CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE

"SMURFS": A DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS

A thesis submitted in partial satisfaction of the

requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in

Mass Communication

by

Ellen J. Yazejian

May, 1984
The Thesis of Ellen J. Yazejian is approved:

Doris Brewer'

Sam Feldman

Michael Emery Chair

California State University, Northridge

ii
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

In the process of writing a thesis an author is stimulated,

encouraged and assisted in a variety of ways. I owe thanks to a

number of people within NBC's Research Department. The topic was

suggested to me in 1982 by William Rubens, Vice President of NBC

Research and Dr. Ron Milavsky, Vice President of NBC Social Research

when I was looking for something meaningful to research and NBC was

interested in discovering why children were watching the overnight

success story, "Smurfs." I owe my crash course in statistics to Ted

Frank, Vice President of NBC Program Research, West Coast, who made

number crunching fun and clearer than it was before. Hopefully the

statistics will now be discernable to the reader. John Matthes,

Director, provided the humor and patience this tired researcher

needed to work day and night. And I could not have finished this

w·ithout the able and willing assistance of Geoff Huntington, Manager

and sounding board, who helped me set up the data sheets, focus the

hypotheses and provided innumerable other suggestions well into the

evening after we had both already been through a long day. Computer

experts, Dr. Pinneau, Kate Stewart and Andrew Lanto of CSUN's

Psychology Department and NBC's Phil Chen, Gary Kanofsky and Ron

Watson helped steer me through the wonderful world of statistics and

data processing and the rest of the staff cheered me on to the finish

with words of encouragement and interest.

Finally I must acknowledge the love, patience and understanding

of my family; my mother, Jeanette, sister, Joan and brother, Bruce,

who hardly ever saw me but never forgot me. They always told me I

could finish if I really tried. They were right.

iii
 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page:

Acknowledgments iii

List of tables vi

List of illustrations vii-viii

Abstract ix-x

Chapter

1. INTRODUCTION 1

Summary of the topic 2

Hypothesis 9

Background Information 12

Definition of Key Terms 16

2. LITERATURE SURVEY 31

Introduction 32

Index Review 33

Review of Research 37

Methodology 52

Summary and Conclusions About the

Literature of the Field 55

Advances in Field Through This Study 56

iv
 Continued TABLE OF CONTENTS Page:

3. METHODOLOGY 57

Introduction 58

Study Design 59

Coding Sheet Used 61

Limitations of the Method 70

4. INTERVIEW DATA AND ANALYSIS 72

Interviews With Professionals 73

Summary of Interviews with Professionals 130

Group Discussions with Children 132

5. FINDINGS/RESULTS 140

Program Content 141

Proving hypothesis/ 150

Differences between Peyo/Non-Peyo stories 185

6. CONCLUSIONS 189

Analysis 192

Future Research 205

SOURCES CONSULTED 208

APPENDIX A: Summary of stories 215

APPENDIX B: Complete Tabulations 227

v
 List of Tables

Table Page

1 Cast list 150

2A/B Smurfs' shared behaviors 151

3 Instances of humorous behavior 152

4A/B Content analysis of Smurfs' behavior 154

5A Nurturing situations 155

5B Ranking of individual categories within nurturing 156

6A Conflict situations 156

6B Ranking of individual categories within conflict 157

,""

<"] Comparison: nurturing versus conflict situations 157

8 Use of magic in the show 158

9 Use of Smurf language in the show 158

10 Overview: ranking of funny versus jeopardy situations 160

11 Ranking of jeopardy situations 161

12 Villains participation in humor versus jeopardy 162

13 Character responsible for funny/jeopardy situations 163

14 Comparison humor and jeopardy by villains 164

15 Frequency of categories' appearance in show 165

16 Number of episodes in which categories appear 165

17 Perecent of time characters spend in each category 166

18 Frequency of appearance in/out of character 168

19 Ranking by appeal 169

/20 Ranking of favorite/least liked characters 170

\'
21 Appeal versus in/out of character 171

22A/B Spearman-rho: favorite/least across variables 173

vi
 Continued List of Tables

Table Page

23 Spearman-rho: mentioned across variables 173

24A Scattergram: Harmony and caring 176

24B Scattergram: Parental/protect 176

25A Scattergram: Inventive/help 177

25B Scattergram: Nature/animals 177

26A Scattergram: Discord 178

26B Scattergram: Seeks help 178

27A Scattergram: Nurturing 179

27B Scattergram: Conflict 179

28A Scattergram: Smurf language 180

28B Scattergram: Magic 180

29A Scattergram: Funny (misc.) 181

29B Scattergram: Pranks 181

30A Scattergram: Comeuppance 182

30R Scattergram: Bumblers/chicken 182

31 Scattergram: Total funny situations 183

32 Episodes: Coding danger and moral/Gargamel 184

33 T-test results 187

34 Condescriptive results 188

35A/B/C Complete list: Time spent in each category 228-230

36A/B/C Complete list: Participation within each category 231-233

37 Complete listing for T-test/Peyo versus non Peyo 234

vii
 List of Illustrations

Page

Papa Smurf and Smurfette 18

Hefty Smurf and Lazy Smurf 19

Handy Smurf and Vanity Smurf 20

Grouchy Smurf and Greedy Smurf 21

Harmony Smurf and a Smurf on a poster 22

Big Mouth, Johan and Peewit,

Gargamel and Balthazar

Hogatha, Gargamel and his mother 23

European comic book and U.S. picture book 24

Small figurines and small and large figurines

with playsets 25

Plush dolls and puppets, small figurines

and playsets/Calendar 26

Small plush Smurf dolls and Floppy,

largest plush Smurf doll 27

Smurf program from Ice Capades 28

Smurfabet, from the Ice Capades program 29

Smurf Fan Club application I: e Capades program 30

Pictures with description of Smurfs, Gargamel and Azrael 142-143

Autographed Smurfette picture 234

viii
 ABSTRACT

"SMURFS": A DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS

by

Ellen J. Yazejian

Master of Arts in Mass Communication

A descriptive analysis via a five part research design yields

qualitative and quantitative data on the popular Saturday morning

children's program, "Smurfs." The study is undertaken to gain a

better understanding of the elements that draw children to the

program. The five part design examines the component parts of the

show and includes: review of the literature; content analysis

covering the 39 stories that make up the program's first year on

television (1981); in person interviews with professionals

responsible for the show's creation, merchandising and publicity, as

well as discussions with children who watch the program; survey of

selected markets from the test population; and compilation of the

ix
data, including statistical analyses. Categories for the content

analysis are derived from the current literature on children's

television and from personal interviews. Content analysis examines

the program for its nurturing environment against conflicting

situations, and the humorous situations versus moments of jeopardy.

The survey is designed to ascertain character appeal among children.

Statistical tests include: Spearman-rho correlations with

corresponding scattergrams to chart appeal versus frequency of

appearance and to look at preference for attitudinal characteristics

against occupational traits; condescriptive analysis on significance

of means; and a t-test to determine differences between the creator's

stories and those written by others.

The study confirmed the basis hypotheses: multidimensionality of

"Smurfs" is a main attraction; more nurturing exists than discord;

frequency of humor supersedes jeopardy, especially among the primary

villains; and characters embodying personality traits are more

appealing and appear more frequently than vocational

representatives. Also, the intent of the creator's stories are being

followed even if some of the specific actions of humor and magic are

utilized more in the stories written by others.

X
 1

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION
 "L.

INTRODUCTION

Summary of the Topic

RIDDLE: What is blue and white and seen all over?

ANSWER: Smurfs

What are Smurfs?

Smurfs are tiny blue creatures with tails. They dress in white

hats and Dr. Denton pants and star on "Smurfs"--one of the hottest

children's show on television. "Smurfs" is a cartoon that made its

debut in September 1981 on NBC, and quickly became the number one

Saturday morning show that year, according to television's standard

1
measurement--the Nielsen figures. Because of its popularity, NBC
2
expanded the hour show to 90 minutes in September 1982.

Most children know the answer to that riddle. They spend more
3
time watching television than any other age group. Because

"Smurfs" has the attention of these television consumers it attracts

a lot of interest among older people as well. Specifically, it has

captured the attention of network executives, programmers and

l"Nielsen National TV Ratings," Nielsen Television Index (New

York: A.C. Nielsen Co., 1st April 1982 Report), p. 50.

2"NBC Sat. Ayem to Feature 'Smurfs', Three New Shows,"

Variety, 22 April 1982, p. 6.

3Marie Winn, The Plug-In Drug, (New York: The Viking Press,
1977)' p. 4.
 3

producers. They are very interested in what makes the "Smurfs"

appealing in order to maintain that success.

This study is an experimental descriptive analysis of the

"Smurfs" cartoon. Exploratory in nature, it takes a look at some of

the show's components to try and understand what draws children to

the program and to the little blue and white Smurf creatures. The

show, its various elements, and its audience are studied.

Furthermore, large numbers of children are queried in focus groups.

This is done in order to understand their interest in the

"Smurfs"--expressed in their own "language." Finally, the program is

discussed with "programmers" (a network programming executive,

publicist, marketing executive, one of the people who provides the

voice for one of the Smurfs, and the creator who started the Smurf

mania) in order to ascertain professional attitudes on the program.

The content is analyzed in quantitative terms of audience interest

and show elements.

This study examines the elements children and professionals find

'7
appealing about the program that is preferred over all other Saturday

morning cartoons since 1981. This study examines professional

attitudes about some of the various cartoon content elements on

"Smurfs," such as color and animation design, and looks at the story

elements such as humor, action, conflict and characterization.

Research Questions

A number of significant questions are raised in the course of

surveying the literature in the field and when watching the show.
 4

1. What are some of the recurring plot elements in the

show--the characters, interactions, actions and story elements

that appear frequently?

2. Which Smurf creatures are most prevalent and do the

prevalent ones embody unique personality traits identified by

their name?

3. Who are the people involved in bringing "Smurfs" to the

small screen? What are their feelings about its popularity and

their professional opinions about what makes the show successful?

Significance of Work

Children turn to television for some of their entertainment but

they derive more than pure entertainment from what they watch.

Television also influences children and provides them with role

models and information about the world around them as well as serving

as a socializing force in their lives. 4 This thesis topic is

important to understand what things children might be learning from

watching "Smurfs."

Many of the previous studies have been concerned primarily with

the effects of television on children. This thesis studies the

content of the program to better understand the makeup and reasons

for the popularity of "Smurfs." The study may provide insight into

the show elements children find appealing so they will be included in

the show's expanded version and over the length of its run.

4George A. Comstock, "The Evidence So Far: The Effects of

Television on Children and Adolescents," Journal of Communication 25
(Autumn 1975): 25-34.
 5

This study has importance in its contributions to information on

commercial television programs for children. Prior studies

concentrated mainly on public television programs for children,

violence on children's television shows, puppet shows, and children's

cognitive processing of television programs. This researcher did not

uncover any other studies which analyzed the content of the "Smurfs,"

nor was there much research on content analysis of children's

programs in general. Furthermore, many of the studies on children

were done experimentally in a laboratory setting instead of an

environment familiar to children. This study is significant in that

it interviewed children in their natural environments, in the

classroom and on the telephone at home.

This study has importance in its contributions to the body of

knowledge on children's shows in general and in particular to the

program "Smurfs." This study incorporates personal interviews

conducted with the creative community responsible for the existence

of "Smurfs" to compile a range of attitudes about the program from

those most involved with it.

This study differs from others in the way focus groups are

used. Clusters of children are exposed to a number of cartoons from

"Smurfs" in order to elicit their reactions and to draw comparisons

with other cartoons. Other studies use focus groups solely to get

reactions to a certain program without asking for contrasts.

This study is important because of the show's enormous

popularity. Because it reaches a large number of children it is

important to understand what children might be perceiving about the

show, and what makes the program so appealing to them. The

 6

identification of show elements that could be interpreted as positive

role models on the show could have some bearing on what types of

behavior children might adopt as a result of viewing "Smurfs."

Social scientists are interested in what children watch and why, so

"Smurfs" should be examined because of the magnitude of its reach.

The purpose of the study is to determine to what extent the

components of the show that programmers and children cite as reasons

------·---·- -· .

for its appeal are evidenced in order to continue the successful path

and provide a model for future stories. The original author's

stories are being depleted and new stories must be created for the

show. The producers are concerned about the future direction of the

show and want to keep the new stories true to the original concept's

intent. An analysis of the original stories may help in making

creative determinations about the stories to come.

This study incorporates a test population by pulling a

representative sample from three cities in the continental United

States. A large pilot study is conducted with children from six to

twelve years of age and a variety of techniques are used

experimentally in a number of small group discussions. This affords

the researcher an understanding of what children say they perceive,

which can be used in the analysis of the raw data returned, in

addition to aiding in the composition of the categories for the

content analysis.

Merchandising might benefit with the increased knowledge gained

through this study. Merchandising revenues of Smurf products have

consistently increased since they were brought over from Europe to

the United States three years ago by the Wallace Berrie Company
 7
I '

(licensing agent and producer of much of the Smurf paraphernalia).

Sales have skyrocketed since the television program's airing. 5 In

1981, the first year the cartoon was on the air, Smurf merchandising
6
did about 600 million dollars in sales. With the results of this

study merchandisers might be able to feature those elements and

characters that demonstrate the widest appeal. Furthermore, they can

direct marketing strategies and production towards children's

7
preferences.

The significance of the topic is enhanced further with the

recent change in the climate surrounding children's television

research. In the past, much of the research has concentrated on the

effects of television on children. Most of this research is in the

area of racial and sexual stereotyping, violence, and sexual

innuendos in children's programming. Within recent years, educators

and researchers have become more interested in how children use

television and the positive social learning they derive from the
• 8
me d1um. Of late, the social scientists have been turning their

attentions toward prosocial as well as antisocial considerations in

children's programming. This study is concerned primarily with

looking at the make-up of "Smurfs'" to determine evidence of the

elements that children say is appealing. From this information,

5rnterview with Gary Trumbo, Director of Marketing, Wallace

Berrie and Co., Inc., Van Nuys, Calif., 22 March 1982.

6cBS, "Sunday Morning," 25 April 1982.

?Interview with Gary Trumbo, 22 March 1982.

8Interview with Dr. Ron Milavsky, Vice President News and

Social Research, NBC, Neu York, 9 March 1982.
 8

determinations about positive benefits might be later extrapolated.

Children's attitudes toward commercials are widely studied, yet

children's interest in television shows are deduced mainly from the

Nielsen ratings. Ratings are only a gross measure of what children

watch and do not indicate what specific elements of a show is

appealing. In "Reliability of a Short Test Measuring Children's

Attitudes Toward TV Commercials," John Rossiter devises a measurement

of children's attitudes toward television commercials and suggests

possible uses in studying children's attitudes toward other types of

advertising. 9 His study examines prosocial attitudes, which is not

the thrust of this study. However, there is no reason why the other

big influence on children's lives--television programs--should not

also undergo scrutiny. The current study of "Smurfs" looks at

children's attitudes toward a popular children's television program.

Many unsupervised children watch television. Yet more and more

people are taking an interest in what children watch on television

and what they learn from the programs they see. Concerned

organizations, such as ACT (Action for Children's Television) and

other watchdog organizations monitor children's programs. They are

interested in how television affects children, what programs children

watch and why they watch them. Parents also need this information in

order to better understand what kinds of messages and information

their children might be receiving from the programs they watch. By

virtue of the popularity of "Smurfs" this program merits scrutiny to

9John R. Rossiter, "Reliability of a Short Test Measuring

Children's Attitudes Toward TV Commercials," Journal of Consumer
Research 4 (March 1977): 179-83.
 9

provide this important and necessary insight. This study may provide

these concerned individuals with information needed to understand the

current status of children's television.

This study adds to the body of knowledge that already exists on

children's television programs, such as why children watch tv, what

they imitate on the shows they watch and what kinds of things they

find appealing in the programs they watch.

Hypotheses

This study looks at the elements which programmers and children

say are appealing. That "Smurfs" is popular is evident in the

national Nielsen ratings; "Smurfs" was the highest rated Saturday

morning television program its first year on tv. 10 Why the show is

popular, however, is not as obvious. Programmers and children cite

that "Smurfs" ha$ a multidimensionality to which audiences respond.

Content analysis will examine "Smurfs" to verify this contention.

This study examines the global hypothesis that there is a

diversity evidenced in the cartoon show "Smurfs." Children and

programmers cite specific elements that define that

multidimensionality. The various components of the dimensionality

will be explored at length in the content analysis.

10 Nielsen National TV Ratings," p. 50.

 10

1. That "Smurfs" is multidimensional--composed of diverse

elements to which children can respond.

This diversity means:

a. That "Smurfs" has a multiplicity of characters.

b. That these Smurf characters share some common traits.

c. That these Smurf characters also exhibit their own distinct

personality traits.

d. That "Smurfs" presents a nurturing environment where

harmony, helpfulness, cooperation, ingenuity and the

appreciation of nature is encouraged.

e. That "Smurfs" has a pervasive language utilized by many.

f. That "Smurfs" utilizes magic within the show's storylines.

Within the cartoon genre "Smurfs" is classified as a drama: it

presents clear cut jeopardy supplied by villainous elements, within a

dramatic framework. Content analysis will verify the instances of

suspense and the existence of villainous forces in the show.

2. That "Smurfs" has a prominent villainous force, in the form

of a two "man" team consisting of Gargamel and his cat,

Azrael.

Beyond traits typical to a drama program is the inclusion of

humorous incidents within the dramatic format. Similar to many

cartoons, "Smurfs" represents the struggle between good and

evil--harmony and disruption. In "Smurfs," the discord has comedic

overtures and two primary villains who are humorous. Specifically,

content analysis examines the way in which the show deals with

villains and suspense through the use of humor. In fact, "Smurfs"

incorporates more incidents of humor than suspense.

 11

3. That disruption and conflict in the show more often take

the form of humor than suspense.

The multiplicity of "Smurfs," however, goes beyond the mere

inclusion of humor within the dramatic framework. Content analysis

examines the manner in which humor and suspense are presented in the

show. In "Smurfs" the heroes and the villains both account for the

show's suspense and its comic relief.

4. That within the elements of suspense and humor, there is a

multiplicity evidenced.

Children say they have favorites on the show. Because of the

characters' outwardly similar physical characteristics (with the

exception of the villains and an occasional non-continuing character)

preferences by children for a particular Smurf are likely based on

that Smurf's personality (although there is the possibility that with

similar outward facades, the small differences in a Smurf' s makeup

may actually be exaggerated in kids' perceptions). Results from the

survey and discussions may point up children's preferences for Smurfs

with personality traits over Smurfs lacking unique personae. The

discussions and survey reveal which characters are preferred by

children and the content analysis points up which types are utilized

most in the show.

5. That Smurfs who embody personality traits are featured more

in the show and liked better than those that are merely

vocational representatives.
 12

Methods:

A number of research methods are utilized in the descriptive

analysis of "Smurfs." This study undertakes a content analysis, a

survey among individual children, small group discussions and

personal interviews with the adults working in children's television.

Professional attitudes are ascertained from personal interviews

with the creative community. This information is used to design

questions for small group discussions conducted with children on

randomly selected episodes. The information gathered, along with the

answers from the personal interviews, is utilized in determining some

of the categories for the content analysis. The literature is also

used to generate questions and create categories for the study.

The survey on attitudes is conducted on the second year's

premiere episode in September 1982, after children have become

familiar with the show and the characters. Direct observation of

"Smurfs" is utilized in order to ascertain the show's format and

composition. Content analysis covers the entire first year (13 hour

episodes, with each episode consisting of three Smurf cartoons, for a

total of 39 stories in all).

Essential Background Information

According to the na tiona! Nielsen figures the series premiered

on September 12, 1981 and was the highest rated children's show,

generating a 5.1 rating and a 31 share, and jumped to 7.4 rating and

a 35 share the second week, outdistancing its competition.

llNielsen Television Index, (2nd September 1981 Report), pp.

46-7.
 13

The show's popularity grew; the premiere show of the second year had

an 8.5 rating and a 37 share). 12 (Rating is the percentage of tv's

tuned to a program from among all tv sets while share is the

percentage of tv sets tuned to a particular program from among the

sets in use.) The high initial ratings for the first show indicates

some prior exposure and knowledge of the program. The higher ratings

for the second week and second year indicates children's approval

with the execution and interest spread by word of mouth.

Appreciation of the relevance of this topic is dependent on an

understanding of the state of children's television and the knowledge

of how one show's success can affect other programs. Prior to the

debut of "Smurfs" in September 1981, NBC was in third place--that is,

last place--in Saturday morning standings. Because of the phenomenal

success of "Smurfs" NBC became the leader in the three network race.

Averaging the high rating and share of "Smurfs" with the other NBC

Saturday morning shows gave NBC a strong overall average. 13

The appeal of the "Smurfs" affects the shows that immediately

precede and follow it; children's behavior is such that many tune in

early and then neglect to switch channels after a show is over. In

this way the rating and share of "Smurfs" influences other shows on

NBC's schedule.

The popularity of "Smurfs" has been felt in areas beyond

children's television. Prior to the debut of "Smurfs," NBC program

executives were considering a major change in the look of Saturday

12Nielsen Television Index, (2nd September 1982 Report),pp. 56.

13rbid., (1st April 1982 Report), p. 50

 14
0 '

morning--contemplating expanding the "Today" show into Saturday

morning. Because of the popularity of "Smurfs" those plans have

14
been shelved indefinitely.

The timing is right for the emergence of the "Smurfs"; its

design is a throwback to the Walt Disney era--the leader in animation

style--before the recent emergence of the super heroes. 15

Yet "Smurfs" is not new. In fact, i t is over 20 years old.

Created by a Belgian cartoonist, Peyo Gulliford, as part of another

cartoon, Smurfs came to America just three years ago. But their

arrival was not in the form of a cartoon. The usual marketing

pattern was reversed with "Smurfs." Unlike Walt Disney's characters,

the merchandising of the Smurf creatures preceded the cartoon show.

Initially, that merchandising was in the form of small figurines.

Now, Smurfs can be found in and on a wide variety of things--from

bikinis to toothbrushes. Along with the American merchandising came

an Americanized look; the characters became brighter in color and

took on more child-like voices instead of the chipmunk quality of

their European 'kin.' 16

Because of the show's popularity the Smurfs appear in other

arenas. The characters from the show are now featured performers in

the Ice Capades (with a program that includes a "Smurfabet"), and a

fan club has been organized.

14Lee Mar guiles, "Weekend 'Today' Hal ted by Smurf s," Los
Angeles Times, 16 February 1982, View Section, p. 8.

15Interview with Sarah Baisley, Publicist at Hanna-Barbera

Productions Inc., Burbank, Calif., 25 March 1982.

16Ibid.
 15

Thesis Limitations

It is beyond the scope of this study to compare "Smurfs" with

all other Saturday morning shows. The survey and discussions reveal

those programs that are perceived to be most similar and those in

greatest contrast to the "Smurfs." Children also explain why they

make these selections and in this way give some indications as to how

"Smurfs" differs from other programs. But no attempt has been made

to do a systematic content analysis over time on other cartoon shows.

Parents are not surveyed because the purpose of the study is to

determine what makes "Smurfs" attractive to children. It remains for

future studies to conduct surveys on parents and other adults.

This study only surveys children six through twelve years of

age. This age range is selected for a number of reasons. First,

children six and older have developed a mastery of the English

language that is necessary to express their feelings. Because the

survey uses a telephone interview, this ability to verbally express

opinions is vital. Second, twelve is purposely selected as the upper

age because cartoons on Saturday morning are aimed at younger

children.

Time and money limitations also make it difficult to gather a

sample larger than the 300 children surveyed in three cities for this

study. Other limitations of this study are the timeliness of the

data and the category determinations made by the researcher.

This study analyzes only the first year of the "Smurfs," the

initial year that launched the series. The television medium is

built on change. By the time the study is completed there will

undoubtedly be new "Smurfs" available but not included in the study.

 16

The content categories are derived somewhat subjectively.

Although the dimensions are drawn from data gathered in the survey,

in the focus groups and in the professional opinions, in the final

analysis the researcher makes the actual judgments of how to

categorize the content.

Because of time and money contraints this study covers only a

specific time, reaches only a certain segment of the young population

and is conducted by a single coder. Conclusions, therefore, must be

drawn with these parameters in mind.

Definitions of Key Terms Used in This Study

Saturday Morning--The time on Saturday mornings when networks

air programs primarily for children. This time is usually between

the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 or 1:30 p.m.

Daytime--The hours of the day between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Primetime--The hours between 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., except

for Sunday when primetime hours begin at 7:00p.m •• This is the time

which generates the largest television audience and usually the time

when network programs air.

Commercial Television Station--A station that is sponsored or

supported by advertising.

Public Television Station--A non-commercial station that

------------------------------
receives its funding from grants, pledges and community memberships.

Television Year--A television year is shorter than an actual

year. It is comprised of between 13 and 26 weeks, with a show a

week. For the remainder of the year the programs consist of reruns,

specials and trial programs.

 17

Content Analysis--Reliable and objective measurement of content

for a specific purpose.

Survey--a partial collection or sampling of figures, facts

and/or opinions that are collected and analyzed to indicate what a

complete collection might reveal.

Interviews--a conversation whereby the "reporter" culls

information from an individual or individuals usually on a specific

topic by asking questions.

Focus or Discussion Groups--a roundtable conversation conducted

by a briefed moderator for the purpose of obtaining qualitative

information on a designated topic from about 5-16 members of a

projected test market.

Organization of Remainder of Thesis

This thesis is presented in six chapters. The order is:

introduction to the topic, review of the relevant material in the

field of children's television, discussion of the design, the

interviews and report on the focus groups, analysis of the data from

the content study, summary of the findings and implications for

future studies.

Illustrations:

The Smurf phenomenon has spread to other arenas: there are

pictures, figurines, plush dolls and puppets, playsets, posters,

books and a variety of other things to bearing the Smurf name. A

Smurf Fan Club has also started up and the characters from the show

are now featured performers in the Ice Capades. Examples follow.

 18

Papa Smurf: Head of the Smurf family

Smurfette: The only female Smurf.

 19

Hefty: The strongest Smurf

Lazy: Unambitious

/
 20

Handy: Good with his hands

Vanity: Vain
 21

Greedy: Full of Hunger

 22

Harmony: Musical but out of tune

Poster
 23

Big Mouth: voracious eater

~-~~-.--------~

Upper Left: Johan and Peewit

Upper Right: Gargamel hovering behind Balthazar

Lower Left: Hogatha

Lower Right: Ma Gargamel spanking Gargamel

 24

European comic book: origination of Smurfs

Lucky for htrn, the t " '

Smurl1l """" him , ... , They
threw him 8 tope jult M "-
WM P'O \lnder for he third
tmel Thoty ~him Mhore .
Garga<nei Waf ._y W.I-Q.It
"-w•..,'•·

U.S. version: picture book

 25

Small figurines

Small and large figurines with playset

 26
,.

Smurf Calendar
 27

Small plush smurf dolls

Floppy: largest plush Smurf doll

 28
' .

oflJ'~~ [JWD!J
'
oo m~ & Vt0Ml%c
' i I

These loveable-creatures live In a tiny

village somewhere between imagination
and dreams. Tt.!ir needs are simple, their
work is easy, their antics zany and they
have a way of finding mischief. Fortu-
nately, Papa Smurf,. with his charming and
magical ways is their reliable leader. But a
black cloud hangs over Smurfdom. The
evil wizard Gargamel,. plans to destroy
Smurf life. Today, on ice, another skirmish
""
.-·' ·•... begins. Hang on to the edge of your seat
• _ and root for our blue-hued friends!

SMURFETTE: " Ooh! GARGAMEL is shrinking! "

Source: Ice Capades program

 29

Smurfabet
Brainy
Azrael ,~
Our brightest
Smurf
The hungry cat

Castle
Gargamel's
O.eamy drafty home
OurSmurfin
another world

·i
~

Evil
Gargamel's
personality
Hefty
Our strongest
~
Smurf

Sest
Location of
Smurf Village Gargamel ,~
The evil Wizard

.1. .,
Jokey '•
Our Smurf with seen
surprises
'-
' ?'

Keep
Keep On
Smurfin'
Lzv
Our relaxed Smurf
Mushrooms

Nasty
Smurfhomes
Tau or
TheSmurf 1
Azrael 's personality garment Ultrasmurf
maker Exceedingly
~ Cuaint
Smurfy

The picturesque
Smurf village

'
Jw1s ftuv ,. ~

<~t !
Wise
friends
Assembly of
Smurfs Wse
What owls yppee
·~ are A Smurf cheer
-apa Smurlette ,. ' ~
Our leader Our sweetheart xylosmurf Zeal ,
Source: Ice Capades program
~ Musical
instrument
Smurfeagerness
\. w
 30

~c~PADEs
and \.Cs:-
invites you to join

THE
OFFICIAL
SMURF FUN CLUB

Yours
from the SMURFSrw when you join
THE OFFICIAL SMURF FUN CLUB TM

By becoming a m~mber of THE OFACIAL SMURF FUN CLUB. you will

r~ceiv~ your v~l)' own personaliz~d m~mbership GIFT PACKAGE. It contains
8 exclusive funsational gifts from your friends th~ SMURFS !
Your membership GIFT PACKAGE includ~ :
• An official membership card with your name on it
• The official certificate and proclamation that personally Smurfs you
• A larg~ color post~r of aU th~ Smurfs in th~ir Smurf Villag~
• A bumper stick~r with a Smurfy saying on it
• Thr~~ larg ~ and flashy stick~ r s to Smurf up your n o t~books and l~tters
• A colorful patch of THE OFFlCIAL SMURF FUN CLUB Logo
• A bright button that shows you ar~ a personal fri~nd of th~ Smurfs
• Th~ introductory issu~ of " Smu rfun ~. th~ omclal n~wsl~tte r of THE
OFFICIAL SMURF FUN CLUB
Wh~n you join for a full y~ar you will r~c~iv~ a total of 8 colorful and
exciting issues of .. Smurfun." This newsletter is the Smurfiest way to
read personal messages and stories written by aU of your favorite Smurf
characters. It includes games. contests and pictures-as well as
important coUectors' information.
I have enclosed a CHECK or MONEY ORDER for 56.00 for m y full year membersh i~ll
(CANADA 59.00-U .S. Funds)
Pl.EAS£ DO NOT SEND CASH OR STAAPS.
/11\akf: CHECK 01~NEYORDVl ~to The Oft\NI Smurf Fun Oub.
Allow the Snuofl 4 · 6 M:du to~ )'OUt' pusoniobed mc:tnbcrship GIFT PIIICKAGE..
00042

~ NAN - - - - ----=::::o::;:;-;o;=
~u M Print Ck• rty
- - - -··--- -
AD~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -

CJTY - - - - - - - - - STATE _ _ _ _ _ _ ZIP -------

Whert I got my~rsNp -wlntion

"'-'IL TO: Tli E OFl'1ClAl ~RF FUN' CLUB. P.O. BOX JJJ J . WOOOl.AI'tD HIUS. CA 9 1365

Source: I ce Capa des pr ogram

 31

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW
 32

INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE REVIEW

A number of subject areas are pertinent to this topic for

providing general background information on television and children's

viewing. Also important are specfic studies relating to children's

perceptions, cognitive development, socialization, behavior, habits

and capabilities as they relate to television.

In general, the areas searched are: television, broadcasting,

children's programs, cartoons, "Smurfs," moving pictures, children

and television, mass media, communications, audiences, marketing,

networks, and business.

The most valuable sources for information pertaining directly to

the cartoon show "Smurfs" are newspapers and trade magazine

articles. Scholarly journals are most useful in providing background

material and studies on children's television and children's

cognitive processes. Recent books are also beneficial as are

personal contacts made with those people instrumental in bringing

"Smurfs" to the screen.

Because "Smurfs" is relatlv~ly new, there are not many articles

about it--especially research studies. The researcher received much

of the information specifically relating to the "Smurfs" from the

publicity departments at Hanna-Barbera (producers of "Smurfs") NBC

(network distributor) the creator of the show, and from Wallace

Berrie (manufacturing company which makes the merchandise).

 33

Special problems encountered center mainly on the paucity of

articles dealing directly with "Smurfs." Part of the reason for this

lies with the fact that most research studies look at classic cartoon

shows and educational children's programs. Also, "Smurfs" may not be

listed because it is a children's program--and children's shows do

not seem to be regularly reviewed by newspapers. The newspaper

indexe_§-----cneck~d also may not have picked up the syndicated articles

/'~/did cover "Smurfs. '> The solution is to go directly to the

// publicity department~~ch have been collecting articles since the

//'

show's inceptJG~
;.::..:...-'
.....

/Thr;e libraries were utilized for this literature review: the

Oviatt Library at California State University, Northridge and the

graduate and Powell libraries at the University of California at Los

Angeles. In addition, the researcher obtained information from NBC's

files, both in New York and in Burbank, as well as information from

the Action for Children's Television (ACT) files.

Index Review

The years, topics and indexes are chosen because of their

relevance to the subject matter at hand. "Smurfs" is a cartoon show

that airs on Saturday morning and as such, its audience is composed

mainly of children.

As mentioned, most of the work surveyed offers little in the way

of direct information on "Smurfs." Given the nature of the medium

with its ever changing schedules and programs, current information is

sometime difficult to obtain in scholarly works. Therefore a logical

source of information to peruse on children's television shows is

Topicator which deals with the children's area of the medium as well

as related aspects such as advertising and marketing.

Topicator indexes many communication and advertising oriented

magazines and journals such as Advertising Age, Broadcasting, Editor

and Publisher, and Television/Radio Age. In addition to the areas

mentioned, it was scrutinized for; television (broadcasting,

children's programs, caricatures and cartoons, testing, programming,

networks, and moving pictures), business, manufacturing, financial

concerns, audiences, communication, "Smurfs" convention reports, and

the Federal Communication Commission. This index covers a wide

spectrum relating to television and the mass media. The survey of

Topicator was done for January 1971 through September 1983.

Another logical source for information on children's programming

is Popular Periodicals Index which was surveyed from January 1971 to

September 1983. One of the periodicals i t indexes, TV Guide, is

especially useful because of its specific concentration on television

shows. In addition to providing pertinent articles on people and

programs, it features various examples of the interview style and

takes a look at current studies underway.

Newspaper indexes appear to be a natural source for a media

topic because they review television shows. The newspaper indexes

searched, however, reveal little information. As mentioned, one

explanation may be that newspapers do not review children's programs,

especially cartoon shows.

A search is conducted for the time period of January 1975

through September 1983 for the Washington Post Index and the Wall

Street Journal Index and for the New York Times Index and the Los
 35 p '

Angeles Times Index with the hope that the latter two indexes'

proximity to the television industry will yield some results.

Unfortunately, these indexes prove to be of little value in the areas

searched: children's television programs, cartoons, mass media and

communication. The newspaper indexes contain listings for television

reviews but these articles are concerned primarily with adult

programming.

An obvious source for a mass medium is Readers' Guide to

Periodical Literature. The period from January 1972 through November

1983 was surveyed. This periodical reference source indexes general

information relevant to the mass media. The articles for the most

part are of a general nature but are helpful in setting the

environment as it currently stands. The articles are beneficial in

their current orientation and are found under the subject headings of

television, moving pictures, children and broadcasting.

