Sunday, July 28, 2013

Rocky and Bullwinkle statue taken down

The statue of Rocky and Bullwinkle on Sunset Blvd. has been taken down. From what I could find online, it seems Dreamworks has taken the statue down for restoration. The reports say the statue will not be returned to it's spot on Sunset. From what I understand, Dreamworks now owns the rights to Rocky and Bullwinkle.
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/biz/dreamworks-animation-agrees-to-acquire-classic-media-66896.html



                                  (My photos from fall 2006)

Bullwinkle stands here in the newer "Wassamatta U" color scheme. (Or is it "Wossamatta"?) Older photos show him in a blue, white and light purple outfit, and Rocky wasn't holding a "Wassamatta U" pennant. Jay Ward and Bill Scott must have figured bad publicity was better than no publicity at all, right?

http://www.seeing-stars.com/imagepages/bullwinklephoto1.shtml

Still, it comes from a time when we could laugh at ourselves more easily by concocting these abstract characters. L.A. has been criticized over and over again for being an ugly city, and I'm forced to agree. Hollywood has already been turned into a stack of giant boxes, and little things with some charm or whimsy always seem to get bulldozed under. Establishments like "Tail of the Pup", and even Bob's Big Boy are vulnerable to being swept aside by developers for another Starbuck's/Subway/nail salon strip mall.



Here's a last look at our heroes walking off into the sunset. True, it was a battered piece of paper mache' and plastic that needed a major restoration, but that doesn't make it worthless. Perhaps they'll resurface someday. Stay tuned for our next episode. Right now, I can't think one of those groaner punchlines the way they could.

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2013/07/breaking_52yearold_bullwinkle_statue_lifted_off_the_strip_1.php

http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2013/07/bullwinkle_statue_moved_o.php

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