COLORING BOOKS, CURTIN AND CRAZY QUEST RYTHMS

Chris here, back again after an absence that is just way too long. And thanks so much for the encouragement and thanks from you folks.

Some of the Quest treasures I have found in my quest for Quest on the interweb, this time led me to THE JONNY QUEST COLORING BOOK. It was published twice and the first edition states 1965 as it's date of copyright and had this cover:

The coloring book was clearly THE CURSE OF ANUBIS episode with everything in it except, sadly, The Mummy. Why leave out the fantastic mummy from a Quest coloring adventure if you're going to publish one?

But it did contain lots of great Quest art based entirely on Doug Wildey's designs and what looks like recreations of layouts from the actual episode. The artist credited for the drawings in the book is named JASON ART. And he handled Race, Benton and the boys masterfully -- though interestingly enough: Bandit looks the least like himself in this incarnation.

Larger and more portly and with a different structure to his face and body. He was drawn to look more like a real bulldog I think. But Jason Art's talent for drawing the great and assured lines that Doug Wildey's characters were known for, is evident in this coloring book.

One of the many two-page layouts in the coloring book

I remember getting the second edition of this coloring book when I was a lad. It's first publication, was a year after the show debuted in 1964. I am certain the second edition came out later than 1965, and was probably in connection with the show's syndication when it joined the CBS Saturday Morning Line up.

Some of the changes are striking though, in the coloring book art. And you'd probably need a time machine to take you back to the mid 1960s to ever completely understand why the coloring book was so different from the episode it was clearly representing.

Starting with the omission of The Mummy itself, and all acts of "action" or maybe it's the violence they wanted to pull back on.

No guns are fired, only pointed, and even the scorpion that threatens Bandit, is merely lassoed (not destroyed) by Race's bullwhip in the coloring book version. Also, Dr. Kareem's thugs have been changed from Egyptians with turbans, to guys who look more like Dr. Quest and Dr. Kareem. In fact, they have been cleansed of their ethnicity.

Maybe the most striking bit of censorship -- I mean, I get that coloring books were aimed at little kids, so a blood-and-guts version of Jonny Quest from Whitman wouldn't have happened anyway. Not in 1965. But come on:
Race, who is sunning on a blanket on the beach at Palm Key -- has been drawn for the coloring book, fully-clothed?
In the actual episode he was of course in swimtrunks:


Also, in the coloring book, when he captures the boys after their sneak attack -- Jonny has also been drawn fully clothed. And Hadji (spelled incorrectly in the coloring book as Haji) doesn't even get close to Race.
Now I don't need to see naked people wherever I look, but on a beach, I think swimsuits are permissible. So it does set a mind to wondering what the thought process was here for the coloring book people, since the boys with Race from the actual episode looked like this:

I mean did Catholic nuns create the Jonny Quest coloring book? Were bathing suits on a beach, taboo in the 1965 world of crayons? Is this a question of prudery? (If that's a word)

Is it just me, or is there all kinds of phobias going on in this coloring book? I mean come on, violence I can understand, racial stereotypes as bad guys in a coloring book, I guess I could see that -- but the boys and Race had to be fully clothed on the beach? No swimsuits?

I guess "Jonny Quest and The Mystery of the Coloring Book", including the unforgiveable omission of the mummy, will never be solved. And it is a mystery -- since in the same coloring book, Hadji (the always naked) barely has a doilie over his willy!
Oh, one friend did suggest, that if prudery wasn't the reason, then it was probably that when you put Jonny and Race in clothes on the beach, you would need to use more colors as in more crayons, because there would be more to color. And many different colors needed.

Was he suggesting that coloring books were basically invented to push crayons? Never really thought of it that way.

Was there even a flesh colored crayon in the smaller boxes from Crayola? I don't remember being privy to the vast 64 colors box. I think the flesh color was called Peach. Anyone else remember or care to chime in on the differences presented in the color book?

The snazzier and more action-oriented cover for the second edition or re-release of the coloring book.

