"Jet Fuel Formula" is the first and the longest

Rocky and Bullwinkle ''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends'' (commonly referred to as simply ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'') is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959, to June 27, 1964, on the ABC and NBC tele ...

story arc A story arc (also narrative arc) is the chronological construction of plot in a novel or story. It can also mean an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, board games, vide ...

and is the pilot of ''

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends ''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends'' (commonly referred to as simply ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'') is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959, to June 27, 1964, on the American Broadca ...

''. (''Jet Fuel Formula'' covers forty episodes while the average story arc includes approximately sixteen.) It is also noteworthy in that it established most of the characters, themes, running gags, and other elements that would be employed in later stories and that would become so closely identified with the Rocky and Bullwinkle programs in the years since. The first few episodes contained a laugh track, which was removed when the episodes were released as part of ''Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends Complete Season 1''. In spite of the title, the story actually concerns the pursuit of a formula for ''rocket'' fuel.

Broadcast history

The first and second episodes of ''Jet Fuel Formula'' first aired on Thursday, November 19, 1959, as part of the series premiere of ''Rocky and His Friends'' on the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

television network. Two new episodes were broadcast as part of each week's show. Sources are at odds regarding the broadcast of the final episodes, with at least one reporting April 1, 1960 (a Friday) and another April 3 (a Sunday).''Rocky and Bullwinkle'' season 1
at IMDb
at TV.com Published television listings indicate that the series aired on Thursdays throughout the run of ''Jet Fuel Formula'', suggesting that the final episodes (39 and 40) likely aired on March 31 or, perhaps, April 7.

Plot

As with many subsequent Rocky and Bullwinkle adventures, the title characters stumble into an absurd situation, which leads to a sequence of further absurd situations. Rocky and Bullwinkle attempt to bake a Mooseberry

fudge cake A fudge cake is a chocolate cake containing fudge. Varieties Variations include pudding fudge cake, made with chocolate cake mix, chocolate pudding, and chocolate chips. When made with additional chocolate, the recipe is sometimes known as "Deat ...

using Grandma Bullwinkle's recipe, unaware that the raw cake batter is actually a revolutionary

rocket fuel Rocket propellant is the reaction mass of a rocket. This reaction mass is ejected at the highest achievable velocity from a rocket engine to produce thrust. The energy required can either come from the propellants themselves, as with a chemical ...

. While attempting to light the old-fashioned oven Bullwinkle ignites the first layer, launching the oven to the

Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...

. In order to retrieve the appliance, they build their own rocket ship and use the remaining cake layers to propel them to the moon and then back to

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...

. Upon their return, the U.S. government places Bullwinkle in charge of "moosile" research and he sets about to recreate the cake recipe, half of which was destroyed in the initial explosion. Two Moon Men, Gidney and Cloyd, arrive to prevent Bullwinkle from recreating the formula, as they fear an invasion of tourists from Earth. Hypnotized by Boris, Bullwinkle is able to remember the recipe. However, by the time he does so Boris has fallen asleep, and when Bullwinkle reveals the formula he is "scrootched" (frozen) by the Moon Men. Boris then steals the frozen Bullwinkle. When he revives Boris puts him to work in a new lab where he remembers the new recipe is "2 cups of

flour Flour is a powder made by grinding raw grains, roots, beans, nuts, or seeds. Flours are used to make many different foods. Cereal flour, particularly wheat flour, is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many culture ...

, a pound of

kumquat Kumquats (; zh, 金桔), or cumquats in Australian English, are a group of small fruit-bearing trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae. Their taxonomy is disputed. They were previously classified as forming the now-historical genus ''Fortun ...

s and a hat full of vanilla to give it character" along with "3oz of

methylene bromide Preparation Dibromomethane is prepared commercially from dichloromethane via bromochloromethane: :6 CH2Cl2 + 3 Br2 + 2 Al → 6 CH2BrCl + 2 AlCl3 :CH2Cl2 + HBr → CH2BrCl + HCl The latter route requires aluminium trichloride as a catal ...

and a cube of

diphenyl phosphate Biphenyl (also known as diphenyl, phenylbenzene, 1,1′-biphenyl, lemonene or BP) is an organic compound that forms colorless crystals. Particularly in older literature, compounds containing the functional group consisting of biphenyl less one ...

and now a dozen benzochloranes". Boris transmits the moose's research to his superiors, who are blown up trying to repeat it. He also attempts to immobilize the Moon Men with

sleeping pills Hypnotic (from Greek ''Hypnos'', sleep), or soporific drugs, commonly known as sleeping pills, are a class of (and umbrella term for) psychoactive drugs whose primary function is to induce sleep (or surgical anesthesiaWhen used in anesthesia ...

. Rocky rescues Bullwinkle and the Moon Men. Gidney and Cloyd become media celebrities but soon tire of their fame. They insist that Rocky and Bullwinkle return to the Moon with them, but their ship's fuel has been stolen by Boris. Rocky and Bullwinkle agree to help make more fuel, and they head to Frostbite Falls to procure the

secret ingredient A secret ingredient is a component of a product that is closely guarded from public disclosure for competitive advantage. Sometimes the ingredient makes a noticeable difference in the way a product performs, looks or tastes; other times it is u ...

