Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Proud Family Cartoon Flashback




The Proud Family was created by Bruce W. Smith and was produced by his studio, Jambalaya Studios. Originally piloted for Nickelodeon [1], it was eventually picked up by the Disney Channel in 2001. Many of the later episodes of The Proud Family were produced using Macromedia Flash. LaCienega and Sunset Boulavardez are puns for La Cienega Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard, actual streets in Los Angeles and the school that Penny Proud and her friends go to is named for auto racing driver Willy T. Ribbs, who was the first African American to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. (Coincidentally, the patriarch of the Boulevardez family is named Felix, who is Oscar Proud's neighbor and best friend. This is a pun to Felix and Oscar of The Odd Couple.) There was also a recurring character named Wizard Kelly, a former professional athlete (whose face was never seen). Because he owned every sports/entertainment venue in the city, his name appeared on everything (pun to Magic Johnson). It was first broadcast in the United States on The Disney Channel on September 15, 2001, and now also airs on Toon Disney. It has also been broadcast on The Family Channel in Canada.