I was reminded of Felix The Cat by Ima Case, who writes a terrific blog here on Blogstream. Brought back a lot of cool childhood memories. It begs the question: Why can't I see Felix on TV anymore? Also, why can't I see:

HECKLE & JECKLE, the talking magpies. This was my early introduction to iconoclasts. H & J were anti-Establishment before anybody knew what the Establishment was. They had no respect for anybody, especially authority figures. They even gave cops a bad time in their cartoons. Could it be that the subtle, underlying message in those 'toons was to think for yourself, and live life as you see fit?

HERMAN & CATNIP, who were an obvious Tom & Jerry knockoff from Harvey Comics. Unlike Tom & Jerry, Herman and Catnip actually spoke. Herman had a Brooklyn accent like Bugs Bunny, and like the old Tom & Jerrys, he and the cat tried to kill each other. Too violent? I don't think so. Funny? I think so.

POPEYE, the old black & white versions. The background art was incredibly detailed. Some episodes were half an hour long. The dialogue was actually semi-intellectual. The audible mumblings of the various characters was at times hilarious. They were later replaced by some gawd-awful color cartoons that had the intelligence level of potted plants. They were seen on Cartoon Network until about 5 years ago. Please, CN?

HOPPITY HOOPER, a very hip frog. Produced by the people who brought you Bullwinkle, Hoppity was accompanied by Uncle Waldo, a dignified wolf voiced by the late, great Hans Conried, and Fillmore the bear, who always carried a bugle with him wherever he went. Like Rocky & Bullwinkle, the episodes were divided into continued parts, and were chock full of puns. My all time favorite Hoppity storyline involved the three of them being held prisoner by The Grand Asparagus.

KLONDIKE KAT, a feline in the RCMP. His nemesis was an ornery French-accented mouse named Savois Faire, whose catch-phrase was "Savois Faire is everywhere!" Invariably, the usually inept Klondike would catch Savois, and would then say his catch-phrase, "Klondike Kat always gets his mouse!

THE PINK PANTHER, a spinoff from the Inspector Clouseau films, this panther was genuinly pink. He never spoke, but did a lot of physical humor. These cartoons, IMHO, were terrific. The Pink Panther theme by Henry Mancini always played in the background. The only downside was that the creators put a laugh track in the cartoons. Not neccessary in cartoons.

Come to think of it, can you find a place where you can see Bugs, Porky, & Daffy? I can't. Today's toon-loving kids are being culturally deprived!

New items on previous postings:

I did get an update on a classmate, even though I did not mention her on my "Classmates" posting:

DONNA was an obnoxious, annoying presence on the campus social scene. Every school has one of these characters, who isn't a cheerleader, class officer, or even a beauty, but yet is seemingly everywhere and in virtually every club. One of those "school spirit" types that no matter how hard you try, you can't avoid. When our senior year yearbook came out, Donna was EVERYWHERE. You couldn't avoid her picture. She was named "Most Likely To Succeed." She had the same blazer on in virtually every picture.

The Update:
A couple of days ago, I ran into her younger brother Mike, who really was a nice guy (why does it always work like that?), and he told me quite candidly that Donna, after a failed career as a nurse, and a couple of failed marriages, is now living in a van, bipolar and delusional, addicted to drugs and an alcoholic, has been in and out of jail more times than they can count, and her family wants nothing to do with her. Talk about falling through the cracks. I always knew that the Most Likely To Succeed tag was a kiss of death.

On my previous Forgotten, But Not Gone posting, I should have included a young lady named JAMIE FOXXWORTH. Who is Jamie Foxxworth, you might inquire? She was on the sitcom Family Matters, the show that foisted Steven Q. Urkel on us, and had some of the most embarassing portrayals of black people on TV, ever. Remember some of Eddie's friends? Anyway, Jamie Foxxworth played younger sister Judy Winslow. Yes, there was a younger sister. Then, on one episode, Judy went upstairs and was never seen, heard from, or even referred to ever again. Suddenly, it was like Judy Winslow never existed in the first place. What happened? Turns out that the producers of Family Matters had planned to expand her role, make her more visible, have storylines revolve around her, and double her salary. Sounds good, right? Problem was, her parents, legally in charge of Jamie's career, didn't think that doubling her salary was adequate compensation. They demanded more, and got very difficult about it. The producers had enough, and wrote Judy out of the show. So much for the acting career of Jamie Foxxworth. In later years, according to one entertainment web site, she worked as a dancer in an adult nightclub to help pay the bills. Other reports have her still trying to get back into acting. The trouble on Family Matters was not of her making. I wish her success.

Losers take a bum rap in our society. If not for them, successful people wouldn't feel like winners. Being an underachiever is probably harder than you might think. Some practical examples:

SOMEONE has to dig septic tanks. That is truly a dirty job and someone often gets well paid for doing it.

SOMEONE has to clean the windows on buildings like the Empire State Building or Sears Tower. No thank you.

SOMEONE has to paint the Golden Gate Bridge. Again, thank you, no.

SOMEONE has to be Mel Gibson's publicist. Talk about thankless duty.

SOMEONE has to book guests on Larry King Live. Geesh.

