The Thing has his hands full containing a "Circus Stampede". What he doesn't know is that the Yancy Street Gang caused the stampede, but they should be thankful they don't run into the the Big Orange.
A clip of this has previously been used when we first reviewed Ben's solo series.
The fact that Thing never crossed paths with the Yancy Street clowns in this story actually helped things along. I should note that the Yancy Streeters' designs were recycled from the Bronto Bunch from Pebbles & Bamm-Bamm 8 years earlier. I wonder how many other times Hanna-Barbera recycled designs.
Rating: B-.
Saturday, October 15, 2016
Friday, October 14, 2016
Spooktober: Raggedy Ann & Andy in The Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile (1979)
Raggedy Ann & Andy made their television debuts in a 1979 CBS primetime special, The Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile. One of Chuck Jones' last projects for CBS, this is the Halloween answer to Charles Dickens' oft-adapted tale, A Christmas Carol.
Young Ralph is forbidden by his Aunt Agatha to go trick-or-treating, and Agatha won't give out treats. Much like Ebenezer Scrooge, Agatha has to be reminded of her own youth. That's where Raggedy Ann (June Foray) and Raggedy Andy (Daws Butler, using his Elroy Jetson/Augie Doggie voice) come in.
Foray is also Aunt Agatha, credited as "Mrs. Hobart Donavan", in reference to her second husband, who'd passed away three years earlier. Agatha does sound like Witch Hazel, doesn't she, to a point?
The rights to this special were passed to the Disney Channel in the 80's, but hasn't seen the light of day in recent times.
Rating: B.
Young Ralph is forbidden by his Aunt Agatha to go trick-or-treating, and Agatha won't give out treats. Much like Ebenezer Scrooge, Agatha has to be reminded of her own youth. That's where Raggedy Ann (June Foray) and Raggedy Andy (Daws Butler, using his Elroy Jetson/Augie Doggie voice) come in.
Foray is also Aunt Agatha, credited as "Mrs. Hobart Donavan", in reference to her second husband, who'd passed away three years earlier. Agatha does sound like Witch Hazel, doesn't she, to a point?
The rights to this special were passed to the Disney Channel in the 80's, but hasn't seen the light of day in recent times.
Rating: B.
Thursday, October 13, 2016
Spooktober: Mighty Mouse vs. Frankenstein's Cat (1942)
Mary Shelley's most famous tale is given a parody in 1942 as Mighty Mouse battles "Frankenstein's Cat".
Now, Dr. Frankenstein doesn't appear in this short. Also, it's clear that this was originally made when our hero was known as Super Mouse, and the renaming of the iconic Mouse of Tomorrow was dubbed in for later syndicated broadcasts and airings on CBS.
One of the weaker entries in the series. Mighty Mouse would later adopt the yellow & red outfit to gain his own particular identity, as the blue & red makes clear his origin as a parody of Superman.
Rating: C-.
Now, Dr. Frankenstein doesn't appear in this short. Also, it's clear that this was originally made when our hero was known as Super Mouse, and the renaming of the iconic Mouse of Tomorrow was dubbed in for later syndicated broadcasts and airings on CBS.
One of the weaker entries in the series. Mighty Mouse would later adopt the yellow & red outfit to gain his own particular identity, as the blue & red makes clear his origin as a parody of Superman.
Rating: C-.
Getting Schooled: Remember Farmer Brown? (1970's)
The United States Department of Agriculture ran a series of PSA's in the 70's, dating back to about 1973 according to one source, but I can't be sure of that.
In these short bits, a pair of puppets, one being a banjo playing Farmer Brown, would do a short song about various things. In this spot, Farmer Brown and Fred, a horse, sing about energy generated from bread and rice.
There are others, one with a goose, and one with a cow. Used to see these all the time on WSBK back in the day.
In these short bits, a pair of puppets, one being a banjo playing Farmer Brown, would do a short song about various things. In this spot, Farmer Brown and Fred, a horse, sing about energy generated from bread and rice.
There are others, one with a goose, and one with a cow. Used to see these all the time on WSBK back in the day.
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Saturday Morning's Forgotten Heroes: Stunt Dawgs (1992)
Seems that Fox had doubled down on dumb ideas during the 1992-3 season.
It wasn't enough that snagging real-life comedy "stuntman" Super Dave Osborne for a Saturday morning cartoon. Oh, no. Fox also picked up a 2nd animated series involving stunt people, and it also bombed.
Stunt Dawgs counts Jeff Franklin (Full House) as one of its creators, but I'll bet you never knew that, judging from this show. How Franklin was unable to sell this series to ABC, home of Full House remains a mystery, but then again, maybe the programmers there knew something that Fox didn't.
