Blue Spruce Junction

Spot The Flub*

2011-07-20T08:20:00.002+01:00

*Earth to Mill Creek Ent'- It's Woolma Lamb! (Thudwits)

2011-05-04T14:31:00.000+01:00

DVD Ahoy!

2011-04-28T08:35:00.000+01:00

More info-morsels about the Cookie Jar/Mill Creek Get Along Gang DVD release have just emerged.

Massive hat-tip once more to Tristan Enorme .

Timey Wimey Team

2011-04-20T14:27:00.000+01:00

From G.A.G. #69 (Marvel U.K., 1986)

Elisabeth Sladen (1948-2011)

A Counterblast Against Idiocy

2011-03-19T10:34:00.002Z

Did you enjoy that?

Good :)

Now let me draw your attention to something that needs to be shouted from every rooftop in the Galaxy...

Big hat tip to Tristan Enorme.

Love Train

2011-02-14T12:37:00.000Z

Trivia: On February 14 1984, "The Get Along Gang" were officially launched at the New York International Toy Fair.

It's That Time of Year Again...

2010-12-09T15:57:00.001Z

...so what better excuse to post this festive scene from 1986;

,and a little musical number from one of this blogger's all time British Comedy Heroes to go with it.

http://www.mitchbenn.com/

G.A.G. DVD In The Pipeline?

2010-10-30T12:59:00.002+01:00

It's a way off yet and Those ~~Stingy Bastards~~ Characters From Cleveland haven't yet had their say in the matter but it looks like Mill Creek Entertainment and Cookie Jar might just be bringing "The Best of the Get Along Gang" to DVD,(Region 1), next year.

Stay tuned for further details...

Sugar Candy Mountain Buddies

2010-08-18T16:22:00.009+01:00

Another succulent treat from Marvel U.K.'s weekly Get Along Gang comic...:-)

Swap Shop

2010-04-01T08:42:00.002+01:00

Getting dressed in a hurry and in the dark can be risky, especially on April the 1st...

Back on the Radar...

2010-02-13T12:19:00.010Z

...For now, at least.

It's too early to tell if this will amount to anything much or what we'll end up with, if it does.

Original art at http://www.codeproject.com/KB/grid/DrawingRadarDisplayWithCS/Radar1.jpg

Lord of the 'Boards

2009-10-25T09:10:00.006Z

Just a quick post to flag up this little gem on ex-DiC Get Along Gang storyboarder Jim Smith's blog. No not the big bloke with the axe and a slight anger management problem, brilliant though it is. Scroll down a bit... no just a bit further... there, yes that one. (Phew! You readers are such hard work at times.* )

It looks to be from "Get Along Gang Minus One"**, where Bingo "Bet it All" Beaver finds out he's moving house but can't convince his buddies that this time it's the truth and not just another scam...

*Yes, both of you.
**If anyone knows different feel free to comment.

Five Things I Hate About the G.A.G. Pilot Episode

2009-09-01T06:41:00.015+01:00

I agree with the majority, that Nelvana generally did a great job of animating The Get Along Gang TV special. However, there are still a few elements of it I'm glad DiC didn't use in the series proper:

1. Your mileage may vary over DiC's Montgomery Moose but at least he didn't sound like Foghorn Leghorn. On Helium.

2. Making Leland Lizard part chameleon was a cool idea. Making him more irritating than Scrappy Doo, Jar Jar Binks, PeeWee Herman and a ton of itching powder combined? Not so much. That trilling, gargling sound he makes instead of actually speaking doesn't help...

