Saturday Morning Ringside: Lucha Libre USA: Masked Warriors (2010)

 Lucha Libre USA: Masked Warriors was MTV's last contribution to the wrestling business.

The series aired on Friday nights and, at first, Saturday afternoons on MTV2. Season 2 Saturday replays aired in the morning, hence its inclusion here.

Lalo Gonzalez & Nigel Sherrod were the announcers, with Sherrod doubling as ring announcer, in season 1. When the series returned, ex-WWE announcers Kevin Kelly & Todd (Steve) Romero took over. However, Romero didn't last long, and when the series transitioned to Hulu to finish the season, ex-WWE, ECW, & TNA wrestler Stevie Richards took over on color. By season's end, Alex Abrahantes, recently released by AEW, replaced Kelly.

The roster was stocked with ex-TNA, WCW, & WWE talent, including Marco Corleone (Mark Jindrak), Tigresa Caliente (Trenesha Biggers, formerly with TNA), Petey Williams (now a WWE producer), and Chi Chi (Allan Funk, aka Kwee-Wee in WCW & Bruce in TNA). It wasn't until Robert Rodriguez bankrolled Lucha Underground in 2014 that the lucha style finally caught on with American audiences once more.

Let's take you back to the series opener.

I wasn't thrilled with the rudos (heels) winning 2 of the three matches, but this was only part of the problem. Viewer indifference cost the series its berth on MTV2.

Rating: B.

Literary Toons: The Pig Plantagenet (1985)

 From CBS Storybreak:

Allen Andrews' novel, The Pig Plantagenet was adapted by TV & comics writer Mark Evanier for Hanna-Barbera Australia. Bob Keeshan (Captain Kangaroo) is the series host.

Animated World of DC Comics: A Little Something Extra (Shazam!, 1981)

 Black Adam (Lou Scheimer) makes his 2nd & final appearance in "A Little Something Extra", as he tries tricking the Marvels. Yeah, good luck with that.

Rating: A-. Seems they pulled a Mxyzptlk trick in sending Adam away.

It was 50 years ago today

 Today, Rick Monday is a radio announcer for the Los Angeles Dodgers. 50 years ago, he was an outfielder for the Chicago Cubs, who were finishing a weekend series at Dodger Stadium.

On this day in 1976, two men attempted to burn the US flag. Monday was having none of that. Vin Scully calls it.

Monday, an ex-Marine, was hailed as a hero. Then-California Governor Ronald Reagan had high praise for Monday, as did everyone else, two and a half months away from the bicentennial. Fittingly, on the 50th anniversary of this episode, the Cubs are in LA this weekend, riding a 10 game winning streak as tonight's game has gotten underway as I write.

Saturtainment: The Shari Show (1960)

 Shari Lewis followed up Hi, Mom with The Shari Show, which ran for 3 seasons on NBC (1960-3). At the time, Howdy Doody had been airing six days a week, but when the show was ending, NBC decided to replace it with Shari on Saturdays.

Ronald Radd plays Mr. Goodfellow. During the series run, Fred Gwynne, who'd move on to Car 54, Where Are You?, and, then, The Munsters, appeared as Lamb Chop's personal physician.

In this sampler, it's Charlie Horse's birthday......

I never got to see the show, and I was born during the 3rd season. 

Saturday Morning's Greatest Hits: We Just Disagree (1977)

 In memory of singer-songwriter Dave Mason, who passed away earlier this week, we present a performance of "We Just Disagree", from The Midnight Special:

Rest in peace, Dave.

Coming Attractions: Coyote vs. ACME finally heading to the multiplex

 That lovable loser, Wile E. Coyote, will have his day in court against ACME after all.

"Coyote vs. ACME", co-written by James Gunn, was rescued from the WB scrap heap by Ketchup Entertainment, which will release the movie on August 28. Will Forte & John Cena are among the human stars.

If this connects with enough people at the theatres, David Zaslav will look even more like a tool than before. Scope the trailer:

You'd think Gunn would've stepped to the plate to try to save this himself when Zaslav decided to junk the project several months back. Personally, I'd strap Zaslav and his idiot staff to chairs, and make them binge-watch every Road Runner cartoon ever made.

We'll see what the public thinks come the end of August.

Family Toons: The Beary Family in The Unhandy Man (1970)

 "The Unhandy Man" is Charlie Beary (Paul Frees), who thinks he can save money on a garage door opener by improvising his own, frustrating his wife, Bessie (Grace Stafford).

Frees is also our announcer at the start of the short.

Charlie sounds like Frees recycled his Boris Badenov voice, only softer.

Rating: B--.

Toons You Might've Missed: Pooch The Pup in King Klunk (1933)

 Pooch The Pup was one of Walter Lantz's first creations for Universal. Pooch appeared in 13 shorts total, the pentultimate of which was 1933's "King Klunk", a parody of "King Kong", in which Pooch and his girlfriend, Poodles, travel to Africa.....

While Lantz produced & directed the short, future icon Fred "Tex" Avery was credited by Wikipedia as one of the actors.

Rating: B.

Toon Rock: Runaway Train (1992)

 From the "Lethal Weapon 3" soundtrack:

Rock legends Eric Clapton & Elton John team up for "Runaway Train", one of two singles featuring Clapton on the soundtrack ("It's Probably Me", with Sting, is the other).

