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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Wacky Races'' (1968 TV series)}} | {{DISPLAYTITLE:''Wacky Races'' (1968 TV series)}} | ||
:''This article is about the original [[1968]] TV series. For | :''This article is about the original [[1968]] TV series. For other uses, see [[Wacky Races]].'' | ||
{{Infobox TV | {{Infobox TV | ||
|name= Wacky Races | |name= Wacky Races | ||
| Line 16: | Line 16: | ||
|director= [[William Hanna]]<br />[[Joseph Barbera]] | |director= [[William Hanna]]<br />[[Joseph Barbera]] | ||
|previous= Wacky Races (1968 TV series) | |previous= Wacky Races (1968 TV series) | ||
|next= | |next= Dastardly & Muttley in Their Flying Machines | ||
|title_card2= | |title_card2= | ||
|caption2= | |caption2= | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''''Wacky Races''''' is an animated racing comedy | '''''Wacky Races''''' is an American animated racing comedy television series produced by [[Hanna-Barbera|Hanna-Barbera Productions]] and [[Heatter-Quigley Inc.]] for [[CBS]]' Saturday morning children's programming. It ran from [[1968]] to [[1969]], airing 17 episodes that spanned one season. Despite only lasting one season, some of the characters continued to live on in different forms, with two equally as popular spin-offs, ''[[The Perils of Penelope Pitstop]]'' and ''[[Dastardly & Muttley in Their Flying Machines]]''. | ||
The series follows the titular Wacky Races, where a cast of oddball personalities compete each other in road rallies across [[North America]], all for the sole purpose of winning the title of the "World's Wackiest Racer". It featured a number of characters, with 23 people and animals riding 11 individual vehicles. In addition to the show's narrator providing his commentary of the high-speed hijinks, it also focused on the exploits of [[Dick Dastardly]] and his snickering canine partner, [[Muttley]], who attempt at anything to cheat and sabotage in every race, even though those attempts only backfire in the end and put them at last place. Apart from Dastardly and Muttley, racers such as the dashing [[Peter Perfect]], and the ever-so-glamorous [[Penelope Pitstop]] get their own spotlight in the series. | |||
The entire series has also been released on [[Wacky Races: The Complete Series|DVD]]. | The entire series has also been released on [[Wacky Races: The Complete Series|DVD]]. | ||
| Line 26: | Line 28: | ||
==Production== | ==Production== | ||
===Development=== | ===Development=== | ||
''Wacky Races'' was the first in a change of format that deviated from the rise of the superheroes, the likes of which were not only failing in the ratings but had received a backlash from parent groups who opposed the violence.<ref name>[[Ted Sennett|Sennett, Ted]] ([[October 30]], [[1989]]). ''[[The Art of Hanna-Barbera]]'', page 151. [[Viking Studio Books]]. Retrieved [[November 25]], [[2022]].</ref><ref name="WR basis">Sennett, Ted ([[October 30]], [[1989]]). ''The Art of Hanna-Barbera'', page 153. Viking Studio Books. Retrieved [[November 25]], [[2022]].</ref> | |||
The idea was somewhat based on two [[1965]] comedy films, ''The Great Race'' and ''Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines''.<ref name="WR basis" /> | |||
==Music== | ==Music== | ||
The music was composed by [[Hoyt Curtin]], who was credited as music director. | The music was composed by [[Hoyt Curtin]], who was credited as music director. | ||
| Line 32: | Line 38: | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
! Episode | ! Episode | ||
! | ! Original air date | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1x01 | | 1x01 | ||
* "[[See-Saw to Arkansas]]" | |||
* "[[Creepy Trip to Lemon Twist]]" | |||
| [[September 14]], [[1968]] | | [[September 14]], [[1968]] | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1x02 | | 1x02 | ||
* "[[Why Oh Why Wyoming]]" | |||
* "[[Beat the Clock to Yellow Rock]]" | |||
