CARMEL, Calif. — TV cartoon artist Alexander Anderson Jr., creator of Rocky the flying squirrel and Bullwinkle the moose, has died. He was 90.
I can remember, as a youngster, sitting in front of the TV every Saturday morning and watching this classic show, the crazy plots, the smart squirrel prodding the not so smart moose. I have watched is as an adult as well, hearing all the puns and references that were inserted for adults, that just flew by our young ears. What a great, topical and pioneering show. If this show is on syndication, and you have not had a chance to see it, you must.
Anderson’s son Terry tells the Los Angeles Times that his father died at a Carmel nursing home on Friday after battling Alzheimer’s disease. The elder Anderson was a longtime resident of Pebble Beach.
Anderson had teamed up with his childhood friend and former UC Berkeley,fraternity brother Jay Ward to make low-budget TV cartoons, and they certainly succeeded.
Their creations also included Crusader Rabbit and his pal Rags the Tiger and Dudley Do-Right of the Mounties.
The syndicated “Crusader Rabbit” became the first animated TV series in the 1950s. “Rocky and His Friends” debuted in 1959 on ABC.
Thank you to Alexander for leaving behind this wonderful legacy.