Difference between revisions of "Skatebirds (TV series)"

From Hanna-Barbera Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
 
(15 intermediate revisions by one other user not shown)
Line 9: Line 9:
|released= [[September 10]], [[1977]]–[[January 21]], [[1978]]
|released= [[September 10]], [[1977]]–[[January 21]], [[1978]]
|run_time=
|run_time=
|starring= [[Scatman Crothers]]<br />[[Maurice Cooke]]<br />[[Lennie Weinrib]]<br />[[Bruce Hoyt]]<br />[[Bob Holt]]<br />[[Ken Means]]<br />[[Don Messick]]<br />[[Joe Giamalva]]<br />[[Joe Baker]]<br />[[Ross Martin]]<br />[[Frank Welker]]<br />[[Paul Winchell]]<br />[[Jim MacGeorge]]<br />[[David Jolliffe]]<br />[[Patricia Stich]]<br />[[Bob Hastings]]<br />[[Tara Talboy]]<br />[[John Stephenson]]<br />[[Stephen Parr]]<br />[[Lynn Marie Johnston]]<br />[[Larry Volk]]<br />[[Michael Kermoyan]]<br />[[Micky Dolenz]]<br />[[Susan Davis]]
|starring= [[Scatman Crothers]]<br />[[Maurice Cooke]]<br />[[Lennie Weinrib]]<br />[[Bruce Hoyt]]<br />[[Bob Holt]]<br />[[Ken Means]]<br />[[Don Messick]]<br />[[Joe Giamalva]]<br />[[Joe Baker]]<br />[[Ross Martin]]<br />[[Frank Welker (actor)|Frank Welker]]<br />[[Paul Winchell]]<br />[[Jim MacGeorge]]<br />[[David Jolliffe]]<br />[[Patricia Stich]]<br />[[Bob Hastings]]<br />[[Tara Talboy]]<br />[[John Stephenson]]<br />[[Stephen Parr]]<br />[[Lynn Marie Johnston]]<br />[[Larry Volk]]<br />[[Michael Kermoyan]]<br />[[Micky Dolenz]]<br />[[Susan Davis]]
|execs=
|execs=
|producers= [[Terry Morse, Jr.]]
|producers= [[Terry Morse, Jr.]]
Line 18: Line 18:
|caption2=  
|caption2=  
}}
}}
'''''Skatebirds''''' is a live-action American anthology television series produced by [[Hanna-Barbera|Hanna-Barbera Productions]]. The series originally aired on [[CBS]]. It ran from [[1977]] to [[1978]], airing 16 episodes that spanned one season.
'''''Skatebirds''''' is a live-action/animated American anthology television series produced by [[Hanna-Barbera|Hanna-Barbera Productions]]. The series originally aired on [[CBS]]. It ran from [[1977]] to [[1978]], airing 16 episodes that spanned one season.


The show debuted with segments, ''[[The Robonic Stooges]]'', ''[[Wonder Wheels (segments)|Wonder Wheels]]'', ''[[Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives]]'' and ''[[Mystery Island (segments)|Mystery Island]]''.
The show debuted with segments, ''[[The Robonic Stooges]]'', ''[[Wonder Wheels (segments)|Wonder Wheels]]'', ''[[Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives]]'' and ''[[Mystery Island]]''.


Since ''[[Hanna-Barbera's All-Star Comedy Ice Revue]]'' came out around the same time ''Skatebirds'' premiered, the special actually advertised it's premiere, even showing some clips from the show.   
Since ''[[Hanna-Barbera's All-Star Comedy Ice Revue]]'' came out around the same time ''Skatebirds'' premiered, the special actually advertised it's premiere, even showing some clips from the show.   


Much like [[The Banana Splits]], the series featured musical numbers, although the Skatebird numbers were less closer to bubblegum music, and more about the "Skate-word for today."
Much like [[The Banana Splits]], the series featured musical numbers, although the Skatebird numbers were less closer to bubblegum music, and more about the "Skate-word for today."
The series had a number of instances of being split up for syndication formatting, the first being when the ''Skatebirds'' was canceled, and ''The Robonic Stooges'' and ''Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives'' were spun off into their own half hour, and when both came to an end, ''Skatebirds'', ''Wonder Wheels'' and ''The Robonic Stooges'' were packaged into their own half hour series, with ''Mystery Island'' airing with ''[[Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels]]'', and ''Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives'' having an unknown fate.