The Humanities Index and the Social Science Index chronicles

academic journals such as Journal of Broadcasting, Journal of

Communication, Television Quarterly and Journalism Quarterly. These

indexes were searched for articles covering children and television

from April 1974 through September 1983. The categories of

television, television and children, television program research,

children, moving pictures and broadcasting were searched. This index

is by far one of the· best sources of information for this topic

area. Some beneficial works relevant to this study were turned up,

including studies done with children on their viewing habits, likes

and dislikes and favorite television shows. This index provides

insight and background information on children's television shows and

 36 9 '

houses many of the social scientists' studies dealing with children

and television.

Public Affairs Information Service Index was reviewed for

private industry and government research in television under the

categories of television and broadcasting for the period of January

1971 to September 1983. It led to some of the governmental studies

on television.

Business Periodical Index was studied for the economic

ramifications of the popularity of "Smurfs." This index was searched

for articles on merchandising of children's television characters

from August 1975 to November 1983. The relevant periodicals noted

include Advertising Age and Broadcasting.

The Nielsen Television Index (NT!) is the best source for

demographic information regarding audience composition during the

telecast of "Smurfs" and the other networks' line-ups, how many

cartoon programs air on a typical Saturday morning, what "Smurfs"

receives in terms of rating and share points, and other relevant

information pertaining to the Nielsen rating system which is deemed

the industry's standard measurement. NTI puts out a pocket piece

which can be utilized in computing various demographic breakdowns on

1
a particular program.

Predicasts F & S Index: United States and Predicasts F & S

Index; International Annual was surveyed for the period of March 1978

through June 1982 to determine any merchandising increases since the

lNielsen Television Index, "Nielsen National TV Ratings," (New

York: A Service of A.C. Nielsen Company, 1982).
 37

show's inception. No record of business for Wallace Berrie and Co.,

Inc. (the manufacturers of the product) was discovered. The

researcher therefore went directly to the company and learned that

the stock is privately held.

Abstracts and Journals

The abstracts that are the most beneficial to this study are

Communication Abstracts, Psychological Abstracts, Sociological

Abstracts, Journalism Abstracts and Dissertation Abstracts

International. These abstracts were reviewed for current studies

done in children's television and communication research for the

period of January 1971 through September 1983. The headings of

television, children, communication and mass media were searched.

These indexes are very useful in listing studies done with children

in terms of their cognitive processes, television retention and

comprehension, visual and audio literacy, socializing effects of

television on children and the psychological reasons for children's

viewing of different types of programs.

The recent Broadcasting Yearbook was consulted for information

regarding station coverage and other pertinent information on the

three networks.

Review of the Research

Television has increasingly become a major factor in children's

lives since it began regular broadcasts over thirty years ago.

Estimates put children's use of television at over three hours a

 38

day--more than any other activity other than sleeping. 2 Concern

over television's effect on the lives of people--especially

children--has resulted in an increase in the number of scientific

studies devoted to this area.

Although much research has been done on children's

television--of more than 2,300 studies on television and human

behavior, approximately 60 percent were concerned with young

3
people --most of the studies focus on portrayals of antisocial

behavior. The few content analyses focus on public television

programs--to determine if the goals that are set for the shows are

met.
4 Unlike the many research studies done on the goals of

children's public television program, there has been little in the

way of descriptive content analyses of children's commercial

television shows, ie., discovering the component parts of the show

which might be of appeal to children.

This review of the literature starts with a brief overview of

the state of research on children and television to show the types of

research done in the past and to show how the thrust of the research

2George E. Mason and John Mize, "Teaching Reading with

Television: A Review, Educational Technology 18 (October 1978): 5-12.

3George A. Comstock, "The Evidence So Far: The Effects of

Television on Children and Adolescents," Journal of Communication 25
(Autumn 1975): 25.

4Brian Coates, H. Ellison Pusser and Irene Goodman, "The

Influence of 'Sesame Street' and 'Mister Roger's Neighborhood' on
Children's Social Behavior in the Preschool," Child Development,
March 1976, pp. 138-44; Gerald S. Lesser, Children and Television:
Lessons from 'Sesame Street' (New York: Vintage Books, 1975) and
Richard M. Poly, Getting to 'Sesame Street': Origins of the
Children's Television Workshop (New York: Praeger Publisher, 1974).
 39

has shifted. This review takes a cursory look at the early research

conducted and concentrates mainly on the studies done within the last

ten years.

Overview of Past Research

Early research--done during the 1950s' and 1960s'--is concerned

primarily with the effects of television on family life and its

influence on outside activities. Much of the research during this

time consists of large-scale surveys. The surveys by Hilde

Himmelweit, A.N. Oppenheim and Pamela Vince in Television and

Children: An Empirical Study of the Effects of Television on the

Young conducted in 1955 and 1956, are done before television is a

5
pervasive force in human lives. At this time, television is seen

as a form of entertainment and the public is not yet concerned about

the effects of television and what children were learning from the

medium.

Unconvinced, however, that the new medium's influence is

negligible, studies during the 1960's begins concentrating on

television as a socializing force in people's lives. Another

large-scale survey conducted during the early years of television is

Television in the Lives of Our Children by William Schramm, Jack Lyle

6
and Edwin B. Parker. The authors look at various studies to map

out the effects of television and chronicle a child's perceptions of

5Hilde Himmelweit, A.N. Oppenheim, and Pamela Vince,

Television and the child: an Empirical Study of the Effect of
Television on the Young (London: Oxford University Press. 1958).

6william Schramm, Jack Lyle and Edwin B. Parker, Television in

the Lives of Our Children (Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University
Press, 1961).
 40

television by age.

Beginning with the late 1960's the research focus shifts from

large scale surveys to include smaller experimental lab studies on

the effects of television on children, specifically the various ways

television influences behavior, reading and school achievement.

7 8
Studies done by Bandura in 1962, Ridder in 1963 and Witty in

1967 9 conclude that television's influence in affecting children's

behavior is greater than first suspected and proportional to the

amount of television viewed. These studies open the door to more

in-depth concentration on the effects of television.

Effects

One area that begins to generate significant interest with

regard to the effects issue is the portrayal of violence and

aggression on television and the corresponding influence on

children's behavior. A number of studies are done that look at the

effects of violence on television. Beginning with Maccoby's study in

10
1951, research conducted in the late 1960's and early 1970's,

7Albert Bandura, "Social Learning Through Imitation," in M.R.

Jones (Ed.) Nebraska Symposium on Motivation (Lincoln: University of
Nebraska Press, 1962): 211-72.

8paul Witty, "Children of the TV Era," Elementary English, May

1967, pp. 528-35.

9J. Ridder, "Public Opinion and the Relationship of Television

Viewing to Academic Achievement," Journal of Educational Research 56
(1963): 204-6.

lOE.E. Maccoby, "Effects of Mass Media," in M. Hoffman and

L. W. Hoffman (Eds.) Review of Child Development Research Vol.l (New
York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1964): 323-48.
 41

continues with studies by Liebert, 11 Gerbner and Gross 12 and

others, culminating in the 1972 United States Surgeon General's

Report • 13 A large scale review of the research conducted at that

time, the report concludes that children's behavior is indeed

influenced by what is seen on television. This finding is later

refuted in 1982 in Television and Aggression: A Panel Study by

14
Milavsky and others. But at the time, the report of the Surgeon

General's findings raises significant concerns regarding the possible

negative influences of television on children and generates a

plethora of future studies on the influence of televised violence and

15 16
aggression on children including authorities Comstock, Gerbner

llRobert M. Liebert, "Television and Social Learning: Some

Relationships Between Viewing Violence and Behaving Aggressively
(overview)," in John P. Murray, Eli Rubinstein and George A. Comstock
(Eds.), Television and Social Behavior Re orts and Pa ers: Television
and Social Learning Vol.2 Rockville, Marylan : Nat ona Inst1tute o
Health, 1972).

12G. Gerbner and L.P. Gross, "Living with Television: The

Violence Profile," Journal of Communication 26: (Winter 1976): 172-99.

13surgeon General's Scientific Advisory Committee, "Television

and Growing Up: The Impact of Televised Violence," Report to the
Surgeon General, United States Public Health Service (Washington,
D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1972).

14 Milavsky, J. R., Kessler, R. C., Stipp, H. H., Rubens, W.

S., Television and Aggression: A Panel Study (Academic Press: New
York, 1982): 7.

15George A. Comstock, Television Violence: Where the Surgeon

General's Study Leads (Santa Monica, CA.: The Rand Corporation,
1972) : 4831.

16George Gerbner, "Violence in Television Drama: Trends and

Symbolic Functions," in George A. Comstock and Eli A. Rubinstein
(Eds.), Television and Social Behavior Reports and Papers: Media
Content and Control Vol.l (Rockville, Maryland: National Institute of
Health, 1972).
 42 " '

17
and Singer among others.

Studies conducted during the 1970's also continue the earlier

research on tv's influence on children, examining; children's

18
perceptions of reality via television, the influence of
19
television on motivating children's behavior, television's

influence in stimulating and impeding children's play and

20
imagination and sexual stereotyping in television programs and
. 1 s. 21
commerc1.a Educational programming, such as "Sesame Street,"
22
"Mister Rogers," and "The Electric Company" come under scrutiny

17 J .L. Singer, "Influence of Violence Portrayed in Television

or Motion Pictures upon Overt Aggressive Behavior," in J .L. Singer
(Ed.) The Control of Aggression and Violence: Cognitive and
Physiological Factors (New York: Academic Press, 1971): 19-60.

18Robert P. Hawkins, "The Dimensional Structure of Children's

Perceptions of Televised Reality," Communication Research 4 (Summer
1977): 299-320.

19E.A. Rubinstein, R.M. Liebert and R.W. Poulos, Assessing

Television's Influence on Children's Prosocial Behavior (Stony Brook:
N.Y.: Brookdale International Institute, 1974): (Occasional Paper
74-11).

20Jerome L. Singer, The Child's World of Make-Believe:

Experimental Studies of Imaginative Play (New York: Academic Press,
1973).

2lwomen on Words and Images , Channeling Children: Sex

Stereotyping in Primetime TV (Princeton, N.J.: Women on Words and
Images, 1975).

22Jennings Bryant, Richard Hezel and Dol£ Zillman, "Humor in

Children's Educational Television," Communication Education 28
(January 1979): 49-59.

23s.J. Ball and G.A. Bogatz, "The First Year of 'Sesame

Street: A Continuing Evaluation," Princeton Educational Testing
Service, 1971. As cited in G.A. Comstock Television and Human
Behavior: The Key Studies (Santa Monica: The Rand Corporation, 1975):
136-7.
 43

in terms of their humor and educational shows' success in meeting

23
projected goals and for their positive influence on learning
24
behavior and achievement. With the studies on educational

television, the late 1970's and early 1980's research focus shifts

from looking mainly at negative influences of television on children

to include positive gains, finding that children model prosocial

25
behavior as well as antisocial behavior. Currently, studies are
26
concerned with; tv as a means of communication, children's
27 28
understanding of television content, uses of television,
29
study of tv's influence on children's imaginative play, and the
30
analysis of program content. In this context, the research on

24Brian Coates, H. Ellison Pusser and Irene Goodman, "The

Influence of 'Sesame Street' and 'Mister Roger's Neighborhood' on
Children's Social Behavior in the Preschool," Child Development 47,
Part 1 (March 1976): 138-44.

25Rita Wicks Poulos, Eli A. Rubinstein and Robert M. Liebert,

"Positive Social Learning: The Effects of Television on Children and
Adolescents," Journal of Communication 25 (Autumn 1975): 90-7.

26Mabel Rice and Ellen Wartella, "Television as a Medium of

Communication: Implications How to Regard the Child Viewer," Journal
of Broadcasting 25 (Fall 1981): 365-72.

27M.A. Wolf, R. Abelman and A. Hexamer, "Children's

Understanding of Television: Some Methodological Considerations and a
Question-Asking Model for Receivership Skills," Burgoon M., ed.,
Communication Yearbook 5 (New Brunswick, N.J.: Transaction Books,
1982): 405-31.

28Aimee Dorr, "Television and Affective Development and

Functioning: Maybe This Decade," Journal of Broadcasting 25 (Fall
1981): 335-45.

29Dorothy G. Singer and Jerome L. Singer, "Television and the

Developing Child," Journal of Broadcasting 25: (Fall 1981): 323-87.

30Earle F. Barcus and Rachel Wolkin, Children's Television: An

:;::An=;:a~l~y.::s.::;i.::s_~of~=P~r:...;o:.Jg~r:...;a;;.:mm=i;;.:n;;;:giii!.---=a;;..n_d_ _A_d...;;;v_;e_r...;;;t_i...;;;s...;;;i...;.n~g (New York : Praege r
Publishers, 1977).
 44

"Smurfs" undertakes importance in its study of the most popular

children's program.

One of the preeminent specialists in the field, George A.

Comstock, probably best chronicles the multitude of effects studies

conducted. Of the many books and articles he has written that look

extensively into this area of research, two are particularly

exhaustive in their scope: Television and Human Behavior 31 and "The

Impact of Television on American Institutions. " 32 Both offer some

revealing insights into: children's viewing patterns, acquiring

behavior, the relationship between viewer and stimuli, class and race

portrayal and the power of the medium as a socializing force.

Because this thesis examines the components of the show it might help

determine what kinds of activities might be learned from "Smurfs."

Books

During the 1970's a number of books came out which looked at the

effects of television on children. A few are of particular note

because of their broad scope and specific application to this study.

Children and Television, edited by Ray Brown, 33 is a

compilation of studies by noted social scientists. These studies

explore everything from functions of the media to viewing patterns of

31George A. Comstock et al., Television and Human Behavior

(New York: Columbia University Press, 1978).

32George A. Comstock, "The Impact of Television on American

Institutions," Journal of Communication 28 (Spring 1978): 12-28.

33Ray Brown, ed., Children and Television (Beverly Hills,

Calif.: SAGE Publications, 1976).
 45

children and include sections on the effects of television on

children's daily activities and how children learn from the medium.

This study will be particularly useful in the analysis of the

discussion.

The Family Guide to Children's Televison 34 directs the reader

to some valuable sources of information. It provides the addresses

of government agencies, networks, stations, children's television

organizations, books, pamphlets and studies where additional

information can be located. Its benefit lies in its quite complete

listing of further sources for the researcher to pursue.

The Plug-In Drug by Marie Winn 35 is an excellent book about

the current state of the television medium and the influence on

children. She looks at a number of different research techniques

used in evaluating television and its effect on children including

studies on play, family influence and social behavior. Some of these

techniques are used in evaluating "Smurfs."

Robert Lewis Shayon describes some of the reasons children watch

television and what they learn from the shows they watch in
36
Television and Our Children. This thesis looks at these reasons

in conjunction with the analysis of "Smurfs."

A recent book, The Entertainment Functions of Television, edited

34Evelyn Kaye, The Family Guide to Children's Television: What

to Watch, What to Miss, What to Chan e and How to Do It (New York:
Pantheon Books, 1974 •

35Marie Winn, The Plug-In Drug (New York: The Viking Press,
1977).

36Robert Lewis Shayon, Television and Our Children (New York:

Longmans, Green and Co., 1951).
 46

37
by Percy Tannenbaum, features writings from noted experts in the

field. This book is a detailed and comprehensive look at the

medium's ability to entertain through vicarious experience, suspense

and humor as well as education and news. This is relevant because

this thesis studies whether "Smurfs" contains some of these same

entertainment elements.
38
Children in Front of the Small Screen by Grant Nobe1 is

another excellent work on children and television. It explains why

television's popularity is a result of children responding favorably

to recognizable role models. As a known entity, the prior popularity

of "Smurfs" may be a contributing factor in its appeal. Nobel's book

also discusses the importance of the natural setting of the home--the

usual arena for viewing television. The current study acknowledges

this importance by maintaining that natural environment in the

testing; children are queried in their own homes over the telephone

and in the classroom.

Much of the content analysis on children's programs has been in

the area of public television. Specifically, the three shows most

analyzed are "Sesame Street," "The Electric Company" and "Mister

Roger's Neighborhood." The first two are from the same company; the

former is aimed at preschoolers and the latter designed for older

children. "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood" has different goals and uses

37Percy Tannenbaum, ed., The Entertainment Functions of

Television (Hilldale, N.Y.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1980).

38Grant Nobel, Children in Front of the Small Screen (Beverly

Hills, Calif.: SAGE Publications, 1975).
 47

different techniques than the other two shows.

Much of the research on the educational programs has been in the

area of the skills taught ie., measuring the success of the intended

goals of the show. Two books deal with this area of the

research--Gerald S. Lesser's Children and Television; Lessons from

39
Sesame Street and Richard M. Poly's Getting to Sesame Street:

Origins of the Children's Television Workshop. 40 Both books are

good overviews of the 'birth' of the two Children's Workshop programs.

Articles

There are a number of articles with specific application to this

study of "Smurfs."

In "The Relative Appeal to Children of Adult Versus Children's

41
Televison Programming" James G. Webster and William c. Coscarelli

find that children prefer primetime shows over children's shows. It

is not clear if these children's show are favorite programs or not.

It may be possible that given the popularity of "Smurfs," children

might prefer it over primetime programs. "Smurfs" has aired during

primetime hours and this survey will examine how it fared against the

competition.

39Lesser, Children and Television Lessons from 'Sesame Street'.

40Poly, Getting to 'Sesame Street' : Origins of the Children's

Television Workshop.

41James G. Webster and William C. Coscarelli, "The Relative

Appeal to Children of Adult Versus Children's Television
Programming," Journal of Broadcasting 23 (Fall 1979): 437-51.
 48

"Television and Its Influence on Reading" covers two studies

42
conducted in Minnesota and Maryland. The findings indicate a

causal relationship between a television program and its book

counterpart ie., children's selections of books are tied to the

popularity of the television show of the same name. The survey will

examine children's familiarity with "Smurfs" in other formats--books,

dolls, etc. to determine if there is a pre-sold audience for the show

accounting for part of the program's appeal.

This thesis will contribute to the literature as little research

has been done in the way of content analysis of children's commercial

43
programs. The articles in Teacher make this quite clear.

Although somewhat dated now, they are thorough sources for

chronicling the history of children's television programming and

describing the areas where improvements have been made. Rosemary Lee

Potter's "Is Children's Programming Improving" and her interview with

the then-Chairman of the FCC in "Commissioner Abbott Washburn

Comments on the Quality of Children's Television" are both excellent

sources for basic background information for any study of kids' shows.

In "A Suggested Research Strategy," Barbara R. Fowles and Vivian

M. Horner discuss the concern researchers have about television

providing more than entertainment; it also portrays role models for

children to emulate. Fowles and Horner suggest that researchers take

42John E. Splaine, "Television and Its Influence on Reading,"

Educational Technology 18 (June 1978): 15-18.

43Rosemary Lee Potter, "Is Children's Programming Improving?"

Teacher, March 1979, pp. 34-38 and Rosemary Lee Potter, "Commissioner
Abbott Washburn Comments on the Quality of Children's Television,"
Teacher 96 (December 1978): 24-27.
 49
" '

a systematic look through a content analysis of the programs children

watch to find out what behavior, attitudes and information they are

receiving from their favorite programs. Content analysis of this

thesis study examines the kinds of characters that children find and

mi gh t emu1 ate on "S mur f s. ,.44

While most of the content analyses of educational programs

measure the intended goals for those specific programs, a fairly

recent study of "Sesame Street" and "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood"

differs from the others in its relevance to future studies. By Brian

Coates, H. Ellison Fusser and Irene Goodman, "The Influence of

'Sesame Street' and 'Mr. Roger's Neighborhood on Children's Social

Behavior in the Preschool" takes a look at children's behavior in

terms of both antisocial and prosocial tendencies. 45 The findings

indicate that these shows influence children's social behavior in

school by the portrayal of positive reinforcement and other positive

social attitudes. This study is relevant because this thesis

examines the kinds of characters and actions available on "Smurfs"

which might serve as role models.

In Joseph R. Dominick, Shanna Richman and Alan Wurtzel's,

"Problem Solving in TV Shows Popular with Children: Assertion vs

Aggression," coding in 10 categories including aggression, verbal

expression, helping, seeking help, concession, and problem solving is

conducted to discern the kinds of behavior expressed in

44Barbara R. Fowles and Vivian M. Horner, "A Suggested

Research Strategy," Journal of Communication 25 (Autumn 1975): 98-101.

45coates, Ellison and Goodman, "The Influence of 'Sesame

Street' and 'Mr. Roger's Neighborhood' on Children's Social Behavior
in the Preschool."
 50

television programs. 46 Content analysis on "Smurfs" reveals

cooperative and aggressive behavior in a Saturday morning show.

In "Humor In Children's Educational Television," Jennings

Bryant, Richard Hezel and Dol£ Zillmann report on the importance of

humor in delivering messages. 47 Once again, using the educational

programs "Sesame Street" and "The Electric Company" the authors

categorize humor according to its use in the shows and the proportion

of humor used. The study of the "Smurfs" examines humor used in a

commercial show, coding for instances of humor versus moments of

suspense.

In coding an episode of the primetime program, "Little House On

The Prairie," Irene Baggott Mossbury finds that a commercial

television program is an effective means of conveying socially valued

behaviors such as friendship, concern for others, affection and the

like. The current study codes for these valued behaviors in a

48
Saturday morning program.

At a recent retreat in Santa Barbara, held under the auspices of

The National Council for Children and Television--an organization

composed of social scientists, educators, network executives and

46Joseph R. Dominick, Shanna Richman and Alan Wurtzel,

"Problem Solving in TV Shows Popular With Children: Assertion vs
Aggression," Journalism Quarterly 56 (Autumn 1979): 455-63.

47Jennings Bryant, Richard Hezel and Dol£ Zillmann, "Humor in

Children's Educational Television," Communication Education 28
(January 1979): 49-59.

48Irene Baggott Moss bury, "A Study of the Identification of

Prosocial Behaviors in a Commercial Television Program," (Ed.D.
dissertation, West Virginia University, 1980), pp. 1-123.
 51

producers, questions are raised about what children learn from the

programs they watch. These questions are not answered by the current

literature available. Al Burton, Executive Vice President, Creative

Affairs, Embassy/Tandem Television, wonders about what children are

perceiving from the show's they watch: if they understand the message

being put across, if they identify more with one character than with

another--for example a more outrageous characters--and what do they

not like about the shows they watch. 49 As a producer he is

interested in what elements children find appealing so they might be

included in future shows. Through the content analysis and survey,

this thesis will describe the elements presented in "Smurfs" which

may be influencing children.

According to Alan Wurtzel, ABC Director Social Science

Department, the thrust of research on children's television has

shifted from what tv does to children, to what children do with

50
television. In order to understand how children use television

it is necessary to understand what types of things are available in

the programs children watch. In the small group discussions, this

study will examine how children use "Smurfs" in their daily lives.

In her presentation at the NCCT conference, Dorothy Singer,

Co-Director of the Family Television Research and Consultation Center

at Yale University, comments that the consensus of the last ten

49Al Burton, "What Primetime Television's Creators and

Distributors Want to Know About Kids," paper presented at the second
annual National Council for Children and Television, Santa Barbara,
California, 7 and 8 May, 1982.

50Ibid, Alan Wurtzel, "Do Adults See TV the Same Way Kids Do?".
 52

years is that children use television for a variety of purposes other

than entertainment. Recent research shows positive prosocial acts

such as caring, sharing and cooperation influence children to repeat

those acts. Content analysis will reveal which of these elements

exist within "Smurfs." 51

Personal interviews conducted for this study with the creator,

producer, program executives, and marketing specialists of "Smurfs"

in addition to discussions with children, is useful in designing the

survey questionnaire and in the analysis of the survey and content

analysis results.

Literature on the Methodology

A number of books describe the methodologies used in this

study. Survey Sampling by Leslie Kish is a comprehensive and

complicated explanation of survey sampling. 52 Haphazard or

fortuitous sampling of volunteers done in survey sampling observes a

part in order to draw inferences about the entire population and is

used in the thesis study to look at part of the Saturday morning

television viewers to make inferences about the entire population.

Quota sampling done in market and opinion surveys builds a sample

that is proportional to the population with respect to the

demographic variables under study and will be utilized in the survey

on "Smurfs."

5lrbid, Dorothy Singer, "How Kids See TV--Highlights from

Field Research."

52Leslie Kish, Survey Sampling (New York: John Wiley and Sons,
Inc., 1965).
 53

Earl R. Babbie 's Survey Research Methods 53 is aimed at a broad

audience that includes beginning researchers who have little prior

experience in conducting surveys. It gives an overview of the

various research methods available to the researcher, including

content analysis and population surveys which are both used in this

study. Babbie also explains some of the advantages and disadvantages

of the various research techniques to allow the researcher to select

the design that is most appropriate for the study.

Claire Selltiz, Lawrence S. Wrightsman and Stuart W. Cook's

Research Methods in Social Relations 54 is a basic source book of

methodology. This book explains the methodology of content analysis,

and is useful in identifying the types of variables of this

study--independent and dependent.

Content Analysis for the Social Sciences and Humanities 55 is

another source for general information on methodology and is helpful

in providing examples of various research techniques.

53 Earle Babbie, Survey Research Methods (Belmont Calif.:

Wadsworth Publishing Co. Inc., 1973).

54claire Selltiz, Lawrence S. Wrightsman and Stuart W. Cook's

Research Methods in Social Relations, 3rd. ed. (New York: Holt,
Rinehart and Winston, 1976).

55 ole R. Holsti, Content Analysis for the Social Sciences and

Humanities (Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., 1962).
 54

Reasoning With Statistics by Frederick Williams 56 is another

good source for methodology techniques. It is written in a fairly

easy to understand manner, and laid out in a logical and organized

fashion with chapters devoted to the various types of research and

statistical tests needed to determine validity and reliability for

the study.

One aspect of this study is a survey of children's attitudes

about "Smurfs" and includes some open-ended questions. "Age Related

Aspects of Comprehension and Inference from a Televised Dramatic

Narrative" by W. Andrew Collins et al, provides a good example of the

use of open-ended questions to obtain information and inferences

57
about a child's attitude toward a television show. The answers

are not coded in Collins' study but coding is incorporated in the

survey of "Smurfs" to allow for extended analysis.

"TV Preferences of Children from Four Parts of the U.S." in

58 the assumption that a geographic
Journalism Quarterly tests

sample from four parts of the United States represents peers across

the country. This thesis study replicates the use of a

geographically representative sample with three cities across the

United States.

56Frederick Williams, Reasoning With Statistics (New York:

Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1968).

57w. Andrew Collins et al., "Age-Related Aspects of

Comprehension and Inference from a Televised Dramatic Narrative,"
Child Development 49 (June 1978): 389-97.

58"H.A. Eastman and M.A. Liss, "TV Preferences of Children

from Four Parts of the U.S. , " Journalism Quarterly 57 (Autumn 1980):
488-90.
 55

Conclusions About the State of the Literature

Entertainment programming elicits attention because much of the

American public's interest in television is of this form. This is

especially true for children. Entertainment programming is analyzed

thoroughly by the two major ratings organizations, A.C. Nielsen and

Arbitron, but these systems only relay numbers of people watching.

As sophisticated as the systems are, the analysis is still in numbers

only and does not tell why the people watch particular programs.

It is left, therefore, for the social scientists to determine

why children watch a certain program. Instead of the usual

complaints about the amounts of television children watch social

scientists have started to accept the all pervasive aspect of the

medium59 and look for positive ways to deal with the inevitability

of children watching tv in order to better understand how they use

television.

The bottom line on children's television research is the

increased interest in the ways children perceive what they are

watching, with the hopes of using the medium to further children's

socialization. The recent research reflects this new direction and

outlook and it is more positive in nature than in the past. In

addition to the studies of antisocial behavior in children's

programming, social scientists are looking at incidences of prosocial

behavior portrayed on television as well. Hopefully, this interest

will result in learning more about why children watch particular

shows.

59winn, The Plug-In Drug, p. 4.

 56 " '

Advancing the Field through this Study

The present study will analyze "Smurfs," the most popular

Saturday morning children's show during 1981. In the examination of

the various elements of a cartoon show--an aspect which has not been

studied much in terms of commercial television--this study will

hopefully contribute to the body of knowledge on what children

perceive from television. In addition, this study will provide a

balance to those done with educational television shows. The appeal

of a cartoon is a difficult element to extract and compartmentalize

which is where the focus groups and interviews may prove enormously

beneficial. This study will contribute to the existing body of

knowledge and to the studies done on survey and content analysis of

children's shows.
 57

CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY
 58

INTRODUCTION TO METHODOLOGY

Three research techniques are utilized in the analysis of the

cartoon program, "Smurfs." Two of the methods--the survey and the

content analysis--yield quantitative data. A third method--group

discussions and personal interviews--may be helpful therefore in

supplying subjective or qualitative information for the analysis.

The techniques utilized are: 1.) Discussions with children ages 6

through 12 and interviews with the creative and business community

involved with "Smurfs" (creator, programmer, publicist, marketing

executive and a cast member who provides the voice of a Smurf) 2.) A

survey in selected markets of children age 6 to 12 who watch Saturday

morning television (the survey is conducted via cable television

utilizing a questionnaire designed to ascertain the show's appeal for

children) and 3.) Content analysis of the first year of "Smurfs."

The data from these three techniques is analyzed and compared with

each other.

The content analysis provides a look at the various elements

across a number of episodes to see if those elements are constants in

the show and thereby also possible reasons for the appeal of the

program, or if those elements are merely errant variables of a

particular episode.

The national survey offers a way to gather children's attitudes

about the show and determine the reasons why they watch it.
 59

Discussions with children and interviews with adults associated

with the program, although less scientific than the other techniques,

contribute in two ways. They add texture that is not available from

other means, and allow elaboration on the issues that do surface from

the other methods. Also, the discussions and interviews provide

topic areas to be explored, raise questions about various elements to

examine and point up areas to study during the content analysis and

survey sections of the study.

The compilation of the data allows for comparisons of the

various techniques, with a possibility of combining the results into

a cohesive viewpoint.

Study Design

The first year, each "Smurfs" program was composed of three

cartoons about the blue creatures. The second year saw the show

expanded to 90 minutes to include a cartoon on human characters led

by two fellows called Johan and Peewit who are aided by the Smurfs on

their adventures. In order to examine the program in its original

format, only the first year will be examined--the Johan and Peewit

segment will be excluded in the population.

Content Analysis

Each "Smurfs" show consists of three cartoons. This thesis

looked at the entire first year, a total population of 39 cartoons

for the content analysis study.

The shows are viewed on videotapes. Monitoring the shows on

videotape allows for repeat viewing in order that important but

 60

perhaps subtle nuances might be discovered. The ~bility to stop the

videotape provides for greater accuracy in coding.

The sample selected, therefore, represents the shows to which

the public has access. The selection of an entire season takes into

account any changes that may have evolved over time and looks at the

year that marked the "Smurfs" rise to prominence.

Coding Sheet

The content analysis is divided in two. On one sheet, coding

for valued behaviors, humor and suspense is conducted. It is noted

on the sheet, which individual characters are responsible for a given

behavior. On the second sheet, a simple tally is kept of the

characters' exhibition of identity traits. Each character is given

an abbreviated "name" for coding purposes.

Also, the researcher makes notations on other aspects of the

show: briefly summarizing the plot, jotting down the instances where

Smurfs put themselves in jeopardy to help another out of danger,

indicating the message offered in each story, the things Smurfs do

that people cannot do, how the small size of Smurf s makes them

vulnerable, and which stories do and do not feature Gargamel.

The coding sheets that are used follow.

 61

TALLY OF SMURF'S IDENTITIES, ETC.

EPISODE NAME EPISODE NAME
AUTHOR AUTHOR
EXPRESSION OF OWN IDENTITY:
p PAPA SMURF

s SMURFETTE

B BRAINY

c CLUMSY

H HEFTY

HA HANDY

J JOKEY

GR GROUCHY

L LAZY

GE GREEDY

PO POET

PA PAINTER

HM HARMONY

F FARMER

v VANITY

D DREM1Y

WHAT THEY DO PEOPLE CAN NOT DO

HOW SMALL SIZE MAKES VULNERABLE

MORAL/LESSON OFFERED

STORIES WITH/WITHOUT GARGAMEL

 62

CONTENT ANALYSIS RECORDING SHEET ON SMURFS EPISODE NAME EPISODE NAME

VALUED BEHAVIORS: AUTHOR AUTHOR
LIVE IN HARMONY: EXPRESS CONCERN &
CARING FOR EACH OTHER, WORK TOGETHER

---NOT LIVE IN HARMONY •••

PARENTAL FIGURE: PROTECTION/SECURITY/

COMES TO RESCUE/TEACHES AND REPRIMANDS

SMURFS INVENTIVE/OUTSMART VILLAIN/

FIGHT BACK/ GET OUT OF TROUBLE

---SMURFS SEEK HELP

CREATE AND USE OWN LANGUAGE

USE MAGIC

APPRECIATION/CONCERN ANIMALS & NATURE

HUMOR:
SMURFS PULL PRANKS

SMURFS GET COMEUPPANCE

SMURFS CHICKEN/BUMBLERS

SMURFS MISC. FUNNY

GARGAMEL CHICKEN/BUMBLER

MISTREATED BY GARGAMEL

AZRAEL: BUMBLER CHICKEN

MIMICS GARGAMEL

OTHER VILLAINS FUNNY

OTHER CHARACTERS FUNNY

SUSPENSE:
SMURFS IN JEOPARDY:

W/0 VILLAIN

BY GARGAMEL

BY AZRAEL

BY OTHER VILLAINS

BY OTHER CHARACTERS
 " '
63

Personal Interviews with Children

The study calls for discussions with children in California and

in Michigan.

The California sample of approximately 30-40 children is a

random selection (conducted by a professional recruiting firm using a

random digit phone dialing technique). The sample is divided by age

(6 to 8 year olds and 9 to 11 year olds) and sex (with five to seven

children in each group). The interviews are carried out at NBC in

Burbank because of the convenience of the location (the researcher is

located here) and because it affords control of the environment (the

children are all questioned under similar conditions).

The Michigan sample of approximately 400 elementary children

from Green Elementary School in West Bloomfield, Michigan is

self-selected by the researcher because of the unique and conducive

environment it affords; a Smurf festival underway there provides an

atmosphere where all the children who attend the school are aware of

the "Smurfs" cartoon. This makes for a large number of children

available for query within a relatively short period of time (one

week). Furthermore, the researcher is personally able to conduct the

discussions there during the time of the study.

The Michigan interviews are conducted on five consecutive school

days with one grade queried per hour. The children are divided up

randomly with each group consisting of between 5 and 16 children. A

different "Smurfs" cartoon is shown each day so the children can not

tip others as to what they might see.

 64

Children are asked questions on the "Smurfs" show: which

characters are their favorites and which they like the least, and

what about the show prompts them to watch it, etc.

Role playing situations are also staged. The children play

various Smurf creatures and come up with story situations to act

out. Children are also asked to play with the Smurf figurines,

puppets and Smurf playsets and invited to invent stories using them.

This observed behavior about the characters and dolls most frequently

selected, provides insight into children's choices of favorites. The

session with the doll playing and the role playing is conducted to

substantiate the verbal opinions children express for the characters

as well as to provide non-verbal information that can prove most

helpful in attempting to understand the children.

