19/07/2025
Putting together the Blu-ray release of The Huckleberry Hound Show was a challenge for the Warner Archive and was practically a jigsaw puzzle, here's the reasons why: Info via The Extras Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKaR4t-eAQw
Three-Year Production: The project took approximately three years to complete.
Music Licensing Challenges: The reason the full series wasn't released earlier was due to music licensing issues. The original licenses were for free television and non-theatrical use, not home video. Warner Archive had to clear all the music licenses, which was costly and time-consuming.
Show Reconstruction: The individual segments of the show (Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear and Boo Boo, Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks, and later Hokey Wolf and Ding-A-Ling) were saved separately, and there was no single "Huckleberry Hound Show episode one negative." The team had to meticulously reconstruct the 68 shows as they originally broadcast across four seasons (1958-1962).
Inclusion of Bumpers and Bridges: As many original bumpers and bridges as possible were included, which were difficult to find as they were buried in mass inventory listings.
Original Broadcast Replication: The release aims to replicate the original broadcast experience as closely as possible, including repeated segments that were part of the original run. This makes it almost a "reference series".
Original Commercials: Many original black and white Kellogg's commercials are included, as Kellogg's was the sponsor. Some of these commercials and interstitials are repeated, mirroring the original broadcasts.
Original Main Titles in Color: The original main titles in color were found and included, which were previously changed for syndication. The end titles are original but in black and white.
Eleven-Disc Set: The comprehensive nature of the release, with all the added elements, results in 11 discs.
Mastering from Original Negatives: Most of the material was newly done from the original negatives, providing significantly better quality than previous releases, which used interpositives.
Extensive Research and Work: A significant amount of research and work went into reconstructing and reapproximating the four seasons, finding segments, bumpers, bridges, and commercials.
Packaging: The Blu-ray will be housed in sturdy, Blu-ray-sized elite cases, with season one in its own case, seasons two and three together, and season four in another. These cases will be inside an outer sleeve.
DVD Extras Carried Over (with one exception): Most DVD extras are included on the last disc, with the exception of the "reconstructing the pilot" piece, as more complete information has since been found.
Tributes and Vintage Content as Extras: Included extras are a tribute to Daws Butler (voice of Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear, and Elroy Jetson), a music video, and a piece on Huckleberry Hound's fractured language. The vintage Kellogg's commercials, bumpers, and bridges are considered built-in extras.
Kellogg's Sponsorship Impact: Kellogg's sponsorship was crucial for Hanna-Barbera's early success, enabling The Huckleberry Hound Show to be broadcast on over a hundred stations weekly.