In short, the world just wasn't ready for an animated series about stuntmen, and Fox failed twice in the same season.
Scope out the intro:
No rating.
It wasn't enough that snagging real-life comedy "stuntman" Super Dave Osborne for a Saturday morning cartoon. Oh, no. Fox also picked up a 2nd animated series involving stunt people, and it also bombed.
Stunt Dawgs counts Jeff Franklin (Full House) as one of its creators, but I'll bet you never knew that, judging from this show. How Franklin was unable to sell this series to ABC, home of Full House remains a mystery, but then again, maybe the programmers there knew something that Fox didn't.
In short, the world just wasn't ready for an animated series about stuntmen, and Fox failed twice in the same season.
Scope out the intro:
No rating.
Toon "Sports" (?): Remember The Big Game? (1998)
For four years, before they started going totally cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, the geniuses at Cartoon Network decided to tweak a certain winter tradition by packaging together a series of classic shorts under the title, The Big Game. All it really was, quite frankly, was a means of counter-programming the Super Bowl, which is now played in February for ratings reasons after being a January tradition from the beginning.
The first installment, predictably, showcased Tom & Jerry, with commentary by Fox announcers Pat Summerall & John Madden. After that, CN turned to corporate siblings HBO and Turner Sports for the remaining three installments. There wasn't a real game being played, and if you didn't figure that out during the length of the broadcast, you must've been living under a rock or not watching at all.
Anyway, from 2000, here's The Big Game: Road Runner vs. Wile E. Coyote, hosted by the crew from Inside The NFL, which, oh, by the way, now airs on Showtime and NFL Network.
It got to the point where CN created an ersatz pre-game and halftime show, using various characters under Time Warner control. Apparently, the first Big Game brought in big ratings. So why did they stop after 4 years? There was only so much they could do without resorting to reruns (rematches). Like, I think they finished with Popeye vs. Bluto in 2001. They never got around to doing Bugs Bunny vs. Daffy Duck or either Elmer Fudd or Marvin the Martian.
I wasn't really that big on this convoluted excuse for a marathon. Unfortunately, CN has gotten worse since, although product quality has improved in recent years, with certain exceptions (and you know what I'm talking about).
Rating for The Big Game: C.
The first installment, predictably, showcased Tom & Jerry, with commentary by Fox announcers Pat Summerall & John Madden. After that, CN turned to corporate siblings HBO and Turner Sports for the remaining three installments. There wasn't a real game being played, and if you didn't figure that out during the length of the broadcast, you must've been living under a rock or not watching at all.
Anyway, from 2000, here's The Big Game: Road Runner vs. Wile E. Coyote, hosted by the crew from Inside The NFL, which, oh, by the way, now airs on Showtime and NFL Network.
It got to the point where CN created an ersatz pre-game and halftime show, using various characters under Time Warner control. Apparently, the first Big Game brought in big ratings. So why did they stop after 4 years? There was only so much they could do without resorting to reruns (rematches). Like, I think they finished with Popeye vs. Bluto in 2001. They never got around to doing Bugs Bunny vs. Daffy Duck or either Elmer Fudd or Marvin the Martian.
I wasn't really that big on this convoluted excuse for a marathon. Unfortunately, CN has gotten worse since, although product quality has improved in recent years, with certain exceptions (and you know what I'm talking about).
Rating for The Big Game: C.
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
You Know The Voice: Nicole Jaffe (and friends) (1969)
Jinkies! In addition to debuting as Velma on Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? in 1969, Nicole Jaffe also appeared periodically on Room 222, but she's not the only name familiar to Saturday morning devotees in this next video.
Nicole appears around the 7 minute mark in the series opener, "Richie's Story". Also, keep an eye open for future Saturday stars such as David Jolliffe (not credited in this episode), later of Clue Club, Michael Gray (5 years before Shazam!), and Judy Strangis, whose brother, Sam, had been a producer on Batman and other Fox series. Three years later, Judy would transition to voice work with The Roman Holidays, but, aside from commercials for Dodge and Mattel, she's still best remembered for Electra Woman & DynaGirl. Judy plays soft-spoken Helen.
Reruns of Room 222 currently air on Aspire (check local listings).
Nicole appears around the 7 minute mark in the series opener, "Richie's Story". Also, keep an eye open for future Saturday stars such as David Jolliffe (not credited in this episode), later of Clue Club, Michael Gray (5 years before Shazam!), and Judy Strangis, whose brother, Sam, had been a producer on Batman and other Fox series. Three years later, Judy would transition to voice work with The Roman Holidays, but, aside from commercials for Dodge and Mattel, she's still best remembered for Electra Woman & DynaGirl. Judy plays soft-spoken Helen.
Reruns of Room 222 currently air on Aspire (check local listings).
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