Gerald McBoing-Boing

[@ECG3485]

Winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Flim - 1950

[@BenjaminGoodman]

I honestly never knew there was an older version of Gearld McBoing Boing, I only grew up with the one from the 2000’s

[@ineedzemedic5810]

SAME. I never knew what the cartoon was called, I watched it years ago.

[@I_leave_mean_comments]

there's a version from the 2000's?

[@wmbrown6]

There was a record version preceding this cartoon by about a year. It was on Capitol, with Harold Peary as "The Great Gildersleeve" narrating it. On first-pressing copies, the label misspelled its author's name as "Dr. Suess."

[@pnut91red]

Thank you for the comment! I hadn't realized there is a newer version of this 🙂

[@ZachMcCordProg]

I believe I grew up with both this and the 2000s one lol

[@Sp33gan]

As a little boy growing up in the 1960s, I used a variety of different sounds when I played. I even provided background music when words and noises weren't needed. My father used to call me Gerald McBoing Boing because of this. I never understood the name until a few years later when this cartoon was shown in school. Years later, a parent myself, I found a copy of this wonderful Dr Seuss book and read it to my kids when they were little. I would, of course, make all the necessary noises as we shared our time together. My eldest has said he needs a copy of the book for when he has kids. I look forward to reading it to my future grandkids, sounds and all. ♥

[@douglasbuck3518]

I'm 56 and my mom used to call me Gerald McBoingboing when I'd make noises when I was little. I didn't really know what she was talking about until today, half a century later.

[@Rahimi001]

Douglas Buck that is amazing! Thanks for sharing :)

[@barbarachristian8322]

Douglas Buck Yes, we called out little son that too! :-)

[@ceebbees12345]

I watched Gerald McBoing Boing when I was little. It was a whole cartoon series I watched on Boomerang I think.

[@Cre8tvMG]

Same here. I searched this up remembering her calling me that. I'm just 3 years off from you, so I guess it was a thing then.

[@TheRojo387]

@@ceebbees12345 How have I not heard of it till recently?

[@Lindathemightywitch]

I remember watching this cartoon as a kid! Brings back many fond memories!

[@richardmattocks]

This was on tv quite often when I was growing up in the UK. Brilliant!

[@droid740]

This pretty much represents my relationship with my parents. They couldn't deal with me, my creativity, my sound effects until I ended up on one of the most popular animated shows of all time.

[@McVoicesActual]

Holy smokes ... Seth's M's early pal/partner? You are legend, sir. I'm a musician/writer/VO/SFX guy who watched the early Gerald McB's cartoons as a kid (yeah, I'm that old). Congrats on your career, best of luck in whatever you're doing now.

[@zeltzamer4010]

What.

[@WillysWillasAndRooHoosParents]

Wdym what

[@arcadiadragoons5467]

dude you helped make quagmire?! thats insane, but more importantly im sorry about your parents, that sounds quite painful

[@francescaa8331]

Appreciate your contributions, best on your career Mr. Gormley.

[@fromthesidelines]

After he left UPA, Phil Eastman later illustrated several of "Dr. Seuss"' books {as "P.D. Eastman"}, which was a very satisfying relationship for both. I cannot stress enough that this cartoon "made" UPA the leader and pioneer in animation during the 1950's. You don't have to be "high" to be creative!

[@loopsjam4713]

I remember binging this show as a kid. This just now popped back in my mind, and I don't regret it.

[@facelesswookie9302]

For some reason I thought it was an entire show as a kid lmao

[@vitesenzafine]

I saw this on Italian TV about 1968-69, in an Italian rhythmic version! I was only four or five but still remember it all, only in black and white! Thanks a lot

[@vanessaaiselbrown3521]

I remember seeing this on the hell boy dvd since this show is one of hell boys favorite shows.

[@Beegdood1]

I was just about to comment this 😂 it's how I found out about this show ahaha

[@fungalcoffee]

Same man

[@rrifnarf8125]

I seen this also on the Hellboy dvd

[@TinyDancer500]

FYI: This film's producer, Stephen Bosustow, was nominated for 14 Academy Awards, all but one in the Short Subject, Cartoon category. This one was his second nom and first win (in 1950). He also won for "When Magoo Flew" (1954) and "Mister Magoo's Puddle Jumper" (1956). Another Gerald film, "Gerald McBoing-Boing on Planet Moo", was nominated in 1956. Thanks for sharing this slice of history!