Personal Interviews with Adults

Interviews with adults involved with the "Smurfs" are also

conducted to provide further insight into the appeal of the show and

the characters.

The interviews are composed mainly of open-ended questions

designed to generate personal opinions from the people actively

involved with the show. The interviews are conducted in person and

include sessions with: Peyo Gulliford the creator of "Smurfs" and his

collaborator, Ivan Del porte; Gerald Baldwin, producer of the show;

Phyllis Tucker Vinson, NBC VP Children's Programming; Lucille Bliss,

the voice of Smurfette; Gary Trumbo, director of marketing for

Wallace Berrie (producers of Smurf merchandise); and Sarah Baisley,

publicist for Hanna-Barbera Productions (show's production house).

 65

These members of the creative community are queried to gather

background information. They are asked questions about the show's

beginnings, the publicity of the Smurf creatures, the show's impact

on the merchandise and the merchandise's impact on the show. Their

professional opinions are also sought regarding reasons for the

appeal of the cartoon and the creatures, and on what things are being

planned for the future (for which this study might provide some

input).

Interviews with these people are important to provide texture

and clues to the various factors not otherwise available via other

scientific methods. These people are involved on a daily basis with

the show and can speak from first hand experience on the difficulties

in terms of budget problems, time constraints and other factors that

may affect a show's appearance and performance.

Survey

/ _/ Stratified random sampling is used in the selection of children

\,_

participants. This type of sampling sections the test population

into two or more strata which are then subdivided into various
1
subsamples. A professional recruiting company conducts a

systematic sampling of households subscribing to cable television

services in the three cities used for the survey. The subscri hers

selected for questioning are selected in a systematic but random

fashion. The name of each subscriber household is put on a card and

lela ire Sell tiz, Lawrence S. Wrightman and Stuart W. Cook,

Research Methods in Social Relations, 3rd. ed. (New York: Holt,
Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1976), p. 525.
 66

the cards are shuffled. The selection of children from these

households for questioning is then drawn from the cards until the
2
quotas are met in each cell.

The cells for this study are divided equally among boys and

girls and within age groups. Thus, of a total sample of 400 children

surveyed, 200 fall into each sex cell with each age cell also equally

divided among 6 to 7 year olds, 8 to 9 year olds, and 10 to 12 year

olds and within each of the three cities. In this manner each age

and sex is represented equally.

This survey is conducted across three cities selected from the

various geographic regions of the United States with considerations

given to demographic and socioeconomic differences when making these

selections. From 20 cable markets from across the country that have

viewing levels which according to the ratings are typical of overall

viewing levels, three are selected. These three markets are

selected, in part, because they carry the three network line-ups

intact, ie., aired at standard broadcast time in the standard order

and against the standard competition as specified by the networks,

and because as much as possible, they represent markets in three

distinct regions of the United States--the East, Midwest and West.

Children are surveyed with regard to their viewing habits on

Saturday morning. Those who watch television on Saturday morning

with some regularity are asked to view an episode of "Smurfs" which

is shown via cable television for the purpose of this study. The

2Earl R. Babbie, Survey Research Methods (Belmont, Calif.:

Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc., 1973), p. 92.
 67

children are called a few days in advance of the showing, told when

the program will be on, and asked to watch it. The show is selected

from among the new episodes for the Fall 1982 because 1) i t is

available for testing and 2) the NBC Programming Department is

interested in the survey results for this show. Following the

viewing, interviews with children are conducted over the phone, and

asked to name their favorite characters.

The completed questionnaires are flown to NBC's headquarters on

the West Coast where they are compiled and statistical tests are
3
applied to reveal the elements responsible for the show's appeal.

TI1e selection of variables to be coded is based on the findings

of the survey, combined with the information derived from the

discussions and interviews as well as the information obtained from

the literature. This compilation yields some validity to the study

as the determinants are derived from a representative sampling of

children who watch television and from the creative community rather
3
than from a single source.

The study uses one coder in order to increase the reliability of

the data. 4 Safeguards are undertaken to ensure reliability in the

coding ie., the coding is checked for completeness, legibility,

comprehensibility, consistency, uniformity and inappropriate

3Frederick Williams, Reasoning with Statistics, (New York:

Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1986), p. 112.

4claire Selltiz, Research Methods in Social Relations, pp.

75-76.
 68

responses. 5 Before beginning the coding, the coder viewed one

third of the shows. By watching a large number of the programs

intended for study the coder is able to further define the dimensions

to be used, based on the criteria set down in the discussions,

interviews and literature.

Comparisons and Conclusions

Once the various methods are completed, and the statistical data

analyzed, the information is compiled and compared. The researcher

looks for trends, correlations and factors that account for the

show's appeal.

Comparisons are obtained by looking at the data over the various

categories and where possible, from the information elicited from

among the various techniques.

Justification of Design

Analysis of "Smurfs" via content analysis is logical because

content analysis offers a means of systematically looking at subjects

that are usually measured on a purely impressionistic basis. Content

analysis is appropriate for an impressionistic entity such as

cartoons. 6
7
Survey research is appropriate when studying attitudes. It

provides a way to examine many respondents' replies via systematic

srbid, PP· 402-04.

6Earl R. Babbie, Survey Research Methods, p. 35.

7rbid, p. 41.
 Q •
69

8
testing. Furthermore, conclusions about the greater population
9
can be drawn from the smaller sample in a survey study. Therefore

survey research is appropriate for this study in drawing some

generalizations about the attitudes of the child population.

The use of systematic coding with the subjective method of

interviews and discussions is valid for this study because it allows

for both quantitative and qualitative information to surface. In

dealing with a commodity whose nature is unspecific and changing,

(and this describes the television medium and specifically this tv

program), such methods are not only valid but necessary to capture

the essence of the subject.

The selection of the entire first year of the series to be

studied offers a means of looking at the first year of the program as

it became popular.

Special Qualifications

The design--utilizing the survey, interviews with the creative

community responsible for the show and content monitoring of the

shows on videotape--is made possible because of the researcher's

privileged position. One of the researcher's responsibilities as a

member of the Program Research department at NBC is to study

children's programs. The researcher is afforded opportunities and

contacts which are not available to the average person.

Furthermore, the NBC Children's Programming department is most

8rbid, p. 46.

9rbid, p. 47.
 p '
70

interested in learning about the appeal of "Smurfs" in order to apply

the acquired information to other episodes and so maintain the appeal

of "Smurfs." Thus, the researcher is encouraged to undertake this

study and can receive the assistance necessary.

In addition, the researcher's position as an analyst within a

department that regularly runs statistical data on programs is

beneficial both because of what the researcher knows and the

resources from which the researcher can draw.

Limitations and Weaknesses

The study is done as an experiment and the data obtained is

questionable for two obvious reasons. 1.) Not all of the characters

are present in all of the episodes and as a result some characters do

not have the opportunity to exhibit the traits coded. Therefore, the

the characters which appear in all 39 episodes are afforded more of

an opportunity to demonstrate given behaviors. 2.) The amount of

time each character is in an episode varies and this time difference

is not considered in the analysis. An action is tallied as one

behavior, regardless of the amount of time it takes to perform, or

how long the character is on the screen.

Another area of subjective interpretation comes into play in the

category selections. Determinations are based on the opinions and

feelings of the professionals and young viewing audience, but final

selections are made by the researcher. The categories are also

combined. Grouping is done in a rational manner. For example,

caring/harmony, parental/teaching and inventive/outsmarting villain

are categorized as encouraging a nurturing environment.

 71

With any qualitative method there exists bias in its subjective

inclination. This study attempts to minimize this by including

quantitative data as a comparison.

The use of a single coder also introduces an area of possible

bias. Reliability is increased, however, by using videotapes that

can be stopped and reviewed again if desired. Pre screening some of

the material clarifies the categories prior to coding.

The use of self-selection in programs viewed for content

monitoring also introduces the possibility of bias. This is

minimized by the large sample included--an entire year of the show is

studied.

One weakness possible in a content study--the selection for

measurement of unrepresentative material--is reduced by the sampling

of an entire year of material for study. 10

The interview segment of the study also offers up the

possibility of bias. In addition, the answers provided are difficult

to coalesce.

In this same manner, by trying to compare and condense the

various methods, the researcher attempts to bring together disparate

information. Yet the insights provided from this attempt can prove

invaluable.

Finally, there may be a bias arising from the researcher's

employment as Manager NBC Program Research, responsible for the

analysis of television programs. However, the benefits from the

privileged position warrant the researcher conducting the study.

lOEarl R. Babbie, Survey Research Methods, p. 35.

 72

CHAPTER 4

INTERVIEWS
 73

INTERVIEWS

Interviews with the Professionals:

Overview:

Prior to the data gathering of the content analysis, personal

interviews are conducted with five members of the creative community

involved with Smurfs. The researcher conducts the interviews which

run about an hour or more in length.

The interviews are conducted before the monitoring period to

gather the opinions of the creative community about the appeal of

"Smurfs." While the interviews are not held in any particular order,

the responses gathered from one contribute to the next, as more

information adds knowledge about the subject matter at hand. As much

as possible, the interviews cover the same areas of concerns although

the questions are tailored to the specific specialty of the

respondent, with creative considerations asked of the creator,

producer and programmer and merchandising questions put to the

marketing and promotion people.

Respondents are asked for their opinions on a variety of

questions so the researcher might better ascertain the appeal of

Smurfs. Among the questions asked: what do they feel contributes to

the appeal of "Smurfs"; what are the similarities and differences to

other cartoons: queries about the show's animation, storylines,

morals, villains and characters; which are the most popular Smurfs

and the least popular Smurf characters; and what role did

merchandising play in the television show's success.

The five interviews follow.

 74

GERARD BALDWIN INTERVIEW

Gerard Baldwin is the producer of "Smurfs," He has a production

record that includes producing and directing stints for "The

Flints tones," "The Bullwinkle Show," "George of the Jungle," "Dudley

Do-right" and Dr. Seuss's "Halloween is Grinch Night" as well as

commercials.

Q/ How is "Smurfs" different from other cartoons?

A/ There is more emphasis on storytelling, as opposed to

action ••• exemplified by super heros. Some of the classic

cartoons--theatrical "Bugs Bunny", "Tom and Jerry"--had personalities

and depth.

The last few years have gone more into simple action-adventure

and the characters are cardboard with no dimension. An effort was

made to make [Smurfs] real people, giving them character: taking

traits so Smurfs are like Everyman with a certain amount of greed,

brains, grace, stupidity, clumsiness--and taking each trait and

giving it to one character. Everyone has seen or known a Brainy

spouting off, or someone overly focused on food [Greedy]. But [the

Smurfs] also have dimension because every once in a while Grouchy

doesn't hate as much as he says: his failing is a neurotic cover up

or a not wanting to make a commitment.

But [the Smurfs] are not caricatures. They have depth. Clumsy

may goof up but he is also lovable. Kids can identify with them,

with the clumsies who are in the world.

Q/ What are some of these character traits? How are they embodied
 75

in the Smurfs?

A/ Papa is the most complete character. He is the parental

authority figure, in the best sense of the word. He makes mistakes

but not many. In a sense, he is all of them: mature, intelligent,

wise, what everyone wants to be when grown up.

Smurfette has to be every woman [because] she is the only one.

She is the most complicated one. Peyo only had her in one story over

23 years. Smurfs were a totally masculine society. She was created

by Gargamel for the purpose of causing problems in the Smurf

village. Her role was to disrupt their lives. [Gargamel's] creation

succumbed to the goodness of the Smurfs and [she] wished she could

become one. This creates problems, both political problems and story

problems, when there is one woman and ninety nine guys. We can't do

stories in the traditional sense of the word. So, we have one girl

now, but we can't have more than one because that's the concept. [At

the same time], having only one female makes it so terrific because

she can be coy and charming, and smart and streetwise. She can be

anything, and she is.

We see her as having a lot of dimension, so she is not really a

stereotype--beyond the fact that all of them are stereotypes. For

example, Brainy Smurf, of the 79i intellect. [The stereotyping]

contributes to their appeal--puts it in a nutshell.

Q! What about the villain, Gargamel. Is he different than villains

in other cartoons?

A/ Gargamel is a real villain who has dimension to his

character--as Fagin has dimension in Charles Dickens' story. We can

 il '

76

sympathize with Fagin and we can sympathize sometimes with Gargamel

because he's not one dimensional. He's a person: he has a mother, he

weeps, cries, screams and yells. So he's quite believable to

children. And he's a bumbling alchemist.

Also, there is direct violence [allowed] because he is so bad.

According to Joseph Barbera, [the executive producer of the show and

co-founder of the Hanna-Barbera production studio that does the

cartoon "Smurfs"], this is the strongest villain seen in years. And

when you have a real strong villain, this makes the Smurfs real good,

just in contrast. And he 's really a bad person, even though we

purposely try to make him, at times, sympathetic. What does he want

to do to the Smurfs? He wants to boil them, make gold of them, eat

them, serve them for hors d'oeuvres.

He's allowed us to add something to cartoons that we hadn't done

in Saturday morning in many years also, and that is to have direct

physical contact in terms of violence. We play it way down because

it's a tough battle with [NBC's Department of] Program Standards and

Practices. It's a political problems of [the network's] but

[ Gargamel] has made it easier because he's bad--he's so bad. When

the first Smurf hit Gargamel on the nose, [Standards] said he

couldn't do that--no one had done it in years. We argued that if the

Smurf was a Jew and Gargamel was Hitler, you're not going to tell me

to tell my kid not to fight back. And that was the basis on which we

were allowed to do it: that there is a point of evil, where if you

don't fight back, there is something wrong with you. So we got away

with it--several times now. It's against the rules [to actually hit

another character]; you can do it with a ray gun, but not with a real
 77 ,, '

gun. Anything you see [with direct hitting] on TV--is fifteen years

old.

Q/ Why were you allowed to create such a heinous villain?

A/ We were able to make Gargamel that bad because Peyo had made him

that bad. You can't thrmv someone in a pot of boiling water, but you

can say you are going to throw someone in a pot of boiling water.

But when you say it, and don't see it, it's even worse. Your

imagination is much better than the real thing. So, in that respect,

they have unwittingly done us a favor.

Gargamel is a villain who is really bad but he looks funny, and

is humorous. Paul Winchell [the voice of Gargamel] makes him really

evil. In the Christmas show, when the lost people ask for help,

Gargamel asks if they have any money. When they reply no, he slams

the door in their face. And the children [watching] react to this.

Q/ What about Azrael as a villain?

A/ Azrael would eat a Smurf because a cat would eat a mouse. He

mimics Gargamel. He's a mistreated cat. He creates sympathy because

he is mistreated by Gargamel. Azrael is just a cat, but... He

doesn't talk but it almost sounds like words, like he is commenting

on a situation with his memvs.

Q/ How is "Smurfs" similar to other cartoons?

A/ It's not similar to any cartoon currently on. Rather, the

reverse is true. There is a lot of copying--a proliferation of

little people in the marketplace. Little creatures everywhere. The

 78

explanation? Smurfs popularity.

They are more adult than most cartoons. They deal with subjects

cartoons generally avoid. For example: personality disorders, death,

selfishness, greed, and power. In one story, Papa leaves and a Smurf

steps in and takes control, making himself King and enslaves others,

and they fight with each other

Yet it's not violent. It's the kind of pummeling that children

go through all the time. In that way the Smurfs are like little

kids. So that is why [children] identify with them. But [the Smurfs]

don't actually hurt anybody.

Q/ How many of Peyo's stories did you use?

A/ There were 20 stories, but only about 12 were adaptable to TV.

Q/ How do the stories differ from other cartoon stories?

A/ I avoid comparisons because its easy to submit to. "Bugs Bunny,"

"Snow White" have an American feel to them. "Smurfs" has a European

feel to it, in that is is more slowly paced, there is more

exposition, and less dependency on action. It's more sophisticated

as literature. Peyo feels there is no comparison to "Snow White"

because they are dwarfs [people] and Smurfs are not.

The environment is confined and this makes it difficult to write

stories. The confined environment demands better writing. Art

demands limitations, like a frame around a picture. It's easier to

invent new characters and look for new villains. Also there were no

girls [in the books]. It's more adult than most of our efforts

because they were picture books, not comics.

 79

It's different because the characters are identical, the show

has a different time frame, it uses classical music, and there is a

singleness of vision. And we are trying to maintain that.

Q/ How would you describe the environment in "Smurfs"?

AI It's a safe world, and we create the jeopardy to add more story

interest. But we run the risk of spoiling the fantasy world. It's a

fantasy land: totally unreal. There is no basis for it. The time

period is the Middle Ages, so we could have Galli leo and a fire

breathing dragon, and both would be possible. The Middle Ages allows

us to bring in Johan and Peewit [two human characters] and also two

more women [in the expanded show].

It's a safe world--[the Smurfs] will always be there. No Smurfs

were born or will die. Actually, Squeaky's death [an animal friend

of the Smurfs] created quite a controversy. Peyo was angry that it

was allowed. I thought it would be a good story because it allowed

us to deal with death in a good way. Peyo was upset because death

was not part of the Smurf fantasy. If we dealt with that all the

time, it would destroy the fantasy.

"Smurfs" is different in that all the music is classical. One

network person [not there now] didn't want classical. Also classical

music fits in with the time period. It sounds old.

Q/ How are the stories different from other Saturday morning shows?

A/ We try to make a point: [we say] what are we trying to say

here. Just action is not a story. The moral or lesson has to come

out of the story. The Smurfs deal with personal conflict and
 80

sadness. They get upset, cry, get angry, they hurt and hurt each

other. Something that's real in the story. In the other cartoons,

bad guys put good guys in jeopardy.

"Smurfs" is a good show because its based on morality--good

always wins. Bad people always get their just desserts. But they

really have dimension. This is much more effective than a one

dimensional villain which can't strike anyone deeply so they'd care.

Then it's just action that strikes attention. Children's tv for the

most part avoids real stories.

[Smurfs] are a family and there is equality [in this family].

The family in America has been pummeled in the last 25 years. So

that the solid family is something [children] like. [The family of

Smurfs] isn't going to break up. Papa Smurf isn't going away. The

formats are there from other shows, but the depth isn't there, with

the exception of Fred Flintstone [of "The Flints tones"] which had

some of the same qualities as "Smurfs" and dealt with good

situations. Network standards makes shows so no adults would watch.

So the adult audience is declining. But adults watch "Smurfs"

because the stories deal with more than just pratfalls.

Children know the characters [from real life]. Maybe there is a

smart [aleck] in the school. He realizes that he better stop sounding

like Brainy or no one will like him. Kids in class hate what the

smart aleck kid says and we've done what they'd like to do. The

characters meet the children's expectations. That's good and funny.

And then when we defy [those expectations] we get that extra jolt.

Like when Grouchy or Jokey [atypically] offers a nice gesture. There

is no limit to when we [turn expectations on end]--no rules--which is

 81

what makes the show good.

Also, I have a conscience, I care. I have to live with myself.

This is going to be good or I'm not going to be involved. This show

provides an opportunity to be responsible because the audience [it

attracts) makes me responsible. To talk to 20 million children is an

enormous responsi hili ty. By the nature of its success we have the

freedom to try harder because who can argue with success. People are

more apt to say yes to an idea they would [ordinarily J say no to

because it's successful. That, and the format of the show having a

point to it--[while) some superhero shows may not. And some of it is

luck. Luck that Peyo had the idea--which was not thought would be

successful because it was soft, and didn't have super heros, ray

guys, etc. [And) some people at Hanna-Barbera [the production

office) did not want to be associated with it. So I had more

freedom. It was the accidental coming together of the right team:

like Peyo, two writers that get along and a producer who is talented.

Q! How does a typical episode of "Smurfs" evolve?

A/ I write the Bible first. This describes the show, conceptually,

and gives the character breakdowns. The story editors and the

writers come up with the premises. We read and okay these with a

copy going to the network. They respond. We, and they, write notes

and have a meeting. Then we write an outline and get an okay on it.

Then we write the script and get an okay on it. We don't have a set

number of story focuses--but we try to hang story concerns on a few

[characters). Because certain writers have an affinity for [certain)

characters.
 82

Ql What about the use of the word "Smurf" in a sentence to replace

a word?

AI If it's in context, [children] will understand the meaning, and

learn a new word. We don't take out a word because its too big.

Children love to figure out what a word means.

"Smurfese" is the grammmar of the Smurfs. We don't do it too

much or we'll destroy its charm. We were told, at first, that

children could use the word Smurf as a substitute for dirty words.

But the Smurfs are good--they don't swear and children know this.

[At a conference with social scientists] they wanted Smurfs to

be Black to represent that minority. They missed the point. They

don't even know that Smurfs are not human. But children know Smurfs

aren't human. One woman social scientist, who was Black, thought

that because Smurfs were blue, they were Black. We might as well

have an Asian Smurf, a Mexican Smurf. Maybe that's one of the things

that 1 s good about the show too. We don' t have those problems. We

don't really have to deal with that. Except if we get the

opportunity. And I will try and take care of that [representing

minorities] now that I've been to that conference. The next time

there is a knight in one of these stories, he'll be a Moor. That's

about all I can do. But I won't forget that. He'll be a Moor. He

won't be white. He won't be Prince Valiant.

Ql Did the merchandising and books help the show's popularity?

AI There were books in 15 or 18 languages, but not here [United

States]. The fact that the dolls were out there did help the show.

Last year [1982] they sold 650 million. The show was a hit by the
 9 '
83

second week. First there were the books, then the dolls, then the

show. Children saw how charming the stories were.

Q/ How does the show differ from the books?

A/ In the books they hit Brainy. In the show, they like Brainy,

but when he pontificates too long--we show Brainy, cut away, and he

lands on his head. It's not violent because it's clear he's not

hurt. And children love it--they anticipate i t when he starts his

speech and they can hardly wait for him to land on his head.

Q/ Is the animation different from other cartoons?

A/ The style of animation is not different from other cartoons.

They are little round animated figures like Donald Duck, Mickey

Mouse. They are simple and [therefore] easy to draw and animate,

easier to handle and move. [Basically] they are all exactly alike,

but with small differences. And the voices are very different. Part

of the game is trying to figure out who is who [at least at first].

It was not a problem, and in fact, turned out to be an asset. It

turned out to be fun to try to distinguish between them, based on

those subtle differences.

The animation is not full--this means how many drawing per

linear foot of film. Disney is the ultimate but tv can't afford

that. But because they are cute and easy to draw, animators can put

more in the show, in the time they have, so it seems fuller. It is

easier to draw Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck than the dwarfs. We use

rich colors, in an effort to make them more distinctive than other

shows. Care is taken in every drawing, and in the background we add

 84

more trees. A conscious effort is made to enrich the production

qualities. Plus we are copying the books and Peyo was not sparse

with his illustrations, so that helped our animators know what to go

by. But the same animators that do "Smurfs" do other shows. They

really like doing this program and it shows in the end result. It

may seem that the lines are more distinctive because there are fewer

colors so you are more aware of the lines and there is less to

distract the eye. With just blue and white, the lines stand out.

Q/ What about the way the Smurfs are drawn?

A/ They are physically appealing, if they are analyzed from a

design stand point. They are well proportioned. They are appealing

because they are cute and easy to draw. Baby things are cute. And

simpler forms take less time.

Q/ Tell me about the Smurfs 1 voices

A/ We [auditioned] actors and actress and knew the various Smurf

voices when we heard them. We speed up the voices 2%--not enough to

remind you of the Chipmunks [from "The Alvin Show"] but enough to

raise the pitch slightly and to make them seem light--to help them be

little. Then it is put through the harmonizer which takes the base

out--again, to make them seem light. So the humans in the show sound

larger than the Smurfs.

Q! What accounts for the appeal of the Smurfs?

A/ People identify with [various] Smurfs. I identify with Papa:

he 1 s the leader, and he 1 s somewhat pompous. There is a need for

 85

paternal love. Smurfette has to try to fulfill the maternal and in

some stories she seems maternal and sympathetic. Smurfette is the

most difficult character, yet she's extremely popular. She's the

most complex. Other Smurfs emphasize only one facet of their

personality. But if we only have one girl, she has to be every

girl. It's paradoxical.

Q! Why don't they expand the number of girls in the show?

A/ If we have more girls then we'll have babies and cars, and there

goes the reality. Then it becomes a real world. Only one girl:

that's part of the fantasy, and the reality of it. If we split her

up, we'd have the vamp, the mother, the flirt, the intellectual girl,

the dumb girl, the bright girl--just a duplicate of the Smurfs, but

in a different sex. That would no longer be the world as Peyo

created it. It would be ruined. I sometimes disagree with Peyo on

storylines. He has control, although not creative control--unless we

grossly destroy the whole idea, such as creating another Smurfette.

[But] I try not to offend his sensibilities. Yet Peyo sometimes

takes liberties with his own stories: for example, [although they

don't drive cars], they travel on Feathers [a bird]. And one time

[although it's during the Middle Ages], Handy built a rocket ship

that said U.S.A.

 86

PEYO GULLIFORD INTERVIEW

(As translated by collaborator Ivan Delporte)

Peyo Gulliford is the creator of "Smurfs." The Belgium

artist-storyteller still resides in Europe. Along with his

colla bora tor and translator, Yvan Del porte, he travels all over the

world overseeing the large Smurf operation. He still writes stories

for "Smurfs" but many of the plots are now written by others because

of the volume demanded by a television show (currently 4 stories a

week). Peyo initially drew the Smurf creatures to satisfy a plot

requirement for another story. Yvan Delporte translates.

Q! What is the appeal of "Smurfs"?

A/ There is no recipe. Peyo did things he believed in, things that

pleased him. He puts things in the stories that he likes to be

told. [But basically] it's in the premise. It's a small paradise

where Smurfs live together and agree together. There is no money, so

[there are] no money problems. Sometimes there is a little bit of

strife with Gargamel, but everybody has his worries. It's a small

world in which Peyo would like to live.

Q! Why would he like to live there?

AI Because all the Smurfs are friends, even though their natures,

or characters, are different. There is at least one Smurf who is a

grouch all the time, but so what? Yet there is one Smurf that Peyo

doesn't like very much; Brainy. Yet he is in that world and no one

can do anything about it. Brainy reminds Peyo of one of the smart
 87

[aleck] kids in school--those who are the best pupils in class, the

apple polishers, the bootlickers, tale tellers.

Ql If Peyo created "Smurfs," why put in a character he doesn't like?

AI He is there, nevertheless, because he belongs there. Because

sometimes it is pleasant to poke fun at things you don't like.

There is an organization [that believes that] Smurfs defending

themselves is violence. Of course that is not violence. It's nearer

to a circus clown. They get bashed on the head and kicked in the

pants, and they don't seem to suffer. It's that kind of absurd

world. Tex Avery, the creator of the zaniest movie cartoons has an

incredible sense of humor, where people got bashed in by anvils and

it was so funny. Peyo is just trying to have some humor.

Ql What are the Smurfs like? What is their appeal?

AI The Smurfs are caricatures of humans. Greedy is much greedier

than humans, [even] a greedy human. Brainy is more talkative than a

human would be, and Lazy is lazier than a human would be. They are

extremes. Humans are all the same. If you were on a tower, all

humans look the same. When you get nearer to [the humans] then you

notice the differences. If you went into a country and didn't talk

to the people there, then you would leave thinking all the people

were the same. Smurfs all look alike but their characters are

completely different.

Ql Why are the Smurfs blue?

A/ The Smurfs are blue because they are not human. And because
 88

Peyo can't have them in black or yellow, orange is not a color people

like to see and green is Martians. And Peyo likes blue.

Q/ What about the Smurfs' clothes?

A/ They are dressed the way they are because it's simple dress and

Smurfs are near to nature. And changes have come from various people

who think they know [how the Smurfs should be drawn]. Those elements

are not necessarily what we think is good. Others wanted to

differentiate between them physically. Some people felt that if the

"Smurfs" went on the air, people should be able to recognize easily

one Smurf from another. For example, Hefty Smurf dressed in a

bolero, Jokey Smurf in a yellow bow tie and red wig. Peyo was aghast

and said it was not possible. Smurfs are all the same. Peyo was

right. We feel an artist is right more than people who only see a

story as a means to an end.

Peyo is one of the best storytellers I know. He is a great

storyteller and not everyone has the same talent. In the way the

story is told, the story [and] personalities is how they are

differentiated. When they started to write, some of the writers

said, "Man, that is so sweet we're going to get cavities." Because

they were used to one type of Saturday morning story, 'Zap, Bang' •

Ratings seem to have proved that "Smurfs" was not so bad after all.

Q/ Where do the Smurfs come from?

A/ That's one of the mysteries of nature. Where do leprechauns and

gnomes come from? Peyo was influenced very much by the old tales.

Peyo loved them as a kid, so he believed kids would love them.

 89

[Tells story of origination]. Peyo created a story about a young

squire and a jester, called Johan and Peewit. In one of those

stories, there was a villain who had caught a magic flute. When he

played the magic flute people couldn't stop dancing and fell from

exhaustion. And then the villain took the gold and went away. Johan

and Peewit had to find a way to counter that villain. So they go to

their friend, the enchanter Homnibus, and ask him what to do. And

Homnibus says the only thing to do is try and have one such magic

flute and fight the villain with his own weapon. So, by some magical

means and hypnotics, Homnibus sends Johan and Peewit to the country

of the people who make those flutes. And those people are called

Smurfs and that's how the story begins.

Ql How did the Smurfs begin with their own stories?

AI I [Yvan] am responsible. I was the editor of a magazine that

published the story "Johan and Peewit." I said it would be fun to

have, inside the magazine, pages that you fold and fold and fold

again and then you get a small book like this with small stories

about small things. And I said why don't you use your little blue

creatures. I think people would like that. And that's how the

stories started with nothing but Smurfs.

Ql How did they come to be called Smurfs?

AI Peyo was asking for something to be passed at the table. In

English you would say, would you please pass me that thingamabob. In

French it was "Strumpfs" and the magazine was published in two

languages and [so] was translated into "Smurfs" in Dutch.

 90

Q/ What things does Peyo put in the stories?

A/ Peyo likes nice things. He is a gentle person, but he puts

pepper in the soup. For example, he is writing a story now where

Smurfette adopts a pet. And one Smurf is annoyed that the pet chewed

the carpet. Yet when the Smurf sees Smurfette on the street, he

pretends he likes the pet. Peyo' s characters use a little bit of

psychology.

Q/ How do you decide which animals belong in "Smurfs"?

A/ The animals in "Smurfs" are forest animals--small animals that

would live in a European forest: rabbits, snails, flies, birds, maybe

a deer sometimes. Don't forget we're from Europe, so they are

European animals--no raccoons, for instance.

Q! Do the stories have morals?

A/ Yes and no. We do not have a message for the world. We don't

dislike a little moral, yet we do not want moralizing. You asked

what we don't like in stories. At the end of some you see Papa Smurf

saying, "This happens when you are not good." At these times, Papa

Smurf sounds like Brainy. Peyo would rather have the Smurf who did

something wrong prove that Papa Smurf was right when he said it

beforehand. But no heavy moralizing. No sermons.

Q/ If Peyo created a paradise, a place in which he would like to

live, why did he create Gargamel?

A/ Because Gargamel adds conflict. When Peyo was a kid his mother

told him, when you get to paradise you can eat rice pudding with a
 91

golden spoon all day long--that's paradise. Peyo said, "I like rice

pudding but not for a whole eternity. That would be boring, if there

was nothing else." So too, if you don't have Gargamel near the

village, then the Smurfs would have nothing to speak about. But Peyo

can't get a villain to be a real mean villain. They are all a little

lovable. Gargamel is a villain, like Peyo would like all villains to

be. He's a little dumb. He's not that clever. He's so bad, he is

almost good. We almost pity him, because he is so dumb. Peyo hates

Gargamel a little less than he does Brainy.

Q/ Why does Gargamel look and dress the way he does?

A/ Because that's the way Peyo designed him and because that's the

way they dress in the Middle Ages. And, that's a good period for the

stories because you have sorcery and unicorns and whatever.

Ql What purpose does Azrael serve?

A/ If Gargamel was all alone, he would not have anyone to speak

to. So he couldn't explain what was going to happen. That's one of

the differences between Peyo's vision and Hanna-Barbera's vision.

Poor Azrael was never ill-treated by Gargamel as he is in the

cartoons. In Peyo's original stories, Gargamel wags his finger at

Azrael and says "No, no Azrael, this Smurf isn't for you." Whereas

here the poor cat was kicked once. His tail catches fire!

Q! Does Azrael have a personality?

A He's dumb. Peyo might have made him a very clever cat but that

would have made another story.

 92

Q/ In the American version it almost seems like he talks.

A/ But that's one thing we didn't dislike. Peyo didn't have

[Azrael seeming to speak] in the original version because there are

just words in a book.

Q/ What is Peyo's idea of Smurfette?

A/ She is a woman so she's got to be feminine, plus a little

prissy. She's got to be different from what the man is. Yet Program

Practices and some people at Hanna-Barbera want Smurfette to be one

of the Smurfs, just a p~il. Peyo had to explain what Smurfette is:

she's feminine; she's a dainty little thing; she never uses force;

she uses craft. She's a person who speaks about dresses and

things--she's not going to wear jeans. This image is also an old

world image of what the woman was or is. The more Peyo explained

what Smurfette was, the more the people there were oh, [aghast].

Because, that's not the way you ought to represent a girl on American

television today. That's one way Peyo and I [Yvan] disagree. I see

her as a responsible person. [But] I don't think, and Peyo doesn't

think, [that] she's dumb.

The Smurfette in Hanna-Barbera's stories doesn't differ too much

from the Smurfette as Peyo conceived her. Personally, I dislike her

[crying] because it's a caricature. There are things you may

caricature and other things you don't because bad people use them.

It's not that bad as regards woman, yet I think there still is a lot

of prejudice around. Sometimes amongst women too. Her "boo hoo" is

so ineffectual. A person who [cries] is a person who shrieks [at] a

mouse and who cannot drive without an accident. All those cliches.
 93

It's okay to have other Smurfs embody negative characteristics

and nobody minds. But you can't have a woman do this. If you have

female characters showing the same effects, people say you are a male

chauvinist pig.

Q/ Well then can't you have more than one Smurfette to show another

side?

A/ If there were two Smurfettes, immediately, there would be a war

and it wouldn't be paradise anymore. Because they would be fighting.

Q/ But don't Smurfs fight each other?

A/ Yes but with two Smurfs fighting, they would punch each other on

the nose and then it would be over. Peyo would have to design a

second dress for the other Smurfette or they would be at each other's

throats. Smurfs don't mind about those matters. Just picture

yourself at a party in the same dress as another.

Q/ What is Papa Smurf like?

A/ He's wise. He's a leader, but not despotic. He gives the

Smurfs counseling. He' 11 say, "We' 11 have to work on the bridge on

the river" and he includes himself. He doesn't say, "Everybody at

work!" He leaves them a lot of responsibility.

Q/ What about the magic in the show that Papa Smurf and Gargamel

use?

A/ Papa Smurf uses magic--Gargamel is a sorcerer, a wizard. It's

in the words. You can perceive the difference. Papa Smurf puts a
 94

seed in a pot and puts in some magic and it becomes a beautiful

flower. There's not much use for it, but Papa Smurf likes it.

