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Here at the Quick 10, we’re taking a break from our regularly-scheduled Halloween posts to bring you this public service announcement: it was 51 years ago this week that The Smurfs were first introduced to our pop culture vernacular. I thought it seemed like a pretty worthy reason to break the spooky string of posts, and anyway, I bet at least one of you _flossers spent a Halloween or two slathering yourself in blue paint to portray one of the sapphire shorties (you’ll let us know if you did, right?).
1. The Smurfs were invented as a result of a silly conversation over dinner. Pierre Culliford, a Belgian artist known as Peyo, was dining with a friend when he had one of those momentary lapses of vocabulary that we all experience from time to time – he couldn’t remember the word for “salt” and asked his friend to pass the “schtroumpf.” Mocking him, his friend responded with, “Here’s the schtroumpf. When you are done schtroumpfing, schtroumpf it back.” This sparked an idea, and “les Schtroumpfs” were born in comic strip form shortly thereafter. This, of course, was translated to “The Smurfs” when they hit the American market.
2. The cartoon series was created when an NBC executive spied his daughter playing with a plush Smurf doll. After observing how much she loved the doll, he decided that the Schtroumpfs might be a good fit for his Saturday morning cartoon-fest. It was; it aired for nine seasons.
3. The Smurfs are specifically “three apples” tall.
4. The white hat the Smurfs all wear have been around for ages and are called Phrygian caps. They’re often considered symbols of liberty and were once found on the tops of Liberty Poles. You can see one on the seal of the United States Senate as well.
5. Because the Smurfs shared all of their possessions, some people thought this was a barely veiled attempt to brainwash children into Communist ways. Of course, some people also thought the Phrygian hats meant that the Smurfs were a sect of the Ku Klux Klan, and others claimed the Smurfs were neo-Nazis promoting an Aryan race because of the lone, blonde female in the group. In fact, none of those things were true. Peyo’s son has stated that the Smurfs had no political undertones at all, and the only messages his father wished to impart were those of friendship and love.
6. Karenna Gore’s Secret Service code name was Smurfette, which she has apparently regretted ever since. In 1997, she said, “Ever since I was put on the spot and told ‘two syllables’ and ‘It has to start with an S,’ I have been cringing in the back seat when identified as ‘Smurfette’.”
7. The answer to the age-old question “What color does a Smurf turn when it’s choking?” is purple. At least we can assume it’s purple, based on the episode where a Smurf decides to hold his breath.
8. The Smurfs showed up at a bunch of Kings Entertainment amusement parks in the mid ’80s. King’s Island near Cincinnati had a boat ride that took people through the Smurf village, King’s Dominion had Smurf Mountain, Great America had a little roller coaster called The Blue Streak, and Carowinds had a children’s play area called Smurf Island. Since then, they have all been replaced with different rides.
9. There are some Smurfs from the original comics that never made it to the cartoon. These include Alchemist Smurf, Timid Smurf, Enamored Smurf, Finance Smurf (whoo-hoo! How fun for kids!), Mango Smurf, Lumberjack Smurf, Pastrycook Smurf, Submariner Smurf and Navigator Smurf.
10. The World Record for People Dressed as Smurfs (I can’t shake the feeling that the plural should be Smurves. I know. So wrong.) was set just this year in Swansea, Wales. More than 2,500 people crammed into a nightclub dressed in blue and white and weren’t allowed to have any natural skin showing in order to count toward the record. The previous record had been set just a year earlier, with 1,253 Smurfs gathered in Castleblayney, Ireland.
Oh, and I’ve had this stuck in my head ever since I got the idea for this post, so in hopes that passing it along will get it out of my brain, here you go:
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Comments (43)
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I thought the Smurfs turned purple when a bug bit one of them on their tails, causing not just a color shift but a personality one as well. Not just that, they started “infecting” the other Smurfs as well!
posted by Steve from San Diego on 10-20-2009 at 4:13 pm
Smurfs have tails?
posted by Michelle on 10-20-2009 at 4:28 pm
To this day, my dad will occasionally refer to my mom as Mrs. Gargamel.
The Blue Streak?! Is that what’s left in your underoos after you ride the roller coaster?
Apropos recaptcha: Favorite excretes.
posted by Jessica on 10-20-2009 at 4:29 pm
Huh. Fancy that.
posted by Michelle on 10-20-2009 at 4:29 pm
I loved the smurfs as a kid.
The Phrygian cap is also on the seal of the US Army
posted by Hikingmike on 10-20-2009 at 4:40 pm
I remember a visit to King’s Dominion during the Smurfy days and spotting some blue and white ice cream concoction spilled onto the ground and warning other people “A Smurf melted.”
posted by PartiallyDeflected on 10-20-2009 at 4:42 pm
You are correct that the plural of Smurf should be Smurves. Consider elf/elves, knife/knives, wolf/wolves; smurf/smurves is only logical. I’ve been trying to advance this idea for some time – yeah, I’ve got a lot of time on my hands.
posted by knucklesthedog on 10-20-2009 at 5:00 pm
I remember going to the Smurf Village at Canada’s Wonderland in ~1988. I loved the blue Smurf ice cream, and I still clearly remember being about six years old and terrified of walking over the rickety floor in Gargamel’s house.
