Goldilocks

I'm very much a Bing Crosby fan, but his TV special "Goldilocks" is nothing special. This is a musical cartoon, retelling the famous story of the Three Bears: a story that really can't sustain itself over a half-hour format, even with the addition of songs and commercials.

The cleverest aspect of this cartoon was the decision to retell the story from the viewpoint of Papa Bear ... but that decision was probably made merely to pad Bing Crosby's part. Crosby supplies the speaking and singing voice of Papa Bear, and he also narrates.

The (very few) songs are by the Sherman brothers, who have done superlative work elsewhere but stumble badly here. By far, their best song in this cartoon is the one sung by Papa Bear (Crosby) as he explains to Junior Bear about those weird creatures called humans: "Oh, it's the human race, the human race, the hustlin' bustlin' people-chase." I wish all the songs in this very un-special TV special reached that level.

The animation, by the sadly underrated DePatie-Freleng Studio, is not up to that studio's usual standard. "Goldilocks" is quite bad. The fact that all the voice-overs are performed by members of Bing's family only adds to the amateurish, vanity-production feel of this very poor special. Purely out of admiration for Crosby's long career, I'll rate this show 1 star out of 10.

I think this is one of the more underrated TV special. This, which actually comes from 1970 and not 1971, debuted the week of March 31-April 7,1970 on NBC under the sponsorship of Armstrong-Evans Carpets.

It's actually an extended take on the tale (think the more recent "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters" from this year, for example), with Papa Bear and his Paul Winchell-voiced buddy, a feisty and easily frustrated bobcat (perhaps a Bob Crosby and his Bobcats reference) who goes by just plain Bob (clever.:))playing golf when Junior (Nathan Crosby) warning both of ... PEOPLE.

As we see the story unfold, with the Human Race song taking the three bears, then the Goldilocks part with Mary Frances Crosby (channelling SHirley Temple and anticipating Dakota Fanning and Maggie Elizabeth Jones and others by years with her persona) coming in (with her own song, "Never accept lest than the best") and the bears returning, the famed "stuff is too hot,etc." and "Someone's been sleepin' in my bed", and then the acceptance of Goldilocks, Bob (what a nasty little sourpuss!) warns the animals, getting a rally against "peoples", which Papa tries to counter (with the official signatura song, "Take a Little Lok around you", IMO the best song of the special), but the Bobcat having to leave alone--he'd rather leave the "Peoples" to the animals! LOL.

If you ever catch THIS be sure to see the surprise "animated" surprise ending (writer for this is A.J.Carothers, and the Sherman Brothers wrote the songs, with Friz Freleng and Bing Crosby involved, a LOT of Disney talent--Friz was at first a Disney person before WB existed as an animation unit!).

A long underrated special effects company, best known for science fiction and Star Wars projects, Vand Der Veer Photo effects (now long defunct, apparently) did the effects like Mary Frances Crosby's "Goldilocks" transistions. THe use of her family as the bears, of course, makes it very "Wizard of Oz" like, and this may have a place as much of an odd "TV family special cult" as Hanna-Barbera's 1966 "Alice in Wonderland" starring the voice of Janet Waldo, Sammy Davis,etc. Some other odds and ends about this, one of the character designers is jack of all trades and Playboy regular cartooonists Marty Murphy ("Wait till your Father gets home" for Hanna-Barbera). Cast is well rounded by Kathryn, Bing;s wife, and Avery Schreiber who played Bob Bobcat's pal the Deer and rabbit.-Avery Schreiber and Paul Winchell also did incidental animal voices.Finis.

NOW I know where my 70s LP record came from! Although I'm fairly certain I never saw this special, I DO remember that darn record.....I listened to it all the time as a kid. Actually, I remember the tunes as being fairly catchy, and IMMEDIATELY recognized the song mentioned by the previous poster.

IMDb mentions no network affiliation, so perhaps it aired in syndication? (NOTE: I checked my LP, and it aired on NBC.)

The Sherman Brothers rarely messed up, and I don't think this special is horrible. I'm glad I kept all of my old records....now I'm going to dig this one out, and listen to those thirty-year-old songs.