The Alphabet Conspiracy (DVD)

When little Judy can't finish her English homework, 'Dr. Linguistics' (Frank C. Baxter) takes her on a tour of the history of speech and language. But they run afoul of the Mad Hatter and the Jabberwock (from Alice in Wonderland) who have hatched a conspiracy to erase the alphabet forever! This award-winning Bell Science documentary was Baxter's favorite in the series, since he actually was a professor of English at the University of Southern California.

Made under the auspices of Warner Brothers, The Alphabet Conspiracy's animated sequences were created by Looney Tunes legend Friz Freleng. Shortly afterwards, Freleng would leave "Termite Terrace" to form his own company with producer David H. DePatie. As DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, the pair would make the Oscar-winning Pink Panther cartoons. The Mad Hatter is played by Hans Conreid, a beloved character actor remembered for countless on-camera and voiceover roles. He was the titular character in the cult classic The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T and Captain Hook in Disney's Peter Pan (both 1953.) The Jabberwock is played by burlesque dancer Dolores Starr, with her voice dubbed by Daws Butler (Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound.) Legendary jazz trumpeter Shorty Rogers also shows up to give Baxter some tips on scatting. A pantomime sequence featuring Buster Keaton was cut from the special when Warner executives mistakenly believed no one would remember the silent comedian. Originally airing January 26, 1959, The Alphabet Conspiracy won a Primetime Emmy for Best Cinematography.

• documentary