Country Bear Jamboree
Encyclopedia
The Country Bear Jamboree is an attraction at the Magic Kingdom
in the Walt Disney World Resort
and at Tokyo Disneyland
in the Tokyo Disney Resort
, as well as a former attraction at Disneyland Park. All versions of the attraction are similar.
The attraction is a stage show with audio-animatronic figures. Most of the characters are bears who perform Country music
. Characters rise up to the stage on platforms, descend from the ceiling, and appear from behind curtains. The audience includes audio-animatronic animal heads mounted on the walls who interact with characters on stage.
Due to overwhelming popularity, The Country Bear Jamboree was given a "spin-off" show which appeared during the 1984 winter season at Disneyland. It was called The Country Bear Christmas Special
.
In 2002, a movie titled The Country Bears
was released which was based on the attraction and its characters.
Marc Davis.
Davis, together with Al Bertino
, came up with many bear groups, including bear marching bands, bear mariachi bands, and Dixieland
bears. One day Davis was working on drawings of the characters in his office. Walt Disney
walked in and saw the drawings and laughed because he loved the characters. On Disney's way out he turned to Marc Davis and said good-bye, which he was known never to say. A few days later he died on December 15, 1966. It was the last time Davis saw Disney.
After his death, plans for the show still carried on. The bears would be featured in the resort's Bear Band Restaurant Show, and it was decided that they would have a country twang. But while plans for the show progressed, plans for the ski resort did not. Instead, the Imagineers working on the project decided to place the show in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in time for its grand opening in 1971. Imagineer X Atencio
and musical director George Bruns
created songs for the bears to sing.
On October 1, 1971, The Country Bear Jamboree opened its doors in the Magic Kingdom
at Walt Disney World. It received so much good feedback that Imagineers immediately planned to make a replica of the show to be placed in Disneyland. The addition to the show in Disneyland inspired a brand new land appropriately titled Bear Country
. Because of the tremendous popularity of the show in Walt Disney World, excess capacity was added to the March 4, 1972, Disneyland incarnation in the form of two identical theaters, each housing a copy of the show in its entirety.
In 1986, the Vacation Hoedown debuted at both Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom. During the holiday season, the bears still performed their Christmas Show in Florida through 2005. Attendance struggled during the Vacation Hoedown's run in Florida, so for the Kingdom's 20th anniversary in 1992, the original show returned to rotate with the Christmas show as it had since 1984.
The attraction closed at Disneyland on September 9, 2001, to make room for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
on April 11, 2003. However, it is rumored that the attraction will be rebuilt in Grizzly Peak at Disney's California Adventure
, but there are currently no confirmed plans.
The Country Bear Christmas Special was the first time an attraction at any Disney theme park became interchangeable during the year. The Country Bear Vacation Hoedown was added a year later. Both the Country Bear Christmas Special and The Country Bear Vacation Hoedown were created, directed, and animated by Dave Feiten and Mike Sprout. The Tokyo Disneyland version of the attraction still features all three versions of the show at different times of the year.
subs attraction in WDW, the narrator in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
dark ride, and the announcer for the Tomorrowland Transit Authority
. He is also the narrator of The Walt Disney Story pre-show for Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln
. Akira Takarada
voiced the character in the Tokyo Disneyland version.
Liver Lips McGrowl- Liver Lips is perhaps the funniest-looking bear. He gets his name from his very large lips. He is a brown bear and plays the guitar. He is voiced by Jimmy Stoneman. He becomes an Elvis impersonator in the two seasonal shows.
Wendell- Wendell is a hyperactive golden brown bear who plays the mandolin. He wears a blue bandanna around his neck and a light brown hat. He also has a massive overbite and buck teeth. He is voiced by Bill Cole
.
Teddi Barra- Teddi Barra is a unique bear because she never appears on stage. Instead she descends from a hole in the ceiling on her swing, which is decorated with pink roses. She is a brown bear and wears a blue hat with a pink feather as well as a long pink bow around her neck. She is voiced by Roni Stoneman. In the Christmas show, she holds a pair of skis, has a cast on her leg and is dressed in ski gear. In the Vacation Hoedown, she holds an umbrella and is dressed in a raincoat and galoshes.