: mooseberries. Boris sends the Moon Men's stolen fuel to Pottsylvania, but it explodes upon arrival, leveling the seaport. Boris kidnaps Rocky and Bullwinkle en route to

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

by posing as a pilot offering to fly them home. They crash land near Frostbite Falls, only to find that a

blight Blight refers to a specific symptom affecting plants in response to infection by a pathogenic organism. Description Blight is a rapid and complete chlorosis, browning, then death of plant tissues such as leaves, branches, twigs, or floral organ ...

has decimated the mooseberry crop. Bullwinkle manages to obtain the only remaining bush, which is promptly stolen by Boris. Rocky and Bullwinkle telephone the Moon Men, who have become popular entertainers, and ask for their help in obtaining another mooseberry bush. They book passage on an

ocean liner An ocean liner is a passenger ship primarily used as a form of transportation across seas or oceans. Ocean liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes (such as for pleasure cruises or as hospital ships). Ca ...

Pottsylvania Pottsylvania is a fictional country that appeared in the television series ''Rocky and His Friends'' and '' The Bullwinkle Show'', collectively referred to as ''Rocky and Bullwinkle''. Pottsylvania is a parody of a Cold War-era eastern Europe ...

, the only remaining source of mooseberries. Boris and Natasha have stolen tickets for the same trip in order to return to their homeland with the stolen bush. The incompetent Peter Peachfuzz, captain of the liner S.S. ''Andalusia'', steers the ship to

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...

, and

Perth Amboy Perth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey. Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 55,436. Perth Amboy has a Hispanic majority population. In the 2010 census, th ...

. When their mooseberry bush appears to be ailing Boris and Natasha harvest the berries. As food supplies aboard the ship have dwindled during the erratic voyage a famished Bullwinkle eats the berries which, once picked, have become extremely volatile. He survives the resulting explosion. The ship runs aground on a tropical island. While Rocky, Bullwinkle, and Peachfuzz go ashore Boris steals the ''Andalusia'', but is ordered to return for Bullwinkle. When they arrive in Pottsylvania Boris meets with Fearless Leader and reveals his plan to use the rocket fuel to establish a

television transmitter A television transmitter is a transmitter that is used for terrestrial (over-the-air) television broadcasting. It is an electronic device that radiates radio waves that carry a video signal representing moving images, along with a synchronized a ...

on the moon and to jam American broadcasts with Pottsylvanian commercials. Rocky and Bullwinkle begin an expedition to find a mooseberry bush, which grows on Pottsylvania's highest mountain, Wynchataka Peak. They engage a disguised Boris and Natasha as guides and retrieve a lone mooseberry bush from the mountainside. The group encounters an

Abominable Snowman The Yeti ()"Yeti"
''

naturalize Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-citizen of a country may acquire citizenship or nationality of that country. It may be done automatically by a statute, i.e., without any effort on the part of the i ...

d as American citizens who could then become the first Americans on the Moon, with the help of the mooseberry rocket fuel. Senator Fussmussen, who feels that the recent admission of

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

and

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

has created too many new Americans, purposely turns the citizenship exam into an interrogation, which (coupled with Rocky and Bullwinkle's useless studying aids) result in Gidney and Cloyd failing. The two are

deport Deportation is the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. The term ''expulsion'' is often used as a synonym for deportation, though expulsion is more often used in the context of international law, while deportation ...

ed—to the Moon. Bullwinkle makes a batch of fuel and the Moon Men return home, with Senator Fussmussen (too dignified to remove his coat after it gets caught in the door) in tow as the new ambassador to the moon.

Characters

It is not unusual for characters and other elements of any television program, animated or live-action, to undergo development during the course of the series (see "Black Smithers"). Nonetheless, it is noteworthy to observe how quickly some of the major ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'' characters developed from relatively flat and marginally recognizable figures into the iconic "personalities" that remain popular a half-century later. Rocket J. Squirrel: A "plucky squirrel" from the start, far more intelligent than his partner yet still often a bit naive, little changed other than slight details of Rocky's flight helmet.

Bullwinkle J. Moose Bullwinkle J. Moose is a fictional character which premiered in the 1959–1964 ABC network animated television series ''Rocky and His Friends'' and ''The Bullwinkle Show'', often collectively referred to as ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'', produced by ...

: While already a well-meaning goofus, the early Bullwinkle is relatively subdued. His mouth alternates locations during the early episodes before settling beneath his nose.

Boris Badenov Boris Badenov is an antagonist of the 1959–1964 animated cartoons ''Rocky and His Friends'' and ''The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, The Bullwinkle Show'', collectively referred to as ''The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show'' for short. He was originall ...

: Boris begins as much more of a traditional

villain A villain (also known as a "black hat" or "bad guy"; the feminine form is villainess) is a stock character, whether based on a historical narrative or one of literary fiction. ''Random House Unabridged Dictionary'' defines such a character a ...

