The Thing (segments)

For the character, see the Thing. You may also be looking for The Addams Family character Thing.

The Thing
The style used for each episode's title card.
Network	NBC
Production company	Hanna-Barbera
Original release	September 8—December 1, 1979
Run time	11 minutes
Starring	Joe Baker Wayne Morton Noelle North Marilyn Schreffler John Erwin Art Metrano Michael Sheehan John Stephenson
Executive producer(s)	William Hanna Joseph Barbera
Music composed by	Hoyt Curtin
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The Thing is a series of animated segments as part of Fred and Barney Meet the Thing, produced by Hanna-Barbera for NBC's Saturday morning programming block. It ran in 1979, airing 13 episodes that spanned one season. It is the second and final series based on Marvel Comics' The Fantastic Four, which was a straightforward adaptation of the same name.

In this rather peculiar and loose adaptation, Ben Grimm (minus the Fantastic Four) is reimagined as a man caught in a mysterious accident that transformed him into a rock-like mutant. Thanks to Professor Harkness, he can transform back into a human with the aid of two special rings called "Thing Rings," but a side effect made his human form that of a teenager, and he would be known as "Benjy" Grimm moving forward. As if that couldn't get worse, his only friend is the Professor's youngest daughter Kelly, the only person (besides her father) who knows about Benjy's secret identity.

Benjy and Kelly enroll in Centerville High School, where they hang out with the latter's popular elder sister (and Benjy's completely not inappropriate love interest) Betty; her rich, snobby boyfriend Ronald Radford; and last but not least, their teacher Miss Twilly. The gang loves nothing more than taking old Miss Twilly on outings in their car, usually on school trips that leave all other students absent for some reason. When trouble arises, Benjy changes to his "Thing" form by touching together his two rings and reciting the words, "Thing Ring, do your thing!" He also has to deal with daily problems and the Yancy Street Gang, who are led by Spike Hanrahan.

Production

Development

According to cartoonist Scott Shaw, NBC had been complaining about Hanna-Barbera's latest offerings lacking in humor, so Hanna-Barbera hired Tex Avery as its "gag doctor," with The Thing as his first assignment.

Music

The music was composed by Hoyt Curtin.

Episodes

Episode	Original air date
1x01 "The Picnic Panic" "Bigfoot Meets the Thing"	September 8, 1979
1x02 "Junkyard Hijinks" "Gone Away Gulch"	September 15, 1979
1x03 "Circus Stampede" "The Thing and the Queen"	September 22, 1979
1x04 "Carnival Caper" "The Thing Blanks Out"	September 29, 1979
1x05 "The Thing Meets the Clunk" "Beach Party Crashers"	October 6, 1979
1x06 "Decepto the Great" "The Thing's the Play"	October 13, 1979
1x07 "Double Trouble for the Thing" "To Thing or Not to Thing"	October 20, 1979
1x08 "The Big Bike Race" "The Thing and the Treasure Hunt"	October 27, 1979
1x09 "Out to Launch" "The Day the Ring Didn't Do a Thing"	November 3, 1979
1x10 "A Hot Air Affair at the Fair" "The Thing Goes to the Dogs"	November 10, 1979
1x11 "The Thing Goes Camping" "Dude Ranch Rodeo"	November 17, 1979
1x12 "Photo Finish" "Lights, Action, Thing!"	November 24, 1979
1x13 "The Thing and the Captain's Ghost" "The Thing and the Absent-Minded Inventor"	December 1, 1979

Cast

• Joe Baker as The Thing
• Wayne Morton as Benjy Grimm and Stretch
• Noelle North as Kelly Harkness
• Marilyn Schreffler as Betty Harkness and Miss Twilly
• John Erwin as Ronald Radford
• Art Metrano as Spike Hanrahan
• Michael Sheehan as Turkey
• John Stephenson as Professor Harkness