Scouting in popular culture

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Smokey Bear with members of the Boy Scouts of America and the Camp Fire Girls celebrating the 50th anniversary of their founding in 1910.

During almost a century of existence, Scouting has entered into many elements of popular culture, including movies, TV and books.

As a facet of culture throughout most of the 20th century, Scouting has been portrayed in numerous films and artwork. It is especially prevalent in the United States, where Scouting is tied closely to the ideal of Americana. The works of painters Norman Rockwell and Joseph Csatari and the 1966 film Follow Me, Boys! are prime examples of this idealized American ethos.

Scouting is often dealt with in a humorous manner, as in the 1989 film Troop Beverly Hills, and is often fictionalized so that the audience knows the topic is Scouting without there being any mention of Scouting by name.

1 Movies
2 TV
3 Theater
4 Documentaries
5 Comics
6 Music
7 Fiction books
8 Stamps
9 Fictional Eagle Scouts
10 See also
11 References
12 External links

[edit] Movies

Follow Me, Boys!

14 Hours (2005) US; Boy Scouts assist in the evacuation of Memorial Hermann Hospital during Tropical Storm Allison.
Addams Family (1991) (US); while running a lemonade stand of sorts, Wednesday and Pugsley have an encounter with a Girl Scout who is attempting to sell Girl Scout cookies. Wednesday asks: "are they made from real Girl Scouts?"
Airplane! (1980) (US); Two Girl Scouts get into a brawl after one of the Girl Scouts catches the other attempting to cheat during a game of poker.
Boy Scouts Be Prepared (1917) US^[1]
Charley Smiler Joins the Boy Scouts (1911) UK^[2]
Down and Derby (2005) US; Cub Scouts and their dads compete in the Pinewood Derby
Drum Taps (1933) US;^[3] Ken and his brother Earl's Boy Scout troop go after a gang of rustlers. With Los Angeles Boy Scout Troop 107.
Follow Me, Boys! (1966) US;^[4] Lem Siddons (Fred MacMurray) decides to put down roots and ends up starting a Boy Scout troop
Good Scouts (1938) US;^[5] Donald Duck becomes Scoutmaster of the Junior Woodchucks and goes camping

