Introducing: Yogi Bear!

Complete view of Center Stage and Yogi Bear's stage. (1987)

Release:Sep. 1987 - Nov. 1987

Released On:

• CEI 8-Track Reel

Credits:

• Daws Butler: Yogi Bear
• Don Messick: Boo Boo
• Lorraine Denham: Mitzi Mozzerella
• Mark Brink: Fatz Geronimo
• Joe Conti: Programmer

The Introducing: Yogi Bear! was a showtape that ran in three ShowBiz Pizza Place locations (Omaha, NE (225 N 76th St),Colorado Springs, CO (5156 N Academy Blvd), and Augusta, GA (3435 Wrightsboro Rd)) in September 1987 as part of a test to bring licensed characters to ShowBiz Pizza in the hopes to eventually phase The Rock Afire Explosion out of restaurants. ^[1] The Yogi Bear show would end in November 1987. Plans originally intended for them to return in January 1988 along with a Mr. Ranger animatronic, but this did not happen. ^[2]

History

In September 1986, discussions began to bring Hanna-Barbera characters to ShowBiz Pizza Place. On September 30, 1986, ShowBiz Pizza Time, Inc would reply to The Taft Merchandising Group, Inc regarding their plans for the characters. The locations chosen by this point were Augusta, GA, Colorado Springs, CO, and Peoria, IL. Stanton Black (Vice President of ShowBiz Pizza Time) stated, ‘I was hoping to be able to acquire some of the older cartoons such as Scooby-Doo, Jetsons, etc., on terms that are similar to our agreement with Warner for Road Runner, Bugs Bunny, Fog Horn, etc’.^[3] Between September 1986 and February 1987, the decision was made to bring the characters of Yogi Bear to ShowBiz Pizza Place. On February 19, 1987, from an invoice for musical services by Cry Wolf Music. The agency producer was Joe Conti, with this being for ‘pre-production of ‘Yogi & Boo-Boo’ show’. Cry Wolf Music would reply on February 21, 1987, with an ’estimated budget distribution for the writing and production of (2) 11-minute ‘Yogi & Boo-Boo’ shows’. The final budget would be $35,000.00 with $25,000.00 for total production costs and $10,000.00 for writing, arranging & production. Cry Wolf Music would ‘deliver 1/4’ format of final mixes to Showbiz Pizza Time, Inc. No later than April 15, 1987’ In that same invoice, it was said, ‘Due to CPI ‘Summertime’ schedule, it won’t (be) animated and completed until May 15.‘^[4] On March 4, 1987, Creative Presentations Inc would send ShowBiz Pizza Time, Inc. the cost for the characters, those being ‘Yogi with Ukelele’, ‘Boo Boo’, ‘Snagglepuss’, and ‘Ranger’. Yogi is only referenced with the ukulele in the ‘Initial Test’, all other mentions are simply ‘Yogi’. On March 10, 1987, a purchase order was sent from Cry Wolf Music to ShowBiz Pizza Time, Inc. The invoice would be sent to International Assn. of SBPP & PTT Restaurants^[5].

March 31, 1987, ShowBiz Pizza Time would begin its conversation with Miles Bohm Auer, the Artist’s Manager behind Daws Butler (The voice of ‘Yogi Bear’). The test would take place in three cities: Omaha, NE, Colorado Springs, CO, and Augusta, GA. April 14, 1987, Cry Wolf Music would confirm the agreement between Daws Butler, represented by Miles Bohm Auer as his authorized agent, and Cry Wolf Music. ^[6] April 17, 1987, Version #1 of the Yogi Bear show would be finished^[7]. The final version of the Yogi Bear show (Version #2) was finalized on May 3, 1987^[8]. On July 8, 1987, both Yogi Bear and Boo Boo animatronic designs would be finalized and approved by The Taft Merchandising Group, Inc.^[3]. The Contract for Miles Bohm Auer was finalized on July 14, 1987.^[6] The contract for the Don Messick (voice of Boo Boo) represented by Charles H. Stern Agency was finalized on July 30, 1987.^[6] Charles H. Stern would sign the contract on July 30, 1987, and Don Messick would sign his contract on August 3, 1987.^[10] Daws Butler and Miles Bohm Auer would both sign the contract on August 17, 1987^[9]. Recording for the Yogi Bear show would take place on September 11, 1987, at the Blue Dolphin Recording Studio in Hyld, CA^[4]. By late September 1987, Omaha, NE, would debut the show^[2] with Colorado Springs, CO, and Augusta, GA, soon after ^[11]. The Yogi Bear show would end in November 1987, before Thanksgiving, for what was originally intended to be a temporary removal until January 1988, when the Ranger would be added. This revision would never see the light of day. ^[2]

On August 15, 2020, the full Yogi Bear show would be preserved online thanks to Steve White, who had a copy of the show on an archival cassette. The show is complete, minus a few seconds missing from the track ‘Every Breath You Take’ in Segment 2. ^[12].

Summary

Segment one begins with Fatz asking the remaining Rock Afire Explosion members what they’ve never had before. After a few guesses, it’s revealed they’ve never had a guest star before (Which is false due to Uncle Klunk having debuted in 1983), and the band performs Who Can It Be Now? to build the anticipation. After the song, Yogi is introduced with the Yogi Bear Theme Song. Yogi’s curtains open, and he introduces himself and his sidekick, Boo Boo, who is afraid of Fatz. The band then performs I’m So Excited, with Yogi providing backup vocals. The segment ends with Boo Boo saying he’s excited, with Yogi agreeing as the song finishes. Segment two begins with Yogi’s curtains opening early and him asking the patrons to share their pizza with him. Eventually, Boo Boo and the rest of the band scold him for this, which prompts Yogi to sing Hungry. After the song, the rest of the Rock Afire Explosion tells Yogi that Mr. Ranger is in the audience by describing parts of him (Medium, dark hair, park ranger hat, and uniform), with Fatz explaining that Mr. Ranger would be dropping in to watch Yogi and that he requested the band to play Every Breath You Take. Segment three begins with Mitzi admitting she has a crush on one of the guest stars, refusing to elaborate before singing Let’s Hear It for the Boy. After the song, Yogi and Boo Boo discuss entertaining the guests out in the audience, before showing the Rock Afire Boo Boo’s soft-shoe routine, which leads to Fatz asking about bringing their act into the modern times, and Beach Bear singing Rock and Roll Star. Yogi closes the segment by saying, “And I can rock and roll better than the average bear!”

Show List

Segment 1:

1. Who Can It Be
2. Yogi Bear Theme
3. I’m So Excited

Segment 2:

1. Hungry
2. Every Breath You Take

Segment 3:

1. Let’s Hear it for the Boy
2. Rock and Roll Star