"And now here's something we hope you'll really like..."

As you drive down Sunset Boulevard, just west of Crescent Heights (across the street from the legendary Chateau Marmont) it's hard not to notice a giant statue of Bullwinkle J. Moose (holding Rocky the Flying Squirrel) on the south side of the Strip,

This 15-foot-tall statue of Rocky & Bullwinkle stands outside Dudley Do-Right's Emporium, a small, eccentric gift shop named after that fearless Canadian Mountie. Inside, the shop is filled with toys, stuffed animals, trinkets, hats, t-shirts, wristwatches, original animation cels, cartoon scripts, recordings of TV themes, and assorted souvenirs, all bearing the likenesses of Bullwinkle & Rocky, Boris & Natasha, George of the Jungle, Dudley Do-Right, Nell, Snidely Whiplash, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, Super Chicken, and the other famous, wacky creations of Jay Ward Studios.

In fact, the gift shop is located right next door to the former Jay Ward Productions (8217 Sunset Blvd.), a tiny studio building, where some of the nation's favorite cartoons were brought to life. Ward Productions Inc. is now run by Ramona Ward and Tiffany Ward, Jay Ward's widow and daughter.

The original "Adventures of Bullwinkle and Rocky" ran on network TV from 1959 to 1973. But the Frostbite Falls characters have been experiencing something of a renaissance lately, what with the recent release of a live-action movie version of "George of the Jungle" and the release of live-action film versions of both "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle" and "Dudley Do-Right" due from Universal Pictures. And of course the Cartoon Network is still rerunning the classic Ward cartoon shows every weekend. Jay Ward and his wife both recently received stars on the Walk of Fame.

Robert DeNiro (who starred as 'Fearless Leader' in the movie version of "Rocky & Bullwinkle") says that he remembers seeing the giant statue of Bullwinkle across the street when he used to stay at the Chateau Marmont.

A mural on the studio's western wall depicts the evolution of a cartoon, and the surrounding area contains colorful toon-like tile work; the courtyard bears the signatures of those who originally helped create Rocky & Bullwinkle. (The giant statue of Bullwinkle is actually located a few spaces to the west of the gift shop & studio.)

If you're a loyal fan in search of a Bullwinkle souvenir, you've come to the right place. If not, there's not really much to see here - unless you want to shoot a photo of the statue. (Even then, the statue looks a bit cheesy up close...) But this wacky landmark is certainly something you won't find anywhere else outside of Hollywood, and you might want to stop by just to satisfy your curiosity.

(Incidentally, if you are a fan of the Frostbite Falls gang, you can also catch a live Rocky and Bullwinkle Show at Universal Studios Hollywood.)

Note that the store keeps unusual hours. They are open only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, from 11 AM - 4:30 PM. There's a small parking lot out front, or you can park in the larger lot of a nearby shopping center just to the east.

 Getting there: The statue and gift shop are located on the south side of the Sunset Boulevard, just west of Crescent Heights - across the street from the legendary Chateau Marmont. / From Hollywood & Vine, take Vine Street two blocks south to Sunset Blvd. Turn right (west) on Sunset, and go west (a little over two miles) to just beyond Crescent Heights. The statue will be on your left (south) side.