Young Indiana Jones (River Phoenix) holding the Cross of Coronado in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) US; The young Indiana Jones is a Life Scout.
Joy Scouts (1939 US);^[6] Boy Scouts go camping but the kids from Our Gang aren't old enough.
The Last Boy Scout (1991) US;^[7] action movie starring Bruce Willis (no Scouting references other than the title and that Willis often says "Be Prepared, that's my motto". Willis' character also has a strong sense of what is right.)
The Little Boy Scout (1917);^[8]^[9] Justina disguises herself as a Boy Scout and joins the troop to escape her evil uncle.
Lawn Dogs (1998) UK; a savage satire on middle-class American culture. The young girl heroine sets out in a Girl Scout-like uniform to sell cookies, but dumps them instead. Her parents are horrified that she might not win the cookie selling competition.
Men in Black II (2002); MiB agent J (Will Smith) is referred to as an "Eagle Scout" by one of the alien antagonists.
Mind Your Own Business (1936) US;^[10] Charles Ruggles. With Los Angeles Boy Scout Troop 107.
Mister Scoutmaster (1953) US;^[11] TV star Clifton Webb worries that he is out of touch with the younger generation and becomes a Boy Scout leader.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) US; Jefferson Smith (James Stewart) is the head of the Boy Rangers when he gets elected to the US Senate.
The Pacifier (2005) US; The younger daughter Lulu is a member of the Fireflies. She and her fellow Fireflies attempt to sell cookies in the Costco parking lot and get tormented by the boys from the Grizzlies troop.
Polly the Girl Scout's Timely Aid (1913) UK^[12]
Red Dawn (1989) US; Daryl Bates is referred to by the enemy as "A member of an elite paramilitary organization: 'Eagle Scouts.'"
Remise du drapeau aux boy-scouts au Cinquantenaire (1914) Belgium^[13]
Room for One More (1952) US;^[14] Cary Grant adopts a handicapped boy whose life is changed by family and Scouting, becoming an Eagle Scout
Scout's Honor (1980) US, TV;^[15] Gary Coleman as a Cub Scout
Scoutmaster Magoo (1958) US;^[16] Mr. Magoo
Scouts to the Rescue (1939) US;^[17] "Adventure! Thrill! Suspense! Action!..as Eagle Scout Jackie Cooper leads his hardy troop through breath-taking exploits!"
Sea Scouts (1939) US;^[18] Donald Duck goes to sea with the Junior Woodchucks
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) US;^[19] Steve Martin sings "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" while beating old people in the head with a mallet to turn them into younger-looking men and women in skimpy Boy Scout uniforms
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) US; "Remember that overgrown Boy Scout you used to hang around with? That's exactly the kind of guy... " "Listen, kiddo, Jim Kirk was *many* things, but he was *never* a Boy Scout!"
Tex Rides with the Boy Scouts (1937) US;^[20] Tex Ritter
Troop Beverly Hills (1989) US; Shelley Long leads a troop of Wilderness Girls.
Universal Boy Joins the Boy Scouts (1914) US^[21]
The Wrong Guys (1988) US;^[22] Five former Cub Scouts have a reunion and go camping on the mountain they never conquered. Stars Louie Anderson, Richard Lewis, Richard Belzer, Tim Thomerson, and John Goodman
Yours, Mine and Ours (2005) US; one of the children wears a BSA uniform at various points
You, And Your Stupid Mate, (2005) AUS^[23]'; One of the protagonists is a Scout