[@WildBillCox13]

This was me, back in the mid '50s. I had the record of the song and went around imitating every sound I could find. "Tucked in his bed and sound asleep is little Gerald McCoy, drifting off to the land of dreams is this very unusual boy, though he looks like other boys, sleeping there in bed, he doesn't talk like other boys, he says: `Boing Boing', instead." Takes me back . . . way too far back. Heh heh. Thanks for posting.

[@georgiagalaxy]

That’s a sweet story 😊

[@SCHULTZEH]

My Uncle called me Gerald McBoing-Boing when I was a little child. I am now 47 and I never knew this was a real character.. haha I love it..

[@adrianu18]

I love gerarld!! It is fantastic!! I am charmed with it!!

[@critter7052]

My late Mom's favorite cartoon! Thanks for posting!

[@jonhayashi1]

Thank you, for uploading this since I read about U.P.A. cartoons and their influence on many animation studios and independent animaters but had not seen the theatrical cartoon shorts until You Tube! The simplicity of the art can misslead some to think that it is easier then it really was to make! Anyway these cartoons here lead me to buy online U.P.A. JOLLY FROLICS dvds from TCM shop! The shorts are beautifully remastered with a lighter, brighter image andblow away the commercial junk of today!

[@jn48-sc5ei]

Siempre me encanto esta historia 😊. Gracias por compartirlo!! 👍❤

[@stavinchain]

A very nice copy of this classic...thank you very much!

[@Originella]

Grew up with this on VHS. My father was friends with the man who wrote the music, the late Gail Kubick. I will forever think it is devastating that Gerald's parents were all right with him only when he became a success...

[@Lindax]

loved this as a kid; didn't realize it was from Dr Seuss.

[@JaxLynnstarAnimate]

That character could voice his own entire orchestra!

[@leeleefluffy06]

I used to listen to this on the radio on sunday mornings..... felt so sorry for him as a child .....heehee

[@edison5020]

Fantástico desenho da antiga Rede Tupi. Bons tempos que ñ voltam mais!

[@seppojustnow]

I forgot how much I loved Gerald McBoing-Boing when i was a kid. Thanks for making this available!

[@Dragonrider1227]

Is this the story of a boy who finds purpose with his unique gift? Or about a society that refuses to accept someone different unless it can benefit them?

[@Gibbontake]

i think stories like this are supposed to encourage people to embrace different people and ideas and not to judge too quickly. But you can easily interpret it in both the ways you mention

[@Dragonrider1227]

Gibbontake you sure can.

[@SBCBears]

Individuals depend on societies for survival. If there is too much variation within a society, it falls apart and individual survival is threatened. This is basic history. Don't be so quick to blame society for controlling variation. It is, after all, a collection of individuals who are working to survive. Try walking away from society with other people and see how far you get. It is the benefits from each member that keep you alive.

[@d-manthecaptain1382]

Why not both.

[@acla9000]

The impression I got at the end was that everyone came to like Gerald after he became famous. Sometimes I wonder whether it's just that Dr. Seuss wanted to display.

[@yosmosonic]

These UPA cartoons certainly influenced a lot of the other studios! For example, some of the LT cartoons started to use nice UPA-styled backgrounds in the mid-50s.

[@elchanchopato9601]

More evidently, those backgrounds made by Maurice Noble.

[@sytrue]

Cartoons like this kinda piss me off. It's just like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. His parents and peers fucking hated him until he was suddenly famous, just like Rudolph's family was ashamed of him and his peers hated him until he did something for them and became famous. No such thing as unconditional love, even from parents.

[@juancpgo]

Yep, so I find that great for kids to watch. They start to think about such ideas that in fact happen in the real world. Parents sometimes don't understand or don't have patience. “Unconditional love” is sorta an utopia. Every human being in daily life has his conditions. I'm not trying to diminish the great love parents have, specially mothers, but let's face reality as it presents.

[@kenthuang436]

Gerald’s mom didn’t hate him. His dad was the one that had the problem. The mom was rather patient and never got upset at him. In fact the only time she showed any signs of unhappiness was when she read the note from the teacher and that was more from being upset that her son couldn’t attend school rather than him being unable to say any words.

[@Jal8919536]

Gerald McBoing-Boing played Tiny Tim Crachit opposite Mr. Magoo as Ebenezer Scrooge in UPA's "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol" with Jack Cassidy as the voice of Bob Crachit.

