The Lionhearts

Last updated
The Lionhearts
TheLionhearts.png
Genre Animated sitcom
Created byByron Vaughns
Written byRuth Bennett
Greg Antonacci
Mark Bennett
Richard Gitelson
Joanne Pagliaro
Bill Braunstein
Peter Hunziker
Directed byByron Vaughns
Voices of William H. Macy
Peri Gilpin
Natasha Slayton
Cameron Finley
Nicolette Little
Harve Presnell
Theme music composer Mark Watters
Lorraine Feather
Opening theme"Roar", performed by Randy Crenshaw
ComposerMark Watters
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13
Production
Executive producersPaul Sabella
Jonathan Dern
Ruth Bennett
ProducerByron Vaughns
Running time22 minutes
Production company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation
Original release
Network Syndication
ReleaseSeptember 19 (1998-09-19) 
December 12, 1998 (1998-12-12)

The Lionhearts is an American animated television series from MGM that aired on Saturday and Sunday mornings in syndication from September 19 to December 12, 1998. [1] The series aired on syndication in the United States and was also seen in Australia and Latin America (translated into Spanish as Los Corazón de León). The Lionhearts was one of the last television series produced by Claster Television Incorporated and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation.

Contents

Plot

The Lionhearts focuses on the behind the scenes life of MGM's mascot, Leo Lionheart, and his family. [2] The series shows the Lionhearts living in a normal house and living a normal life just like non-celebrity families. Most of the members of the family are named after famous MGM movie stars. The characters first appeared on a series of Sing-Along children's videos released by MGM in 1997. The original character designs (especially those of Spencer and Kate) were greatly modified for the TV series. Ashley Tisdale provided the voice of Kate in the Sing-Along videos, while Charles Rocket was the voice of Leo, Lana was voiced by Debra Jo Rupp and Chris Marquette did the voice of Spencer .

Characters

Lionheart Family

Humans

Guest stars included Tom Kenny, Carlos Alazraqui, Justin Shenkarow, Edie McClurg, Clancy Brown, Tom Arnold, Karl Malden, Ben Stein, Craig Ferguson and Kathy Ireland.

Production

The series was announced in 1997, the brainchild of John Symes, then president of MGM Worldwide TV Group. [3] MGM Animation signed actors William H. Macy, Peri Gilpin, Jeffrey Tambor and Betty White, among others, to provide voices producing 13 half-hour episodes of The Lionhearts, set for a September 1998 bow in syndication. [4] MGM Animation tapped sitcom scribe Ruth Bennett as exec producer and head writer for the series. [5]

Episodes

No.TitleOriginal air date
1"Family Circus"September 19, 1998 (1998-09-19)
Kate and Spencer are not enjoying their weekend with their parents. Advice from Leo's father helps him sort out their troubles to make their weekend fun.
2"Survive"September 26, 1998 (1998-09-26)
Leo takes his family out camping in Dirk Flannery's Sharkmobile, but get locked outside the car, forcing them to use some survival skills for a camp out.
3"But Some of My Best Friends are Clowns"October 3, 1998 (1998-10-03)
Leo's relaxation time is interrupted by the arrival of Lana's clown friends. Then Leo tries to convince his clown-hating neighbors to respect them.
4"No Place Like Home"October 10, 1998 (1998-10-10)
5"Singin' in the Mane"October 17, 1998 (1998-10-17)
A remark from Hank leads Leo to believe that he is starting to lose his mane with age. Spencer tries to convince Kate to help him join the school chorus, who are getting tickets to see his favorite rock band, Isaac Iceberg and the Titanics.
6"The Poem"October 24, 1998 (1998-10-24)
Kate must write the perfect poem to be the best and smartest student in the class, but she loses it accidentally after it turns out to be one of Spencer's songs, and Kate has to confess the truth about her missing poem.
7"Greta Garbo Ears"October 31, 1998 (1998-10-31)
8"The Treehouse"November 7, 1998 (1998-11-07)
9"Brown Dog Day"November 14, 1998 (1998-11-14)
10"Leo's Diet"November 21, 1998 (1998-11-21)
Leo must lose 10 pounds and remove a piece of his gray mane in order to prevent Leonardo Bartholomew, MGM's hottest actor, from taking his place for MGM's 75th anniversary gala.
11"The Pony Show"November 28, 1998 (1998-11-28)
12"Don't Bug the Neighbors (Part 1)"December 5, 1998 (1998-12-05)
13"Don't Bug the Neighbors (Part 2)"December 12, 1998 (1998-12-12)

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References

  1. Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 361. ISBN   978-1538103739.
  2. Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 499–500. ISBN   978-1476665993.
  3. "MGM tooning up series about Leo". 11 December 1997.
  4. "MGM's Leo finds his voice". 3 June 1998.
  5. "Bennett to feed 'Lionhearts'". 11 February 1998.