| [[September 21]], 1968 | | [[September 21]], 1968 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1x03 | | 1x03 | ||
* "[[Mish Mash Missouri Dash]]" | |||
* "[[Idaho a Go Go]]" | |||
| [[September 28]], 1968 | | [[September 28]], 1968 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1x04 | | 1x04 | ||
* "[[The Baja-Ha-Ha Race]]" | |||
* "[[Real Gone Ape]]" | |||
| [[October 5]], 1968 | | [[October 5]], 1968 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1x05 | | 1x05 | ||
* "[[Scout Scatter]]" | |||
* "[[Free Wheeling to Wheeling]]" | |||
| [[October 12]], 1968 | | [[October 12]], 1968 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1x06 | | 1x06 | ||
* "[[By Rollercoaster to Upsan Downs]]" | |||
* "[[The Speedy Arkansas Traveller]]" | |||
| [[October 19]], 1968 | | [[October 19]], 1968 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1x07 | | 1x07 | ||
* "[[The Zippy Mississippi Race]]" | |||
* "[[Traffic Jambalaya]]" | |||
| [[October 26]], 1968 | | [[October 26]], 1968 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1x08 | | 1x08 | ||
* "[[Hot Race at Chillicothe]]" | |||
* "[[The Wrong Lumber Race]]" | |||
| [[November 2]], 1968 | | [[November 2]], 1968 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1x09 | | 1x09 | ||
* "[[Rhode Island Road Race]]" | |||
* "[[The Great Cold Rush Race]]" | |||
| [[November 9]], 1968 | | [[November 9]], 1968 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1x10 | | 1x10 | ||
* "[[Wacky Race to Ripsaw]]" | |||
* "[[Oils Well That Ends Well]]" | |||
| [[November 16]], 1968 | | [[November 16]], 1968 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1x11 | | 1x11 | ||
* "[[Whizzin' to Washington]]" | |||
* "[[The Dipsy Doodle Desert Derby]]" | |||
| [[November 23]], 1968 | | [[November 23]], 1968 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1x12 | | 1x12 | ||
* "[[Eeny, Miny Missouri Go!]]" | |||
* "[[The Super Silly Swamp Sprint]]" | |||
| [[November 30]], 1968 | | [[November 30]], 1968 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1x13 | | 1x13 | ||
* "[[The Dopey Dakota Derby]]" | |||
* "[[Dash to Delaware]]" | |||
| [[December 7]], 1968 | | [[December 7]], 1968 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1x14 | | 1x14 | ||
* "[[Speeding for Smogland]]" | |||
* "[[Race Rally to Raleigh]]" | |||
| [[December 14]], 1968 | | [[December 14]], 1968 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1x15 | | 1x15 | ||
* "[[Ballpoint, Penn. or Bust!]]" | |||
* "[[Fast Track to Hackensack]]" | |||
| [[December 21]], 1968 | | [[December 21]], 1968 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1x16 | | 1x16 | ||
* "[[The Ski Resort Road Race]]" | |||
* "[[Overseas Hi-Way Race]]" | |||
| [[December 28]], 1968 | | [[December 28]], 1968 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1x17 | | 1x17 | ||
* "[[Race to Racine]]" | |||
* "[[The Carlsbad or Bust Bash]]" | |||
| [[January 4]], [[1969]] | | [[January 4]], [[1969]] | ||
|} | |} | ||
==Cast== | ==Cast== | ||
* [[Paul Winchell]] as [[Dick Dastardly]], [[Private Meekly]] and [[Clyde]] | * [[Paul Winchell]] as [[Dick Dastardly]], [[Private Meekly]] and [[Clyde (Wacky Races)|Clyde]] | ||
* [[Don Messick]] as [[Muttley]], [[Professor Pat Pending]], [[Slag Brothers|Gravel Slag]] | * [[Don Messick]] as [[Muttley]], [[Professor Pat Pending]], [[Slag Brothers|Gravel Slag]] and [[Ring-a-Ding]] | ||
* [[Janet Waldo]] as [[Penelope Pitstop]] | * [[Janet Waldo]] as [[Penelope Pitstop]] | ||
* [[Daws Butler]] as [[Slag Brothers|Rock Slag]], [[Gruesome Twosome|Big Gruesome]], [[the Red Max]], [[Sergeant Blast]], [[Peter Perfect]] | * [[Daws Butler]] as [[Slag Brothers|Rock Slag]], [[Gruesome Twosome|Big and Little Gruesome]], [[the Red Max]], [[Sergeant Blast]], [[Peter Perfect]], [[Rufus Ruffcut]] and [[Sawtooth]] | ||
* [[John Stephenson]] as [[ | * [[John Stephenson]] as [[Lazy Luke]] and [[Blubber Bear]] | ||