Ernest- Ernest is a brown bear who plays the fiddle. He wears a derby and a red polka-dot bowtie around his neck. He was voiced by Van Stoneman from October 1971 until July 1975, when his vocals were rerecorded by Randy Sparks. Stoneman's recording can still be heard on the 1971 record and 2003 CD.
Terrence (aka Shaker)- A tall bear with tan fur (in the Disneyland version his fur was grey), Terrence wears a miner's cap and plays the guitar. He is voiced by Van Stoneman. In the Christmas show he wears a scarf and earmuffs and has white fur to resemble a polar bear. He is also joined by a penguin encased in ice. During the Vacation Hoedown, he's wearing a snorkel mask and swim trunks, and his accompanied by his octopus girlfriend Delores.
Trixie- Trixie is a very large brown bear who wears a blue bow on her head, a blue tutu around her waist, and holds a blue handkerchief in her left hand. She also has a slight crush on Henry. She is voiced by Cheryl Poole.
Big Al- Big Al is the fattest bear. He is grey with a light grey belly and wears a tan hat and a red vest. He plays an always out-of-tune guitar and is voiced by Tex Ritter
. In the Vacation Hoedown he wears a miner's cap and red and black flannel shirt. During the Christmas show, he's dressed as a New Year's baby (sash and diapers) and wears an icepack and a party hat on his head.
The Sun Bonnet Trio
Gomer- Gomer never sings but instead plays his piano, which has a honeycomb on top of it. He is considered Henry's right-hand bear. He is tall and brown and wears a collar with a blue tie.
The Five Bear Rugs
Baby Oscar- Oscar appears with The Five Bear Rugs, but plays no instrument. In fact, he never says a word, aside from mumbling "uh-huh" during the Vacation Hoedown (in which he is dressed as a Cub Scout). He is a brown bear and always has his teddy bear to keep him company. In the 1971 album, it is mentioned that Zeb is his father.
Rufus- Rufus is not a performer, but instead runs the projections and lights. He is never seen, but can be heard from time to time running backstage, constantly out of breath.
and is voiced by Disney legend Thurl Ravenscroft
.
Max- Max is the head portion of a stag and is voiced by Peter Renaday.
Melvin- Melvin, a moose head, is the Dopey
of the animal head trio. He often makes good-natured jokes and is voiced by Bill Lee.
A tribute to the Disneyland Jamboree is made in their version of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in the form of Max, Buff, and Melvin.
Sammy- Sammy is Henry's raccoon pal who cuddles around Henry's top hat. He acts like a coonskin cap for Henry. He is voiced by Bill Cole.
The show begins with Max, Buff, and Melvin telling Henry to get on with the show. Henry then asks Gomer to give him a "little intro", and the jamboree begins.
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
in the Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
and at Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo Disneyland
is a 115 acre theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Disney park to be built outside of the United States and opened on April 15, 1983...
in the Tokyo Disney Resort
Tokyo Disney Resort
is a theme park and vacation resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, just east of Tokyo. It is owned and operated by the Oriental Land Company with a license from The Walt Disney Company. The resort opened on April 15, 1983, as a single theme park , but developed into a resort with two theme...
, as well as a former attraction at Disneyland Park. All versions of the attraction are similar.
The attraction is a stage show with audio-animatronic figures. Most of the characters are bears who perform Country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
. Characters rise up to the stage on platforms, descend from the ceiling, and appear from behind curtains. The audience includes audio-animatronic animal heads mounted on the walls who interact with characters on stage.
Due to overwhelming popularity, The Country Bear Jamboree was given a "spin-off" show which appeared during the 1984 winter season at Disneyland. It was called The Country Bear Christmas Special
Country Bear Christmas Special
The Country Bear Christmas Special is a special holiday edition of the Country Bear Jamboree attraction at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. The show premiered in both parks in the winter of 1984...
.
In 2002, a movie titled The Country Bears
The Country Bears
The Country Bears is a 2002 American live-action comedy film, produced by Walt Disney Pictures, based on the Disney attraction Country Bear Jamboree, and released July 26, 2002...
was released which was based on the attraction and its characters.
