The Hillbilly Bears is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that aired as a segment on The Atom Ant/Secret Squirrel Show for two seasons, from 1965 to 1967. During the first half of the 1966-67 television season, The Atom Ant/Secret Squirrel Show was split into two seperate shows, and The Hillbilly Bears aired as part of The Atom Ant Show.
Reruns of the series formerly aired on Cartoon Network and Cartoon Network's sister channel Boomerang.
Overview[]
A situational comedy (inspired by The Beverly Hillbillies) about the Rugg family of hillbilly bears consisting of Paw Rugg, Maw Rugg, Floral Rugg, and Shag Rugg.
The Hillbilly Bears/Yogi Bear's Family played on a social stereotype of the "hillbilly", with a gun toting, mumbling father Paw Rugg who was always "feudin" ("feudin" was usually a lethargic operation, in which the protagonists fired the same bullet back and forth from the comfort of their rocking chairs) with the neighbors the Hoppers.
Paw Rugg's voice was a mumble, splattered with a few understandable words. Particularly in the first episodes, Paw Rugg's voice was incomprehensible; his speech improved with the later episodes. His wife Maw was a homemaker who appeared as the more levelheaded parent, The fur of his daughter Floral had lemon-colored fur (as opposed to the darker-colored fur of Maw, Paw and Shag) and Floral was the southern belle and most sophisticated member of the family while Shag was a troublemaker who looks up to his father.
Cast[]
- Henry Corden - Paw Rugg
- Jean Vander Pyl - Floral Rugg, Maw Rugg
- Don Messick - Shag Rugg
- Paul Frees - Claude Hopper
Episodes[]
Season 1[]
- "Detour For Sure"
- "Woodpecked"
- "Anglers Aweigh"
- "Stranger Than Friction"
- "Goldilocks And The Four Bears"
- "Going, Going Gone Gopher"
- "Courtin' Disaster"
- "Picnic Panicked"
- "Judo Kudos"
- "Just Plane Around"
- "War Games"
- "Bricker Brats"
- "Slap Happy Grandpappy"
- "Pooped Pops"
- "Leaky Creek"
- "My Fair Hillbilly"
- "Rickety Rockety-Raccoon"
- "Modern Inconvenience"
- "Rabbit Rumble"
- "Speckled Heckler"
Season 2[]
- "Whirly Bear"
- "Saucy Saucers"
- "Chipper Chirper"
- "Gettin' Paws Goat"
- "Buzzin' Cuzzins"
- "Do The Bear"
In Other Media[]
- The Hillbilly Bears appeared in Yogi's Ark Lark and its spin-off series Yogi's Gang.
- Pa and Maw Rugg appeared in Yogi's Treasure Hunt.
- The Hillbilly Bears appeared in a Boomerang short, where Maw takes them on a Jerry Springer-like show due to the fact she can't understand Paw, although the audience assumes that she means she doesn't "understand" him in the sense that she doesn't know who he is anymore. This results in Paw shooting on the wall "I luv you Maw".
- On the Dexter's Laboratory episode, "Chubby Cheese" an animatronic Paw Rugg is seen playing the xylophone during Chubby's song.
- The Hillbilly Bears appear in the Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law episode "Guitar Control" defending their home from the SWAT team and Bear. Paw Rugg's name can be seen in Harvey's black book in "BabySitter" and Paw can be seen using a crowbar to tear off the logo for Sebben and Sebben in "The Death of Harvey".
Home Release[]
The episode "Woodpecked" is available on the DVD Saturday Morning Cartoons 1960's vol. 1. The episode "Picnic Panicked" is available on the DVD Saturday Morning Cartoons 1960's Vol. 2.
1957 | Ruff and Reddy |
1958 | The Huckleberry Hound Show • Yogi Bear • Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks |
1959 | The Quick Draw McGraw Show • Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy • Snooper and Blabber |
1980 | Drak Pack • The Flintstone Comedy Show • The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang • The Richie Rich/Scooby-Doo Show |
1981 | Laverne & Shirley in the Army • Space Stars • Teen Force • The Kwicky Koala Show • Trollkins • The Smurfs |
1982 | The Flintstone Funnies • Mork and Mindy: The Animated Series • The Little Rascals • Pac-Man • Jokebook • Shirt Tales • The Gary Coleman Show |
1983 | The Dukes • Monchhichis • The New Scooby and Scrappy Doo Show • The Biskitts • Lucky Luke |
1984 | Snorks • Challenge of the GoBots |
1985 | Paw Paws • Yogi's Treasure Hunt • Galtar and the Golden Lance • The Berenstain Bears • The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo • The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible |
1986 | The New Adventures of Jonny Quest • Pound Puppies • The Flintstone Kids • Foofur • Wildfire |
1987 | Sky Commanders • Popeye and Son |
1988 | A Pup Named Scooby-Doo • The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley • The New Yogi Bear Show • Fantastic Max |
1989 | The Further Adventures of SuperTed • Paddington Bear |
1990 | The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda • Tom & Jerry Kids • Wake, Rattle, and Roll • Rick Moranis in Gravedale High • Midnight Patrol: Adventures in the Dream Zone |
1991 | The Pirates of Dark Water • Yo Yogi! |
1992 | Fish Police • Capitol Critters • The Addams Family |
1993 | Droopy, Master Detective • The New Adventures of Captain Planet • 2 Stupid Dogs • SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron |
1995 | Dumb and Dumber • What a Cartoon! |
1996 | Cave Kids: Pebbles & Bamm Bamm • The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest • Dexter's Laboratory |
1997 | Johnny Bravo • Cow & Chicken • I Am Weasel |
1998 | The Powerpuff Girls |