[wdwspider]

The thing I don't like is that Popeye is being canned (no pun intended - lol). He has a few major attractions at Toon Lagoon and if I remember right just celebrated a major birthday recently along with a new 3D animated movie. The addition of Zorro I cannot see being long term, however Lucy and Ricky are welcome additions if done properly and the Penguins from Madagascar could be a lot of fun.

Betty Boop is being booted. Fred Flintstone is getting fired. Popeye is being popped. Hard times are coming for a handful of Universal Orlando characters and some of the actors who play them.

Universal is ending the roles of 10 of the 120 or so costumed characters and some show hosts at Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios, spokeswoman Cynthia Gordon confirmed Tuesday. Twenty-nine actors who play the parts full and part time were given 30 days' notice last week that their roles were ending.

But Popeye's and Olive Oyl's losses are Zorro's and Elena's gains, while Fred and Wilma Flintstone are being replaced full time by Lucy and Ricky Ricardo.

Gordon said the company is phasing out old characters and phasing in or expanding the roles of others.

"We did make some changes. It is affecting a number of people," Gordon said. "What it is all about is updating and refreshing our entertainment."

Some of the actors already play other characters part time. And all 29, most of whom worked full time playing one or more character or show-host roles, are being offered auditions for other jobs in the parks, though the new positions might not always measure up to the old ones in hours and wages. Those who leave will have benefits extended 90 days, Gordon said.

Coming within days of Universal's newest kids-are-free campaign that was announced Monday, the layoffs angered and frustrated some actors, but not all. Cosme "Cos" Ramirez is losing his gig as a show host at Islands' Toon Lagoon. But he said he has been laid off before and has always gotten new work at Universal.

"I have no problem knowing that I will land something. We're being offered positions that you can audition for. That's the nature of the business. It's the entertainment industry; you have to understand," Ramirez said. "But I've been working here full time for 16 years, without a lapse of benefits."New positions will come up because many of the new roles will be expanded, Gordon said.

The Zorro and Elena characters from two recent Zorro movies, and the penguins and other characters from the movie Madagascar were introduced this past fall on a test basis and will become full time. Lucy and Ricky were seasonal characters and now will become daily, and a full-time band is being added to join them, Gordon said.

[cinderbella]

Zorro? That just seems odd, because I don't even think that movie did well at the Box Office.

[ddoll]

Yeah, they're really worked up about this on the Uni boards. Just like we'd be if they eliminated some of the Disney characters from the parks.

But change can be good. We'll have to wait and see for ourselves.

[Kippage]

I love Lucy and Ricky, so I can't diss them. But getting rid of Popeye, Flinstones, and Betty Boop?!?!?! Have they gone mad?! Those are classics! That's like WDW getting rid of Jiminy or Aladdin.

And adding Zorro is so sad.

[Baloo85]

that would be weird to see zorro there...to me, he is more disney

[Boss Mouse]

This is actually a plot to sabotage Universal.

[wdwspider]

Well, Flintstones I can see because of legal rights. Those cartoons are basically out of Universal parks at this point. However, Bety Boop and Popeye are staples of Toon Lagoon and the general feel of that area.

Far as I know though, only Woody Woodpecker is an official Universal creation. The other characters (outside of the real movie characters) are through various deals with outside companies.

[Kippage]

So does this affect the characters only? Or the merchandise too?

[gingita]

Originally Posted by Kippage

I love Lucy and Ricky, so I can't diss them. But getting rid of Popeye, Flinstones, and Betty Boop?!?!?! Have they gone mad?! Those are classics! That's like WDW getting rid of Jiminy or Aladdin.

And adding Zorro is so sad.

I completely agree on this. Lucy and Ricky are fabulous, but to get rid of the others...it doesn't make sense to me.

And Zorro...ugh...

[RowdyRAider]

Well, since this deals with characters, especially ones I grew up loving, here's my thoughts:

Universal's character integrity (how the character's act and perform) is terrible. These characters are a HUGE part of entertainment history, and are wonderful! But when I go to IOA or Universal and watch them perform, I'm greatly dissapointed and it really upsets me. To be honest, if they don't perform to the level these iconic characters should be at, then I say they don't deserve to have them anyways. I just hope those great characters get a great home. Sorry, but being a "character friend and helper" matters very much to me and keeping the integrity is a very big deal with me.

[skwak]

RowdyRaider, very interesting point of view. You have insight that we do not on such matters.

We have not been to Universal so I can't comment directly. I think change is healthy but it is important not to forget your roots.

[RowdyRAider]

Originally Posted by skwak

We have not been to Universal so I can't comment directly. I think change is healthy but it is important not to forget your roots.

Bravo. There are over 800 characters at Walt Disney World that at one time or another has come out to either meet and greet or do a parade/show. But though they may not come out anymore, Disney has not gotten rid of them. There's specials and other occasions where the extremely rare will come out to meet and greet. Point is, like skwak said, know your roots and it's OK to bring in new stuff, just not out with the old that made it happen in the first place....and dang it Universal FIX YOUR CHARACTER INTEGRITY!!!!

[skwak]

Originally Posted by RowdyRAider

Bravo. There are over 800 characters at Walt Disney World that at one time or another has come out to either meet and greet or do a parade/show. But though they may not come out anymore, Disney has not gotten rid of them. There's specials and other occasions where the extremely rare will come out to meet and greet. Point is, like skwak said, know your roots and it's OK to bring in new stuff, just not out with the old that made it happen in the first place....and dang it Universal FIX YOUR CHARACTER INTEGRITY!!!!

RowdyRaider, everytime I read your postings I say to myself... I just gotta work at Disney!!!!!!!

[MissDisney]

Actually, the changes described may make me like the place better... I didn't like those characters that were getting the axe, and the new ones are much better!

Sorry for all those actors who got fired!!!

[Soundgod]

Lucy and Ricky founded Desilu, which got bought by Paramount (that's how they got Star Trek and Mission:Impossible). Paramount also owns their own theme parks, well maybe not for too much longer. But wait, Viacom, which bought Paramount and later CBS is spinning off Paramount/CBS along with the theme parks which they are considering selling. Meanwhile all of Lucy's shows ran on CBS, who now owns them. So, why are they still in Universal? All the Hanna Barbara stuff started as Screen Gems Which I think did become part of MCA(Universal), but not before they sold HB to Taft Broadcasting of Cincinati, who founded the Kings Island Park group. Later, Taft sold HB to MCA, but kept license rights for the characters in costumes. Around 1990 MCA/Universal, now owned by Matsu*hita, sold HB to Ted Turner who already owned the rights to the MGM cartoon catalogue, the cornerstone of Cartoon Network programming. Turner merged with Time/Warner, so now Time/Warner owned Looney Toons and Hanna Brabara, which is why they pulled Funtastic World of Hanna Barbara and replaced it with Jimmy Neutron, A Nick/Viacom property that was never controlled by Universal, who since was bought by Seagrams, which in turn destroyed itself In the Vivendi merger because Edgar Jr. wanted to be a Hollywood Mogul instead of a booze merchant and then GE bought 80% of Universal's holdings from Vivendi who no longer has the Seagrams liquor business either.
Everybody clear now?
Wait, who did own the Max Fleischer (Popeye and Betty Boop) cartoons anyway?

Note to Mickey! Matsushi*a is not a bad word, stop editing it! It's the corporate parent of Panasonic.