It all started in 1950 when Ted Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss) brought a record (which was released by Capitol Records) to Steve Boustow. Geisel was worried that his idea would not become approved, but in the end it was. Cannon decided to become the director of the film which was entitled, like Geisel’s record "Gerald McBoing Boing." This would be a big break for Cannon at UPA after John Hubley had bruised his feelings during the 1945 UPA production of "Brotherhood of Man." This could be the big break he was waiting for. By August 1950, "Gerald" was ready for release.

"Boing" is the story of small Gerald McCloy who instead of saying his first word at two speaks assorted sound effects. This brings him the sad fate of being rejected by his playmates and his parents. Gerald finally runs away from home, until he is stopped by an owner of a radio station who says he needs someone to provide sound effects for his radio programs. Gerald is hired, becomes rich and his parents become filled to the brim with pride.

The cartoon was released in January 1951 and became a smash success. The main reason was that it was like nothing that anybody had ever seen before. Bill Hurtz and Cannon were basically focused on boiling things down to a simplistic, stylized factor. It worked and it had an incredible impact on the industry.

Gerald’s impact was so great that two more cartoons were made. One that strayed from the traditional formula of the first Gerald short, “Gerald McBoing Boing on Planet Moo” received an Academy Award nomination. However, UPA still would have won either way since the other two nominees were “Magoo’s Puddkle Jumper” and “The Jaywalker.” “Puddle Jumper” had won.

Cannon wanted to drive Gerald on a bigger level and a few years later, UPA made its first television endeavor – “The Gerald McBoing Boing Show.” The show was set up just like Warner’s “Bugs Bunny Show” (which would start in 1961). Each broadcast had three selected UPA cartoons with “filler” material featuring Gerald. The only problem was that the show did not have any punch. Even after Cannon sent in writer Bill Scott, nothing could save it and the series was finally canned.

Once the “Gerald Show” had received the boot, there was barely any further attempt to build the character up. However Gerald did appear during the Saperstein period in one Magoo short, “Mr. Magoo Meets Gerald McBoing Boing” and the hour-long special “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol.”

Gerald is still one of the most often remembered UPA characters of all by many animation historians. It all started with just a simple “Boing! Boing!”