History
The Country Bear Jamboree was originally intended by Walt to be placed at Disney's Mineral King Ski Resort which he was trying to build in the mid 1960s. Walt knew he wanted some sort of show to provide entertainment to the guests at the resort, and he knew he wanted the show to feature some sort of bear band. The project was assigned to imagineerImagineer
Imagineer may refer to:* Disney Imagineer, a position at the Walt Disney company* Imagineer Systems, a visual effects software company* Imagineer , a Japanese video game, mobile, software company...
Marc Davis.
Davis, together with Al Bertino
Al Bertino
Al Bertino , was an American animator best remembered for his work with the Walt Disney CompanyBorn in California in 1912, Bertino began work for Walt Disney in 1935...
, came up with many bear groups, including bear marching bands, bear mariachi bands, and Dixieland
Dixieland
Dixieland music, sometimes referred to as Hot jazz, Early Jazz or New Orleans jazz, is a style of jazz music which developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century, and was spread to Chicago and New York City by New Orleans bands in the 1910s.Well-known jazz standard songs from the...
bears. One day Davis was working on drawings of the characters in his office. Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
walked in and saw the drawings and laughed because he loved the characters. On Disney's way out he turned to Marc Davis and said good-bye, which he was known never to say. A few days later he died on December 15, 1966. It was the last time Davis saw Disney.
After his death, plans for the show still carried on. The bears would be featured in the resort's Bear Band Restaurant Show, and it was decided that they would have a country twang. But while plans for the show progressed, plans for the ski resort did not. Instead, the Imagineers working on the project decided to place the show in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in time for its grand opening in 1971. Imagineer X Atencio
X Atencio
Francis Xavier Atencio , also known as X Atencio, is a former animator and Imagineer for The Walt Disney Company....
and musical director George Bruns
George Bruns
George Bruns was a composer of music for film and television who worked on many Disney films. He was nominated for four Academy Awards for his work.-Career:...
created songs for the bears to sing.
On October 1, 1971, The Country Bear Jamboree opened its doors in the Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
at Walt Disney World. It received so much good feedback that Imagineers immediately planned to make a replica of the show to be placed in Disneyland. The addition to the show in Disneyland inspired a brand new land appropriately titled Bear Country
Bear Country
Bear Country was one of the lands at the Disneyland Resort in California.-History:Bear Country existed just beyond the Haunted Mansion on the former Indian Village site. It was created specifically for the Country Bear Jamboree, which opened March 4, 1972...
. Because of the tremendous popularity of the show in Walt Disney World, excess capacity was added to the March 4, 1972, Disneyland incarnation in the form of two identical theaters, each housing a copy of the show in its entirety.
In 1986, the Vacation Hoedown debuted at both Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom. During the holiday season, the bears still performed their Christmas Show in Florida through 2005. Attendance struggled during the Vacation Hoedown's run in Florida, so for the Kingdom's 20th anniversary in 1992, the original show returned to rotate with the Christmas show as it had since 1984.
The attraction closed at Disneyland on September 9, 2001, to make room for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (attraction)
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is a dark ride based upon the film The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, itself based on the Winnie-the-Pooh books by A. A. Milne. The attraction exists in slightly different forms at the Magic Kingdom in the Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland, and Hong...
on April 11, 2003. However, it is rumored that the attraction will be rebuilt in Grizzly Peak at Disney's California Adventure
Disney's California Adventure
Disney California Adventure, or simply California Adventure, is a theme park in Anaheim, California, adjacent to Disneyland Park and part of the larger Disneyland Resort. It opened on February 8, 2001 as Disney's California Adventure Park. The park is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and...
, but there are currently no confirmed plans.
The Country Bear Christmas Special was the first time an attraction at any Disney theme park became interchangeable during the year. The Country Bear Vacation Hoedown was added a year later. Both the Country Bear Christmas Special and The Country Bear Vacation Hoedown were created, directed, and animated by Dave Feiten and Mike Sprout. The Tokyo Disneyland version of the attraction still features all three versions of the show at different times of the year.
