The Adventures of Paddy the Pelican

The Adventures of Paddy the Pelican is an animated television series that debuted in children's local stations in Chicago in 1950s.^[1] It consist of six episodes airing in 1954 It is exceedingly rare, but has gained some fame for appearing on Jerry Beck's "Worst Cartoons Ever." On the DVD, he states that he has not found any evidence that it was aired on TV, although there is evidence that it began in 1950 as a local TV puppet show on Chicago's WENR-TV.^[2] Paddy's adventures were presented in comic strip drawings done by Sam Singer.^[3][4] The show was scheduled to appear on the ABC network in the fall of 1951; Singer had also started producing a newspaper, Paddy Pelican Junior Journal.^[5]

The show is notable and is infamous for its shoddy pencil-sketch artwork, reused animation, rambling voiceovers, muffled soundtrack, and general low-budget problems.

Singer, who worked for Disney and other Hollywood animation studios, also produced a television Uncle Mistletoe local children's television show, based on the Marshall Field's character of the same name, as well as other early animated shows.^[6]

Episodes

name of three of six episodes:

• Piggy Bank Robbery- Paddy is observing Kenny Crow's odd banking habits. Kenny hides his savings in a piggy bank that is stashed in a secret panel of his house. But nasty Freddie Fox discovers the hiding place and conspires to steal the money while framing Paddy for the crime. Freddie plants pelican-shaped muddy footprints across Kenny’s floor – and Kenny reacts to the theft by throwing a brick at Paddy.[1]
• Two Wet Bears- Amos and Buster are swimming in the ocean when they discover an abandoned boat. A thunderstorm comes and wrecks the boat on the island, where the boat's owner, Beachcomber Bill, threatens to eat the two bears for wrecking his boat. A passing Paddy assists the two bears in getting off the island and out of danger.
• The Land of More

References