From Wikipedia: Smurf Cave (1984-1992) A funhouse-like cave building that featured scenes of Smurfs in their “natural” habitat . . . Also featured near the end of the cave was a section of Gargamel’s house where Gargamel would be playing his organ.
posted by Lindseydl on 10-20-2009 at 5:00 pm
Oooh! I was just about to post about Smurf Village at Canada’s Wonderland! I was terrified — TERRIFIED — of Gargamel’s house/worshop/whatever. I laugh about it now.
And I remember the Smurf ice cream, to! Smurfilicious!
And there was a live sing along show and you could get up on stage and dance and sing with the smurfs. I’m pretty sure I have a photo hanging about with a young me and Smurfette.
posted by Leigh on 10-20-2009 at 5:46 pm
I also remember enjoying the Smurf ice cream at Canada’s Wonderland. I also remember smurfing it up on the bobsled ride a little later. A smurfy childhood memory :)
posted by Suzie on 10-20-2009 at 6:02 pm
You’re right, Steve, the Smurf in the photo is purple because he was bitten by a purple fly. And there was a Timid Smurf in the cartoon, in just one episode.
Umm… I didn’t know all that, someone told me! Yeah, let’s go with that.
posted by K on 10-20-2009 at 7:53 pm
the smurfs are thinly veiled communist propaganda. papa smurf looks just like karl marx and gargamel is supposed to represent capitalism
posted by john on 10-20-2009 at 10:10 pm
I can’t help but have dirty thoughts when I think about the fact that Smurfette was the only female amongst all the males…she must have been one busy girl!
posted by D on 10-20-2009 at 11:02 pm
and you have to wonder what ever happened to Mama Smurf?
posted by PartiallyDeflected on 10-20-2009 at 11:06 pm
Right now I live in Switzerland, and the Smurfs are still pretty big here – they’re called “Die Schlümpfe”
I vaguely remember hearing something about the communist angle in Sunday School. We went to a pretty conservative church…
http://www.thirdvictim.blogspot.com/
posted by thirdvictim on 10-21-2009 at 2:28 am
I was in my late teens when the Smurfs invaded Kings Island. The blobs of blue ice cream melting on the hot pavement were a revolting sight. I made my grandma mad when I told my three year old nephew that it was Smurf poop.
posted by Cynthia on 10-21-2009 at 8:26 am
I agree with D
Smurfette got worked over by a bunch of randy smurfs. Things they don’t tell you as a kid. Gives new meaning to the term ‘blue balls’.
posted by Ian P on 10-21-2009 at 8:45 am
You’re right about Timid Smurf being the cartoon. (Yep, I still watch it. Big Whoop. Wanna fight about it? ;P )It was an episode where they were puttin on a play and the lead character was injured in an accident, and the only one who knew all the lines was Timid.
posted by Angel H. on 10-21-2009 at 9:20 am
re: smurfs vs smurves
Its important to note that the plural of dwarf was dwarfs until Tolkien specifically changed it when referring to the dwarves of Middle Earth. Subsequently, common usage has tended to that fashion, but since the smurfs are relatively contemporary to Tolkien, it makes sense for them to use the more traditional spelling.
posted by Brian M. on 10-21-2009 at 10:34 am
If smurfs are 5 apples tall, Asrael must be an awfully big cat. I mean with the size of the cat, the smurves look more like 1.5 apples…
posted by Sko on 10-21-2009 at 10:37 am
I meant to typ3 apples tall. Not five
posted by Sko on 10-21-2009 at 10:39 am
From “The Venture Bros.”:
Henchman 24: Come on! They have one female servicing a large group of males. That implies a species that lays eggs.
Henchman 21: Oh my God, you’re crazy! They’re so obviously mammals!
Henchman 24: Please! She’d be in estrus 24/7 if she didn’t lay eggs.
Henchman 21: Smurfs don’t lay eggs! I won’t tell you this again! Papa Smurf has a f*cking beard! They’re mammals!
posted by bedhead on 10-21-2009 at 10:43 am
I loved Smurfs growing up. I remember one Smurf toy I had with bumper cars that I loved! I had to go Google it, and found it here: http://bluebuddies.com/Smurfs_Smurf_Action_Toys-7.htm. I know this dates me, but I have fond memories of Smurfs.
posted by Brandy on 10-21-2009 at 10:56 am
If I remember correctly, Smurfette was a creation by Gargamel to catapult the Smurfs to the demise of their community via jealousy or something like that.