During airtime on [[Cartoon Network]] in the [[1990s]], it aired for a block called [[70's Super Explosion]].
During airtime on [[Cartoon Network]] in the [[1990s]], it aired for a block called [[70's Super Explosion]].
Line 35: Line 37:
* ''[[Wonder Wheels (segments)|Wonder Wheels]]''
* ''[[Wonder Wheels (segments)|Wonder Wheels]]''
* ''[[Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives]]''
* ''[[Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives]]''
* ''[[Mystery Island (segments)|Mystery Island]]''
* ''[[Mystery Island]]''


==Music==
==Music==
Line 84: Line 86:
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Episode
! Episode
! Number
! Original air date
! Air date
|-
|-
| "[[Episode 1 (Skatebirds)|Episode 1]]"
| 1x01
| 1x01
* "[[Episode 1 (Skatebirds)|Episode 1]]"
** ''[[The Robonic Stooges]]'': "[[Invasion of the Incredible Giant Chicken]]"
** ''[[Mystery Island]]'': "[[A Matter of Gravity]]"
** ''[[Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives]]'': "[[The Paper Shaper Caper]]"
** ''[[Wonder Wheels (segments)|Wonder Wheels]]'': "[[The County Fair]]"
| [[September 10]], 1977
| [[September 10]], 1977
|-
|-
| "[[Episode 2 (Skatebirds)|Episode 2]]"
| 1x02
| 1x02
* "[[Episode 2 (Skatebirds)|Episode 2]]"
** ''The Robonic Stooges'': "[[Dimwits and Dinosaurs]]"
** ''Mystery Island'': "[[The Mind Blower]]"
** ''Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives'': "[[The Case of the Lighthouse Mouse]]"
** ''Wonder Wheels'': "[[The Rustlers]]"
| [[September 17]], 1977
| [[September 17]], 1977
|-
|-
| "[[Episode 3 (Skatebirds)|Episode 3]]"
| 1x03
| 1x03
* "[[Episode 3 (Skatebirds)|Episode 3]]"
** ''The Robonic Stooges'': "[[Fish and Drips]]"
** ''Mystery Island'': "[[Just Whistle for an Answer]]"
** ''Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives'': "[[The Real Gone Gondola]]"
** ''Wonder Wheels'': "[[The Skyscraper]]"
| [[September 24]], 1977
| [[September 24]], 1977
|-
|-
| "[[Episode 4 (Skatebirds)|Episode 4]]"
| 1x04
| 1x04
* "[[Episode 4 (Skatebirds)|Episode 4]]"
** ''The Robonic Stooges'': "[[Have Saucer Will Travel]]"
** ''Mystery Island'': "[[Sue's Courage]]"
** ''Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives'': "[[Who's to Blame for the Empty Frame?]]"
** ''Wonder Wheels'': "[[The Gold Train Robbery]]"
| [[October 1]], 1977
| [[October 1]], 1977
|-
|-
| "[[Episode 5 (Skatebirds)|Episode 5]]"
| 1x05
| 1x05
* "[[Episode 5 (Skatebirds)|Episode 5]]"
** ''The Robonic Stooges'': "[[I Want My Mummy (Robonic Stooges)|I Want My Mummy]]"
** ''Mystery Island'': "[[Valley of Fire]]"
** ''Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives'': "[[The Weird Seaweed Caper]]"
** ''Wonder Wheels'': "[[The Snowmen]]"
| [[October 8]], 1977
| [[October 8]], 1977
|-
|-
| "[[Episode 6 (Skatebirds)|Episode 6]]"
| 1x06
| 1x06
* "[[Episode 6 (Skatebirds)|Episode 6]]"
** ''The Robonic Stooges'': "[[The Great Brain Drain]]"
** ''Mystery Island'': "[[Sentinels of Time]]"
** ''Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives'': "[[The Green Thumb Caper]]"
** ''Wonder Wheels'': "[[The Vanishing Prince]]"
| [[October 15]], 1977
| [[October 15]], 1977
|-
|-
| "[[Episode 7 (Skatebirds)|Episode 7]]"
| 1x07
| 1x07
* "[[Episode 7 (Skatebirds)|Episode 7]]"
** ''The Robonic Stooges'': "[[Flea Fi Fo Fum]]"
** ''Mystery Island'': "[[Who's Whom Here?]]"
** ''Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives'': "[[The Disappearing Airport Caper]]"
** ''Wonder Wheels'': "[[The Ghost Town]]"
| [[October 22]], 1977
| [[October 22]], 1977
