Moosylvania
Moosylvaniais afictional islandlocated in theLake of the Woodsalong theCanada–United States borderthat served as a plot device inThe Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.[1]
The island has no permanent population, and conditions are said to be harsh and unpleasant. The island is in a state ofterra nullius,since neitherCanadanor theUnited Stateswants to claim the land and each country says it belongs to the other. (SeeBir Tawilfor a similar real-life example of this.)Bullwinkle J. Mooseserves as Moosylvania's presumed namesake and its governor but only stays two weeks at a time, since (according to Bullwinkle) "after two weeks here, anyplace else in theworldfeels like Heaven! "
In the series finale "Moosylvania Saved,"Fearless Leader,the head of state of the Eastern European state ofPottsylvania,attempts to destroy Moosylvania. The plot is foiled when Bullwinkle, who was going to go down with his sinking country, asked Rocky for a stick of gum, which inspiredRocky the Flying Squirrelto raise up Moosylvania with bubble gum balloons. The plan worked and Moosylvania was saved, giving the series a happy ending.
In the fall of 1962,Jay Ward,producer of theRocky and Bullwinkleshow, decided to campaign for statehood for Moosylvania. Ward sent Skip Craig toMinnesotato buy an island in Lake of the Woods. Craig wasn't able to find one for sale on the U.S. side of the lake (most of the islands in that lake belong to Canada), but managed to lease one for three years.[2]: 195 Ward and publicist Howard Brandy conducted a cross-country tour in a decorated van,[3]gathering signatures on a petition for statehood for Moosylvania. While inWashington, D.C.,they sought an audience with PresidentJohn F. Kennedy.[2]: 199 However, they arrived at the White House on the very day theCuban Missile Crisisbroke, and were ordered to leave.[4]
A national anthem for Moosylvania was included on the mini-albumA Salute to Moosylvania!! Recorded Live at the Moosylvania Jazz Festival,self-released by Jay Ward in 1962.[5]
References[edit]
- ^Erickson, Hal (July 2005).Television cartoon shows: an illustrated encyclopedia, 1949 through 2003.McFarland & Co. p. 684.ISBN978-0-7864-2256-2.Retrieved29 October2011.
- ^abScott, Keith (23 October 2001).The Moose That Roared: The Story of Jay Ward, Bill Scott, a Flying Squirrel, and a Talking Moose.Macmillan. pp. 194–204.ISBN978-0-312-28383-4.Retrieved29 October2011.
- ^Thomas, Helen (5 March 2003).Thanks for the Memories, Mr. President: Wit and Wisdom from the Front Row at the White House.Simon and Schuster. p. 36.ISBN978-0-7432-4233-2.Retrieved29 October2011.
- ^Trachtenberg, Robert (November 1989).Olly Olly Oxen Free!.Spy. p. 91.ISSN0890-1759.Retrieved29 October2011.
- ^Listen to the entire album ofThe Moosylvania Jazz Festival(a Jay Ward production)