Sometimes Papa Smurf saves the Smurfs with his magic. For instance,

he changed Smurfette from a plain girl into a beautiful girl. What

Papa Smurf does is generally beneficial. Whereas Gargamel is a mean

old wizard. He wants to get rich and he doesn't like the Smurfs. He

wants to get at the Smurfs. In the story of the Apprentice Smurf, a

Smurf, wanting to make magic, steals a formula from Gargamel and he's

changed into a monster of course. Because that's Gargamel' s magic.

Bad stuff.

Q/ How would you compare "Smurfs" to "Snow White and the Seven

Dwarfs?"

A/ Peyo didn't think of them while he drew [the Smurf s]. Dwarfs

are small men. Smurfs are not small men. They are creatures. They

are further from the human being. And the Smurfs at the outset are

just one people. They all looked alike, dressed alike, talked

alike. And their personalities grew up slowly, with the stories. At

the beginning, there was Papa Smurf and all the Smurfs. And then,

one suddenly grew spectacles and was the finger wagger [Brainy], one

was the lazy one [Lazy], and one was the greedy one [Greedy], and so

on. It came [about] little by little. It wasn't the idea of: "oh,

that's a good idea, that's what I'll do." It wasn't calculated.

First he had a word, then a few months later, he needed a figure and

since he was fond of those old legends with leprechauns, he designed

them. But for one story only and then he was going to forget about

them. Then came the figurines and then the cartoons.

 95

Q! How did the figurines evolve?

A/ Someone came to Peyo and said, "Look, I 'm a figurine maker.

Would you like to receive money if I create figurines [of the

Smurfs]." And Peyo said, "Yes, but it has to be as beautiful as my

story." There was no relationship between the figurines and the

stories except the figurines were created after the stories.

Q/ Is "Smurfs" typical of European stories and art?

A/ It's not typically European. It's international. We Europeans

were exposed to a lot of American comic strips. So there may be an

American root in "Smurfs." Yet, the drawing is European in style,

like European cartoons.

Q/ How do you distinguish the blue Smurfs from the sky?

A/ Smurfs are the ones that move!

Q/ Because each have a basic characteristic, how do you write and

keep them from becoming predictable, or do you use predictability?

A/ That's one of the magic ingredients. We know [Grouchy's] going

to say, "I hate such and such" and we know Greedy is going to lick

his lips. Papa Smurf is still the sage but he has that hidden

characteristic [for acting unpredictable]. So the Smurfs are

predictable, except sometimes for that certain characteristic.

Q! In the cartoons, Smurfs are in mortal danger from Gargamel,

which never comes to pass. Smurf s never die. Papa Smurf is 542

years old. There have always been 100 Smurfs. Yet, they are always
 96

in danger from Gargamel. Is that true in the stories too?

A/ Yes. Except for the story about Squeaky. That was a very

courageous story for TV. I hated it. It was courageous and brave.

Yet I hated it. Peyo doesn't want to see it. Because someone dies

and no one can do anything to save him. Smurfs are put in danger but

they never die. Or if we think they are, Papa Smurf does something

and saves them. Because that's Peyo's world of paradise.

Q/ Brainy isn't human. Is that why he can be hit/bounced on the

head?

A/ When you receive a moral shock, you compare it to a kick in the

solar plexus, or something [like that]. Well, that's an image, that

bump on the head. A figure of speech or figure of design.

Q/ How many of the stories does Peyo write?

A/ Peyo writes almost all the "Johan and Peewit" stories. [The

stories for the] "Smurfs" episodes [he writes] about half. The first

year almost half were taken from books and stories written by Peyo.

The second year, less.

Q/ From where do the story ideas originate?

A/ [Mostly] from things that happen to him and things he sees,

notices. [For example] Smurf s do not know money, they do not use

money. And Peyo had a story where the Smurfs invented money. And

one Smurf wants to get rich. It was a very good story. But

unfortunately, someone changed the story and added Ma Gargamel.

Having a Mom makes it mid-fifties American humor. We didn't have

 97 " .

much of momism in Europe. Whereas a lot of Americans--American

males--suffered from it. That's a male conception, Ma Gargamel.

Furthermore, its one of the cliches of American cartoons. You've

seen that situation a thousand times. About a mother coming in and

saying, "Now son". And she [does things] better than he does.

Q/ In the future will you develop more Smurfs?

A/ Yes. He is going to and yet [developing more] is hard. Some

people try to double up characters. Someone came up with Sloppy

Smurf and that's not Peyo 's world at all. If they tell him, you

create a new character, it's very hard for him and then he will get

tired of doing "Smurfs."

Q/ Why did you change Smurfette' s hair to blonde. You say she's

beautiful now. Is that the image of beautiful--having blonde hair?

A/ Color-wise, the yellow of the hair made a softer image than

black hair but black hair would have given her more personality, more

presence. But yellow is softer, fluffy; like Brigit Bardot.

Q/ Some of the Smurfs have small visual/physical differences. Are

these also in the books?

A/ That's what's left [of a former network executive's

suggestion]. It's not in the books.

Q/ What do you think of this change?

A/ We'll have to live with it!

Q/ How do you feel about the voices used for the various Smurfs,
 98

because they sound different in the American cartoon than they do in

"The Magic Flute"?

A/ When I heard Brainy Smurf for the first time in English--[ I

thought] the actor was a little young, but he was so suited for that

character. [Smurfs is now translated in many other languages.] When

Peyo conceived of Vanity, he felt he was a bit effeminate. When it

was translated into a cartoon, they said he must have a deep voice.

There must not be the slightest hint that he is homosexual. He must

have a nice, virile voice.

Q! Which is your favorite Smurf?

A/ Jokey. Yet [ Peyo] thinks he is fonder yet of Grouchy because

he's different. [Grouchy] does nothing but grouch. He's not very

active. If you look at the books, you'll find him in the lower right

hand corner, saying 'I hate such and such', just above Peyo's

signature. In the French version, he puns. He takes the last

syllable that's been said. He hates everything--usually. For

example, he loves Smurfette, but he hates anybody to know it.

Q! Which is your [Peyo's] least favorite Smurf?

A/ Brainy [Already discussed him].

Q/ Which is your favorite story?

A/ His next one.

Q/ Which is the story you like the least?

A/ The one he hasn't done.

 99

PHYLLIS TUCKER VINSON INTERVIEW

Phyllis Tucker Vinson is Vice President, NBC Children 1 s

Programs. She was indirectly responsible for putting the show on the

air, at the request of her boss, NBC President Fred Silverman. Along

with the producers of "Smurfs," she and her staff, Sam Ewing and

Winifred White, helped to shape the direction of the show.

Q/ What is the appeal of "Smurfs"?

A/ I think kids relate to the Smurfs. I think they enjoy the

fantasy and fantasy worlds. That 1 s one of the things that 1 s very,

very appealing about the "Smurfs." And I also think they identify

with the various Smurfs. They identify or know someone who is like

the clumsy one, know someone who is like the brainy one. And they

really love Papa Smurf, the father figure who represents the

understanding authority figure--who can help them get out of a jam,

give them advice, come to their rescue. I really think kids want to

believe that these little characters exist.

Q/ Why would kids like an authority figure?

A/ Security. They would not know how to express the fact that they

like authority figures. But authority figures give kids security.

It 1 s like spanking or disciplining your kid and them [being] angry

with you. But they really love you and will come right back as soon

as they get over their anger. But authority gives kids security.

And I think in terms of the Smurfs, they know everything is going to

work out okay because Papa Smurf is going to be there.

 100

Q/ How would you compare "Smurfs" to other cartoons?

A/ It's the most well written. The characters are the most well

defined of anything on Saturday morning right now with the exception

of maybe Scooby [from "The Scooby Doo Show"]. Within the last 10

years, the "Smurfs" are, hands down, the most successful show on

Saturday morning. I think because of the personality and the fact

that the characters are so well-defined. That Clumsy is clumsy and

everything Clumsy does, he is in character: he's always clumsy. He

always has that same point of view. That Brainy is brainy. That

Smurfette is Smurfette.

Q/ What does that mean?

A/ Smurfette is brave and courageous, and the Smurfs love her and

protect her, but still she has a point of view, and she has an

opinion a bout things. And she's independent. From a merchandise

point of view, Smurfette is the most successful character. And

that's because girls buy her a lot. Girls and boys buy her but if

you think about the fact that if a boy had a choice of buying three

Smurfs he could buy either Clumsy or Brainy or Papa Smurf. If little

girls wants to buy a girl [Smurf], all would [have to] buy Smurfette.

Q/ You say they are always in character. Wouldn't that lead to

predictability?

A/ Yes, but [children] enjoy the predictability and they enjoy the

security. I think it's human nature. I mean even if you look at

personal relationships, you like people that you're comfortable with

to be the same, and when they're not, you're uncomfortable or you

 101

realize something's wrong with them.

Q/ Are "Smurfs" stories unique or different in any way?

A/ Most of the stories on Saturday morning are very contemporary.

And the Smurf stories are not contemporary. They are much more

relaxed and fanciful and have dragons and have animals that can talk

and animals that are friends of the Smurfs. They're reminiscent of

fairy tales, I think. I don't know if I can say what the magic

combination of things are. But one of them, I think, is the same

reason there's a mystique of the leprechauns. The fact that they are

little--little like kids.

Q/ How are the Smurf characters themselves different from other

characters?

A/ Well, actually as a group they're not that different. There's

always a character [on shows] that eats a lot. And there have been

characters that are lazy before. And there have been girls who are

feisty and are leaders and whom the other characters really like. I

think it has to do with the fact that they're blue. And they're not

human. They're not really that different, but they're different [on

the whole]. And I think how they look has a lot to do with it. The

fact that, not that kids are making the same comparisons, but they're

very much like the seven dwarfs, [from "Snow White"] in that they're

a sincere, genuine, and loving group of characters. They work

together like a family. I think some of the same attributes in "The

Brady Bunch" are reflected in the "Smurfs." I think kids love "The

Brady Bunch." They watch it over and over again. It's a homogeneous
 102

group of characters who get along, who occasionally fight and bicker

with one another, but when things get tough they all chip in and help

one another and fight for the same goal. They help and pitch in to

help each other's dreams come true. It's a loving group of

characters. And I think kids would like to be part of that group.

And when they play with the toys and watch the show, I think they

sort of inject themselves into it, in a way.

Q/ How are they different from the Seven Dwarfs? I mean besides

the fact that they are blue?

A/ Yes but their personalities [are similar]. There's Happy and

Lazy and Dopey. Dopey's a lot like Clumsy. They're not perfect.

Q/ But are they different than the dwarfs?

A/ It's a different concept, but I think they're very much alike.

Q/ Different concept in what respect?

A/ Well, one's the concept of the "Smurfs" and one's "Snow White."

And Snow White is really Smurfette.

Q/ What about the morality in the show. Is that part of its appeal

or is that done in all shows?

A/ We do it more often in the "Smurfs" because it seems to fit in

the "Smurfs" very well.

Q/ Why does it fit in with the "Smurfs"?

A/ Because of the type of stories we choose to tell. For example,

 103

when Dreamy wanted to fly into outer space, the moral of that story

was, things are really better at home. But that wasn't our initial

goal in writing the story. The story was the Smurfs all chipping in

and helping Dreamy's dream come true. And since you can't leave

Dreamy believing he's on another planet, you have something terrible

happen and then get him back home. And what the Smurfs did was, they

really created situations that made Dreamy think that he didn't like

it. And at the end of the story, Dreamy said, "You know, dreams are

nice, and traveling in outer space is nice, but its really nice to be

home." And I think everybody thinks that way. I mean it's great to

take a vacation. But there's nothing like coming home.

Q/ Do you have a certain type of story that is a "Smurfs'" story?

A/ No, but if we saw a show taking a certain direction, then we

make it a little moral. Because I think that's the most effective

way to get positive, educational information, or [just] information

to kids in a dramatic situation.

Q/ Who would you say are the most popular Smurfs with kids?

A/ Grouchy, Greedy, Hefty, Handy, Papa, Clumsy, Vanity, Smurfette

Q/ Why are they the more popular ones?

A/ Because I think they are moods everybody recognizes. They're

emotions that everybody recognizes and identifies with. One of the

favorite characters, even among adults, is Grouchy. And I've been

with people, and because of my involvement with "Smurfs," they' 11

sometimes use that example. When they want to, in a loving, fun kind
 0 .
104

of way, express displeasure about something, they say, 'I hate ••• '

Q/ Which are the ones that are the least liked?

A/ I'll say the ones that are not as popular are the ones that are

characters that only do something, like Poet, Painter. It's not an

emotion, not a human emotion. Sloppy has the potential of being a

strong character. He's just sloppy, but all little kids can identify

with being sloppy, or being told that they're sloppy, or if they're

neat they're the opposite of sloppy.

Q/ What about the stories? Which ones are the most popular?

A/ The Smurfette story. That's the origin of Smurfette. It is one

of the most popular ones. I had the occasion to look back at the

ratings over the weekend and that one does well every time [it's

repeated].

Q/ Can you guess why?

A/ It's the story of how Smurfette came to the village. Origin

stories work very well with kids. Where you tell the history of how

something happens, so they can look at it and go, "Oh, that's how it

happened."

Q/ How are the villains similar or different? How do you see

Gargamel?

A/ He's a bumbling villain, number one. The Smurfs always outsmart

him in the end. Maybe not right away, but they always outsmart him

in the end. And he sort of creates the conflict and therefore is the
 105

thrust of the series every week.

Q! Do you think his bumbling is a reason for his appeal?

A/ Yes, I do. He's funny.

Q! Have there been other villains that have been funny or is this a

unique way to portray a villain?

A/ No, there have been funny villains on Saturday morning before.

[On] "Batman," the villains have been funny. [And on] most of the

comedy adventures, where you have a funny detective: they were up

against comedy villains or else they wouldn't have been successful.

Q! To what do you attribute his [Gargamel's] success, his appeal?

AI Well, before the television show, the Gargamel character

merchandise didn't sell. And the reason it didn't sell was [because)

the kids didn't know his relationship to the Smurfs. And as soon as

the television show exemplified how the character was to be used and

what his relationship was to the Smurfs, then the kids liked it.

They love to see Gargamel be outsmarted by the Smurfs. Even though

[kids] love authority figures, they like to see situations where some

one smaller overcomes someone bigger and larger than they are. And

it's like them against adults or them against teachers. Even though

you can't live without [authorities, kids) like to see it portrayed

in dramatic situations, and situations in story telling.

Q! What about Azrael: How do you see him?

A/ Azrael's a funny cat.

 106

Q/ Is he a villain?

A/ Yes, he's a villain. He wants to eat the Smurfs.

Q/ What makes him a funny cat?

A/ The fact that he gets his tail stepped on. He's also a

bumbler. He jumps on Gargamel when he gets in trouble and creates

some bad situations for Gargamel. But he's primarily a bumbler.

Q/ You said that initially Gargamel didn't sell well before the

television show. What about the Smurfs?

A/ They sold. That's one of the reasons why I felt from the very

beginning that Smurfs would be a successful show. Because you are

attracted to those little creatures. They are so cute, you can't

resist them.

Q/ What makes them so cute?

A/ I don't know. It could be the shape of their heads, the fact of

what they have on, the expressions on their faces. Who knows? You

just look at them and they elicit a feeling of, "Oh, aren't they

cute." I mean, before the series came on, I had the toys at my house

and people, kids, responded to them. And I knew that as long as we

got those characters out there in front of them, exposed the kids to

them, they would be a success. They're just unusual. Look at their

ears, and the way they're shaped, lm-1 on their heads. And the

expressions on their faces and their eyes. It's just a combination.

The little white pants that they wear. And their bellies stick out.

I mean, they're just cute.

 107

Q/ What about stereotyping in the stories? The Smurfs each

represent an individual expression of emotions. Do you plan to bring

that stereotype or that kind of emotion out in the stories that are

done?

A/ Well, children's frame of reference is just a smaller universe

than adults. And dramatically, when you see something that's

familiar and you understand what it is, it sort of elicits a response

from you, an emotion of happiness or pleasure, whatever. When you

see Greedy eating all the time, you understand what that's about

because either you've been hungry or you know people that eat a lot,

or you know the consequences of eating a lot. It's like all of those

things are just clicking very quickly when you're seeing it happen on

the screen. We designed those characters so that everybody could

relate to them.

The favor! te character of someone who is smart, or who thinks

they're smart, is Brainy. My favorite character is Clumsy because he

is so silly. He makes me laugh, and he is so sweet and naive and I

just love his voice. Grouchy: everybody knows what it's like to be

angry or upset about something. And kids can relate to being angry

and having those kinds of feelings and [they] just know what that

emotions is about.

Q/ And the stories just evolved from that?

A/ The first year we really drew from Peyo' s material and the

second year, experiences that we projected could happen in this

forest in Medieval times.

 108

Ql How much of the first year's material was Peyo's?

A/ Most of it. I would say 90-95% of it.

Q! Which of the characters are new--are not Peyo's creations?

A/ Sloppy, Poet, Painter. Those are the only ones I can think of.

Q! Can you tell me, briefly, how this developed into a network show?

A/ (Fred) Silverman's daughter had the dolls. And [Silverman, who

was President of NBC at the time] was on vacation with Sy Fisher who

represents Hanna-Barbera. [Silverman] said, "Why don't you make a

television show out of this." And I said I had never heard of them.

So we [Tucker Vinson and her staff] went and found them. And when we

found them I said, "This is really cute" and we began to get into it

and read the material, etc. It really evolved. And based on the

material we had received and based on the description of the

characters, we recommended the show be an hour. And Silverman said,

"Do you really think this show can be an hour." And I said, "Yes."

Ql Okay, part of their appeal you said is they are cute. But there

are a lot of cute little creatures and they may not be suitable for a

show. You would not base a show just on their being cute, or did you?

A/ Well in this particular instance we did not have anything to do

with the acquisition of the character, other than getting involved in

making the deal finally. At that point, [Silverman] was running the

network and he made the decision. I really think we developed it in

a very positive way. I mean you could have taken those same cute

characters and made three of them have a rock band and travel around
 109

the country. But we sort of went with the concept that already

existed. And [the concept] was very atypical for Saturday morning.

And really, "Smurfs" changed the face of Saturday morning television.

Q/ How?

A/ It was a show, or characters, who would have been perceived as

soft. Because you say they're young and they only appeal to young

kids, etc. And that was one of the things we really went against.

We didn't make it appeal to two to five year olds. We thought the

stories and the attitudes of the characters and the relationships had

to appeal as old as we could go, including adults.

Q/ And how did you do that?

A/ Just in terms of the writing and the dialogue and the stories

and the situations that they got into. We didn't write down to kids

and write it for two to five year olds. We wrote it for adults. And

believe it or not, according to the latest ratings, it's the highest

rated show on Saturday morning with adults.

Q/ Besides it having "soft" characters, in what other ways was it

atypical of Saturday mornings?

A/ The setting that it's in, the fact that it was in the woods, the

fact that it is set in the period of time that it is, and the music.

Q/ And you say it's changed the face of Saturday morning. How?

A/ I've seen more little people [being suggested for shows]. And

ABC and CBS are developing more shows with little characters. Now
 110

all of a sudden we're seeing little fairies, little dolls. There's

something called the "Astrosnicks," which is probably going to be on

ABC's schedule. "The Pow Pows"--little Indian characters--little

Hawaiian characters, little leprechauns. And those are shows that

production companies never would have brought in to us, because

Saturday morning was action-adventure and teenage stories and kids

stories and detectives. [Saturday morning] was just in a different

place. And I'm glad that we had the wealth of Peyo' s material to

draw from. Actually the style of the Smurfs is very European.

Everything about the "Smurfs" goes against, well not every single

thing, because the characters' relationships and all that stuff is

sort of standard, but the setting of the program, the fact that it's

set in medieval times, is against everything that the creative

community feels the network would buy. It's a good thing it already

existed because it probably wouldn't have gotten on the schedule.

Q/ You say it's very European in style. What do you mean by that?

The setting?

A/ Yes, the setting and also the types of stories. The fact that

there are dragons and knights. It's also the reflection of the time,

the period. But when was the last time you saw a knight on Saturday

morning? When was the last time you saw a dragon on Saturday morning?

Q/ You say that now there are lots of show's being developed about

little creatures but doesn't the appeal of the Smurfs go beyond the

fact that they're little?

 111

A/ Yes. Little dogs, little people who live in the wall of a

closet. But I think kids like it. Look at all the socio-dramatic

play the kids get involved in, the fantasy world and the imagination

that they use when they're playing with each other. And think back

when you were a kid how you looked at the little mouse coming through

the mouse hole and you visualize that he has his whole family inside

and they're sitting on the little table and chairs and they have a

refrigerator. You know it's like fantasy. It's playing with dolls.

It's that stage of growing up that you go through.

Q/ Speaking of dolls, I understand the merchandising was quite

successful before it became a television show.

A/ That's an understatement. It was very, very successful.

Q/ Did the fact that there was already pre-knowledge of what the

little creatures were help the show?

A/ Yes it did. The ratings reflected that there was some

anticipation of the "Smurfs." We promoted it to some degree. But I

don't think kids just responded to what they saw in the promotion.

There was some expectation out there. The word of mouth had begun to

pass around. The fact that it did I think a 38 or a 35 [share] the

first week, in a time period where we had being doing a 19 or 20

[share] the week before, [means] the kids had to know and have some

anticipation of what they were going to see.

Q So the merchandising helped the show?

A/ Oh, yes, a lot.

 112

Q! And now that the show is a success?

AI Merchandising peaked the first year. I mean it just spiked,

straight up.

Q! So the show now helps the merchandising?

AI Oh, yes. That's an understatement. In a year, the income from

the merchandising of that one little company probably quadrupled.

Q/ Is this the first time that a show has had a pre-sell, as far as

pre-knowledge of something, where the merchandising has preceded the

show?

A/ No, not at all. Comic books do that.

Ql But in terms of action figures, little dolls?

AI Well, merchandising is not just toys. It's also comic books and

things like that. No, because I'm sure there were "Batman" dolls,

and there's probably "Gilligan's Island" dolls.

Q/ But that was probably created from the television show. I can't

think of one, that's why I asked whether there was an actual little

doll that preceded the television show. I'm just trying to get at

what the appeal of the show is, what has made it so popular.

A/ I just think it's a loving group of little characters who ••• it's

like talking a little peek at them. It's like looking at the leaves

in the forest, this little world that goes on. It's like picking up

a leaf and looking at all the little bugs that are running around and

looking at them. And watching them live. And there's somebody in

 113

there who is greedy and somebody who's lazy and they want to go on

trips together and they get involved in danger whether it's all of

them getting caught on a leaf and floating down the river. It's like

a fantasy.

Q! But haven't there been fantasy shows before?

AI No. I think that a show about leprechauns could have probably

been successful. That is, it's not necessarily because they're blue

with little white hats and little white bottoms. It's just these

little magical creatures.

Q! Do you think any kind of magical show, about little magical

creatures would have succeeded?

A/ Yes, I do

Q! So it's the magical aspect?

A/ Yes, I think it's the magical and mysterious aspect of it.

Q! Speaking of that, what about the magic in the show? Papa Smurf

and Gargamel, and Homnibus. How does that fit in?

AI I think it's all from that time. I think that's where the magic

came from. The fact that magic was big at that time. I think that's

why the creator came up with it. I don't think it has anything to do

with the popularity of the show. Personal opinion.

 ll4

Q/ Is the appeal the fact that he can affect a change by using

magic?

A/ No.

Q/ What about the way they use "smurf" in a sentence?

A/ I think it's the characters.

Q/ Talking about these fantasy creatures. What about Walt Disney's

"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," and all the other Walt Disney

characters?

A/ Didn't he adapt them? Weren't those fairy tales?

Q/ So in other words, "Smurfs" is like a fairy tale?

A/ I think so.

Q/ Is the animation any different than other Saturday morning shows?

A/ Yes, I think it's better. It's simple, easier to animate.

Animation is a labor of love [for] the writers and the drawers, you

know the people that are inking and painting and the animation in

between. I just think it's really easy, simple to animate and a

labor of love.

Q/ So, because it's simple lines, it flows better, and the show is

better than something more complex?

A/ Yes. If you look at those drawings of the Smurfs, they're

really easy to draw. The actual animation cell; it's just real

simple. Little round face, little mouth, little simple eyes.

 115

Q/ Do you think that the animation is of an older style?

A/ Yes, it's a simpler, old fashioned style. It's not as much

animation. It doesn't have as many drawings in between as Walt

Disney used to do. But I think it has more drawings than your

typical Saturday morning show. It's a pretty looking show.

Q/ Different than say the action-adventure shows?

AI [Action-adventure] doesn't have that simple style. I just think

["Smurfs"] is really a simple style.

Q/ The action-adventure shows don't have a simple style?

A/ The lines are harder. The characters are easy to draw [in the

"S mur f s "] • The ones that are more human like--if you look at the

characterization of the Fonz or Gary Coleman, they are much more

difficult. Because you really have to get more lines to get the

close look of the characters that you're trying to draw. With the

Smurfs you don't have anybody to imitate. You just draw a little

face, little eyes. It's real simple, and easy.

Q/ So perhaps their expressions come out a little more because

everything is simple?

A/ Yes. It's nice and simple.

Q/ What about the violence in "Smurfs" versus other cartoons?

Violent acts, or actual aggression, or however you might phrase it.

Like when Brainy gets bopped on the head or lands on his head?

A/ I just think it's funny. I don't see it as an act of violence.

 116

You don't see it happen, you just see the effect. And you're

imagination goes with the rest of it.

Q/ Is that different from other cartoon shmvs?

A/ Well, in the old days, before there were concerns about

aggression and violence, you would have seen [the villain] get

socked. But as you know we avoid imitative acts. You see the effect

rather than the cause.

Q/ So the physical aspects of the show are more on a funny vein as

opposed to a physical, aggressive vein. Where Brainy lands on his

head in response to something he said, the intent being humor as

opposed to having him get hurt or get his comeuppance?

A/ Yes, the intent is for humor. It's probably a combination of

both, but it's for humor. He could get his comeuppance in another

way.

Q! How do you avoid stereotypes on the show? Like Smurfette? How

do you avoid stereotyping her?

A/ Well, making sure that she's independent, has her own ideas.

Stereotypes can be both positive and negative, as you well know. So

I don't know if we're avoiding stereotypes. Everything is a

stereotype. It just depends on how many are in that category that it

becomes a stereotype. And it depends on who is looking at it,

whether its positive or negative. But we try to portray her as a

good example, or a positive example for girls and for boys.

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Q! She seems to me to have the most latitude, because she's the

single female, whereas the others are more locked into character and

indeed some of their names indicate their characters. She doesn't

have a name in that respect. And since she's the only one,

sometimes, as you say, she's independent and other times, she relies

on others.

A/ Yes, you're right. You do get more variation in her character.

But I think one of the biggest things to overcome in the "Smurfs" was

the fact that they all looked exactly alike. And how do you vary

them enough in personality so that Brainy is always Brainy and Vanity

is always Vanity, and Clumsy is always Clumsy. So you know and are

able to tell them apart.

Q! How did you overcome this?

A/ [By using] distinctive voices, and making sure they always had

that attitude. And you do that in other shows too. You'd say it's

out of character for Clumsy to say that because based on Clumsy's

description, we know he wouldn't say that. Certain words that Clumsy

wouldn't use. Brainy thinks he's smart, but everyone knows it. And

you want him acting like that. You want to see Brainy be Brainy.

You don't want to see him all of a sudden get very smart and be able

to feel very confident.

Ql Although on occasion I've noticed there is a twist in a

character, and he'll do a complete 180.

A/ Yeah, but it's nice to have that little twist. An element of

surprise if you will.

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Q/ So where do you see the show going from here?

A/ It's going to be 90 minutes again this year. We're going to sit

down with the producers and lay out the show, and talk about new

aspects. There's going to be a baby Smurf ••• where the stork bring a

baby to the village by accident and all the Smurfs learn how to take

care of [it]. And they find out that there's been a mistake and the

[baby] Smurf has to go back. And Grouchy, who has been such a big

grouch and hates everything, takes the baby and hides it because

underneath he really loves the [baby] Smurf. Smurfette gets really

angry and has all of them give up something so the baby won't be

taken away. And Vanity tries to give up his place in the village,

and sneak into the little bundle so the stork will carry him back.

But the stork discovers that Vanity is really there and takes the

baby back. So Smurfette writes a little note and tells him how much

they love the baby and then, whomever, sends back the baby Smurf.

Q! Is it a baby they turn into a Smurf?

A/ No, it's a baby Smurf. So we now know where they come from.

They know that the stork brought him. But the whole question is,

since there are no females around, and Smurfette didn't give birth to

it, where did the stork get it? So [the writers] dealt with [birth]

in the stork way. We'll probably get some criticism from that.

Q/ The direction [of the show] is going to remain the same?

A/ Basically.
 119

LUCILLE BLISS INTERVIEW

Lucille Bliss provides the voice of Smurfette. She has had a

long career playing cartoon characters, including serving as the

voice of Crusader Rabbit, and of Bam Bam on "The Flintstones." On

January 21, 1982, Hanna-Barbera Day, she was awarded the VOX award

(Voice Excellence Award).

Q/ What do you feel accounts for the appeal of "Smurfs"?

A/ "Smurfs" has a magical quality about it: it captures the

fantasy. Kids wish the world was a bit like this, but it isn't.

It's like a party: although some of the adventures are sad. And kids

can relate to it because it's a happy shm-1 with loving, caring and a

lot of humor. It's a fantasy in the lost age of imagination. There

is too much reality now and no more fantasy for children.

And it's educational too: it teaches people to work together and

to share. Smurfs possess the little frailties that all humans have,

especially small humans. And the way they have of working together

for the good of all is beautiful. Each character is very much like a

human. They have little quirks, yet they are warm. The Smurfs show

a great love for animals and the forest. And the cartoon shows the

relationship of the Smurfs to animals; how they care for them and

love them. It's a happy show: the characters, the script, the acting.

Q! What makes the Smurf characters appealing?

A/ Their lovableness, and the way they're drawn. They are little

blue creatures and there is a physical appeal to them. You want to

 120

hug them and yet they are not glamorous and beautiful. That is

perhaps part of their appeal. They have human appeal and human

qualities. And there is acceptance of their flaws.

[The show] has a lot of eye appeal: the characters and the

colors. It's like a richly painted book come to life. And in the

"Smurfs," instead of one character that is central, they are rotated

[into the spotlight].

Q! How would you describe the Smurf characters. Are they different

from other characters?

A/ They don't cut each other down. And they aren't mean or

sarcastic to each other. They have their little flare-ups, but

they're never malicious. Ghetto kids like Smurfs--they wear [Smurf]

T-shirts--because the Smurfs work together and there is no derision.

Kids love Papa Smurf. They honor and respect him because of his

intelligence and experience in living. And he is a scientific

Smurf--he knows a great deal about Smurf ailments.

Q/ How would you describe the character you portray--Smurfette?

A/ Smurfette is thoroughly feminine. She has artful little wiles;

she's coy, has a warm heart, and is a generous little person. She

gets angry but never in a vicious way, and she comes up with

solutions. All the Smurfs love Smurfette. She was converted to a

Smurf because they all saw the loving and caring she had, and she saw

them as loving Smurfs. She confesses her feelings for them, so they

made her a Smurf.

 121

She is very honest and straightforward: a gutsy little female. She

loves flowers and animals and is very tenderhearted and sentimental.

She's a happy little person. Her tenderness and her warm heart are

her greatest characteristics. She's charitable [but also] wants to

excel. She's more practical than the others, and she uses feminine

charms. And she's vulnerable and expresses her emotions. She is

very dramatic with her emotions. She has a good sense of humor--an

off the wall humor--that is amusing, sad, funny and comical.

Sometimes instead of using her feminine wiles, she' 11 use her

intelligence. She's popular: kids love her because she's added depth

and range to the story. She's supposed to typify females; so you

[can] get the female reactions, not just male reactions to a

situation. And because she's the only female she has to have all the

various characteristics. She changes her attitudes more and adapts

to situations [more than the other Smurfs].

There are some things Smurfette won't say: she won't say "Go for

it" because that's too masculine. She' 11 say [instead] , "Let's do

it." Also [the writers] stay away from current cliches because they

are too modern.

Q! What about the villains in the show?

A/ They are on the humorous side. Gargamel's evil traps him. It's

the good guys versus the bad guys, like in "Star Wars." There has to

be a villain to display the goodness. Gargamel is vicious, but he is

also human. And he never wins out: goodness triumphs over evil.

Ql What are the stories usually about?

 122

A/ A Smurf is usually in trouble, and the others try to help and

sometimes Papa Smurf resolves it. The problems are not vicious

problems and they are handled by the group. There isn't a sheriff to

handle things. And the program shows how they act if they are happy,

angry, etc.

Q/ What about a moral in the show?

A/ It's not teaching--it's living the event and solving it. So it

has a positive attitude. Things are resolved. The show is not

dogmatic and does not talk down to [children]. People like to get a

fair shake in life and feel that goodness always wins out--without

being a Pollyanna. And this is worked out according to what the

story is all about.

Q/ How does "Smurfs" differ from other cartoons?

A/ Other cartoons seem thinner--in color, story, character, set.

"Smurfs" is very rounded out--very complete. It has presence. Also,

it's very original. Compared to "Snow White," ours deals with life

and problems in a fantasy, but in a realistic way. "Snow White"

didn't deal with problems. The dwarfs are strictly fairy tale

characters, while Smurfs are like humans with human problems.

The "Smurfs" is like the "Secret Of Nimh," more like Disney.

There is more animation and more beautiful sets--more fairy tale

like. Kids are being transported from one world to another where

there is security, fun, kindness, love, etc. like an ice cream sundae

and a birthday cake. It's like going to Disneyland--a happy,

get-away-place where the ugly things have been left out.

 123

Q/ How are the voices created?

A/ The voices are sped up. We try to get character in the voices

and for them to be contrasting to each other.

Q/ How about the animation?

A/ It is full and rich, with lush backgrounds. Peyo worked with

the producers and writers to get this effect. The writers watch

while we're recording.

SARAH BAISLEY INTERVIEW

Sarah Baisley is a publicist for Hanna-Barbera. Along with

publicist John Micheli, she designed the publicity surrounding the

meteoric rise of "Smurfs." Their department was responsible for the

promotional material sent out on the "Smurfs."

Q/ What makes the "Smurfs" appealing?

A/ It has a fantasy quality to it. The old fairy tales can't be

animated today--because of the violence they have in them--children

will be scared of the mean things. Yet [ "Smurfs"] has the older

style of humor. They are doing fantasy and the old style of

animation and humor as well as some things of the future. The show

and characters have simple lines, rounded backgrounds. The drawings

are air brushed to make them look three dimensional and to soften the

lines.

Q/ How is "Smurfs" different from other cartoons?

A/ Because a primetime series is one of the goals, the stories are

 0 .

124

not written for children. Smurfs themselves are not children.

Rather, they are adult role models, expressing morality. "Smurfs"

does not talk down to kids, but rather, elevates them to understand

morality and adult role models.

The show has the old style of animation, with the violence.

That is, it has direct hitting. Gerard, the producer, argued for

this. The threat is always there because they are so small and

vulnerable. This adds conflict and drama.

The sound affects are special--they cut new sound effects for

the show. And there is a 30 piece orchestra for special

music--classical music. They are trying for a motion picture quality

with more special effects than is usually done.

