Not to be confused with the The Hard Luck Bears.
The Hard Luck Bears Jamboree consists of three modified Rock-afire Explosion bands currently performing at Gulliver's theme parks in the United Kingdom. These shows operate at Gulliver's Kingdom, Gulliver's Land, and Gulliver's World, located in Matlock Bath, Warrington, and Milton Keynes, respectively. However Milton is not operating yet,
Character Details[]
The cast includes Mitzi, Fatz, Dook, and Rolfe, who don original Hard Luck Bears masks paired with custom Western-themed cosmetics. Other characters, such as Billy Bob, Looney Bird, Beach Bear, Choo-Choo, Earl, the Sun, and the Moon, remain unchanged from their original designs.
The characters' voices also differ significantly from their Rock-afire counterparts. Billy Bob is voiced by entertainer Roger Dunn, who also provides the voice for the park's mascot, Gully Mouse.
While there are four Gulliver's theme parks, only three feature the Hard Luck Bears shows, each with slight variations.
Gulliver's also offers a Billy Bob walkaround character at the Matlock park, along with “Billy Bob’s Bi-Planes,” a children’s airplane ride themed around Billy Bob and his friends.
History and Restoration[]
From 2015 to 2017, all three shows ceased operations. The theater at Gulliver's World in Warrington was repurposed for a magic show and a Christmas 'Candy Cave' event, while the Matlock theater became an employee changing room and the Milton Keynes theater was used for storage.
As of 2022, all three shows are undergoing restoration by Xan (@xan_rock_afire_fan on Instagram). The Hard Luck Bears show in Warrington had a soft opening on December 3rd and 4th, 2022, with a grand opening anticipated in 2024. In May 2023, the Matlock Hard Luck Bears celebrated a public opening week, attracting numerous fans. By July 2024, the Warrington show was open to the public.
Trivia[]
The Hard Luck Bears' costumes were later replaced by custom outfits created by Gulliver’s. The masks worn by the characters were sourced from the original Hard Luck Bears Show, supplied by Creative Engineering when Gulliver’s acquired the shows. For example, Fatz wears a brown-painted Billy Bill mask, Dook sports a Billy Boy mask, Mitzi uses a modified Pete Thornsberry mask, and Rolfe wears a Repete Thornsberry mask. Earl retains his original mask and fur, albeit with custom cosmetics.
Several showtapes were created for the Hard Luck Bears, featuring voice work by Gulliver's employees, but aside from two, most have become lost media. Notable showtapes include:
- 2005 Showtape: Includes "Hillbilly Rock, Hillbilly Roll," "9 to 5," "Let Your Love Flow," "Rhinestone Cowboy," and "Dance The Night Away." Clips are available on YouTube.
- 2011 Showtape: Features "Hillbilly Rock, Hillbilly Roll," "Tell Me Ma," "Big Rock Candy Mountain," "Hoedown Throwdown," "The Runaway Train," and "5,6,7,8." This show can also be found on YouTube.
- 2011 Christmas Show: Includes "We Need a Little Christmas," "The Christmas Alphabet," "Santa Baby," "Snowy White Snow," "Sleigh Ride Line Dance," "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town," and "Once Upon A Christmas Song."
Special signs and cosmetics are utilized for Christmas and Halloween shows. When Gulliver's acquired the show in 1992, CEI supplied a fully programmed showtape, which was streamed live in February 2023.
Currently, the Matlock and Warrington shows are operational and can be visited.
Additional Details[]
Animatronics: The following animatronics are part of the show:
- Rolfe & Earl
- Dook Larue
- Fatz Geronimo
- Beach Bear
- Mitzi Mozzarella
- Billy Bob
- Looney Bird
- Choo Choo
- Sun
- Moon
- Antioch
Gullivers World[]

The Hard Luck Bears is a retrofitted version of the Rock-Afire Explosion show, located in its own theater at Gulliver's World. The character positioning mirrors the original setup, but the characters don different clothing and feature replacement bear masks.
History[]
The show was installed by Creative Engineering Inc. in 1992, operating on a custom-programmed show tape produced by Gulliver's and programmed by Creative Engineering. More details about its history will be added in the future.
Restoration[]
On February 27, 2022, Instagram user @xan_rock_afire_fan announced the restoration of all three Hard Luck Bears shows. This restoration included a comprehensive mechanical overhaul and a switch to the BlueBox control system. The show had a soft opening for Christmas that same year, although the characters were not fully operational at that time. In November 2023, internet user BensProjects designed a new dress for Mitzi, featuring a red shirt with snowflake patterns and a white overall skirt, along with blue pom-poms. On May 26, 2024, the show underwent a wiring revamp to convert its power system to run entirely on 50Hz European power, eliminating the need for a step-down power converter. This upgrade also included a transition from halogen to LED lights throughout the show. And opened to the public in Summer 2024.
Animatronics[]
The animatronic lineup includes:
- Rolfe & Earl: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Dook Larue: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Fatz Geronimo: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Beach Bear: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Mitzi Mozzarella: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Billy Bob: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Looney Bird: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Choo Choo: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Sun: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Moon: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Antioch: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
Character Changes[]
- Earl Schmerle: Unchanged from his original Rock-Afire Explosion design.
- Rolfe DeWolfe: Uses the bear mask from previous Creative Engineering character Repete Thornsberry.
- Dook Larue: Features the mask of previous character Billy Boy. His drum set has been modified with wooden prop drums, replacing the snare and kick drum.
- Fatz Geronimo: Underwent significant cosmetic changes; his hands and feet were replaced with bear claws, and he wears the mask of previous character Billy Bill. Fatz's Tune Machine organ now has a wooden covering with a custom logo.
- Beach Bear: Mostly unchanged, now sports plaid shorts and a lighter-colored Billy Bob guitar.
- Mitzi Mozzarella: Wears the mask of previous character Pete Thornsberry.
- Billy Bob: Unchanged from his original Rock-Afire Explosion design, featuring his 1990s standard character mask.
- Looney Bird: Unchanged from his original Rock-Afire Explosion design.
Prop Characters[]
All prop characters remain unchanged from their original Rock-Afire Explosion designs, including the Sun, Moon, Choo Choo, Frog, Birthday Bird, and Antioch.
Trivia[]
The frog prop, which was removed from the show in 2010, was rediscovered on May 24, 2024, in a "Farm ride" on the opposite side of the park. The address for Gulliver's World is Shackleton Cl, Old Hall, Warrington WA5 9YZ, United Kingdom.
Gullivers Kingdom[]

