Devlin
| Devlin | |
|---|---|
 On-screen title card. | |
| Network | ABC |
| Production company | Hanna-Barbera |
| Distributor | Taft Broadcasting |
| Original release | September 7—December 21, 1974 |
| Run time | 23 minutes |
| Starring | Michael Bell Micky Dolenz Michelle Robinson Norman Alden |
| Executive producer(s) | William Hanna Joseph Barbera |
| Producer(s) | Iwao Takamoto |
| Music composed by | Hoyt Curtin |
| Writer(s) | Norman Katkov Willie Gilbert Sam Locke Paul Roberts Maurice Tombragel Rik Vollaerts Carey Wilber Shimon Wincelberg |
| Director(s) | Charles A. Nichols Art Scott (voices) Wally Burr (voices) |
Devlin is an American animated action-drama television series produced by Hanna-Barbera for ABC's Saturday morning line-up. It ran in 1974, airing 16 episodes that spanned one season.
Stunt motorcyclist Ernie Devlin travels with his younger siblings in a circus, teaching morals and life lessons wherever they go.
The entire series has been released on DVD.
Production
Development
Drawing inspiration from motorcyclist Evel Knievel — a daredevil known famously in the '70s for his death-defying stunts — Hanna-Barbera produced the series for ABC in their Saturday morning line-up.[1] The original title for the show was Wild Wheels, and the title character would have been called "Dare" Devlin. Concerned that the show might get potential backlash for glorifying dangerous stunts, ABC nixed the title, changed the character's name to Ernie, and mandated the regular presentation of safety tips.[2] It was one of the few H-B shows of the decade that focused on dramatic elements.
Casting
Music
The music was composed by Hoyt Curtin, credited as musical director, with supervision from Paul DeKorte.
Episodes
| Episode | Original air date |
|---|---|
| 1x01 | September 7, 1974 |
| 1x02 | September 14, 1974 |
| 1x03 | September 21, 1974 |
| 1x04 | September 28, 1974 |
| 1x05 | October 5, 1974 |
| 1x06 | October 12, 1974 |
| 1x07 | October 19, 1974 |
| 1x08 | October 26, 1974 |
| 1x09 | November 2, 1974 |
| 1x10 | November 9, 1974 |
| 1x11 | November 16, 1974 |
| 1x12 | November 23, 1974 |
| 1x13 | November 30, 1974 |
| 1x14 | December 7, 1974 |
| 1x15 | December 14, 1974 |
| 1x16 | December 21, 1974 |
Release
Dates are in order of release:
- United States: September 7, 1974 at 9:00 am on ABC
- United Kingdom and Ireland: May 17, 1975 at 5:10 pm on BBC-1
Cast
- Michael Bell as Ernie Devlin
- Micky Dolenz as Tod Devlin
- Michelle Robinson as Sandy Devlin
- Norman Alden as Hank
Crossovers
| Title | Number | Original air date |
|---|---|---|
| Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law: "The Devlin Made Me Do It" | 1 | April 25, 2004 |
| Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law: "Grodin" | 2 | October 29, 2006 |
Legacy
30 years later, Ernie made several guest appearances on the Adult Swim spoof Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, now elderly and in a marriage with Tangy Devlin. He also took on counter prescription drugs, which made the once-famed hero into a bad role model for highly impressionable children. Outside of the two main guest spots, he had cameos in other episodes, as well as the TV special, Harvey Birdman: Attorney General.
References
- ^ Woolery, George W. (1983). Children's Television: The First Thirty-Five Years, 1946-1981. Scarecrow Press. pp. 79–81. ISBN 0-8108-1557-5. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
- ^ Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 152–153. ISBN 978-1538103739.