From Primetime to Daytime: How desperate can a man get to avoid accountability? (The Brady Bunch, 1972)

 Posted last month at The Land of Whatever, but with fresh text.

After The Addams Family ended, Jackie Coogan began taking on character roles, including a series of guest roles as heavies or villains.

One such role brought him onto The Brady Bunch for his 2nd & final series appearance during season 3 in 1972. Coogan plays a man who gets into an accident with Carol (Florence Henderson), and shows up in court with a neck brace, claiming whiplash. The Bradys' testimony, including tricking him into proving he wasn't injured, exposes the scam before the judge (Robert Emhardt).

Following is the climatic courtroom scene, which must've felt like old home week for Robert Reed (ex-The Defenders):

Bro', you were outnumbered right from the go.

Tooniversary: Jurassic Pooch (Dexter's Laboratory, 1996)

 After spinning out of What a Cartoon!/World Premiere Toons, Dexter's Laboratory turns 30 this year.

In "Jurassic Pooch", Dexter uses the family dog's DNA to resurrect a dinosaur. Chaos, of course, follows, especially after dumb as a doorknob Dee Dee decides to take the "new pet" for a walk.....

Predictable.

Rating: B-.

Krofftverse: The series premiere of HR Pufnstuf (1969)

 We learned earlier today of the passing of Sid Krofft at 96. In his memory, we present the series premiere of his most infamous creation, H. R. Pufnstuf, in which Jimmy (Jack Wild, "Oliver!") and his sentient flute, Freddy, arrive at the Living Island.

The performers in costumes include ex-Mousketeer Sharon Baird, and Felix Silla (ex-The Addams Family).

Saturtainment: The Seven Wishes of Joanna Peabody (ABC Weekend Special, 1978)

 From season 2 of the ABC Weekend Special:

Film legend Butterfly McQueen made a rare television appearance in "The Seven Wishes of Joanna Peabody", the season 2 opener. McQueen is a fairy godmother that the title character (Star-Shemah) sees on her television.

Garrett Morris (Saturday Night Live) co-stars, plus a cameo of Monty Hall from Let's Make a Deal.

I believe Deal was in syndication at the time.

Tooniversary: Moving Day (1936)

 Today, if you or I were delinquent in paying rent, we'd already be evicted and/or homeless.

90 years ago, Mickey Mouse & Donald Duck were facing eviction for being 6 months behind on rent. Sheriff Pete is authorized to sell their belongings for collateral, but the boys have an answer for that on "Moving Day":

The plot never did explain why they owed six months back rent. Not good.

Rating: B-.

From Primetime to Daytime: Alejandro Rides Again (Zorro, 1991)

 From season 2 of Zorro (1990's series):

Don Alejandro (Henry Darrow, ex-Zorro & Son, High Chaparral) is reunited with his old unit to hunt down an outlaw. Zorro (Duncan Regehr) provides some covert assistance.

Darrow's casting, replacing Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. at the start of season 2, marked the 3rd different iteration of Zorro for the actor, as he'd voiced the hero in Filmation's adaptation 10 years earlier. Unsurprisingly, Sgt. Mendoza (James Victor, ex-Viva Valdez) happily accepts credit for the bust, and brags to a disbelieving group of party guests afterward.

Toonfomercial: Does tax season make you want to sing? (2026)

 With a week to go before the deadline for tax returns, Turbo Tax decided to liven things up with a partially animated karaoke ad, currently in heavy rotation.....

Cute, isn't it?

Saturday Morning's Forgotten Heroes: 4 episodes of Jana of The Jungle (1978)

 Hanging on to episodes of Jana of The Jungle can be dicey.

A YouTube poster has managed to package together four episode blocks of the 1978 series, and these four were, as standalone entries, recently removed from YouTube. They are:

"The Golden Idol of The Gorgas", with Bill Woodson (Challenge of The Super Friends) as a native chief.

"Katuchi Danger".

"The Cordillera Volcano".

"The Animal Snatchers".

All but "The Cordillera Volcano"  have their original title cards.

Rating: A-.

Retro Toy Chest: Remember Gorzak? (1994)

 Correspondent Steven Dolce tipped me to this next item.

Tyco introduced Gorzak to a consumer world that may not have been waiting in 1994. I say that because the product didn't survive the decade.

Not sure who was commissioned to produce the animation. Gorzak ends up a footnote in toy history.

Toons After Dark: Peter & The Magic Egg (1983)

 After leaving Rankin-Bass, Romeo Muller struck out on his own, and one of his last projects as an independent producer was 1983's Peter & The Magic Egg. Muller borrowed the R-B formula of using a name actor as his lead, in this case, Ray Bolger, who narrates the tale as Amos the Egg. The rest of the cast includes Bob Holt, Joan Gerber, Russi Taylor, Robert Ridgely, and Al Eisenmann, brother of 70's & 80's star Ike Eisenmann.

Peter never aired on a network. It was syndicated, and hasn't seen the light of day, YouTube aside, in years.

Toons After Dark: A Chucklewood Easter (1986)

 It's been a while since we checked in on the Chucklewood Critters, featuring Buttons & Rusty. From 1986, here's "A Chucklewood Easter":

No rating. Didn't see this when it first aired.