, even a menacing presence; in the earliest episodes his eyes are red and he has a more

demon A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in media such as comics, video games, movies, ani ...

ic appearance. By the fourth episode he has developed into a more comic character and dons his first disguise—a swami intent on hypnotizing Bullwinkle. Amusingly, his eyes are white after waking up from a long slumber, as though the redness was caused by sleep deprivation.

Natasha Fatale Boris Badenov is an antagonist of the 1959–1964 animated cartoons ''Rocky and His Friends'' and ''The Bullwinkle Show'', collectively referred to as ''The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show'' for short. He was originally voiced by Paul Frees. Badenov ...

: Although Natasha is a

femme fatale A ''femme fatale'' ( or ; ), sometimes called a maneater or vamp, is a stock character of a mysterious, beautiful, and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, often leading them into compromising, deadly traps. She is an archetype of ...

from her first appearance she becomes slightly more curvaceous during the course of the early episodes. In ''Jet Fuel Formula'' her last name is pronounced “Fuh-TAH-lee”, although in the second story arc it is pronounced "Fuh-TAHL".

Fearless Leader Fearless Leader is the main antagonist in the 1959–1964 animated television series ''Rocky and His Friends'' and '' The Bullwinkle Show'', both shows often collectively referred to as ''The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show''. He is the employer of ...

: In his first appearance, Fearless Leader is a physically nondescript, heavyset character. Toward the end of this story arc he transforms into the thin, scarred,

monocle A monocle is a type of corrective lens used to correct or enhance the visual perception in only one eye. It consists of a circular lens, generally with a wire ring around the circumference that can be attached to a string or wire. The other ...

-wearing character whose name has become a

catch phrase A catchphrase (alternatively spelled catch phrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through word of mouth and a variety of mass ...

. Peter "Wrongway" Peachfuzz: Captain Peachfuzz's physical appearance is consistent from the start, along with his depiction as an incompetent sailor. However, in ''Jet Fuel Formula'' he has not yet taken on his familiar

Ed Wynn Isaiah Edwin Leopold (November 9, 1886 – June 19, 1966), better known as Ed Wynn, was an American actor and comedian. He was noted for his ''Perfect Fool'' comedy character, his pioneering radio show of the 1930s, and his later career as a d ...

-esque voice; rather, his speech is reminiscent of a stereotypical cartoon

parrot Parrots, also known as psittacines (), are birds of the roughly 398 species in 92 genera comprising the order Psittaciformes (), found mostly in tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three superfamilies: the Psittacoid ...

. He has command of the

passenger liner A passenger ship is a merchant ship whose primary function is to carry passengers on the sea. The category does not include cargo vessels which have accommodations for limited numbers of passengers, such as the ubiquitous twelve-passenger freig ...

S.S. The ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS; also stylized as ''ᛋᛋ'' with Armanen runes; ; "Protection Squadron") was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany, and later throughout German-occupied Europe duri ...

Andalusia Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a ...

'' only because he purchased the ship with an inheritance.

Gidney & Cloyd Gidney and Cloyd are fictional characters originally appearing in the American animated television program ''Rocky and His Friends'' (now known, along with ''The Bullwinkle Show'', as ''The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show'' or simply ''Rocky and Bullwin ...

: Moon Men sent to

by their people to prevent an influx of Earth tourists. Gidney has a

mustache A moustache (; en-US, mustache, ) is a strip of facial hair grown above the upper lip. Moustaches have been worn in various styles throughout history. Etymology The word "moustache" is French, and is derived from the Italian ''mustaccio'' ...

, while Cloyd carries a "scrootch gun". Narrator: Like Bullwinkle, the Narrator is somewhat subdued in the earliest episodes, speaking almost as if he is letting the audience in on a secret. He quickly develops a more

melodrama A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exces ...

tic style appropriate to the

pulp Pulp may refer to: * Pulp (fruit), the inner flesh of fruit Engineering * Dissolving pulp, highly purified cellulose used in fibre and film manufacture * Pulp (paper), the fibrous material used to make paper * Molded pulp, a packaging material * ...

serial style of the show and its ubiquitous

cliffhanger A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode or a film of serialized fiction. A cliffhang ...

Episode segments

Episode 1

# Jet Fuel Formula # Fractured Fairy Tales:

Rapunzel "Rapunzel" ( , ) is a German fairy tale recorded by the Brothers Grimm and first published in 1812 as part of ''Children's and Household Tales'' (KHM 12). The Brothers Grimm's story developed from the French literary fairy tale of ''Persinette ...

# Bullwinkle's Corner: "The Swing" by Robert Louis Stevenson # Peabody's Improbable History: Show Opening # Bullwinkle's Ride ''or'' Goodbye Dollink

Episode 2

# Bullseye Bullwinkle ''or'' Destination Moose # Fractured Fairy Tales:

Puss In Boots "Puss in Boots" ( it, Il gatto con gli stivali) is an Italian fairy tale, later spread throughout the rest of Europe, about an anthropomorphic cat who uses trickery and deceit to gain power, wealth, and the hand of a princess in marriage for hi ...

