Animation in the United States in the television era was a period in the history of American animation that slowly set in with the decline of theatrical animated shorts and the popularization of television animation that started in 1959, reached its peak during the 1970s, and ended around 1986. This era is characterized by low budgets, limited animation, an emphasis on television over the theater, and the general perception of cartoons being primarily for children. Due to the perceived cheap production values, poor animation, and mixed critical and commercial reception, this era is sometimes referred to as the dark age of American animation by critics.
The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that originally aired for one season on CBS Saturday morning from September 11, 1971, to January 1, 1972. With an ensemble voice cast of Sally Struthers, Jay North, Mitzi McCall, Gay Hartwig, Carl Esser and Lennie Weinrib, the show follows teenage Pebbles Flintstone and Bamm-Bamm Rubble as they encounter problems growing up in the fictional town of Bedrock. The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show is the first spin-off series of The Flintstones. For the 1972–73 season, the show was revamped as The Flintstone Comedy Hour, with more time given to the original Flintstones cast alongside both reruns and newly produced segments of Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm.
The Alvin Show is an American animated television series that aired on CBS in the early 1960s. This was the first series to feature the singing characters Alvin and the Chipmunks. The Alvin Show aired for one season, from October 4, 1961, to September 12, 1962 and was originally sponsored by General Foods through its Jell-O gelatin and Post Cereal brands. Although the series was created in color, it was initially telecast in black and white. It was later rebroadcast in color from 1962-65 for Saturday mornings on CBS and again Saturday mornings on NBC in 1979.
The Brady Kids is an American animated television series and a spin-off based on the ABC live-action sitcom The Brady Bunch, produced by Filmation in association with Paramount Television. It aired on ABC from September 9, 1972, to October 6, 1973, and also spun off another Filmation series, Mission: Magic!, starring Rick Springfield.
Clue Club is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and broadcast on CBS from September 4 to December 11, 1976.
The Bugs Bunny Show is a long-running American animated anthology television series hosted by Bugs Bunny that was mainly composed of theatrical Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons released by Warner Bros. between 1948 and 1969. The show originally debuted as a primetime half-hour program on ABC in 1960, featuring three theatrical Looney Tunes cartoons with new linking sequences produced by the Warner Bros. Cartoons staff.
Jeannie is an American animated television series that originally aired for a 16-episode season on CBS from September 8 to December 22, 1973. It was produced by Hanna-Barbera in association with Screen Gems, and its founders William Hanna and Joseph Barbera are the executive producers. Despite being a spin-off of sorts of the television sitcom I Dream of Jeannie, Jeannie has little in common with its parent show. In this version, the title character is rescued on the beaches of southern California by a high school student, Corey Anders. Jeannie is accompanied by genie-in-training Babu, and they become companions to Corey and his best friend, Henry Glopp, both of whom also help Jeannie and Babu adjust to their new home as well as life in Los Angeles. The series was marketed towards a younger demographic than I Dream of Jeannie.
Speed Buggy is an American animated television series, produced by Hanna-Barbera, which originally aired for one season on CBS from September 8, 1973, to December 22, 1973. With the voices of Mel Blanc, Michael Bell, Arlene Golonka, and Phil Luther Jr., the show follows an orange anthropomorphic dune buggy who alongside teenagers Debbie, Mark, and Tinker, solves mysteries while participating in racing competitions around the world. The series was produced by Iwao Takamoto, executive produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, and directed by Charles A. Nichols.
CBS Storybreak is a Saturday morning anthology television series that originally aired on the CBS network from 1985 to 1989. Hosted by Bob Keeshan, the episodes are half-hour animated adaptations of children's books published at the time of airing, including How to Eat Fried Worms. Other episodes included Dragon's Blood and Ratha's Creature. The show grew out of a feature on Keeshan's Captain Kangaroo series.
Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch is an American animated television series, produced by Hanna-Barbera, which originally aired for one season on NBC from September 7 to November 30, 1974. The show aired for 13 half-hour episodes.
Tarzan and the Super 7 is a Saturday morning cartoon series, produced by Filmation and originally airing from 1978–1980 on CBS.
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective is an animated television series based on the film of the same name. The series was produced by Morgan Creek Productions, Funbag Animation Studios, Nelvana Limited, for the first two seasons and Odyssey Entertainment for the third and final season. It aired for two seasons from 1995 to 1997 on CBS. A third season and reruns of previous episodes aired on Nickelodeon from 1999 to 2000.
Rude Dog and the Dweebs is a 1989 Saturday morning cartoon television series developed by Sun Sportswear, based on the Rude Dog character featured in clothes advertising. The series was produced by Marvel Productions and animated by AKOM.
Beethoven is a 1994 American Saturday morning cartoon television series loosely based on the 1992 motion picture of the same name. The series was produced by Northern Lights Entertainment and Universal Cartoon Studios, and aired for one season on CBS Saturday Mornings, with 13 episodes with two 10 minute segments produced. Dean Jones, who played Dr. Varnick in the film, voiced the role of George Newton. Nicholle Tom, who played teenage daughter Ryce in the film and Beethoven's 2nd, was the only cast member from the films to reprise her role in the series, partly due to her presence in CBS's own prime time series, The Nanny, in where she was contractually obliged to portray the Maggie Sheffield character.
Pandamonium is an American animated television series that aired on CBS. It was the first non-Tom and Jerry-related animated television series made by MGM Television, and was one of the last Saturday morning cartoon series to be fitted with a laugh track. The show ended after 13 episodes.
Birdz is a Canadian animated television series created by Larry Jacobs, who later worked on Cyberchase. It was produced by Nelvana Limited in association with CBS Television and STVE. The show was first aired on 3 October 1998, on CBS with the final episode's airing on 2 January 1999. Later, it was shown in Scotland in 2001, aired on Scottish Television and Grampian TV - now both known as STV. The show was returned from 2015 as part of the "Weans' World" block on STV Glasgow and STV Edinburgh.
Harlem Globetrotters is a Saturday morning cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera and CBS Productions, featuring animated versions of players from the basketball team of the same name.
The Beagles is a Saturday morning animated television series that aired on CBS from September 10, 1966, to September 2, 1967. The show was produced by Total Television, which created King Leonardo and His Short Subjects, Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales, and Underdog. The show was cancelled by CBS after one season, despite finishing in the top 10 for Saturday mornings. It then went into reruns on ABC from September 9, 1967, to September 2, 1968. It was also the last animated series produced by Total Television before it was dissolved in 1969.
Goldie Gold and Action Jack is a 30-minute Saturday morning animated series produced by Ruby-Spears Enterprises that aired for one season on ABC from September 12 to December 5, 1981.
Fabulous Funnies is a 1978–1979 American Saturday morning animated TV series produced by Filmation. The show aired for one season from September 9, 1978, to December 1, 1978, on NBC, airing 13 episodes.
