The Abbott and Costello Cartoon Show

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The Abbott and Costello Cartoon Show
Abbott and costello-show.jpg
Genre Comedy
Developed byLee Orgel
Written by
Directed by
Voices of
Theme music composer Hoyt Curtin
ComposersHoyt Curtin [1]
Ted Nichols
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes39
Production
Executive producerLee Orgel [1]
Producers
Running time22–24 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network Syndication
ReleaseSeptember 9, 1967 (1967-09-09) –
June 1, 1968 (1968-06-01)

The Abbott and Costello Cartoon Show is an American half-hour animated comedy television series of the famous comedy duo that aired in syndication [1] from September 9, 1967,[ citation needed ] to June 1, 1968.[ citation needed ] Each of the 39 individual episodes consisted of four five-minute cartoons. [2] The cartoons were created jointly by Hanna-Barbera, RKO General, and Jomar Productions from 1965 to 1967. The series was syndicated by Gold Key Entertainment and King World Productions, with the rights now owned by Warner Bros. Television Distribution (through Turner Entertainment).

Contents

Bud Abbott provided the voice for his own character. Stan Irwin provided the voice of Lou Costello, who had died in 1959. The rest of the voice cast was composed of Hanna-Barbera regulars. Canadian cartoonist Lynn Johnston, best known for her comic strip, For Better or For Worse , was an uncredited cel colorist. [3]

Production

Abbott and Costello is among the animated programs of the 1960s that are based on the decade's nostalgia craze which animated other comedy teams of the past such as Laurel and Hardy and The New 3 Stooges . It was pitched by the duo's manager Eddie Sherman to producer Lee Orgel, who also worked on The New 3 Stooges and further developed the concept. [4] [5] Orgel originally planned for the series to be produced at Cambria Productions, however the show's sponsor insisted it be done entirely at Hanna-Barbera instead. [6] The show created work for the ill and impoverished Bud Abbott, who provided the voice of his animated character. [1] Lou Costello had died in 1959, and his voice was supplied by nightclub manager Stan Irwin (1920-2015), who was a close friend of the duo. [1]

Voices

Additional voices: Mel Blanc, Don Messick, Hal Smith, John Stephenson, Janet Waldo [1]