# Bullwinkle's Corner: "Little Miss Muffet" # Peabody's Improbable History: Napoleon # Squeeze Play ''or'' Invitation to the Trance

Episode 3

# The Scrooched Moose # Fractured Fairy Tales: The Fisherman's Wishes # Bullwinkle's Corner: "The Horn" # Peabody's Improbable History: Lord Nelson # Monitored Moose ''or'' The Carbon Copy Cats

Episode 4

# Rocky's Dilemma ''or'' A Squirrel In A Stew # Fractured Fairy Tales:

Goldilocks "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" (originally titled "The Story of the Three Bears") is a 19th-century English fairy tale of which three versions exist. The original version of the tale tells of an obscene old woman who enters the forest home ...

# Bullwinkle's Corner: "Where Go The Boats" # Peabody's Improbable History: Wyatt Earp # The Submarine Squirrel ''or'' 20,000 Leagues Beneath the Sea

Episode 5

# Bars and Stripes Forever # Fractured Fairy Tales: Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum # Bullwinkle's Corner: "My Shadow" # Peabody's Improbable History: King Arthur # Hello Out There! ''or'' There's No Place Like Space

Episode 6

# A Creep At The Deep ''or'' Will Success Spoil Boris Badenov? # Fractured Fairy Tales:

Beauty and the Beast ''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve, Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' ( ...

# Bullwinkle's Corner: "I Love Little Pussy" (featuring a tiger) # Peabody's Improbable History: Franz Schubert # Ace Is Wild ''or'' The Flying Casket

Episode 7

# The Back Seat Divers ''or'' Mashed Landing # Fractured Fairy Tales: The Brave Little Tailor ''or'' T-shirt Tall # Bullwinkle's Corner: "Taffy" # Peabody's Improbable History: Lucrezia Borgia # Bullwinkle's Water Follies ''or'' Antlers Aweigh

Episode 8

# The Inspector-Detector ''or'' A Kick in the Plants # Fractured Fairy Tales:

Rumpelstiltskin "Rumpelstiltskin" ( ; german: Rumpelstilzchen) is a German fairy tale. It was collected by the Brothers Grimm in the 1812 edition of ''Children's and Household Tales''. The story is about a little imp who spins straw into gold in exchange for a g ...

# Bullwinkle's Corner: "Wee Willie Winkie" # Peabody's Improbable History: Sir Walter Raleigh # Canoes Who? ''or'' Look before you leak.

Episode 9

# Two For the Ripsaw ''or'' Goodbye, Mr Chips # Aesop and Son: The Lion and the Mouse # Bullwinkle's Corner: "Little Jack Horner" # Peabody's Improbable History: Robert Fulton # Farewell, My Ugly ''or'' Knots to You

Episode 10

# Cheerful Little Pierful ''or'' Bomb Voyage # Fractured Fairy Tales:

The Princess and the Pea "The Princess and the Pea" ( da, "Prinsessen paa Ærten"; direct translation: "The Princess on the Pea") is a literary fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen about a young woman whose royal ancestry is established by a test of her sensitivity. ...

# Bullwinkle's Corner: "The Queen of Hearts" # Peabody's Improbable History: Annie Oakley # Summer Squash ''or'' He's Too Flat for Me

Episode 11

# The Earl and the Squirrel ''or'' The March of Crime # Fractured Fairy Tales: Sweet Little Beat # Bullwinkle's Corner: Tom-Tom The Piper's Son # Dudley Do-Right: The Disloyal Canadians # A Drift in the Mist ''or'' Fog Groggy

Episode 12

# The Deep Six ''or'' The Old Moose and the Sea # Fractured Fairy Tales:

The Fisherman and his Wife "The Fisherman and His Wife" (Low German: ''Von dem Fischer un syner Fru'') is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm in 1812 (KHM 19). The tale is of Aarne–Thompson type 555, about dissatisfaction and greed. It may be classified as ...

# Mr. Know-It-All: How To Train a Doggie # Peabody's Improbable History: Jessie James # The Slippery Helm ''or'' Captain's Outrageous

Episode 13

# Bullwinkle Makes a Hit ''or'' I Get a Bang out of You # Aesop and Son: The Mice Who Belled The Cat ''or'' The Mice In Council # Bullwinkle's Corner: "Barbara Frietchie" # Peabody's Improbable History: The Wright Brothers # Three on an Island ''or'' Tell It to the Maroons

Episode 14

# Dancing on Air ''or'' The Pottsylvania Polka # Fractured Fairy Tales: Dick Whittington's Cat # Mr. Know-It-All: How To Train a Lion # Peabody's Improbable History: George Armstrong Custer # Axe Me Another ''or'' Heads You Lose!

Episode 15

# The Pen Pals ''or'' Rock Hocky Rocky # Fractured Fairy Tales:

Cinderella "Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...

# Mr. Know-It-All: How To Cook A Turkey's Goose # Peabody's Improbable History: Alfred Nobel # The Fright-Seeing Trip ''or'' Visit to a Small Panic

Episode 16

# Boris Burgles Again ''or'' Sinner Take All # Fractured Fairy Tales:

The Shoemaker and the Elves "The Elves and The Shoemaker" (German: ''Die Wichtelmänner'') is a set of fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm (KHM 39) about a poor shoemaker who receives much-needed help from three young helpful elves. The original story is the first o ...