Bears
Henry- The "MC" of the show, Henry is a welcoming and friendly brown bear. He wears a grey top hat, starched shirt front, and a string tie. It is implied that he and Teddi have some sort of backstage romance. In the Christmas show, he wears a scarf and in the Vacation Hoedown, he wears a park ranger's hat and his "old camp t-shirt" (which he has obviously outgrown). Henry was voiced by Pete Renaday, a Disney legend who was also the voice of Captain Nemo in the now defunct 20,000 Leagues20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage was an attraction at the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World Resort from 1971 through 1994.- The Submarine Voyage :...
subs attraction in WDW, the narrator in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (attraction)
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is a dark ride based upon the film The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, itself based on the Winnie-the-Pooh books by A. A. Milne. The attraction exists in slightly different forms at the Magic Kingdom in the Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland, and Hong...
dark ride, and the announcer for the Tomorrowland Transit Authority
Tomorrowland Transit Authority
The Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover , formerly known as the WEDWay PeopleMover until 1994 and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority until 2010, is a PeopleMover system in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort...
. He is also the narrator of The Walt Disney Story pre-show for Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, also known as The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, is the name of an attraction featuring an audio-animatronic version of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. It was originally showcased as the prime feature of the State of Illinois Pavilion at...
. Akira Takarada
Akira Takarada
is a Japanese film actor who is most known in the west for his roles in the Godzilla film series.-Overview:Takarada was born in Japan-occupied Korea, and lived for a time in Harbin, China. His father worked as an engineer on the South Manchuria Railway...
voiced the character in the Tokyo Disneyland version.
Liver Lips McGrowl- Liver Lips is perhaps the funniest-looking bear. He gets his name from his very large lips. He is a brown bear and plays the guitar. He is voiced by Jimmy Stoneman. He becomes an Elvis impersonator in the two seasonal shows.
Wendell- Wendell is a hyperactive golden brown bear who plays the mandolin. He wears a blue bandanna around his neck and a light brown hat. He also has a massive overbite and buck teeth. He is voiced by Bill Cole
Bill Cole
William Shadrack Cole is an American jazz musician and educator. Cole, most unusually for his genre, specializes in non-Western wind instruments, including the Ghanaian atenteben, Chinese suona, Korean hojok and piri, South Indian nagaswaram, North Indian shehnai, Tibetan trumpet, and Australian...
.
Teddi Barra- Teddi Barra is a unique bear because she never appears on stage. Instead she descends from a hole in the ceiling on her swing, which is decorated with pink roses. She is a brown bear and wears a blue hat with a pink feather as well as a long pink bow around her neck. She is voiced by Roni Stoneman. In the Christmas show, she holds a pair of skis, has a cast on her leg and is dressed in ski gear. In the Vacation Hoedown, she holds an umbrella and is dressed in a raincoat and galoshes.
Ernest- Ernest is a brown bear who plays the fiddle. He wears a derby and a red polka-dot bowtie around his neck. He was voiced by Van Stoneman from October 1971 until July 1975, when his vocals were rerecorded by Randy Sparks. Stoneman's recording can still be heard on the 1971 record and 2003 CD.
Terrence (aka Shaker)- A tall bear with tan fur (in the Disneyland version his fur was grey), Terrence wears a miner's cap and plays the guitar. He is voiced by Van Stoneman. In the Christmas show he wears a scarf and earmuffs and has white fur to resemble a polar bear. He is also joined by a penguin encased in ice. During the Vacation Hoedown, he's wearing a snorkel mask and swim trunks, and his accompanied by his octopus girlfriend Delores.
Trixie- Trixie is a very large brown bear who wears a blue bow on her head, a blue tutu around her waist, and holds a blue handkerchief in her left hand. She also has a slight crush on Henry. She is voiced by Cheryl Poole.
Big Al- Big Al is the fattest bear. He is grey with a light grey belly and wears a tan hat and a red vest. He plays an always out-of-tune guitar and is voiced by Tex Ritter
Tex Ritter
Woodward Maurice Ritter , better known as Tex Ritter, was an American country music singer and movie actor popular from the mid-1930s into the 1960s, and the patriarch of the Ritter family in acting...
