The Magilla Gorilla Show
| The Magilla Gorilla Show | |
|---|---|
 On-screen title card. | |
| Network | Syndication |
| Production company | Hanna-Barbera |
| Distributor | Screen Gems |
| Original release | January 15, 1964–December 30, 1967 |
| Starring | Allan Melvin Howard Morris Jean Vander Pyl Don Messick Mel Blanc Hal Smith |
| Producer(s) | William Hanna Joseph Barbera |
| Music composed by | Hoyt Curtin |
| Writer(s) | Tony Benedict Warren Foster Dalton Sandifer |
| Director(s) | William Hanna Joseph Barbera |
The Magilla Gorilla Show is an American animated anthology television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. Airing in syndication, it ran from 1964 to 1967, airing 31 episodes that spanned two seasons.
The show debuted with segments, Magilla Gorilla, Punkin' Puss & Mushmouse and Ricochet Rabbit & Droop-a-long.
The entire series has been released on DVD and will be on Blu-ray Disc.
Production
Development
The Magilla Gorilla Show was developed as a collaboration between Hanna-Barbera and Ideal Toys, the sponsor of the series. On August 26, 1963, Broadcast magazine reported that Ideal had announced it would spend about $30,000,000 over five years to sponsor four animated cartoon shows on a 52-week basis, and that Hanna-Barbera would create the shows.[1]
During development, Joseph Barbera recieved a complaint from a Rabbi over the use of the Yiddish word "magilla" for the show. Jerry Eisenberg—himself a Jewish person—gave Barbera permission to use it.[2]
The series was first unveiled between the middle-to-late December 1963 on a syndicated special titled Here Comes a Star, which was hosted by George Fennerman (the announcer of Groucho Marx on You Bet Your Life) and also oversaw the then newly constructed Hanna-Barbera studio at Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood.[3][4] On December 23 of that year, Variety reported that the studio budgeted $4,200,000 for the Magilla Gorilla and Peter Potamus shows;[1] with Potamus airing later on September 16, 1964.
Segments
- Magilla Gorilla
- Punkin' Puss & Mushmouse
- Ricochet Rabbit & Droop-a-long (1964-1966)
- Breezly and Sneezly (1966-1967)
Music
The theme song and score were composed by Hoyt Curtin. For the theme song, a subtle nod to Ideal Toys was inserted into its lyrics.
Opening Theme Lyrics
We got a gorilla for sale!
Magilla Gorilla for sale!
Won't you buy him, take him home and try him?
Gorilla for sale!
See in the window, Magilla Gorilla.
Full of charm and appeal.
Handsome, elegant, intelligent, sweet.
He's really IDEAL!
Don't you want a little gorilla you can call your own?
A gorilla who'd be with you when you're alone?
Magilla: This is The Magilla Gorilla Show!
Starring me and Mr. Peebles,
With Mushmouse and Punkin' Puss,
and Ricochet Rabbet and Droop-a-long.
Gorilla, Magilla Gorilla for sale.
Ogee: How much is that gorilla in the window?
Take our advice, at any price,
A gorilla like Magilla is mighty nice!
Gorilla, Magilla Gorilla for sale!
Episodes
Cast
- Allan Melvin as Magilla Gorilla and Punkin' Puss
- Howard Morris as Mr. Peebles (1964–1965) and Mushmouse
- Don Messick as Mr. Peebles (1966–1967) and Ricochet Rabbit
- Mel Blanc as Droop-a-long Coyote
- Jean Vander Pyl as Ogee
Merchandise
Home media
On August 15, 2006, Warner Home Video released the whole series on 4-disc DVD set as The Magilla Gorilla Show: The Complete Series, which was released as a 3-disc DVD set on June 6, 2017. The first disc was rereleased as 1-disc DVD as Magilla Gorilla and Friends on January 5, 2016.
On March 25, 2025, the Warner Archive Collection will release the series in High Definition on The Magilla Gorilla Show Blu-ray 3-disc set.
References
- ^ a b Yowp, Don M. (9 April 2015) Here Comes a Star or Six yowpyowp.blogspot.com. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
- ^ Eisenberg, Jerry (2009). "Completely Bananas: The Magilla Gorilla Story" (DVD). New Wave Entertainment; Warner Bros. Entertainment.
- ^ Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 376–377. ISBN 978-1538103739.
- ^ Lyons, Michael (January 14, 2024). Prime Primate: The 60th Anniversary of "The Magilla Gorilla Show". Cartoon Research.
