Hey There, It's Yogi Bear (film)

Hey There, It's Yogi Bear is an American animated musical comedy film based on the Yogi Bear segments of The Huckleberry Hound Show and The Yogi Bear Show. The film was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, and distributed by Columbia Pictures on June 3, 1964. It was written by William Barbera, Warren Foster, and William Hanna, and produced and directed by Hanna and Barbera, the founders of Hanna-Barbera. It was Hanna-Barbera's first full-length theatrical film.

Memorable quotes
Yogi: Corn Pone, you're almost smarter than the average bear.

Yogi's inner self: That's the spirit, Yogi. You'll be glad you took my advice because I am smarter than the average in-ner self. Hee-hee-hee.

Grifter: I gotta admit, you're pretty smart. Yogi: Smarter than the average bear. Hey, hey.

Yogi: I got to admit, sir, you're smarter than the average ranger.

Characters
Ernest Newton (singing) James Darren (singing) Bill Lee Jackie Ward (singing) Mel Blanc (talking)
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Boo Boo Bear
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Don Messick
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Don Messick
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Yogi Bear
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Daws Butler
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Daws Butler
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Ranger Smith
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Don Messick
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Cindy Bear
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Julie Bennett
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Cindy Bear
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Julie Bennett
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Robin Hood
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Friar Tuck (indirectly)
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Little John
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Charlie
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Corn Pone
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Hal Smith
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Moose
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Hal Smith
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Chick
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Don Messick
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Ranger #1
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Wife
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Conductor bear
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Mel Blanc
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Bear #2
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Daws Butler
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Mysto the Magician
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Train conductor
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| N/A
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Grifter Chizzling
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Mel Blanc
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Snively Chizzling
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| J. Pat O'Malley
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mugger
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Don Messick (snickering)
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Bear #2
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Daws Butler
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Mysto the Magician
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Train conductor
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| N/A
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Grifter Chizzling
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Mel Blanc
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Snively Chizzling
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| J. Pat O'Malley
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mugger
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Don Messick (snickering)
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Snively Chizzling
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| J. Pat O'Malley
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mugger
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Don Messick (snickering)
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Don Messick (snickering)
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Yogi's inner self
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Don Messick
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| President of the United States
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Ranger #2
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Allan Melvin
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Pilot
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Daws Butler
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Pilot Charlie
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Don Messick
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Air traffic controller
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Don Messick
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Air traffic manager
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Don Messick
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Sheriff
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Sam (voice only)
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Mrs. Rutabaga
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Goldilocks
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Snow White
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Barn dance woman
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Jean Vander Pyl
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| James Darren
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mack
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| TV reporter
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Don Messick
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Cameraman Charlie
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| N/A
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Goldilocks
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Snow White
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Barn dance woman
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Jean Vander Pyl
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| James Darren
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mack
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| TV reporter
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Don Messick
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Cameraman Charlie
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| N/A
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| TV reporter
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Don Messick
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Cameraman Charlie
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| N/A
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Cameraman Charlie
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| N/A

Organizations

 * Holt Warehousing Co.
 * Seven Dwarfs (mentioned)
 * Rocky Mountain Van Lines
 * Transit Cement Co.
 * New York City Police Department

Locations

 * Earth
 * United States
 * Jellystone Park
 * Boo Boo's cave
 * Yogi's cave
 * Ranger station
 * Teetering Rock (mentioned)
 * San Diego (mentioned)
 * San Diego Zoo (mentioned)
 * California (mentioned)
 * Hollywood (mentioned)
 * St. Louis (mentioned)
 * St. Louis Zoo (mentioned)
 * Colorado (indirectly mentioned)
 * Denver (mentioned)
 * Wyoming (indirectly mentioned)
 * Cheyenne (mentioned)
 * Pennsylvania (indirectly mentioned)
 * Punxsutawney (mentioned)
 * Washington, D.C. (mentioned)
 * The White House (mentioned)
 * Carolina (mentioned)
 * Clinton's
 * Airport
 * Nordli Field
 * New York
 * New York City
 * Chrysler Building
 * China (mentioned)
 * Hong Kong (mentioned)
 * Italy
 * Venice
 * Naples (mentioned)
 * India (indirectly mentioned)
 * Bombay (mentioned)
 * The Moon
 * The Sun

Objects

 * Life balloon

Vehicles

 * Ranger Smith's Jeep
 * Ranger station truck
 * Train
 * Grifter's truck
 * Cargo plane
 * Clown car
 * Ranger Smith's helicopter

Development
On June 21, 1963, the Associated Press reported that Hanna-Barbera was going to produce a full-length feature called Whistle Your Way Back Home, starring Huckleberry Hound. That became the song featured in Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!

