I will now begin to write a story about three animated cartoons that aired in Chicago during our favorite children’s shows on WGN-TV Channel 9 that were so bizarre, so spell-binding, and its songs were catchy and never left our minds ever. The cartoons are Hardrock, Coco, Joe, Suzy Snowflake, and Frosty The Snowman.

The Hardrock, Coco, and Joe animated cartoon debuted on December 18, 1956, on WGN-TV’s Garfield Goose and Friends, hosted by Frazier Thomas. It wasn’t the first TV station that aired the cartoon. It was at WJAC-TV in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in 1952. The classic cartoon was about three little dwarves who help Santa Claus at Christmas. Here is the familiar chorus of the classic song that repeated during the animated cartoon:

Oh-lee-o-lay-dee, o-lay-dee-I-ay Donner and Blitzen, away, away Oh-lee-o-lay-dee, o-lay-dee-I-oh!  I’m Hardrock! I’m Coco! I’m Joe!

The next one is Suzy Snowflake. Based on a 1951 song and was sung by Rosemary Clooney. It debuted on debuted in 1953 on Garfield Goose and Friends on WBBM-TV Channel 2. Here are the lyrics of the song, which is sung twice during the cartoon:

Here comes Suzy Snowflake
Dressed in a snow-white gown
Tap, tap, tappin’ at your windowpane
To tell you she’s in town.
Here comes Suzy Snowflake
Soon you will hear her say
Come out everyone, and play with me.
I haven’t long to stay.
If you want to make a snowman
I’ll help you make one, one, two, three.
If you want to take a sleigh ride
Whee! The ride’s on me.
Here comes Suzy Snowflake
Look at her tumblin’ down.
Bringing joy to ev’ry girl and boy
Suzy’s come to town.

The last one is Frosty The Snowman. This one debuted in 1955 in Chicago. I am unsure which show it made its debut. Most likely, it was on Garfield Goose. The song was bouncy and jazzier than the other versions. A slight difference in this classic song is the verse. Thumpety thump thump, thumpety thump thump is sung in the beginning and repeated many times during the song.

My first memory of watching cartoons was around in the late 60s when Garfield Goose & Friends aired on the afternoons on WGN-TV. It also aired on Bozo’s Circus during the holiday season. As I was growing up, the cartoons seemed to disappear from the television airwaves until I started going to comic book conventions and, I saw them on VHS bootlegs. I bought my first one in the early 90s, went home, and watched the cartoons for the first time in years. The VHS tape had a lot of clips from TV kid shows that in Chicago from the early 50s to the mid-80s. The cartoons are on DVD now and on YouTube.

In 2005, Bozo, Gar, and Ray TV special aired on WGN-TV for the first time. It showed clips of Ray Rayner, Garfield Goose, and Bozo’s Circus. The three cartoons are in the special. It’s has been airing twice every year during the holiday season ever since.

One memory that stood out was when I was at Bogan High school, and three guys in my class were singing the song from Hardrock, Coco, and Joe. One guy was singing, and the other two were swinging their heads. It was very amusing watching these guys doing this.

These cartoons touched a nerve with everyone I know. They weren’t high-quality animation, but it didn’t matter or us. They are classics. I can watch these anytime. I am hoping that kids today would appreciate watching these. We will see.

I just miss watching these cartoons on my old Motorola black and white TV set when I was little. It gives me and others a warm and fuzzy feeling that is beautiful and makes us very happy. Thank you. Pete Kastanes. Admin for Vanished Chicagoland Facebook page.