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Broom-Hilda
Broom-Hilda is an American newspaper comic strip created by cartoonist Russell Myers. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, it depicts the misadventures of a man-crazy, cigar-smoking, beer-guzzling, 1,500-year-old witch and her motley crew of friends.
The original idea for Broom-Hilda came from Elliot Caplin, brother of Li'l Abner cartoonist Al Capp. He described the main character to Myers, who responded with a sketch of the witch and several samples. Caplin, acting as Myers' business manager, submitted these to the Chicago Tribune Syndicate. Introduced on April 19, 1970, the strip became an immediate success. Broom-Hilda was reprinted in several collections during the 1970s and 1980s.
Although events mostly take place during the present in an unidentified forest, the setting changes. Locales change drastically from day to day—and background details can change from panel to panel within the same strip, while the characters remain stationary (much like the backgrounds in Krazy Kat). Broom-Hilda is also capable of time travel, reappearing in various centuries throughout history to chat with (burlesque versions of) diverse historical figures.
Broom-Hilda was adapted twice for animated television series. The first was part of Archie's TV Funnies (1971), an animated series set in a television station run by Archie Andrews and his friends. Broom-Hilda was one of the comic strips featured on the show, along with Dick Tracy, Moon Mullins, Emmy Lou, The Captain and the Kids, The Dropouts, Nancy and Smokey Stover. The series was produced by Filmation Associates and aired on CBS. Broom-Hilda's voice was provided by Jane Webb (also the voice of Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge).
Broom-Hilda returned in another Filmation series, Fabulous Funnies (1978). Thirteen episodes were produced, and the series aired for one season on NBC. The show featured animated versions of several famous comic strips, including Tumbleweeds, Alley Oop and Nancy. Voices were provided by June Foray (Broom-Hilda and additional voices), Alan Oppenheimer (Irwin, Gaylord, Grelber and additional voices), Bob Holt (additional voices) and Jayne Hamil (additional voices).
The character also made a brief animated appearance in The Fantastic Funnies (1980), a CBS special showcasing newspaper comics and their creators. The animated sequence was produced by Bill Melendez Productions. June Foray was brought back to voice the character.
A live-action Broom-Hilda sketch was included in the special Mother's Day Sunday Funnies broadcast May 8, 1983, on NBC.
In 2004, it was announced that there would be a Broadway musical based on the comic strip characters, written by Martin Charnin (Annie) and Kurt Andersen (Spy magazine). The music was composed by Leroy Anderson. There was discussion of casting with Andersen suggesting Catherine Zeta-Jones for the title role, but the show was not produced.
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Broom-Hilda
Broom-Hilda is an American newspaper comic strip created by cartoonist Russell Myers. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, it depicts the misadventures of a man-crazy, cigar-smoking, beer-guzzling, 1,500-year-old witch and her motley crew of friends.
The original idea for Broom-Hilda came from Elliot Caplin, brother of Li'l Abner cartoonist Al Capp. He described the main character to Myers, who responded with a sketch of the witch and several samples. Caplin, acting as Myers' business manager, submitted these to the Chicago Tribune Syndicate. Introduced on April 19, 1970, the strip became an immediate success. Broom-Hilda was reprinted in several collections during the 1970s and 1980s.
Although events mostly take place during the present in an unidentified forest, the setting changes. Locales change drastically from day to day—and background details can change from panel to panel within the same strip, while the characters remain stationary (much like the backgrounds in Krazy Kat). Broom-Hilda is also capable of time travel, reappearing in various centuries throughout history to chat with (burlesque versions of) diverse historical figures.
Broom-Hilda was adapted twice for animated television series. The first was part of Archie's TV Funnies (1971), an animated series set in a television station run by Archie Andrews and his friends. Broom-Hilda was one of the comic strips featured on the show, along with Dick Tracy, Moon Mullins, Emmy Lou, The Captain and the Kids, The Dropouts, Nancy and Smokey Stover. The series was produced by Filmation Associates and aired on CBS. Broom-Hilda's voice was provided by Jane Webb (also the voice of Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge).
Broom-Hilda returned in another Filmation series, Fabulous Funnies (1978). Thirteen episodes were produced, and the series aired for one season on NBC. The show featured animated versions of several famous comic strips, including Tumbleweeds, Alley Oop and Nancy. Voices were provided by June Foray (Broom-Hilda and additional voices), Alan Oppenheimer (Irwin, Gaylord, Grelber and additional voices), Bob Holt (additional voices) and Jayne Hamil (additional voices).
The character also made a brief animated appearance in The Fantastic Funnies (1980), a CBS special showcasing newspaper comics and their creators. The animated sequence was produced by Bill Melendez Productions. June Foray was brought back to voice the character.
A live-action Broom-Hilda sketch was included in the special Mother's Day Sunday Funnies broadcast May 8, 1983, on NBC.
In 2004, it was announced that there would be a Broadway musical based on the comic strip characters, written by Martin Charnin (Annie) and Kurt Andersen (Spy magazine). The music was composed by Leroy Anderson. There was discussion of casting with Andersen suggesting Catherine Zeta-Jones for the title role, but the show was not produced.