Q/ How are the stories unique or different?

AI Kids get behind and root for the villain to fail. It teaches

them that there is good and bad in the world--it simplifies

morality. It teaches them to respect their elders and the wisdom

they've gained. [The show] brought back the old standards.

GARY TRUMBO INTERVIEW

Gary Trumbo is director of marketing for Wallace Berrie--the

company that merchandises Smurf products. He was with the company

when the small figurines were introduced to the American market and

has seen their phenomenal rise in popular! ty over a very short time

span. The company also markets other toys and stuffed dolls, but

none come close to matching the popularity of "Smurfs."

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Ql When did Smurfs come to America?

A/ We got the rights in August 1978 and by January, the first

product was in stores. It's been a product in Europe for 10 years

with a Ill record by Vader Abraham. It sold as a product and we

planned within 30 days to have it in card shops, gift shops, small

independent shops to get wide appeal, nation wide. And within a 30

day period i t sold in retail stores. Within 60 days, it was the

hottest product in the gift shops.

So, in July, we designed the Plush dolls and decided to build

the characters through the toys produced. We control the product:

everything is centralized under one roof. We came out with the

characters, the houses, the play sets, and diversified the next year

into other products.

Q/ When would you say Smurfs became popular?

A/ Smurfs as a product caught on in October 1980, when they were

half-way into the program. In 1981, NBC got involved and by March

the contract with NBC was signed. That announcement in March [of the

impending show] brought the toy people in. As the Smurfs became

popular in 1980, they launched the licensing division, early in

1980. The apparel people always try things that the toy people won't.

Q/ How many Smurfs merchandise are there?

A/ We now have 90 licenses, including twenty-five toy licenses, and

covering every major product category, including big wheel bikes for

kids.
 126

Q/ Where did children's familiarity with Smurfs originate: the

books or the figurines?

A/ The books hadn't been published yet [in the United States] and

the names came from the books. So there were 70 million figurines

[available] before the "Smurfs" show. The books, distributed via

Random House, followed. And five of the books, translated into

English, were on the children's best seller list: as #2,#3,#4,#5,#6,

following the perennial favorite, Judy Blume's "Super Fudge" which

was Ill.

Q/ Isn't there also a record?

A/ Yes. The Session record, distributed by Session in Cincinnati,

Ohio, is available in supermarkets and department stores. But the

voices on it are slightly different than those on the television

show. It was done in Holland, in Dutch, and translated into various

languages. It is reminiscent of the Chipmunks' songs--with higher

voices than those used on the television program.

Q/ How popular are the Smurf toys?

A/ In February 1982, at the toy fair in New York, the trade show

that decides what is hot, the number one product is Smurfs--coming to

that position from where it was unknown three years before. The

character development, accomplished via the television show, puts it

on a level of Snoopy, the Disney characters, and the Muppets. And

it's the hottest of the group.

We want to keep i t at that level. This is done through the

licenses that are signed. Coleco, one of the largest toy

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manufacturers, who always do advertising on TV and Mattel want to get

in on the bandwagon. Smurfs are also doing the Ice Capades show with

Dorothy Hammel. Basically, we want to keep them elevated as a

character by doing a float for the Macy Day parade and making the

Smurfs more than a fad, by developing their characters.

Q! What do you think is the Smurfs appeal?

A/ What is appealing about the Smurfs? The fantasy. The timing

was right. And it is a simple product doing easy things that boys

and girls do.

Q! Where do the ideas for new poses originate?

A/ The ideas for new Smurf figurines come from the children. But

the adult appeal is also there, although they don't want to admit

it. Smurfs are appealing because they do things people do. They are

shown representing various sports and occupations. We have one

character dressed up like the Easter Bunny and that program will be

on during prime time. Holidays are also a reason for buying Smurfs.

There are now 85 Smurf figures: 25 new ones are released each year.

The release pattern is spaced throughout the year. The figurines

change in the things they do, so about 15-20 are discontinued each

year.

Q/ Where do Smurfs sell best?

A/ New York is the top in sales in terms of demographics. The

figurines caught on faster there, and in the New England states, and

slowly spread West. Then, the TV show lighted the candle. Actually,
 128

the worst area in terms of sales of figurines is California.

Q/ What can the consumer buy?

A/ There are figurines and plush dolls, which includes puppets and

two houses and four play sets. The Smurf dolls make up 70%-80% of

the sales--divided evenly between figurines and plush--and all other

items make up 20%. Dollar-wise they [figurines and plush] are also

equal, with 30-40 million figurines and 5-10 million of the higher

priced plush pieces sold. The Smurf figurines are not in K-Mart type

stores, yet the licensing products are.

The Smurf posters are big sellers also. The Smurfette style is

the single best seller of the figurines and the plush, along with the

poster with Smurfette, and the Smurfette key chain. And they are

purchased mostly by girls. Smurfs appeal to boys and girls, equally,

but since 50% of the people are girls, and there is only one

Smurfette, she sells best.

Q/ How do the new poses for the figurines evolve?

A/ The new poses will be run past the designer to make sure they

are doing things the Smurfs would be doing. For example, they

wouldn't ride a horse, because a horse would be too big for them to

ride. We have Smurfs in poses here that are different than in

Europe. There wasn't a Smurfette playing soccer, because in Europe

girls don't play soccer, but there will be one here in the U.S.

Q/ Are the Smurf figurines different from other figurines?

A/ The techniques for making them improved. They use brighter and
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better paints, and there are less seam lines. In general, they

improved the quality of figurines.

Q/ What are your plans for the future?

A/ We are expanding to posters for teens, ceramics for young

adults, mugs, and music boxes for adults and collectors. In order to

develop the adult market, we plan on doing greeting cards. The show

going prime time with specials, helps introduce the Smurf characters

to an adult market.

Gargamel and his cat, Azrael, as figurines sell well. And we

will be coming out with a plush Gargamel and Azrael. Gargamel and

Azrael have come out with the cartoon when they were given

characters, and they are doing well. Smurfette did well even before

the show. We are even thinking of a Milton Bradley game. We have

prototypes of cars, power cycle, a Super Smurf, play sets, windmills,

etc.

We are looking into making a making a wardrobe for the Smurf

plush. We will give it to 10 of our key salesmen and get the

reactions from the retail market. And we will conduct focus groups

for kids' reactions.

 " '

130

SUMMARY OF THE INTERVIEWS WITH PROFESSIONALS

No one points to just one aspect of the show as being the

driving force behind its popularity. Rather, a number of different

elements are mentioned by the interviewees as being a factor in the

show's appeal. Perhaps the most often repeated response is that the

characters themselves are appealing because they behave like humans,

while going beyond human limitations. Children can identify with the

various emotions and characteristics embodied by the tiny creatures.

The consensus seems to be that over the last few years cartoons have

centered more on simple action-adventure with the characters being

rather cardboard and one dimensional. An effort is made to give the

Smurfs real dimension and character.

The professionals feel that the Smurfs represent caricatures of

humans: they are extremes. Tucker Vinson says that this identifying

with humans makes it easier for kids to relate to the Smurfs. Kids

want to believe Smurfs exist because they have the little frailties

of all humans. But there is the feeling that there is something

more than just the way Smurfs ape human behavior. The professionals

say it is the combination of well drawn characters, rooted in a

fantasy world: a world that creator Peyo calls paradise. For

although Smurfs have some little worries, there are no major

problems, except for the constant threat of a ominous villain who is

also quite humorous.

There are a number of factors that contribute to this

"fantasyland" image: the time period (the Middle Ages when sorcery

was big); the idyllic forest setting populated with small, innocent

animals; and the characters themselves who, though not human, exhibit
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human emotions.

According to Gary Trumbo, the figurines, which started the whole

mania, are perfectly suited for young children to hold in their hands

during play. And children are familiar with the activities , the

sports, occupations, etc, in which the figurines are posed. In the

group discussions held in Michigan and in California, children could

name their favorite Smurf characters. Kids could also readily and

easily concoct situations and storylines in which to place their

Smurf figurines. Likewise, because each of the Smurfs has an

identifiable character, children could anticipate how one would

behave in a given situation. In these group encounters, children

were able to act out the various Smurf identities in role playing

situations.

The stereotyping contributes to the Smurfs' appeal, by putting

their identities in a nutshell for children. They behave true to

form, much as people follow their own natures and convictions. That

predictablity is enjoyable according to Tucker Vinson because it

makes children secure. Yet, just as humans are known to act contrary

to expectations on occasion, so too do Smurfs say and do things that

go against type. And herein lies the delight for children: the

possibility of the unpredictable happening.

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Group Discussions with Children

Overview:

Quite a few of the children in the group discussion say they are

familiar with the Smurfs prior to the television premiere from the

available merchandise and from the promotional advertising. The

children mention a number of different things they like about the

little blue creatures. Kids claim they like the Smurfs because they:

are fun, cute, and little; have high small voices; use magic; care

for each other; are smart; get out of predicaments by using their

brains; and use the word "smurf" in their sentences.

One child sums it up this way: "Smurfs are popular for the

lovable stuff they do. They're helpful, courteous, responsible,

friendly and cute, with smiles on their faces. There are a lot of

adventures in one show."

Children say Smurfs are special. They like the secrecy that

surrounds them: their secret language and their secret village. All

in all, children feel that Smurfs are full of imagination because

they can do so many things that are sheer wonderment. As there is

very little the Smurfs cannot do, children's imaginations can "run

wild."

Children say that the Smurfs are basically good: they share

their things, help out one another and go to the rescue of those in

trouble. They learn lessons in life from the paternal figure in the

show, Papa Smurf. He is well respected and admired by the children

who envy and enjoy his ability to perform magic. But in addition to

his other worldly abilities, children also see him as a caring father

figure who accepts and performs his responsibilities well.

 133

Into this world where goodness and happiness reign, strikes

Gargamel, the Smurfs' natural nemesis!) He hates everything the

Smurfs stand for, and says as much: "I hate happiness and I hate the

Smurfs." Gargamel goes beyond just voicing his displeasure with the

Smurfs: he actually pursues them. And his pursuit takes the most

ominous form: he wants to eat them, or boil them and make gold.

Thus, time and again, the children see that the Smurfs are in deadly

peril. Not only is their peaceful coexistence constantly being

threatened, but their very existence is in jeopardy. Children see

Gargamel as an evil wizard and one who is very powerful; the dangers

he concocts for the Smurfs can take on many shapes and forms, and

kids say that this creates suspense for them.

One aspect of Gargamel' s character that is most often repeated

by the children is the humor he brings to the show. They recognize

that this characteristic is highly unusual for a villain. From their

experiences with television programs, they say that they know

villains as suspenseful, evil characters with little in the way of

that dimension known as humor. But Gargamel is not only an evil

wizard, kids also find him a chicken and a bumbler: he hurts himself

and cries; fouls up his own plans, and curses; blames anyone and

anything on his mishaps; and is never successful in his ultimate

attempt to conquer the Smurfs. Thus children say that he comes off

as a funny bad guy--the kind at which they love to laugh. Children

like the combination of Gargamel as evil and funny. The combination

of these two elements--his awesome power, coupled with his weak

character and bumbling ways--makes him unpredictable, and both fun

and interesting to watch.

 134

Children delight in the way Gargamel is constantly after the

Smurfs, and they understand that his whole purpose in life is to

eliminate them, or become rich because of them. Although children

describe him as mean and nasty, they say that they love to watch him

in action because his behavior provides the impetus for the

excitement in the show. Unlike some bad guys who are boring because

they do not really do much, or are not very bright and thus are

foiled easily, Gargamel is funny, smart and powerful. Many of them

describe Gargamel as the perfect mean guy: he is always after the

Smurfs and yet he goofs up in the end, or is outsmarted by the

Smurfs. At the same time, his relentless pursuit--along with his

clumsiness--make him funny and children feel sorry for him

sometimes. Children delight in his frailties: he yells at his cat,

Azrael, blaming the feline for his mistakes; forgets where the Smurf

village is located; and generally lets his greed and evil undo him.

Azrael also provides the combination of humor with suspense. As

a cat he naturally chases little creatures, but the Smurfs invariably

escape his clutches. Children see him as either goofing up and

crashing into a tree because of his own ineptitude, or the Smurfs

outsmarting him. He elicits sympathy from children because he is

abused by Gargamel, both physically and verbally. He suffers. Yet

these cruelties are done in fun, where the abused portion of Azrael's

body is immediately restored to its original form. So kids laugh

when Azrael ends up on the ceiling, or with his tail caught in the

door or on fire.

Being a cat, Azrael 's natural inclination is to chase Smurfs,

and he is also ordered to do so by Gargamel. But children note that

 135

Azrael lacks the grace of a real cat. Like his master, he is clumsy

and a chicken. Hence, they find him a source of amusement and laugh

at his many slip ups.

The relationship between Gargamel and Azrael goes a long way in

providing pleasure for children and it defines their personalities.

Children can also see a contrast between the villains and the Smurfs,

with the villains planning and working together to carry out their

schemes against the Smurfs in comparison to the way the Smurfs work

together towards some good cause.

But because it is not de riguer for boys to like girls, some of

the older boys, especially are somewhat negative about Smurfette.

They say she is ugly, stuck-up, plays hard to get, thinks too much of

herself, thinks all the Smurfs like her, and lets the other Smurfs do

things for her. However, boys say they like her when she does

exhibit moments of bravery.

Children say they can tell the Smurfs apart by their

personal! ties, their voices, and their minute physical differences.

They seem to enjoy tying various actions to appropriate Smurfs.

Children also like the way the word "smurf" is substituted in a

sentence; they find this cute and feel i t makes their brains work

when trying to understand the meaning by the context.

They describe Smurfs as different: they are blue; live in their

own mushroom houses; act differently than humans; are not mean to

each other unless they are under a spell; try to be polite and good;

and do things together--like a team they work together. Children

notice that usually Smurfs do not fight with one another. On the

rare occasion when they do argue, Papa Smurf intervenes and restores
 136

the peace. Then the Smurfs learn a lesson from the incident.

Kids say they like to watch Gargamel capture the Smurfs because

then they can watch to see what the Smurfs will do to escape, or how

Papa Smurf will counter Gargamel's spells.

Children notice that the Smurfs do what Papa tells them to do.

At the same time, they see the Smurfs are actually quite autonomous

for much of the time. Kids note that they help each other out and

try to figure a way out of the precarious situation in which they are

thrust. And when they cannot manage to escape themselves, or solve a

problem on their own, they finally turn to Papa Smurf. Children know

that Papa Smurf can be counted on to do the right thing, or have the

answer to the Smurfs' problems.

Children also like the fact that the Smurfs are not real. They

are not people, and yet kids feel that they look and act like

people. The kids describe the Smurfs as having faces and expressions

like people, but also having tails like animals. The children like

the way their small size puts them in jeopardy and adds to the

suspense of the show. Yet although Gargamel can make potions, it

really does not matter because children know that the Smurfs will

ultimately get away: they will not be killed because they know there

is no death in the Smurf village. For some children, the best thing

about the show is how the Smurfs manage to get away. Children feel

the Smurfs' methods of escape are rather ingenious.

Children say they feel the show teaches a lesson and they like

learning in this fashion because it's fun, and it teaches them to be

like the Smurfs in the way they try to do good deeds and share their

things. The kids say that they learn how to be nice by watching the
 137

Smurfs. Children compare "Smurfs" to the "Wizard of Oz" because i t

is fun to watch, and even if the plot is known, the show is funny.

Kids say they like the way the Smurfs are not human and can do

tricks: fall and bounce back up, withstand Jokey's bombs, etc. At

the same time, they say they know people who are like the different

Smurfs. They say that the different personalities allow them to have

favorites, for different reasons.

Playing with Smurf dolls and role playing:

A table is set up with Smurf toys on it and during the group

discussions, children are allowed to play with them. They also

engage in role playing situations. While they can choose from among

a variety of toys on the table, for the most part, the children most

often select the figurines. When questioned about this preference,

children say they like the smaller figurines over the larger plush

dolls and puppets because the figurines are littler and cuter and

more conducive to play as they are easier to hold in their hands.

Also, the figurines are virtually indestructible: they are pliable so

they can fall and not be damaged, and they can get wet and simply be

dried off, unharmed. The children say they like the plush dolls and

puppets for cuddling and to take to bed with them.

When asked to invent stories using the Smurf toys, a number of

things are noted. Children often concoct storylines that incorporate

elements of plots from "Smurfs" they have seen such as: Gargamel in

disguise slipping into the Smurf village, some Smurf undergoing a

physical change and having to be restored to his original state,

Gargamel finding the village but then forgetting where it is, Smurfs
 138 " '

helping each other repair the bridge, etc.

At times, children use the play sets with the various houses,

benches, etc., to enhance their storylines. Much of the play,

however, takes the form of verbal repartee and physical action. In

the stories there is mostly sharing behavior among the various Smurfs

(in one story Smurfette, dressed as a nurse, cures one Smurf of

poison ivy) and confrontations against Gargamel and Azrael (dressed

as a tennis player, Smurfette hits Gargamel with the ball and he

falls into Azrael).

Much of their play with the dolls involves humor, especially as

it relates to Gargamel and his bumbling. Gargamel and Azrael are

usually falling into things and generally goofing up. In some of the

role playing situations, children act out Gargamel looking for Smurfs

and ending up mistreating his cat, who then jumps on him.

During their play with dolls, children create scenarios where

the individual Smurf's personality figures prominently in the

storyline. Jokey holding a present means it is inevitably going to

explode because kids say that is what happens in the show. The same

few Smurfs are usually frequently called upon in the play situations

and in role playing: Papa Smurf, Smurfette, Brainy, Greedy, Handy,

Hefty, Jokey and Grouchy--the ones kids feel say or do specific

things.

Magic is also utilized quite a bit in children's play. Potions

turn Smurfs and Gargamel into various colors, shapes and sizes, as

well as ultimately saving the day on occasions. When playing with

the Smurfs, children turn to Papa Smurf for help and he serves as a

mediator in their little squabbles and offers sage advice.

 139

Jeopardy is also a part of children's play. Gargamel and Azrael

will come upon Smurfs, either as they play or work together, and

threaten them. Similar to what happens in the actual show, the

children portraying Smurfs are victorious against the villains,

extricate themselves from the situations or call on Papa Smurf to

come to the rescue.

Children also note in their stories the Smurfs concern and

appreciation for animals and nature. They say they like the way the

program shows animals in the storylines and in the background,

because they themselves like and have pets. Children say they like

the way the animals in the show are small and gentle, just like the

Smurfs.
 140

CHAPTER 5

RESULTS: CONTENT ANALYSIS AND PROGRAM DATA

 141

FINDINGS/RESULTS

This study is exploratory in nature. It is undertaken to

investigate the makeup of the Saturday morning carton show "Smurfs"

because the program performed remarkably well its first year, and to

better understand to what children's attention is being drawn. The

data is examined in a variety of ways: via a delineation of character

involvement across the different variables coded, with a ranking of

those coded variables, and by looking at the variables across the

episodes, ie., those written by the creator, Peyo, versus those

written by others.

An understanding of how the cartoon is coded, and the

abbreviations listed on the coding sheet is necessary to interpret

the findings. Behavior is coded as a single action for its duration,

even if an activity extends over a period of time, unless it is

expanded to include another character. For example, an act of magic

is coded as two instances only when it affects a third party.

However, an intent is counted as one action so that Gargamel's

chasing after a Smurf is seen as a single instance of jeopardy even

though it extends over a number of frames.

Explanation of Tables:

The following is a definition of the abbreviated terms for the

characters and behaviors coded. The observations made by

professionals and children regarding the character traits of

individual Smurfs is also included. The definitions are used in

tallying instances where Smurfs demonstrate character traits, but

most of the Smurfs' individual traits are indicated by their monikers.

 142

Papa: Head of the family, Papa serves as the primary

father figure of the group, dispensing advice and

care. He has a white beard and unlike the other

Smurfs wears red instead of white.

Smurfette: The sole female Smurf originally she was a creation

of Gargamel's sent to capture them. She was made a

Smurf because of her innate goodness. As the only

female Smurf, she has a duality to her character:

she's the feminist, acting with bravery and courage,

and also the stereotypic helpless female, crying,

and behaving passively and nearly helpless.

Brainy: The know-it-all Smurf who wears glasses and tries to

tell the others what to do. For his efforts, he

ends upside down, courtesy of those he's "bothered."

Clumsy: The klutzy Smurf.

Hefty: The strongest Smurf, He wears a small red heart on

is arm.

Handy: The fix it/inventor Smurf. Competent and adept, he

wears coveralls, his hat has a bill on it and he has

a pencil tucked behind his ear.

Jokey: Practical joker of the group, he is usually

laughing, and carrying a yellow box tied with a red

ribbon that often explodes in the face of the

recipient.
11'5..........

Grouchy: he pessimist of the group. He usually says, "I

 143

Lazy: The non-energetic one. He is always napping.

Greedy: The baker Smurf. He is making something and/or

eating it.

Poet: Poet Smurf. He is always reciting poems, saying

things like "An Ode to ••• "

Painter: Painter Smurf, equipped with a palette, is usually

painting something.

Harmony: Harmony Smurf carries a horn and usually blows it

out of tune.

Farmer: Dressed in coveralls, Farmer Smurf plants things and

tends the "fields."

Vanity: Wearing a flower on his hat, he is always admiring

himself in the mirror he carries.

Dreamy: Filled with wanderlust, Dreamy aspires to see

faraway places.

Gargamel: The Smurfs' arch nemesis. Gargamel looks human in

form but in reality he is an evil wizard whose goal

in life is to either eat the Smurfs or boil them and

make gold out of them. He usually bungles the job

on his own or else is outwitted by the Smurfs.

Azrael: Gargamel' s tom cat. He also usually chases after

the Smurfs, either on Gargamel' s orders or because

as a cat he feels an inclination to capture little

creatures. He is often unintentionally mistreated

by Gargamel whom he mimics, in voice and in deed.

 144

Grouped:

All Smurfs The total of all the Smurfs involved in an

activity. This is not tallied but simply represents

a total done after the fact.

Mult. Smurfs: When an activity is done by more than one Smurf, or

the Smurf is not identified by name or character

trait, it is coded under Multiple Smurfs.

Main Vlns: Main Villains represents the two primary villains,

Gargamel and Azrael.

Others: Usually non-continuing characters, they are not

Smurfs nor villains.

X-Vlns: Stands for the extra or other villains in the show.

Some are recurring bad guys and others appear once.

Others:

Feathers: A white bird who gives the Smurfs a lift when they

need to travel great distances or be airborne.

Fuzzles: Furry little balls of mischief that chomp on things

and multiply.

Snowbeast: The protector of the pollen Papa uses for potions.

Sir Hefty: A knight, reminiscent of Sir Lancelot, but not at

all brave.

Prple Smurfs: When a potion goes awry a few of the Smurfs become

purple, begin biting and turning others purple too.

Clockwork: Handy's wooden invention is created to work for the

Smurfs. He becomes a friend helping rescue Prince

Gerard from his evil stepmother.

 p '
145

Spell Smftte: Smurfette when she is under Gargamel' s spell and not

acting of her own accord as a Smurf.

X-Vlns:

Big Mouth: A big hungry oaf who loves to eat ••• nearly anything.

The Smurfs are in jeopardy from him, either directly,

or because he threatens to wipe out their food supply.

Ma Gargamel: Gargamel's mother. She is constantly getting after

Gargamel to succeed in his plot to snare the Smurfs.

Hogatha: An ugly witch who also threatens the Smurfs.

Bacchus: Unlike the god of wine and celebration, this Bacchus

is a mean wizard who appears in one Smurf's dreams.

Trolls: Like most trolls of legend, they live underground and

dislike the light. They want to enslave the Smurfs

and put them to work in their caves.

Howlibird: A vicious bird that intimidates the Smurfs and

squawks: "howli, howli, howli," hence his name.

Bmbst/Blst: Stands for Bombast and Bluster. Bombast is a big mean

lout who captures the Smurfs and puts them in his

sideshow. Bluster is his big bulldog.

Genie: An evil genie who is released from his bottle and

starts bullying the Smurfs.

Dragon: A fire-breathing dragon.

Ogre: A mean creature frozen for years and accidentally

released by the Smurfs.

Spider: A webbed creature who harasses the Smurfs.

 146 " '

Lightning: A bolt of lightning that strikes Vanity.

Chicken: A mean fowl who chases after the Smurfs.

Imperial: Evil stepmother who imprisons her stepson prince to

keep him from claiming his rightful inheritance.

She also has a mean dog and henchmen at her

disposal. Their actions are included in this

category.

No Characters: Incidents where no character is involved; this

applies to instances where animals and/or nature are

shown.

Definition of Behaviors: as listed on the coding sheet.

Given the hypothesis of a nurturing environment versus one of

disharmony for the family of Smurfs, the behaviors in the following

section are coded only among Smurfs, with the exception of Smurf

language and magic. The definitions of the categories indicate who

is included in each.

Caring/Harmny: Smurfs live in harmony/express concern & caring for

each other, work together.

Discord: Smurfs do not live in harmony/argue and fight with

each other.

Parent/Teach: Smurfs behave in a parental manner/ father figure:

offers protection, security, comes to the rescue and

teaches, reprimands.
 147

Outsmart Vln: Smurfs are inventive/outsmart villain(s), fight

back and get out of trouble.

Seek help Smurfs seek out help instead of doing something on

their own.

Smurf language: Substitute "smurf" for word in a sentence.

Use Magic: Create potions, use magic words, etc.

Nature/Anmls: Appreciation and concern for animals and nature.

This category includes an outright expression of

appreciation for either, or a panoramic vista that

takes in animals and nature.

Humor: Specific types of humor are coded.

Pranks: Smurfs pull pranks.

Comeuppance: Characters receive their comeuppance for their

behavior. Since it is a given that the resolution

of the story involves comeuppance, this category

includes other types of "revenge"--usually humorous

incidents as a result of obnoxious behavior.

Bumblr/Scared: Smurfs/Gargamel/Azrael: as chickens/bumblers.

Mimicry: Azrael mimics Gargamel.

Mistreated: Characters other than the Smurfs, unintentionally

mistreated by Gargamel. Gargamel means Smurfs'

harm, so they are not included in the category.

Misc. Funny: Miscellaneous Funny things that are said and done

by characters which are not included in other

categories.
 148

Jeopardy:

Coding for jeopardy looks at which villain puts the Smurfs in

jeopardy. Because the thrust of the show concerns villains pursuing

the Smurfs, coding in the jeopardy category does not include Smurfs,

except where no villains are involved (and then the coding is done in

general terms, ie., coding for all Smurfs, not citing a specific one).

Smurfs in danger:

No villains involved

From Gargamel

From Azrael

From other villains

From other non-villain characters

Combination of categories: Some of the categories are combined in

order to offer some comparisons for study.

Nurture Sit.: Combination of: Caring/Harmny, Parent/Teach/

and Outsmart Vln.

Conflict Sit.: Combination of Discord and Seeks Help.

Funny Sit.: Combination of all the Funny Situations, to

include: Pranks, Comeupance, Bumbler/Scared,

Mistreated, Mimicry, Misc. Funny.

Jeopardy Sit.: Combination of all jeopardy situations,

includes: Smurfs in danger: with no villains

involved, from Gargamel, from Azrael, from

other villains, from other non-villains.

 149

As mentioned in the methodology, three of the limitations of the

study may call into question the data collected: 1.) the category

selection is made on a rational basis; 2.) all of the characters are

not present in each episode, and therefore, they do not have equal

opportunities to exhibit the coded traits; 3.) the amount of time a

character is in a given episode varies. The findings which follow

appear to provide some support for the hypotheses proposed, but

results could also be due to the three conditions stated above.

Character appeal may account for frequency of use within the

show and addresses the first limitation. An analysis of this measure

of appeal (children's signaling out their favorite and least liked

character) is applied to the amount of time the character is in or

out of character.

The second limitation is more difficult to overcome. Because

all of the Smurfs are blue and many are identical in appearance,

unless an individual Smurf does or says something during the program,

he can not be identified. As a result, a Smurf may be in a program

but there is no way to determine this unless he is active. The

current study codes for all active Smurfs.

Robert Lewis Shayon finds that popular programs work on various

1
levels to appeal to the differences in children. This study,

therefore, seeks to investigate the Saturday morning children's

program "Smurfs" for multidimensionality--that is, looking at the

diverse elements professionals and children say make up the cartoon,

lRobert Lewis Shayon, Television and Our Children (New York:

Longmans, Green and Co., 1951). pp. 25-30.
 150

in order to ascertain to what extent they are actually utilized.

The first hypothesis delineates this diversity to include the

following.

1) "Smurfs" contains a multiplicity of characters. The data

collected on the cartoon's first year indicates that "Smurfs" indeed

contains a multiplicity of characters. As seen in Table 1, the

program is composed of a number of characters, including members of

the Smurf family, primary villains, and extra characters--both

non~villains and other "bad guys." The Smurf family nearly exceeds

the combination of all the other characters, and the family has been

expanded in subsequent years. With the exception of these extras,

the characters on "Smurfs" are involved in quite a number of the

activities coded as is evident by the coded behaviors that follow.

Table 1

All Smurfs Others Main Vlns

Papa Feathers Gargamel

Smurfette Fuzzles Azrael
Brainy Snowbeast
Clumsy Sir Hefty x--Vln~
Hefty Purple Smurfs
Handy Clockwork Big Mouth
Jokey Spell Smurfette Ma Gargamel
Grouchy Hogatha
Lazy Bacchus
Greedy Trolls
Poet Howlibird
Painter BombastiBluster
Harmony Genie
Farmer Dragon
Vanity Ogre
Dreamy Spider
Multiple Smurfs Imperial
Lightning
Chicken
No Ch~r~ct
 151

2) These Smurf characters share some common traits. One of the

expectations is realized as many common behaviors are demonstrated by

a variety of Smurfs. The table below, coded only for Smurfs, shows

that more than one Smurf is responsible for a number of activities,

specifically, those behaviors coded as caring/harmony, discord, and

outsmarting villains, as well as humorous activities, the use of the

special "smurf" language and others.

Table 2A Caring Discord Parental Outsmart Seeks Lang. Magic Nature

AllSmurfs * * * * * * * *
Papa * * * * * * *
Smurfette * * * * * * *
Brainy * * * * * *
Clumsy * * * * * * * *
Hefty * * * * * *
Handy * * * * * *
Jokey * * * * *
Grouchy *
Lazy * * *
Greedy * * * * *
Poet * * * *
Painter * *
Harmony * * * *
Farmer *
Vanity * * * *
Dreamy * * *
Mlt.Smurf * * * * * *
Table 2B Pranks Cmeupnc Bumblers/ Mistret Mimicry Funny TotFn Jeopard
AllSmurfs * * * * * *
Papa * * *
Smurfette * * * *
Brainy * * * *
Clumsy * * *
Hefty * * *
Handy * * *
Jokey * * *
Grouchy * *
Lazy * * *
Greedy * * *
Poet * * *
Painter * *
Harmony * * *
Farmer * * *
Vanity * * * *
Dreamy * * *
Mlt.Smurf * * * * *
 152 ~ .

Characters other than the Smurfs are involved in a variety of

activities. Humor and jeopardy are predominately the actions coded

for the villains and other characters.

Table 3 Pranks Comeup- Bumblers/ Mis Mimicry Misc. Total Total

pance Chicken treated Funny Funny Jeopard
Sit. Sit.

Others * * *
Feathers * *
Fuzzles * *
Snowbeast * * *
Sir Hefty * * *
PrpleSmrf * * *
Clockwork * *
SpelSmftte * * *
Main Vlns * * * * *
Gargamel * * *
Azrael * * * * *
X-Vlns * * * *
Big Mouth * * * *
MaGargmel * * * *
Hogatha * * * * *
Bacchus * * *
Trolls * * *
Howlibird * * *
Bmbst/Blst * * *
Genie *
Dragon * * *
Ogre * * *
Spider *
Imperial *
Lightning *
Chicken * * *
No Charact

There are ascribed differences that set the Smurfs apart from

each other. These distinctions are not coded as they are consistent

and unique to these characters alone, for example, the fact that

Smurfette is the only female Smurf and Papa is the oldest Smurf, or

the minor physical differences that distinguish some Smurfs.

 153 9 '

Achieved differences, in terms of their occupations and

character traits, however, are coded, because these distinctions

define the individual Smurfs' characters. Unlike ascribed

differences, other Smurfs are able to exhibit the same traits if

desired. However, a distinction of "Smurfs" is that achieved traits

are typically demonstrated by only one Smurf, for example, Farmer

Smurfs' hoeing the field, Painter Smurf drawing, and Vanity posing.

3) In addition to the common traits expected, one of the

study's objectives is to see if some Smurf characters demonstrate

certain behaviors more than others, that is, if some are more

representative of the shared behaviors than are others. Table 4

finds this to be true in a number of categories. For example,

Smurfette demonstrates more caring behavior than any other individual

Smurf, while Papa most obviously stands for the parental authority

figure. He also does most of the magic on the show. Brainy, Clumsy,

Hefty and Handy are prominently involved in humorous incidents, and

account for much of the Smurfs' involvement in funny situations.

Table 4 also indicates what kinds of humorous activities are

involved. With Clumsy, for example, these funny moments are derived

primarily because of his bumbling ways.

 154

Table 4A Caring Discord Parental Outsmart Seeks Smurf Use Nature

Harmony Teach Vln Help Lang Magic Anmls

AllSmurfs 374 98 310 70 50 368 44 10

Papa 24 1 272 10 2 132 40

Smurfette 102 4 11 16 19 30 9
Brainy 5 5 2 6 31 1
Clumsy 6 2 3 2 5 9 2 1
Hefty 11 3 4 10 3 36
Handy 11 5 5 2 15 1
Jokey 5 9 1 3 6
Grouchy 6
Lazy 1 1 7
Greedy 9 5 1 3 20
Poet 3 1 1 7
Painter 1 1
Harmony 4 3 3 7
Farmer 6
Vanity 5 2 1 14
Dreamy 1 1 21
Mlt.Smurf 190 63 9 17 7 21
Table 4B Pranks Comeup- Bumblers/ Mis Mimicry Misc. Total Total
pance Chicken treated Funny Funny Jeopard
Sit. Sit.
AllSmurfs 31 64 199 38 331 26
Papa 8 3 11
Smurfette 3 6 2 11
Brainy 63 25 9 97
Clumsy 69 4 73
Hefty 15 4 19
Handy 3 1 4
Jokey 16 1 17
Grouchy 3 3
Lazy 8 1 9
Greedy 8 3 11
Poet 1 2 3
Painter 1 1
Harmony 1 1 2
Farmer 2 1 3
Vanity 2 12 1 15
Dreamy 11 1 12
Mlt.Smurf 9 25 6 40 26

4) "Smurfs" presents a nurturing environment where harmony,

helpfulness, cooperation, ingenuity and the appreciation of nature is

encouraged. It became apparent in talking with children and industry

professionals, that a nurturing environment played a role in

children's liking of the program. The portrayal of a safe,

 155

harmonious and positive atmosphere in which the Smurfs dwell, is

expected therefore to emerge as a dominant variable of the show.

