I am not sure of the animation house that made this next item, but it sure wasn't Rankin-Bass, which obtained a license in 1969 to bring Smokey Bear to television. The ad is shown in black & white, which to me suggests it may have been made well before 1969. Paul Frees narrates, and Jackson Weaver is the voice of Smokey.
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Rankin-Bass did one of their hour-long origin-story specials about Smokey back in 1966, with no less than James Cagney narrating, as a talking bear, but to my knowledge the thing can be seen only in grey-market copies. I only know of it because someone reviewed it for Shock Cinema magazine a few years ago.
Ah, yes, the Ballad of Smokey Bear. I've heard of that one, Sam, as there are clips on YouTube. That may be up down the road if I'm so inclined.
Still doesn't tell me when the commercial, commissioned by the Forest Service, first aired, though.
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