The Story of SMOKEY BEAR - Life in America

[@mistergrandpasbakery9941]

I had to come back to say this. I was in 7th grade when Smokey died. My brother was in 3rd. He came home from school that day and said that just about everyone was crying when the principal made the announcement on the p.a. system! What an impact that a mascot can make!

[@raymonddelisle6601]

Oh man. I'm sorry. I didn't know smokey died

[@jons.6216]

I nicknamed the old 1957 Ford Fairlane Wagon my dad hung onto and drove for a while "the Smokey (the) Bear car" because of the cool cigarette snuffer Smokey head that was on the dashboard!

[@dennishough3709]

Yea, I remember those growing up in the 60’s.

[@jongalt3381]

Yup- my dad had one!

[@jongalt3381]

My Dad was a state forestor, now passed away. In the 1950s he and others from back East volunteered to fight terrible fires out in California for the US Forest Service. After that he attended college, getting a masters in forest management. A huge inspiration for him and many others was Smokey! As toddlers my brother and I had Smokey Bear stuffed bears! As well as comic books and posters and other lit telling about Smokey. Dad even had a magnetized Smokey Bear ashtray for his work truck. Smokey was and still is big I guess! RIP, Dad & Smokey! 🌹

[@jondickinson1056]

Nice story...thank you kindly for doing what you do. 🙂

[@tinytattoomike7943]

My dads best friend (long passed )was THE first smoky the Bear back in the 1930’s his name was Bill Floor when he retired he lived in Homeland ca. Outside Hemet

[@manickayak9221]

How fantastic is that! Wonderful!

[@jenniferhansen3622]

That's awesome!

[@wmalden]

Smokey Bear.

[@QueenBee-gx4rp]

Amazing! 🐻

[@jongalt3381]

Cool!!!

[@jedidrummerjake]

Dad always had a mountain cabin and we loved Smokey the Bear! We did our best to help.

[@seanpacificrailroad3700]

Awesome thank you 🙏

[@MilitaryVideoWorks3742]

What a great video. Great job!!!!

[@brianmoody2549]

The bear was the best way to go with getting people to understand about fires .

[@joeheid4757]

Ok. I'll say it. Best channel on youtube.

[@Tiffany-vj1tv]

Absolutely agree 👍😉

[@Tiffany-vj1tv]

Once again what a wonderful story... thank you for this great channel you have produced for all of us❣️we appreciate it and you 🙏

[@snaomi67]

I loved this! Thank you for sharing this with us 👍👍

[@ericksonfedor4765]

I’m so proud of him to share this with us. How are you Noemi?

[@kirkmorrison6131]

I saw him several times at The National Zoo in grade School in the 1960s on field trips

[@marka.graffakasnakebitenat3736]

The National Zoo would be a great place for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

[@kirkmorrison6131]

@@marka.graffakasnakebitenat3736 don't forget some other politicians

[@jongalt3381]

What a funny thread! But, it's unanimous. Smokey brings out the patriots. (I best stop here or I'll get stalked by yt!!!) 🇺🇸

[@kirkmorrison6131]

@@jongalt3381 it was just a childhood memory for me. I just saw him on 4 or 5 field trips and my folks took me to The National Zoo a few times also.

[@jongalt3381]

@@kirkmorrison6131 We made the same trip. What a lot there is to see and do in DC!!!🌹

[@SPICY_BEAR]

Smokey The Bear is legendary! 🐻

[@charles-y2z6c]

Who watched Bambi as a child and cried? When I saw it in the 60's i was disturbed by it for a long time.

[@jenniferhansen3622]

Bambi never fails to make me cry 😭

[@nickhill8612]

Hey same here.

[@samanthab1923]

Disney was always taking kids from moms. Dumbo, Cinderella, Snow White, Nemo, etc

[@pegs1659]

Yes I cried too. Shelia Anne's comment is exactly on point. I think because of all those mother less adorable animals is why I love animals so much.

[@charles-y2z6c]

@@samanthab1923 I never thought about that. Disney is separating children from their parents. Ae they preparing you for the worst or trying to get an empathy dollar?

[@doloreshuntoon7698]

In 1969, Rocky & Bullwinkle appeared in a psa for Smokey the Bear. In the 1970's Knucklehead Smith teamed up with Smokey the Bear in another public service announcement and so did the late Vickie-Sue Robinson. Good times, baby, good times.