In order to examine this idea of a nurturing society versus one

filled with disharmony, part four of the first hypothesis is examined

in a number of ways: looking at a nurturing environment as a

combination of many variables (Table 5A) and by examining the single

variables within this umbrella category (Table 5B). The percentage

of each variable against the total number of coded behaviors is

listed in parentheses. The tables follow.

Table 5A Nurturing Situations (36% total coded actions)

Papa 306 (34%)

Smurfette 219 (24%)
Multiple Smurfs 216 (24%)
Not Character 45 ( 5%)
Hefty 25 ( 3%)
Clumsy 21 ( 2%)
Handy 21 ( 2%)
Greedy 10 ( 1%)
Jokey 9 ( 1%)
Vanity 8 (.9%)
Harmony 7 (.8%)
Brainy 7 (.8%)
Dreamy 2 (.2%)
Lazy 1 (.1%)
Painter 1 ( .1%)
Poet 1 ( .1%)
The behaviors included in the nurturing category (36%) are:

caring/harmony (ie., expressing concern for others, caring for one

another, working together, and living in harmony together, 15%);

parental/teaching traits (behaving in a parental and or teaching

manner, coming to the rescue of another, offering protection and

advice, and teaching and reprimanding, 12%); encouraging the use of

inventive activities when doing something, (particularly when

outsmarting the villains, 3%); and showing children an appreciation

for nature and animals 2%).

 156

From the ranking, it is clear that Smurfette and Papa are quite

involved in the nurturing environment, but the Smurfs as a group are

also very active in this regard.

Table 5B Ranking of Individual Nurturing Situations

Caring (15%) Parental (12%) Outsmart (3%) Nature (2%)

Mlt.Smurf 190 Papa 272 Mult. Smurfs 17 Not Char. 45

Smurfette 102 Smurfette 11 Smurfette 16 Smurfette 9
Papa 24 Mlt.Smurfs 9 Papa Smurf 10 Clumsy 1
Handy 11 Handy 5 Hefty 10
Hefty 11 Hefty 4 Handy 5
Greedy 9 Clumsy 3 Harmony 3
Clumsy 6 Brainy 2 Jokey 3
Brainy 5 Vanity 2 Clumsy 2
Jokey 5 Dreamy 1 Poet 1
Vanity 5 Jokey 1 Greedy 1
Harmony 4 Painter 1
Lazy 1 Vanity 1
Dreamy 1

The opposing side, that of conflict situations, is composed of

two categories of discord and seeking help (Table 6A) and comprises

only 6% of all coded behaviors. Singly, discord (arguing and

fighting), is 4% of the total coded behaviors, and seeking help

(instead of providing assistance) is 2% (Table 6B).

Table 6A Conflict Situations (6% of total coded actions)

Mult. Smurfs 70 (47%)

Smurfette 23 (16%)
Brainy 11 ( 7%)
Jokey 9 ( 7%)
Greedy 8 ( 5%)
Clumsy 7 ( 5%)
Hefty 6 ( 4%)
Poet 4 ( 3%)
Papa 3 ( 2%)
Harmony 3 ( 2%)
Handy 2 ( 1%)
Painter 1 ( 1%)
Lazy 1 ( 1%)
 157

No one Smurf stands out as being the argumentative one (other

than Brainy's know-it-all attitude). But as a group, they sometimes

get into disagreements with each other. Nevertheless, the periods of

disharmony or conflict are not as prevalent as the expressions of

harmony and caring.

Table 6B Ranking of Individual Conflict Situations

Discord (4%) Seeks Help (2%)

Mult. Smurfs 63 Smurfette 19

Jokey 9 Mult. Smurfs 7
Brainy 5 Brainy 6
Greedy 5 Clumsy 5
Smurfette 4 Hefty 3
Poet 3 Greedy 3
Harmony 3 Handy 2
Clumsy 2 Painter 1
Papa 1 Poet 1
Lazy 1

These conflicting behaviors are not as numerous in number or in

type as nurturing situations. Table 7 shows that Smurfs are engaged

more in nurturing activities (86%) than situations of conflict (14%).

Table 7 Comparison: Nurturing Situations and Conflicting Situations

Nurturing Situations (86%) Conflict Situations (14%)

Papa 306 Mult. Smurfs 70

Smurfette 219 Smurfette 23
Mlt. Smurfs 216 Brainy 11
Not Char 45 Jokey 9
Hefty 25 Greedy 8
Clumsy 21 Clumsy 7
Handy 21 Hefty 6
Greedy 10 Poet 4
Jokey 9 Papa 3
Vanity 8 Harmony 3
Harmony 7 Handy 2
Brainy 7 Painter 1
Dreamy 2 Lazy 1
Lazy 1
Painter 1
Poet 1
 158

6) "Smurfs" utilizes magic within the show's storylines (Table

8). Although magic accounts for only 3% of the behavior on the show,

most of it is performed by either Papa Smurf (57%) or Gargamel

(23%). Others sometimes get hold of a potion, like Clumsy (1%) or

Hefty (3%), usually with surprising results.

Table 8 Use Magic ( 3% coded actions)

Papa 40 (57%)
Gargamel 16 (23%)
Bacchus 7 (10%)
Clumsy 2 ( 3%)
Brainy 1 ( 1%)
Hogatha 1 ( 1%)
Handy 1 ( 1%)

5) The Smurfs' language is pervasive. Although it accounts for

only 15% of the behavior, most of the Smurfs "speak" this "dialect."

The use of the Smurf language varies by Smurf. Some utilize it more

often than others. This difference might be attributed to the amount

of time a given Smurf speaks: some may just not speak as often as

others.

Table 9 Smurf Language (15% coded actions)

Papa Smurf 132 (35%) Clumsy 9 ( 2%)

Hefty 36 (10%) Lazy 7 ( 2%)
Brainy 31 ( 8%) Harmony 7 ( 2%)
Smurfette 30 ( 8%) Poet 7 ( 2%)
Mlt. Smurfs 21 ( 6%) Farmer 6 ( 2%)
Dreamy 21 ( 6%) Jokey 6 ( 2%)
Greedy 20 ( 5%) Grouchy 6 ( 2%)
Handy 15 ( 5%) Gargamel 5 ( 2%)
Vanity 14 ( 5%) XV-Hogatha 1 (.3%)
 159 il '

H.A. Eastman and M.A. Liss find that children of various ages

express preferences for different shows and these preferences are

based on the characteristics inherent in programs, such as those

2
elements found in action-oriented shows or in situation comedies.

Jacob J. Wakshlag, Kenneth D. Day and Dol£ Zillman point out the
3
significance of humor as a factor in a program's appeal. The

current study finds that humor is a major contributing factor in the

make up of "Smurfs," accounting for 33% of the total behaviors coded.

Content analysis examines "Smurfs" for the varied features to

which children are responding and which may account for its large and

loyal viewing audience. Table 10 indicates the larger number of

humorous situations coded (74%) compared to the situations of

jeopardy in the program (26%).

The hypothesis of humor's contribution to the show is evident

from Table 10. The Smurfs, secondary characters, main villains,

recurring antagonists and even errant bad guys are involved at least

to some extent in some humorous activities. The content analysis

breaks down the funny behavior into types: pranks, bumblers and

chickens, mimicry, unintentional mistreatment, comeuppance, and

miscellaneous funny behavior.

2H.A. Eastman and M.A. Liss, "Tv Preferences of Children From

Four Parts of the U.S.," Journalism Quarterly 57 (Autumn 1980):
488-90.

3Jacob J. Wakshlag, Kenneth D. Day and Dol£ Zillman,

"Selective Exposure to Educational Television Programs as a Function
of Differently Paced Humorous Inserts," Journal of Educational
Psychology 73 (Winter 1981): 27-32.
 160

Table 10
Ranking of Funny Situations Versus Jeopardy Situations

Funny Situations (74%) Jeopardy Situations (26%)

Azrael 225 Gargamel 118

Gargamel 151 Azrael 43

Brainy 97 Mlt. Smurfs 26

Clumsy 73 Trolls 22
Mlt.Smurfs 40 Big Mouth 16
Hogatha 23 Imperial et al 12
Big Mouth 20 Bacchus 9
Hefty 19 Genie 8
Jokey 17 Bombast/Bluster 8
Vanity 15 Sir Hefty 7
Clock Work 14 Hogatha 5
Dreamy 12 Spell Smurfette 5
Greedy 11 Howlibird 5
Smurfette 11 Snowbeast 2
Papa 11 Ma Gargamel 2
Fuzzles 10 Ogre 1
Lazy 9 Dragon 1
Bombast/Bluster 9 Chicken 1
Purple Smurfs 7 Spider 1
Trolls 6 Purple Smfs 1
Snowbeast 6 Lightning 1
Howlibird 5
Dragon 5
Handy 4
Ma Gargamel 4
Farmer 3
Grouchy 3
Chicken 3
Poet 3
Bacchus 3
Sir Hefty 3
Harmony 2
Ogre 2
Spell Smft 1
Painter 1
 161

Two main expectations of the study concern the villains. The

second hypothesis holds that "Smurfs" has a prominent villainous

force in Gargamel and Azrael. Table 11 indicates that of the

villains in the show, Gargamel and Azrael account for the majority of

suspenseful situations involving the Smurfs (55%). All other

villains combined account for 31%.

Table 11 Jeopardy Situations (12% coded actions)

Main Villains: (Gargamel & Azrael) 161 (55%)

Gargamel 118
Azrael 43

X-Vlns: (other villains) 92 (31%)

Trolls 26
Big Mouth 16
Imperial 12
Bacchus 9
Genie 8
Bombast/Bluster 8
Hogatha 5
Howlibird 5
Ma Gargamel 2
Ogre 1
Dragon 1
Chicken 1
Spider 1
Lightning 1
 162

The other area where anticipated findings hold true is in the

way these two villains are utilized. Gargamel and Azrael are similar

to villains in such family classics as "Snow White," "Bambi," and

other Disney notables in providing conflict for the hero, 4 because

the villainous elements in "Smurfs" are also humorous. Content

analysis finds the third hypothesis to be true in terms of the

villains contributions to the humor in the show. Table 12 shows

disruption and conflict, caused by the villains, is expressed more

often in the form of humor (70%) than suspense (30%).

Table 12

Villains Participation in Humor Versus Jeopardy

Funny Situations (70%) Jeopardy Situations (30%)

Main Villains 376 Main Villains 161

Azrael 225 Gargamel 118
Gargamel 151 Azrael 43

X-Vlns 80 X-Vlns 92
Hogatha 23 Trolls 26
Big Mouth 20 Big Mouth 16
Bombast/Bluster 9 Imperial 12
Trolls 6 Bacchus 9
Howlibird 5 Genie 8
Dragon 5 Bombast/Bluster 8
Ma Gargamel 4 Hogatha 5
Chicken 3 Howlibird 5
Bacchus 3 Ma Gargamel 2
Ogre 2 Ogre 1
Dragon 1
Chicken 1
Spider 1
Lightning 1

4Richard E. Wiley "Family Viewing: A Balancing of Interest,"

Journal of Communication 26 (Spring 1977): 188-92.
 163

Gargamel and Azrael account for more humorous incidents than

even the Smurfs. Smurfs are responsible for 40% of the coded

humorous incidents. The remaining 60% hinge on villains and other

characters. Gargamel and Azrael comprise the bulk of that 60%: they

account for 45% of the humorous incidents coded (Table 13).

Table 13 Responsibility for Funny Situations and Jeopardy Situations

Funny Situations Jeopardy Situations

Main Villains 376 (45%) Main Villains 161 (55%)

Azrael 225 (27%) Gargamel 118 (40%)
Gargamel 151 (18%) Azrael 43 (15%)

All Smurfs 331 (40%)

Brainy 97 Multiple Smurfs 26
Clumsy 73 Trolls 22
Multiple Smurfs 40 Big Mouth 16
Hogatha 23 Imperial 12
Big Mouth 20 Bacchus 9
Hefty 19 Genie 8
Jokey 17 Bombast/Bluster 8
Vanity 15 Sir Hefty 7
Clockwork 14 Hogatha 5
Dreamy 12 Spell Smurfette 5
Smurfette 11 Snowbeast 2
Papa 11 Ma Gargamel 2
Fuzzles 10 Ogre 1
Lazy 9 Dragon 1
Bombast/Bluster 9 Chicken 1
Purple Smurfs 7 Spider 1
Trolls 6 Purple Smurfs 1
Snowbeast 6 Lightning 1
Howlibird 5
Dragon 5
Handy 4
Ma Gargamel 4
Farmer 3
Grouchy 3
Chicken 3
Poet 3
Bacchus 3
Sir Hefty 3
Harmony 2
Ogre 2
Spell Smurfette 1
Painter 1
 164

The multiplicity of "Smurfs" reaches beyond the expression of

humor in villainous characters. In "Smurfs," both heros and villains

are involved in situations of humor and jeopardy. Therefore, the

fourth hypothesis, that within the elements of suspense and humor

there is a multiplicity evidenced, is found to be true. The

situations of jeopardy coded, involve Smurfs with and without

villains. Where villains are found to be the cause of the suspense,

the specific villain responsible is noted.

Gargamel and Azrael make up 55% of all the jeopardy coded in the

show and 45% of the humor. Table 14 shows that in comparison to the

suspense they create, (30%), they initiate more humor. The other

villains, however, do not exhi hit this duality of character to the

same extent. They are more in line with traditional villains,

providing jeopardy and suspense for the heros but contributing less

humor.

Table 14
Total Funny (45%) Jeopardy ( 55%)

Main Villains 537 376 (70%) Main Villains 161 (30%)

Gargamel 269 151 (56%) Gargamel 118 (44%)
Azrael 268 225 (84%) Azrael 43 (16%)

X-Vlns 172 80 (47%) X-Vlns 92 (53%)

Content analysis finds that in the combined categories, more

time is devoted to conveying a nurturing environment (36%) and

displaying humorous situations (33%) than to incidents of conflict

(6%) and jeopardy (12%). Table 15 shows the actual frequencies and

percentages for each variable within the program. Five categories

make up the bulk of activities: bumblers/chicken (17%), caring (15%),

Smurf language (15%), parental (12%), and jeopardy (12%).

 165

Table 15 Frequency of appearance Percentage

Bumblers 433 17%

Caring 374 15%
Language 374 15%
Parental 310 12%
Jeopardy 294 12%
Discord 98 4%
Outsmart 70 3%
Magic 70 3%
Nature/Animals 55 2%
Seek Help 50 2%
Misc. Funny 155 6%
Comeuppance 66 3%
Mistreated 63 3%
Mimicry 83 3%
Pranks 31 1%
Nurturing Situations 899 36%
Funny Situations 829 33%
Jeopardy Situations 294 12%
Conflict Situations 148 6%
The variables are pervasive and most appear in a majority of the

episodes coded (Table 16). Four of the fifteen tabulated appear in

all thirty nine shows: caring, parental, bumblers, and jeopardy while

Smurf language is used in 38. The remaining rank: outsmart (77%),

discord and magic (72%), nature (69%), seek help (64%), misc. funny

incidents (64%), comeuppance and mistreat (59%), mimicry (51%) and

pranks (41%).

Table 16 Number of Episodes in which Variables Appear:

Appear In Percent
Caring 39 100%
Parental 39 100%
Bumblers 39 100%
Jeopardy 39 100%
Language 38 97%
Outsmart 30 77%
Discord 28 72%
Magic 28 72%
Nature/Animals 27 69%
Seek Help 25 64%
Misc. Funny 25 64%
Comeuppance 23 59%
Mistreated 23 59%
Mimicry 20 51%
Pranks 16 41%
 166 ~j •

Table 17 shows the amount of time that is spent in each of the

coded categories. Instances where characters appear as bumblers, use

expressions of caring, use of language and exhibitions of parental

behavior are obviously the most prevalent activities occurring in the

show. Caring and Parental categories include some of the same kinds

of behavior but are separated in this study in order to examine each

on its own. However, if these two categories are combined they make

up the most predominant type of activity occurring in the show. When

looking at a number of similar categories in a combined state, it is

clear that nurturing situations and funny situations make up the

majority of the activities taking place on the show.

Table 17 Percent of Time Spent in Each Variable

Bumblers 433 17%

Caring 374 15%
Language 374 15%
Parental 310 12%
Jeopardy 294 12%
Misc. Funny 155 6%
Discord 98 4%
Mimicry 83 3o/
'0

Outsmart 70 3%
Magic 70 3%
Comeuppance 66 3%
Mistreated 63 3%
Nature/Animals 55 2%
Seek Help 50 2%
Pranks 31 1%

Combined Categories

Nurturing Situations 899 36%

Conflict Situations 148 6%

Total Funny Situations 829 33%

Total Jeopardy Situations 294 12%
 167

The Smurfs bear close physical resemblance to one another, yet

children have said that they can distinguish them because of certain

behavior traits. Beyond the activities they share, this study looks

at the number of instances where individual Smurfs demonstrate traits

that are solely theirs. The hypothesis that Smurfs who exhibit

personality traits are utilized more in the program than those which

are merely vocational representatives is, in most cases found to be

true. Papa, the father, Brainy, the know-it-all, and the others in

the personality category, are usually featured more in the show and

liked better than their vocational family members, such as Farmer,

Poet, etc.

The characters who exhibit personality traits are: Papa,

Smurfette, Brainy, Clumsy, Hefty, Jokey, Grouchy, Lazy, Greedy,

Vanity, and Handy (seen as being helpful and adept with his hands

rather than used as Carpenter Smurf). Those used as occupational

representations: are Harmony (because he plays a horn instead of

representing harmonious feelings) Dreamy (more an adventurer and

wanderer rather than a dreamer) Poet, Painter and Farmer. If the

first two in this list, Harmony and Dreamy, begin to demonstrate the

attribute sides of their personalities, they can be moved into the

former classification. While all of the Smurfs in the first

classification do not act out of character, many do things that are

unexpected and not in keeping with their monikers. Because the

Smurfs in the second classification represent vocational activities,

by definition, they can not act out of character unless they are

coded everytime they are not "doing" their "jobs." They can not

contribute to children's delight in being surprised (Table 18).

 168

A Spearman-rho non-parametric correlation is conducted on the

rank ordering of frequency of appearance across all coded variables

and frequency of appearance in and out of character.

Some correlation seems to exist with frequency of appearance and

behaving in type. This suggests an identification of behavior by

character traits. Smurfs that score high in certain activities might

be said to be acting "in character."

At the same time it should be noted that frequency of appearance

in the show might also be a contributing factor; Papa and Smurfette

are principal characters in the show. Smurfette never acts out of

character and Papa does so on occasion, and yet they both are very

active in a number of the coded variables.

Column one is the frequency of coded appearances; two and three

is the percentage of time spent in or out of character in
comparison to each other; and the third and fourth column is the
amount of time spent in character versus amount spent out of
character.
Table 18 Frequency Frequency of Percentage Percentage
Variables Occur.In/Out Compared oth in vs out
Coded II In Out % In % Out % In % Out

Papa 492 298 34 24% 48% 90% 10%

Smurfette 202 212 0 17% 0% 100% 0%
Brainy 147 140 6 11% 8% 96% 4%
Grouchy 9 118 14 9% 20% 89% 13%
Hefty 86 99 2 8% 3% 98% 2%
Greedy 49 79 1 6% 1% 99% 1%
Clumsy 103 63 1 5% 1% 98% 2%
Jokey 41 65 10 5% 14 87% 13%
Lazy 18 54 3 4% 4% 95% 5%
Vanity 37 37 0 3% 0% 100% 0%
Handy 43 35 0 3% 0% 100% 0%
Harmony 19 33 0 3% 0% 100% 0%
Dreamy 33 11 0 1% 0% 100% 0%
Poet 14 19 0 3% 0% 100% 0%
Farmer 9 9 0 3% 0% 100% 0%
Painter 3 9 0 1% 0% 100% 0%
Spearman-rho non-parametric correlation for frequency and
behavior in character.
rs = .76 Frequency coded appearances with in character(#l&#2)
 169

Children are asked to name their favorite character and their

least favorite character in the survey's unaided open ended

question. Table 19 lists the appeal measure taken from the survey's

coded open ends. Papa Smurf heads the list of characters children

have named favorites, followed closely by Smurfette. Both seem to be

experiencing some same gender appeal: Papa is rated highest among

boys while Smurfette is liked best among girls. Other Smurfs follow,

but at a distance. In descending order, they are: Hefty (liked by

boys and girls), Handy (better among boys), Jokey (boys prefer his

mischievous ways) and Clumsy (fairly even appeal among boys and

girls). At lower levels comes Grouchy, Brainy, Lazy and Greedy.

Table 19
Children's Favorite and Least Liked Characters
(Coded Open Ended Questions From Survey Results)

CHARACTERS: Total Boys Girls

Fav./Least Fav./Least Fav./Least

Papa Smurf 91/6 52/2 39/4

Smurfette 88/17 28/13 60/4
Hefty 23/1 10/0 13/1
Handy 22/5 14/4 8/1
Jokey 19/3 12/1 7/2
Clumsy 18/15 10/6 8/9
Grouchy 10/19 5/8 5/11
Brainy 7/32 3/16 4/16
Lazy 3/4 2/2 1/2
Greedy 1/3 1/3 0/0
 170

The three villains mentioned by children fall in with the last

grouping if considered as favorites. Gargamel in particular has a

high negative score. However, it is apparent from the discussions

that he is well received by children. It may well be a case of

children "booing" the villain. To account for possible rating of the

villains at lower levels as well as scoring down those Smurfs with

less agreeable natures (for example, Brainy, the pseudo-intellectual,

Grouchy, who is perpetually in a "bad" mood, and Clumsy, the socially

inept Smurf), the positive and negative valences that children have

assigned characters are combined into a single category and labeled

as "mentioned." In this new grouping, Gargamel places third. Table

20 shows the ranking of characters if they are mentioned in either

respect. Of interest is the negative scores for some of the

characters among boys and girls. Boys appear to have more tolerance

for Jokey's shenanigans, but little affinity for Smurfette (some boys

admit their dislike for her is based only on her being female). Both

boys and girls have little patience with Brainy's pontificating.

Table 20 Children's Favorite and Least Liked Characters

(Coded Open Ended Questions From Survey Results)
Characters: Mentioned Total Boys Girls
(Pos. +Neg.) (Fav./Least) (Fav./Least) (Fav./Least)
Papa Smurf 97 91/6 52/2 39/4
Smurfette 105 88/17 28/13 60/4
Brainy 39 7/32 3/16 4/16
Clumsy 33 18/15 10/6 8/9
Hefty 24 23/1 10/0 13/1
Handy 27 22/5 14/4 8/1
Jokey 22 19/3 12/1 7/2
Grouchy 29 10/19 5/8 5/11
Lazy 7 3/4 2/2 1/2
Greedy 4 1/3 1/3 0/0

Gargamel 88 5/83 3/40 2/43

Azrael 14 3/10 1/5 2/5
Big Mouth 10 2/8 1/3 1/5
 171

A high correlation between appeal and behaving in character and

mentioned and behaving in character is found to exist in a

Spearman-rho non-parametric correlation coefficient. The high

correlation may be due in part to two members who head the top of

both lists, Papa and Smurfette. Hm-1ever, the correlation of

frequency of appearance in the coded variables with favorite and

mention is not as high, suggesting that appeal is not necessarily a

factor of time spent on screen.

Table 21 Ranked Comparison: Appeal Versus Behaving In/Out of Character

Favorite Mention In Out

(Pos/Neg) (Of All) (Of All)

Papa 492 91/6 Smfet 105 Papa 24% Papa 48%

Smfet 202 88/17 Papa 97 Smfet 17% Grouchy 20%
Hefty 86 23/1 Brainy 39 Brainy 11% Jokey 14%
Handy 43 22/5 Clumsy 33 Grouchy 9% Brainy 8%
Jokey 41 19/3 Grouchy 29 Hefty 8% Lazy 4%
Clumsy 103 18/15 Handy 27 Greedy 6% Hefty 3%
Grouchy 9 10/19 Hefty 24 Clumsy 5% Greedy 1%
Brainy 147 7/32 Jokey 22 Jokey 5% Clumsy 1%
Lazy 18 3/4 Lazy 7 Lazy 4%
Greedy 10 1/3 Greedy 4 Vanity 3% Rest Stay
Handy 3% In Character
Dreamy 1%
Poet 1%
Painter 1%
Farmer 1%

rs = .82 Favorite with In Character (columns 2 & 4)

rs = .90 Mention with In Character (columns 3 & 5)
rs = .54 Favorite w/frequency of appearance coded (1 & 2)
rs = .71 Mention w/frequency appearance coded (1 & 3)
 172

The final hypothesis states that Smurfs who embody personality

traits are liked better and used more than Smurfs who are

occupational representatives. Compared to the times Papa's in

character, he acts out of character more than most other Smurfs (90%

vs 10%) while Smurfette is never seen out of character. Yet both are

the most involved Smurfs in many activities and they are also cited

as the most appealing Smurfs. This seeming contradiction might best

be explained in the way they are defined. Papa is coded as the

father figure and he gets involved in many of the nurturing

activities. His character is also very clearly defined and when he

does not exhibit parental wisdom he is coded as being out of

character. Smurfette, however, is defined with more duality to her

nature. As the only woman, she represents all the various attributes

the other Smurfs embody singly. Therefore, it is not really possible

for her to act out of character because her character is very

complex. Part of her personality sees her involved in a number of

nurturing activities, and her other side adopts less valued behaviors.

Statistical analysis is conducted to examine the correlation

between a rank ordering of character appeal (as determined by an

answer of "favorite" on the survey's open ended question) and

frequency of appearance across the coded variables (Table 22A & B and

Table 23). Spearman-rho correlation coefficient analysis is

appropriate to to conduct correlations on these measures. Findings

indicate fairly high correlations with: harmony, parental, inventive,

nature and the combination category, nurturing, and also fairly

significant levels (.00474, .01338, .00062, .00021 respectively).

 173

Table 22A
Spearman-rho Correlations
10 Principals Characters

Variables across Appeal: Favorite, Mentioned and Least Liked

Favorite:

Harmony Discord Parental Inventive Seeks Lang Magic Nature

Corr: .74 -.08 .90 .89 .13 .47 .31 .29

Sig. .007 .41 .001 .001 .36 .09 .19 .21

Funny Prank Comepanc Bumbler Total Fun Nurture Conflict

.01 .42 -.29 -.67 .05 .82 .10

.50 .12 .21 .43 .44 .002 .39

Table 22B
Least:

Harmony Discord Parental Inventive Seeks Lang Magic Nature

-.16 -.18 .12 -.27 .31 -.03 .38 .36

.33 .31 .37 .22 .19 .50 .33 .16

Funny Prank Comepanc Bumbler Total Fun Nurture Conflict

.12 .15 .52 .16 .28 -.19 .10

.37 .34 .06 .33 .22 .30 .40

Table 23
Mentioned:
(Combination of Favorite/Least Liked)

Harmony Discord Parental Inventive Seeks Lang Magic Nature

.43 -.06 .71 .39 .50 .44 .53 .54

.11 .43 .01 .13 .07 .10 .06 .05

Funny Prank Comepanc Bumbler Total Fun Nurture Conflict

.29 .30 .29 .26 .36 .45 .28
.20 .20 .21 .23 .15 .09 .21
 174

The high correlations can be traced to just one or two

characters (usually Papa and Smurfette) who account for much of the

activity in these categories. There is some correlation between

appeal and language, pranks, and magic, but significance levels are

not as good on these measures. "Mentioned" correlates with: harmony,

parental, inventive and nurturing, but at lower levels and with less

significance. Because the "mentioned" category includes negative

citings by children it correlates higher than favorite on the less

positive variables of: seeks help, magic, funny, comeuppance,

bumblers, total funny situations and conflicting situations.

Significance levels are not good. "Least liked" correlates only with

comeuppance (Table 22A & Band Table 23).

Spearman-rho correlation coefficient data can produce a

scattergram that visually displays the high and low correlations,

identifying in which variables the characters are most active (Tables

24-31). The horizontal gradations represents the characters' appeal:

a character remains on this horizontal level across all variables. A

character's score on the various measures is indicated by reading the

placement across the vertical grids. For example, Papa and Smurfette

are always represented by the top two asterisks, but their position

from left to right change in each table, dependent on their activity

within a coded variable. In the Harmony and Caring category (Table

24A) Smurfette is most active but she and Papa switch positions on

the vertical grid on the Parental category (Table 24B). The

researcher separated these two similar activities to better

understand for what types of nurturing behavior each was responsible:

Papa's nurturing behavior manifests itself in a parental fashion.

 175

Jokey, Brainy and Clumsy are the primary forces behind the humor for

the Smurf family. However, each displays his "funny" side in a

different manner: Jokey is the prankster (Table 29B), Brainy receives

his due comeuppance (Table 30A) and Clumsy in physically and socially

inept (Table 30B), as his name implies.

Discord and seeking help are not significant (Table 23).

Looking at the scattergram, it is evident that virtually no pattern

exists. No one individual Smurf is responsible for the instances of

disharmony in the show. Rather, a number of them exhibit this

behavior from time to time. Harmony, parental, inventive and

nurturing do show a slight pattern in positive correlation with

appeal but Papa and Smurfette are explaining most of it, with the

other Smurfs clustered. Similarly, Smurf language and magic have

positive correlations and some significance but as seen in the

scattergram, a few characters account for all of it. Discord, seeks

help, conflict have poor correlations and significance levels: the

characters are scattered over the grid.

Appendix B gives complete tabulations for the content analysis

over different measures and includes exact percentages: Tables

32A,B,C are the percentage of time characters spend in coded

activities, Tables 33A,B,C are the percentage of participation within

a category. A brief summary of the 39 stories is also included in

appendix A.
 176

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 184

Table 32 shows the instances where Smurfs voluntarily put

themselves in jeopardy to help someone else out of a dangerous

situation (in 74% of the stories,) and the stories that contain a

moral or lesson (in 92% of the segments coded). Also, the episodes in

which Gargamel and Azrael appeared (72%).

Table 32 Danger* Moral** Gargamel***

N= 29(74%) N= 36(92%) Azrael(72%)
Story Titles:

All That Glitters Isn't Smurf * ** ***

Bewitched, Bothered and Besmurfed * ** ***
Dreamy's Nightmare ** ***
Foul Weather Smurf **
Fuzzle Trouble ** ***
Gargamel the Generous * ** ***
Haunted Smurf * **
Jokey's Medicine * ** ***
King Smurf **
Now You Smurf 'Em * **
Painter and Poet * ** ***
Paradise Smurfed * **
Romeo and Smurfette * ** ***
Sideshow Smurf * ** ***
Sir Hefty * ** ***
Smurf Colored Glasses * **
Smurfette's Dancing Shoes * ** ***
Smurphony in C * ** ***
Sorcerer Smurf * ***
Soup Ala Smurf * ** ***
Splunking Smurf * ** ***
St. Smurf and the Dragon ** ***
Super Smurf * ** ***
The Abominable Snowbeast * **
The Astrosmurf * ** ***
The Baby Smurf * ***
The Clockwork Smur£ * ***
The Fake Smurf * ** ***
The Fountain of Smurf * **
The Hundreth Smurf **
The Hagic Egg ** ***
The Hagical Meanie * ** ***
The Magnifying Mixture ** ***
The Purple Smurfs **
The Smurfette * ** ***
The Smurfs Apprentice * ** ***
The Smurfs and the Howlibird * **
The Smurfs and the Money Tree ** ***
Vanity Fare * ** ***
 185

This study looks primarily at the data in terms of percentages

and rank ordering which is appropriate for the information

collected.* However, the researcher wished to go beyond this and

apply some statistical tests to determine if the observed differences

would hold up as being significantly different.

The impending shortage of stories written by the show's creator,

Peyo, is of some concern to the professionals. For this reason the

researcher wished to examine the stories that are solely Peyo's work

against those done by others to determine if any differences exist.

Peyo wrote the majority of the stories the first year: of the 39

segments, Peyo has full authorship of 30 (77%) and contributes the

concept in five more (90%) while the remaining four are conceived and

written by others. Statistics (a t-test) are used to get some sense

of how noteworthy any differences might be. T test is appropriate to

measure differences between two population means.

Statistical analysis of the data indicates little significant

difference across the variables between the Peyo stories and those

being written by others. As seen in Table 33 there is no significant

difference found in the following variables: Harmony & Caring;

Discord; Parental Protect; Inventive & Help; Seeks Help; Magic;

Nature & Animals; Funny; Pranks; Comeuppance; Bumblers & Chickens;

and Jeopardy & Suspense. The combined categories of Total Funny

Situations and Nurturing and Conflict Situations are also not

significantly different.

*The data is conceived as a census: all thirty-nine stories of the

first year are analyzed. Scales used in this data collection are
nominal and ordinal for which percentages and rank ordering is
appropriate.
 186

It might be surmised from the statistical analysis that the

direction of the stories authored by others is in keeping with the

concept, at least in terms of some of the coded categories of

nurturing and conflicting environments, funny and suspenseful

situations.

However, the variables of language and unintentionally

mistreated are significantly different at the .05 level.* Findings

indicate that the non-Peyo stories contain significantly more use of

Smurf language and instances of unintentional mistreatment for humor

than do the Peyo authored stories. Magic and mimicry show direction,

or tendencies, but they are not enough to be statistically

different. Likewise, there is more magic and mimicry in the non-Peyo

stories than in the Peyo created plots. This could indicate that

other authors in their attempt to remain true to the originator's

concept, are somewhat overzealous in their use of humorous elements

mistreatment and mimicry) or plot contrivances (magic). In a sense

(use of Smurf language), they are out-smurfing the creator!

*Significant difference at the .05 confidence level means it is

highly probably that the difference in the populations is due to

something other than chance occurrence.

 187

Table 33
T-Test

Peyo Non-Peyo Significance

Mean Mean Level

Harmony 9.2 10.8 .38

Discord 2.2 3.4 .27

Parental 7.2 9.2 .22

Inventive/Help 1.9 1.6 .60

Seeks Help 1.4 1.0 .34

Smurf Lang. 8.1 14.4 .05*

Magic 1.4 3.0 .12**

Nature/Animals 1.3 1.7 .56

Misc. Funny 4.3 2.4 .28

Pranks 1.0 1.3 .19

Comeuppance 1.7 1.8 .89

Bumblers/Chickens 10.7 12.4 .55

Mistreatment 1.1 3.4 .04*

Mimicry 1.5 4.3 .19**

Jeopardy 7.8 6.8 .54

Total Fun 19.9 25.7 .21

Nurture 18.3 21.6 .26

Conflict 3.6 4.3 .53

*Significant at the .OS confidence level.

**Indicates some direction/tendency but not significantly different.

 188

Table 34 gives a ranking of means for the ten characters named

as favorites or mentioned by children in the survey in terms of their

activity within the coded variables. Results are similar to

frequency rankings in terms of rank ordering. The data is examined

via a condescriptive display of means appropriate for descriptive

statistical analysis.

