Here are the opening two pan shots of “Slumber Party Smarty,” one of the earliest Yogi Bear cartoons put into production in 1958 (Yogi still has a mask around his eyes). Fernando Montealegre is responsible for the backgrounds in this cartoon from layouts by Dick Bickenbach. On the horizontal pan shot below featuring Yogi, the pavement stones indicate the floor. Very '50s, UPA concept.
The bulk of the cartoon is shot inside Yogi’s cave. Here’s another interior. Nice window you’ve got, Yogi. Looking toward the left of the drawing, it appears the stones might be on an overlay. I think I can detect a line edge. Lew Marshall drew the sleep-walking bear.
This is a pre-formula cartoon. No picnic baskets, Boo Boo, Ranger Smith or endless chatter. Yogi may be in a generic cave, not Jellystone Park. Even today, fans love the Yogi formula but I still really like these early cartoons before Yogi’s setting was codified. And this one contains my favourite drawing of the self-pitying, manipulative duckling who later become the more upbeat Yakky Doodle. The drawer closes on his head. Now that’s comedy!