[@sonyafox3271]

Smoky the Bear we had a 45 record with the song about Smoky the Bear. When, I was young we went camping every summer in the Smoky Mountains usually at a AOK Campground and, usually a lot of my moms family came along with us. I remember we met him right before my mom took me over to the swings. Well, that was the highlight of day, because, I had been asking my parents if, I’d ever get to meet him. Well, right after, I met him, I ended up getting a busted lip.

[@AdamArchive2024]

I can remember reading about Smokey in elementary school, and actually having a Smokey mascot ( a guy in costume) come to our school. Good memories- thanks!

[@itsmommy100]

I cannot believe I learned so much I never knew about Smokie Bear in a 6-minute video! I love them all but this one is now on the top of list of favorites. Thank you!

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

I also remember the commercials with the crying Indian about litter prevention.

[@QueenBee-gx4rp]

That was a killer-very heartbreaking 💔!

[@johnnycomelately5914]

I remember that too. The first one was great when the Indian had one tear rolling down his face. They blew it with the second one when the Indian was crying a river.

[@roscoeshepard]

Iron Eyes Cody. He wasn't an Indian but one of the tribes made him a horrible member. I think he was italian. He done some really good work , making people think about population.

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

@@roscoeshepard I hope you meant to say HONORABLE member and POLUTION rather than horrible and population lol!

[@tmn5647382910]

I absolutely love smoky the bear !! And again I really like your channel. Your video aren't to long but still full if very interesting information. Please keep up the great work !!

[@madamesalamander16]

Next stop, 100K subscribers! I hope you'll video yourself with your plaque, so we can put a face to the wonderful content and excellent voice. Among everything else, I have to give some love to the other commenters. I sincerely enjoy reading about your memories, big and small! I look forward to them every time we get a new video. Thank you for making this little corner of the web fun and welcoming.

[@tomcaldwell5750]

I agree with everything you have said.

[@nickhill8612]

I remember Smokey but I don't remember the song, I'll have to KZbin it. Of course you have to do Woodsy Owl next. Give a hoot don't pollute.

[@QueenBee-gx4rp]

I think that song is permanently stuck in my head!

[@nickhill8612]

@@QueenBee-gx4rp Haha yeah it's stuck in my head to since I KZbind it.

[@saulamaral574]

Seeing Smokey's posters and the old PSA's on TV frightened me as a kid, they made me shiver listening to his deep low voice and his cold steery eyes just looking at you.

[@elwin38]

I remember when Smokey died in 76(i was 8 yrs old). I remember Walter Cronkite announcing it on CBS news.

[@korbell1089]

I grew up in Lincoln County NM and have been to that museum quite a few times, first as a child, then parent, and finally grandparent.

[@user-vm5ud4xw6n]

Thanks for sharing this. Can’t tell you how many times I saw the ad for this on the back of women’s magazines.

[@suzannemckenzie2873]

Great job! Many good memories about Smokey growing up. I got some sort of Smokey kit from the State ( Oregon)Forestry Dept with lots of cool Smokey and 'Keep Oregon Green' stickers. We did actually learn a lot from that campaign. Thanks for doing this video

[@darealberrygarcia]

Everyone loves Smokey 💗

[@fluffyotter1601]

Thanks…..enjoyed this video:)

[@ericksonfedor4765]

I also do enjoyed it so much because it’s a memory flash back in the 60s. How are you?

[@miriambucholtz9315]

I was 4 years old in 1950 and vividly remember seeing a Smokey the Bear commercial on TV showing a burned-out forest area with a road in it leading off to nowhere. The background music was the song, "Look Down, Look Down That Lonesome Road". I ran screaming and crying from the room. Sensory overload on top of living in the country, where my mother was scared to death of being isolated. I'll never forget that.

[@pattyheitzman8635]

Smokey Bear had his own cartoon show in the late 60's. It was called The Smokey Bear Show.I used to watch hat when I was little.

[@stephenholloway6893]

That was done by Rankin Bass. Which also did a stop motion special.

[@ericksonfedor4765]

Yes you are absolutely right Patty. How are you? Hope you having a wonderful day

[@caracristina2860]

Thank you so much for your content and please keep it coming.

[@allen_p]

I've volunteered for the Forest Service for 30 years. In the 90's, the Smokey Bear costume got a physically fit redesign vs. the old, rounder costume. The new costume also had a cooling unit in it as wearing the costume could be very hot.

[@pernelldh]

Fact: Smokey Bear made a cameo appearance in a Walt Disney cartoon short, “In the Bag.”

[@regsun7947]

"And you pick it up, put it in the bag, bump-bump." I think that was our favorite Disney thing ever.