[@d4n737]

A touching story about how people will only love you when you're useful to them :3

[@subliteral]

Interesting , huh? Most of the old media aimed at kids presented parental and societal approval as the highest achievement possible for children. The fact that parental figures couldn't fully love their children unless they achieved material success was never viewed as a flaw.

[@LeydenAigg]

Just like real life.

[@j.ronnygibson]

Like Rudolph the red nose reindeer

[@Skandranon2148]

Funny thing, I was first introduced to this video from the Hellboy dvd where it's a special feature. And it's still one of my favorite shorts of all time.

[@mondotwistedmojo]

The animation wasn't expensive, but still great for being hand-drawn. I like the use of color - I can see why people thought red-orange and mustard yellow were cool colors back then (and for 30 years afterwards).

[@Kazzell]

i remember this from when i was a kid! Thanx for posting it, good quality too.

[@bukster1]

I can remember this from when I was VERY little. There were still a lot of very strange old cartoons being played on TV in the early 70's.

[@ItsyBitsyChelly]

Thats was great! I saw the e recent version on TV the other day but I love the old one! Great stuff.

[@fictionalmediabully9830]

This is my first time watching "Gerald McBoing-Boing" and it's already a favourite of mine. While the story does end on a bit of a Deus Ex Machina, it is an uplifting way to conclude an otherwise downer of a tale about a boy who struggles to fit in for not being like his surroundings. The animation is lovely, colourful, varied, and unique, and the stylised visuals help to bring it all to life. The music isn't as polished as the rest, but it's still good in places. Overall, a masterwork of animation that has stood the test of time. I can see why these UPA cartoons were so beloved. As much as I love the slapstick chaos of the MGM and Warner Bros. cartoons, the stronger emphasis on clever down-to-earth human stories with relatable issues and multiple interpretations was a step in the right direction for the animation industry. It's a shame that "limited animation" ended up gaining a bad rap during the dark age.

[@Fidler65]

Thank you so much for posting this video! I LOVE IT!!

[@Salamandra40k]

Don't know if anyone else even caught it, but there was an animation mistake when the Dr. opened his bag. He took our the bottle and the scissors and everything, but the last thing he took out was a little stick that disappeared as soon as he put it on the table.

[@LocoRico89]

Aw, this is my childhood right here :-)

[@henrymockingbird9645]

Gernal mcboing boing has hold up really well it probably holds up more today than it did back in 1950 specially the kids with autism

[@nostalgiamostalgia0319]

This cartoon was in the boys!

[@cfan6716]

This is surprising amazing quality for 2006!

[@donna1948ful]

Gerald McBoing Boing was my favorite cartoon growing up

[@qtip403]

Totally charming.

[@yelloweyeball]

UPA was ahead of it's time.

[@acla9000]

That's OK Gerald managed to bounce back after being misunderstood by adults and despised by the other children, but I must confess that, in the first time ever I watched this cartoon, I didn't get so happy for him at the end. It seemed to me that everyone turned to like him just because he became famous. Sometimes I wonder whether it's just that Dr. Seuss wanted to display.

[@nicholasemjohnson47]

That may be what you see, but I don't think that's what Dr. Seuss intended for it to be. It is quite unfortunate that at first Gerald was not accepted, and that only after becoming famous was he respected. I think it teaches us that even if we aren't the same, we can still find a purpose; it doesn't need to be fame.

[@TheRojo387]

@@nicholasemjohnson47 What about infamy? Will that work?

[@nicholasemjohnson47]

​@@TheRojo387 No, infamy will not work, you see, because being reviled will surely cause exile from society.

[@chibijenhen]

This and Harold's Purple Crayon were my faves when I was a kid.

[@ZachMcCordProg]

Love the NBC radio reference lol

[@LeydenAigg]

How to say NBC without saying NBC: Just play the three notes, even in a different musical key. On a side note, when played in the original key of C, the notes are G-E-C = General Electric Corporation, NBC's original owner.

[@kathleensawicki2016]

Wow...so many negative comments. I happen to be old enough to remember watching Gerald's adventures when they first came out. My take is that it's supposed to show you that no matter what cards you're dealt, you can still end up with a winning hand. I've always looked on the bright side of things. I saw nothing offensive in this at all.