* [[Dave Willock]] as the Announcer | * [[Dave Willock]] as the Announcer | ||
==Legacy== | ==Legacy== | ||
In [[1972]], three years after the series had concluded, [[Sawtooth]] made an appearance in the ''[[Yogi's Ark Lark]]'' television film, as a member of [[Yogi's Gang (team)|Yogi's Gang]], where he helps the gang build the [[Yogi's Ark|Ark]]. However, he does not appear for the ''[[Yogi's Gang]]'' series that followed after. | |||
When [[Cartoon Network]] tasked its Senior Vice President, [[Mike Lazzo]], with creating its first cost-effective series in [[1993]], he originally envisioned a marathon-like version of ''Wacky Races'', which had all the episodes edited together to make it look like one long race across America. This was quickly | Another TV series ''[[Yogi's Treasure Hunt]]'' also starred [[Dick Dastardly]] and [[Muttley]] as villains with [[Penelope Pitstop]] making a cameo in the episodes "[[Snow White & the 7 Treasure Hunters]]" and "[[Goodbye, Mr. Chump (Yogi's Treasure Hunt)|Goodbye, Mr. Chump]]," respectively, while [[Blubber Bear]] guest-starred on ''[[The New Yogi Bear Show]]''. | ||
When [[Cartoon Network]] tasked its Senior Vice President, [[Mike Lazzo]], with creating its first cost-effective series in [[1993]], he originally envisioned a marathon-like version of ''Wacky Races'', which had all the episodes edited together to make it look like one long race across America. This was quickly abandoned due to a greater desire to turn [[Space Ghost (character)|Space Ghost]] into a nighttime talk show host in ''[[Space Ghost Coast to Coast]]''.<ref>Kenyon, Heather (July [[1998]]). [https://www.awn.com/mag/issue3.4/3.4pages/3.4kenyon_pm.html "Late Nite With Space Ghost"]. ''Animation World Magazine'', issue 3.4. Retrieved [[June 6]], [[2022]].</ref> | |||
The series has been revived a couple of times by [[Warner Bros. Animation]]. In [[2006]], there was a five-minute pilot pitch called ''[[Wacky Races Forever]]'', which acted as a sequel, but was not picked up. The second was a comparatively more successful reboot/quasi-sequel once again called ''[[Wacky Races (2017 TV series)|Wacky Races]]'', which lasted between [[2017]] to [[2019]] on the [[Boomerang SVOD|Boomerang SVOD service]]. | The series has been revived a couple of times by [[Warner Bros. Animation]]. In [[2006]], there was a five-minute pilot pitch called ''[[Wacky Races Forever]]'', which acted as a sequel, but was not picked up. The second was a comparatively more successful reboot/quasi-sequel once again called ''[[Wacky Races (2017 TV series)|Wacky Races]]'', which lasted between [[2017]] to [[2019]] on the [[Boomerang SVOD|Boomerang SVOD service]]. | ||
In [[2016]], [[DC Comics]] published their own take called ''[[Wacky Raceland]]'', which is a somewhat more realistic and much darker turn in comparison. | In [[2016]], [[DC Comics]] published their own take called ''[[Wacky Raceland]]'', which is a somewhat more realistic and much darker turn in comparison to the original series. | ||
Life-size replicas of the show's vehicles are a popular attraction at the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed; located in West Sussex, England. New additions have occurred each year, with [[2008]] seeing the last of the cars (the Bulletproof Bomb) added to the now-completed set.<ref> Joseph, Noah (June 8, 2009). [https://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/08/hanna-barberas-wacky-racers-take-to-the-street-ahead-of-goodwoo/ "Hanna-Barbera's Wacky Racers take to the street ahead of Goodwood Festival of Speed"]. autoblog.com. Retrieved [[October 2]], 2022.</ref> | Life-size replicas of the show's vehicles are a popular attraction at the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed; located in West Sussex, England. New additions have occurred each year, with [[2008]] seeing the last of the cars (the Bulletproof Bomb) added to the now-completed set.<ref> Joseph, Noah (June 8, 2009). [https://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/08/hanna-barberas-wacky-racers-take-to-the-street-ahead-of-goodwoo/ "Hanna-Barbera's Wacky Racers take to the street ahead of Goodwood Festival of Speed"]. autoblog.com. Retrieved [[October 2]], 2022.</ref> | ||
