 Showbiz bears
It wasn’t long before bears hit the big time becoming the stars of music and film! During the original teddy bear frenzy, The Teddy Bears’ Picnic (1907) was written, a song still loved by children today. The enchanting words were added in 1930.
With the advent of cinema, bears made the big screen. Most memorable, perhaps, is Baloo in Disney’s animated version of the Kipling classic, The Jungle Book. Who can forget Baloo’s jolly rendition of Bare Necessities?
Other bears who made it in the movies were the The Care Bears and more recently, the bear in Speilberg’s A.I.
Television prompted an explosion of teddies in the entertainment world. Bears don’t come much more showbiz than The Muppet Show’s Fozzie, famous comedian and singer. ‘Smarter than the average bear’ Yogi became a cartoon favourite with the help of side-kick Boo Boo. Big Ted and Little Ted, Teddy Edward and Bear in the Big Blue House have also clawed their way into people’s hearts. There was even one hero bear who battled with evil – Superted!
2002 is a very special year for Sooty. He has been casting his ‘izzy wizzy’ magic for 50 years and enters the Guinness Book of Records for starring in the longest running children’s programme. Well done, Sooty!
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