Hanna-Barbera “Classics” – The First Instalment
In my quest to review lots of top quality nostalgic kids programs, I was
planning on writing a whole feature per program. However, to my horror, I
realised that the amount of information (and, more importantly, my
memories) for a lot of shows was very small. Turning to the esteemed
Hanna-Barbera studios for inspiration, I discovered that they’d made
bucket-loads of shows and cartoon characters over the years. Surely I
couldn’t review them all?
And I was right, I couldn’t. I hadn’t heard of half of them, for a start,
and many of them only held vague memories for me (most of those being the
theme songs). However, suddenly I went all goggle-eyed and the camera
zoomed in on my visage, and I breathed “Of course, I should’ve known!”
And so I’ve decided to do a few compilation articles, looking at a handful
of randomly picked (honest, guv’) shows from the vaults of Hanna-Barbera.
May the memories come flooding back, and if I make you go “Oh yeah, I
remember that one!” at least three times per article, then I’ve succeeded.
So, here we go:
1. Inch High, Private Eye (1973)
“Inch High, Private Eye… Oh hi Uncle Inch!”
Remember this one, eh?
No, I didn’t think you did. To be honest, I can only vaguely remember the
main character, what he sounded like, and the theme tune. I can’t even
recall what the show was about, but I’ll be bound that it featured lots of
gripping, tightly-directed/animated scenes, with some grittiness balanced
out with some good humour in alternative places, and a central concept
both mind-boggling and thought provoking, making you ponder the brilliance
of it all.
Further research via the power of Google reveals that it was about a spy
who sometimes drank a shrinking potion. Most of the voice artists were
never heard of again, and most moments of humour came from the scenes
where Inch got blown through windows or sucked up by vacuum-cleaners when
little, or when he zapped back to normal size at the most inappropriate of
moments. Ho ho ho, what jolly fun. The most interesting aspect of this
show is that Inch High appears to exclaim, “It’s a voodoo nun!” during the
theme song. And, as I read that the first entry in my “Classics” series
only lasted 13 episodes, I move swiftly on.
2. Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels (1977-1980)
A true classic, this one. I say that only because it’s one I actually
remember. And, considering that none of you will have heard of it, it’ll
surprise you that this show got a total of 40 episodes under its belt.
This was another of those “Scooby Doo” clones. Hanna-Barbera, after having
created the eponymous show about a stupid dog that mumbled incoherently in
English at zombies in fright-wigs, reused the formula of “a group of teens
and a strange central icon solve spooky mysteries” to the point of nausea.
Other examples include the invariably forgettable “The Funky Phantom” and
“Speed Buggy”. Upon realising that everyone couldn’t tell all these series
apart, Hanna-Barbera decided not to bother and just created lots of sequel
series for Scooby Doo, including one where Scooby and the gang bumped into
the Harlem Globetrotters and the Three Stooges on an alarmingly regular
basis.
However, out of all the thinly-veiled rip-offs, the best must surely be
“Captain Caveman”. When someone’s in trouble, “Cavey” (as he’s
“affectionately” known by his gang of travelling tarts) just yells out his
name in a loud and elongated manner and zooms to the rescue. Generally
unhelpful most of the time, he was a rather class guy to have around, and
the music to the show kicked backside, mightily.
This was the only cartoon that managed to actually scare me as a kid. The
episode where the gang are pursued by a skeleton with a blonde afro
disturbed me greatly, I’m ashamed to say. Though, actually, now that I’ve
read that sentence, wouldn’t a story about a skeleton with a blonde afro
scare you, too?
3. The Perils of Penelope Pitstop (1969)
A sly homage to “The Perils of Pauline.” Yup.
This was a spin-off from “The Wacky Races”, a very popular cartoon series
about wacky people in wacky cars involved in not particularly amusing
racetracks. However, out of all the characters to base a spin-off on, they
chose the least appealing one. In “The Wacky Races”, Penelope’s only
purpose was to look pretty (or as pretty as a cartoon character can be),
make other characters swoon, and act like a stereotypical dumb blonde. So
giving her her own series wasn’t the best of moves. Realising their
mistake, the makers chucked in the Ant Hill Mob in a different car, and
then abandoned the series altogether, choosing to have another go at
creating a spin-off, this time starring the eminently more popular Dick
“I’m a bit like Terry-Thomas” Dastardly and Muttley.
However, the series itself was very entertaining, with most scenes of
Pitstop herself being kept to a bare minimum, in favour of extended
clowning around from Clyde and his merry men or some extended laughing
from the main baddy. Speaking of the villain, the show appears to suffer
from the same “What do you mean – this is my disguise!” mentality that
befell “Thunderbirds”.
The cunningly named Sylvester Sneakly (sigh), who looked like a leering
perv, cunningly disguised himself as…
… a leering perv in a cape. Not exactly the most convincing of disguises,
is it? However, fond memories of this show give it the “classic” edge, so
this definitely belongs here. Unlike “Inch High, Private High”, who should
sod off, quite frankly.
4. The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang (1980-1982)
Erm, yeah…
Apparently they created an animated spin-off of “Happy Days”, which was
about the regular gang, aided by a girl from the future and a dog called
Mr. Cool, travelling in a time machine, their ultimate aim being "...to
get back to 1957 Milwaukee." If that doesn’t make your brain dribble out
of your ears, then the fact that there were 24 episodes made surely will.
…
…
I’m sorry, I just got distracted by the tumbleweed rolling along the gap
where my brain used to be 5 seconds ago. In fact, I think I’ll stop the
article here, for my sanity’s sake. So, till next time, where I’ll cook up
some more top Hanna Barbera fun.
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