Will Ryan: In Memoriam

November 26, 2021

As first noted on our social media channels, lauded voice actor Will Ryan passed away on November 19, 2021. For fans of The World of Teddy Ruxpin, Will’s talents are perhaps most prominently recognizable in his portrayal of Teddy’s stalwart and loyal friend, Grubby the Octopede.

For fans of animation, Mr. Ryan’s career spans over three decades and some of the most iconic characters of a generation. Like many people who would lend their talents to build The World of Teddy Ruxpin, Will Ryan’s career started with the Walt Disney Company where he took over the role of Rabbit in “Winnie the Pooh and a Day For Eeyore". He would reprise that role in the Disney Channel program “Welcome to Pooh Corner”. Coincidentally, the animatronic costumes for that endeavor were produced by the innovative team of Ken Forsse and his “Garage People” in a new company called Alchemy II.

Will continued his work with Disney voicing several characters (most notably Willie the Giant) in “Mickey’s Christmas Carol”. He would also appear as Barnaby the Dog on “Dumbo’s Circus” and would provide several incidental voices for features of all sizes.

Mr. Ryan’s career would often venture outside of Disney as well; exemplified by his performances as Digit in Don Bluth’s “An American Tail”, Petrie in “The Land Before Time”, and Chubs in the popular “Teen Wolf” television series. For those who grew up with Saturday morning cartoons, Will Ryan was featured in several of the biggest franchises of the day including G.I. Joe, The Wuzzles, and Care Bears.

The late-80’s birth of iconic Disney animated series saw Will voice various characters on “Adventures of the Gummi Bears” and “DuckTales”, and he would lend his talents to various characters in franchises such as “The Smurfs” and “Garfield and Friends”. Other silver screen appearances include his roles in “Rock-A-Doodle”, “A Troll in Central Park”, and “Looney Tunes: Back in Action”.

At the turn of the new millennium, Will showed no signs of slowing down with appearances in Disney’s “House of Mouse”, “Courage the Cowardly Dog”, “Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi”, and “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse”. In 2013, Will provided one of the compiled voices for “Peg-Leg Pete” in the award-winning short “Get A Horse!”

It was in 1985 that Will Ryan signed on to voice the character of Grubby for The World of Teddy Ruxpin, performing opposite his “Willio & Philio” counterpart Phil Baron while Alchemy II and Worlds of Wonder prepped the toy for release that Fall. Mr. Ryan would also voice other notable characters, most prominently the bumbling villain Tweeg. Despite much of the original Adventure Series cast being replaced for “The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin” animated series, Phil and Will would be the only ones to voice Teddy and Grubby, respectively throughout the life of the franchise.

While Will’s voice would be his primary instrument (he can be heard as several secondary and background characters in both the Adventure Series and animated series), he would also help to pen some of the music that became so synonymous with Teddy Ruxpin’s world. The entire song catalog from entries such as “Grunge Music”, “Grundo Springtime Singtime”, “Double Grubby”, “Uncle Grubby”, “Grundo Beach Party”, and “Lost in Boggley Woods” are credited to Will, along with several other songs from various stories.

Perhaps it is fitting, then, that Mr. Ryan’s final credit, as of this writing, will be in the upcoming documentary, “Ken Forsse: Come Dream With Me Tonight”, chronicling the life of Ken Forsse and the creation of Teddy Ruxpin.

If you grew up in the 80’s and 90’s, there’s a good chance you’ve heard Will Ryan’s voice in some form or other throughout your childhood. While his loss will be felt by millions, his work as a performer, actor, and songwriter will live on in the hours of entertainment he leaves behind.

Grundo Gazette extends its most sincere condolences to the friends and family of Will Ryan. May he rest in peace.

Documentary Details and Release Date Revealed!

November 1, 2021

In his latest interview with Grundo Gazette on YouTube, director Billy Tooma has revealed the final details and release date for his long-anticipated documentary, "Ken Forsse: Come Dream With Me Tonight.