Episodes

The Abbott and Costello Cartoon Show Episodes
No.TitleOriginal release date
1"Cops and Saucers"September 9, 1967 (1967-09-09)
"Dog Gone Dog"
"Go Go Goliath"
"In the Soup"
2"The Cloud Monster"September 16, 1967 (1967-09-16)
"The Gravity Grabber"
"There Auto Be a Law"
"Tiny Terror"
3"Big Bird Break Out"September 23, 1967 (1967-09-23)
"Going Buggy"
"Sahara You?"
"The Vikings"
4"Down in the Dumps"September 30, 1967 (1967-09-30)
"Eskimo Pie-eyed"
"Lube-a-Tuba"
"The Forty Thieves"
5"Frail Whale"October 7, 1967 (1967-10-07)
"Sitting Pity"
"Tooth or Consequences"
"Wizardland"
6"Catman on a Hot Tin Roof"October 14, 1967 (1967-10-14)
"Elephantasy"
"Shutter Bugged Sea Serpent"
"The Mark of El-Zap"
7"Kooks and Spooks"October 21, 1967 (1967-10-21)
"Mouse Route"
"Stand-In Stand-Off"
"Super Lou"
8"Dinosaur Dilemma"October 28, 1967 (1967-10-28)
"Frigid Fugitive"
"The Astro Nuttys"
"The Industructible Space Suit"
9"Galoots in Armor Suits"November 4, 1967 (1967-11-04)
"Mighty Midget Mustang"
"The Bouncing Rubber Man"
"The Purple Baron"
10"Abbott and Costello in Blunderland"November 11, 1967 (1967-11-11)
"Going to Pot"
"Skyscrapper Napper"
"The Two Musketeers"
11"A Creep in the Deep"November 18, 1967 (1967-11-18)
"Crying High"
"Germ Squirm"
"Weird Neighbors"
12"Lashed but Leashed"November 25, 1967 (1967-11-25)
"Pigskin Pickle"
"The Moleman Mine"
"Two on the Isle"
13"Space Toy Tyrants"December 2, 1967 (1967-12-02)
"The Little Fat Boy Cried Wolf"
"Wacky Wax Work"
"Werewolf Whim-Wham"
14"A Goose Misuse"December 9, 1967 (1967-12-09)
"Invader Raider"
"Monster Muddled"
"The Monsterkeet"
15"Going, Going, Gun!"December 16, 1967 (1967-12-16)
"Paddle Boat Pirate"
"Road Race Ruckus"
"Who Needs Arrest?"
16"Baby Buggy"December 23, 1967 (1967-12-23)
"Drumsticks Along the Mohawk"
"Gone Ghosts"
"Hey, Abbott!"
17"A Car Is Born"December 30, 1967 (1967-12-30)
"Lumbering Lummoxes"
"Professor Uncle's Ants"
"Teenie Weenie Genie"
18"Fish-Hooked"January 6, 1968 (1968-01-06)
"High Wire Lion"
"Magic Monster"
"Planet Plant"
19"Baby Shoo"January 13, 1968 (1968-01-13)
"Marauding Mummy"
"Space Beard"
"The Long Long Camper"
20"Fumbled Fable"January 20, 1968 (1968-01-20)
"Phantom of the Hoss Opera"
"Puppet Enemy Number One"
"Rabbit Grabbers"
21"Phoney Express"January 27, 1968 (1968-01-27)
"The Big Cannon Caper"
"The Vacuum Villain"
"Throne of a Loss"
22"A Guest in the Nest"February 3, 1968 (1968-02-03)
"Concrete Evidence"
"Glass Reunion"
"The Lava Monster"
23"Broom Gloom"February 10, 1968 (1968-02-10)
"Gadzooka"
"Gone Like the Wind"
"Merry Misfits"
24"Fighting the Clock"February 17, 1968 (1968-02-17)
"Rescue Miscue"
"Sinister Professor Sinister"
"The Hound Hounders"
25"Bully Billy"February 24, 1968 (1968-02-24)
"Pigs in a Panic"
"Ship Ahooey"
"Underworld Whirl"
26"Dragon Along"March 2, 1968 (1968-03-02)
"Mounty-Bounty"
"Password to Panic"
"Super Terror Strikes Again"
27"No Place Like Rome"March 9, 1968 (1968-03-09)
"Not So Sweet Sioux"
"Texas Jack"
"Follow the Bouncing Blob"
28"Luna Tricks"March 16, 1968 (1968-03-16)
"Pearl Diving Perils"
"Picture Frame-Up"
"The Queen of Diamonds"
29"Booty Bounty"March 23, 1968 (1968-03-23)
"Dangerous Buck"
"G.I. Jokers"
"Tasmanian Terror"
30"Gator Baiter"March 30, 1968 (1968-03-30)
"The Fiendish Farmer"
"The Gadget King"
"The Ice-Tronauts"
31"Rabbit Rouser"April 6, 1968 (1968-04-06)
"Save a Cave"
"Which Witch Is Which?"
"Wild Man, Wild"
32"Doggies by the Dozen"April 13, 1968 (1968-04-13)
"Shooting the Works"
"Son of Konk"
"Super Knight"
33"Bully for Lou"April 20, 1968 (1968-04-20)
"Cherokee Choo-Choo"
"Hotel Suite and Sour"
"Rhino Riot"
34"Carnival of Menace"April 27, 1968 (1968-04-27)
"Shoo Shoes"
"Teensy vs. Weensys"
"Tragic Magic"
35"Get 'im Tiger"May 4, 1968 (1968-05-04)
"Hullaba-Lou"
"Mountain Mischief"
"The Drastic Driller"
36"Gorilla Thriller"May 11, 1968 (1968-05-11)
"The Eighth Dwarf"
"Turkish Daffy"
"Yankee Doodle Dudes"
37"Rodeo Rumpus"May 18, 1968 (1968-05-18)
"Run of DeMille Pictures"
"Super Car"
"The Sinister Stinger"
38"Bad Day at High Noon"May 25, 1968 (1968-05-25)
"Magic Mix-Up"
"Shock Treatment"
"Tom All-Thumbs"
39"Pinocchio's Double Trouble"June 1, 1968 (1968-06-01)
"Private General Nuisance"
"Starlight Starfright"
"Trigger Tricks"

Comic book series

A comic book based on the TV show was produced by Charlton Comics. Starting in February 1968, it ran for 22 issues, ending in August 1971. [7]

Reception

Hal Erickson, author of Television Cartoon Shows, An Illustrated Encyclopedia gave the program a negative review, stating that Abbott and Costello episodes were difficult to tell apart. Erickson stated that "virtually every one them features the tubby Costello being pursued by some bugeyed monster or giant sized garden pest" and that "None of the classic verbal exchanges which brought the real Abbott and Costello to fame in the first place are evident." [1]

Home media

An episode of the show, "Gadzooka" was released in May 2013 as part of The Best of Warner Bros.: Hanna Barbera 25 Cartoon Collection DVD set. [8]

See also

References

Notes
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. p. 54. ISBN   978-1476665993.
  2. ↑ Terrace, Vincent (2009). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 Through 2007. Vol. 1. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN   978-0-7864-3305-6.
  3. ↑ Johnston, Lynn (1989). A Look Inside For Better or For Worse: The 10th Anniversary Collection . Andrews McMeel Publishing. pp.  38–9. ISBN   9780836218534.
  4. ↑ Korkis, Jim (May 27, 2016). "Animation Anecdotes #264". Cartoon Research.
  5. ↑ "Lee Orgel and The New Three Stooges". January 5, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Lee Orgel, The Man Behind the Musical, part II". September 12, 2011.
  7. ↑ "GCD :: Series :: Abbott & Costello".
  8. ↑ "Warner Bros. Anniversary DVD Set salutes Hanna Barbera". January 25, 2013.
Sources
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