# Mr. Know-It-All: Swimming Can Be Fun (and Wet) # Dudley Do-Right: Stokey The Bear # Dander Ahead ''or'' Watch Out for Falling Rockys

Episode 17

# Avalanche is Better Than None ''or'' Snows Your Old Man # Aesop and Son: The Fox and the Stork # Mr. Know-It-All: How To Sell Vacuum Cleaners (and Clean Up) # Peabody's Improbable History: Marco Polo # Below Zero Heroes ''or'' I Only Have Ice for You

Episode 18

# The Snowman Cometh ''or'' An Icicle Built for Two # Fractured Fairy Tales:

Tom Thumb Tom Thumb is a character of English folklore. ''The History of Tom Thumb'' was published in 1621 and was the first fairy tale printed in English. Tom is no bigger than his father's thumb, and his adventures include being swallowed by a cow, tangl ...

(I) # Mr. Know-It-All: How To Cure the Hiccups # Dudley Do-Right: Mortgagin' The Mountie Post # The Moonman Is Blue ''or'' The Inside Story

Episode 19

# Fuels Rush In ''or'' Star Spangled Boner # Aesop and Son: The Sheep in Wolf's Clothing # Mr. Know-It-All: How to Open a Jar of Pickles # Peabody's Improbable History: Richard the Lionhearted # The Pottsylvania Permanent ''or'' I've Grown Accustomed to the Place

Episode 20

# The Boundary Bounders ''or'' Some Like It Shot # Fractured Fairy Tales: Sir Galahad ''or'' The Tomorrow Knight # Mr. Know-It-All: How To Get Into the Movies (without Buying a Ticket) # Peabody's Improbable History: Don Juan # The Washington Whirl ''or'' Rocky off the Record

Themes

Cold War

''Jet Fuel Formula'' makes numerous allusions to the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

, a theme that would become a recurring element of the Rocky and Bullwinkle stories. The fictional nation of

stands in for

East Germany East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...

, with its character influenced by the Cold War-era

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

and

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

(for instance, many Pottsylvanian accents are more Germanic than

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

). Pottsylvania is a closed, repressive nation ruled by the Fuehrer-esque

and the mysterious Mr. Big. The United States, on the other hand, is directly satired as an absurd

bureaucracy The term bureaucracy () refers to a body of non-elected governing officials as well as to an administrative policy-making group. Historically, a bureaucracy was a government administration managed by departments staffed with non-elected offi ...

with pompous politicians (such as Senator Fussmussen) and incompetent bureaucrats (typified by

Peter Peachfuzz ''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends'' (commonly referred to as simply ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'') is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959, to June 27, 1964, on the American Broadca ...

). The themes of the

arms race An arms race occurs when two or more groups compete in military superiority. It consists of a competition between two or more states to have superior armed forces; a competition concerning production of weapons, the growth of a military, and t ...

, the

space race The Space Race was a 20th-century competition between two Cold War rivals, the United States and the Soviet Union, to achieve superior spaceflight capability. It had its origins in the ballistic missile-based nuclear arms race between the tw ...

, international technological competition, and espionage are found throughout the story.

Boris's disguises

''Jet Fuel Formula'' establishes the running gag in which Boris, and often Natasha, don disguises in order to advance their plot against Rocky and Bullwinkle. The disguised Boris typically presents himself to the heroes, and to the audience, by announcing, "Allow me to introduce myself, I'm—". The name is often a pun on the name of a celebrity of the time, some of whom may be obscure to 21st century viewers. Much of the humor of these scenes comes from the fact that, although disguised, Boris remains instantly recognizable (to the audience), and his aliases are often thinly-veiled puns on his real name. Rocky often remarks that Boris's voice sounds familiar, yet he and Bullwinkle are consistently duped. In ''Jet Fuel Formula'' Boris's disguises include: *

Swami Swami ( ; sometimes abbreviated sw.) in Hinduism is an honorific title given to a male or female ascetic who has chosen the path of renunciation (''sanyāsa''), or has been initiated into a religious monastic order of Vaishnavas. It is used eith ...

Ben Boris,

hypnotist Hypnosis is a human condition involving focused attention (the selective attention/selective inattention hypothesis, SASI), reduced peripheral awareness, and an enhanced capacity to respond to suggestion.In 2015, the American Psychologica ...

; Natasha plays his unnamed assistant. *Sir Thomas Lippenboris, millionaire

yachtsman A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...

(a reference to

Thomas Lipton Sir Thomas Johnstone Lipton, 1st Baronet (10 May 18482 October 1931) was a Scotsman of Ulster-Scots parentage who was a self-made man, as company founder of Lipton Tea, merchant, philanthropist and yachtsman who lost 5 straight America's Cup m ...

, founder of

Lipton Tea Lipton is a British brand of tea, owned by Ekaterra. Lipton was also a supermarket chain in the United Kingdom, later sold to Argyll Foods, after which the company sold only tea. The company is named after its founder, Sir Thomas Lipton, who fo ...