| Line 130: | Line 154: | ||
==In popular culture== | ==In popular culture== | ||
* In "Lust in Translation," an episode of the British ''The Green Green Grass'' sitcom, Boycie calls his inept farmhands the Wacky Racers as he watches them drive away from the farm. | |||
* In the ''South Park'' episode "Handicar," the series was a subject to parody, including its intro sequence. Dastardly and Muttley also appear here as well, albeit aged. | * In the ''South Park'' episode "Handicar," the series was a subject to parody, including its intro sequence. Dastardly and Muttley also appear here as well, albeit aged. | ||
* Dastardly and Muttley made a cameo in the ''Uncle Grandpa'' episode "Uncle Grandpa Retires." | * Dastardly and Muttley made a cameo in the ''Uncle Grandpa'' episode "Uncle Grandpa Retires." | ||
| Line 138: | Line 163: | ||
! Language | ! Language | ||
! Name | ! Name | ||
! Meaning | |||
|- | |||
| '''Spanish''' | |||
| Los Auto Locos | |||
| | |||
|- | |- | ||
| '''Japanese''' | | '''Japanese''' | ||
| チキチキマシン猛レース (Chiki Chiki Mashin Mō Race) | | チキチキマシン猛レース (Chiki Chiki Mashin Mō Race) | ||
| | | | ||
|} | |} | ||
Latest revision as of 06:45, 27 April 2024
- This article is about the original 1968 TV series. For other uses, see Wacky Races.
| Wacky Races | |
|---|---|
 On-screen title card. | |
| Network | CBS |
| Production company | Hanna-Barbera Heatter Quigley Inc. |
| Distributor | Taft Broadcasting |
| Original release | September 14, 1968—January 4, 1969 |
| Starring | Paul Winchell Don Messick Janet Waldo Daws Butler John Stephenson Dave Willock |
| Producer(s) | Alex Lovy Art Scott |
| Music composed by | Hoyt Curtin |
| Writer(s) | Larz Bourne Tom Degenais Mike Maltese Dalton Sandifer |
| Director(s) | William Hanna Joseph Barbera |
| Series navigation | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
Wacky Races is an American animated racing comedy television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and Heatter-Quigley Inc. for CBS' Saturday morning children's programming. It ran from 1968 to 1969, airing 17 episodes that spanned one season. Despite only lasting one season, some of the characters continued to live on in different forms, with two equally as popular spin-offs, The Perils of Penelope Pitstop and Dastardly & Muttley in Their Flying Machines.
The series follows the titular Wacky Races, where a cast of oddball personalities compete each other in road rallies across North America, all for the sole purpose of winning the title of the "World's Wackiest Racer". It featured a number of characters, with 23 people and animals riding 11 individual vehicles. In addition to the show's narrator providing his commentary of the high-speed hijinks, it also focused on the exploits of Dick Dastardly and his snickering canine partner, Muttley, who attempt at anything to cheat and sabotage in every race, even though those attempts only backfire in the end and put them at last place. Apart from Dastardly and Muttley, racers such as the dashing Peter Perfect, and the ever-so-glamorous Penelope Pitstop get their own spotlight in the series.
The entire series has also been released on DVD.
Production
Development
Wacky Races was the first in a change of format that deviated from the rise of the superheroes, the likes of which were not only failing in the ratings but had received a backlash from parent groups who opposed the violence.[1][2]
The idea was somewhat based on two 1965 comedy films, The Great Race and Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines.[2]
Music
The music was composed by Hoyt Curtin, who was credited as music director.