[edit] TV

3rd Rock from the Sun (1996–2001) In the episode "I Enjoy Being a Dick", Tommy mentions that his girlfriend August was a Girl Scout, but that she got out because she felt the cookie selling verged on racketeering and in "I Brake for Dick" Harry attempts to follow the ways of the Boy Scouts
American Dad (2005) In the episode "Homeland Insecurity" Stan forces Steve to join the 'Scout Rangers' to be prepared for the coming foreign invasion. However, the scout clubhouse is a front for drinking and gambling and the "scouts" are actually secret partying delinquents.
The Andy Griffith Show (1960–1968) US;Opie was shown as a Cub Scout in a few episodes and as a Boy Scout in at least one episode
The Brady Bunch episode "The Liberation of Marcia Brady" (12 February 1971) US; Marcia joins Greg's Frontier Scouts to prove she is equal to the initiation tasks. Greg then tries to retaliate by joining Marcia's Sunflower Girls.
Camp Lazlo (2005) US; An animated series about Bean Scouts at summer camp.
Car 54, Where Are You? (1961–1963) US; The theme song includes "There's a Scout troop short a child!"
Doctor Who (1987) episode "Delta and the Bannermen" UK; Stubby Kaye's character Weismuller states that he was an Eagle Scout.
Family Guy episode "The Son Also Draws" (1999) US; Chris gets kicked out of Scouts
Flintstones episode "Cave Scout Jamboree" (1964) US; while camping, Fred and Barney stumble upon a 'Cave Scout' Jamboree, and Fred helps out as a Scoutmaster.
Friends episode "The One where Rachel Quits" After Ross accidentally breaks a young girl's leg, he offers to make it up to her by selling her Girl Scouts-esque cookies. The girl has to sell at least 400 boxes to go to Space Camp, mocking both the prizes offered by troops for selling the cookies, and the rising prices of the boxes in recent times.
Full House (1987–1995) US; DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle are all members of the Honey Bees at various times. The Honey Bees wear bee costumes, complete with stinger. A girl does the honey bee salute by moving her body in such a manner as to make the stinger move back-and-forth. They sell jars of honey instead of cookies.
Galactica 1980 episode "The Super Scouts (Parts 1 & 2)" (1980) US;
Gilligan's Island first episode "Two on a Raft";^[24] the radio announces "...the final member of the missing group was Professor Roy Hinkley, research scientist and well known Scoutmaster." He was the youngest Eagle Scout in Cleveland.
The Golden Girls (1985–1992) US;^[25] In several episodes, Rose Nylund is the Cadet Master of a group of sunshine Cadets. Some members of the Sunshine Cadets are portrayed as committing mild acts of hooliganism. For instance, in the third season episode "Letter to Gorbachev", it is insinuated that at least one of the Sunshine Cadets gives Rose the finger, "You all know you use both fingers for the Sunshine salute," is Rose's reply.
The Gong Show (1976) US; Mare Winningham sings the John Lennon–Paul McCartney composition "Here, There, and Everywhere" while wearing a Girl Scout uniform (she won)^[26]
It (1990) US; Young Stan uses the Scout Oath and Scout Law as mantras against fear.
The Jetsons episode "Good Little Scouts" (1962) US; George goes camping on the moon with Elroy and Space Cub Troop 54.
In Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, Superman is given the nickname of Boy Scout most notably by Batman. Quotes from the Show Courtesy IMDB
Kim Possible On several occaisions, "Pixie Scouts" are seen as the Scouts in the series. In the episode "Bonding", their motto is "Pixies Stick Together!" They are mentioned to sell both Pixie muffins and cookies. Pixies are either guided by a Den Mother or in Middleton's case, a Brigadier. Kim Possible herself was once a Pixie Scout as a young girl.
King of the Hill episode "The Order of the Straight Arrow", Hank and the guys take Bobby's Troop camping, and induct them into an Order of the Arrow-like group called the 'Order of the Straight Arrow'. Creator of King of the Hill, Mike Judge is an Eagle Scout.
King of the Hill episodes "Flush With Power" and "Unfortunate Son" mention that Hank Hill is an Eagle Scout.
Leave it to Beaver episode "Lonesome Beaver" {February 22, 1958) US; Wally goes camping with the troop and leaves the Beaver behind.
Lost episode "Hearts and Minds" reveals that Johnathan Locke was once a Webelos when he learned how to tie knots and identify birds.
The Man Show US;^[27] The Man Show Boy dresses like a Girl Scout and attempts to sell cookies.
The Monkees (1966—1968) US; Boy Scouts are mentioned in episodes "The Monkees In A Ghost Town", "Hillbilly Honeymoon" and "A Coffin Too Frequent". Girl Scouts are mentioned in the episode "Too Many Girls". In "Monkees à la Mode", Michael is shown to have become an Eagle Scout in 1961.
Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988—1999) US; In his youth, Doctor Clayton Forrester was a member of Evilos (a mad scientist version of Webelos), where he grafted the rear end of a dog onto the rear end of a cat.
Nickelodeon's 14th Annual Kid's Choice Awards (2001) US; Destiny's Child appeared wearing BSA uniforms^[28]
The Simpsons episode "Bart of War" (2003) US; Bart joins the Pre-Teen Braves while Milhouse joins the Calvary Kids.
The Simpsons episode "Boy-Scoutz N the Hood" (1993) US; Bart joins the Junior Campers organization and has a series of misadventures.
South Park episode "Cripple Fight" (2001) US; The boys join the Mountain Scouts with Big Gay Al as Scoutmaster.
South Park episode "Jewbilee" (1999) US; Kyle, Kenny and Ike go to a Jewish Scout camp where Moses appears.
Star Trek: Enterprise episode "Rogue Planet" (2002) US; Captain Jonathan Archer and Malcolm Reed are revealed to be Eagle Scouts.
Taxi Louie De Palma is greeted at the door by a Girl Scout selling cookies, and is so frightened that he yells, and the Girl Scout yells back, drops her boxes of cookies, and runs off.