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

A Woody Woodpecker cartoon had him in a cameo too.

[@johnbolony]

Great information about ole Smokey.

[@pamelamays4186]

In 1969 there was a Smokey Bear cartoon.

[@RIXRADvidz]

Raise Your Hand if you had a Smokey Bear plush toy well into your teen years. The Focus should turn back to snuffing out camp fires completely before you leave the campsite. Here in Colorado we have TOO Many smoldering fire rings left.

[@manickayak9221]

I had one and still do. Along with a metal bracelet.

[@brucewelty7684]

I am glad you addressed his over-success.

[@samoyed81966]

Rankin-Bass had produced the Smokey the Bear TV special on NBC in 1966 and a weekly Saturday morning cartoon series on ABC in 1969.

[@cynthiaburns5233]

Smokey literally changed my life. :)

[@bernardfoster5376]

Hill City High School (Rangers) in South Dakota is the only school district in the U.S. that is authorized to use Smokey Bear as their mascot. Their team name of the Rangers was given to them by the Forest Service in honor of the assistance that 25 high school boys provided in containing a large forest fire near Hill City in 1939. The Forest Service also gave them special permission to use Smokey as their mascot. The school colors are green and gold to reflect the National Forest Service theme.

[@blake8927]

My grandpa Jackson Weaver was the OG voice of Smokey. This was really cool to see.

[@kerrypitt9789]

How many people thought his name was Smokey The Bear? Over the years songs were written and putting "The," in between his names. Even here in Canada, we loved Smokey Bear.

[@reneel9238]

Thank you for this one! Only you can prevent forest fires!🐻🚫🔥 We ♥️smokey!

[@gingerguzman2022]

If only the good ole commercials would run on tv in today’s modern time… a lot of the good ole days has faded away … I often wonder if the good ole messages of life … would the world be crazy today … life was better back then with positive messages… today’s commercials are sleazy … in my opinion….

[@gregggoss2210]

In my opinion, you are correct.

[@jongalt3381]

Shoot, then I guess it's unanimous! 🌹🇺🇸🌹

[@keithmctaggart8181]

You got my vote GG

[@davidalan2469]

Marxists planned the slow creep all along while we slept. The Long March Through The Institutions is a name for it. Willi Munzenberg, Gramsci, Cloward & Piven, etc. made their plans.

[@chaoswitch1974]

@@davidalan2469 That's what the conspiracy theorists say.

[@oifiismith]

I still remember it as "Smokey THE bear", just saying🤔🤙

[@capecod50s]

I learned a lot from this! Thank you.

[@stillaboveground2470]

My sister had a Smokey the Bear teddy bear when we were kids.

[@jacquelynejohnson9127]

🎵Smokey the bear Smokey the bear, a proulin An a groulen and sniffin the air. He can find a fire before it starts to flame that's why they call him Smokey that's how he got his name!🎵

[@georgiafrye2524]

We sent in for The Smokey the Bear club. We received a copy of the song and a badge in the mail. In the late 1950s . The neighborhood kids all got involved. I recall a picture of a bear cub found clinging to a charred tree that was saved and that was supposed to be where Smokey the Bear started?

[@jacquelynejohnson9127]

@@georgiafrye2524 my mom told me that Teddy R. Great president had found the cub in a tree after the fire going into the forest to do big game hunting and that both the bear and the teddy bear were named after that president. Different from the information given. She told me this back in 1970?

[@douglasspende6685]

I had my Smokey the Bear since I was born in 1968! The only teddy bear I carried around! I'm 54 now and gave him to my munchkins they pass him on to theirs.

[@mermaidgirl9232]

Smokey will always be my hero 💙💙

[@nathanhawkins4108]

That was very good. Next you should do McGrath the chime dog

[@nikkig205]

Great story. I was actually smokey the bear for Halloween this year.

[@robertabrams8562]

They could sure use Smokey the Bear today in Northern California! The smoke from those western fires, can be detected all over the country

[@normanrasmussen274]

As a child I had a stuffed Smokey the Bear animal doll whatever you call it and you would pull the cord and it would say help prevent forest fires they say a different now I do not know whatever happened to that I sure wish I had it back and every time I see a Smokey the Bear commercial brings back awesome memories!!!, 😢😁

[@danielr4640]

I always enjoyed Smokey The Bear

[@92JazzQueen]

Smokey needs to have his own television series where he goes around and fighting fires. I am surprised in the 90's they didn't try that. Seriously, I would have loved that than Captain Planet.