Those who have been waiting to get a glimpse at what Billy's years fo research has produced can finally mark their calendars. The film is set to be released on January 3, 2022.

Or at least, that's when Part 1 of the film is set to debut.

In an announcement that took many by complete surprise, Billy Tooma announced that his film chronicling the life of revolutionary creator Ken Forsse would not be a single film, but a full docuseries.

With Part 1 debuting on January 3, Tooma explained that there were no fewer than nine parts to his project, with each part released in nine consecutive weeks. That puts the final episode dropping on February 28, 2022.

When asked about the total cumulative runtime of his film, Billy revealed that his copious research has resulted in a final cut approximately 8.5 hours long, far exceeding even fans' loftiest expectations.

Billy Tooma began work on Ken Forsse's difinitive biography in Spring 2018. Since then he has conducted over fifty interviews with Ken's family, friends, and colleagues, as well as those responsible for bringing Ken's seminal creation, Teddy Ruxpin, to life. While continuing to research, Billy began writing the script for his film in the Winter of 2020. Voice work for the film took place in the Spring of 2021, with editing following that Summer. After three years, it seems the film's imminent release has fans excited to learn even more about the quietly profound figure whose work brought joy to millions around the world.

While the film had once been tentatively scheduled for a Fall 2021 release (with Billy saying he would've liked to release it on the anniversary of Ken's birth in September), the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic brought things to something of a stand still, pushing the project's release back to early 2022.

The work is poised to be the difiniitve and most exhaustive account of Ken Forsse's creative life. From his early childhood, to his career in costuming and special effects, to the founding of Alchemy II and the creation of the world's first animated talking toy, the film is both a biography and tribute to the work that influenced the youth of the world for generations to come.

Born on September 17, 1936, Ken Forsse would go on to prominent careers in such companies as Disney's Imagineering and the works of Sid and Marty Krofft before founding his own company in Alchemy II. Together, he and his team would create Teddy Ruxpin, the world's first animated talking toy. A sudden wave of success would come crashing down just as quickly, but both Teddy and Ken's legacy--as well as those who worked to realize them--continue to live on in the hearts and imaginations of those who loved them.

Ken Forsse passed away on March 19, 2014.

An Update and Announcement!

October 18, 2021

Join Grundo Gazette on YouTube for a quick update and exciting news about an upcoming announcement!

A New Deal for Teddy!

September 9, 2021

The Hollywood Reporter has published a story today declaring that DJ2 Entertainment has acquired the film and television rights to Teddy Ruxpin and will seek to adapt everyone's favorite Illiop for the big and small screen!

While details are sparse at this point as the project is in the very early stages of development, this is exciting news as it marks the first major step forward for Teddy since The Jim Henson Company's abandoned plans for a Ruxpin reboot of their own.

The article pays appropriate tribute to Teddy's creator, Ken Forsse, and includes a statement from his widow, Jan. Furthermore, writer Lesley Goldberg even mentions the upcoming documentary Ken Forsse: Come Dream With Me Tonight by our community's very own Billy Tooma!

DJ2 Entertainment founder Dmitri M. Johnson appears to be a longitme fan of Teddy, claiming he has been "tracking this bear" for several years now. His company is perhaps most recognized for helping to bring Paramount Pictures' Sonic the Hedgehog to the silver screen in 2020. Despite initial skepticism from fans that forced Paramount to re-tool the titular hedgehog's design, the film went on to become the most critically and commercially successful video game adaptation of all time.

Only time will tell if similar success awaits Teddy and the rest of his friends from Grundo!

Stories

April 3, 2021

The following stories have been added to the Adventure Series page.

• Lost in Boggley Woods
• “Quiet Please”
• Tweeg Gets the Tweezles
• Wooly and the Giant Snowzos
• The Third Crystal
• Anything in the Soup

Updates to Toy Section

February 24, 2021

We've made some changes to the Television, Toy, and Stories sections of Grundo Gazette:

• Updated story release table to more accurately reflect the stories available for each version of the talking toy.
• Updated formatting on the Toy page to display properly across different screen sizes.
• Updated the summary of the ABC live action special with new formatting and more accurate information concerning the original broadcast.
• Added title card and link to teaser trailer for The Jim Henson Company's canceled reboot of "The New Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin".