); Natasha poses as "Lady Alice" *Sir Hillary Pushemoff (Push Them Off), mountain climber (a reference to

Edmund Hillary Sir Edmund Percival Hillary (20 July 1919 – 11 January 2008) was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer, and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953, Hillary and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers confirmed to have reached t ...

); Natasha is disguised as his Native American companion, Princess Bubbling Spring That Runs In The Meadow *A Scientist *A Federal Plant Inspector *Ace Rickenboris, pilot (a reference to World War I

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

Eddie Rickenbacker Edward Vernon Rickenbacker or Eddie Rickenbacker (October 8, 1890 – July 23, 1973) was an American fighter pilot in World War I and a Medal of Honor recipient.stewardess A flight attendant, also known as steward/stewardess or air host/air hostess, is a member of the aircrew aboard commercial flights, many business jets and some government aircraft. Collectively called cabin crew, flight attendants are primar ...

, Miss Callahan. *Clarence Darronov, lawyer (a reference to

Clarence Darrow Clarence Seward Darrow (; April 18, 1857 – March 13, 1938) was an American lawyer who became famous in the early 20th century for his involvement in the Leopold and Loeb murder trial and the Scopes "Monkey" Trial. He was a leading member of t ...

) *An

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...

canoe A canoe is a lightweight narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle. In British English, the term ...

ist. *A Pottsylvanian

taxi A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice ...

driver; Natasha plays his partner, Spike *

Barnacle A barnacle is a type of arthropod constituting the subclass Cirripedia in the subphylum Crustacea, and is hence related to crabs and lobsters. Barnacles are exclusively marine, and tend to live in shallow and tidal waters, typically in eros ...

Boris Badenov, sea captain (a reference to the song Barnacle Bill)

Lampooning the medium and breaking the fourth wall

''Jet Fuel Formula'' lampoons the medium of television and, particularly, television commercials, which are depicted as being so odious as to be used as weapons by warring nations. The ''conventions'' of television are a source for parody, as well as its quality. The characters frequently break the

fourth wall The fourth wall is a performance convention in which an invisible, imaginary wall separates actors from the audience. While the audience can see through this ''wall'', the convention assumes the actors act as if they cannot. From the 16th cen ...

to address the audience. This is particularly evident in some of the short supporting features, such as

Mr. Know-It-All ''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends'' (commonly referred to as simply ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'') is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959, to June 27, 1964, on the ABC and NBC te ...

and

Bullwinkle's Corner ''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends'' (commonly referred to as simply ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'') is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959, to June 27, 1964, on the ABC and NBC tele ...

, in which the audience sees backstage areas, light rigs, etc., and in which Rocky, Bullwinkle and particularly Boris portray characters distinct from their roles in the actual ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'' segments. ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'' may be viewed as an early, animated example of

metafiction Metafiction is a form of fiction which emphasises its own narrative structure in a way that continually reminds the audience that they are reading or viewing a fictional work. Metafiction is self-conscious about language, literary form, and story ...

, insofar as the characters make frequent reference to the fact that they are, in fact, characters engaged in the presentation of a work of fiction. In one brief scene Capt. Peachfuzz is seen reading a Mr. Peabody comic book. Natasha and Bullwinkle each reckon the passage of time in terms of episodes. Rocky and Bullwinkle respond to comments made by the narrator, and Boris chides him for revealing plot details.

"Our next episode"

The first episode ends with a

teaser Teaser may refer to: * One who teases * Teaser (animal), a male livestock animal (typically a bull) whose penis has been amputated, "''gomer''" Film exhibition, broadcasting, advertising * Teaser (trailer), a short film used to advertise an ...

promoting the next episode with a now-familiar "double title" (''Bullwinkle's Ride'' ''or'' ''Goodbye, Dollink'').

IMDb IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...

uses these "titles" to label individual episodes, but on the Rocky and Bullwinkle DVDs they are simply numbered 1 through 40, suggesting that the titles are to be viewed as a gag rather than as an actual label for the subsequent episode. Many involve cultural references—sometimes rather obscure—and often dreadful

pun A pun, also known as paronomasia, is a form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use of homophonic ...

Limited animation

''Rocky and Bullwinkle'' has long been held in high esteem for its witty, even sophisticated writing. But in contrast, the visual portion of the show is a prime example of

limited animation Limited animation is a process in the overall technique of traditional animation that reuses frames of character animation. Early history The use of budget-cutting and time-saving animation measures in animation dates back to the earliest commerci ...

