Toon Legends: Magoo Meets McBoing-Boing (1960)

 UPA thought it'd be a cool idea to pair up Mr. Magoo (Jim Backus) with Gerald McBoing-Boing in a short released in 1960.

The plot: Magoo is called in as an emergency babysitter for Gerald, and confuses the sound effect issuing from Gerald's throat for real sounds.

Herb Vigran, who'd recurred on Adventures of Superman, and would play various supporting characters on The Flintstones, took over the role of Gerald's dad, originally essayed by Marvin Miller. This short spelled the end for Gerald on the big screen, after his own series had a brief TV run.

Rating: A-.

Saturtainment: Jabberwocky (1972)

 Jabberwocky is a Boston children's television legend, even though the series lasted just 2 years in first run programming. Clips like this next item have surfaced on YouTube, so let's check it out.

In contrast, WSBK had reruns of Wally Gator, Mel-O-Toons, Looney Tunes, et al, and brought the incomprehensible Willie Whistle out of retirement in the 80's. Compared to Jabberwocky, Willie is what he always was, chump change.

Daytime Heroes: He-Man in The Cosmic Comet (1983)

 With a new He-Man & The Masters of The Universe comic book coming from Dark Horse, it's time we went back to Eternia and season 1 of the original series. Here's "The Cosmic Comet":

Co-author Tom Ruegger would move first to Hanna-Barbera, then to WB, where he had his biggest success as a producer.

Rating: A-.

Saturtainment: Magnificent Muttley, the complete series (1969)

 While Dastardly & Muttley in Their Flying Machines lasted just 1 season of 1st run episodes, the backup feature, Magnificent Muttley, a parody of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty", became an even bigger cult classic. Each shortie was a parody of something.

We previously screened the opener, "Muttley on The Bounty", but now, rather than track down the rest, we've got the whole shebang in a 40+ minute package, for the most part, as with the lead feature, a 2-man show (Paul Winchell & Don Messick).

Don't you just love how the theme is spoken in rhyme by Dastardly?

Rating: A-.

Rare Treats: A UPA pilot that never made it: Bric & Brac (1959-60)

 By the end of the 50's, UPA was in trouble. Their distribution deal with Columbia had ended, and Columbia had moved on to work with Hanna-Barbera. Gerald McBoing-Boing was slowly being rejected by movie-goers, even with a crossover with Mr. Magoo.

So, the studio, with United Artists as a prospective new distributor, tried selling a new set of characters to networks or syndication. Bric & Brac, a rabbit & a mole, to be particular, were introduced in "Bric's Stew", which was pitched in 1960, though it had been copyrighted a year earlier. Ever-busy Dallas McKennon handled all the voices for this Harvey Toombs-directed short.

A rabbit that doesn't like carrots? Bric seems to be reluctant to have any. Toombs would later work for King Features on Popeye, while Sam Singer signed McKennon for Courageous Cat.

Rating: C.

Toon Legends: Spider-Man vs. Dr. Octopus, round 2 (1967)

 Spider-Man (Paul Soles) has a rematch with power-mad Dr. Octopus, who steals a weapon intended for government use. Of course, J. Jonah Jameson wastes little time trying to tie Spidey to the theft he'd failed to prevent.

The next season, Ralph Bakshi took over the series, which brought some changes to the animation. For the better.

Rating: B.

Looney TV: Quacker Tracker (1967)

 Herb Klynn & Format Films (The Lone Ranger, The Alvin Show) took over the animation for Speedy Gonzales with 1967's "Quacker Tracker". If the plot sounds familiar, well, WB also did a similar plot with Cool Cat.

Co-author Don Jurwich was later a producer with Hanna-Barbera & Marvel Productions.

Happy Cinco de Mayo.