3. Bingo "bet it all" Beaver. Yes, its the voice again. Nails down a blackboard or rusty gate hinge? You be the judge.

4. We're the Get Along choir, hi how are you
enjoying the show?, now it's our job to
Add a totally unnecessary running commentary
to what's happening on screen
despite the fact that you can see

It perfectly well, thanks all the same
and by about now we really can't blame
You for getting mad and wishing that we'd fall under a bus
'cause there's few things quite so grating
as intrusive voice-overs

5."Bing bang bong..." No, Dotty Dog, that's just rubbish. Here, take this stack of foolscap and a biro and write out "I will not make cheers that suck harder than a bagpipe powered vacuum cleaner.", twenty thousand times. Then go stand in the Naughty Corner, next to the person who did the voice casting.

The Traducers

2009-03-21T14:43:00.015Z

A common charge brought against characters like "The Get Along Gang", is that they preach "The Complainer is always Wrong, the Group is Always Right" thanks largely to the screen/comic writing colossus and generally decent bloke that is Mark Evanier posting this and this on his website.

Alas most, if not all online talk about the show seems to be dominated by those keen to brag about how "individualistic" they are and how resistant they were to the programme's alleged message. None appear to have taken Evanier's advice about thinking for yourself and not always doing what everyone else is doing just because everyone else is doing it.

Here's a mad idea, instead of following the herd and blindly parrotting someone else's opinion of the cartoon, why don't all you "individualists" out there check out a few episodes for yourselves and form your own!

Nobody's Fool

2008-09-28T12:01:00.003+01:00

Paul Newman, 1925-2008

Let's De-Motivate!

2008-09-21T05:29:00.003+01:00

Find more here , including the above, and make your own at Despair.com .

Stuffed

2008-09-13T12:29:00.007+01:00

Partly inspired by Cornelia Parker's "Breathless" .

Toy Time

2008-09-12T15:08:00.002+01:00

When I was sick and lay abed
I had two pillows at my head
And all my toys beside me lay
To keep me happy all the day

Robert Louis Stevenson 1850 - 1894

Ilkley Toy Museum

Avenue of Tropes

2008-06-25T07:18:00.027+01:00

At last, the Get Along Gang or at least the Sat-AM cartoon series, has it's own page on tvtropes.org but sadly, as you can see, it's ~~mostly~~ a load of old pish, posted by turdwits. Guys, if you're gonna make fun of the Gang, at least try to be funny...

There are so many G.A.G. related tropes that could be there*:

Merchandise Driven
Somewhat.

Crowning Moment Of Heartwarming
"The Bullies"
"Head In The Clouds"
"Zipper's Millions"
"Woolma's Birthday"
Most episodes in fact...:)

Amusing Injuries, Slapstick, Toon Physics
More than you'd think, given the type of show some have accused it of being. It has moments that come close,(see above) but Barney it ain't.

Inevitable Waterfall
"Camp Get Along"
"Caboose On The Loose"

Pinball Gag
Portia Porcupine in "The Wrong Stuff"

Shout Out
"Half a Map is Better Than None"
A wall carving in the Mole-Tec temple spells out the initials AG.
Some of Green Meadow's businesses are named after the show's background artists, Bridget Bottorf, Ted Blackman and Joe Pearson.

Applied Phlebotinum
"Montgomery's Mechanical Marvel"
(Hermie the Robot and his control box.)
"A Pinch Of This, A Dash Of That"
("Anti-gravity" paint)
"Engineer Roary"
(The old firewagon)
The Clubhouse Caboose

Food Fight,Covered In Gunge
"Caboose On The Loose"
(Leland Lizard with a big cake, although it's meant for Bingo.)
"Follow The Leader"
(Catchum Crocodile and Leland Lizard's comeuppance, with an even bigger cake. The Mother of All Cakes to be exact.)
"That's the Way the Cookie Crumbles"
(The whole Gang, with flour.)
"The Bullies"
(Montgomery Moose becomes "Moose a la Mode" when the Pig Sisters work him over with a can of aerosol cream and a handful of cherries.)

Kent Brockman News
"Nose for News", naturally.