Stories Added

February 19, 2021

The following stories have been added to the Adventure Series page.

• The Do-Along Songbook
• The Day Teddy Met Grubby
• Uncle Grubby
• Grundo Beach Party
• The Mushroom Forest
• The Sign of a Friend

Documentary Script Complete!

January 14, 2021

Documentarian Billy Tooma has confirmed that the script for his upcoming documentary, Ken Forsse: Come Dream With Me Tonight has been completed!

Begun in October of 2020, the script seeks to bring together the 40+ interviews, research materials, and visual elements cultivated over the last two years into a single cohesive narrative The finished story spans the breadth of Ken Forsse's life and career from a child in Bellwood, Nebraska to the renowned creator of one of the most enduring characters of a generation, Teddy Ruxpin.

While this signals the end of a large part of the narrative construction, there is much yet to be done. Recording of the narration and a few further interviews will take place over the next several months before it all comes together in the editing room.

"Ken Forsse: Come Dream With Me Tonight" is slated for a Fall 2021 release.

Rare BackPack Toys Commercial Emerges!

January 4, 2021

IlliopOctopede has posted a new hidden gem on YouTube!

The two-minute video is a rare infomercial for the 2006 BackPack Toys Teddy Ruxpin! While most fans will remember the thirty-second ad featuring a mother enjoying her child's Teddy Ruxpin, this is a much rarer ad for the toy with much more in-depth information.

Depicting kids playing with Teddy and emphasizing the staying power of Teddy Ruxpin over other toys, the commercial takes a good look at Teddy's contorls and extensive library while also discussing the initial storybooks.

The commercial also gives us a good look at BackPack Toys' website, including a special kid-centric portal for Teddy and his listeners to interact with. The website has long since disappeared, but snippets can often be found on the Ineternet Archive's Wayback Machine.

Retailing for $69.99 at the time, BackPack Toys Teddy Ruxpin brought the toy into the digital age by replacing traditional cassette tapes with state-of-the-art MP3 cartridges. While the library only amounted to a handful of stories, it was perhaps most notable for revamping "The Airship" and "The Missing Princess" into what became known as the "Treasure Series": altering them for the first time in over twenty years and incorporating much of the material found in "The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin" ABC live action special.

The entire video, shown below, is a fun trip down memory lane for what is considered by some to be one of the best versions of Teddy Ruxpin ever created!

Special thanks to IlliopOctopede for sharing the video with everyone!

Grundo Gazette Reacts to Trailer

January 3, 2021

Join us on YouTube as Grundo Gazette reacts to the teaser trailer for the canceled "New Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin"!

Canceled Jim Henson Series Discovered

January 3, 2021

Grundo Gazette follower Illiop Mom has uncovered the long-rumored teaser for what would have been the Jim Henson Company's interpretation of "The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin"!

Featuring Teddy Ruxpin with a new voice actor (presumably producer John Tartaglia), the sizzle reel is the first depiction of Teddy Ruxpin and the Land of Grundo in computer-generated animation.

Taking cues from the Wicked Cool Toys release of the talking toy, Teddy has been redesigned with blue eyes and his traditional tunic has also been tinted to match. The Airship has been redesigned to feature what appear to be rocket boosters beneath the hull. A stylized Grundo landscape stretches out beneath them.

While no other characters are featured, the trailer does feature Teddy describing his quest to discover a long lost treasure in the Hard to Find City, and he even brings along the Crystals, which now bear a striking resemblance to the rainbow gems found in the caves above Rainbow Falls.

You can watch the full trailer below.

While the series was ultimately canceled, it's always fun and interesting for fans to see what might have been had the project moved forward.