SOMEONE has to be the Sports Information Director at New Mexico State University in "exotic" Las Cruces, NM. Bet he has plenty of No-Doze handy.

SOMEONE has to make license plates. They kinda have to. But, we need them.

SOMEONE has to manage the Chicago Cubs. Could you do it, and keep your sanity? I couldn't.

SOMEONE has to be Mayor of New Orleans. Do you think Hizzoner was re-elected because people hate him?

SOMEONE has to keep a typewriter repair shop open. Somewhere.

SOMEONE has to write press releases for Paramount Pictures. And somehow keep a straight face.

SOMEONE has to run Hewlett-Packard. Oops. Right now, NO ONE is. Any takers?

SOMEONE has to be the lawyer for what's left of Enron. It's somewhat akin to being a defense lawyer in Nuremburg in 1946.

SOMEONE has to quarterback the Oakland Raiders. Pro football is the only profession where you can get sacked and not lose your job.

SOMEONE has to write about hockey for Phoenix' Arizona Republic newspaper. Hockey in the desert? Hmmm.

SOMEONE has to produce Rush Limbaugh's show. Hope he has a mind of his own.

SOMEONE had to perform the wedding nuptuals of Anna Nicole Smith & J. Howard Marshall. Bet he needed a drink or a joint afterwards. I know I would have.

SOMEONE has be be a Pac-10 football official. Too many possible punchlines here to pick just one.

SOMEONE has to live in San Bernardino, Ca. This one makes me count my blessings.

SOMEONE has to draw the Mallard Fillmore comic strip. Scarcasm time: I just can't wait for this one to get animated.

SOMEONE has to clean the droppings of animals at better zoos everywhere. Just wondering: do snakes leave droppings?

SOMEONE had to have spent months, maybe years, in conferences, meetings, think tank sessions, with who knows how much money spent in research, more meetings and conferences, who knows how many man-hours spent, to come up with those two magic words: GOT MILK? I'll bet he/she/they now think that they're geniuses. Sheesh.

ENOUGH!! I think I'll break out the Pepsi and cold onion rings.

I really had to tax my memory for this one...

DURAN DURAN, supposedly the next "Super Group", or more aptly, hyped as the natural successors to the Beatles. In my humble opinion (IMHO), their breakout hit, Rio, was absolutely BRUTAL! Now available in better discount bins at record stores everywhere.

STEPHANIE MILLER hosted what was arguably the most unwatchable talk show in the history of television. The daughter of 1964 GOP Vice Presidential nominee William Miller (who?), has been off the radar since her show's demise.

ADAM RICH, the "cute little kid" on the nauseating family show Eight is Enough. Didn't you just hate family shows? He had his problems as a teen adjusting to reality, and was in trouble with the law several times, but has been quiet headline-wise in recent years. Let's hope he's enjoying a peaceful existence.

ARCHIE GRIFFIN, the only 2 time Heisman Trophy winner (74-75) from Ohio State. At the end of his "illustrious" college career, he told the NFL that he would only accept being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals. His wish was granted, and was paid what was then an exhorbitant amount of money. His NFL career went about as smoothly as Popeye the Sailor at a Bluto family reunion. He tanked badly. When last in a football uniform, he couldn't make the roster of a USFL team. Another of the many Heisman flops in the pros. The mistake wasn't giving him 2 Heismans, the mistake was giving it to him in the first place.

DONNA RICE, who somehow managed to bring down the 1988 presidential aspirations of Gary Hart, who was considered electable until she surfaced. When last heard from, she was forming a group advocating government regulation of the Internet. Gee, that sounds an awful lot like China, North Korea, Cuba, and some Middle East countries. Her group got so big that they were holding meetings in a booth at Dairy Queen.

LARRAINE NEWMAN, arguably the least talented member of the original Saturday Night Live cast. While the rest of the cast flourished after leaving SNL in 1980, Navy sonar couldn't find Ms. Newman. Is she hosting an infomercial somewhere that I don't know about?

STEVE CHILLICOTH, the #1 draft pick overall in the 1967 Major League Baseball draft by the New York Mets. The #2 pick of that draft was Reggie Jackson, by the then-Kansas City Athletics. The Mets would have drafted Jackson #1, but according to Jackson's book, the Mets found out that Reggie had the audacity to have a white girlfriend, and they couldn't have that. Steve Chillicoth never made it past AA ball. And people wondered why the Mets floundered so much in the 60s.

FAWN HALL, the world's most famous paper shredder. After helping Oliver North with his shenanigans, Fawn tried to parlay her publicity into a news anchorwoman career. No takers. Perhaps she's working at an Office Depot someplace, selling paper shredders.

LINDA TRIPP, who tried to parlay the Monica Lewinsky scandal into a glorious self-aggrandizement. Old Banana Nose herself tried to offer her services as a political commentator, columnist, actress, speaker, author, and eventually carnival barking. Once again, nada nada.

SAMANTHA SANG, one of many reasons that Disco sucked. The 15 minute alarm rang fast on her.