|-
|-
| "[[Episode 8 (Skatebirds)|Episode 8]]"
| 1x08
| 1x08
* "[[Episode 8 (Skatebirds)|Episode 8]]"
** ''The Robonic Stooges'': "[[Frozen Feud]]"
** ''Mystery Island'': "[[Fate's Just a Dirty Trick]]"
** ''Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives'': "[[The Walking House Caper]]"
** ''Wonder Wheels'': "[[Double Trouble (Wonder Wheels)|Double Trouble]]"
| [[October 29]], 1977
| [[October 29]], 1977
|-
|-
| "[[Episode 9 (Skatebirds)|Episode 9]]"
| 1x09
| 1x09
* "[[Episode 9 (Skatebirds)|Episode 9]]"
** ''The Robonic Stooges'': "[[Mother Goose on the Loose]]"
** ''Mystery Island'': "[[Golden Birds of Prey]]"
** ''Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives'': "[[The Solar Energy Caper]]"
** ''Wonder Wheels'': "[[The U.F.O.]]"
| [[November 5]], 1977
| [[November 5]], 1977
|-
|-
| "[[Episode 10 (Skatebirds)|Episode 10]]"
| 1x10
| 1x10
* "[[Episode 10 (Skatebirds)|Episode 10]]"
** ''The Robonic Stooges'': "[[Curly of the Apes]]"
** ''Mystery Island'': "[[Visitors from Falconia]]"
** ''Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives'': "[[The Vanishing Train Caper]]"
** ''Wonder Wheels'': "[[The Hermits' Horde]]"
| [[November 12]], 1977
| [[November 12]], 1977
|-
|-
| "[[Episode 11 (Skatebirds)|Episode 11]]"
| 1x11
| 1x11
* "[[Episode 11 (Skatebirds)|Episode 11]]"
** ''The Robonic Stooges'': "[[Don't Fuel with a Fool]]"
** ''Mystery Island'': "[[The Duel]]"
** ''Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives'': "[[The Dissolving Statue Caper]]"
** ''Wonder Wheels'': "[[The Air Race]]"
| [[November 19]], 1977
| [[November 19]], 1977
|-
|-
| "[[Episode 12 (Skatebirds)|Episode 12]]"
| 1x12
| 1x12
* "[[Episode 12 (Skatebirds)|Episode 12]]"
** ''The Robonic Stooges'': "[[The Eenie Meanie Genie]]"
** ''Mystery Island'': "[[Kingdom of the Beasts]]"
** ''Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives'': "[[The Missing Pig Caper]]"
** ''Wonder Wheels'': "[[The Animals]]"
| [[November 26]], 1977
| [[November 26]], 1977
|-
|-
| "[[Episode 13 (Skatebirds)|Episode 13]]"
| 1x13
| 1x13
* "[[Episode 13 (Skatebirds)|Episode 13]]"
** ''The Robonic Stooges'': "[[On Your Knees, Hercules]]"
** ''Mystery Island'': "[[P.O.P.S. in a Box]]"
** ''Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives'': "[[One of Our Elephants is Missing]]"
** ''Wonder Wheels'': "[[The Idol's Eye]]"
| [[December 3]], 1977
| [[December 3]], 1977
|-
|-
| "[[Episode 14 (Skatebirds)|Episode 14]]"
| 1x14
| 1x14
* "[[Episode 14 (Skatebirds)|Episode 14]]"
** ''The Robonic Stooges'': "[[Rub a Dub Dub, Three Nuts in a Sub]]"
** ''Mystery Island'': "[[Island of the Apes]]"
** ''Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives'': "[[The Amazing Heist]]"
** ''Wonder Wheels'': "[[The Race Horse]]"
| [[December 10]], 1977
| [[December 10]], 1977
|-
|-
| "[[Episode 15 (Skatebirds)|Episode 15]]"
| 1x15
| 1x15
* "[[Episode 15 (Skatebirds)|Episode 15]]"
** ''The Robonic Stooges'': "[[There's No Joy in an Evil Toy]]"
** ''Mystery Island'': "[[The Skull's the Clue]]"
** ''Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives'': "[[The Circus Caper]]"
** ''Wonder Wheels'': "[[The Studio Steal]]"
| [[December 17]], 1977
| [[December 17]], 1977
|-
|-
| "[[Episode 16 (Skatebirds)|Episode 16]]"
| 1x16
| 1x16
* "[[Episode 16 (Skatebirds)|Episode 16]]"
** ''The Robonic Stooges'': "[[Three Little Pigheads]]"
** ''Mystery Island'': "[[Home Run (Mystery Island)|Home Run]]"
** ''Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives'': "[[The Prehistoric Monster Caper]]"
** ''Wonder Wheels'': "[[The Golden Globe]]"
| [[December 24]], 1977