You can still stream the classic "Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin" on The Roku Channel and Amazon Prime Video.

Teddy Ruxpin Teaser from Assemblage Entertainment on Vimeo.

Teddy Ruxpin's Friendship Cookies!

December 24, 2020

Just in time for Christmas, join us on YouTube as we make a fresh batch of Teddy Ruxpin's famous Friendship Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Teddy's Christmas Celebration

December 23, 2020

Just in time for the holidays, Teddy Ruxpin's Christmas has been added to the Adventure Series page!

New Stories Added!

November 25, 2020

New stories have been added to the Adventure Series page!

The following stories have been added:

• Teddy Ruxpin's Birthday
• Grundo Springtime Singtime
• Double Grubby
• One More Spot
• The Medicine Wagon
• Autumn Adventure

In addition, a list of locations and compatible Teddy Ruxpin talking toys have been added to each story's page.

We Met An Alchemist!

October 28, 2020

Check out our BRAND NEW VIDEO on YouTube about the time Billy Tooma and I met original Alchemist Linda Pierson and interviewed her for "Ken Forsse: Come Dream With Me Tonight"!

Make sure to watch til the end for a look at the newest and most cherished addition to my collection!

Teddy Ruxpin Telephone Video is LIVE!

June 16, 2020

A brand new video profiling the Teddy Ruxpin Electronic Telephone is now live on the Grundo Gazette YouTube channel!

Check out the video below! You can also subscribe to us on YouTube if you want to see more videos like this!

New Story Summaries Up Now!

May 20, 2020

Six more story synopses have been added to the Adventure Series page!

The following stories have been added:

• Teddy Ruxpin Lullabies
• Teddy and the Mudblups
• Grubby's Romance
• The Wooly What's-It
• Grunge Music
• Teddy's Winter Adventure

Ken Forsse Documentary Receives New Poster!

May 19, 2020

As first announced on filmmaker Billy Tooma's Instagram, here is the new poster for "Ken Forsse: Come Dream With Me Tonight"! Like the original poster, which was bordered by Grundo foliage recreated by artist Najee R. Smith. Yet while the original poster used a likeness of Ken rendered by Najee and featured Teddy Ruxpin perched on Ken's left shoulder, this new poster features a photo of Ken with Teddy on the set of the 1985 live-action ABC Special, "The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin", provided by original Alchemy II employee and Teddy Ruxpin designer Linda Pierson! The names of those who have been interviewed for the film are featured below, though you can find a full list on the official Icon Independent Films website.

The poster has been added to Grundo Gazette's Ken Forsse page as well!

How to Watch Teddy Ruxpin For FREE!

May 1, 2020

There is a new video on Grundo Gazette's YouTube channel showing step-by-step instructions on how you can setup a Roku account and get started watching "The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin" on Roku Channel COMPLETELY FREE!

Check out the video and start your journey in Grundo today!

Teddy Ruxpin now Free on Roku!

April 29, 2020

"The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin" is now available for free on the Roku Channel!

All 65 episodes of the classic 1987 animated series can now be viewed for free by anyone with a free Roku account!

While Amazon Prime Video has recently released the series on their service, it required a Prime Membership subscription or an outright purchase of the series, leaving anyone who may not have been able to spend the money in the dark.

A Roku account can be created for free and the episodes can be watched in virtually any web browser. Most importantly, you do not need to own a Roku device to get access to the Roku channel.

This is your best chance to enjoy the most complete version of Teddy Ruxpin's story, and it's absolutely free!

Adventure Series Stories Added!

March 22, 2020

The Adventure Series page has been updated with brand new links to synopses of six stories from the World of Teddy Ruxpin Adventure Series.

The stories that have been added are:

• The Airship
• All About Bears
• The Missing Princess
• The Story of the Faded Fobs
• Tweeg and the Bounders
• Take A Good Look

Come back soon as more stories are be added!

Billy Tooma Releases New Teaser Trailer!