. In the Vacation Hoedown he wears a miner's cap and red and black flannel shirt. During the Christmas show, he's dressed as a New Year's baby (sash and diapers) and wears an icepack and a party hat on his head.
The Sun Bonnet Trio
- Bunny- Bunny stands in the center of the stage. She is voiced by Jackie Ward. Because she and her sisters are triplets, they all have brown fur and wear matching blue bonnets and dresses.
- Bubbles- Bubbles stands to the audience's left between Gomer and Bunny, and is voiced by Loulie Jean NormanLoulie Jean NormanLoulie Jean Norman was a famous coloratura soprano who worked with famed arranger Gordon Jenkins. Jenkins and Norman collaborated on a number of albums...
. - Beulah- Beulah stands to the audience's right and is voiced by Peggy Clark.
Gomer- Gomer never sings but instead plays his piano, which has a honeycomb on top of it. He is considered Henry's right-hand bear. He is tall and brown and wears a collar with a blue tie.
The Five Bear Rugs
- Zeke- Considered the leader of The Five Bear Rugs, Zeke plays a banjo and taps on the dishpan with "a real ol' country beat". He is a grey bear with glasses who wears a tan top hat. He was voiced by Dallas McKennon from October 1971 until July 1975, when Randy Sparks rerecorded his vocals. McKennon's recording as Zeke can still be heard on the 1971 record and the 2003 CD.
- Zeb- Zeb is brown bear with a light brown stomach. He plays the fiddle as well as wears a bandanna around his neck and a miner's hat. He is voiced by a member of the Stoneman family.
- Ted- Ted is a tall, skinny bear who blows on the cornjug and plays the washboard. His fur is brown, and he wears a vest with a brown hat.
- Fred- The biggest of the five bears, Fred ironically plays the smallest instrument: the mouthharp. He is a brown bear and wears blue jeans held up with suspenders as well as a striped red and white tie.
- Tennessee- Tennessee Bear plays the thang, which has only one string. He is brown and wears a red bandanna (blue in the Disneyland version) around his neck. He is voiced by a member of the Stoneman family.
Baby Oscar- Oscar appears with The Five Bear Rugs, but plays no instrument. In fact, he never says a word, aside from mumbling "uh-huh" during the Vacation Hoedown (in which he is dressed as a Cub Scout). He is a brown bear and always has his teddy bear to keep him company. In the 1971 album, it is mentioned that Zeb is his father.
Rufus- Rufus is not a performer, but instead runs the projections and lights. He is never seen, but can be heard from time to time running backstage, constantly out of breath.
Other Animals
Buff- Buff is considered the leader of the animal heads and is also the largest. He is the head portion of an American bisonAmerican Bison
The American bison , also commonly known as the American buffalo, is a North American species of bison that once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds...
and is voiced by Disney legend Thurl Ravenscroft
Thurl Ravenscroft
Thurl Arthur Ravenscroft was an American voice actor and singer best known as the deep voice behind Tony the Tiger's "They're grrreat!" in Frosted Flakes television commercials for more than five decades. Ravenscroft was also known, however uncredited, as the vocalist for the song "You're a Mean...
.
Max- Max is the head portion of a stag and is voiced by Peter Renaday.
Melvin- Melvin, a moose head, is the Dopey
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a 1937 American animated film based on Snow White, a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. It was the first full-length cel-animated feature in motion picture history, as well as the first animated feature film produced in America, the first produced in full...
of the animal head trio. He often makes good-natured jokes and is voiced by Bill Lee.
A tribute to the Disneyland Jamboree is made in their version of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in the form of Max, Buff, and Melvin.
Sammy- Sammy is Henry's raccoon pal who cuddles around Henry's top hat. He acts like a coonskin cap for Henry. He is voiced by Bill Cole.
The Show
The show is basically a continuous string of short country songs sung by the various bears. As each bear sings their song, a curtain opens to reveal them, except in the case of Wendell, Gomer, and the Sun Bonnet Trio (all of whom who rise from the center stage), and Teddi Barra (who descends from the ceiling).The show begins with Max, Buff, and Melvin telling Henry to get on with the show. Henry then asks Gomer to give him a "little intro", and the jamboree begins.