Music
The music was composed by Marty Paich, except for the title song "Hey There, It's Yogi Bear," which was composed by David Gates. The songs were written by Ray Gilbert and Doug Goodwin. A vinyl was released by Colpix Records.

Songs

 * 1) "Hey There, It's Yogi Bear"
 * 2) "I Like You" - Jackie Ward
 * 3) "St. Louis" - Jonah and the Wailers
 * 4) "Ash Can Parade" - Bill Lee, Ernest Newton
 * 5) "Whistle Your Way Back Home" - Bill Lee, Ernest Newton, Jackie Ward
 * 6) "Ven-e, Ven-o, Ven-a - James Darren

Crew credits

 * Animation director: Charles A. Nichols
 * Story sketch artist: Dan Gordon
 * Art directors: Richard Bickenbach, Iwao Takamoto, William Perez, Jacques W. Rupp, Willie Ito, Tony Sgroi, Ernest Nodli, Jerry Eisenberg, Zigamond Jablecki, Bruce Brushman
 * Ink and Paint supervisor: Roberta Greutert
 * Animators: Don Lusk, Irv Spence, George Kreisl, Ray Patterson, Jerry Hathcock, Grant Simmons, Fred Wolf, Gerry Chiniquy, Don Peterson, Ken Harris, George Goepper, Edwin Aardal, Ed Parks, Kenneth Muse, Harry Holt
 * Background designers: F. Montealegre, Art Lozzi, Robert Gentle, Ron Dias, Richard H. Thomas, Dick Kelsey, Fernando Arce, Don Peters, Bob Abrams, Dick Ung, Tom O'Loughlin, Bob Gribbroek, Curtiss D. Perkins
 * Continuity checker: Evelyn Sherwood
 * Film editors: Greg Watson, Warner Leighton, Tony Milch, Donald A. Douglas, Larry Cowan, Ken Spears
 * Photographers: Frank Paiker, Norman Stainback, Roy Wade, Charles Flekal
 * Sound recording: Bud Myers
 * Associate producer: Alex Lovy
 * Production supervisor: Howard Hanson

Release
Dates are in order of release:


 * United States: June 3, 1964; January 17, 1986 (Clubhouse Pictures)

Behind the scenes

 * Ranger Smith's first name is revealed to be John, although in the Yogi Bear short "Predaterminator," he is called Francis.
 * The moose sounds no different to Quick Draw McGraw, another character voiced by Daws Butler.
 * The vanity plate of one car says "HB120."
 * Mugger was a proto-Muttley.
 * Yogi mentions Smokey the Bear.
 * Butler uses his Huckleberry Hound voice for the unnamed pilot.
 * Nordli Field is named after art director Ernie Nordli.
 * Yogi calls himself the bear with a thousand faces, which is a reference to actor Lon Chaney's nickname, "The Man of a Thousand Faces."
 * The gag of the policeman running away from a pole and yelling timber only to be hit by said pole was copied from the same gag that first happened to Spike in 1949 Droopy theatrical short Wags to Riches.
 * The Columbia Pictures logo is cut from Warner Bros.' DVD print.

Errors

 * The cats from the trash cans who react to Yogi singing in the alley, but when Boo Boo starts singing, they're gone.
 * When Yogi said "How about that?" after seeing a poster for the Chizzling Bros. Circus, he sounded more like Snagglepuss, identical, even!

Marketing and promotion
Little Golden Books published a book to coincide with the release of the film called Hey There―It's Yogi Bear! Although it only covers the Yogi and Boo discovering the poster advertising Cindy and rescuing her from the circus.

Kellogg's released a record also called "Hey There―It's Yogi Bear!"

Home availability

 * In the United States:
 * 1985: Worldvision Home Video releases Hey There, It's Yogi Bear on VHS.
 * December 2, 2008: Warner Home Video releases Hey There, It's Yogi Bear! on DVD.
 * In the United Kingdom and Ireland:
 * July 8, 1985: The Video Collection releases Hey There, It's Yogi Bear on VHS.
 * November 3, 1986: Futurevision releases Hey There, It's Yogi Bear on VHS.
 * September 4, 1989: The Video Collection releases Hey There, It's Yogi Bear on VHS.
 * January 31 2011: Warner Home Video releases Hey There, It's Yogi Bear! on DVD.