| [[December 24]], 1977
|}
|}
Line 163: Line 228:
* [[Joe Baker]] as [[Larry Fine|Larry]]
* [[Joe Baker]] as [[Larry Fine|Larry]]
* [[Ross Martin]] as [[Agent 000]]
* [[Ross Martin]] as [[Agent 000]]
* [[Frank Welker]] as [[Curly Howard|Curly]], Narrator and [[P.O.P.S.]] (voice)
* [[Frank Welker (actor)|Frank Welker]] as [[Curly Howard|Curly]], Narrator and [[P.O.P.S.]] (voice)
* [[Paul Winchell]] as [[Woofer]] and [[Moe Howard|Moe]]
* [[Paul Winchell]] as [[Woofer]] and [[Moe Howard|Moe]]
* [[Jim MacGeorge]] as [[Wimper]]
* [[Jim MacGeorge]] as [[Wimper]]
* [[David Jolliffe]] as [[Larry]]
* [[David Jolliffe]] as [[Larry (Clue Club)|Larry]]
* [[Patricia Stich]] as [[Pepper (character)|Pepper]]
* [[Patricia Stich]] as [[Pepper (Clue Club)|Pepper]]
* [[Bob Hastings]] as [[D.D.]]
* [[Bob Hastings]] as [[D.D.]]
* [[Tara Talboy]] as [[Dottie]]
* [[Tara Talboy]] as [[Dottie]]
Line 201: Line 266:
* '''Story direction:''' [[Alvaro Arce]], [[Carl Fallberg]], [[Cullen Houghtaling]], [[Mike O'Connor]], [[Don Sheppard]], [[George Singer]], [[Karran Wright]]
* '''Story direction:''' [[Alvaro Arce]], [[Carl Fallberg]], [[Cullen Houghtaling]], [[Mike O'Connor]], [[Don Sheppard]], [[George Singer]], [[Karran Wright]]
* '''Recording director:''' [[Wally Burr]]
* '''Recording director:''' [[Wally Burr]]
* '''Voices:''' [[Joe Baker|Joe E. Baker]], Wally Burr, [[Henry Corden]], [[Scatman Crothers]], [[Susan Davis]], [[Micky Dolenz]], [[Ron Feinberg]], [[Joan Gerber]], [[Virginia Gregg]], [[Bob Hastings]], [[Bob Holt]], [[Jane James]], [[Ralph James]], [[Casey Kasem]], [[David Jolliffe]], [[Jim MacGeorge]], [[Ross Martin]], [[Julie McWhirter]], [[Allan Melvin]], [[Don Messick]], [[Marvin Miller]], [[Alan Oppenheimer]], [[Vic Perrin]], [[Robert Ridgely]], [[Ken Sansom]], [[Ronnie Schell]], [[Hal Smith]], [[John Stephenson]], [[Patricia Stitch]], [[Tara Talboy]], [[Janet Waldo]], [[Lennie Weinrib]], [[Frank Welker]], [[Paul Winchell]]
* '''Voices:''' [[Joe Baker|Joe E. Baker]], Wally Burr, [[Henry Corden]], [[Scatman Crothers]], [[Susan Davis]], [[Micky Dolenz]], [[Ron Feinberg]], [[Joan Gerber]], [[Virginia Gregg]], [[Bob Hastings]], [[Bob Holt]], [[Jane James]], [[Ralph James]], [[Casey Kasem]], [[David Jolliffe]], [[Jim MacGeorge]], [[Ross Martin]], [[Julie McWhirter]], [[Allan Melvin]], [[Don Messick]], [[Marvin Miller]], [[Alan Oppenheimer]], [[Vic Perrin]], [[Robert Ridgely]], [[Ken Sansom]], [[Ronnie Schell]], [[Hal Smith]], [[John Stephenson]], [[Patricia Stitch]], [[Tara Talboy]], [[Janet Waldo]], [[Lennie Weinrib]], [[Frank Welker (actor)|Frank Welker]], [[Paul Winchell]]
* '''Graphics:''' [[Iraj Paran]]
* '''Graphics:''' [[Iraj Paran]]
* '''Musical direction:''' [[Hoyt Curtin]]
* '''Musical direction:''' [[Hoyt Curtin]]
Line 236: Line 301:
===Board game===
===Board game===
In [[1978]], [[Skatebirds Game|a board game]] was released by [[Milton Bradley Company]] based on the series.
In [[1978]], [[Skatebirds Game|a board game]] was released by [[Milton Bradley Company]] based on the series.
==Critical reception==
The series was not received well from critics, as its often criticized for being a knockoff of previous creation, ''[[The Banana Splits Adventure Hour|The Banana Splits]]''.
In addition to this, all segments, aside from ''[[Mystery Island]]'', were also featured in the unaired ''[[ToonHeads]]'' special, "[[The Best of the Worst Cartoons Ever]]," to which, all were criticized for being "poor ideas."