[@richardrhodes9661]

That was fun! ThNKS, i SUBBED!

[@beckyjacobsen5867]

We grew us knowing him as SMOKEY THE BEAR. Why couldn’t they just leave it be!

[@barbarak2836]

He was originally Smokey Bear until the song in 1952, No one changed it FROM Smokey the Bear.

[@SantaFe19484]

I grew up going to a state park with a Smokey figure in the playground.

[@timothybrown6988]

Smokey Bear was a scary character for me when I was a child.

[@robt5818]

Smokey THE Bear. I don't care what revisionist historians say!

[@terrierqueen4091]

Exactly! Next time I hear some Gen Xer say "Smokey Bear" I hope it's at Christmas so I can get in their face and sing "Frosty Snowman was a..."

[@robt5818]

@@terrierqueen4091 What's next, Felix Cat and Francis Talking Mule? :)

[@SMG5858]

Smokey Appeared In The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade In A Few Years Back Before His Final Flight In 1993 After The Original Balloon Is Retired In 2019 He Returned To 34th Street

[@sergiosandoval2434]

Do a video on McGruff the Crime Dog.

[@BellaDrips]

Remember folks; "Only YOU can prevent FOREST FIRES." Be kind and true.

[@matrox]

I actually met Smokey at the zoo in Wash DC in the early 60s. I thought it was a damn shame to keep this historical figure in a cage at a zoo all of his life. He should have been in a wildlife sanctuary where he could roam. A lot of hipocrisy regarding animal welfare and an ad campaign.

[@scudman51]

He also had his own Hanna Barbera cartoon

[@1307scooter]

The fires are more deadly today than back then. California has neglected cleaning up dead brush and that is deadly fuel.

[@Torey777]

Happy birthday i love u

[@williampalenik7306]

I thought it was only because of the bear cub that was rescued in a fire, nice to know how it all started now.

[@unclefranklin4575]

I always figured the real Smokey bear came before the mascot.

[@XHollisWood]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️‍🔥

[@joejohnston2035]

Obviously the "funds" uncle Sam collected in royalties.... didn't make it to it's intended purpose...

[@laurabledsoe5878]

It's Smokey THE Bear! Smokey THE Bear! Smokey THE Bear! What psycho named him "Smokey Bear"???? I still remember the whacked-out radio commercials, of the conversation between a father and his son. The dad referred to him as "Smokey the Bear", and the bratty kid "corrected" his Dad, by saying, "You don't say 'Easter the Bunny', or 'Santa the Claus'" Finally the dad starts calling him "Smokey Bear". That's as psychotic as the other two names of "Easter the Bunny" and "Santa the Claus". It's Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, and Smokey THE Bear!!! Go ahead trolls, with your wacko comments.

[@ladycatherinedebourgh7336]

Smoky needs to crack down on those fire starting gender reveal parties.

[@davidkastin4240]

What ever happened to good ole baby showers?

[@BeingMe23]

Anyone notice the years with 2? 1922, 1942 1952 it's 2022 now

[@Limits1704]

After hearing this I have no idea why Canada decided to replace him with a generic furry

[@rss2105]

You didn't mention the cartoon from 1969.

[@raymonddelisle6601]

Has smokey been vaccinated ?

[@susanolson3611]

🙂

[@ericksonfedor4765]

I guess you enjoyed it. It’s a lovely memory flash back. How are you? Sure you having a wonderful day

[@tylerzorn6152]

You completely left out who did the voice of Smokey Bear

[@thescarletblimpernel3720]

4 people down voted? Really?!!

[@garydean0308]

Smokey the Bear is one of the reasons we have so many wild fires.

[@deanvoss7098]

How so?

[@beckyjacobsen5867]

Yah,how so. Explain

[@wmalden]

Smokey Bear.

[@beckyjacobsen5867]

Duh

[@seansack609]

Please articulate

[@markfrench8892]

Too bad Pacific Gas and Electric won't listen to Smokey.

[@charleschampion4682]

Now we have irresponsible,no common sense campers burning down our forests.

[@Pfsif]

IT's a shame that ole Smokey got caught up in the MeToo movement and is doing hard time.

[@DustinShuey]

Merchant Mariner campaign on my page USS Ironwood privateer

[@peterwilson4309]

Oyoeoh

[@timebong8366]

Lol put out some HOLLYWEIRD characters and everybody listens like little dumb sheep

[@sodality3970]

What about Antifa and BLM fires ?

[@Cryo837]

But where is "Boo Boo"?