Nelvana has signed Woodland Hills, California-based Applause to make plush for upcoming series Maggie and the Ferocious Beast, which will air on Nick Junior.

L.A.-based Wolfmill Entertainment has signed a worldwide licensing agreement with L.A.’s Living Toyz to develop a line of action figures based on Wolfmill’s upcoming CGI feature film Elfquest. The first set of six figurines will launch worldwide November 2000, with new action figures available in mass market and specialty stores every few months.

In anticipation of the Christmas 2000 European release of crime-fighting chick flick Charlie’s Angels, U.K.-based Copyright Promotions has been appointed by Sony Pictures Consumer Products as the Angels’ European licensing agency. Merchandising deals in the works include toiletries, hair accessories, watches, stationery, computer accessories and posters, which will be available at European mass market by the end of this year. In related news, Sony Pictures Consumer Products named Jakks Pacific as worldwide master toy licensee to manufacture an articulated action fashion doll line.

Egmont Imagination hired New York-based Eastern European Merchandising Corporation to handle the Eastern European merchandising and licensing rights for Egmont’s Plonsters, Mumble Bumble and Rex the Runt series, excluding books, activity products, interactive and music. Copenhagen, Denmark-based Egmont is hoping to have new licensees within the next year.

Munich’s MM Merchandising closed a two-year licensing deal with Fritsche Accessories of Helmbrechts, Germany, for new products based on popular German character Pumuckl. The ‘cheeky kobold’s’ image will appear on caps, scarves and gloves, available in German mass stores by summer 2000.

United Media is celebrating some monumental anniversaries this year as Peanuts turns 50 and Raggedy Ann & Andy celebrate their 85th. The newest licensees for Peanuts include San Antonio, Texas-based Play*by*Play for plush merchandise in Europe, and Pacoima, California-based Strategic Partners for a line of medical scrubs and baby gowns based on Baby Snoopy and Raggedy Ann & Andy. The items geared towards the medical industry will be available in medical specialty stores across the U.S. next month. New deals for Raggedy Ann & Andy include St. Louis-based Betallic Balloons to produce helium balloons and Peaceable Kingdom Press of Berkley, California to make greeting cards, invitations and other stationery products. Products will hit specialty stores by holiday 2000. Clown Alley Products of Cincinnati, Ohio are producing Halloween costumes of the lovable ragdoll pair, to be available in specialty stores across the U.S. by October.

Penguin Putnam’s Consumer Products and Entertainment Group is ramping up 20th anniversary plans for the book-based puppy character Spot. A Spot CD-ROM by Hasbro Interactive will be released in June, along with a video by Buena Vista Home Video. For the American licensing program, new categories available for licensing include party goods, home furnishings, interactive learning aids, stationery and health and beauty aids. The Penguin Division is driving the licensing and marketing strategy for Spot in conjunction with Copyrights America, which acts as licensing agent for the little pup. Penguin Putnam’s Consumer Products division is also working on a licensing program for its Mad Libs property for eight to twelve-year-olds. The program is to include apparel, gifts and stationery, slated to hit retail for holiday 2000 and spring 2001.