The Bear That Wasn't facts for kids
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Cover of the first edition of the book
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| Author | Frank Tashlin |
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| Illustrator | Frank Tashlin |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature, satire |
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Publication date
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1946 |
The Bear That Wasn't is a famous picture book from 1946. It was written and drawn by Frank Tashlin, who was also a filmmaker. He used to work on Looney Tunes cartoons.
In 1947, an audio version of the story came out. It was narrated by Keenan Wynn and lasted about 25 minutes.
Contents
What the Story is About
This story begins with a bear getting ready for his long winter sleep, called hibernation. While he is sleeping, the world outside changes a lot. A big factory is built right where he was sleeping!
When the bear wakes up, he finds himself in the middle of a busy industrial area. A factory boss sees him and thinks he is a worker. The boss tells the bear to get to work. But the bear says, "I'm a bear!"
The boss doesn't believe him. He takes the bear to his own bosses. Each boss, from the general manager to the vice-presidents, tells the bear the same thing. They say he is just a "silly man who needs a shave and wears a fur coat."
Finally, they meet the factory president. He says the bear cannot be a bear. He believes bears only live in a zoo or a circus, never inside a factory.
So, the president and his workers take the bear to the zoo. The bear hopes the other bears there will understand him. But even the zoo bears say he is not a real bear. They tell him, "If you were a bear, you would be in a cage with us."
After hearing this from everyone, the bear starts to believe them. He thinks he must be a "silly man" after all. He then goes back to the factory and works very hard. The bosses are very happy with him.
Months later, winter comes again, and the factory closes. The bear is left outside in the cold snow. He starts to wish he really was a bear. Then, he finally realizes the truth: he is a bear!
He takes off his human-like clothes and finds a cave to hibernate in. He feels comfortable and like a bear again. The story ends with the narrator saying that even though no one believed he was a bear, it didn't change who he really was. He was not a silly man, and he was not a silly bear either.
The Cartoon Version
| The Bear That Wasn't | |
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"You are not a bear; you are a silly man who needs a shave and wears a fur coat."
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| Directed by | Chuck Jones |
| Produced by | Chuck Jones |
| Story by | Frank Tashlin Irv Spector |
| Narrated by | Paul Frees |
| Music by | Dean Elliott |
| Studio | MGM Animation/Visual Arts |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Release date(s) | 31 December 1967 |
| Running time | 10:21 |
| Language | English |
In 1967, Chuck Jones made an animated short film based on the book. Chuck Jones used to work with Frank Tashlin at Warner Bros. Cartoons. This cartoon was the very last animated short made by MGM and its animation studio.
The cartoon is mostly like the book, but there are a few small changes. For example, the factory president is shown as a very short person whose face you never see. Also, when the bear is at the zoo, a baby bear cub also tells him he's a "silly man."
Frank Tashlin was not involved in making the cartoon. Chuck Jones gave him credit anyway, hoping Tashlin might win an Oscar. However, the film did not win. Tashlin was not happy with the cartoon. He felt it did not show the book's original message well.
How the Book Inspired Others
Frank Tashlin's book inspired other artists. A Swiss writer named Jörg Steiner wrote a children's book in 1976. Its German title means "The Bear Who Wanted to Stay a Bear." This book was later translated into English. Its cover even says it was "From an idea by Frank Tashlin."
A singer from Belgium uses "The Bear That Wasn't" as his stage name. He released an album in 2010. Also, the German book inspired a German singer-songwriter named Reinhard Mey. He wrote a song with the same name for his 1978 album.
Where to Watch the Cartoon
The The Bear That Wasn't cartoon is available on a few DVD and Blu-ray sets:
- Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 3 (Disc 3, in the "From the Vaults" section)
- Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 1 Blu-ray box-set (Disc 3, as a bonus feature)
You can also find it on the Boomerang streaming service. It is listed under Volume 6 of MGM Cartoons.
