Raw Toonage

Disney's Raw Toonage is a half-hour Disney animated cartoon series that aired on the CBS network in the fall of 1992.[1][2] The show was cancelled after 12 of its originally-planned 13 episodes were broacast.[3]

Disney's Raw Toonage
GenreCartoon
Voices ofJeff Bennett
Rodger Bumpass
Nancy Cartwright
Jim Cummings
Steve Mackall
Country of originUnited States
Original language(s)English
No. of episodes12 (48 segments) (list of episodes)
Production
Production company(s)
DistributorBuena Vista Television
Release
Original network
Original releaseJuly 9 (9-19) –
December 5, 1992 (1992-12-05)
Chronology
Preceded byWho Framed Roger Rabbit
Followed byBonkers
Marsupilami

The series Bonkers and Marsupilami were spun off from this series in 1993.[4]

Cast

Main

Notable guest stars

Crew
  • Ginny McSwain – Dialogue Director
  • Jamie Thomason – Talent Coordinator

Episodes
  • Hosting: A "host" segment which serves as a wraparound for the other cartoons. (9 segments)
  • HB: A "He's Bonkers" cartoon, starring Bonkers D. Bobcat. (11 segments)
  • M: A Marsupilami cartoon. (16 segments)
  • TTV: "Totally Tasteless Video," each of which is either a parody or a music video. (11 segments)
  • Goofy also starred in the short, "Goofy's Guide to the Olympics."
No.TitleOriginal air date
1"Spatula Party / Doggie Schnauzer / Marsupilami Meets Dr. Normanstein"September 19, 1992 (1992-09-19)

  • Hosting: Ludwig Von Drake demonstrates various principals of toon physics.
  • HB — Spatula Party: Bonkers' new neighbor Fawn Deer wants to borrow a spatula, so Bonkers scurries all around the neighborhood trying to get one.
  • TTV — Doggie Schnauzer: The life of a man who swallowed a washing machine depends on Doggie Schnauzer, a brilliant surgeon but also a mutt with obedience problems.
  • M — Marsupilami Meets Dr. Normanstein: Marsupilami and Maurice stumble onto the lab of the evil mad scientist Dr. Normanstein, who happens to be looking for a brain for his new monster Apenstein.
2"Sheerluck Bonkers / All Potato Network / The Puck Stops Here"September 26, 1992 (1992-09-26)

  • Hosting: Don Karnage shows the audience how to look for buried treasure, with mixed results. Captain Hook cameos.
  • HB — Sheerluck Bonkers: Victorian era detective Sheerluck Bonkers tries to find out who's stolen a priceless pendant from Princess Fawn of Doe-mania.
  • TTV — All Potato Network: This cable channel features programming of special interest to tubers, like the soap opera "All my Spuds" and the police show "Spudsky and Hutch".
  • M - The Puck Stops Here: Norman uses the hotel air conditioning system to freeze the lake and then challenges Mars to a game of hockey.
3"Bonkers in Space / Cro-Magnum PI / The Treasure of the Sierra Marsdre"October 3, 1992 (1992-10-03)

  • Hosting: Uncle Scrooge demonstrates the new security system he's installed in his money bin, by trying to break in.
  • HB — Bonkers in Space: In the future, Bonkers and Jitters work at a spaceship-wash outfit in a space station. But Jitters accidentally gets cast into space while Bonkers puts the moves on Fawn.
  • TTV — Cro-Magnum PI: A Stone Age gumshoe investigates business tycoon Rock Doo-Wop's theft of ideas for new inventions from other cavepeople like the wheel and fire in this pre-historic film noir.
  • M — The Treasure of the Sierra Marsdre: Norman spies on Mars and Maurice planning to go on a treasure hunt, and worms his way into joining them.
4"Draining Cats and Dogs / Mars vs. Man"October 10, 1992 (1992-10-10)

  • Hosting: In contemporary New York, superstar Sebastian tries to get to the Mervin Peevish Convention Center in time to host a variety show, avoiding being caught by Chef Louie along the way.
  • HB — Draining Cats and Dogs: Plumbers Bonkers and Jitters rescue Fawn when her pipes burst and flood her house.
  • M — Mars vs. Man: Foreman Norman uproots Mars's tree to make space for his condominiums, but Mars squats in one of them.
5"Get Me to the Church on Time / So You Think You Know Everything, Do You? / Someone's in the Kitchen with Mars"October 17, 1992 (1992-10-17)

