Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Toon Rock: A Whole New World (1992-3)

 In Disney's adaptation of "Aladdin", Broadway star Lea Salonga teamed with Brad Kane to perform "A Whole New World", which the two would perform live at the Oscars in 1993. Disney, instead of having Kane & Salonga's version released as a single, turned to Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle to cover "World", which hit #1 on the Hot 100.


Bryson passed away Tuesday at 75, due to complications following a stroke. Rest in peace.

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Saturday Morning's Forgotten Heroes: Space Sentinels vs. Commander Nemo (1977)

 Filmation wasn't interested in a modern, though loose, adaptation of Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, but felt that a "Commander Nemo" (promoted from Captain) would make a good villain for the Space Sentinels.

The plot: Nemo (an uncredited Lou Scheimer) is trying to solve the earth's pollution problem. Unfortunately, the means to accomplish this goal are wrong, and attracts the attention of the Sentinels.


So predictable.

Rating: B.

Monday, June 1, 2026

Toon Sports: Popeye in The Steeplechase at Ups & Downs (1979)

 From season 1 of The All-New Popeye Hour:

Popeye (Jack Mercer) and Bluto (Allan Melvin) are in a steeplechase race after Olive (Marilyn Schreffler) inherits a horse. Well, you know how this goes.


Just in time for the 3rd annual (& final) Belmont Racing Festival at Saratoga, opening Wednesday.

Rating: B.

Sunday, May 31, 2026

Animated World of DC Comics: Superman in Secret Agent (1943)

 The "Secret Agent" in this Superman short is a blonde stunner carrying important papers. Pretty much a by-the-numbers adventure..........


A very rare short where Superman doesn't say anything. Bud Collyer must've been given the day off.....

Rating: A-.

Saturday, May 30, 2026

Toon Rock: Me & Magdalena (2016-26)

 10 years ago, the surviving Monkees recorded "Good Times!", which marks its 10th anniversary this year with a double-CD reissue, and the release of the single, "Me & Magdalena", presented as an animated music video.

"Magdalena" was written by Ben Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie), with Mike Nesmith on vocals. Davy Jones, who'd passed on 4 years before the album's release, is depicted in the video in the tour bus.

Micky Dolenz (ex-Funky Phantom, Devlin, Wonder Wheels) is the lone surviving Monkee today, with the passing of Nesmith & Peter Tork.

Toon Legends: Don Donald (1937)

 Before there was Daisy Duck, there was Donna Duck.

Donna is the love interest of Donald Duck in 1937's "Don Donald", which has both south of the border, or so it'd seem, and a lovers' quarrel is at the center of this short.


Ultimately, Disney realized that Donald needed a girlfriend was more relatable, hence Daisy. Clarence Nash voiced both Donald & Donna, who would've been better off as Donald's sister.

Rating: B-.

Friday, May 29, 2026

Getting Schooled: Dumbo's Circus (1985)

 Back when the Disney Channel was a premium service, they mined the Disney vaults to develop original series based on existing properties.

One such example was Dumbo's Circus. More than 40 years after the movie, Dumbo has grown up to own his own circus, teaching the kids about circus life. The series marked the return of ex-Mouseketeer Sharon Baird to Disney, and she brought with her some of her colleagues from her days with the Kroffts, including Van Snowden, Patty Mahoney (ex-Far Out Space Nuts), and voice actor Walker Edmiston, who'd done some projects for Disney previously, as did Hal Smith.

Let's check a sample episode:


Unfortunately, one season's worth of original episodes were produced, and the series went off the air after a couple of rerun cycles in 1987. Today, the series sits in the Disney vaults.

No rating. Just a public service.