From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

One of the Califorinia Raisins albums

The California Raisins are a fictional rhythm and blues musical group comprised of anthropomorphized raisins. Vocals were sung by musician, Buddy Miles.

The concept was originally created for a 1987 commercial on behalf of the California Raisin Advisory Board when one of the writers, while trying to come up with an idea for a new raisin commercial, said, "We have tried everything but dancing raisins singing 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine'" (the 1968 Marvin Gaye song). To their surprise, the commercial became wildly popular, spawning future commercials, two TV specials (Meet the Raisins in 1988 and Raisins: Sold Out! in 1990), four studio albums, and a Saturday morning cartoon series, aptly titled The California Raisin Show. The Raisins also appeared in A Claymation Christmas Celebration in 1987, singing the classic Christmas carol, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". The Raisins ultimately gained individual names: A.C., Beebop (drums), Stretch (bass), and Red (piano).

The California Raisins are normally Claymation designed by the Emmy-Award winning studio of Will Vinton, but their cartoon series was cel animated. The artist responsible for the original design was Michael Brunsfeld.

The California Raisins reportedly grossed more in the year that was their heyday, 1988, than Californian farmers made selling raisins. This included a wide variety of merchandising, from toys to Raisins images on every conceivable medium: lunch boxes, notebooks, clothing, posters, etc. A California Raisins music album was also released, featuring classic Motown and rock 'n' roll standards. But perhaps one of the most memorable pieces of merchandise came in the form of small, non-poseable California Raisins figures. The Hardee's restaurant chain offered these as part of a promotion for their cinnamon raisin biscuits. Different collections were produced in 1987, 1988, 1991, and finally in 2001 for their new stylization. This latest incarnation can still be seen on the California Raisin Marketing Board website.[1]

In the early 1990s, Capcom produced a video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System titled, California Raisins: The Grape Escape, where the player controlled a California Raisin through five side-scrolling levels battling various evil fruit and vegetable characters that had stolen the Raisins' music. The game was finished, and several video game critics reviewed it, but it was never released on the open market.

An article on Animateclay.com [2] sheds light on the current status of some of the original clay puppets used in the TV special, Raisins Sold Out. As stated on the site, they were received by Webster Colcord, a former employee of Will Vinton Studios. The figures were kept in a box for several years and headed for the trash before being obtained by Colcord. Several photos are shown on the website, detailing the Raisins' poor condition and taking a close look at their internal armatures.

• 1987: The California Raisins Sing the Hit Songs - Priority Records
• 1988: Sweet, Delicious, & Marvelous - Priority Records
• 1988: Meet the Raisins! - Priority Records
• 1988: Christmas with The California Raisins - Priority Records

In The Simpsons episode, "'Tis The Fifteenth Season," the California raisins were spoofed as "The California Prunes" in a Christmas special depicting the Nativity. Lisa dismisses it as "offensive to both Christians and prunes."

A segment on MADtv depicted the Raisins as mass-murderers by promoting humans to eat their fans. After an 'incident' in Seattle, the band was sentenced to 'death by toaster'.

• "California Raisins" TV series at the Internet Movie Database
• "Raisins Sold Out: The California Raisins II" at the Internet Movie Database
• Official Will Vinton Studios Site
• All Music Entry
• Lostlevels review of the California Raisins video game. Also includes a downloadable port
• California Raisins NES Game
• California Raisin Raisin Puppets: Late 80's - Early 90's
• Californa Raisins Marketing Board official website