  • Hosting: Jitters A. Dog does stunt work for the Disney shows, DuckTales, Rescue Rangers, The Little Mermaid, and TaleSpin.
  • HB — Get Me to the Church on Time: Bonkers and Jitters have a difficult time getting to Jitters' wedding with Tanya Trunk in time.
  • TTV — So You Think You Know Everything, Don't You?: Two certified geniuses compete on a game show with each other and a dog.
  • M — Someone's in the Kitchen With Mars: Chef Norman steals Mars and Maurice's big basket of fruit. But Mars and Maurice track him to the hotel kitchen.
6"Ski Patrol / Poultrygeist / Romancing the Clone / Goofy's Guide to the Olympics"October 24, 1992 (1992-10-24)

  • Hosting: Bonkers tries to deliver a TV to Fawn's house.
  • HB — Ski Patrol: Ambulance drivers Bonkers and Jitters rush to help skier Grumbles, who's injured on the slopes.
  • TTV — Poultrygeist: A family is alarmed to find out that their house was built on the site of an old fast-food chicken restaurant, and now the poltergeists of the chickens eaten there terrorize them until an exorchicken arrives.
  • M — Romancing the Clone: Norman dresses up as a female marsupilami to deceive a tourist that's trying to take a picture of a marsupilami. But Mars falls in love with Norman.
  • Goofy's Guide to the Olympics: Goofy demonstrates various track and field events.
7"Get Me a Pizza (Hold the Minefield) / Nightmare on Rocky Road / Wannabe Ruler? / The Porker's Court"October 31, 1992 (1992-10-31)

  • HB — Get Me a Pizza (Hold the Minefield): A black-and-white newsreel tells of how World War I hero Bonkers bravely delivered pizzas to our boys in the front.
  • TTV — Nightmare on Rocky Road: A boy who loves ice cream gets his wish when the whole world turns to ice cream. But now he must face the evil Freddy Scooper.
  • M — Wannabe Ruler?: Mars and Norman compete for the title of ruler of the Wannabe tribe, and the treasure that comes with it.
  • TTV — The Porker's Court: The Three Pigs take the Big Bad Wolf to The Porker's Court over the shoddy conditions of the houses that he's leased to them.
8"Dogzapoppin' / Bathtime for Maurice / A Fear of Kites"November 7, 1992 (1992-11-07)

  • Hosting: Launchpad McQuack gives lessons in flying.
  • HB — Dogzapoppin': Bonkers has to get an important package to his boss, Grumbles, but he can't get past Grumble's nasty dog.
  • M — Bathtime for Maurice: Mars has to go through a lot of trouble to get filthy Maurice to take a bath.
  • M — A Fear of Kites: Mars and Maurice's kite gets tangled up on the hotel rooftop. But Bellhop Norman won't let them inside to retrieve it.
9"Trailmix Bonkers / The Young and the Nestless / Refreshment Stand, Rambones, Totzilla, Blammo! / Jungle Fever"November 14, 1992 (1992-11-14)

  • HB—Trailmix Bonkers: Pony express rider Trail Mix Bonkers delivers two money plates to California and fights the Grumbles Kid.
  • M — The Young and the Nestless: Mars reminisces about a time when a young Mars and Maurice fought a kid-age Norman over Mars's comic book collection.
  • TTV — Coming Attractions: Features ads for the snack bar, where you can buy a "refreshing cup of Blue," and previews of films like "Totzilla" and "Rambone" (which features the soldier chicken out to avenge the friends who wound up as fast food).
  • M — Jungle Fever: Mars tries to cure a sick Maurice, but keeps getting sneezed into the way of a refined lion.
10"Witch Doctor Is Which? / Robin Hoof / The Hairy Ape"November 21, 1992 (1992-11-21)

  • Hosting: Gosalyn enthusiastically eggs on a reluctant Ludwig Von Drake to build a monster for her.
  • M — Witch Doctor Is Which?: Witch Doctor Norman places a series of curses on Mars so that he instead of Mars will be the happiest person in the jungle.
  • TTV — Robin Hoof: Dashing cow Robin Hoof and his sidekick Milk Maid Marion protect the people of Sherman Forest from the evil king and his men in this send-up of Jay Ward's Fractured Fairy Tales.
  • M — The Hairy Ape: Norman traps Maurice to take to the zoo, telling Mars that he's taking him to a party, But now Mars wants to go, too.
11"Quest for Firewood / Badly Animated Man / Safari So Good"November 28, 1992 (1992-11-28)

  • Hosting: Marsupilami teaches Maurice how to defend himself against a bully.
  • HB — Quest for Firewood: In prehistoric times, cavecat Bonkers searches for firewood to bring back to his freezing tribe.
  • TTV — Badly Animated Man: Meet Badly Animated Man, the superhero who can leap over a tall building with a single drawing, and who wields a Two-Frame-a-Minute Punch.
  • M — Safari So Good: Norman's Aunt Mindy pays a visit and takes an immediate liking to Mars.
12"Gobble Gobble Bonkers / Hot Spots / My New Shoes / Prime Mates Forever"December 5, 1992 (1992-12-05)

  • HB — Gobble Gobble Bonkers: Jitters lets Bonkers take one of his beloved turkeys to Grumbles for Thanksgiving dinner, not realizing that it's the dinner.
  • M — Hot Spots: A heat wave, a watering hole and Norman all combine to make trouble for the jungle residents.
  • TTV — My New Shoes: A kid raps about all the cool things he can do with his new shoes in this hip-hop video.
  • M — Prime Mates Forever: Mars helps Maurice try to romance a tough female gorilla.