[edit] Theater

RENT, the broadway musical; The drag queen Angel states that she was a Boy Scout once "and a brownie, until some brat got scared".

[edit] Documentaries

The Nuclear Boy Scout (2003) UK; The story of David Hahn and his attempt to build a nuclear breeder reactor in his back yard.
Scout's Honor (2001) US;^[29]^[30] "In a town more familiar with agriculture than activism, an unexpected alliance could change the course of Scouting forever."
Troop 1500 (2005) US;^[31] A Girl Scout troop in Austin, Texas specializes in girls with incarcerated mothers

[edit] Comics

Snoopy is the beagle in the long-running comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. He first appeared as a "Beagle Scout" in the May 13, 1974 strip and quickly becomes the leader of a troop comprised of Woodstock and his other bird friends, a theme that reappears throughout the comic strip. They go on many camping trips and perform many activities associated with Boy Scouts of America.^[32]
Some of Harvey Comics characters were licensed for use by the Boy Scouts of America in the 1960s/70s. Casper the Friendly Ghost was used to promote Cub Scouting, while Richie Rich promoted Boy Scouting.
Garfield the Cat was licensed to promote Cub Scouts for a time in the 1990s.
Calvin was in the Cub Scouts for a short while during the early Calvin and Hobbes strips, but after a while, Bill Watterson took him out.
The Junior Woodchucks and The Junior Chickadees, in Donald Duck comics
Hamster Jovial et ses louveteaux, by Marcel Gotlieb, is a kind of parody on a French scoutleader surrounded by three wolf cubs (two boys and a girl).
Huey, Dewey and Louie, Donald Duck's nephews, are part of a Boy Scouts of America-like association, the Junior Woodchucks. In the Brazilian version, they are described as "junior scouts".

[edit] Music

Tom Lehrer on his album, Tom Lehrer Revisited, sings a song called Be Prepared, satirizing the Boy Scouts.
Elton John controversially performed with male strippers dressed as Cub Scouts at a gay rights concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 1999. He later apologised after The Scout Association in the UK objected. The UK Scout Association, which has a policy not to discriminate against homosexuals, said that the performers had done themselves and gay rights "no favours" by suggesting a link between homosexuality and paedophilia.^[33]
In the cabaret show Lounge-zilla! Asian Sings the Blues there is a song I'm A Teenage Mutant Boy Scout where a Scout mutates after camping in a nuclear fallout zone.^[34]
Gerry Rafferty's song I was a Boy Scout has the chorus "I was a Boy Scout in St. Mary's troop, I had my own patrol, I had a necktie and a monkey suit, 'Til I heard rock and roll." (Snakes and Ladders album)
In All The Things She Gave Me, The Waterboys sing "The moon's made of cheese and God is a Boy Scout" (Pagan Place album, 1984)
"Kicked Out Of The Webelos" is the title of the lead track off of The Queers' second release, 1984's Webelos 7" EP[1]
In Pink Floyd's "Welcome to the Machine" (from their 1975 album Wish You Were Here), lyricist Roger Waters included a specific reference to Scouting for Boys.
Fergie (singer) and dancers dress provocatively in what look like Girl Scout uniforms in the music video for her song Fergalicious