You can find out for yourself if you want. Just check the back page of this terrific scan of THE ENTIRE COLORING BOOK (well almost the entire book -- only a few of the 100 some pages are absent) If you feel like coloring or just feel nostalgic -- you can download the coloring book here:

http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/tvuoz3

THE SOUNDS OF ANUBIS

Since this blog entry has inadvertently focused on THE CURSE OF ANUBIS episode, (the third episode broadcast when the show premiered in 1964) and so many of you have written to me about the music cues I have been able to find and post, I thought I would try something here, that I don't think has ever been done.

Wouldn't it be great to be able to listen, to all the music cues from THE CURSE OF ANUBIS episode, in the order of their appearance and with no dialog or sound effects?

We would basically need just the music tracks, without sound effects or dialog. Well, as luck would have it, a lot of folks read this blog, and what do you know? There are some old mixes floating around out there (now almost forty years old) from certain episodes and THE CURSE OF ANUBIS episode happens to be one of them.

There are around thirty different music tracks used throughout the twenty five minutes and twenty-two seconds of the mummy episode.

That's the good news -- the bad news is, the music track was in very bad shape. The sound quality was not good and the music of course had been edited to picture. As in chopped up by the music editor to fit the action. Some cues were only seconds long and just brief clips from longer cues.

Not the best situation for listening to what our favorite maestro Hoyt Curtin wrote for Jonny and his adventures.

The magical, powerful musical voice of JONNY QUEST, Hoyt Curtin.

So I went to my now good friends who created the Quest documentary. (They were presented with the entire Quest library of cues for the production of their underground Quest doc) And asked if I could replace the bad or damaged cues with the matching and much more pristine cues they had from the episode.

Since some of the cues in the Anubis episode have already been featured in the Hanna-Barbera Pik-a-Nic Basket CD Collection, and various bootleg CDs availible on ebay, the guys gave their okay.

Understandably, when they were given the music to put on their doc, they promised not to release it, bootlegged or otherwise --since it is not in the public domain. And these guys have kept their promise. But they also love this blog -- and above all, are two of the biggest classic Quest fans of all time.

So, long story even longer: Here are almost all the cues, and in the order they appear in THE CURSE OF ANUBIS. Some are repeated in the playlist because they are repeated in the episode (The Mummy walking music for instance)

Now, most of the Quest cues (over a hundred and ninety of them!!!) simply have numbers and not names. So I named the cues for you to fit the action.

Dr. Kareen, the villain of the episode. I love that he is smoking in this scene. Look at the amazing lines and detail in his face, clothes and his surroundings. Vintage, high quality Quest!

I know it's a lot of downloading from Sendspace -- but like the documentary -- if you're a die hard Quest fan, this is a rare event. And it is truly great listening.

We've heard these cues over and over again in all the Quest episodes, and of course into eternity in other Hanna-Barbera action shows - but hearing them pristine and without editing, that incredible sound Hoyt Curtin created -- well listening to this music, even the scary stuff, always makes me smile.

The cool thing here, is that even if only a few moments of the cue were used in THE CURSE OF ANUBIS -- I have posted you the entire cue, as originally written.
You will have to download them individually, (sorry, it's the only way I know how to do this) but here is a description of each if you don't want to download them all:

1 - MAIN TITLE and ART CARD (Yes there was a sting for the "CURSE OF ANUBIS" art card, though the DVD release leaves it silent for some reason. And you're going to hear how the sponsor was worked into the Main Title.

Download here: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/sn746k


2 - THE TEMPLE OF ANUBIS (A fanfare of trumpets announce the fabled Ruins of Khiva in Egypt)

Download at: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/lml80n

3 - EGYPTIAN SKULLDUGGERY (The statue of Anubis is stolen. And an ancient sarcophagus creeps open to reveal the mummified remains of Anubis)


Download at: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/3gm37u

4 - THE MUMMY WALKS

A famous piece of Quest monster music, used in many episodes, but something tells me, it was originally written for this episode and specifically for the mummy's walk. While it is used in the first episode aired, the pilot (MYSTERY OF THE LIZARD MEN) a variation of it is also used in the Main Title for the mummy's appearance, suggesting it was always and initially intended for Anubis walking.

