Image Entertainment is releasing BOB CLAMPETT'S BEANY AND CECIL: THE
SPECIAL EDITION DVD on October 12, 1999 in the US. Created by Robert
Clampett, BEANY AND CECIL, about the adventures of a sea sick sea serpent
and his pal, Beany, began as a live broadcast puppet show, TIME FOR BEANY,
in the 1950s, before being re-done as an animated series in the early
1960s. There was also a brief revival for Saturday morning television in
the 1980s. The DVD will include a dozen of the original Beany and Cecil
cartoons from 1962, including THE MONSTROUS MONSTER, BEANY AND THE BOO
BIRDS, SO WHAT AND THE SEVEN WHAT NOTS, SUPER CECIL, SPOTS OFF A LEOPARD,
THE WILDMAN OF WILDSVILLE, BEANYLAND, THE MAD ISLE OF MADHATTAN, CECIL
MEETS THE SINGING DINOSAUR, DIRTY POOL, DJ THE DJ, and THERE'S NO SUCH
THING AS A SEA SERPENT. The DVD will also include a huge amount of bonus
material, including: the original MATTY'S FUNNIES (the show during which
BEANY AND CECIL cartoons were first shown) opening in color, and a couple
of the original MATTY'S FUNNIES bumpers; four full episodes of TIME FOR
BEANY that have not been seen since their original airing fifty years ago;
additional unique clips from TIME FOR BEANY; a full episode of THUNDERBOLT
THE WONDERCOLT; a musical number from THE WILLY THE WOLF SHOW; a
fund-raiser promotional film featuring the Mr. Peepers Wolf puppet and a
sexy live-action little Red Riding Hood; backstage and home movies from
TIME FOR BEANY and THUNDERBOLT; Bob Clampett's first television interview;
and other early home movies. It will also include a section called "The
Lost Work," which will include ten projects Clampett developed, but never
released to the public. These projects span fifty years from the 1930s
through the 1970s, and include work with Sheriff John, June Foray, Paul
Frees, Edgar Bergen; tests for a 3D Beany and Cecil Puppet Feature in the
early 1950s; live-action heads on cartoon bodies featuring Judy Canova,
Billy Gilbert, Verna Felton, and the voice of Mel Blanc. There is also an
audio oral history from Bob Clampett speaking about his career that was
edited by Milt Gray, and an audio commentary from Stan Freberg, who, with
Daws Butler, did the voices on TIME FOR BEANY, talking in depth about the
experience of working on TIME FOR BEANY, and a commentary from Walker
Edmiston talking about Beany and his work on THUNDERBOLT and WILLY THE
WOLF. There is also a story session recording of a very special TIME FOR
BEANY episode where Bob Clampett and staff create a satire of the McCarthy
hearings. There are even over 550 stills! The disc's producer, Rob
Clampett, Jr., also promises some surprises. All this for only US$29.99
suggested retail.


The September 1999 issue of Animation World Magazine will feature the first
of a two part article by Robert Story about Beany and Cecil and Robert
Clampett.