CBS
dropped its formerly popular 'Wacky Races' and 'Perils of Penelopy Pitstop'
shows and combined them as the 'Dastardly and Mutley Hour' in the 1:00pm
graveyard hour.
The
superheroes are mostly gone now, thanks to parent groups that had been
complaining about television violence for years, especially on Saturday
mornings. 'In the Know' debuted on CBS, 1 1/2 minute mini-documentaries
that ran on the hour, between shows.
"The great thing about Saturday morning is that it's a whole new ballgame
every season. It can take you years to climb from third to second place
indaytime programming, and even longer in nightime. But kids are fickle
viewers, and you can jump from third place to first in a single season."
- George Newi, VP Daytime Sales at ABC in 1969.
Sabrina and the
Groovy Goolies / CBS
(debut)
The Archies were hot, so Sabrina the Teenage Witch got her own
cartoon series that ran for four years.
This was an hour-long show with
separate segments starring the Groovy Goolies, who also provided
the musical interludes ala The Archies.
In 1971, Sabrina and the Goolies
split into two separate (but practically identical) shows.
Now on DVD!
10:00
Josie and
the Pussycats / CBS
(debut)
Long-running cartoon series in the Archie vein, from Hanna-Barbera.
The ditzy Pussycats are a singing group that reluctantly gets
involved in espionage on their whirlwind travels. Janet Waldo
as Josie and Cheryl Ladd ('Charlie's Angels') provides the voice
of Melody.
"I remember eating about
16 boxes of Sugar Pops to collect the four 45 RPM Pussycats records
they put out, and eating something else (I forget what) to get
Josie and the Pussycats erasers."
- Hamsterbrain
10:30
Harlem Globetrotters / CBS
(debut)
The famous basketball team gets the cartoon treatment with Scatman
Crothers as the voice of Meadowlark Lemon (he was also the voice
for Hong Kong Fooey). The Globetrotters continued on Saturday
Mornings for most of the decade in one form or another. In this
format, the ballplayers search the world for opponents like robots
and wild animals.
11:00
Archie's Funhouse
Featuring the Giant
Jukebox / CBS
The show is revamped with a giant Jukebox and variety show format
with more songs and psychedelic montages in an hour-long bombardment.
The MTV of the Seventies, with strobe effects and bright, jerky
animation.
There was an Archie
show on the air every year from 1968 - 1978, but this version
was the best and lasted only one year.
Archies' records could be found
on the back of Post Honey Comb cereal - simply cut out the cardboard
record and put it on your turntable.
12:00
Scooby Doo,
Where are you? / CBS
What would Saturday morning in the Seventies be without Scooby-Doo?
Second season for the show that
ran forever, this is the original half-hour format with Shaggy,
Scooby, Daphne, Velma and Freddy. Don Messick provides the voice
of Scooby, with Casey Kasem as Shaggy.
The Monkees / CBS
Reruns of the popular 1966-68 primetime series were a staple of
the CBS and ABC Saturday morning schedules for most of the Seventies.
Davy Jones, Peter Tork, Mickey Dolenz, and Mike Nesmith star.
Occupying the 1 PM time period on CBS
was Dastardly & Muttley In Their Flying Machines,
replays from the previous season.
The Jetsons aired
from 1:30 - 2:00pm
8:00
Reluctant Dragon
and Mr. Toad / ABC
(debut)
Based on the "The Wind in the Willow" children's book series by
Kenneth Grahame. Lasted only one season. The networks were desperate
for non-violent content and were having a tough time finding anything
that otherwise appealed to kids. Follows the antics of Sir Malcolm
and Tobias, a 400 year-old dragon that freaks out when he sees
daisies. A Rankin-Bass ('Frosty the Snowman') production.
8:30
Motor Mouse / ABC
(debut)
Fast cars and chases were popular on the cartoon shows ever since
the 'Wacky Races' debuted in 1968 and this show was one of an
endless parade of imitations from Hanna-Barbera.
Motor Mouse was featured originally
on the 'Chatanooga Cats' Show, starring the voice of Marty Ingels
as Auto Cat. 'It's the Wolf' was a pretty funny segment of the
show, with the voice of Paul Lynde ('Storybook Squares').
9:00
Lancelot Link,
Secret Chimp / ABC
(debut)
Real life chimps (with human voices overdubbed) act out spy spoofs
interspersed with clever songs by the Evolution Revolution - an
all-chimp band.
Sixty minutes of pure entertainment
featuring Lance and Mata Hairi (a 48 pound Virgo), secret agents
of A.P.E. headed by their grey-haired leader Darwin.
Dr. Strangemind, Dragon Woman,
Wang Fu, Ali Assa Seen (he rides around in a dune buggy), Creto
and Baron von Butcher, head of C.H.U.M.P. were just some the villains.
One highlight was seeing the chimps
in leather jackets riding around on motorcycles with training
wheels.
Diane
Bernard and Jeff Krulick produced a wonderful documentary calledI Created
Lance Link - a lighthearted look at the guys who wrote
and produced this unique series.
10:00
Will the Real
Jerry Lewis Please
Stand Up! / ABC
Possibly the longest title of any show in television history.
Created by Jerry Lewis, this animated
treat ran for two years, longer than his multi-million dollar flop
ABC variety show in 1963. Animation by the Filmation studio.
10:30
Here Come the
Double Deckers / ABC
(debut)
Produced in England, this live action sitcom about seven Londoners
who live on a double-decker bus featured: Billie (Gillian Bailey),
Brains (Michael Aunderson), Sticks (Bruce Clark), Scooper (Peter
Firth), Spring (Brinsley Forde), Doughnut (Douglas Simmons), Tiger
(Debbie Russ) and their older friend Albert (Melvyn Hayes). On
the opening episode, a hover-craft causes problems for the gang.