[edit] Fiction books

Berenstain, Stan and Jan. Berenstain Bears series. ; Series of children's books includes several stories about the adventures of a group Bear Scouts
Blaine, Captain John. The Boy Scouts In Russia, available at Project Gutenberg.. Saalfield.
Blaine, Captain John. The Boy Scouts on a Submarine, available at Project Gutenberg..
Carter, Herbert. The Boy Scouts on Sturgeon Island, available at Project Gutenberg..
Drake, Robert L. The Boy Scouts of the Eagle Patrol, available at Project Gutenberg..
Durston, Colonel George. The Boy Scouts in Front of Warsaw, available at Project Gutenberg..
Fletcher, Archibald Lee. Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns, available at Project Gutenberg..
Fletcher, Archibald Lee (1913). Boy Scouts in Northern Wilds, available at Project Gutenberg..
Heinlein, Robert A. (1950). Farmer in the Sky. ; A Boy Scout and his family emigrate to Ganymede.
Ralphson, G Harvey. Boy Scouts on Motorcycles, available at Project Gutenberg..
Ralphson, G Harvey. Boy Scouts in Southern Waters, available at Project Gutenberg..
Ralphson, G Harvey. Boy Scouts in Mexico, available at Project Gutenberg..
Ralphson, G Harvey. Boy Scouts in a Submarine, available at Project Gutenberg..
Ralphson, G Harvey. Boy Scouts in an Airship, available at Project Gutenberg..
Shaler, Robert. The Boy Scouts of the Geological Survey, available at Project Gutenberg..
Shaler, Robert. The Boy Scouts on Picket Duty, available at Project Gutenberg..
Shaler, Robert. The Boy Scouts of the Flying Squadron, available at Project Gutenberg..
Shaler, Robert. The Boy Scouts with the Motion Picture Players, available at Project Gutenberg..
Stuart, Gordon. Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island, available at Project Gutenberg..
Victor, Ralph. The Boy Scouts Patrol, available at Project Gutenberg..
Warren, George A. (1912). The Banner Boy Scouts, available at Project Gutenberg.. World Syndicate.
Warren, George A. (1913). The Banner Boy Scouts Afloat, available at Project Gutenberg..

[edit] Stamps

Soon after the birth of Scouting, postage stamps began to be issued that celebrated Scouting. The number of Scouting themed stamps issued by various countries is enormous. Scouts on Stamps Society International (SOSSI)^[35] is an organization that specializes in the collection of Scouting stamps.

[edit] Fictional Eagle Scouts

Dale Cooper, FBI agent from "Twin Peaks" noted in the book "Dale Cooper: My Life, My Tapes" Written by Scott Frost.
Lance Brockwell, character in Mad About You (refer to I Don't See It, episode #4.5)
Jonathan Archer and Malcolm Reed (cf TV section of this article)
Dirk Pitt is described as an Eagle Scout.^{[citation needed]}
Gilligan's Island pilot episode "Two on a Raft"^[24] the radio announces "...the final member of the missing group was Professor Roy Hinkley, research scientist and well known Scoutmaster." He was the youngest Eagle Scout in Cleveland. (cf TV section of this article)
Indiana Jones, the older character, is often considered to be an Eagle Scout (Young Jones was shown as a Life Scout in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade). The director of the Jones films, Steven Spielberg, also happens to be an Eagle Scout.
King of the Hill episodes "Flush With Power" and "Unfortunate Son" is mentioned that Hank Hill is an Eagle Scout. (cf TV section of this article)
Men in Black II (2002); MiB agent J (Will Smith) is referred to as an "Eagle Scout" by one of the alien antagonists. (cf Movies section of this article)
Red Dawn (1984) US; Daryl Bates is referred to by the enemy as "A member of an elite paramilitary organization: 'Eagle Scouts.'" (cf Movies section of this article)
Room for One More (1952) US^[14] Cary Grant adopts a handicapped boy whose life is changed by family and Scouting, becoming an Eagle Scout (cf Movies section of this article)
Scouts to the Rescue (1939) US^[17] "Adventure! Thrill! Suspense! Action!..as Eagle Scout Jackie Cooper leads his hardy troop through breath-taking exploits!" (cf Movies section of this article)
Fred Flintstone claims to be an Eagle Scout, in an episode where he and Barney Rubble accidentally take their family camping at the site of a Boy Scout Jamboree.
"Napoleon" Napoli, a PFC in The Hills Have Eyes 2, mentions he is an Eagle Scout when making a bowline knot