What I never really understood was that if Gargamel could manufacture his own Smurfs, why would he continue trying to capture the originals to turn into gold?
posted by tambalina on 10-21-2009 at 11:03 am
I still have my stuffed Smurfs that I won from Hanna Barbara Land in Houston, TX back in the 80’s. I LOVED the Smurfs and made sure to wake up early on saturday mornings just so I could watch the show…good times…
posted by Moo on 10-21-2009 at 11:08 am
The Smurfs were first published in 1958 or created then? My daughter was born in 1976 and I just remember them from when she watched them as a child. Damn, I feel old.
posted by Val on 10-21-2009 at 11:39 am
@tambalina
re: \What I never really understood was that if Gargamel could manufacture his own Smurfs, why would he continue trying to capture the originals to turn into gold?\
Would it be the same concept as manufactured gems vs mined?
or maybe he just liked the thrill of the hunt?
posted by OkieMelissa on 10-21-2009 at 11:42 am
I was so upset when they took down Smurf Island at Carowinds! That was always my favorite part of the park as a kid. I loved going into Smurfette’s house because it was too small for the grown-ups!
YAY Blue Ice Cream!!!!
When I got to college, I had multiple friends tell me they weren’t allowed to watch the smurfs as kids because the creator was a devil worshiper. I was really shocked – has anyone else heard this rumor?
posted by Hastings on 10-21-2009 at 11:46 am
La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La!
posted by Marie Antoinette on 10-21-2009 at 11:55 am
Actually, isn’t “Smurfs” the plural? One smurf, two smurfs…
posted by LawnDartCatcher on 10-21-2009 at 12:53 pm
I still have my Smurfs sleeping bag from when I was a kid. Well, it’s actually at my mom’s, but it’s still mine! I don’t fit into it any more, but maybe my kids will be into the Smurfs like I was. Time to introduce them, I guess; they’re 3 and 4, the perfect age for smurfalicious fun!
posted by Tamsyn on 10-21-2009 at 1:11 pm
So….I wasn’t allowed to watch the Smurfs when I was younger because my mom thought they were sexist communists….but she had no problem with my John Waters VHS collection when I was 13…
posted by Angela on 10-21-2009 at 3:06 pm
Great America also had a smurf village; I remember running around in the little houses when I was very little.
Now I feel old, that must have been 20 years ago!
posted by Leah on 10-21-2009 at 3:54 pm
I love the smurphs.. They are so wholesome and innocent. This of course because they have no sexual organs. LOL!
posted by e cigarette on 10-21-2009 at 4:55 pm
I do miss the World Famous “Smurfenlied” from “Vader Abraham” :-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hon6rSejsFE
posted by hb on 10-21-2009 at 10:29 pm
Oh,I so remember when King’s Dominion was littered with all things “smurfy”. Smurf Mountain was so much fun. Just a simple ride through a cave very much the same as the one people are describing in Canada. Seems like the one at KD,Gargamel and Asriel were chasing the Smurfs and had one in his hand. I still have my posters and stuffed Smurfette from that time.
Of course,KD is worth crap now. =(
posted by lisaj on 10-21-2009 at 10:38 pm
I almost forgot there was an English version of the Smurfsong
Father Abraham & the Smurfs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS5ER8HaIhU
A big hit in Japan
posted by hb on 10-22-2009 at 12:25 am
So not a total departure from Halloween; you just gave me my costume idea. Smurfette, here I come.
posted by Lindsey on 10-22-2009 at 3:22 pm
I worked at Kings Island when the smurf ice cream was being sold. I agree that it was pretty tasty. There was an urban legend that someone in Food Service was fired because he told a kid the ice cream was made of ground up smurfs. Ah, memories of my youth.
posted by Maggy on 10-22-2009 at 11:07 pm
The Smurf Village ride was my absolute favorite at King’s Island when I was a kid. They still have Smurf ice cream there, and I get it every time. Soft serve vanilla/blueberry swirl. YUM!
posted by kaerdna on 10-23-2009 at 2:36 pm
@ Angela,
I wasn’t supposed to watch the Smurfs either, but somehow I was allowed to watch Benny Hill, Monty Python and the Twilight Zone.
Still trying to figure that one out…
posted by Tiffany on 10-26-2009 at 11:57 am
Tiffany…
Im pretty sure we might be related somehow :) haha
posted by Angela on 10-29-2009 at 1:25 pm
Smurfs don’t actually reproduce, a baby Smurf is delivered by a stork every Blue Moon. No one knows where they come from, but there seems to be some sort of authority behind it as Baby Smurf was originally ‘recalled’ but the Smurfs wouldn’t give him away (especially Grumpy).
Wild Smurf was a baby smurf that was lost during a storm.
Smurfette was probably not considered a ‘real Smurf’ until Papa Smurf completed his magical cosmetic surgery so I doubt Gargamel could make gold out of blue clay Smurfettes.
The Smurf made their first appearance in the Johan and Pirlouit adventure ‘The Six Smurf Flute’ living in a far away isolated land. A Six Smurf flute is a special flute only Smurfs know how to make that has the power to make those who hear it dance uncontrollably. Its used to cure certain types of catatonia and anemia but can also be dangerous in the wrong hands.
posted by Dave on 11-16-2009 at 12:53 am