The Herculoids
- This article refers to the TV series. For the group, see Herculoids.
| The Herculoids | |
|---|---|
 On-screen title card. | |
| Created by | Alex Toth |
| Network | CBS NBC |
| Production company | Hanna-Barbera |
| Distributor | Taft Broadcasting |
| Original release | September 9, 1967—January 6, 1968; September 12—November 21, 1981 |
| Starring | Mike Road Virginia Gregg Teddy Eccles Sparky Marcus Don Messick |
| Producer(s) | William Hanna Joseph Barbera Art Scott |
| Music composed by | Ted Nichols |
| Writer(s) | Joe Ruby Ken Spears David Scott |
| Director(s) | William Hanna Joseph Barbera |
| Animation director(s) | Charles A. Nichols |
The Herculoids is an American animated scifi-fantasy/action adventure TV series produced by Hanna-Barbera (H-B) for CBS' Saturday morning children's programming. It ran from 1967 to 1968, airing 18 episodes. In 1981, it was revived for a further 11 episodes as segments of Space Stars on NBC.
A technologically primitive human family, with the help of a group of mysterious alien creatures known as the Herculoids, defend the planet of Amzot from technically superior threats from outer space. In the revival, the series was set 1,000 years in the future, and without reason, Amzot was renamed Quasar.
The same year the series premiered, there was a crossover in the Space Ghost episode "The Molten Monsters of Moltar."
In 2016, DC Comics reimagined the series (which included retconning the two different eras) in Future Quest and Future Quest Presents.
The entire original series has been released on both DVD and Blu-ray Disc, and the entire revival has been released on DVD.
Production
Development
Casting
Music
The score was composed by Ted Nichols, who was credited as musical director.
Episodes
Space Stars
| Title | Number | Original air date |
|---|---|---|
| "The Ice Monster" | 2x01 | September 12, 1981 |
| "The Purple Menace" | 2x02 | September 19, 1981 |
| "The Firebird" | 2x03 | September 26, 1981 |
| "The Energy Creature" | 2x04 | October 3, 1981 |
| "The Snake Riders" | 2x05 | October 10, 1981 |
| "The Buccaneer" | 2x06 | October 17, 1981 |
| "The Thunderbolt" | 2x07 | October 24, 1981 |
| "Return of the Ancients" | 2x08 | October 31, 1981 |
| "Space Trappers" | 2x09 | November 7, 1981 |
| "The Invisibles" | 2x10 | November 14, 1981 |
| "Mindbender" | 2x11 | November 21, 1981 |
Cast
- Mike Road as Zandor, Zok, Igoo, Tundro
- Virginia Gregg as Tara
- Teddy Eccles (season 1) and Sparky Marcus (season 2) as Dorno
- Don Messick as Gloop and Gleep
Credits
These identical credits appeared at the end of every episode of the original series.
- Produced and Directed by: William Hanna and Joseph Barbera
- Associate Producer: Art Scott
- Story by: Ken Spears, Joe Ruby, David Scott
- Story Direction: Bill Perez, Paul Sommer
- Voices: Don Messick, Mike Road, Teddy Eccles, Virginia Gregg
- Musical Director: Ted Nichols
- Production Supervisor: Howard Hanson
- Animation Director: Charles A. Nichols
- Assistant Production Supervisor: Victor O. Schipek
- Character Design: Alex Toth
- Layouts: Bill Perez, Tony Sgori, Nick Gibson, Al Wilson, Jack Huber, Dick Bickenbach
- Animation: Ed Aardal, John Sparey, Lou Kachivas, Rudy Cataldi, Harry Holt, Ray Abrams, Dick Hall, Tony Love
- Technical Supervision: Frank Paiker
- Backgrounds: Paul Julian, Gary Niblett, Cathleen Braver
- Camera: Bill Kotler, Gene Borghi, Byron McRae, Cliff Shirpser
- Supervising Film Editor: Warner Leighton
- Film Editing: Larry Cowan, David Horton, Geoffrey Griffin
- Sound Direction: Richard Olsen, Bill Getty
In popular culture
- In the Family Guy episode "8 Simple Rules for Buying My Teenage Daughter," Lois interviews Gloop for a babysitting job, but she can't understand him. Gloop seems to be offended and talks more gibberish when Lois asks him to leave, which he does but not before getting Tundro to fire rocks at her. It should be noted that when Lois asks for a reference from his previous "employers," she refers to them as the Herculoids when the Herculoids are in fact the creatures that are friends with the family, which included both Gloop and Tundro.
- In the Venture Bros. episode "Twenty Years to Midnight," young Rusty wrote a letter to the Herculoids, calling them hippies for not fighting in the Vietnam war.
Comic Book Men
- "Ghostbusting in the Stash:" Kevin Smith thought there were songs in The Herculoids, like Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space.
- "Wookie Fever:" Mike said he wanted Igoo as a pet.