March 17, 2020

Documentarian Billy Tooma has released a brand new teaser trailer for his forthcoming film, "Ken Forsse: Come Dream With Me Tonight" featuring never-before-seen photos from the people at Alchemy II responsible for bringing Ken's vision for Teddy Ruxpin to life! Check out the full trailer below and don't forget to follow Billy on Instagram for all the latest news and updates!

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Billy Tooma Talks to Grundo Gazette!

January 28, 2020

Grundo Gazette's exclusive interview with filmmaker Billy Tooma is now LIVE on our YouTube channel! Billy tells us what inspired his career as a documentarian, his childhood as a fan of Teddy Ruxpin, and the challenges of bringing the untold life story of Ken Forsse to the mainstream!

Ask Billy Tooma!

January 20, 2020

Do YOU have a question for filmmaker Billy Tooma about his upcoming documentary "Ken Forsse: Come Dream With Me Tonight"? Email your questions to vincentconroy@grundogazette.com and we’ll be sure to ask him when he sits down for our upcoming interview!

Teddy Ruxpin in Nissan 2019 Holiday Commercial!

December 27, 2019

Everyone's favorite Illiop has made a surprise appearance in this year's Nissan holiday commercial! The commercial, entitled "Christmas Through the Years", takes a look back at some of the most popular gifts of the last 30 years. You'll have to be paying close attention to catch him, but it may just hit home for anyone who received their first Teddy Ruxpin for the holidays as a child! Check out the full video below!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays From Grundo Gazette!

December 24, 2019

A special holiday message from Grundo Gazette! Thanks to everyone for supporting the community! Have a safe and happy holiday, adn we will see you in 2020!

"Push the Button": Teddy Ruxpin Answer Box Video is LIVE!

December 14, 2019

Our long-awaited video exploring the Teddy Ruxpin Answer Box is finally LIVE on Grundo Gazette's YouTube channel!

Be sure to check out the video below and leave a comment on our YouTube page!

What else would you like to see us explore in the World of Teddy Ruxpin? Let us know!

"Ken Forsse: Come Dream With Me Tonight" Principal Research Complete!

December 12, 2019

Billy Tooma, director of the upcoming documentary "Ken Forsse: Come Dream With Me Tonight" has announced today that principal research for his film is now complete!

In the last year, Billy has conducted over 40 interviews with Mr. Forsse's family, friends, colleagues, and peers and acquired more than 1,000 visual elements for the film spanning Forsse's entire career, including several hours of archival footage.

While this marks the end of principal research, the film itself is still far from ready for release. Billy will spend the next two years conducting final bits of research, conducting a few final interviews, and constructing a cohesive narrative for the film.

As previously announced, the film is slated for a Fall 2021 release. You can learn more about the film and its production over on the Ken Forsse Page and on the Icon Independent Films Official Website.

PSA: Recent Spam Attack on Forums

October 30, 2019

Our forums recently suffered a spam attack in which several dozen fake accounts were created and flooded the platform with ads and other non-genuine posts.

To ensure this doesn’t happen again, anyone creating a new user account at GrundoGazette.com/forum will need to first verify their account via an emailed link before they are able to post to the forum.

You can still read the forums without creating an account. If you already have an account, you do not need to take any further action.

Please reach out with any questions or concerns. We apologize for any inconvenience to our community.

- “Vilicles” Vincent Conroy

"Goblins, Ghouls, and...the Great Pumpkin?!"

October 26, 2019

Just in time for Halloween, community member and Grundo Gazette contributor IlliopOctopede has posted a brand new and delightfully spooky video! Through some technical wizardy, Worlds of Wonder Snoopy and a homemade (yes, homemade!) talking Charlie Brown, complete with a ghostly disguise, regale us with the ballad of the Great Pumpkin!

Be sure to subscribe to IlliopOctopede on YouTube for more great videos featuring some of your favorite Words of Wonder talkers (and singers!)

Teddy Ruxpin TV Video Pack on YouTube!

