When it comes to cartoon animation no friendship pairing is off limits, no matter how unlikely it might seem. From a dog and a cat to a sponge and a starfish, and even a bear and a pig. However, hardly any other friendship was as unforgettable as that between a moose and a squirrel.
After their successful collaboration on Crusader Rabbit, Jay Ward and Alex Anderson teamed up to create The Frostbite Falls Revue. Sadly, this project never made it out of the proposal stage. While the show itself wasn't a huge hit, two woodland critters were itching to get their start. Rocket "Rocky" J. Squirrel, a flying squirrel, and Bullwinkle J. Moose, a Canadian moose, made their debut in Rocky the Flying Squirrel on November 19, 1959. Under the name, Rocky and Friends, the dynamic duo dominated ABC from 1959 to 1961. During that time, the show aired twice a week and was considered the highest rated daytime network program. In 1961, the program switched over to NBC, where it remained until the show ended in 1964.
The show followed the adventures of the two best friends in their hometown of Frostbite Falls, Minnesota. Where Rocky was bold and brave, Bullwinkle was considered a good natured dimwit. Despite their differences, the duo always brought out the best in one another and more importantly always provided audiences with a laugh. More often than not, the pair went up against Fearless Leader, the evil dictator of Pottsylvania, along with his lackeys Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale. Alternate characters included Gidney and Cloyd, Captain Peter "Wrongway" Peachfuzz, Edgar, and Chauncy.
Interestingly in 1962, as a publicity stunt, Ward leased an island between Minnesota and Canada, which he dubbed Moosylvania. Throughout the year, show writer Bill Scott drove to 60 cities collecting signatures in a campaign to make Moosylvania the 51st state. Upon arriving at the White House to see President Kennedy, they were promptly turned away. It turns out they arrived during the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Thank goodness the show had better comedic timing.