[@charlesmangum2100]

I remember when it was on TV.

[@scottbirkentall2611]

3:48 Nyah! Nyah! They all shouted. Your name’s not McCloy! You’re Gerald McBoing-Boing, the noise-making boy!

[@rockallmusic]

It's my first time seeing this and the musical score is just blowing me away

[@AEMoreira81]

ROFL! Even limited animation from the Golden Age can look great in the right setting.

[@TheTrit0n]

so this was an Oscar winner from the 60s, very nice one.

[@avremirine8986]

It was the 50s not the 60s.

[@pyrospike]

A child tale of how people, family included; will be fake, and like you only if you become famous. Else they'll ignore your uniqueness if they don't understand you.

[@nicholasemjohnson47]

That may be what you see, but I don't think that's what Dr. Seuss intended for it to be. It is quite unfortunate that at first Gerald was not accepted, and that only after becoming famous was he respected. I think it teaches us that even if we aren't the same, we can still find a purpose; it doesn't need to be fame.

[@DougUnfunny]

Featured in the Boys season 3 episode 4, yet no reviewer or Easter egg people talk about it. A boy with powers used for commercial use. I see you.

[@AdahnFlorence]

I love your username

[@georgiagalaxy]

Also in Community Season 1 Episode 8 ;)

[@RaymondoPerson]

I hate how it's always the most ignorant and wannabe-elitist comments that get upvoted. why make a cartoon if your visuals look like shit? if you expect your work in an AUDIOVISUAL MEDIUM to be carried solely by writing, why not write a book? plus this DOESN'T look like shit. it's well drawn, and you don't need money to draw well. there's way more appeal to these designs than a lot of modern cartoons because they're simple yet solid and decently thoght out. money isn't relevant in art skill.

[@zoxofzox]

a masterpiece of graphic style. superb.

[@TheLoneLoony]

This kid would make millions if he made sound effects for movies.

[@Cokenutz]

The one friend that has a synth keyboard.

[@enzarto]

ONE OF MY FAVORITES!

[@dontaylor7315]

I usually just save these to my animation playlist but I might also put this one in my old time radio list too. Gerald sounds like the Gunsmoke sound effects.

[@Babbleplay]

Bark like a dog, and bay like the hounds. Man, this guy covers the whole gamut of sound requirements, huh?

[@n1kk1gurl47]

i love this show !

[@Inufan83]

Great short. I saw this one as a special feature on the Hellboy DVD as well as the other Gerald McBoing-Boing shorts. No kidding!

[@CrystalClearNews]

I watched these as a kid, but appreciate them better as an adult, with better experience of Dr. Suess rhyming. But I HAD recognized Gerald as the kid "playing" Tiny Tim in Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol!

[@wibblewoss]

It's Hellboy's favourite cartoon. Something to do with acceptance probably.

[@russa03]

I tried it 5 times the other day but it's working today.

[@blackwidow1417]

oh I love this one

[@jimmyj1969]

I don't think old cartoons were so expensive -it' rather a matter of story, rythm and direction. Of course there are beautiful cartoons today (especially in computer animation, which attracts- as a new medium- more talented and experimentary creators), but they' re like a colorful drop in a sea of gray mass-production.

[@jimmyj1969]

Why all classic cartoons look so great even today, 60 or 70 years after? Because they were made for the Big Screen- they had to be funny and witty and full of rythm (without much talking!), so that the audience would get excited and not bored. TV screwed everything: TV cartoons are generaly flat, repeating, full of talking. The reason is the medium itself: you're more relaxed in front of telly, less focused, doing other things at the same time,not paying much attention anyway...

[@CGJ7755]

Its a shame, but he died of throat cancer in 1961. His last words were… “boing boing.”

[@WillysWillasAndRooHoosParents]

Who died

[@15kuki]

。・°°・(＞_＜)・°°・。

[@leni4179]

​@@WillysWillasAndRooHoosParents you did, you are dead

[@WillysWillasAndRooHoosParents]

@@leni4179 I’m not

[@theMK7]

this was uploaded in 2006? wooooow

[@stargate121]

About a million times cooler than anything Spumco ever produced.

[@slimboli]

Folks ... this animated short was created by Theador "Dr. Seuss" Geisel and was release by Columbia Pictures on November 2, 1950. It was the winner of the 1950 Academy Award for Best Animated Short.

[@staspastukh2005]

Why this reminds me of a Hanna-Barbera cartoon?

