Hey, didja watch that commercial I put up earlier today for Kellogg's Cocoa Hoots? Well, it turns out I know the guy who did it…and I was also right about the voices. Here's my old pal, Mark Kausler…
I directed and animated it at Murakami-Wolf, don't remember the date, probably in the late 1970s. We did two spots with Newton the Owl, this was the first one. I'll never forget the art director from the agency's attitude, he was very hands-on, but I discouraged him. I put him to work doing inbetweens! He was so bad at it, that he didn't bother us again for the rest of the production. My first choice for Newton's voice was Junius Matthews, who did Archimedes the Owl in The Sword and the Stone. However, he was a little slow on the up-tick and Pat Buttram was very high in the energy department, so he got the job. Paul Winchell was a favorite of Fred Wolf's, so he did the little side-kick owl. I don't know who the little girl in the live portion of the spot was. The cereal did not test-market well, and my "big chance" to create a new Kellogg's character never jelled. And that's the name of that 'toon.
Nice job, Mark…but I think you did it before the late seventies. The copyright notice on the online Cocoa Hoots ad is 1972. It's amazing how much good animation there is in old cereal commercials.