Cultural Cross Reference
"Pick Of the Litter"
Bingo gives a Tarzan yell as he swings across The Old Swimming Hole on a rope.
"The Get Along Detectives"
The gang watch a movie called the Maltese Duck, starring Dogey and Fifi Bacall.
"Get Along Gang Go Hollywood"
A lobby poster for "The Maltese Duck" appears in one scene.
"Half A Map Is Better Than None"
Pretty much the whole episode is a ten minute nod to Indiana Jones, particularly "Raiders of the Lost Ark" .
"Them's The Brakes"
The Clubhouse Caboose jumps a gap in the tracks like the mine car in "Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom". Also has a "perilous mine car ride" sequence of its own.

Tree Buchet
"Zipper's Millions"
Used to catapult Zipper to the rescue of Dotty, Bingo, Woolma and Portia as they careen down a steep slope towards a cliff edge and certain doom. In a house.

Alliterative Name, Species Surname
Most of the characters.

Big Ball of Violence
"The Bullies"

Cross Dressing Voices
Bingo Beaver - Marla Lukofsky (Nelvana)
Zipper Cat - Robbie Lee (DiC)

Four Fingered Hands
Most characters, most of the time.

Limited Wardrobe
"Snowbound Showdown".(Lampshaded)

No O.S.H.A. Compliance
Dear God, too many to mention. Let's just say it's a good job they're cartoon characters...

No Mouth
"A Pinch of This, a Dash of That"
Portia Porcupine, by mistake.

No Fourth Wall
"The Get Along Gang Detectives"
DOTTY DOG: If the thieves are in this building, we'll make sure they never get out!
PORTIA PORCUPINE: And if they do get out, we'll make sure they never get back in again... (Dotty turns and stares at the camera in disbelief/bafflement)
The credit sequence (DiC)
(Towards the end, the Gang all turn and wave to the camera.)

Character Derailment
Dotty Dog, to a small degree. She was the gang's mechanical and scientific genius in the Nelvana produced pilot episode and some of the G.A.G. storybooks. In the regular series that talent belongs to Montgomery Moose.

Drowning My Sorrows
"Bingo's Pen Pal"
(parodied)

(*Yes I know, it's a WIKI, so why don't I just edit them in myself? Don't think the thought hadn't crossed my mind but each time it tried, two words barred the way - Edit War. Frankly, life's short enough as it is without wasting time and keystrokes arguing with the insane.)

The Hat Comes Back

2008-05-22T17:06:00.006+01:00

indianajones.com

Teetering On the Brink...

2008-03-26T14:46:00.005Z

...of bankruptcy.

No, not this blog, or it's owner, (yet). The -

FIVE LEAST SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES IN THE GET ALONG GANG UNIVERSE

Inspired by:
The Five Most Profitable Companies in the Star Wars Galaxy
by Lore Sjöberg

We're Gonna Need a Bigger Blog...

2008-02-11T13:26:00.000Z

From Get Along Gang issues #59 and #61 (Marvel UK, 1986).

Roy Scheider 1932-2008

Get Anim8ted!

2008-01-12T11:56:00.000Z

Here's a little something made with a bit of free CGI software called Anim8tor.

(Don't ask me why, but I have an enormous soft spot for this particular cartoon pratfall.)

EDIT: Those sound FX and many more, including the wonderfully named "Hoyt's Boing", can be downloaded from Sounddogs.com. You have to pay for full membership but there are many free previews available.(Primarily MP3.)

David Gantz 1922-2007

2007-12-18T13:53:00.000Z

Read more about David Gantz's long and diverse career, which included illustrating The Get Along Gang and the New Neighbor (sic) for Scholastic Inc in 1984, from which the above picture is taken, on Mark Evanier's blog.

Holiday Showtime

2007-12-05T15:58:00.000Z

Here are some scans of the 1985 "Ice Around the World" show programme. That year, costumed performers portrayed the Get Along Gang and their nemeses Catchum Crocodile and Leland Lizard, as part of the entertainment.

Also among the many delightful spectacles on offer was a musical number based the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. (The rights to the Byford Dolphin Accident must have been tied up or something...)