The Hard Luck Bears show at Gulliver's Kingdom is a retrofitted version of the Rock-afire Explosion, located in the Liliput Land Theatre. While the character positioning closely resembles the original setup, the characters are outfitted in different clothing and wear replacement bear masks. The stage features the standard three-stage design, enhanced by a large rectangular platform in front, which includes two embedded water fountains. Characters Antioch and Choo Choo are positioned on this rectangular stage rather than on the main stage. Initially, Looney Bird was located beneath this stage but has since been moved to Billy Bob's stage during the restoration. The stage for Billy Bob and Looney Bird features the Antioch cloud prop, as Antioch no longer requires it. Additionally, Rolfe and Earl's stage has a platform behind them with a rotating automation band consisting of foxes and a frog created by Heimotion. These automations previously operated continuously but are now triggered by a floodlight signal. Rolfe's stage also boasts a modified rainbow prop with a beehive and honey pot instead of pots of gold.

History[]
The show was installed in 1995, utilizing the original Greybox control system developed by Creative Engineering Inc. It originally featured a show tape produced by Gulliver's and programmed by Creative Engineering. In the 2000s, this setup was replaced with a new control system, allowing Gulliver's staff to program the show tapes themselves. The show ceased public performances in 2016. Before later being restored and reopening in 2023.
Restoration[]
On February 27, 2022, Instagram user @xan_rock_afire_fan announced the restoration of all three Hard Luck Bears shows at Gulliver's. The restoration involved a full mechanical overhaul and a switch to the BlueBox control system. Looney Bird was relocated to the standard Rock-afire position, and the lighting was updated to LED, with only the spotlights remaining as original halogen lights. The show room received a fresh coat of paint and featured artwork of the characters designed by Instagram user @rockafire_guy on the back walls. The show now regularly plays original Rock-afire Explosion show tapes, as well as fan-made tapes, and is performed on every open day of the park. Gulliver's occasionally hosts fan conventions for the show and other animatronics in their parks.
Animatronics[]
The animatronic lineup includes:
- Rolfe & Earl: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Dook Larue: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Fatz Geronimo: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Beach Bear: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Mitzi Mozzarella: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Billy Bob: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Looney Bird: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Choo Choo: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Sun: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Moon: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
- Antioch: N/A, Creative Engineering Inc
Character Changes[]
- Earl Schmerle: Unchanged from his original Rock-afire Explosion design.
- Rolfe DeWolfe: Now wears a plaid shirt and uses the bear mask from previous Creative Engineering character Repete Thornsberry.
- Dook Larue: Dressed in a red t-shirt with yellow spots and blue overalls; wears a propeller hat. His character mask is from previous character Billy Boy. His drum set features wooden prop drums instead of standard components.
- Fatz Geronimo: Wears a white shirt with a plaid suit and bow tie. His hands and feet have been replaced with bear claws, and his character mask is from previous character Billy Bill. His organ has a custom logo with a wooden covering.
- Beach Bear: Mostly unchanged, now sports plaid shorts and a lighter-colored Billy Bob guitar.
- Mitzi Mozzarella: Dressed in a patterned long-sleeve shirt, a plaid overall dress, and a straw hat. Her shoes are original to the Rock-afire Explosion design but feature blue socks, and her mask is from previous character Pete Thornsberry.
- Billy Bob: Remains unchanged with his '1990s standard' character mask.
- Looney Bird: Unchanged from his original design, although his prop has been replaced due to the original going missing.
Prop Characters[]
All prop characters are unchanged from their original Rock-afire Explosion designs, including the Sun, Moon, Choo Choo, Frog, Birthday Bird, and Antioch.
Fatz's organ has the serial '5-83 12-8'. There is an automation of Gully Mouse, the park's mascot, situated next to Billy Bob's stage. The address for Gulliver's Kingdom is Temple Walk, Matlock Bath DE4 3PG, United Kingdom. The park features various animatronics and automations from several manufacturers, primarily Heimotion, Aldridge, and Space Leisure. The Liliput Land Theatre showroom once housed a variety of bear automatons before the restoration.