Saturtainment: The Rule (Ark II, 1976)

It's been a while since we took a look at Filmation's 1976 series, Ark II, for CBS.

In "The Rule", the crew of the Ark encounter a tribe whose societal rules create some conflict. Phillip Abbott (ex-The F. B. I.) guest stars.



Turns out I was wrong about producer Dick Rosenbloom. Thought he was one season & done, since Secrets of Isis was the only one of the live-action class of '75 that he'd helmed to be renewed, but he's also the producer here. Also, Jose Flores (Samuel) moved to cartoon work the next season. He was the voice of Carlos on NBC's Archie-Sabrina Hour, but left Filmation after that series was cancelled. He's done some work since, but has largely dropped out of sight. After Ark II ended, Terry Lester (Jonah) went back to his, ah, "day job" on The Young & The Restless.

No rating. I have no memory of seeing this episode.

Saturday Morning's Forgotten Heroes: The Freedom Force in The Robot (1978)

"The Robot", written by Buzz Dixon, is the series finale of The Freedom Force.

A 27th century time traveler (Michael Bell, also the voices of Merlin, Super Samurai, & Toshi) tricks a tribe into giving him a sacred pearl, but the Freedom Force teaches him a lesson in humility. Listen close, and Bell also voices the tribal leader.



Wikipedia has conflicting reports on the casting of Hercules in this series. The current Freedom Force page credits Bob Denison as Herc, but the page for the late George DiCenzo, who voiced Hercules on Space Sentinels, claims he reprised.

Rating: B.

Toon Legends: Pink Panther in Pinkcome Tax (1968)

It's tax season, and while millions of us are hunkering down to get our tax returns out in the mail over the next three weeks, here's a little something that might lighten you up.

The Pink Panther fancies himself taking the place of Robin Hood in 1968's "Pinkcome Tax".



Robin's been treated better, trust me.

Rating: B.

Looney TV: Drafty, Isn't It? (1957)

Chuck Jones' youthful daydreamer, Ralph Phillips, is all grown up in this 1957 offering, produced in conjunction with the Army.

"Drafty, Isn't It?" is also notable in that the lone actor in the short isn't Mel Blanc, but Daws Butler.



Rating: A.

Tooniversary: Technology, Phooey (The Ant & The Aardvark, 1969)

Yep, The Ant & The Aardvark turn 50 this year.

In "Technology, Phooey", the aardvark (John Byner mimicking Jackie Mason) gets a do-it-yourself computer to try to catch the ant. Byner's computer voice is a mimic of Paul Lynde.



Hysterical.

Rating: A.

Toonfomercial: Bart Simpson shills for Butterfinger (1991)

For most of its run, The Simpsons has been associated with, and sponsored by, Butterfinger candy, now made by Nestle.

At least Bart (Nancy Cartwright) is not ashamed of his sweet tooth. In this spot, Bart is on a psychiatrist's couch. First aired in 1991.



I believe Butterfinger was still the property of Nabisco at that time.

Saturtainment: Scratch a Tiger (Ant & The Aardvark, 1969)

Normally, a Ant & The Aardvark short is a one-man show (John Byner). Not this time.

Byner is joined by Marvin Miller in "Scratch a Tiger". You can see the twist ending coming a mile away.



The laugh track signals this came from an NBC broadcast.

Rating: B.

Toon Legends: Fat Albert learns about adoption (The Secret, 1980)

From Season 2 of The New Fat Albert Show:

Albert's friend, Francie (Ericka Scheimer), runs away from home after she learns that she was adopted. Here's "The Secret":



Skip past the Brown Hornet distraction, as it really doesn't have as much bearing on the main story.

Rating: B.

Toons You Might've Missed: Swifty & Shorty (1964)

Swifty & Shorty, a series of 16 shorts produced by Paramount for theatrical use, was based on the comedy recordings of Eddie Lawrence, who also voiced both central characters.

In "The Once Over", it's a trip to the barber shop.......



Not sure if these ever showed up on Nickelodeon, which ran some lesser known Paramount shorts back in the day.

Rating: B-.

Toon Legends: Heckle & Jeckle in Free Enterprise (1948)

Sometimes, Heckle & Jeckle were too smart for their own good.

