The Beary Family (also known as The Beary's Family Album) is an American animated and cartoon animal theatrical series created by Jack Hannah for Walter Lantz Productions. Twenty-eight shorts were made from 1962 to 1972, when the studio closed.
History
The series focused on Charlie Beary, the incompetent and stubborn family man, his nagging wife Bessie, their mischievous but slightly dim-witted teenage son Junior and their younger well-meaning, innocent daughter Suzy, who later got a pet named Goose Beary, who never gets along with Charlie. Jack Hannah initially conceived the series based on a family of five (four family members and a pet), but Hannah would later leave the studio after directing the first two shorts. When Paul J. Smith became the series primary director, the concept would be significantly redeveloped. Suzy and Goose Beary would be phased out to focus more on the dynamic between Charlie and Junior. Bessie would also received a redesign in Rah Rah Ruckus (1964) and portrayed more as a nagging housewife who chastises Charlie over his mistakes. Smith would continue the series until 1972, when the studio closed.
Critics have since called the series dry and witless under Smith's direction. Animation historian Jerry Beck included the series in a list of TV cartoons that should be forgotten on Cartoon Research, citing its "ugly" art, and "corny" verbal gags and visuals.
Voice actors Paul Frees – Charlie Beary, Junior Beary, and Goose Beary Grace Stafford – Bessie and Suzy Beary Nancy Wible – Suzy Beary ("Fowled-Up Birthday")
Filmography Fowled-Up Birthday (1962), Big Cartoon DataBase Mother's Little Helper (1962), bcdb.com Charlie's Mother-In-Law (1963), bcdb.com Goose in the Rough (1963), bcdb.com Goose is Wild (1963), bcdb.com Rah Rah Ruckus (1964), bcdb.com Roof Top Razzle-Dazzle (1964), bcdb.com Guest Who? (1965), bcdb.com Davey Cricket (1965), bcdb.com Foot Brawl (1966), www.bcdb.com, bcdb.com Window Pains (1967), bcdb.com Mouse in the House (1967), bcdb.com Jerky Turkey (1968), bcdb.com Paste Makes Waste (1968), bcdb.com Bugged in a Rug (1968), bcdb.com Gopher Broke (1969), bcdb.com Charlie's Campout (1969), bcdb.com Cool it Charlie (1969), bcdb.com Charlie in Hot Water (1970), bcdb.com Charlie's Golf Classic (1970), bcdb.com The Unhandy Man (1970), bcdb.com Charlie the Rain Maker (1971), bcdb.com The Bungling Builder (1971), bcdb.com Moochin Pooch (1971), bcdb.com Let Charlie Do It (1972), bcdb.com A Fish Story (1972), bcdb.com Rain, Rain, Go Away (1972), bcdb.com Unlucky Potluck (1972), bcdb.com
See also Walter Lantz Productions List of Walter Lantz cartoon characters
References
External links The Beary Family profile The Walter Lantz-o-Pedia