BROCK LESNAR, hyped by Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment as "The Next Big Thing", walked away from a promising career in the ring and very big $ to try out for the Minnesota Vikings. He didn't make it. Instead of returning to the WWE, he tried some other things that didn't pan out. Last heard from, he was wrestling in Japan, but not for the big money he could have earned from McMahon. What was he thinking?

LUCIE ARNAZ & DESI ARNAZ, JR., the talent-challenged offspring of Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz. Through the wonders of nepotism, they were thrust into the limelight of mother Lucille's last CBS show, Here's Lucy, another forgotten entity. While initially a rating hit, the show's ratings steadily declined and Desi Jr. left after 2 seasons of saying "Hi, Mom, Hi, Sis." According to a PBS documentary on Lucille Ball, by the time Here's Lucy ended its run, it looked like they were just going through the motions. Neither Lucie or Desi Jr. became anywhere near as big as their parents, although Desi Jr. gave a credible performance playing his father in the movie, The Mambo Kings.

Soon to be added to this illustrious list: Anna Nicole Smith, Omarosa Stallworth-Whatever, Maurice Clarett, & Terrell Owens.

It's still a few years until my high school class' 20th anniversary reunion. Since graduating, I've had only incidental contact with former classmates. I was lucky. For some people, high school is a traumatic experience, but I got through relatively unscathed. At the other end of the spectrum, for some people, it was the highlight of their otherwise mundane lives. I just wonder about some people, and what's happened to them since....

JAN, the class beauty. Our school was well-integrated, so it was with affection that she was referred to as "The Most Beautiful White Girl On Earth." Jan drove boys, and, I imagine, male staff members, crazy with her incredible looks. Long, beautiful dark brown hair, a face that would melt any wicked witch, tight skirts that would drive boys up the wall. Before she graduated, she had already won several beauty contests. She didn't try for homecoming queen, and that's just as well; the voting would have been no contest. The great thing about Jan was that she was also a very nice girl. She was never too good to talk to anybody. Not a stuck-up cell in her entire make-up. I wonder what she's been up to all this time. I really wonder.

CHUCK, a very large, conceited, arrogant, overbearing football player. Make no mistake, Chuck was a great football player. He made all-everything as a defensive lineman. Trouble was, all the acclaim made him full of himself. Very full. He became very unpleasant to be around. Coming from a very Catholic family, Chuck thought Notre Dame would come-a-callin', along with every other college football program. Guess what? Never happened. A couple of players got scholarships from major programs, but not Chuck. After the Senior year, I never heard about him again. Just as well. I wouldn't recognize him without his letterman's jacket on, which he always wore.

JUDY was a very funny, and to be fair, quite attractive classmate who wasn't into the campus social scene at all. She would mostly keep to herself, or try to. She was good with quips & one-liners, and she cracked me up several times, especially in gym class. Then it happened: The Wonder Years made its debut, and guess who just happened to be an absolute dead ringer for Winnie Cooper, played by Danica McKellar? Yep, you guessed it. Suddenly, Judy was on every guy's wish list. Boys drove her crazy asking her out. I just wonder how many times since then people have said to her "You look like that chick from the Wonder Years"?

DEANDRU (dee-ann-droo) was a total piece of crap. He was a thug, a thief, a bully, a freeloader, and a great poster boy for the KKK. It's knuckleheads like DeAndru that have kept the Klan in business. He thought nothing of beating smaller white boys up just for fun or to take something from them. I don't know how many times he was in trouble at school, but it didn't seem to matter with him. He tried to hit on me, and actually got mad when I said no. He tried to act like an authority figure, like I owed it to him. He grabbed my arm, but luckily, a teacher came by at that moment, and he let go. Dumb ass. His biggest outrage was when he got his first car, a real junker, and really tried to play the big man role. He actually picked out a place in the student parking lot and tried to claim it as his. If someone parked in "his mutha-f'n place", he would find that student, and bully him into moving his car from there. Several times, the principal called him into his office and told him to knock it off, that you park where a spot is available, but again, he didn't listen. Finally, one fine day, he came to school late, probably drunk or on drugs, and ran all up and down the hallways, screaming at the top of his lungs that someone had parked in HIS mutha-f'n parking place and that they better move. That did it. He was kicked out of school, and thankfully, I haven't seen him since. Bet he's been in and out of prison in the years since. If he's even still alive.

HELEN was another one for the books. She was half white, half latina, and she truly downplayed the latina part. She was head cheerleader, homecoming queen, an overbearing Christian, a proud, card-carrying member of the Young Republicans, and very arrogant. I couldn't stand this girl. Every year since junior high, she would attend the high school's graduation ceremony, and at it's conclusion, be bawling her head off because she was so touched by the ceremony. We used to kid her about that, and she would get mad. She spent years looking foward to her own graduation to get emotional at. Then one fine day I arrived at school and someone asked me if I had heard about Helen? It turned out she and a very married handsome teacher were caught doing the horizontal hokey-pokey, and both were outta there! Irony time. No solemn graduation ceremony for Queen Helen! Don't you just LOVE sanctimonious Republicans? Always good for a laugh somewhere down the road. Helen has not been seen or heard from since.

Where, oh, where are they now?

I could list many more, but maybe this entry is too long already. Perhaps I'll do a Part II.