History and production

The idea for the show had an unusual genesis. Walt Disney Television Animation was developing a 65 episode half hour series for their Disney Afternoon block entitled He's Bonkers D. Bobcat. The premise was similar to Who Framed Roger Rabbit, as the series dealt with the lead character's adventures post-stardom. The actual production of this series was troubled.

At the same time, Michael Eisner had purchased the rights to the popular Belgian comic strip Marsupilami. At some point, someone had the post-modern idea to actually make the cartoons that Bonkers had starred in before becoming a policeman, and the show that would become Raw Toonage was born. The additional segment, Totally Tasteless Video, was intended as a satire of popular culture. A host was added to give the show the familiar feel of the World of Disney show.

Due to the shorter production schedule, Raw Toonage, with its Bonkers shorts, was on the air before the above-mentioned half hour show, thus adding some credibility to the back story.

Raw Toonage typically opens with an introduction by a famous character from Disney (such as Goofy with his Goof Troop style), who attempts to share some of their expertise with the audience; then the show has a few of the above-mentioned shorts chained in a row, rounding out the half hour.[8]

The premise of the Bonkers shorts is that Bonkers is a delivery person, usually assisted by Jitters A. Dog. Conflict is provided by Bonkers' unrequited love for Fawn Deer.

The Marsupilami cartoons took the look of the character from the Belgian comic, but the characterization differs significantly; the Marsupilami in this cartoon is more anthropomorphized, and speaks the language of the human characters fluently - the Marsupilami in the comics can only say variations of "houba" and mimic sounds like a parrot. The secondary characters in Disney's Marsupilami series are completely different to those of the comics; in Disney's cartoons, Marsupilami is most often opposed by the human Norman, who appears in various different roles.

Totally Tasteless Video did each show in a different style. They were story edited by Tom Minton, who later would write many Pinky and the Brain episodes at Warner Bros.. The first Totally Tasteless Video segment is a parody of movie coming attraction trailers, followed by a spoof on the TV series Doogie Howser, M.D. Other notable cartoons involve badly animated superhero, a prehistoric spoof of Magnum, P.I., an exorchicken fighting chicken ghosts that haunt a family, and a Robin Hood twist in the Jay Ward style.

Larry Latham produced and directed the Bonkers, Totally Tasteless Video, and host segments; Ed Wexler produced and directed Marsupilami. At least one of the Marsupilami cartoons was produced with the idea of a theatrical run in mind.

Music composed by Stephen James Taylor (character themes and underscore), Mark Watters, Eric Schmidt, Jerry Grant, Walter Murphy, and Craig Stuart Garfinkle.

Reruns of the show were aired on both Disney Channel and Toon Disney. Disney's Raw Toonage was nominated for a Daytime Emmy in the category of outstanding writing in an animated program and Outstanding Music Direction and Composition in 1993.

Each of the Bonkers shorts were eventually included in the half-hour "Bonkers" series, while every one but three ("Wanna Be Ruler", "The Young and the Nestless", and "Hot Spots") of the Marsupilami shorts were included in the half-hour "Marsupilami" series.

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References
  1. "Raw Toonage (television)". D23. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  2. Perlmutter, David (2014). America Toons In: A History of Television Animation. McFarland. p. 275. ISBN 978-1-4766-1488-5. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  3. Cotter, Bill (1997). The Wonderful World of Disney Television. Hyperion Books. p. 267. ISBN 0-7868-6359-5.
  4. Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 490–491. ISBN 978-1538103739.
  5. Hischak, Thomas S. (2011). Disney Voice Actors: A Biographical Dictionary. McFarland. p. 22. ISBN 978-0-7864-8694-6. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  6. Hischak, Thomas S. (2011). Disney Voice Actors: A Biographical Dictionary. McFarland. p. 71. ISBN 978-0-7864-8694-6. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  7. Hischak, Thomas S. (2011). Disney Voice Actors: A Biographical Dictionary. McFarland. p. 142. ISBN 978-0-7864-8694-6. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  8. Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 652–653. ISBN 978-1476665993.
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