"To Boldly Grow: Some Celluloid Bonsai (An Overview)"


Compiled by Robert J. Baran



Celluloid Bonsai I
ABS Article, Part I
1941-1988

Celluloid Bonsai II
ABS Article, Part II
1990-1995

Celluloid Bonsai III
Other Sightings
1958-1999

Celluloid Bonsai IV
Sightings
2000-present

Celluloid Bonsai V
In Video and Computer Games


Annual Breakdown
Videos of Teachers
+ / / / / / +
Video Series
Videos of Collections


This Page Last Updated: February 17, 2024


         "Bonsai have made surprisingly frequent appearances on the large and small screens.  The value of these lies in the audience's repeated exposure to the fruits of our interest.  To most non-enthusiasts, these trees, whether living or artificial, look about the same.  But multiple viewings, however briefly, can help generate an interest in the bonsai art.

        "Magical miniature landscapes continue occasionally to grace our large and small screens.  One might almost be inclined to think that some of the very brief portrayals were being planted like Easter eggs.  Or is it that the art is finally achieving a certain level of widespread acceptance?" 

        The following is an on-going tally of the portrayals listed in the five Boldly Grow sections on this website.  It is presented here to give a better picture of the prevalence of depictions of bonsai and related artforms in the moving media. 

        We are aware that, in addition, there have been probably several hundreds of local news station segments on bonsai club displays and/or brief interviews with club members or teachers.  We are not planning on even attempting to keep track of these usually one-time airings.  We do acknowledge this "Shadow Boldly Grow."

        What would an analysis of the credited propmasters, greensmen, etc. for the different shows and films yield?  How many persons were involved in multiple shows?  Are there any names which are repeatedly involved? 

        A new category could be made with YouTube-type videos from the Internet.  For the present, however, these are included in "TV Episodes" as opposed to "Video and Computer Games."  There are many educational clips under the search category of "bonsai" in YouTube.  We will review an assortment and decide the best way to list them in the BoldlyGrow section.


YEAR
MOVIES TV SERIES Episodes
(local or national)
TV SPECIALS/NEWS
(one-time events & mini-series)
TV ADVERTISEMENTS
VIDEO and COMPUTER GAMES
1911
1 short




----
----
----
----
----
----
1941
1




----
----
----
----
----
----
1949
1




----
----
----
----
----
----
1956
1
1



1957
1
1



1958
1




1959





1960





1961
1




1962
3




1963





1964





1965

1 (mismatched subtitle)
+1 (estimated date)



1966
1




1967
1
1



1968





1969
1




1970

1



1971

1



1972





1973
1
1



1974
1




1975





1976

1 AUDIO ONLY



1977
1
2



1978





1979
1 AUDIO ONLY



1980


1


1981
1
1



1982
1




1983
1




1984
1
1



1985

1



1986
2




1987

1



1988
2 + 1 animated
2
1


1989
4




1990

3

1

1991
1
5



1992
1
8 + 1 AUDIO ONLY
1


1993
3
10 + 1 AUDIO ONLY

2

1994
2
8
2


1995
1 + 1 AUDIO ONLY
3


1
1996
2
2
1
1

1997
2
1



1998
3




1999
5
1

3

2000
3
4 + 1 animated

3

2001
3 + 1 AUDIO ONLY
6 + 1 AUDIO ONLY

2

2002

4


2
2003
3 12 + 1 animated
+ 1
part animated

1
2
2004
2 + 1 marionettes
+ 1 "making-of"
4

1
1
2005 2 7 + 1 animated
+1 Internet Video
1 news
2 3
2006 5
3 + 2 animated
+1
Internet Video


1

2007
2
5 + 1 animated

2

2008
2 + 1 animated


1
2
2009
3 + 1 short

2 news

1
2010
2 1 2 news


2011
3 2 1 news + 1 Internet news parody


2012
2


1
1
2013
1
2
2 news


2014

1 + 1 animated



2015

1


1
2016
1



1
2017
1
1
1
1

2018
1
1



2019





2020





2021
1




2022

1



2023

1



2024


3 news





MOVIES
TV SERIES
Episodes
TV SPECIALS/NEWS
TV ADVERTISEMENTS
VIDEO and COMPUTER GAMES
TOTALS 87 + 3 animated
+ 2 short
+ 3 AUDIO ONLY

+ 1 marionettes
+ 1 "making of"

108 + 7 animated
+ 1
part animated
+ 2 Internet Videos
+ 4 AUDIO ONLY
+ 1 "mismatched subtitle"

7 + 11 Internet news parody 22
15
(we are aware that there are many more than this)




Annual Breakdown
Video Series
Videos of Teachers


Celluloid Bonsai I
ABS Article, Part I
1941-1988

Celluloid Bonsai II
ABS Article, Part II
1990-1995

Celluloid Bonsai III
Other Sightings
1958-1999

Celluloid Bonsai IV
Sightings
2000-present

Celluloid Bonsai V
In Video and
Computer Games

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