October 14, 2019

A brand new video is on the Grundo Gazette YouTube channel showing the rare Yes! Entertainment Teddy Ruxpin TV Video Pack in action! Enjoy!

Know the FAQ's!

October 8, 2019

The Frequently Asked Questions page has been updated with a few of the most common questions fans have asked! Check back often to see if your question has been added here!

Our Forums Have a New Look!

October 7, 2019

Our forums have a brand new look! Thanks to Eleanor Jacobson (themissingprincess) for taking the time to give our forums a new theme to match the look of the website! Be sure to drop her a line of thanks the next time you check in there!

We've also added an Adventure Series page to help people discover which stories are available for their version of Teddy Ruxpin talking toy. We'll be adding story synopses in the near future!

"The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin" Comes to Amazon Prime Video!

October 3, 2019

Henson Independent Properties has officially released the entire "The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin" animated series for streaming on Amazon Prime Video!

All 65 episodes of the original series, which originally ran from 1987-1988, is now available to stream on virtually any device capable of accessing Amazon Prime Video! Those without a Prime Membership can purchase the episodes for $0.99 each, or the nab the entire series for $53.99.

In addition to making the series available to an entirely new generation of fans, the episodes themselves have been compeletely remastered from the original master tapes so they can be presented at the highest possible quality for the age of high definition!

Head on over to "The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin" on Amazon Prime Video and take a journey back to Grundo!

Thank You, Fans!

October 1, 2019

A special message from "Vilicles" Vincent Conroy: the Editor-in-Chief of Grundo Gazette!

Refinements

September 26, 2019

We've updated the site so that the proper fonts are displayed across different browsers! The site's headlines, quotes, and logo use American Typewriter: the same font used on and in the Teddy Ruxpin Adventure Series books!

You can now find Grundo Gazette's latest Twitter and Instagram feeds right here on the homepage!

We've also fixed the site so that pages fill the entire window, eliminating instances of white space. We will be working on making sure the site is scaled properly for mobile platforms in the near future!

We've also fixed an issue that prevented newly registered forum users from viewing or contributing. Thanks to Enzo for the heads-up!

We have some exciting stuff coming in the very near future, so be sure to check back often for new content and news!

The Trio Welcomes You to Grundo Gazette!

September 20, 2019

We have a new image to welcome you to the Grundo Gazette! Many thanks to our artist, Najee R. Smith for the new Grundo Gazette banner!

Najee's name has been added to the Contact page! More original art will follow!

Have You Joined the Grundo Gazette Fan Forum?

Septemper 19, 2019

The Grundo Gazette Fan Forum is live! Create a free account and join the conversation by clicking the in the navigation bar at the top of each page!

We can't wait to hear from you!

Tweaks ("It's TWEEG!") and Changes

September 19, 2019

• On the Fans page, renamed "Notable Fan Sites" to "Partner Portal"
• Add the Worlds of Wonder Discord Server link to the Parnter Portal
• Added a quote from Jan Hornbeck Forsse, wife of the late Ken Forsse, regarding the upcoming documentary, Ken Forsse: Come Dream with Me Tonight, on the Ken Forsse page.

Open the book to Page One...

September 18, 2019

Grundo Gazette is officially online! We hope this website will provide a platform for fans all over the world to learn and share their love of Teddy Ruxpin, his creator Ken Forsse, and everything in between!

We've worked hard to provide a place where fans can interact on every major social frontier the internet has to offer. From Instagram and Twitter to YouTube and Facebook, and even our own Fan Forums, Grundo Gazette has something for everyone!

The site is small to start, but new content will be added every month, so check back often! And if you don't see something you're looking for, let us know by contacting us and letting us know!

Welcome everyone to Grundo Gazette!

Make sure to check out our fan forum by clicking the icon in the navigation bar at the top of each page!

Henson Announces Remastered Original Series

June 25, 2019

In addition to the upcoming reboot series, Henson Independent Properties has announced they are in the process of remastering the once-thought-lost master tapes for the original "The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin" animated series!