, and as such it has been called "a well-written radio program with pictures". Some elements, such as the almost childlike quality of much of the scenery, might today be regarded as an integral part of the "look" of the show, but were in fact the product of severe financial limitations which required that animation be

outsource Outsourcing is an agreement in which one company hires another company to be responsible for a planned or existing activity which otherwise is or could be carried out internally, i.e. in-house, and sometimes involves transferring employees and ...

d to a second-tier studio in

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

. It might be expected that the animation of the earliest episodes would be even more "limited" than what followed. An exhaustive listing of continuity errors in ''Jet Fuel Formula'' would be beyond the scope of this article; however, it is common to see Boris's mustache disappear and reappear from moment to moment and for buildings and other background objects (such as the Polynesian

hamburger A hamburger, or simply burger, is a food consisting of fillings—usually a patty of ground meat, typically Ground beef, beef—placed inside a sliced bun or bread roll. Hamburgers are often served with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles ...

stand visited by the passengers of the ''Andalusia'') to completely change their appearance from one scene to the next.

The adult demographic

As noted above, ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'' is acclaimed for the quality of its writing rather than its animation. While the

slapstick Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. Slapstick may involve both intentional violence and violence by mishap, often resulting from inept use of props such a ...

, "cartoonish" elements of the program may appeal to children the ongoing popularity of the program is due rather to the wit and sophistication of its writing. From the earliest episodes ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'' included absurd, anarchic humor aimed primarily at adults rather than children. Five years before ''

Dr. Strangelove ''Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb'', known simply and more commonly as ''Dr. Strangelove'', is a 1964 black comedy film that satirizes the Cold War fears of a nuclear conflict between the Soviet Union and t ...

'', ''Jet Fuel Formula'' was satirizing the American military and government, most notably in the person of Capt. Peter "Wrong Way" Peachfuzz but also in other characters and situations throughout the story. In fact, ''Jet Fuel Formula'' may be viewed as a 40-episode satire of Cold War sensibilities, at a time when such topics were generally viewed with grave seriousness (see

Duck and Cover "Duck and cover" is a method of personal protection against the effects of a nuclear explosion. Ducking and covering is useful in offering a degree of protection to personnel located outside the radius of the nuclear fireball but still within su ...

). In addition to political matters, ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'' cartoons include an almost-constant barrage of cultural references. While many may be unfamiliar to a 21st-century audience, some likely were obscure from the start and include references to turn-of-the-century stage comedies and old popular songs. Boris's disguises make reference to

Eddie Rickenbacker Edward Vernon Rickenbacker or Eddie Rickenbacker (October 8, 1890 – July 23, 1973) was an American fighter pilot in World War I and a Medal of Honor recipient.Clarence Darrow Clarence Seward Darrow (; April 18, 1857 – March 13, 1938) was an American lawyer who became famous in the early 20th century for his involvement in the Leopold and Loeb murder trial and the Scopes "Monkey" Trial. He was a leading member of t ...

, as well as to the profane

folk song Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be c ...

, '' Barnacle Bill the Sailor''. Furthermore, Bullwinkle's difficulty in speaking the name of Boris's "uncle" (actually the mooseberry bush in disguise) makes reference to the fact, likely unfamiliar to many Americans, that although pronounced "Chumly" the name is actually spelled " Cholmondeley". The "titles" given as teasers for upcoming episodes include references to 1930 Broadway (''

Cheerful Little Earful "Cheerful Little Earful" is a 1930 song composed by Harry Warren, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin and Billy Rose. It was written for the musical '' Sweet and Low'' (1930). Actress and singer Fanny Brice, who was married to Billy Rose at the time, starr ...

''), classic literature ( James Hilton's ''

Goodbye, Mr. Chips ''Goodbye, Mr. Chips'' is a novella about the life of a school teacher, Mr. Chipping, written by English writer James Hilton and first published by Hodder & Stoughton in October 1934. It has been adapted into two feature films and two televi ...

'',

Ernest Hemingway Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. His economical and understated style—which he termed the iceberg theory—had a strong influence on 20th-century fic ...

's ''

The Old Man and the Sea ''The Old Man and the Sea'' is a novella written by the American author Ernest Hemingway in 1951 in Cayo Blanco (Cuba), and published in 1952. It was the last major work of fiction written by Hemingway that was published during his lifetime. ...

'',

Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work. ...

's ''

Captains Courageous ''Captains Courageous: A Story of the Grand Banks'' is an 1897 novel by Rudyard Kipling that follows the adventures of fifteen-year-old Harvey Cheyne Jr., the spoiled son of a railroad tycoon, after he is saved from drowning by a Portuguese f ...

'', and

William Faulkner William Cuthbert Faulkner (; September 25, 1897 – July 6, 1962) was an American writer known for his novels and short stories set in the fictional Yoknapatawpha County, based on Lafayette County, Mississippi, where Faulkner spent most of ...

's ''

Go Down, Moses "Go Down Moses" is a spiritual phrase that describes events in the Old Testament of the Bible, specifically Exodus 5:1: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may se ...

''—the latter of which could also be read as a reference to the African-American Spiritual), two

polka Polka is a dance and genre of dance music originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though associated with Czech culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the Americas. History Etymology The term ...

standards (''Too Fat Polka'' and ''

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

Polka''), early 20th century

musical comedy Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...

(

The Earl and the Girl ''The Earl and the Girl'' is a musical comedy in two acts by Seymour Hicks, with lyrics by Percy Greenbank and music by Ivan Caryll. It was produced by William Greet and opened at the Adelphi Theatre in London on 10 December 1903. It transferre ...