Table 34 Condescriptive Statistics*

Mean Minimum Maximum
Combined Variables:
Nurture 51.9 0 306

Conflict 7.0 0 23

Single Variables:
Total Fun 25.5 3 97

Parental 29.8 0 272

Smurf Language 29.2 6 132

Harmony 17.4 0 102

Bumblers/Chickens 14.7 1 69

Nature/Animals 10 0 90

Comeuppance 6.3 0 63

Inventive/Help 4.7 0 16

Magic 4.4 0 40

Seeks Help 4.1 0 19

Discord 2.9 0 9

Misc. Funny 2.7 0 9

Pranks 1.9 0 16
---------------------------------------------------------
Mention 38.7 4 105

Total of Favorites 28.2 1 91

Boys 13.7 1 52

Girls 14.5 0 60
 189

CHAPTER 6

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

 190

CONCLUSIONS

"Television is without a doubt the most powerful mass

communication force ever to be unleashed on mankind. It can reach

out and instantly touch the lives of millions of people. To argue

whether the medium is positive and vital or negative and destructive

is a futile as debating the beneficence or perniciousness of air,

.. 1
water or fi re. But because these arguments do exist, this study

is designed to examine "Smurfs" as the most watched Saturday morning

program in 1981 among children.

The content analysis looks at what children and professionals

have indicated are some component parts of "Smurfs," and finds their

feelings about the show to be true. In summary, they are:

1. Because the villains are given personality flaws, more often

they will end up in funny situations than be portrayed as

menacing.

2. The sense of harmony within the family unit, ie. , concern,

caring, working together, is a significant element of the

"Smurfs," and these harmonious occurrences are more

prevalent than incidents of disharmony or discord.

3. Papa Smurf is portrayed as a consistently loving and caring

father figure who provides protection, instruction and

advice and comes to the rescue of the other Smurfs.

1 Norman Morris, Television's Child (Boston: Little Brown and

Company, 1971), pp. 231-38.
 191

4. Smurfs are shown as being independent, enterprising and

funny: they create plans to outsmart villains and get out of

trouble more often then they seek help, and they are more

often involved in humorous situations than in suspenseful

ones.

5. The use of magic in "Smurfs" is very prevalent, and Papa

Smurf performs magic more often than anyone else, including

the evil wizard, Gargamel.

6. The inclusion of the Smurfs' language--substituting the word

"smurf" for another word in the sentence--is a popular

occurrence in the show, and a practice not limited to any

one Smurf.

7. An appreciation for animals and nature is evident.

8. The primary villains are as involved in providing the humor

in the show as they are in supplying the suspense.

9. Smurfs which embody personal! ty traits are more appealing

and prevalent than occupational Smurfs.

From the qualitative and quantitative data the following

conclusions and inferences might be drawn.

To an extent children like predictability because they can guess

what will happen next and then delight when they are right. At the

same time, they also like to be surprised on occasion. The Smurfs

that embody personality traits have the ability to fulfill both these

functions, whereas the occupational representatives are

uni-dimensional and can not.

 192 v '

Children look to cartoon programs for entertainment and humor

and delight in the comic relief provided by the protagonists and

supporting characters.

Although humor mixed with villainy in the form of funny

antagonists is not absolutely necessary, it is usually a bonus. When

a villain can put the hero in a difficult situation, suspense

occurs. But when that same villain behaves in a humorous fashion,

intentionally or unintentionally, then a different type of suspense

is possible. The cartoon can offer unpredictable action from the

villain in addition to unanticipated behavior from the protagonists.

Gargamel's very human behavior--he cries, is afraid, complains about

aches and pains--makes him very real to children and they find him

enjoyable to watch. If he is able to locate the Smurf village he

invariably also forgets where it is, and complains. He is a crybaby

who wants his way (much like children say they often act).

At the same time, Gargamel transcends human dimension because he

is a wizard. He is able to create imaginative and nearly limitless

ways to jeopardize the Smurf s' haven of safety. With his magical

powers he has the potential to come up with new and different plans

each week to wreck havoc upon their serenity. Mythical creatures

like the boogieman, offer untold horrors for children--much more so

than merely human villains that can be seen and categorized. At

times Gargamel is very much like a boogieman; he can disappear or

appear in shapes and sizes that do not resemble the form by which he

is usually known. His duality of character provides possibilities

for suspense and children tune in each week to see what he is up to

this time. Gargamel' s appeal seems to be his multidimensionality.

 Q •
193

The mythical quality permeates "Smurfs." In many respects it is

like the classic fairy tales, with magic and magical creatures.

Similar to Gargamel's limitless powers, the Smurfs possess the

ability to affect different shapes and forms. While only Papa has

this ability, various Smurfs abscond with his or Gargamel's formulas

(like naughty children will take something forbidden from a grownup)

and the consequences are usually dire and/or funny. So again, there

is the potential for storylines that are literally out of this world.

The mythical ambiance of the setting is drawn from the outset:

the Smurfs' village is nestled in some secretive place where they

dwell with the other little creatures of the forest. Besides the

principal characters being mythical in nature, the story is set in

the medieval era when magic was rampant. This allows a lot of

latitude in the portrayal of secondary characters as well, and a

number of the incidental and recurring minor characters have magical

qualities of their own.

l.Jhile the show deals with magic and a magical place, it is

rooted in a reality to which kids can readily identify. The Smurfs

are a family. They work, play, argue, come to the rescue and engage

in many other activities--together. This is a unit of siblings with

a loving parent overseeing their activities and guiding them. For

children from broken homes this can be the family for which they

long. And children from loving homes can identify and relate to the

kinds of activities these siblings perform. Children see themselves

or someone they know who resembles the various Smurfs that embody

human traits. Because the show attempts to convey a lesson or moral

with the humor and action, children can learn how to behave in a given
 194

situation if they are the victim or perpetrator of an action.

In the group discussions the children say that they like to

watch the show because they know children who act like Smurfs and

they can learn hmr to behave in a given situation. They say that

they know of others that are know-it-alls like Brainy, or perhaps

they also like to eat a lot, or are concerned about the way they

look, or sometimes are lazy and would rather sleep than do some chore

their parents have assigned to them. And the way the Smurfs relate

to one another is often the way the children say they behave with

their siblings. To this end, it is encouraging to note that there is

a great many nurturing activities portrayed on the program in

addition to the humorous and suspenseful situations.

Similar to the current study of "Smurfs," NormanS. Morris spoke

with a variety of people involved with children's television

programs: educators, network executives, television producers,

performers and advertisers about the cartoon season for 1969-70 in

order to examine aspects of television and children beyond the

2
effects of violence on kids. One of the producers Morris spoke

with, Joseph Barbera of Hanna-Barbera Productions, heads one of the

largest animation studios and produces "Smurfs." Barbera discusses

what he calls "Fun violence: a cat chasing a mouse is comically

violent." Barbera defines that further with:

2rbid, p. 177.
 195

if a cat rams into a wall while chasing the mouse and shatters
into a million pieces, the fantasy of animation quickly restores
the feline and the cat and mouse game continues. No one really
gets hurt.3

This type of fun violence can be found on "Smurfs," with Azrael

the most prevalent victim of mistreatment by Gargamel, with incidents

when his burnt tail is miraculously restored. According to the

content analysis data, fun violence accounts for a large part of the

show's activities.

Diana M. Zuckerman, Dorothy G. Singer and Jerome L. Singer find

that the types of programs children watch are important. Fantasy

violent programs provide the "same kinds of excitement as fairy

tales, adventure books, comics, and other popular children's books,

and therefore satisfy similar needs for escapism and fantasy. " 4

lVith its fantasy violence, Smurfs is like a fairy tale.

The consensus is that cartoon violence is not a major source of

concern. Psychiatrist Paul Syracuse says:

Cartoons offer an easily accessible discharge route for

aggressive feelings. The idea of a small guy outwitting a
larger one is perhaps more important to the child than the
violence portion of the cartoons. It would certainly fit in
with the fantasies too, because a little child very frequently
would like to see himself as a big kid who is throwing the pie
in mother's or father's face. I think that is also a way of
reducing tensions. The humor and the laughter that goes along
with the kids watching the cartoon is a tension-reducing
mechanism.5
N. L. Buerkel-Rothfuss, B. S. Greenberg, C. K. Atkin and

3Ibid, pp. 178.

4Diana M. Zuckerman, Dorothy G. Singer and Jerome L. Singer,

"Television Viewing, Children's Reading, and Related Classroom
Behavior," Journal of Communication, 30 (Winter 1980): 166-74.

5 Norman Morris, Television's Child p. 178.

 196

Kimberly Neuendorf find that children use television as a valuable

source of information about the behavior of real families and family

roles. 6 But Professor Gerald Lesser feels that:

Most drama today is unrelated to the drama of a child's

activity. That is because there is a kind of contempt and
feeling there isn't much drama in the life of a kid. But there
is a drama to kid's lives. For example, getting a dog is one
kind of encounter. How they react to the dog, feeding the dog,
other's treatment of the dog, etc.7
Drama on Smurfs--with the nurturing situations of caring and

working together, to which a child can relate or emulate--being given

as much weight as situations of humor and jeopardy, accounts in part

for the show's popularity.

Children learn lessons that relate to their own lives from

watching "Smurfs" because the show conveys a moral or message beyond

serving as a comedy and action/adventure program. According to noted

authority George Comstock, television has the ability to serve as a

socializing force in children's lives, providing them a means of

8
acquiring behavior and mimicking actions. Grant Nobel shows that

children respond favorably to recognizable models of behavior 9 and

Frank Kendrig 10 notes that seeing characters as

6Nancy L. Buerkel-Rothfuss, Bradley S. Greenberg, Charles K.

Atkin and Kimberly Neuendorf, "Learning About the Family from
Television, "Journal of Communication, 45 (Summer 1982): 191-201.

?Norman Morris, Television's Child, pp. 224.

8George A. Comstock, "The Impact of Television on American

Institutions," Journal of Communication 28 (Spring 1978): 12-28.

9Grant Nobel, Children in Front of the Small Screen (Beverly

Hills, Calif.: SAGE Publications, 1975), pp. 36-51.

lOFrank Kendrig, "Kids and Science: Making Contact At Last,"

Television Quarterly 17 (Spring 1980): 73-76.
 197

peers with whom they can identify is another important factor. The

pint-sized children have said they like the Smurfs' small size.

Appendix A indicates the lessons proposed and content analysis data

shows the types of role models portrayed in the show.

Another reason for the appeal of "Smurfs" seems to be its

non-human orientation which allows exaggeration expressed beyond the

real world. Michael Howe offers some insights into the reasons for

puppets' popularity among children over live-action people. 11

Children have said they like the program because the Smurfs'

non-human qualities allow them to do things humans can not do, like

puppets. In the personal interviews with children, their play time

with the Smurf dolls saw them involved in many stories incorporating

non-human activities.

Based on its merchandising pre-sell, "Smurfs" is a known entity

before its television premiere, as its debut show is seen by a large

share of the audience watching television. Prior knowledge of the

creatures therefore appears to play a part in the show's popularity.

This appeal and subsequent clamoring for the show's creatures, in

turn creates more merchandising, and the process repeats itself.

John E. Splaine's study on familiarity having a direct bearing on

12 But now some
popularity, is based only on reading material.

similarities can be drawn with "Smurfs," based on its record.

On the other hand, Patricia Morison, Margaret McCarthy and

llMichael Howe, Television and Children (London: New

University Press, 1977), pp. 122-29.

12John E. Spaline, "Television and its Influence on Reading,"

Educational Technology 18 (June 1978): 15-18.
 198

Howard Gardner contend that age is the determinant factor in appeal,

not familiar! ty. 13 Yet the current study finds that a sizable

number of children queried knew of the Smurfs' merchandise before the

show's premiere. Furthermore, ratings' information indicates the

program does well with children of all ages.

Appeal is indicated by the large viewing as measured by

ratings. If children indicate a liking for "Smurfs" on Saturday

morning, will this appeal carry over to other dayparts? According to

Webster and Coscarelli children prefer primetime shows over

14
children's shows. But it is possible that a popular children's

show like "Smurfs" be preferred by children over primetime programs

On Sunday, November 29, 1981 from 7-8pm, "Smurfs" received a 13.7

rating and 20 share overall. While it was second in its time period

to "60 Minutes" which had a 30.2 rating and a 44 share overall,

Nielsen ratings information shows that more children watched the

"Smurfs" than "Code Red" or "60 Minutes. " 14 "Smurfs" had a 30.4

rating and a 66 share with children 2-11 and a 30.6 rating with kirls

6-11, to "60 Minutes" 2.4 rating and 5 share with kids 2-11 and a 3.7

rating with kids 6-11. "Code Red" was third overall with a 12.4

rating and a 18 share and second to "Smurf s" among kids with a 3. 9

rating and a 9 share among kids 2-11 and a 6.0 rating with kids

6-11. A second primetime show, "The Smurfs Springtime Special" which

aired in April of 1982 also had more children in its audience than

13pa tricia Morison, Margaret McCarthy and Howard Gardner,

"Exploring the Realities of Television with Children," Journal of
Broadcasting 23 (Fall 1979): 453-63.

14 Nielsen, pp. 13, 25-26, A-16.

 199 ~ '

its competition.l5 Subsequent airings of "Smurfs" on prime time

also generated huge kid audiences. So, according to the Nielsen
ratings, the prime time shows of "Smurfs" are preferred by children
over other primetime offerings.

OVERALL k: 2-11 K: 6-11

11/29/81 SUN 7-8 RTG SH RTG SH RTG
NBC SMURFS 13.7 20 30.4 66 30.6
CBS 60 Minutes 30.2 44 2.4 5 3.7
ABC Code Red 12.4 18 3.9 9 6.0

4/8/82 THURS 8-8:30pm

NBC SMURFS SPRINGTIME 16.3 27 39.0 66 35.5
CBS Magnum, P .I. 17.8 29 7.9 13 8.3
ABC That's Incredible 11.4 19 5.5 9 4.9

12/13/82 MON 8-8:30pm

NBC SMURFS X-MAS 21.0 31 46.0 73 46.3
CBS Square Pegs 13.5 20 8.8 14 13.3
ABC That's Incredible 16.8 25 2.5 4 3.2

2/13/83 SUN 7-7:30pm

NBC MY SMURFY VALENTINE 11.9 19 30.1 63 32.2
CBS 60 Minutes 26.0 41 3.1 6 3.6
ABC Ripleys Believe It 11.4 18 2.7 6 2.0

4/1/83 FRI 8-8:30£m

NBC SMURFS SPRINGTIME (R) 11.7 19 29.6 54 30.5
CBS Dukes of Hazzard 15.4 26 14.0 26 12.4
ABC Baby Makes Five 15.5 26 3.6 7 5.4

12/9/83 FRI 8-8:30pm

NBC SMURFS X-MAS (R) 14.3 24 31.1 58 35.8
CBS Dukes of Hazzard 14.0 23 10.5 20 10.7
ABC Benson 10.7 18 3.5 7 4.9

This is contrary to the results from of James C. Webster and

William C. Coscarelli's study, undertaken in 1979, before the
"Smurfs" aired, which finds that children's preference is for the
primetime programs. The show's appeal, however, surpasses other
Saturday morning programs that have been offered as primetime
fare.l6
No other studies of commercial Saturday morning television
shows have been discovered, although there are some studies that
contain similarities to the current one.

15Ibid, pp. 20, 25-26, A-8.

16James G. Webster ::md l\Tilliam C. Coscarelli, "The Relative

Appeal to Children of Adult Versus Children's Television
Programming," Journal of Broadcasting 23 (Fall 1979): 437-51.
 200

17
Eastman and Liss find that children's preferences for

favorite program types are dependent on sex. "Smurfs" with comedy

and action-adventure generates appeal with both sexes as is evident

by its position as the most watched Saturday morning program in 1981.

The results found in "Positive Social Learning" by Rita Wicks

Poulos, Eli A. Rubinstein and Robert M. Liebert also indicate some

evidence of television's potential as a positive influence in

18
children's' lives. Content is coded for seven selected categories

of prosocial behavior: altruism; control of aggressive impulses;

delay of gratification/task persistence; explaining feelings of self

or others; reparation for bad behavior; resistance to temptation and

sympathy. Although the thrust of "Smurfs" is not as an educational

program it includes some of these categories within its nurturing

label. It can be concluded that with the high occurrence of

nurturing evident in the "Smurfs," positive role models of behavior

are available for children to emulate.

19
Alexis S. Tan and Denise Kinner state "Many studies have

shown that children imitate prosocial behaviors such as rule

adherence, altruism, helping, delay of gratification, persistence in

task performance and high performance standards, after watching tv."

17H.A. Eastman and M.A. Liss, "Tv Preferences of Children From

Four Parts of the U.S. , " Journalism Quarterly 57 (Autumn 1980):
488-90.

18poulos, Rubinstein and Liebert, "Positive Social Learning."

19Alexis S. Tan and Denise Kinner, "Tv Role Models and

Anticipated Social Interaction," Journalism Quarterly 59 (Winter
1982): 654-56.
 201

Shari Robinson and others in "Heros, Humbugs and Also Rans:

Children's Preferences and Evaluations Concerning Television

20
Characters," find that children have a tendency to identify with

characters who possess the qualities they most admired, or who are

perceived as being similar in some .fashion. While children prefer

the same sex in the sorting study, a characters' preferred status and

the nature of the characters' role within the show also comes to

play, and that a special relationship develops between children and

the characters they watch on a regular basis.

So if television affects how children see themselves, it is

desirable to present characters that are multi-faceted and involved

in a variety of roles. "Smurfs" is listed as one of the eight

Saturday morning network shows recommended for children by Aimee

21
Dorr, professor of education at UCLA. A child psychologist, Dorr

has studied children's reactions for the past 15 years and is on

NBC's Social Science Advisory Panel.

Children's play is also influenced by what they see on

television, according to James and McCaine in "Television Games

22
Preschool Children Play: Patterns, Themes and Uses. They find

20shari Robinson and others, "Heros, Humbugs, and Also Rans:

Children's Preferences and Evaluation Concerning Television
Characters," Technical Report No. 25, Harvard University, Cambridge,
Mass., Harvard Project Zero, November 1982, pp. 1-37.

21Aimee Dorr, "TV Guide," (Pennsylvania: Triangle

Publications, Inc, December 17-23, 1983) pp. 4-10.

22 Navita Cummings James and Thomas A. McCain, "Television

Games Preschool Children Play: Patterns, Themes and Uses," Journal of
Broadcasting 26 (Fall 1982): 783-800.
 202

that television is a main source of content for children's play

behavior, in that children can receive mutually shared realities on

which to base their storylines. They indicate five ways children use

television in their play: 1.) motor play, doing things, 2.)

constructive, creating things, 3.) language play, 4.) dramatic play,

23
and 5.) social play. In the play time observed during the

personal interviews conducted with children, many of the storylines

from the shows are selected by children and incorporated into their

own stories with the Smurf figurines, puppets and role playing

situations.

The use of content analysis for studying children's programs is

done to examine the frequency of language by gender in S. McCorkle's,

"An analysis of verbal language in Saturday morning children's

programs. " 24 It is discovered that main characters who appear most

frequently, the white adult male, also speak most often, and that

most main characters who speak most often are not involved in

physical violence. These main characters are also more likely to

make statements that can be considered opinions, instructions and

statements of feelings, and are twice as likely to be defensive as

supportive. In the Smurfs study Papa Smurf is a dominant character

in the categories measured, yet by virtue of his character, his

actions can be considered to be quite supportive.

The McCorkle findings revealed typical Saturday morning program

23Ibid PP· 787-8.

24s. McCorkle, "An Analysis of Verbal Language in Saturday

Morning Children's Programs," Communication Quarterly 30 (Summer
1982): 210-16.
 203

environments to consist of themes of interpersonal rivalry, realistic

urban settings, animated presentation and comic formats. The current

study of "Smurfs" reveals the program to includes these themes and

more. According to reviewer Williams the show "Smurfs" even "has a

.. 25
li tt 1 e a du1 ts appea1 --t h e v ill a i ns are actua11y pretty f unny.

Discussion responses reveal kids' perceptions of the blue Smurfs

as being outside the real world in which children live as an

important factor in the appeal of "Smurfs." George Comstock contends

viewing a world outside the norm has a homogenizing effect on racial

issues. 26 Part of the cartoon's appeal may lie in the ability of

all races to identify with blue creatures since those creatures do

not represent any race, or are all races according to kids.

The gimmick of substituting the word "smurf" for an English

word--the word "smurf" is used in place of nouns, adjectives,

verbs--also contributes to the program's sense of uniqueness and to

its appeal. Francis X Brady's look at the CBS Television Reading

27 of
Program shows television's use as a language tool. Queries

children in this area provide some insight into their delight with

this gimmick. The characters' names suggest their personalities and

explain their behavior: actions are based on character traits.

Combining visual with literal may be part of the show's appeal.

25Gail Williams, "TV Reviews: Children's Easter Specials" The

Hollywood Reporter, (April 16, 1982): P. 13.

26George A. Comstock, "The Impact of Television on American

Institutions," pp. 12-28.

27Francis X. Brady, "Television and Reading: Making New

Friends," Television Quarterly 17 (Spring 1980): 67-70.
 204

How can the almost immediate popularity of "Smurfs" be

explained? About a fourth of the children surveyed say they were

familiar with the product prior to its televised debut. ~~d in the

discussions, children indicate that the show was very much like the

books they read or how they imagined the figurines would be when

animated: that is, they talk in little high voices, do and say funny

things and get involved in adventures. In the discussion children

say that because Smurfs are little, it is fun to play with them and

create stories that involve them, using their imaginations and

incidents from their own lives. Children say that after the actually

saw the Smurfs on the television show they incorporated some of the

scripted activities in their own play.

In terms of the merchandising, children say they prefer the

small figurines to the larger plush dolls or the plush puppets

because they can hold them in their hands and involve them in funny

and suspenseful adventures more easily. The play sets, with the

houses and incidental tables, chairs, carts, etc. , are utilized if

they can enhance the storyline, but for the most part the children

use the Smurfs in invented activities and dialogues.

With only Language (Table 34A) and Unintentionally Mistreated

(Table 34B) showing significant difference at the .05 level,

statistical analyses shows little difference between the Peyo

authored stories and those done by another hand. Rather, the

variables that make up the nurturing environment show no significant

differences. The researcher theorizes from this that the reason Peyo

and non-Peyo stories are similar is inherent in the basic premise:

that the harmonious atmosphere, shown via a loving family unit, is

 205

central to the concept. All story lines are constructed around this

idea; by definition the show incorporates familial caring and

harmony. From this nurturing foundation all else flows: moments of

caring and discord naturally permeate the activities that follow.

Into this tapestry additional elements of language, magic, humor

and suspense are woven. It is these "extraneous" story elements that

can be changed or altered at will to enhance the story or to act as a

catalyst for the action. The elements that show significant

differences or indicate tendencies between the Peyo and non-Peyo

authored pieces are mainly those extra elements: Language, Magic,

Unintentionally Mistreated, and Mimicry (Tables 34A,B). Plot devices

that can be over or under utilized, are less tied to the concept's

natural design.

Suggestions for Future Studies:

Areas for future study might include analyzing the content

analysis data for subsequent years. "Smurfs" has been the top rated

show during the 1981-82 and 1982-83 seasons. Although it has been

either second or third for the first few months of 1984 (as children

sample the new programs aired in the fall), for the current week

(ending March 24, 1984) it again holds the number one position with
29
an 8.1 rating and a 29 share. The content analysis only covers

the first year of the program. It may be of interest to compare the

data results from this study to the subsequent years in order to

determine if the component parts found in the first year are evident

29Nielsen, pp. 49, A-27.

 206 ~ .

in following years.

The characters' appeal, as defined by children's naming of their

favorites, is measured against the performance of Smurfs in and out

of character. An analysis that ranks this appeal measure over the

other coded variables might be considered for future studies.

No attempt has been made to compare the content analysis of

"Smurfs" with other shows, either on Saturday morning, or on

primetime. This is an area that might merit future research. With

"Smurfs" generating such a large audience of children during both

dayparts, a study designed to evaluate other shows against the data

measured in "Smurfs" might be of value.

In the current study children are queried in groups to gain an

understanding of their opinions but the current study did not

undertake a systematic approach to audience analysis. A more

thorough understanding of audience tastes toward "Smurfs" and other

shows might be of benefit for future storylines. A rating of

individual characters might be attempted to see if a correlation

exists between character appeal and frequency of appearance.

Three main limitations inherent in the current study might be

addressed in future research. 1.) All of the characters do not have

roles in every episode, and so are not afforded the opportunity to

"perform" a given attribute. 2). The behavior is coded in terms of

frequency counts but does not take into consideration duration of

each activity. The current study only looks at characters that are

active in the show and studies occurrences in terms of frequency

without any attempt to measure duration. A systematic study of the

coded variables, logging amount of time spent on various activities,

 207

and a content analysis that adjusts for activity within a show or

measures the number of inactive Smurfs against active or identified

ones might be done in the future. 3.) Combination of categories is

done on a rational basis only. Future studies might run discriminate

analyses or cluster analyses to determine if the combination of

categories on a rational basis coincides with the combination on a

statistical level.

The rational selection of coding categories could be

re-evaluated against current perceptions about the program's

subsequent two years, to determine if any differences exist with the

passage of time.

This research is exploratory by design. Because there has been

little analysis of television programming appeal and content, this

study attempts to do a thorough analysis of the first year of

"Smurfs." There is little in the way of prior research from which to

draw and so category definition for the content analysis comes from

original sources. As such, significant ground work is required

before coding can begin an~ time does not permit complete statistical

analysis of the results. Future research might well apply other

statistical formulas to the data gathered to measure the fit of the

data.

Because of time and money contraints only one coder was used in

the study. Future research might replicate the study to test for

reliability.
 208

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 215

APPENDIX A
 216

APPENDIX A
SUMMARY OF FIRST YEAR'S SHOWS (includes: *How/when Smurfs come to the
rescue and **morals that are exemplified by the story).
REASON (HOW) THEY REASON (HOW) THEY
GET INTO TROUBLE GET OUT OF TROUBLE

ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT SMURF

Smurfette dreams that Gargamel has Papa hatches a plan where
cast a spell so that Papa Smurf's Gargamel's greed undoes
experiments will not work. him. Gargamel gets trapped
Some Smurfs get caught by Gargamel. while he's running towards
gold, which in reality is
Smurfette's hair that Papa
has fashioned to look like
gold.
*Smurfs rescue other Smurfs caught by Gargamel.
*Moral: Sometimes it take a lot of work and many failures before
an
experiment finally works. You should not doubt your elders.

SUPER SMURF
Brainy wants brawn and so he uses Other Smurfs go to Big
Papa's magic potion and turns into Mouth's place to help
Supersmurf. Brainy tries to fight Brainy when potion's
Big Mouth by himself. wears off. Brainy uses
his brains, not his brawn
and gives Big Mouth rocks
sack, saving the Smurfs'
food.
*Smurfs go to Big Mouth's place to save Brainy.
**Moral: Be happy with what you are. If you have brains, use
them.

SPELUNKING SMURFS
Hot sun is drying up all the food so
Smurfs go looking for some and fall
in a hole, finding frozen food, under-
ground. Ancient Smurf legend: ogre stole
all Smurfs' food once and because of his
selfishness, he was frozen, before he
could eat any of it. Everything will stay come up and steals diamond
frozen until sun shines on an enchanted
diamond underground. Handy uses Vanity's
mirror to reflect the sun underground.
Gargamel discovers the mirror and then
sees the Smurfs and all the food and the
diamond. Papa warns Gargamel to let them
alone or there will be trouble. Gargamel
threatens to eat Smurfs for dessert. The
Ogre becomes thawed, and Gargamel runs
away.
*Smurfs go into a cave with Gargamel and an Ogre
**Moral: Do not be selfish.
Papa reminds Ogre of what
happened last time he was
selfish. Ogre agrees to
share his food, and gives
them the diamond. Gargamel
catches Smurfs when they
Papa warns that diamond
does not tolerate selfish-
ness. Gargamel ignores
him and diamond starts to
freeze Gargamel in an ice
cube. Storm brews and a
cloudy sky keeps the
diamond in the dark.
drought is over.
 217

BEWITCHED, BOTHERED AND BESMURFED

Hogatha loses her magic locket and
Smurfette unknowingly picks it up.
The locket causes problems. Hogatha
captures the Smurfs and enslaves them
Gargamel captures Smurfs when they go
to rescue Smurfette.
*Smurfs go to save Smurfette from Gargamel's hovel.
**Moral: Locket is evil. No one shall have it. Magic is not
always good. It does not always solve problems, and sometimes
causes them.
SOUP A LA SMURF
Smurfs go picking Smurfberries. See
Big Mouth terrorizing Gargamel for food
Gargamel tells Big Mouth best meal is
Soup A La Smurf. Big Mouth follows
bird feathers to Smurfs' village.
Papa pretends to prepare Soup A La Smurf
and has Smurfs get into pot. Smurfs all
volunteer to jump in. Then while Big
Mouth is gathering wood for the fire,
Papa adds the magic potion to the pot.
*Smurfs go to Gargamel's'place.
**Moral: Believe in yourself
Smurfs go to rescue
Smurfette and get caught
by Gargamel. They lasso
key and escape. Papa
throws troublesome locket
in the fire because its
evil. Smurfs escape and
get a ride back to the
village on backs of frogs.
Big Mouth turns into an
ugly monster and blames
Gargamel, beating him up.
Gargamel says he'll change
Big Mouth back so they go
to Gargamel's hovel. But
even with all Gargamel's
potions, he can not change
Big Mouth back. Papa
simply gives Big Mouth
a sarsaparilla leaf.
Smurfs believe in Papa
and it works. Big Mouth
chases after Gargamel

THE SMURFS AND THE MONEY TREE

For the first time, there is money
in the Smurf village when Gargamel's
mother puts a moneytree right outside
Greedy's window, turning Greedy into a
greedy Smurf. He makes all the other
Smurfs give up their possessions for
some money.
**Moral: You can not buy friends and friends are better than
money.
Greedy realizes its better
to share with his friends.
He overcomes the spell by
being generous. Papa puts
the tree at Gargamel's
door step. Love conquers
all and Greedy is not
Greedy for money anymore.

THE MAGNIFYING MIXTURE

Brainy makes up some of Papa's
magnifying mixture to fatten up
the Smurfberries, but he trips and
makes Hefty real big. Hefty decides
to tackle Gargamel, but Gargamel
follows Hefty back to the village with
Hefty as his prisoner, in order to
capture more Smurfs.
Papa uses the magnifying
mixture to turn Azrael
big and he chases Gargamel
who has been mean to him
Brainy has to clean up the
mess he made, but without
using any magic, which got
him into trouble in the
first place.
 2J8

**Moral: Do not be afraid to tell your parents when you do

something wrong. And, being big is not everything. It is
lonely at the top.

THE MAGIC EGG

While making a cake for Smurf day, Clumsy is a big Smurf and
the Smurfs need an egg. Gargamel he frightens Gargamel away
creates a magic egg to catch the Smurfs Papa uses one of the
but Big Mouth takes it to eat. wishes to make the Magic
Smurfs get the egg and without realizing Egg disappear.
what it really is at first, they start
making wishes. Things get out of hand
and Big Mouth keeps changing shape.
**Moral: You can not wish for things to happen. You can not be
selfish and make selfish, unsmurf-like wishes.

SMURFETTE'S DANCING SHOES

Smurfette ~Tants to be a good dancer Papa and Smurfs to the
without practicing, so she agrees to rescue. They fill
the Trolls' offer of a pair of magic the Trolls' requests in
slippers. The price for this? She order to win Smurfette
must marry him. back. Jokey's present
scares the feather from
the bird, lowered into the
volcano for fire which
erupts, releasing diamond
Papa puts shoes on Troll
when he refuses to keep
his part of the deal.
Troll and henchmen can not
stop dancing
*Papa and Smurfs risk lives to rescue Smurfette from the troll
**Moral: If you want to do something well, there is no
substitute for practicing.

THE FAKE SMURF

Hogatha turns into a Smurf to get She makes a magic potion
them. She snorts, so she is called, to turn to normal, but she
Snorty Smurf, but the others. She tries is only the size of Smurfs
to destroy their bridge but starts to fall They grab her and march
in herself and is saved by the Smurfs her to the end of Smurf
She loses her tail in the process and is village. She leaves but
discovered. vow·s to get even.
*Hogatha is in the midst of Smurf village
**Moral: Being mean and using trickery does not pay. Let your
punishment be a lesson to mend ways.

ROMEO AND SMURFETTE

Gargamel puts a spell on Smurfette to
cause trouble among the Smurfs. The
village is divided when spell Smurfette
says she will choose either Hefty or
Handy to marry. No one listens to Papa
because they are all fighting,
Papa switches places with
Gargamel so the Smurfs
will listen to him. They
stop fighting each other
and start fighting
Gargamel
 219

and taking sides.

*Papa Smurf risks his life by going to Gargamel' s hovel to
switch places with him.
**Moral: United we stand, divided we fall.

SIDESHOW SMURF
Clumsy and Smurfette fall in a hole Papa and others risk lives
and are captured by Bombast and his dog against city dangers and
Bluster. Bombast makes them his "slaves" villains. Papa puts the
and insists they perform in his sideshow two Smurfs to sleep so
act. Gargamel and Azrael are in the city they will not be of use
and see Clumsy and Smurfette and plot to to Bombast. Bombast makes
get them away from Bombast. Papa and Gargamel be his "star."
others go into the city to find them.
*Smurfs go to the city and face many situations of jeopardy to
rescue Smurfette and Clumsy.
**Moral: What every story needs: A Happy Ending. The Smurf s
have a happy ending because they risked their lives to come to
the rescue.

THE FOUNTAIN OF SMURF

While looking for mushrooms for Papa To retrieve the magic book
Smurfs' birthday, (for one of his magic so Papa can become normal
potions) the Smurfs find the Fountain of again, the Smurfs risk
Youth in a cave. They take some but the going back to the cave
Troll in the cave steals Papa's book. to reason with the Troll.
The Smurfs give Papa the Fountain of That does not work so they
Youth water and Papa turns into a child. Go ask Gargamel for help.
He agrees because he wants
to get the Fountain of
Youth water
*Smurfs go to Gargamel's hovel to help Papa.
**Moral: Sharing is fun (After Papa shares his Smurfberries with
them they go looking in the cave for something to get him for
his birthday).

THE MAGICAL MEANIE

Azrael chases 2 Smurfs who land in Papa discovers the secret
the river, and find a bottle washed word and returns things to
up on shore. A Genie is found normal, and returns the
inside. This Genie is mean to the Genie back to the bottle
Smurfs: he puts cakes on their heads until he learns to be nice
dumps water buckets on them, sticks Gargamel and Azrael are
cones on Papa's beard and nose. When reduced to Smurf size and
the Smurfs try to run toward the Genie the try to get away on a
to fight him, the Genie makes them walk small raft. When things
backwards. Using a movie-type device, go back to normal (as Papa
Gargamel finds the Smurfs and discovers wishes) they get big and
the secret word that puts the Genie in capsize.
his power. Gargamel uses his three wishes
unwisely.
*Some Smurfs rescue other Smurfs from Gargamel.
**Moral: You can not wish for things to happen. You have to
make them happen.
 220

SMURPHONY IN C
Harmony is not accepted because
he plays off tune. He is upset
and runs away from the village. He
gets fooled by Gargamel who is disguised
as a good fairy named Auroa. Gargamel
gives Harmony a magic flute called a
Shazalakazoo, that he says will play
beautiful music. Harmony rushes back
to the village to play the instrument
for the other Smurfs and when he begins
playing, it puts them all to sleep,
and he can not get them to wake up.
*Harmony goes back to Gargamel's to get the antidote, but there
is no antidote.
**Moral: Do not shut someone out just because they are not very
good at something.
Harmony is upset over what
he has done. Gargamel
chases Harmony, cries and
gets aches and pains from
running but he does not
catch him. Harmony plays
his own music, on his own
instrument, and as awful
as it may be, it wakes up
the other Smurfs. They
realize how they have
not be very considerate
of him and decide to
accept him and his music
While he plays, they
wear earplugs.

