Smokey the Bear, 20252

3/2/2018 in DC by Mark Jones

{snip}

Walt Disney allowed the government to use its popular Bambi character for a limited time. But, by 1944, the Forest Service needed a new anti-forest fire mascot and decided to create its own – a bear. The USFS authorized the character on August 9, 1944 and famed animal illustrator Albert Staehle painted the first Smokey Bear pouring a bucket of water on a campfire a couple months later.

While Staehle created the character, the man most responsible for Smokey’s growth into an icon was Arlington, Virginia artist Rudolph Wendelin, who took over as Smokey’s caretaker in the late 1940s. From his office at the Department of Agriculture in Washington, Wendelin transformed the character, which had been drawn in various ways during the first few years of the campaign. As the artist explained later,

“The idea was that [Smokey] needed to be more human to communicate his message…. The claws eventually became fingers. He could point. He could carry a shovel. He couldn’t do that with paws.”

See gallery of Smokey the Bear renditions over time on the U.S. Department of Agriculture website →

By the 1950s, Smokey had his familiar hat, blue jeans, and belt buckle. He also had a deep voice, thanks to WMAL radio personality Jackson Weaver who voiced the bear for television commercials — and a catchy song.[4] Fun fact: According to Wendelin, it was because of the song that "Smokey Bear" became known by many as "Smokey the Bear" — the rhythm required an extra syllable.



The wildly successful advertising campaign made Wendelin’s character a household name across the country, but Washingtonians’ connection to Smokey was unique. That's because for us, Smokey was not only a character, he was a neighbor.

In June 1950, government officials brought a real-life “Smokey Bear,” which had been rescued from a forest fire in New Mexico to the National Zoo in Washington. The orphaned three-month-old cub had been found clinging to a charred pine tree, with third-degree burns on his paws and hide. Instantly, he became the embodiment of the fire safety public awareness effort.

{snip}

robbibubnj
10 years ago

The kid's voice is none other than Bill Mumy (from Lost In Space Wil Robinson fame). Cool guy, great actor.

Dr. Pepper King
6 years ago

Interesting how they got Paul Frees to narrate this!

Armory Brunot,Jr.
3 years ago (edited)

Nice PSA. That's Paul Frees as the narrator, and Jackson Weaver as the voice of Smokey the Bear. Weaver is best remembered for his
partnership with Frank Harden to do "The Harden and Weaver Show" on WMAL in Washington for 32 years (1960-92). The child actor who voiced the boy is future "Lost In Space" star Billy Mumy.