Beany and Cecil Original and Limited Edition Art

Beany and Cecil was an animated cartoon series created by Bob Clampett under the Warner Brothers aegis, based on a hand puppet TV show in the late 40's by Clampett. The puppet show, entitled Time for Beany, originally aired in 1949, and the animated series first appeared in Matty's Funday Funnies in 1959, later renamed Matty's Funnies with Beany and Cecil and finally Beany and Cecil in the USA. Another season was produced in 1988. In its original form with hand puppets, the show conveyed a greater sense of personal communication than did the animated series that followed. The hand puppets were extensively marketed and sold well. Although a children's show, it incorporated satirical references to current events and personalities which adults found entertaining, and the show also attracted adult viewers. Some of the plots were easily recognisable as thinly veiled lampoons of current political issues. Snarky side remarks by Beany, Cecil and the rest of the cast often alluded to embarrassing public fiascos or personages, on which the adult audience immediately picked up. Along with The Jetsons and The Flintstones it was one of the first three color television series on the ABC television network (the initial season, though, was originally shown in black and white, as ABC was unable to telecast color programs until September 1962).