The Songs
- "Pianjo" (Don Robertson ) - Gomer and Henry
- "Bear Band Serenade" (Lyrics: Xavier Atencio, Music: George BrunsGeorge BrunsGeorge Bruns was a composer of music for film and television who worked on many Disney films. He was nominated for four Academy Awards for his work.-Career:...
) - The Five Bear Rugs, Gomer, and Henry - "Fractured Folk Song" (Kenneth C. BurnsKenneth C. BurnsKenneth C. Burns was an American country musician, comedian, and mandolin player. He was better known by his stage name Jethro from his years with Henry D. Haynes as part of the comedic musical duo Homer and Jethro beginning in 1936.-Biography:Burns was born Conasauga, Tennessee on March 10, 1920...
& Henry D. HaynesHenry D. HaynesHenry Doyle Haynes was an American entertainer who gained fame on radio and television as Homer of the country music comedy duo Homer and Jethro with Kenneth C. Burns for 35 years beginning in 1936.-Biography:...
) - Henry and Wendell - "My Woman Ain't Pretty (But She Don't Sware None)" (Frankie Starr & Paul E. Miller) - Liver Lips McGrowl
- "Mama, Don't Whip Little Buford" (Burns & Haynes) - Henry and Wendell
- "Tears Will Be the Chaser For Your Wine" (Dale Davis & Leroy Goates) - Trixie
- "Devilish Mary" (Bradley KincaidBradley KincaidWilliam Bradley Kincaid was an American folk singer and radio entertainer.He was born in Point Level, Garrard County, Kentucky but built a music career in the northern states. His first radio appearance came in 1926 when he performed on the National Barn Dance show on WLS-AM in Chicago, Illinois...
) - The Five Bear Rugs - "How Long Will My Baby Be GoneHow Long Will My Baby Be Gone"How Long Will My Baby Be Gone" is a 1968 song written and recorded by Buck Owens. "How Long Will My Baby Be Gone" was the last of eight number ones on the country chart in a row for Buck Owens. The single spent a single week at number one and a total of thirteen weeks on the country chart...
" (Buck OwensBuck OwensAlvis Edgar Owens, Jr. , better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band, the Buckaroos...
) - Terrence - "All the Guys That Turn Me On Turn Me Down" (Plot & Powell) - The Sun Bonnet Trio
- "If Ya Can't Bite, Don't Growl" (Tommy CollinsTommy Collins (country music)Leonard Raymond Sipes , better known as Tommy Collins, was an American country music singer and songwriter....
) - Ernest and the Five Bear Rugs - "Heart, We Did All We CouldHeart, We Did All We Could"Heart, We Did All We Could" is a single by American country music artist Jean Shepard. Released in January 1967, it was the second single and title track from the album Heart, We Did All We Could. The song reached #12 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart...
" (Ned MillerNed MillerHenry Ned Miller is an American country music artist. Active as a recording artist from 1956 to 1970, he is known primarily for his hit single, "From a Jack to a King", a crossover hit in 1962 which reached Top 10 on the country music, adult contemporary, and Billboard Hot 100 charts...
) - Teddi Barra - "Blood on the Saddle" (Everett Cheetham) - Big Al
- "The Ballad of Davy CrockettThe Ballad of Davy Crockett"The Ballad of Davy Crockett" is a song with music by George Bruns and lyrics by Thomas W. Blackburn.The first recording of the song was made by Fess Parker, quickly followed by versions by Bill Hayes and Tennessee Ernie Ford...
" (Tom BlackburnTom W. BlackburnThomas Wakefield Blackburn II , was an American author, screenwriter and lyricist. His work included various Western novels and television screenplays, as well as the lyrics to "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" and other songs.-Biography:Born the eldest of six children on the T.O...
and George Bruns) - Henry and Sammy - "Ole Slew Foot" (Howard Hausey) - Cast (minus Ernest and Trixie, who do not appear onstage, and Big Al, who reprises "Blood on the Saddle")
- "Come Again" (Tom AdairTom AdairThomas "Tom" Montgomery Adair was an American songwriter, composer, and screenwriter.-Biography:Born in Newton, Kansas, worked at a power company and the Saturday Evening Post, writing numerous poems, while penning the songs in his spare time. In 1941, Adair met Matt Dennis in a club and the duo...
