The Cinnamon Bear facts for kids
For the animal, see Cinnamon bear.
The Cinnamon Bear was a popular old-time radio show made by Transco in Hollywood, California. This special series was created to be heard six days a week, starting from Thanksgiving and leading up to Christmas.
The show first aired between November 26 and December 25, 1937. Some places, like Portland, started it a day earlier on Thanksgiving. In its first year, Portland even broadcast the show on two different radio stations.
After some problems with sharing the show, it wasn't officially broadcast in 1940. However, in 1941, a new company took over, and The Cinnamon Bear was back on the air across the country. Later, in the 1950s, another company continued to share the show.
An old newspaper ad from 1937 invited listeners to meet Paddy O'Cinnamon, who was Santa Claus's helper. It also promised exciting adventures with two children, Judy and Jimmy, as they tried to get their Silver Star back from the "wicked Crazyquilt Dragon." The ad even said the Cinnamon Bear was excited to meet everyone!
The Story of the Cinnamon Bear
The story follows two children, Judy and Jimmy Barton. They go on a magical adventure to a place called Maybeland. Their goal is to find their missing Silver Star, which belongs on their Christmas tree.
Helping them on their journey is the Cinnamon Bear. He is a stuffed bear with shiny shoe-button eyes and a green ribbon around his neck. Along the way, they meet many interesting characters. These include the Crazy Quilt Dragon, who always tries to steal the star. They also meet the Wintergreen Witch, Fe Fo the Giant, and even Santa Claus.
The episodes began around Thanksgiving and finished on Christmas Day. One new episode aired every night. The show was originally made by a group of businesses as a way to advertise. It was recorded very quickly, in just a few weeks. Lindsay MacHarrie produced the show and also voiced some of the characters, like Westley the Whale.
Who Voiced the Characters?
The voice of the Cinnamon Bear was provided by Buddy Duncan. He was a little person and a comedian who performed in vaudeville shows. Many other famous radio actors also lent their voices to the show.
Here are some of the main voice actors:
- Barbara Jean Wong as Judy Barton
- Walter Tetley as Jimmy Barton
- Joseph Kearns as The Crazy-Quilt Dragon
- Verna Felton as Judy & Jimmy's mother
- Lou Merrill as Santa Claus
- Martha Wentworth as The Wintergreen Witch
- Gale Gordon as Weary Willie the Stork and Oliver Ostrich
- Rosa Barcelo as Queen Melissa
- Elvia Allman as Penelope the Pelican
- Joe DuVal as Fe Fo, the Giant
- Frank Nelson as Captain Tin Top
- Hanley Stafford as Snapper Snitch, the Crooning Crocodile
- Howard McNear as Samuel the Seal and Slim Pickins, the Cowboy
- Cy Kendall as Captain Taffy, the Pirate, and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
- Ted Osborne as King Blotto the Third and Professor Whiz, the Owl
- Elliott Lewis as Mr. Presto the Magician
- Ed Max as the Inkaboo Assistant Executioner
- Dorothy Scott as Fraidy Cat
- Lindsay MacHarrie as Wesley the Wailing Whale, the Grand Wunkey, and others
- Eddie Collins as Rhyming Rabbit
The narrator for the show was radio announcer Bud Hiestand. As mentioned, Lindsay MacHarrie was also the show's producer.
Interestingly, two of the actors, Gale Gordon (who played Weary Willie the Stork and Oliver Ostrich) and Joseph Kearns (who played The Crazy-Quilt Dragon), later worked together on the TV show Dennis the Menace.
The entire story and all the songs for The Cinnamon Bear were written in just six weeks. They were created by Glan Heisch, with help from his wife, Elisabeth A. Heisch. He was asked to make something similar to famous stories like The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Other Adventures and Lasting Fun
In 1951, The Cinnamon Bear even became a television series. The characters were hand puppets, and the original radio show's sound was used for the TV version.
For the 50th anniversary of The Cinnamon Bear in 1987, a fan started a yearly newsletter called "Bear Facts." It was published by "The Cinnamon Bear Brigade" for five years.
A new book, The Cinnamon Bear in the Adventure of the Silver Star, was published in 2007. This was for the 70th anniversary of the show.
The Cinnamon Bear has also inspired other creators. For example, a proposed radio show called Timothy John featured a teddy bear with an Irish accent. This idea was clearly inspired by The Cinnamon Bear.
The department store Lipman's is often remembered for its connection to the Cinnamon Bear. Since 1937, the Cinnamon Bear has been a popular Christmas tradition in Portland. The character was introduced as part of Lipman's radio sponsorship, helping count down the days to Christmas. A person dressed as the Cinnamon Bear, along with Santa Claus, would appear at Lipman's stores every Christmas, giving out cookies to children. Even after another company took over Lipman's, the tradition continued. Today, the Cinnamon Bear is still a souvenir at the Fifth Avenue Suites in Portland. The radio show is still aired during the holidays on radio stations like K103 and Kool 99.1 in Oregon.
In 2005, Portland Spirit Cruises started the first Cinnamon Bear Cruise. This popular family tradition in Portland sells out to thousands of people every December. On the cruise, children can meet many magical characters from the radio series. These include Queen Melissa, Cinnamon Bear, Crazy Quilt Dragon, Presto the Magician, Captain Taffy, Jack Frost, and the Candy Buccaneers.
