Telecomics was considered the first "animated" TV program in some sources, even though technically there is little to no animation. The process of having voice overs with storyboard art under the name "Telecomics" goes back to 1942.
The first version of the program aired in 1949, but none of the earlier shorts are known to exist. According to the Tralfaz animation history blog, and various animation encyclopedias, the earlier stories were: “Brother Goose” by Cal Howard; “Joey and Jug”, a clown story by Arnold Gillespie; “Rick Rack Secret Agent,” by Miles Pike and Pete Burness, and “Sa-Lah,” (Sa-Lih in some sources) an Arabian Knights fantasy drawn by A.J. Metcalf."
Duke University in Durham, North Carolina holds the Dick Moores Papers, 1937 - 1976, which includes some correspondences related to Telecomics, Inc.
Drawings from the Rick Rack series have resurfaced in online auctions. Also cels were auctioned from Hakes. Rick Rack is almost identical to "Dick Tracy" which is fitting since the series was created by cartoonist Dick Moores, a former assistant to Tracy's creator Chester Gould. If footage or production elements exist from the other titles, they have yet to surface online or in another listed archives collection.
Recently in my own research I found out that Telecomics did a Christmas special called "Santa and the Angel" in 1947 narrated by Ireene Wicker, radio's "Singing Story Lady". This may have been the first "animated" Christmas special in TV history.
The NBC Comics version began in 1950, and was supposedly network television's first cartoon series, This version featured "Space Barton", "Kid Champion", "Danny March" and "Johnny and Mr. Do Right".
At least 3 complete episodes of the NBC version exist in the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Film TV Archives:
In 2008 a channel posted 2 episodes of NBC Comics/Telecomics to YouTube claiming that the prints were found in a New York camera shop.
Telecomics 113 Space Barton - https://youtu.be/knBxnltsEGE
Telecomics 113 Kid Champion - https://www.youtube.com/
Telecomics 113 Danny March - https://www.youtube.com/
Telecomics 151 Danny March - https://www.youtube.com/
Telecomics 151 Space Barton - https://www.youtube.com/
Telecomics 151 Kid Champion - https://www.youtube.com/
"Johnny and Mr. Do Right" survives in scenes reused for a classroom educational film "Good Health Habits" (1950) - https://www.youtube.com/
Recently I came across articles saying that Telecomics, Inc, changed their name to Illustrate, Inc and moved to Hollywood. There many of the same creators began "The Search For Christ" a religious series for children around 1952. There were at least 13 episodes, some made available for classrooms, and it did receive some praise for audience surveys in Variety as one of the best syndicated religious programs on TV. Some elements of this series exist in the film research center at Regent University.
At some point in the future (way beyond the pandemic) I would love to see the Moores collection, and the film elements at UCLA for more pieces on the story of the Telecomics, Inc. Also it is hopes that more prints of the works of Telecomics, Inc., and Illustrate, Inc., will resurface.
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