& George Bruns) - Henry, Sammy, Max, Buff, and Melvin
In popular culture
- The country bears made an appearance in the sing along songs videos Disneyland Fun and Campout at Walt Disney World.
- The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
has repeatedly referenced the show, with Homer even commenting "It's like a freakin' Country Bear Jambaroo around here!" - One of Terry Gilliam's animations from the British television series Monty Python's Flying CircusMonty Python's Flying CircusMonty Python’s Flying Circus is a BBC TV sketch comedy series. The shows were composed of surreality, risqué or innuendo-laden humour, sight gags and observational sketches without punchlines...
included Big Al as one of a menagerie of animals getting shot in a safari and thrown into a cocktail shakerCocktail shakerA cocktail shaker is a device used to mix beverages by shaking. When ice is put in the shaker this allows for a quicker cooling of the drink before serving....
(Season 3, Episode 10: "E. Henry Thripshaws Disease"). - The television show The CriticThe CriticThe Critic is an American prime time animated series revolving around the life of film critic Jay Sherman, voiced by actor Jon Lovitz. It was created by Al Jean and Mike Reiss, both of whom had worked as writers on The Simpsons. The Critic had 23 episodes produced, first broadcast on ABC in 1994,...
has frequently parodied the bears and their show, including a reference where a Big Al look-a-like stands in for an audioanimatronic Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
. From the same show, the character Duke Phillips has his own personal Country Bear Jamboree that sings in praise of him, which he accidentally activates when denouncing the belief that all southerners are country bumpkins. - Fry Mentions the show in the Futurama: The Beast With A Billion BacksFuturama: The Beast with a Billion BacksFuturama: The Beast with a Billion Backs is an animated science-fiction comedy film, the second of the four Futurama straight-to-DVD films. The film was released in the United States and Canada on June 24, 2008, followed by a UK release on June 30, 2008 and an Australian release on August 6, 2008....
, criticizing Leela for not liking it. In the show's episode The Series Has Landed, the Goofy Gopher Revue is also reminiscent of the attraction. - A Goofy MovieA Goofy MovieA Goofy Movie is a 1995 American animated musical comedy film, produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, Walt Disney Animation France S.A. and Walt Disney Animation Australia , and released in theaters on April 7, 1995 by Walt Disney Pictures...
contains an in-house parody of the show known as "Lester's Possum Park."
See also
- Country Bear Christmas SpecialCountry Bear Christmas SpecialThe Country Bear Christmas Special is a special holiday edition of the Country Bear Jamboree attraction at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. The show premiered in both parks in the winter of 1984...
- Country Bear Vacation HoedownCountry Bear Vacation HoedownThe Country Bear Vacation Hoedown was an attraction created due to the overwhelming popularity of The Country Bear Jamboree. In Disneyland, it opened in February 1986 replacing the original show. That May, the Disney World version followed suit. It remained at Disney World until February 1992 when...
- The Country BearsThe Country BearsThe Country Bears is a 2002 American live-action comedy film, produced by Walt Disney Pictures, based on the Disney attraction Country Bear Jamboree, and released July 26, 2002...
- 2002 movie based on the attraction - List of past Disneyland attractions
- Magic Kingdom attraction and entertainment historyMagic Kingdom attraction and entertainment historyThe Magic Kingdom is a theme park located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Below is a list of the current attractions found therein, arranged by "land" and with brief descriptions...
- Tokyo Disneyland attraction and entertainment historyTokyo Disneyland attraction and entertainment history-Current attractions:* Snow White's Adventures* Pinocchio's Daring Journey* Dumbo the Flying Elephant* Cinderella Castle* Cinderella's Fairy Tale Hall* Castle Carrousel* Alice's Tea Party* Peter Pan's Flight* Pooh's Hunny Hunt* It's a Small World...
External links
- Disney World Country Bear Page
- All Ears Net Country Bear Page
- Yesterland Country Bear page
- WDWHistory Country Bear Page
- DONEINTHEDARK.com - Includes video and audio clips from the attraction