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Thursday, September 25, 2014

The Lookback : Children's TV: Animated Live action shows

The Flashback  Children's TV 

      In case our title doesn't make sense ( it really doesn't)  this time we look at something a little strange and have touched upon before : Animated versions of live action shows (usually prime time) .   When a prime time (usually a family program) was  popular enough it sometimes wanted to grow  beyond that . This is where this comes in.   This is not really done now. (that's why there is no animated version of  "Big Bang Theory" floating around and if it was could it be for kids?)   So let's draw into a journey (boo!) into the world of animated TV shows made from live action TV shows.


1. "The Brady Kids"  
  What's it Based on ?  : "The Brady Bunch" (1969-1974)   
      So the "Brady Bunch" was a popular show with the families and especially with the kids watching , so why not cash in on that? (Yeah, why not?)  In 1972 , ABC had a new Saturday Morning series based on the Brady Bunch  it was called "The Brady Kids". ( I bet it was going to focus on the kids)   The original  voices of the regular series  did the voices on this show , for the first season that is , in the 2nd season  only Mike Lockinland (Bobby Brady) , Eve Plumb ( Jan Brady) , and Susan Olsen (Cindy Brady) stayed as the voices of their charterers in season 2.  
     In the cartoon there was no parents or Alice (gasp)   as most animated versions of live action TV shows , it had animals in it ( kids like animals , I guess)  there was a bird  who also was a wizard ( Like Harry Potter but with wings) , A dog named Mop Top ( I guess Tiger's voice wasn't working on this show either) ,  and two Pandas Ping and Pong.   
   Unlike  the original live action show the Brady's where able to go on adventures with out adult supervision (every child's dream)  the went to the jungle, enter road rallies ,  Meet Wonder woman  in Ancient Greece (huh?)  ,and also magical things happens thanks to the wizard Bird. 
     

 The Youngest one is Bob     /Youtube

     After 22  episodes and two seasons the series packed up and left  , and  a few months later the live-action series  left too.  

2.Laverne and Shirley in the army
     What's it based off of ?  Laverne and Shirley  (1976-1983)
   Hmm "Laverne and Shirley" is so great  that let's make an animated series and put them in the army ? ( Ok then )  Yes that is what happened, in 1981 Hanna and Barbera made an animated series based on the popular sitcom , for ABC.  This series put Laverne and Shirley in the army ( odd)  it also didn't last long only 13 episodes for 1 season.

 


  presented without comment // Youtube

You would think that that would make them give up ( I did) , but no...  they created an hour called "The Mork and Mindy/ Laverne and Shirley /Fonz hour.  So, now they made Laverne and Shirley still in the army but now the Fonz joined them. (I wish this was fake)  and they added his dog , Mr. Cool from his own animated series.  The series was stopped after Cindy Williams ( Who played Shirley on the main show . and voiced her on the animated series) quit, so they played the eight and that was it.
 
more after this jump  , please join us



3. Mork and Mindy  (Part of the Mork and Mindy , Laverne and Shirley / Fonz hour)
  What's it based on ? : Mork and Mindy (1976-1983)
  They really must have loved "Happy Days" franchise shows because "Mork and Mindy" got to have some fun too.(Umm kind of fun)  As per usual, the voices were done by the actors on the series . Teenage Mork is sent to Earth to study us (the humans) and enrolls into a local high school (could be yours). Mindy and her father are the only only Earth people to know about Mork being an alien.  Also as per usual he had his pet 6 legged dog (more dog to love).  It ran on ABC as part of an hour proudced by Hanna Barbera and Ruby-Spears for 26 episodes.


   again, no comment //Youtube

4. Alf the Animated Series  (finally something not on ABC )
     Based on What?  : Alf (1986-1990)
  Remember "Alf" ? Well he's back in pog form ...what a second  that's not right.  Remember Alf ? Yeah our friendly primetime alien who broke things and  wanted to eat the Tanner's cat. (Someone should tell Uncle Jessie, I know wrong show , maybe they were related) Well NBC decided to make an animated series of our favorite Alien.  This series was a prequel , so it takes place before Alf landed on Earth.   Gordon (Alf's real name ) was still living on his home planet we see his family and friends on this series.  Random things happened in this show ( like the live-action show) ,  it had episodes with brain washing , baldness curses, Alf thinks he's a game show host, and more.  This series ran 2 seasons on NBC.


I was expecting  the Fonz and Alf together..darn    //Youtube

5. The Partridge Family 2200 AD
  Based on "The Partridge Family " (1970-1974)
   Hanna and Barbera wanted to update "The Jetsons" where Elory was a teenager (why?)  but CBS didn't like that idea (neither do I ) , so instead of giving up (E/I)  CBS said make it the Partridge Family in the Future.  Unlike the other 4 series we looked at this list , this animated version came on after the original series already ended. It began in September on 1974 on CBS , while the Partridge Family ,which aired on ABC, ended in March of 74. Back the show:  The Partridge Family was now in the future , for some reason .(we weren't told why) They added two characters and some pets (of course). So imagine the show doing the same thing the original did but in the Future.  Also alot of the actors didn't voice anyone on this series.  Shirley Jones , who played Shirley Partridge was replaced with Connie Partridge voiced by  Joan Gerber. ("Mom ,you are WAY different)  David Cassidy and Dave Madden didn't do their characters voices , Susan Dey did two episodes then was replaced (yikes)  and Sherry Alberoni. Danny Bonaduce, Suzanne Crough and Brian Forster were the only ones who did their voices for their characters.
    The show lasted one season of 16 episodes before it was sent away.


Meet Geroge Jetson...oops wrong show   same sounds though //Youtube

 Well these were 5 shows that were animated versions of live action shows.

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