Download it here: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/10ypgd

5 - THE BOYS SNEAK UP ON RACE (Kids don't try this at home)

Download it here: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/2ys125

6 - TRAVELING TO EGYPT (Music to underscore one of the few times the Quests take a commercial airliner to an exotic location. Usually they fly themselves in their private jet The Dragonfly)

Download it here: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/gl7l4k

7 - A DESPICABLE ACT (Doctor Kareem builds a strong case for the theory that outsiders have stolen the statue of Anubis from its temple. Hoyt's classic bad guy brass here accompanies the sinister doctor's rant)

Download it here: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/4wkxru

8 - JONNY'S FIRST CAMEL RIDE -- Jonny's first attempt at one of his lifelong dreams: to ride a camel. This jaunty Hoyt Curtin cue was usually reserved for the final and happy conclusion of a Quest adventure, but here it works equally well.

Download it here: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/6olglu

9 - BANDIT INTERFERES (A cue Hoyt wrote for The Jetsons but was used often for Bandit's antics, this cue is used only briefly for the camel turning and snapping at Bandit. Causing the dog to hop in the water with his recently dunked master.)


Download it at: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/mxcebw

10 - COMMITTED BY OUTSIDERS -- At a desert campfire, Kareem discusses the stolen statue. The conversation is interrupted by an appearance of the mummy on a moonlit hill, but that brief startling bit of a cue, is an excerpt from the above cue EGYPTIAN SKULLDUGGERY, and so is not repeated here.

Download at: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/iyyvjk

11 - A CRUEL COUNTRY -- More evocative mood music -- and at perfect pitch for the Quests arriving at the hotel and discussing Egypt. When Race finds a bullwhip hanging on the wall, he comments what a cruel looking thing it is. "It's a cruel country, Race," the doctor says, "at least by our standards."

Download it at: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/djqjju

12 - SCORPION ATTACK -- Race rescues Bandit from a deadly scorpion, long before Indiana Jones ever picked up a bullwhip.

Download it here: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/0mtr1i

13 - INTO THE CATACOMBS -- The sinister doctor Kareem takes Benton and Race into the tomb. Again, the high quality of the score sets the mood as they descend. Another example of just how big a part of Quest, Hoyt Curtin was -- and along with Doug Wildey, one of the major reasons it was so unforgettable.

Download it at: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/f6676r

14 - POISONOUS SNAKES -- The sinister Dr. Kareem releases deadly snakes to keep Quest and Bannon trapped in the tomb.

Download it here: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/qdqmdk

15 - EGYPTIAN STREET PLAY (Jonny, Hadji and Bandit play on an Egyptian street. Hoyt's incredible knack for finding the musical sound of a locale is perfectly illustrated here with a terrific and elegant flute that says "Middle East" in about four seconds flat)

Download it here: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/4ojh3x

16 - PEEK A BOO (Hadji shows how he can magically duck in and out of large jugs. This cue was used often for the lighter side of Quest. Usually the boys or Bandit giving us a little comedy relief)

Download it here: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/ni2peq

17 - DUCKING BAD GUYS (The essence of Doug's cool Quest sound here. The boys overhear their kidnappers and see a convenient motor scooter as their way out.)

Download it here: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/nhmhja

18 - THE SCOOTER CHASE (Jonny and Hadji hop on a scooter and are chased by Kareem's thugs. One of the all time great Quest action cues. Just a dynamite piece of shattering brass that ends with the famous Jonny Quest spring. You'll know it when you hear it. I'm guessing this cue was originally composed for the speedboat chase in the pilot episode)

Download it here: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/3hmhxm

19 - THROUGH THE TENTS (Jonny takes the scooter on a detour. A surprisingly mild and cool selection by the music editor for the second leg of the chase. You've heard this great track countless times, usually underscoring the Quest's globetrotting)

Download it at: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/fxz5o2

20 - THE BOYS FIGHT BACK (Cat and mouse in an empty building. Classic Curtin finish with lots of attacking brass)

Download it at: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/j1gugq

21 - GOAT ATTACK -- (The title says it all. A little Abbott and Costello thrown into the chase sequence. Though is it just me, or did Jonny and Hadji watch two men fall to their deaths at the end of this cue and then just carry on as if nothing happened? Oh well, that's life with the Quests, I guess. You've seen a lot at twelve.)