), classic American drama (

Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of realism, earlier ...

's ''

The Iceman Cometh ''The Iceman Cometh'' is a play written by American playwright Eugene O'Neill in 1939. First published in 1946, the play premiered on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theatre on October 9, 1946, directed by Eddie Dowling, where it ran for 136 perfo ...

''), as well as contemporary films, such as ''

Some Like It Hot ''Some Like It Hot'' is a 1959 American crime comedy film directed, produced and co-written by Billy Wilder. It stars Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, with George Raft, Pat O'Brien, Joe E. Brown, Joan Shawlee, Grace Lee Whitney and N ...

'', ''

The Moon Is Blue ''The Moon Is Blue'' is a play by F. Hugh Herbert. A comedy in three acts, the play consists of one female and three male characters. Performance history ''The Moon Is Blue'' premiered at The Playhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on February 16, 19 ...

'', and ''

Visit to a Small Planet ''Visit to a Small Planet'' is a 1960 American black-and-white science fiction comedy film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Jerry Lewis, Joan Blackman, Earl Holliman, and Fred Clark. Distributed by Paramount Pictures, it was produced by Hal ...

''.

Credits

*A Jay Ward Production *Producers:

Jay Ward Joseph Ward Cohen Jr. (September 20, 1920 – October 12, 1989), also known as Jay Ward, was an American creator and producer of animated TV cartoon shows. He produced animated series based on such characters as Crusader Rabbit, Rocky & Bul ...

, Bill Scott *Executive producer: Ponsonby Britt *Directors: Gerard Baldwin,Gerard Baldwin
/ref>
Jim HiltzBill HurtzTed ParmeleeGerry RayDun RomanRudy Zamora
*Writers
George AtkinsJim CritenfieldChris HaywardChris Jenkins (or Jenkyns)
Bill Scott *Animation: Gamma Productions *Associate Producer: Edwin A. Gourley *Voice Actors:

June Foray June Foray (born June Lucille Forer; September 18, 1917 – July 26, 2017) was an American voice actress. She was best known as the voice of such animated characters as Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Natasha Fatale, Nell Fenwick, Lucifer from Disney' ...

(Rocky, Natasha),

Paul Frees Solomon Hersh "Paul" Frees (June 22, 1920November 2, 1986) was an American actor, comedian, impressionist, and vaudevillian. He is known for his work on Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Walter Lantz, Rankin/Bass, and Walt Disney theatrical cartoons during ...

(Boris, Peter Peachfuzz, Cloyd), Bill Conrad (narrator), Bill Scott (uncredited as Bullwinkle, Fearless Leader, Gidney) *Design and Layout
Sam ClaybergerDave FernFrank HurshDan JurovichJoe MontellRoy MoritaAl SheanShirley SilveySam WeissAl Wilson
*Supervised by
Harvey Siegal
*Music
Frank ComstockDennis Farnon
*"And a host of others"
Barbara BaldwinSkip CraigAdrienne DiamondArt DiamondRoger DonleySal FaillaceCarlos ManríquezJesus MartínezBob MaxfieldDun RomanJean Washam
*Misc.
William Schleh
(This listing is based on a cross reference of the actual series credits that appeared at the end of each installment of ''Rocky and His Friends'' and the sometimes more exhaustive credits posted at

. Individuals known to be involved solely with the supporting features (e.g.,

Hans Conried Hans Georg Conried Jr. (April 15, 1917 – January 5, 1982) was an American actor and comedian. He was known for providing the voices of George Darling and Captain Hook in Walt Disney's ''Peter Pan'' (1953), Snidely Whiplash in Jay Ward's ''Dudle ...

, the voice of

Snidely Whiplash Snidely Whiplash is a fictional character who originally appeared as the main antagonist in the ''Dudley Do-Right of the Mounties'' segments of the animated television series ''The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show''. He is the archenemy of Dudley Do-Rig ...

, and

Edward Everett Horton Edward Everett Horton Jr. (March 18, 1886 – September 29, 1970) was an American character actor. He had a long career in film, theater, radio, television, and voice work for animated cartoons. Early life Horton was born in Kings County ...

, the narrator of

Fractured Fairy Tales ''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends'' (commonly referred to as simply ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'') is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959, to June 27, 1964, on the ABC and NBC tele ...

) are not listed here.)

Home video

''Jet Fuel Formula'' was released on DVD on August 5, 2003 as part of ''Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends Complete Season 1''. This 4-disc set includes both ''Jet Fuel Formula'' and ''Box Top Robbery'' (the other season 1 story arc) in their entirety, along with all supporting features from the first season (1959–1960).

References

& Bill Scott, producers (2003), ''Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends Complete Season 1'' DVD. Classic Media/Sony Wonder.

ASIN Asin Thottumkal (born 26 October 1985), known mononymously as Asin, is a former Indian actress who appeared predominantly in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu films. She is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer. She has received three Filmfare Awards. She beg ...

: B00009PJT0.

External links

* * * * {{Use mdy dates, date=November 2017 The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends episodes 1959 American television episodes 1960 American television episodes