Mean Green Meadow

2007-10-17T18:10:00.000+01:00

Keep 'em coming, Am' Greetings! Flora's used hat stall always needs new stock and her new "pal" always needs FRESH BLOOD!!!

Here's a butcher's at the real thing, from the 1986 Frank Oz version of "Little Shop". (N.B. Clip contains the occasional very slightly naughty word...)

D.I.V.O.R.C.E.

2007-10-05T07:46:00.001+01:00

Hello,

Thank you for contacting AGKidsZone.com Customer Support.

Currently we do not have plans to bring the get along gang brand back. We may decide to bring this brand back in the future! Please check back periodically for updates on this subject.

Dear AGKidsZone Customer Support.

Thank you for wasting a boatload of cash and several irreplaceable years on something that never stood a chance of returning. We extend our thanks to those artists and writers who laboured to craft an exciting and magical new future for The Gang and to the stunted slime who pulled the plug on it, we extend two fingers.

Yours, royally hacked off,
The Get Along Gang Fanbase.

Support Your Local Library...

2007-10-01T06:50:00.000+01:00

...Just don't hold any noisy Gang meetings there.

www.mikethaler.com
www.jaredlee.com

Scumming Soon...

2007-08-20T00:04:00.000+01:00

Oh dear, it looks like we're in for another nasty outbreak of these before the year is out. They'll probably gross millions. (Count me among them.)

Happy Birthday Yours Truly

2007-07-29T09:16:00.000+01:00

Duck and Cover

2007-06-28T15:22:00.000+01:00

The sleeve art for S'more Entertainment's upcoming DVD of "The Littles" complete series has just been revealed.

EDIT: Phew! News has just gotten out that the horrible sight which lurks behind the above link is not the finished artwork.

Relax-O-Vision

2007-06-03T13:44:00.001+01:00

Here's a little something to counterbalance all the angst and bitterness that's been turning up here lately, lovingly crafted by DreamDancer82, on YouTube.

(Ahhh...that's more like it, the urge to track down certain high ranking suits at A.G.C. and beat them to a pulp is starting to dissipate already.:)

Get Along Canned!

2007-05-27T04:24:00.002+01:00

Sorry folks, S'more Entertainment and DiC's attempt at putting The Get Along Gang on DVD has been vetoed by some besuited trouser cough at American Greetings. ):-(

Sunny Side Up

2007-05-19T07:51:00.000+01:00

www.sunshinedna.com

Pilot Lite

2007-05-15T13:04:00.000+01:00

Click here to see an almost complete version of AGC/Richcrest Animation's New(ish) Get Along Gang pilot episode, on Google Video.

Much of the sound FX and background music are missing and the title sequence appears to be unfinished, (though IMHO, would be perfectly acceptable as is). No word yet on the second pilot episode or any others which might have been in development.

For the time being though, let's all send a ton of thanks and respect to the mighty Sacks10 for putting "Where Have All The Acorns Gone?" on view, at long last. :D

Wait Until September

2007-04-30T13:43:00.000+01:00

DVD purveyors S'more Entertainment recently issued a press statement that may prove of exciting interest to North American fans of the original Get Along Gang SatAM series.

(Missing, no more...:D)

Missing...

2007-02-28T17:42:00.001Z

Slick Campaign

2007-02-25T10:39:00.000Z

This is the promo sheet or "slick" that Joester-Loria used at the 2004 International Licensing Show in New York as part of their attempt to sell the classic Get Along Gang to potential merchandisors.

(Many thanks to my mate Arthur Yee for this image.)

Advent-ures in Toyland

2006-12-22T08:42:00.000Z

O.K., you can stop groaning now.:)
This G.A.G. advent calendar was published in the U.K. circa 1986. Merry Chrimbo, everyone!

Full Steam Ahead!...

2006-12-12T17:36:00.000Z

...for most of American Greetings' other properties, or so it would seem.