GARGAMEL THE GENEROUS

Gargamel pretends to be nice and So Papa switches the bags
generous so the Smurfs will take so that the Smurfs are put
him to their cave with diamonds that in the bag instead of
they have discovered. Gargamel sets a the diamonds. Gargamel
trap, then frees the Smurfs to fool them thinks he is throwing the
into thinking he is on their side. All are Smurfs in the river, but
fooled except for Papa. The Smurfs make an he is really throwing the
exchange, baubles for diamonds. Then diamonds away.
Gargamel tricks them and puts the
Smurfs a bag too.

*Papa goes along with the Smurfs although he disagrees that

Gargamel is nice. Then he has to save them when it turns out
Papa is right.
**Moral: Do not believe others over your parents. Some people
can not be trusted, no matter what they say.

THE CLOCKWORK SMURF

Handy builds a Clockwork Smurf to do Papa makes a potion to
the work for them. Brainy messes up make them invisible, so
with the device and things go haywire. they can sneak into the
Clockwork Smurf goes on an adventure and castle. Clockwork lures
meets Prince Gerard. Clockwork helps the henchmen out so that
Prince Gerard against his evil stepmother Gerard can get into the
Imperial and her henchmen who are trying to castle and claim his
cheat him out of his royal inheritance. inheritance in time.
*Smurfs go to help Clockwork and Prince Gerard, risking their
lives at the hands of the henchmen.

THE HUNDRETH SMURF

They need 100 Smurfs to counter 100 Vanity's mirror image goes
 221

years of bad luck. Vanity's mirror back to the mirror, as he

image comes to life when a lightning is depressed over how he
bolt strikes. Vanity's mirror image is being received. While
does everything backwards, however, there, another lightning
causing problems. He dances backwards bolt strikes the mirror
which makes everyone mess up, and all and reflects onto him,
the Smurfs get upset at him, especially making him "normal."
Vanity.
*Moral: Do not reject someone just because they are different
than you are.

SIR HEFTY
Hefty discovers Sir Lancelot, a
knight, in the forest. He wants
Lancelot to be a hero and slay a
dragon. This Sir Lancelot is not
a hero, nor a real knight. Hefty
is upset.
*The Smurfs face the dragon together.
**Moral: Working together means you can overcome large obstacles.
The Smurfs create a fake
dragon so Lancelot will
have to slay a dragon and
be a hero. Unknown to them
a real dragon comes along
at the same time. They all
work together to overcome
the dragon as a threat.
Lancelot runs away.

THE PURPLE SMURFS

Papa complains because the Smurfs Papa uses magic to change
are lazy and not working. Magic potion everything back to normal
causes Smurfs to become purple, and bite when the formula explodes
other Smurfs, and they bite others, makingand the mist floats over
them into Purple Smurfs. them, changing everyone at
the same time.
**Moral: Do not complain about what you have, because what you
get may be worse.

BABY SMURF
Gargamel changes himself into
a Baby Smurf to catch the Smurfs.
He is discovered and taken to the
village where everyone loves him.
Gargamel uses a magic potion to
petrify the Smurfs and then set off
a bomb to get rid of the rest of them
*Gargamel is in their midst.
Papa finds the formula
to change the petrified
Smurfs back again. Then
Lazy wakes up just in
time to tell about the
bomb before it goes off
The Smurfs dismantle it,
foiling Gargamel's plan

SMURF COLORED GLASSES

Handy makes rose-colored glasses The Smurfs go to her
to impress Smurfette. But when she rescue. They make
puts them on she does not recognize Gargamel put on the
Gargamel, and instead thinks he is a glasses and he does not
handsome man, and is caught by him. recognize Big Mouth who
terrorizes him
*Smurfs go to Gargamel's to rescue Smurfette
**MoraL: Smurfette likes Handy just the way he is. Be yourself.
 222

DREAMY'S NIGHTMARE
Dreamy sets off for adventure with
Papa's whistle, that will return him to
the village if he gets into trouble. A
storm send him running and he trips and
loses the whistle. Gargamel finds it, and
when he blows it, he is in the Smurfs'
village. Papa puts a potion on Gargamel
to make him nice.
*Smurfs go to Gargamel's e he wants to help.
storm send him running and he trips and
loses the whistle. Gargamel finds it, and
when he blows it, he is in the Smurfs'
potionto rescue Dreamy.
**Moral: Dreamy's had plenty of excitement and adventure ••• for
now.
Smurfs go to rescue Dreamy
and now that Gargamel is
nice he wants to help.
Azrael chases Dreamy and
Gargamel, now nice,
chastizes him. The potion
wears off and he locks
them up. But the Smurfs
have the whistle, so they
join hands, blow it and
are back in their village.
Gargamel and Azrael cry.
Azrael chases Dreamy and
Gargamel, now nice,
chastizes him. The

FUZZLE TROUBLE
While iu the forest, Clumsy disobeys
Papa and keeps a fuzzle (little fur-like
creatures). When he get the fuzzle back
to the Smurf village he discovers they
have multiplied, and keep multiplying.
Gargamel follows Smurf footprints back
to the village. Gargamel sets a trap for
the Smurfs and waits.
*Threat of Gargamel on the verge of catching the Smurfs
**Moral: Listen to your parents.
Harmony, meanwhile is
leading the Fuzzles with
his music, just like the
Pied Piper, out of the
village. So, instead of
catching Smurfs, Gargamel
catches the pesky fuzzles.

PAINTER AND POET

Painter and Poet feel the others do not Other Smurfs and Papa
appreciate them, so they leave and look come to the rescue. Poet
for a better place to live on an island. reads Poet about there
Smurfs come looking for them and Gargamel being no more Smurfs for
also shows up on the island. Painter and Gargamel to eat if he
Poet begin arguing with each other about eats him while Poet lets
whose talent is best. Smurfs fall asleep other Smurfs out of cage
while Poet recites and do not get ecstatic Gargamel has constructed
about Painter's drawing.
*Smurfs voluntarily risk their lives to rescue Poet and Painter
**Moral: Accept others for what/who they are.

NOW YOU SMURF EM, NOW YOU DON'T

Smurfs, impressed by dreams coming true Papa uses Vanity's mirror
from a crystal ball, become enslaved by to send light under ground
Trolls The light-sensitive Trolls
run from sunlight.
*Smurfs risk lives to rescue others captured by Tolls
**Moral: Dreams are important, but without hard work, seldom
come true.
 223

HAUNTED SMURF
The Smurfs' storage house burns Smurfs find the things
down so they have no food for the Mr. Paupery was looking
Winter. They must go looking for for and in gratitude, he
food and shelter. The go to an old shares his things with the
castle and think that it is haunted mouse and with the Smurfs.
But it is only a mouse stashing food
and goods from Mr. Paupery.
*Smurfs risk lives trying to put out fire in storage house and
leave village to look for food and shelter.
**Moral: You should share what you have with others who are not
as fortunate

PARADISE SMURFED
Brainy, Lazy and Greedy want to Lazy realizes that this
go to paradise. So they go through nightmare is only a dream
a waterfall to get there. At first they But he was so scared by it
think they have found paradise, but then that after everyone else
discover that they are in the clutches of goes to sleep, he is still
an evil person named Bacchus who wants to awake, working hard on
make slaves of them. However, since they his chores and preparing
are so small, they will not be useful as for Winter.
slaves and so will be eaten instead.
*Other Smurfs are concerned and try to wake up Lazy
**Moral: Paradise is not what everything you think it is.

FOUL WEATHER SMURF

Handy creates a weather machine Handy realizes he must
so the rain will not ruin the destroy his own machine
picnic. Poet is writing an ode to for the safety of the
the sun while Farmer wants it to rain Smurfs.
for his crops. So they argue over what
the setting should be. They fight over
the dial until the machine goes haywire.
**Moral: You can't control the weather. Be happy with what you
have.

THE ABOMINABLE SNOWBEAST

The Smurfs look for snow pollen for Papa's Smurfs use snow pollen to
magic spells, and get caught by the Snow- Cure Snowbeast's foot
Beast who is in love with Smurfette and (hurt when he stepped on
wants her to stay with him. the fire). Then explain
Smurfette lives in warm
weather, while pollen and
Snowbeast lives in cold
weather. Smurfs will come
and visit every year.
*Smurfs rescue Smurfette.
**Moral:Take only what we need. In spite of everything, its
good to have things back to normal.
 224

SMURFS AND THE HOWLIBIRD

Lazy and Brainy disobey Papa and do All the Smurfs work
not bury a potion that does not work together with Handy's
They dump it in a ravine and it lands catapult contraption
on a little Howlibird, making him grow and throw a rock that
to an enormous size. The Howlibird has a reducing potion
starts terrorizing the Smurfs. on it, at the Howlibird
The bird is reduced
*Smurfs fight against evil Howlibird.
**Moral: You should not disobey your parents.

KING SMURF
The Smurfs war against each other
because Brainy has set himself up
as the King when Papa Smurf leaves
the village for a while. Brainy has
his forces build a fort to keep the
other Smurfs out. Because the Smurfs
are busy fighting with each other, they
are not repairing the dam as they were
told to do by Papa, and so the water is
slowly leaking out.
**Moral: There is more to being a good leader than just giving
orders.
When Papa returns and sees
what his Smurfs are doing
he reprimands them, saying
they've been behaving like
human beings. Then the
water threatens to ruin
the village and they all
rally to patch up the dam
and then work together to
repair the damage done.

THE ASTROSMURF
Dreamy wants to visit other places and Gargamel only sees Swoofs
so he builds a space ship. Gargamel so Smurfs escape him. When
creates a crystal ball to find the Smurfs. Gargamel asks crystal ball
Other Smurfs dismantle the to find the most miserable
spaceship and carry it to another creatures of all (meaning
place, dress up as unusual creatures Smurfs) it reveals the two
and call themselves Swoofs so Dreamy of them. Papa creates
will get his wish to visit other lightning storm that
places. breaks crystal ball
and strikes Gargamel
Smurfs return spaceship
home. Dreamy had a good
time but missed home and
Smurf friends.
*Smurfs go to great trouble to please Dreamy, even putting
themselves in jeopardy by venturing out of the village.
**Moral: There is not place like home

VANITY FARE
Gargamel sets a trap using a mirror.
Vanity sees a wonderful world on the
other side of the mirror and steps
through it, only to get caught in
Gargamel's'evil world
Other Smurfs come to
Vanity's rescue, and
cross over the mirror's
other side to help him.
When trying to club the
Smurfs, Gargamel smashes
the mirror and the Smurfs
escape. Gargamel cries.
 225

*The Smurfs risk their lives by going into the mirror where they
know Gargamel lurks.
**Moral: Smurfs are loyal and helpful

THE SMURFS' APPRENTICE

Clumsy is not liked because he is so The other Smurfs find out
clumsy and always ruining things. So, what has happened and they
Clumsy goes to Gargamel's house to get go to Gargamel's house to
a potion to use so he can be Papa's rescue Clumsy and change
apprentice, and then everyone will like him back again. They see
him. But the potion is evil magic and how they have treated
changes Clumsy into a green monster. him and ask him to play
He goes back to Gargamel's house to with them.
find the antidote.
*Smurfs risk their lives by going to Gargamel's house.
**Morals: You should like someone even if they are clumsy or
awkward. Size is not everything (Gargamel: "I'm big and strong
and they are puny and weak and I never win").

THE SMURFETTE
Gargamel creates Smurfette to catch The Smurfs' goodness
the Smurfs. As his "robot" she does changes Smurfette and
what he asks and tricks the Smurfs into she comes to their rescue
Gargamel's trap. Wearing a cape and mask,
she disguises herself as
the Lone Smurf and frees
the Smurfs. As a reward
they make her a real Smurf
*Smurfette saves the Smurfs from Gargamel.
**Moral: If you try, you can be anything you what to be. You
can overcome your beginnings.

JOKEY'S MEDICINE
Jokey is always playing practical Jokey lures Azrael away.
jokes on others but the Smurfs do The Smurfs crawl into
not find his exploding boxes funny. Gargamel's place by
They play one on him, but Azrael is accident. Jokey gives
there instead, and they get caught. Gargamel one of his
Now Jokey has to rescue them. exploding presents and
when it blows up in his
face, they escape. The
last joke Jokey tries to
pull lands near him and
blows up in his face.
That's not funny, he says.
*Jokey lures Azrael away. Smurfs are at Gargamel's place.
**Moral: Practical jokes are not always funny to the person on
whom the joke is being played.
 (l '
226

ST. SMURF AND THE DRAGON

Smurfs need glowberries to make the
village invisible from Gargamel. While
searching for them, they find a baby
dragon who is sick. Gargamel gets a hold
of him and uses his fire against the
Smurfs.
*Gargamel flies over the Smurf village.
Gargamel spots the village
from his balloon. He does
not need the baby dragon
anymore and drops him. But
the dragon falls into his
mother's arms. The
village can now disappear
so Gargamel can not find
it. Instead, the mother
dragon's fire bursts
Gargamel's hot air balloon

SORCERER SMURF

Gargamel catches three Smurfs but since Papa Smurf pretends to be

he planned an explosion, he lets them Sorcerer Smurf. He turns
escape, according to his plan. Papa says the ground into quicksand
Grouchy will be sick unless he is cheered and the trees threaten
up. They find a magic book belonging to Gargamel so he runs away.
Sorcerer Smurf. So they go off to find Its really Smurfs in the
him on top of the Mt. of Mist. When they trees and they were using
get there, they discover it is really a seesaw to make the Earth
Gargamel is disguise. He wants them to tremble and rock.
take him to the village.
*The three Smurfs agree to take Gargamel to the village to save
Papa. But Papa and the rest of the Smurfs come to their rescue.
 227

APPENDIX B
 228

Table 35A
PERCENT OF TIME CHARACTERS SPEND IN CODED ACTIVITIES
Caring Discord Parental Outsmart Seeks Smurf Use Nature
Harmony Teach Vln Help Lang Magic Anmls

AllSmurfs 374 (22%) 98 ( 6%) 310 (18%) 70 ( 4%) 50 ( 3%) 368 (22%) 44 ( 3%) 10 ( .6%)

Papa 24 ( 5%) 1 ( .2%) 272 (55%) 10 ( 2%) 2 ( .4%) 132 (27%) 40 ( 8%)
Smurfette 102 (50%) 4 ( 2%) 11 ( 5%) 16 ( 8%) 19 ( 9%) 30 (15%) 9 ( 4%)
Brainy 5 ( 3%) 5 ( 3%) 2 ( 1%) 6 ( 4%) 31 (21%) 1 (.7%)
Clumsy 6 ( 6%) 2 ( 2%) 3 ( 3%) 2 ( 2%) 5 ( 5%) 9 ( 9%) 2 ( 2%) 1 ( 1%)
Hefty 11 (13%) 3 ( 3%) 4 ( 5%) 10 (12%) 3 ( 3%) 36 (42%)
Handy 11 (26%) 5 (12%) 5 (12%) 2 ( 5%) 15 (35%) 1 ( 2%)
Jokey 5 (12%) 9 (22%) 1 ( 2%) 3 ( 7%) 6 (15%)
Grouchy 6 (67%)
Lazy 1 ( 6%) 1 ( 6%) 7 (42%)
Greedy 9 (18%) 5 (11%) 1 ( 2%) 3 ( 6%) 20 (41%)
Poet 3 (16%) 1 ( 6%) 1 ( 6%) 7 (4 7%)
Painter 1 (33%) 1 (33%)
Harmony 4 (21%) 3 (16%) 3 (16%) 7 (37%)
Farmer 6 (67%)
Vanity 5 (14%) 2 ( 5%) 1 ( 3%) 14 (38%)
Dreamy 1 ( 3%) 1 ( 3%) 21 (60%)
Mlt.Smurf 190 (51%) 63 (17%) 9 ( 2%) 17 ( 5%) 7 ( 2%) 21 ( 6%)

Others
Featilers
Fuzzles
Snowbeast
Sir Hefty
Prple Smrf
Clockwork
SpelSmftte

Main Vlns 5 ( 1%) 16 ( 3%)

Gargamel 5 ( 1%) 16 ( 6%)
Azrael
X-Vlns 1 ( 1%) 8 ( 4%)
Big Mouth
MaGargmel
Hogatha 1 ( 3%) 1 ( 3%)
Bacchus 7 (37%)
Trolls
Howlibird
Bmbst/Blst
Genie
Dragon
Ogre
Spider
Imperial
Lightning
Chicken
No Charact 45 (100)
~ 374 (15%) 98 ( 4%) 310 (12%) 70 ( 3%) 50 ( 2%) 374 (15%) 70 ( 3%) 55 ( 2%)
 229

Table 35B
(Continued) PERCENT OF TIME CHARACTERS SPEND IN CODED ACTIVITIES
Pranks Come up- Bumblers/ Mistreat- Mimicry Misc. Jeopardy N•Total
pance Chicken ed Funny Sit. Actions

All Smurfs 31 ( 2%) 64 ( 4%) 199 (12%) 38 ( 2%) 26 ( 2%) 1682

(No Vlns)
Papa 8 ( 2%) 3 ( .6%) 492
Smurfette 3 (1%) 6 ( 3%) 2 ( 1%) 202
Brainy 63 (43%) 25 (17%) 9 ( 6%) 147
Clumsy 69 (67%) 4 ( 4%) 103
Hefty 15 (17%) 4 ( 5%) 86
Handy 3 ( 7%) 1 ( 2%) 43
Jokey 16 (39%) 1 ( 2%) 41
Grouchy 3 (33%) 9
Lazy 8 (44%) 1 ( 6%) 18
Greedy 8 (16%) 3 ( 6%) 49
Poet 1 ( 7%) 2 (14%)
15
Painter 1 (33%) 3
Harmony 1 ( 5%) 1 ( 5%) 19
Farmer 2 (22%) 1 (11%) 9
Vanity 2 ( 5%) 12 (32%) 1 ( 3%) 37
Dreamy 11 (31%) 1 ( 3%) 35
Mlt.Smurf 9 ( 5%) 25 ( 7%) 6 ( 2%) 26 ( 7%) 373

Others 42 (74%) 15 (26%) 57

Feathers 1 (50%) 2
Puzzles 10 (100) 10
Snowbeast 6 (75%) 2 ( 3%) 8
Sir Hefty 3 (30%) 7 (70%) 10
Prple Smrf 7 (88%) 1 (12%) 8
Clockwork 14 (100) 14
SpelSmftte 1 (17%) 5 (83%) 6

Main Vlns 234 (42%) 59 (11%) 83 (15%) 161 (29%) 558

Gargamel 151 (52%) 118 (41%) 290
Azrael 83 (31%) 59 (22%) 83 (31%) 43 (16%) 268

:X-Vlns 1 (1%) 4 ( 2%) 75 (41%) 92 (51%) 181

Big Mouth 2 ( 5%) 18 (50%) 16 (44%) 36
MaGargmel 1 (17%) 3 (50%) 2 (33%) 6
Hogatha 1 ( 3%) 1 ( 3%) 21 (70%) 5 (17%) 30
Bacchus 3 (16%) 9 (47%) 19
Trolls 6 (21%) 22 (79%) 28
Howlibird 5 (50%) 5 (50%) 10
Bmbst/B1st 9 (56%) 8 (47%) 17
Genie 8 (100) 8
Dragon 5 (83%) 1 (17%) 6
Ogre 2 (67%) 1 (33%) 3
Spider 1 (100) 1
Imperial 12 (100) 12
Lightning 1 (100) 1
Chicken 3 (75%) 1 (25%) 4
No Charact 45
~ 31 ( 1%) 66 ( 2%) 433 (17%) 63 ( 2%) 83 ( 3%) 155( 6%) 294 (11%) 2526
 230

Table 35C
(Continued) PERCENT OF TIME CHARACTERS SPEND IN CODED ACTIVITIES
NURTURING SIT CONFLICT SIT. TOTAL JEOPARDY
FUNNY SIT. SIT.

AllSmurfs 854 (51%) 148 ( 9%) 331 (20%) 26 ( 2%)

(No Vlns)
Papa 306 (62%) 3 (.6%) 11 ( 2%)
Smurfette 129 (14%) 23 (11%) 11 ( 5%)
Brainy 7 ( 5%) 11 ( 7%) 97 (66%)
Clumsy 21 (20%) 7 ( 7%) 73 (71%)
Hefty 25 (29%) 6 ( 7%) 19 (22%)
Handy 21 (49%) 2 ( 5%) 4 ( 9%)
Jokey 9 (22%) 9 (22%) 17 (41%)
Grouchy 0 0 3 (33%)
Lazy 1 ( 6%) 1 ( 6%) 9 (50%)
Greedy 10 (20%) 8 (16%) 11 (22%)
Poet 1 ( 7%) 4 (27%) 3 (20%)
Painter 1 (33%) 1 (33%) 1 (33%)
Harmony 7 (37%) 3 (16%) 2 (11%)
Farmer 0 0 3 (33%)
Vanity 8 (22%) 0 15 (41%)
Dreamy 2 ( 6%) 0 12 (34%)
Mlt.Smurf 216 (58%) 70 (19%) 40 (11%) 26 ( 7%)

Others 42 (74%) 15 (26%)

Feathers 1 (50%)
Puzzles 10 (100)
Snow beast 6 (75%) 2 ( 3%)
Sir Hefty 3 (30%) 7 (70%)
Prple Smrf 7 (88%) 1 (12%)
Clockwork 14 (100)
SpelSmftte 1 (17%) 5 (83%)

Main Vlns 376 (67%) 161 (29%)

Gargamel 151 (52%) 118 (41%)
Azrael 225 (84%) 43 (16%)

X-Vlns 80 (44%) 92 (51%)

Big Mouth 20 (56%) 16 (44%)
MaGargmel 4 (66%) 2 (33%)
Hogatha 23 (77%) 5 (17%)
Bacchus 3 (16%) 9 (47%)
Trolls 6 (21%) 22 (79%)
Howlibird 5 (50%) 5 (50%)
Bmbst/Blst 9 (53%) 8 (47%)
Genie 8 (100)
Dragon 5 (83%) 1 (17%)
Ogre 2 (67%) 1 (33%)
Spider 1 (100)
Imperial 12 (100)
Lightning 1 (100)
Chicken 3 (75%) 1 (25%)
No Charact 45 ( 5%) 0
TOTAL: 899 (35%) 148 (6%) 829 (33%) 294 (12%)
 231

Table 36A
PARTICIPATION OF INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERS WITHIN EACH CATEGORY
Caring Discord Parental Outsmart Seeks Smurf Uae Nature
Harmony Teach Vln Help Lang Magic Anmla

AllSmurfs 374 (100) 98 (100) 310 (100) 70 (100) 50 (100) 368 (98%) 44 (63%) 10 (18%)

Papa 24 ( 6%) 1 ( 1%) 272 (88%) 10 (14%) 2 ( 4%) 132 (35%) 40 (57%)
Smurfette 102 (27%) 4 ( 4%) 11 ( 4%) 16 (23%) 19 (38%) 30 ( 8%) 9 (16%)
Brainy 5 ( 1%) 5 ( 5%) 2 (,6%) 6 (12%) 31 ( 8%) 1 ( 1%)
Clumsy 6 ( 2%) 2 ( 2%) 3 ( ,9%) 2 ( 3%) 5 (10%) 9 ( 2%) 2 ( 3%) 1 ( 1%)
Hefty 11 ( 3%) 3 ( 3%) 4 ( 1%) 10 (14%) 3 ( 6%) 36 ( 9%)
Handy 11 ( 3%) 5 ( 2%) 5 ( 2%) 2 ( 4%) 15 ( 4%) 1 ( 1%)
Jokey 5 ( 1%) 9 ( 9%) 1 (.3%) 3 ( 4%) 6 ( 2%)
Grouchy 6 ( 2%)
Lazy 1 ( .3%) 1 ( 2%) 7 ( 2%)
Greedy 9 ( 2%) 5 ( 5%) 1 ( 1%) 3 ( 6%) 20 ( 5%)
Poet 3 ( 3%) 1 ( 1%) 1 ( 2%) 7 ( 2%)
Painter 1 ( 1%) 1 ( 2%)
Harmony 4 ( 1%) 3 ( 3%) 3 ( 4%) 7 ( 2%)
Farmer 6 ( 2%)
Vanity 5 ( 1%) 2 ( .6%) 1 ( 1%) 14 ( 5%)
Dreamy 1 ( .3%) 1 ( .3%) 21 ( 5%)
Mlt.Smurf 190 (51%) 63 (64%) 9 ( 3%) 17 (24%) 7 (14%) 21 ( 6%)

Others
Fea't'hera
Fuzzles
Snowbeast
Sir Hefty
Prple Smrf
Clockwork
SpelSmftte

Main Vlns 5 ( 1%) 16 (23%)

Gargamel 5 ( 1%) 16 (23%)
Azrael
X-Vlns 1 ( .2%) 8 (11%)
Big Mouth
HaGargmel
Hogatha 1 ( .3%) 1 ( 1%)
Bacchus 7 (10%)
Trolls
Howl! bird
Bmbst/Blat
Genie
Dragon
Ogre
Spider
lllperial
Lightning
Chicken
No Charact 45 (82%)
374 98 310 70 50 374 70 55
~
 232

Table 36B
(Continued) PARTICIPATION OF INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERS WITHIN EACH CATEGORY
Pranks Come up- Bumblers/ Mistreat- Mimicry Misc. Total Jeopardy
pance Chicken ed Funny
All Smurfs 31 (100) 64 (97%) 199 (46%) 38 (25%) 331 (40%) 26 (9%)
(NoVlns)
Papa 8 ( 3%) 3 ( 2%) 11 ( 1%)
Smurfette 3 (10%) 6 ( 1%) 2 ( 1%) 11 ( 1%)
Brainy 63 (95%) 25 ( 6%) 9 ( 5%) 97 (12%)
Clumsy 69 (16%) 4 ( 3%) 73 ( 9%)
Hefty 15 ( 4%) 4 ( 3%) 19 ( 2%)
Handy 3 (.7%) 1 ( .6%) 4 (. 5%)
Jokey 16 (52%) 1 (.2%) 17 ( 2%)
Grouchy 3 (. 7%) 3 ( .4%)
Lazy 8 ( 2%) 1 ( 2%) 9 ( 1%)
Greedy 8 ( 2%) 3 ( 2%) 11 ( 1%)
Poet 1 ( 3%) 2 ( 1%) 3 (.4%)
Painter 1 (.6%) 1 (.1%)
Ha'l:'!llony 1 ( 2%) 1 ( .6%) 2 (.2%)
Fa'l:'!ller 2 ( 1%) 1 ( ,6%) 3 (.4%)
Vanity 2 ( 6%) 12 ( 3%) 1 ( .6%) 15 ( 2%)
Dreamy 11 ( 3%) 1 ( .6%) 12 ( 2%)
M1t.Smurf 9 (29.0) 25 ( 6%) 6 ( 4%) 40 ( 5%) 26(9%)
Others 42 (27%) 42 (27%) 15 (5%)
Feathers 1 ( .6%) 1 ( .1%)
Puzzles 10 ( 6%) 10 ( 1%)
Snowbeaat 6 ~ 4%) 63 f·7%~ 2~.7%~
Sir Hefty 3 2%) ,4% 7 2%
Prple Smrf 7 ( 5%) 7 (.8%) 1(.3%)
Clockwork 14 ( 9%) 14 ( 2%)
SpelSmftte 1 ( .6%) 1 (.1%) 5( 2%)

Main Vlns 234 (54.0) 59 (93.6) 83 (100) 376 (45%) 161(54%)

Gargame1 151 (34.9) 151 (18%) 118(40%)
A.zrael 83 (19.2) 59 (93.6) 83 (100) 225 (27%) 43(15%)

li:-V1ns 1 ( 2%) 4 ( 6%) 75 (48%) 80 (10%) 92(21%)

Big Mouth 2 ( 3%) 18 (12%) 20 ( 2%) 16( 5%)
HaGarpe1 1 ( 2%) 3 ( 2%) 4 (.5%) 2(.7%)
Hogatha 1 ( 2%) 1 ( 2%) 21 (14%) 23 ( 3%) 5( 2%)
Bacchus 3 ( 2%) 3 (.4%) 9( 3%)
Trolls 6 ( 4%) 6 (.7%) 22( 8%)
Hodibird 5 ( 3%) 5 (.6%) 5( 2%)
Bmbst/B1st 9 ( 6%) 9 ( 1%) 8( 3%)
Genie 8(.9%)
Dragon s ( 3%) s (.6%) 1( .3%)
Ogre 2 ( 1%) 2 (.2%) 1( .3%)
Spider 1( .3%)
I•perial 12( 4%)
Lightning 1(.3%)
Chicken 3 ( 2%) 3 ( .4%) 1(.3%)
No Charact
~ 31 66 433 63 83 155 829 294
 233

Table 36C
(Continued) PARTICIPATION OF INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERS WITHIN EACH CATEGORY
NURTURING SIT CONFLICT SIT. TOTAL JEOPARDY
FUNNY SIT. SIT.
AllSmurfs 854 (95%) 148 (100%) 331 (40%) 26 ( 8.8)

Papa 306 (34%) 3 ( 2%) 11 ( 1%)

Smurfette 129 (14%) 23 ( 16%) 11 ( 1%)
Brainy 7 (.8%) 11( 7%) 97 (12%)
Clumsy 21 ( 2%) 7 ( 5%) 73 ( 9%)
Hefty 25 ( 3%) 6 ( 4%) 19 ( 2%)
Handy 21 ( 2%) 2 ( 1%) 4 (.5%)
Jokey 9 ( 1%) 9 ( 7%) 17 ( 2%)
Grouchy 0 0 3 (.4%)
Lazy 1 ( .1%) 1 ( • 7%) 9 ( 1%)
Greedy 10 ( 1%) 8 ( 5%) 11 ( 1%)
Poet 1 (.1%) 4 ( 3%) 3 ( .4%)
Painter 1 ( .1%) 1 ( • 7%) 1 (.1%)
Harmony 7 ( .8%) 3 ( 2%) 2 (.2%)
Farmer 0 0 3 (.4%)
Vanity 8 (.9%) 0 15 ( 2%)
Dreamy 2 (.2%) 0 12 ( 1%)
Mlt.Smurf 216 (24%) 70 ( 47%) 40 ( 5%) 26 ( 9%)
Others 42 (27%) 15 ( 5%)
Feathers 1 ( .1%)
Puzzles 10 ( 1%)
Snowbeast 6 (.7%) 2 (,7%)
Sir Hefty 3 (.4%) 7 ( 2%)
Prple Smrf 7 ( ,8%) 1 ( .3%)
Clockwork 14 ( 2%)
SpelSmftte 1 ( .1%) 5 ( 2%)

Main Vlns 376 (45%) 161 (55%)

Gargame1 151 (18%) 118 (40%)
A.zrael 225 (27%) 43 (15%)

X-Vlns 80 (10%) 92 (21%)

Big Mouth 20 ( 2%) 16 ( 5%)
HaGargme1 4 ( .5%) 2 (.7%)
Hogatha 23 ( 3%) 5 ( 2%)
Bacchus 3 ( ,4%) 9 ( 3%)
Trolls 6 (.7%) 22 ( 8%)
Howlibird 5 ( .6%) 5 ( 2%)
Bmbst/Blst 9 ( 1%) 8 ( 3%)
Genie 8 (.9%)
Dragon 5 ( 6%) 1 ( .3%)
Ogre 2 (.2%) 1 (.3%)
Spider 1 (.3%)
ape rial 12 ( 4%)
Lightning 1 (,3%)
Chicken 3 ( .4%) 1 ( .3%)
Mo Charact 45 ( 5%) 0
~ 899 148 829 294
 234

Table 37 Caring Discord Parental Outsmart Seeks Smurf Use Nature

Harmony Teach Vln Help Lang Magic Anmls

TOTAL:N•39 374(14.8) 98(3.9) 310(12.3) 70( 2.8) 50(2.0) 374(14.8) 70( 2.8) 55(2.2)
(0+1+2)
Low-High 3-23 0-10 0-17 0-6 0-5 0-28 0-7 0-6
Mean 9.5897 2.5128 7.6923 1. 7949 1.2821 9.5897 1. 7949 1. 4103
S.D. 4.5348 2.8365 4.2436 1.5420 1.3755 6.3067 1.9491 1.4639

All Peyo 277 67 217 56 42 244 43 40

(O)N•30
Low-High 3-23 0-10 0-15 0-6 0-5 0-16 0-7 0-6
Mean 9.2333 2.2333 7.2333 1.8667 1.4000 8.1333 1.4333 4.4333
S.D. 4. 7247 2.7877 3.5977 1.6965 1.3797 4.9252 1.5687 1.5388

Not All 97 31 83 14 8 130 27 15

(1+2)N•9
Low-High 6-18 1-31 1-17 0-3 0-4 7-28 0-7 0-4
Mean 10.7778 3.4444 9.2222 1.5556 .8889 14.4444 3.0000 1.6667
S.D. 3.8333 2.9627 5.9325 .8819 1.3642 8.1565 2.6458 1.2247

Pranks Comupance Bumblers Mistret Mimicry Fun Misc. TotFun Sit Jeopardy

TOTAL:N•39 31(1.2) 66(2.6) 433(17.2) 63(2.5) 83(3.3) 155(6.1) 829(32.9) 294(11.6)

(0+1+2)
Low-High 0-7 0-8 1-31 0-8 0-18 0-17 4-48 1-14
Mean .7949 1.6923 11.1026 1.6154 2.1282 3.9744 21.4872 7.5385
S.D. 1.3989 2.1662 2.1662 2.0211 3.4579 4.7378 8.1301 4.1412

All Peyo 19 50 321 32 44 133 599 233

(0)N•30
Low-High Q-19 0-8 0-15 0-6 0-5 0-17 0-7 0-6
Mean .6333 1.6667 10.7000 1.0667 1.4667 4.4333 19.9667 7.7667
S.D. .8503 2.1389 7.3726 1.2847 2.0297 5.0969 10.8198 4.3524

Not All 12 16 112 31 39 22 232 61

(1+2)N•9
Low-High 0-7 0-16 2-21 0-8 0-18 0-22 9-46 3-13
Mean 1.3333 1.7778 12.4444 3.4444 4.3333 2.4444 25.7778 3.0000
S.D. 2.5000 2.3863 8.2023 2.9202 5.8949 3.0046 13.3114 3.4561

Nurturing Conflict Nurturing Conflict

Sit. Sit. Sit. Sit.

TOTAL:N•39 799 148

(0+1+2)
Low-High 8-44 0-12
Mean 20.4872 3.7949
S.D. 8.1301 2.9126

All Peyo 590 109 Not All 209 39

(0)N•30 (1+2)N•9
Low-High 8-44 0-12 Low-High lQ-39 1-9
Mean 19.6667 3.6333 Mean 10.0000 4.3333
S.D. 7.7608 2.9998 S.D. 9.2030 2.6926
235

. I