Case in point: 1948's "Free Enterprise" has the boys visiting state prison to sell the convicts some tools. Dimwit is a prison guard who decides, without the benefit of the justice system, to put the magpies behind bars.....



Rating: A.

Saturday School: Fat Albert meets Suede Simpson (1976-84)

Fat Albert (Bill Cosby) has to teach a life lesson to "Suede Simpson", who seems to have a hygenic issue.......



As you can probably tell, this was reissued as part of the series' syndicated package in 1984.

Rating: B-.

Toonfomercial: Yogi Bear has a mortgage? (2018)

If you believe the folks at Quicken Loans' Rocket Mortgage division, even bears are property owners, even though they're actually leasing space in a park.

Yogi Bear finds this out.....

Game Time: The Brady Kids go bowling (Celebrity Bowling, 1970's)

If my memory serves me correctly, The Brady Kids & Brady Bunch were in their final seasons when four of the six kids (Barry Williams, Maureen McCormick, Christopher Knight, & Eve Plumb) appeared on Celebrity Bowling. The others, Mike Lookinland & Susan Olsen, would appear in a separate show matched against two of the young stars of The Waltons.

This is being posted in memory of series host Jed Allan (Days of Our Lives, ex-Lassie), who passed away on Saturday.

Saturday Morning's Greatest Hits: Electricity, Electricity (1979)

A little lesson in science from Schoolhouse Rock. Zachary Sanders sings the Bob Dorough-penned "Electricity, Electricity":

Saturday Morning's Greatest Hits: Talking in Your Sleep (1983)

From American Bandstand:

The Romantics were the latest hit band to emerge from Detroit, but their sound was more along the lines of the trendy New Wave movement of the early 80's. From 1983's "In Heat", here's their #1 dance hit, "Talking in Your Sleep":

Saturday Morning Ringside: Remembering King Kong Bundy

Gorilla Monsoon referred to him in commentary frequently as a "condominium with legs". He was an athletic big man often cast as a heel (rule breaker), though there were periods where he worked as a babyface (never in WWF/E).

Today, the wrestling world is mourning the passing of King Kong Bundy (real name Christopher Pallies), who, while never winning championship gold in the WWE, already had forged a reputation when he was signed to the promotion in 1985.

Bundy made a point of insisting that the referee count to five instead of the traditional three on a pinfall, a gimmick started in the Mid-South & NWA. That, coupled with his Avalanche corner splash, made him a potentially deadly challenger to then champion Hulk Hogan. However, Bundy's first stint with WWF lasted just three years (1985-8). He returned in the mid-90's as part of Ted DiBiase's Million Dollar Corporation, but that didn't last long, either.

Bundy also did some acting, with film credits including "Moving", with Richard Pryor, and frequent appearances on the Fox sitcom, Married.....With Children, appearing both as himself, and as Uncle Irwin.

From March 16, 1985, here's is Bundy's WWF-TV debut. Vince McMahon and Bruno Sammartino on the call:



Rest in peace.

Toonfomercial: Hank Hill meets The Silver Surfer (1998)

As an example of Fox network "attitude", some genius thought it'd be a good idea to paste some Silver Surfer footage onto King of The Hill, with Hank (Mike Judge) trying to sell the Surfer, who doesn't speak in this spot, some propane. The Hill footage was made as part of an all-day promotion Fox was running in the spring of 1998.



The difference in animation styles is obvious, and it's easy to see the Surfer had been pasted onto the scene like he was made of Colorforms. Not good.

Toon Rock: Splish Splash (1958-84)

Inspired by the success of MTV, the Disney Channel began running short interstital music videos under the DTV umbrella in 1984. It wasn't long before Hanna-Barbera copied the concept for similar interstitals for their Funtastic World anthology block the next year.

Here, a collection of clips with Mickey Mouse and friends, plus "Snow White & The Seven Dwarves", frame Bobby Darin's 1958 hit, "Splish Splash":



DTV would spin off some primetime specials for NBC, the first of which introduced Tony Anselmo as the voice of Donald Duck, and one of the last jobs for the legendary Paul Frees, who not only voiced Ludwig Von Drake, but was the show's announcer. Subsequent specials featured Gary Owens and former MTV VJ JJ Jackson as announcers. Those specials will be up down the road.