Yogi Bear
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Yogi-portrait.jpg
Yogi Bear is a cartoon character (an upright bear) created by Hanna-Barbera Productions.
Yogi debuted in 1958 as a supporting character on The Huckleberry Hound Show. He became very popular, and in 1961 was given his own show, which included the following sequences: Snagglepuss and Yakky Doodle. Over the years he would appear in many other spin-off series as well, including Yogi's Gang (1973), Yogi's Space Race (1978), Galaxy Goof-Ups (1978), Yogi's Treasure Hunt (1985), The New Yogi Bear Show (1988) and Yo Yogi (1991).
Like many Hanna-Barbera characters, Yogi's personality and mannerisms were based on a popular celebrity of the time. Art Carney's character on The Honeymooners was said to be Yogi's inspiration. Yogi's name is an obvious nod to the famed baseball star Yogi Berra.
The plot of most of Yogi's cartoons centered around his antics in the fictional Jellystone Park, a takeoff on the famous Yellowstone National Park. (There had been a 1943 Bugs Bunny cartoon, Wabbit Twouble, that used the more obvious name "Jellostone" Park, a play on both the national park and the popular gelatin dessert. Presumably, Hanna-Barbera wanted to avoid any issues with using a trademarked name, even in a satirical way). Yogi, accompanied by his reluctant best friend Boo Boo would often try to steal picnic baskets from campers in the park, much to the chagrin of Park Ranger Smith.
Yogi Bear is well-known for a variety of different catchphrases, including his pet name for picnic baskets ("pic-a-nic baskets") and his favorite self-promotion ("I'm smarter than the average bear!"). although he often overestimated his own cleverness.
Yogi has a Martian rock named after him. Yogi Rock was discovered following the landing of the Mars Pathfinder on the planet in 1997. In the initial photos the rock had the appearance of a little bear facing away.
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In addition, Yogi Bear lends his name to a chain of RV parks, "Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts". There is also one remaining restaurant from the chain bearing Yogi's name, "Yogi Bear's Honey Fried Chicken", in Hartsville, SC. In both cases, Hanna-Barbera licensed the name and likenesses to the respective companies.
Yogi Bear is currently aired in the United States (and on the rest of the world, too) by the Cartoon Network's sister channel, Boomerang.
Cast from the Yogi Bear classical period (1958-62)
- Daws Butler as Yogi Bear
- Don Messick as Boo Boo and Ranger Smith
- Julie Bennet as Cindy
Yogi Bear in other languages
- Brazilian Portuguese: Zé Colméia (something like "Honeycomb Joe")
- Hungarian: Maci Laci ("maci" is a diminutive for "medve", which is "bear"; "Laci" is a diminutive for the common first name "Laszlo", chosen for its rhyme.)
- Spanish: El Oso Yogui
- French: Yogi l'ours
- Italian: L'Orso Yoghi
- German: Yogi Bär
- Polish: Miś Jogi (sometimes also Miś Yogi)bg:Мечокът Йоги