"Long, long ago, deep in the forest, there was a hidden village where tiny creatures lived. They called themselves Smurfs. They were good. Then there was Gargamel, the evil wizard. He was bad. Well, the forest is still there. And if you listen, you may hear Gargamel's rage. But if you were good, you may just catch a glimpse of the Smurfs."

The first Smurf figures appeared in 1965. There were three produced in the first year, the Normal Smurf, the Gold Smurf, and the Convict Smurf. However, the Smurfs began life seven years earlier when Peyo drew the first Smurf. Peyo (real name Pierre Culliford, from Brussels) was drawing a series 'Johan and Pirlouit' (Pewee) in which the Smurfs made an appearance. The little blue creatures were so popular that they were given their own series. The first book to be created was 'The Flute and the Six Smurfs' which was later made into a film. More books were written, the Smurfs' popularity grew, and in 1965 the first figures appeared. The Smurfs went to Los Angeles in 1982 where Hanna-Barbera Studios together with Peyo produced over 150 episodes of Smurf cartoons. Returning to 1966, three more Smurf figures were made. The Spy Smurf, Angry Smurf and Drummer Smurf joined the Smurf World. The figures were quite successful, but no more were made until 1969 when five more Smurfs were produced. One of the most famous Smurfs the moon Smurf with his transparent helmet, appeared this year in relation to the first Moon landing. It is possible that this will be one of the more collectable figures.

Other Smurfs for that year were Winter Smurf, Brainy Smurf, Guitar Smurf and everybody's favorite, Papa Smurf. Smurfs have been produced every year since then except for 1988 and 1991. The first female Smurf appeared in 1971, commonly known as Smurfette. However, they did not appear in the UK until 1978 when National used them to promote service stations. National also provided the main outlet for selling the Smurfs. They arrived in the US a year later. From 1978 the range of Smurfs increased markedly with Smurfs being produced. This included seven Super Smurfs. Super Smurfs come in boxes and are more elaborate than the normal range. The first Super Smurfs included a Chimney Sweep, a Sledger, a Skier, a Smurf on a Tricycle, a Gardener, and always ready to jump on the bandwagon, a Skateboarder. They also included Gargamel, the Smurfs' arch enemy in the books. It is quite interesting to see the sort of Smurfs produced in various years. In the UK the Smurfs were at their peak about 1980 and in that year a Rugby and a Cricket Smurf were made. The year after and the growth of the American market saw an American Football Smurf, a Baseball player and a Cheerleader.

Later Schleich produced ranges for Easter, Christmas and some excellent character Smurfs, such as a range of American Smurfs (Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, George Washington, Paul Revere and Christopher Columbus). From about 1987, Smurfs were created in lesser numbers, and sadly in 1992, Peyo passed away. However, his son Thierry Culliford is continuing to sculpt Smurfs. In the last few years there have been about five or six new Smurfs each year, including eight new ones this year. The last couple of years have seen the Smurfs emerging again with added interest from old and new enthusiasts. They were reintroduced in the UK and the US. The Smurfs also brought out an album which did remarkably well. Clubs have been established in the US, the UK and in Europe, and in 2010 we will see the first of the Smurf Trilogy of movies coming from Sony Pictures. The future is certainly looking blue!

In a tucked away village populated by little blue people who are only three apples tall and make their homes in mushrooms, Papa Smurf, a wise old magician, guides the rest of his hyperactive crew - Brainy, Vanity, Hefty, Clumsy, Jokey, Greedy, Lazy, Handy, Grouchy, Harmony and Smurfette, the only female smurf - through their unfriendly encounters with the inept wizard Gargamel and his henchcat Azreal, who want to rid of the world of these happy blue busybodies.

Belgian artist Pierre "Peyo" Culliford created these enchanting characters (called "Schtroumpf" in French) in a Belgian comic strip in 1958, long before they appeared in this Emmy Award-winning series, which following its premiere in 1981 - was the highest-rated Saturday-morning show in eight years and the highest for an NBC animated series since 1970.

In 1982 NBC expanded the show to a unprecedented 90 minutes. Two new human characters joined the fun that season in cartoon adventures of their own: Johan, a young squire in the swashbuckling Errol Flynn mold, and Peewit, his comical sidekick. That same year The Smurfs won its first Emmy as Outstanding Children's Entertainment Series, the first of many awards for the series.

During the 1983-84 season, the series welcomed the arrival of Baby Smurf, and by the 1985-86 season it featured a tiny foursome of Smurf kids: the Smurflings (Nat, Slouchy, Snappy and Sassette, the second female). The following season two new characters, Grandpa Smurf (voiced by comedian Jonathan Winters) and Scruple, were introduced. In 1983 Hanna-Barbera, the series' producers, broke new ground by introducing the first deaf character in an animated series: Laconia, the mute wood elf who used sign language to communicate.

The Smurfs' format returned to one hour in the 1983-84 season. In the 1980-90 season, the Smurfs left Smurf Village and became involved in events and key periods in world history, from the prehistoric days to ancient Egypt.

The series (renamed The Smurfs' Adventures) enjoyed a long life in syndication as well, beginning in 1986, while the network series continued to win its time slot. In 1989 the program was revived in reruns on USA Network's "Cartoon Express" and again in 1999 on the Cartoon Network. It is currently being broadcast in the USA on the Boomerang Channel.

A Hanna-Barebera production in association with Sepp Int'l, S.A. Color. One hour. Ninety minutes. Premiered on NBC: September 12, 1981-September 1, 1990. Rebroadcast on USA: April 12, 1989-September 12, 1993. Rebroadcast on CAR: October 1993-September 2, 1994 (weekdays); September 5, 1994-June 2, 1995 (weekdays, Sundays); June 30, 1997- (weekdays). Syndicated: 1986.

Voices
Paul Winchell - Gargamel / Puppy
Don Messick - Azreal / Papa Smurf
Danny Goldman - Brainy
Bill Callaway - Clumsy / Painter
Frank Welker - Hefty / Poet / Peewit / Clockwork
June Foray - Jokey / Mother Nature
Lucille Bliss - Smurfette
Alan Oppenheimer - Vanity / Hominbus
Hamilton Camp - Greedy / Harmony
Michael Bell - Lazy / Handy / Grouchy / Johan
Bob Holt - King
Linda Gary - Dame Barbara
Kip King - Tailor
Marshall Efron - Sloppy
Alan Young - Farmer / Scaredy
Julie Dress - Baby
Jonathan Winters - Grandpa
Brenda Vacarro - Scruple
Susan Blu - Nanny
The Smurflings
Pat Musick - Snappy
Charlie Adler - Nat
Julie Dees - Sassette
Frank Welker - Puppy
Noelle North - Slouchy
Paul Kirby, Kris Stevens - Narrator

The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons
by Jeff Lenburg