Ulve! Kirsten has contributed to both The Enchanted World of Rankin/Bass book, and the Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Making of a Rankin/Bass Cassic book. She's one of our favorite artists and we appreciate her holiday wishes!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

- Rick and Mark