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 21:42, 14 April 2024

Skatebirds
TSB title card.png
On-screen title card.
Network CBS
Production company Hanna-Barbera
Distributor Taft Broadcasting
Original release September 10, 1977January 21, 1978
Starring Scatman Crothers
Maurice Cooke
Lennie Weinrib
Bruce Hoyt
Bob Holt
Ken Means
Don Messick
Joe Giamalva
Joe Baker
Ross Martin
Frank Welker
Paul Winchell
Jim MacGeorge
David Jolliffe
Patricia Stich
Bob Hastings
Tara Talboy
John Stephenson
Stephen Parr
Lynn Marie Johnston
Larry Volk
Michael Kermoyan
Micky Dolenz
Susan Davis
Producer(s) Terry Morse, Jr.
Writer(s) Sid Morse
Norman Camaron
Director(s) Sidney Miller
Hollingsworth Morse
Charles A. Nichols
Chris Cuddington
Second title card
TSB half hour title card.png

Skatebirds is a live-action/animated American anthology television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The series originally aired on CBS. It ran from 1977 to 1978, airing 16 episodes that spanned one season.

The show debuted with segments, The Robonic Stooges, Wonder Wheels, Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives and Mystery Island.

Since Hanna-Barbera's All-Star Comedy Ice Revue came out around the same time Skatebirds premiered, the special actually advertised it's premiere, even showing some clips from the show.

Much like The Banana Splits, the series featured musical numbers, although the Skatebird numbers were less closer to bubblegum music, and more about the "Skate-word for today."

The series had a number of instances of being split up for syndication formatting, the first being when the Skatebirds was canceled, and The Robonic Stooges and Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives were spun off into their own half hour, and when both came to an end, Skatebirds, Wonder Wheels and The Robonic Stooges were packaged into their own half hour series, with Mystery Island airing with Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels, and Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives having an unknown fate.

During airtime on Cartoon Network in the 1990s, it aired for a block called 70's Super Explosion.

Production

Development

Segments

Music

Opening Theme Lyrics

Hour version:

It's Skatebird time!
And here come the Skatebirds!

Knock-Knock
Scooter
Satch
And Scat Cat!

Then the Robonic Stooges!
Plus the spine-tingling suspense-filled excitement of Mystery Island
And the doggone it daffy doings of those dog detectives, Woofer and Wimper!
And more!

The unbelievable adventures of an unbelievable motorcycle, Wonder Wheels!

For all-out fun.
It's Satch!
Knock-Knock
Scooter
And Scat Cat

And for suspense, mystery and adventure,
it's the Skatebird show!


Half hour version:

It's Skatebird time!
Starring Knock-Knock,
Satchel and Scooter, those fettered clowns of fantasy!

Along with Willie the Wheeler
And the superhero cycle known as Wonder Wheels.
As well as those three mechanical marvels, the Robonic Stooges!

One big collection of wild, wacky and wonderful characters, the Skatebirds!

Episodes

Episode Original air date
1x01 September 10, 1977
1x02 September 17, 1977
1x03 September 24, 1977
1x04 October 1, 1977
1x05 October 8, 1977
1x06 October 15, 1977
1x07 October 22, 1977
1x08 October 29, 1977
1x09 November 5, 1977
1x10 November 12, 1977
1x11 November 19, 1977
1x12 November 26, 1977
1x13 December 3, 1977
1x14 December 10, 1977
1x15 December 17, 1977
1x16 December 24, 1977

Cast

Credits

These identical credits appeared at the end of every episode.

Merchandise

Board game

In 1978, a board game was released by Milton Bradley Company based on the series.

Critical reception

The series was not received well from critics, as its often criticized for being a knockoff of previous creation, The Banana Splits.

In addition to this, all segments, aside from Mystery Island, were also featured in the unaired ToonHeads special, "The Best of the Worst Cartoons Ever," to which, all were criticized for being "poor ideas."

References