It's been the bulk of 3 years since The Get Along Gang's big comeback was first mooted and someone, somewhere must have had fairly convincing evidence that an undisclosed, but no doubt substantial, amount of blood, sweat and tears, not to mention cold hard cash was worth investing in their return from hypersleep.

Unfortunately, the official publicity campaign has consisted of little more than hints and whispers, so far. Anyone would think A.G. had hired Opus Dei to big this up, not one of the licensing industry's Top Guns.

Come on, T.C.F.C,* what's the big hold up? :(

(Read that quote, in context, courtesy of the Wayback Machine, as it's no longer on Joester-Loria's website.)

*Those Characters From Cleveland

Dream Team

2006-12-09T11:36:00.000Z

One 80s icon gets a good natured ribbing from another in Marvel U.K.'s "Get Along Gang" comic #79 (October 18th 1986)

Happy Halloween...

2006-10-22T17:35:00.000+01:00

....everyone.

U.K. Marvels

2006-08-20T13:05:00.000+01:00

Here's a look at the first and last issue of Marvel UK's weekly Get Along Gang comic.

Cover art is by Brit comics veteran Barrie Appleby, who also drew most of the main strips.

Living On Video

2006-07-14T09:18:00.000+01:00

"Caboose On the Loose" from the DiC "Get Along Gang" series is now available on "YouTube". :)

How long it'll stay up is anybody's guess, the intro sequence has survived for about 8 months so far without attracting any hostile attention from American Greetings/DiC.

Keen eyed viewers may notice a slight difference in animation quality between DiC's title sequence and the actual cartoon...

Ink and Paint Club

2006-06-30T15:34:00.000+01:00

Won these production cels from Nelvana's Get Along Gang pilot episode on eBay the other week. It's fair to say I'm still in "acetate" of excitement about it .*

Portia Porcupine, from somewhere near the beginning, where the Gang are talking about entering a scavenger hunt in their hometown of "Green Meadow". (For the curious, this character does actually have legs, it's just that they would have been off camera in this particular shot.)

Montgomery Moose, near the episode's end. Don't think it's giving too much away to say that things turn out well...
Many thanks to fellow G.A.G junkie Erin for helping to place these pics into some sort of context.

*The voices told me to do it....sorry.

Plastic Fantastic

2006-06-20T04:39:00.000+01:00

Here's a closer look at the 2" Get Along Gang figures, which you may just be able to make out in the previous post.

Main Characters:
Top- Zipper Cat, Woolma Lamb, Portia Porcupine
Bottom- Bingo "bet it all" Beaver, Dotty Dog, Montgomery "good news" Moose

Secondary Characters: Top- Braker Turtle, Flora "forget-me-not" Fox, Rocco Rabbit, Lolly Squirrel, Leland Lizard
Bottom- Hocus Hare, Pocus Possum, Bernice Bear, Rudyard Lion, Catchum Crocodile

Got Gang?

2006-06-18T08:56:00.000+01:00

Yes, I do have a bit of a soft spot for the Get Along Gang, as it happens. :)

(See more pics at 80's Toyland.)

See That Glow!

2006-06-07T08:46:00.000+01:00

Take one solid plum coloured crew neck tee-shirt, a tube of plain white fabric paint, and a tube of luminous fabric paint.

Apply white base coat, in design of choice, and allow to dry.

Apply 2 coats of glow paint, allowing the first one to become at least "touch" dry before applying the second.

Expose to bright light for a couple of minutes.

Turn off light...(:-0

UV light generally gives the best results, as shown above.

Here it is during the day.

Second Coming

2006-06-03T12:55:00.000+01:00

Haven't seen "The Omen" remake - yet.

Here's a review of the 1976 version .

Hatch and company

2006-06-02T09:39:00.000+01:00

Here's a little tribute to American Greeting's planned relaunch of "The Get Along Gang" I cooked up a while back.