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A Beebop Arborman (David Scully) claymation puppet and ephemera from Barry Bruce's Meet the Raisins! Beebop Arborman, drummer of the California Raisins and younger brother of lead vocalist A.C. Arborman (Karreem), was given his name, backstory, and distinctive personality alongside his bandmates in the mockumentary-style special about the fictional band's rise and fall.
In 1986, advertising firm Foote, Cone & Belding (FCB) worked with innovative claymation studio Will Vinton Studios to create a Sun-Maid commercial on behalf of the California Raisin Advisory Board starring a band of anthropomorphized raisins singing Gladys Knight & the Pips' "I Heard It Through the Grapevine." The commercial proved to be a massive hit and the California Raisins' cover of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" (with lead vocals by Buddy Miles) peaked at number 84 on the Billboard Hot 100. The California Raisins were a pop culture phenomenon. They were subsequently featured in more commercials, three television specials (two of their own), four studio albums, a Saturday morning cartoon series, a six-issue 3D comic book, an unreleased Capcom video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), collectible figures, and a slew of additional tie-in merchandise, some of which remain part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution.
The half-hour television special Meet the Raisins! was the California Raisins second appearance in a primetime special (after the Emmy Award®-winning A Claymation Christmas Celebration) and their first dedicated special of their own. It was nominated for the 1989 Primetime Emmy Award® for Outstanding Animated Program. A sequel, The Raisins Sold Out!: The California Raisins II, was released in 1990.
This lot consists of one clay puppet sculpted over a metal armature depicting a purple raisin with a human-like face, black arms and legs, white gloves, and a pair of blue sneakers; one black-and-white photograph of the Raisins with Sven, a swedish mountain climbing leek; and two "Weekly Weeder" newspaper covers: one cover consisting of cut-out sections adhered to a single sheet headlined "Sun-Dried Sensation Top Charts!!" and another photocopied cover headlined "Raisin Heroes" with the aforementioned photo of the Raisins with Sven. Also included are three Will Vinton Productions postcards (two stamped, one unstamped) featuring a photo of anthropomorphized claymation vegetables on the front and information about the then-upcoming special on the back. The puppet is mounted to a wooden base. The puppet has undergone sympathetic restoration to reattach broken fingers and pieces of the shoes, and secure it to the base. The lot shows evidence of wear consistent with use, handling, and age; including creasing and staining in the paper items. Dimensions: (largest) 4.5" x 4.5" x 9" (11.5 cm x 11.5 cm x 23 cm)
Estimate: $2,000 - 4,000
View all lots from MEET THE RAISINS! (1988)
This item comes with a Propstore Certificate of Authenticity.