Hanna-Barbera reunited with Screen Gems to transition Gidget into a cartoon. Unfortunately, this 1-shot offering, Gidget Makes the Wrong Connection, hasn't been seen in over 40 years.
Newcomer Kathy Gori debuted in the title role, as Gidget and her friends find themselves having to capture some smugglers. The supporting cast includes Bob Hastings, Mike Road, and Don Messick.
Bear in mind that the original Gidget, with Sally Field, lasted just 1 season on ABC (1965-6), but a subsequent revival in the 80's lasted slightly longer. Go figure. The cartoon apparently was another attempt at copying the successful Scooby-Doo formula, but the story begins without a beginning. Not good.
Rating: C.
4 comments:
I saw that one and I have to say I was terribly bored! I kept waiting for something to happen - the pacing was awful.
That goes for almost all of the cartoons from the ABC Saturday Superstar Movie series.
My guess is HB hoped to continue the team of kids solve mysteries/get into adventure like Scooby Doo, et al. If Gidget had been made back in the 60s (say 1967 or 68 when the live action show went off air) they might have had a thriving series already. Gidget was all but forgotten by 1972.
BTW - you forgot to mention the voice of Gidget's friend, "Jud" was none other than David Lander - aka "Squiggy" from Laverne & Shirley.
Ah, yes. It was Lander's 2nd pre-Laverne gig, after working on Filmation's Jerry Lewis cartoon 2 years earlier. Makes one think maybe Lenny & Squiggy should've gotten that cartoon instead of Laverne & Shirley or Mork & Mindy......
I think you're right!
Which only goes to prove---again---that Paramount suits didn't know the real talent they had when they saw it.
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