11:00
Hot Wheels / ABC
Second and last season for this popular cartoon based loosely
on the toy line about a group of teens who form a racing club
with their mentor.
Episodes end with safe driving
tips, but if you were old enough to drive, why were you watching
this show?
11:30
Sky Hawks / ABC
Second season for this cartoon about an air service called Skyhawks,
Inc., run by the Wilson family. Grandpa, son and granson perform
daring feats of rescue all over the globe. Series ends this year.
12:00
Hardy
Boys / ABC
Second season for the animated series about a gang of super-sleuths
who are also rock stars touring the world.
There were two albums with songs from the show.
12:30
American Bandstand / ABC
Now in its twenty-third year.
Starring Dick Clark as the world's oldest teenager, host of the
world's longest running dance party. Clark turned forty in 1970,
and it made headlines all over the country because he looked so
young.
Did you know almost all stars
routinely shave 7-10 years off of their real age - the studios
and networks would kill me if they knew I told you that!
8:00
Heckle and
Jeckle / NBC
New Filmation cartoon wrapped around the original Terrytoons creations.
This show originally ran in 1955 -1960, came back in 1965 - 66,
and back again in 1969. Featuring Gandy Goose and Dinky Duck,
Little Roquefort, Percy the Cat and The Terry Bears.
8:30
Woody
Woodpecker / NBC
(debut)
More moldy cartoons, another revival of animated short features
from the Forties with some new wrap-around material. The first
TV incarnation of Woody came in 1957 on ABC and only lasted one
year.
This show features Gabby Gator,
Chilly Willy, and Andy Panda along with some nice narration and
behind the scenes segments with Walter Lantz.
9:00
Tom Foolery / NBC
(debut)
NBC had the lamest cartoons in 1970, and this was one in a long
string of losers created to be non-violent and educational. Stories
based on the classical children's literature by Lewis Carroll
and Edward Lear with characters like the Worrying Whizzing Wasp..
9:30
The Bugaloos
/ NBC
(debut)
H. R. Pufnstuf was a big hit in 1969, so NBC went back to the
well for Sid and Marty Krofft at their most bizarre. Martha Raye
stars as Benita Bizarre, a witchy-woman surrounded by an odd assortment
of theme-park creatures called the Bugaloos that she feels she
has to possess.
The Bugaloos are a teen singing group that can
fly like bees, played by Caroline Ellis, John Philpott, John McIndo
and Wayne Laryea.
10:00
Dr. Doolittle / NBC
(debut)
Animated adventures of the good doctor and his animal pals as
they travel the world with The Grasshoppers, a rock group.
10:30
Pink Panther
/ NBC
In it's second season, understated and clever cartoons by the
DePatie-Freleng studio. Features the Texas Toads, Inspector Clouseau,
and The Ant and the Aardvark.
11:00
H.R.Pufnstuf / NBC
Second season for this Sid and
Marty Krofft classic. Supposedly the H.R. stands for 'Hand Rolled'.
Jack Wild stars as Jimmy, keeper
of Freddie the Flute in a strange land of brighly colored foam-padded
theme-park characters. Billie Hayes is brilliant as Witchiepoo,
this season is all reruns.
11:30
Here Comes
the Grump / NBC
Last season for the story of Terry Dexter, Princess Dawn and Bib
the dog in a magical cartoon-land looking for a key hidden by
the Grump.
Clever half-hour featuring Woody Allen, Jo Anne Worley, Jonathan Winters
and other stars explain how things are made (for instance, what makes bubble gum bubble, how lead gets into
a pencil or how money is produced).
Tours of factories
and laboratories show step by step how things like popcorn, bricks,
footballs, hot dog rolls, noeon signs and sneakers are made, in
addition to the wonders of nature and science. Lee Mendelson (Peanuts
specials) and Frank Buxton produced.
"I also remember 'Hot Dog'. Each
segment would start off with a kid's question like, "How do they
put milk in milk containers?" Then they would interview celebrities
like Woody Allen and Joanne Worley to get gag answers, and then
show a film from some production line. I still remember the episode
where they asked how they made hot dog buns with the opening for
the hot dog already in them. Woody Allen said that they baked
each half of the bun separately, and women with hot dog bun-colored
thread would sew them together."
- Fdonrx
Jambo / NBC
For a second year, Marshall Thompson and Judi the Chimp ('Daktari')
tell stories from nature illustrated with films of wild animals
in action.
Typical plot: A countess searches
for a magic leopard.
Saturday Mornings 1974 Adaptations of former primetime shows are all the rage on Saturdays now.
Saturday Mornings 1975 Far Out Space Nuts, Shazam and Ark II are just a few of the action, sitcom and musical variety shows this season.
Saturday Mornings 1976 Krofft Super Show, and Ark II are just a 2 of the many action, sitcom and musical variety shows this season.
Saturday Mornings 1977 The most unsuccessful Saturday morning line up of the decade - flops everywhere as the networks lost track of what kids wanted to watch.
Saturday Mornings 1974 Adaptations of former primetime shows are all the rage on Saturdays now.
Saturday Mornings 1975 Far Out Space Nuts, Shazam and Ark II are just a few of the action, sitcom and musical variety shows this season.
Saturday Mornings 1976 Krofft Super Show, and Ark II are just a 2 of the many action, sitcom and musical variety shows this season.
Saturday Mornings 1977 The most unsuccessful Saturday morning line up of the decade - flops everywhere as the networks lost track of what kids wanted to watch.
CBS
dropped its formerly popular 'Wacky Races' and 'Perils of Penelopy Pitstop'
shows and combined them as the 'Dastardly and Mutley Hour' in the 1:00pm
graveyard hour.