Episodes
| Episode | Original air date |
|---|---|
| 1x01 | September 14, 1968 |
| 1x02 | September 21, 1968 |
| 1x03 | September 28, 1968 |
| 1x04 | October 5, 1968 |
| 1x05 | October 12, 1968 |
| 1x06 | October 19, 1968 |
| 1x07 | October 26, 1968 |
| 1x08 | November 2, 1968 |
| 1x09 | November 9, 1968 |
| 1x10 | November 16, 1968 |
| 1x11 | November 23, 1968 |
| 1x12 | November 30, 1968 |
| 1x13 | December 7, 1968 |
| 1x14 | December 14, 1968 |
| 1x15 | December 21, 1968 |
| 1x16 | December 28, 1968 |
| 1x17 | January 4, 1969 |
Cast
- Paul Winchell as Dick Dastardly, Private Meekly and Clyde
- Don Messick as Muttley, Professor Pat Pending, Gravel Slag and Ring-a-Ding
- Janet Waldo as Penelope Pitstop
- Daws Butler as Rock Slag, Big and Little Gruesome, the Red Max, Sergeant Blast, Peter Perfect, Rufus Ruffcut and Sawtooth
- John Stephenson as Lazy Luke and Blubber Bear
- Dave Willock as the Announcer
Legacy
In 1972, three years after the series had concluded, Sawtooth made an appearance in the Yogi's Ark Lark television film, as a member of Yogi's Gang, where he helps the gang build the Ark. However, he does not appear for the Yogi's Gang series that followed after.
Another TV series Yogi's Treasure Hunt also starred Dick Dastardly and Muttley as villains with Penelope Pitstop making a cameo in the episodes "Snow White & the 7 Treasure Hunters" and "Goodbye, Mr. Chump," respectively, while Blubber Bear guest-starred on The New Yogi Bear Show.
When Cartoon Network tasked its Senior Vice President, Mike Lazzo, with creating its first cost-effective series in 1993, he originally envisioned a marathon-like version of Wacky Races, which had all the episodes edited together to make it look like one long race across America. This was quickly abandoned due to a greater desire to turn Space Ghost into a nighttime talk show host in Space Ghost Coast to Coast.[3]
The series has been revived a couple of times by Warner Bros. Animation. In 2006, there was a five-minute pilot pitch called Wacky Races Forever, which acted as a sequel, but was not picked up. The second was a comparatively more successful reboot/quasi-sequel once again called Wacky Races, which lasted between 2017 to 2019 on the Boomerang SVOD service.
In 2016, DC Comics published their own take called Wacky Raceland, which is a somewhat more realistic and much darker turn in comparison to the original series.
Life-size replicas of the show's vehicles are a popular attraction at the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed; located in West Sussex, England. New additions have occurred each year, with 2008 seeing the last of the cars (the Bulletproof Bomb) added to the now-completed set.[4]
In 2004, Vauxhall's unveiled its ads patterning its new Corsa line after Wacky Races. In 2013, Peugeot Brazil did the same for their Peugeot 208, with high production values and live actors playing them for the first time.
In 2018, Variety reported that Warner Animation Group was developing a theatrical film based on the series.[5] Currently, there are no cast or crew members attached to the project.
On June 15, 2022, it was announced at the Annecy Film Festival that a stop motion series based on Wacky Races was in the works.[6]
In popular culture
- In "Lust in Translation," an episode of the British The Green Green Grass sitcom, Boycie calls his inept farmhands the Wacky Racers as he watches them drive away from the farm.
- In the South Park episode "Handicar," the series was a subject to parody, including its intro sequence. Dastardly and Muttley also appear here as well, albeit aged.
- Dastardly and Muttley made a cameo in the Uncle Grandpa episode "Uncle Grandpa Retires."
- In the Lucifer episode "Yabba Dabba Do Me," a young Jimmy Baines watches Wacky Races.
In other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish | Los Auto Locos | |
| Japanese | チキチキマシン猛レース (Chiki Chiki Mashin Mō Race) |
References
- ^ Sennett, Ted (October 30, 1989). The Art of Hanna-Barbera, page 151. Viking Studio Books. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
- ^ a b Sennett, Ted (October 30, 1989). The Art of Hanna-Barbera, page 153. Viking Studio Books. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
- ^ Kenyon, Heather (July 1998). "Late Nite With Space Ghost". Animation World Magazine, issue 3.4. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- ^ Joseph, Noah (June 8, 2009). "Hanna-Barbera's Wacky Racers take to the street ahead of Goodwood Festival of Speed". autoblog.com. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (October 15, 2018). "‘Tom and Jerry,’ ‘Scooby-Doo’ Movies Land Top Filmmaking Talent at Warner Animation (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ Hopewell, John (June 15, 2022). "‘Unicorn,’ ‘Fionna and Cake,’ ‘Gumball’ Reboots, ‘Bye Bye Bunny’ Fascinate at Annecy". Variety. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