[@fictionalmediabully9830]

Before Hanna-Barbera, there was UPA - THE pioneer of lower-budget cartoons with limited animation. And from the ones I watched, it's less a cost-cutting measure and more a stylistic choice.

[@tailsprowerfan2729]

@@fictionalmediabully9830pretty much UPA art style is like Calart but way way better since a lot of cartoons form the 50s looked like UPA

[@leni4179]

​@@tailsprowerfan2729i don't understand why people say that the CalArt style is bed, for me it's pretty ok

[@GarudaMan9]

@@fictionalmediabully9830yeah, it was primarily a stylistic decision for UPA, though Columbia did not give them the biggest budgets for their cartoons. All of the theatrical cartoon studios appropriated elements of UPA’s style, but Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera in particular doubled down on it from 1957 on I n order to produce cartoons for television at rates that were 1/3 or less of the budgets for their MGM Tom & Jerry cartons.

[@leslie1947]

Many movies and stories from our pass were designed to teach whether you realized it or not. Many were designed to control us. It was up to you to learn which was which.

[@thephysicwerewolf]

a commercial on tv brought me here, but I just finished watching nostalgia critic

[@rosikaable]

i looooooooove old cartoonss!!

[@1947Desoto]

It wasn't done anymore because it became passe. It was phased out in the early '70s when Hanna Barbera had a new design department which created the scooby doo look and it lasted until the '80s That style was created by U.P.A. in the 1940's as a way to make budget cuts. It did however start a trend and made a modern style for the '50s and '60s inspiring many cartoon studios. Cartoons today in some ways are similar in that they are flat and the backround is the same tone, but they aren't as good.

[@Owlbundy5052]

First time seeing this, I thought this was a documentary of Michael Winslow's childhood.

[@ChrisMeadows]

If you want to find the recording of the version played on the radio, search on "Gerald McBoingBoing" and "Gildersleeve". There's a site that has it available for download.

[@GregWatermann]

Beautiful.

[@Nickean-ox6ls]

until i knew this existed i thought there were only dr seuss specials

[@Dachshund]

Remember, kids, Gerald doesn't speak words; he goes "boing! boing!" instead.

[@KokoGogo1728]

He also says "DING!" and "HONK!" and "CUCKOO!" and "QUACK!" and "SQUEAK! SQUEAK!" and "AHOOOOGA!"

[@beachbikers1]

Wow, this brought back memories!

[@mrpeterson7592]

Same here, thought I was the only one that remembered Boing Boing.

[@xcar0982]

Everyone loves you when you're famous, that's nothing too fair, and the good doctor failed two times in that line, one with Gerald McBoing-Boing and the second with Daisy-Head Daisy.

[@aufmklo]

R.I.P. Bill Melendez

[@smallshlingus6212]

They couldn't handle a based sigma like Gerald

[@queenbluebonnet]

Classic Dr. Seuss. xD

[@loganmcnab1582]

Gerald McBoing is an animated, short film about a boy who speaks through sounds instead of spoken words

[@clon93]

so sweet! ^_^

[@DeletedAccount380]

"we cannot accept him for we have a rule that pupils must not go 'phEEhoo!' in our school." That rule could've helped so many guys from getting slapped by girls

[@KokoGogo1728]

He said "COUCOU!"

[@Montork]

sooo awesome!!!!

[@bukster1]

And they say parents these days flip out the moment anything happens to their kids. Those two were so quick call in medical help and run around screaming in panic, they could easily have been modern parents. These days Gerald would have been doped up on ritalin until he stops being unique and starts acting like everybody else.

[@RiverTheOneandOnly]

they made this into a real show in like 2000! i remember watching it before baby loony tunes on cartoon network! but he made more noises and stuff it was really cute :p

[@Fiery919]

Never never ends! Mc boing! Mc boing! Mc Mc Mc Mc boing! Come outside into the fresh air

[@VHShit]

That was sweet, thanks!

[@onefreeinternet]

ah, i have this on the fist DVD of the Hell Boy special 2disc edition.. along with two other strange but amusing Gerald Mc BoinBoing shorts and an x-rated 'the tell-tale heart' short from Edgar Allan Poe.. all done i believe by 'UPA' Columbia. good short btw [NaZ]

[@murielsartre]

I wonder how much it cost them to use the NBC chimes. Twice, even!