Download it here: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/fjqih9

22 - NO SPEAK EGYPTIAN (The boys scooter past Kareem into the tomb. This is one of the most bombastic and staccato cues Hoyt ever wrote for the show. I can't imagine how red the tuba and trombone players' faces must have been after this one. The brass riffs are relentless and terrific)

Download it here: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/ubiosh

23 - ANUBIS IS FOLLOWING (The Mummy walks again. You've already got this cue if you downloaded Cue 4 The Mummy Walks. I added it again because it is repeated here for the finale. The voice on the slate for this cue is either Hoyt himself or his music editor)

Download it at: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/kojvdp

24 - ANUBIS REVENGE (Kareem can't stop the curse of Anubis. Cues like this one make me wonder what kept Hoyt Curtin from breaking into movies and scoring for the big screen. He might have easily been another John Williams)

Download it here: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/cjw6oa

25 - A LIGHT FROM ABOVE -- (A small cave in shows the way out. This is an excellent example of Hoyt's versatility. This is a delicate, atmospheric cue that really sets a mood. Though only a few seconds were used here, it was played extensively to set the mood for the eerie plateau in THE DEVIL'S TOWER episode)

Download it at: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/hz3tb0

26 - A HERD OF CAMELS (The Quests escape into a herd of camels. You can feel the gloom of the mummy drift away with this classic Curtin cue used in many episodes, usually for travelogue stuff. It is so sparkling and uplifting. The orchestration and execution, (by some of the best musicians working in Hollywood in the early 60s) is really terrific.

Download it here: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/xa5dus

27 - JONNY GETS HIS CAMEL RIDE -- This is another repeated cue. If you downloaded PEEK-A-BOO, Cue 16, you already have this music. I added it again here to keep a semblance of the order of the music and how it was sequenced (and sometimes repeated) in the episode.


Download it here: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/hx2s36

28 - END TITLE -- Hoyt's jazzy End Title and as a special treat it ends with the original Screen Gems "Dancing Sticks" logo music. This is what all we old-timers heard after that last blast of trumpets at the end of each Quest.

Download it here: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/z137co

IN CLOSING

The above tunes and coloring book links are good for at least a month. Hope you all check in soon enough to take advantage of them. Also, the cool stuff on this blog, it's all here because people have written and shared their Quest stuff with me, making it possible for me to share it with you.

No one is creating this blog for money or profit. And no, I don't work for Sendspace or anything. This blog is here because, I, like many others, are still captivated by that great show -- whenever it entered our lives.

Whatever you may think you have, of interest, of quality, or not -- I encourage you to share it. If you have Quest stuff, from fan fiction to memorabilia, to stuff used for actual Quest episodes, I hope you will share it with the Quest community that is gradually growing here.

Thanks for all the comments and input too. You can reach me through the email address in my Blog profile.

And that goes for all the Chinese, Japanese and Korean comments too. Thank you. I sure wish I could respond, but even the auto-translators aren't always a lot of help when trying to translate your comments into English.

As a last little gift to all the Quest-ites who keep checking in, lurkers included, here is a very large and long piece of art done for the Quest Documentary, that includes the larger part of the cartoon work Hoyt Curtin did in his remarkable career in animation.

It only flashes by in a second in the doc (with Jonny Quest flying over it) but here is the full scale, large file of the graphic. You can double click it to download it a full size. (As is true for any of the graphics on this blogsite)



I have some very special ideas for future blogs, based on one comment that finding a new blog here on a Saturday morning was like waking up on a Saturday when we were kids and slurping a bowl of cereal in front of the TV.

I'm just waiting for a little more material to come in (I wish this was my day job, but sadly, it's not) And when I have what I need, more goodies to come.

So, until next time, so long from Palm Key -- and the little house behind the cabanas and of course the Underwater Sea Prober.

Tell your friends if they are Classic Quest aficionados, about the blog. The more the merrier and the more people we have checking in, the more cool Quest stuff might be shared with us!

Be well, and much warmth,

Chris