This piece was initially included in a longer essay about jazz music on children's television. As most of what is included here is about jazz music in films that were created for cinema, it didn't sit well with other material. Most of it covers the films made by Fleischer Studios, Warner Brothers and Disney. It features many well-known characters such as Betty Boop, Popeye, Tom and Jerry, Dumbo and more. Many of these animated films and 'theatrical shorts' transferred to TV (

'It's the wolf' '20 FANTASTIC NEW SONGS ABOUT YOUR FAVOURITE CARTOON CHARACTERS'. This much-loved album is one of the strongest and in some ways strangest British records ever made for children. It had a big TV advertising campaign leading up to its release at Christmas 1973 and clearly ended up on the Dansette in many children's bedrooms (like mine). The soulful sunny syncopation of much of Spin a Magic Tune must have brightened up that dark UK winter for many a lucky chi

[This post is related to my article in the Jazz Research Journal] Jazz music in children's television sends out contradictory messages...