The All-New Super Friends Hour

The All-New Super Friends Hour is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from September 10, 1977, to September 2, 1978, on ABC. It was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and is based on the Justice League and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics.[1]

The All-New Super Friends Hour
Also known asSuper Friends II
GenreAdventure
Fantasy
Science fiction
Created byE. Nelson Bridwell
Carmine Infantino
Julius Schwartz (consultants)
Based on
Developed byGil Kane
Written byDick Conway
Willie Gilbert
Orville H. Hampton
Elana Lesser
Duane Poole
Dick Robbins
Cliff Ruby
John Strong
Jeffrey Scott
Mark Jones
Robert Kanigher
Directed byCharles A. Nichols
Creative director(s)Iwao Takamoto
StarringNorman Alden
Michael Bell
Danny Dark
Olan Soule
Casey Kasem
Shannon Farnon
Buster Jones
Louise "Liberty" Williams
Narrated byWilliam Woodson
Opening themeHoyt Curtin
Country of originUnited States
Original language(s)English
No. of episodes60
Production
Executive producer(s)William Hanna
Joseph Barbera
Camera setupGeorge Epperson
Jerry Whittington
Chuck Flekal
Curt Hall
Ron Jackso
Jerry Smith
Running time60 minutes (including commercials)
Production company(s)Hanna-Barbera Productions
DC Comics
DistributorTaft Broadcasting (1978-80)
Warner Bros. Television Distribution (1983-present syndication,)
Release
Original networkABC
Audio formatmono
Original releaseSeptember 10, 1977 –
September 2, 1978
Chronology
Preceded bySuper Friends (1973 TV series)
Followed byChallenge of the Super Friends

Summary

The popularity of TV's Wonder Woman and The Six Million Dollar Man spurred network interest in reviving the Super Friends program, which had run in the 1973/1974 season.[2] When it was again unveiled in 1977, more young children and teenagers than before tuned in, making The All-New Super Friends Hour a huge ratings success. The success prompted the ABC television network to plan a new and even more innovative series for the fall of 1978.

Characters

In this particular incarnation of the Super Friends, the DC Comic book legends Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman and Aquaman return to fight for justice. However, this time, they get help from the shape-shifting super-teens The Wonder Twins, along with their space-monkey Gleek.

Format

The All-New Super Friends Hour featured 45 animated shorts and 15 regular episodes per program which followed a basic format each week. The first segment of every show featured two of the heroes (for the purposes of the team-ups in the first and fourth segments, Batman and Robin were considered one hero) teaming up in a separate mini story. The second segment featured a story with the Wonder Twins. The typical plot is that teenagers engage in a specific discouraged activity like vandalism or hitchhiking, and the Twins are summoned to deal with it. Inevitably, the misbehaving teenagers find themselves in danger as a consequence of their misbehavior and the Twins rescue them.

The third segment was considered the "primary" adventure of the week which featured the entire Super Friends roster (including the Wonder Twins) in a longer adventure. The fourth and final segment featured a story with one of the primary lineup along with a special guest star. The fourth segment typically featured a problem which was solved using the guest star's unique abilities. In addition, there were additional short spots between segments with members of the Super Friends giving basic safety lessons, basic health and first aid advice, magic tricks, craft projects, and a two-part riddle featuring the week's primary plot line.

Syndication/cable

The 15 hour-long shows were later cut into half-hour installments for local syndication in the early 1980s. Episodes from the 1977 series were included in The Superman/Batman Adventures, which aired on the USA Network in 1996 and later on the Cartoon Network and Boomerang, which would air the original hour-long shows from 1977 in their entirety (save for the next week's previews) in July 2004 and again in June 2008.

Character lineup

Guests

Black Manta appeared on the episodes "The Whirlpool" and "The Water Beast", where he was referred to simply as "Manta" and his suit color was now olive brown.

Gentleman Ghost appears in the episode titled "Ghost." In this show, he is referred to only as "Gentleman Jim Craddock" instead of "Gentleman Ghost." A man casts a spell to bring Gentleman Ghost to the living so that he can take revenge on Superman and Wonder Woman for imprisoning his spirit. He uses his powers to turn U.N. representatives into ghosts and later turns Superman and Wonder Woman into ghosts. The curse is eventually broken, after which the Super Friends used the mystical Rods of Merlin to send Gentleman Ghost back to his grave, never to return.

List of episodes
Main article: List of Super Friends episodes

Voice Cast
  • Norman Alden - Aquaman, Caller, Professor Rogers (in "Will the World Collide?"), Gruth (in "The Ghost")
  • Jack Angel - Hawkman, Samurai, Dr. Lau (in "Time Rescue"), Professor Price (in "Forbidden Power")
  • Michael Bell - Zan, Gleek, Mechanic (in "The Brain Machine"), Jeff (in "Joy Ride"), Kalmo (in "The Mysterious Time Creatures"), Sully (in "Runaways"), Gary
  • Wally Burr - Atom, The Enforcer (in "The Enforcer"), Peterson (in "The Invisible Menace"), Dr. Pisces (in "Attack of the Giant Squid"), Zeno Leader (in "Exploration Earth"), Lionex (in "The Lion Men"), Bus Depot Master (in "Runaways")
  • Ted Cassidy - Crag the Earthor (in "Invasion of the Earthors")
  • Regis Cordic - Manta, Apache Chief (first appearance), Nemus (in "The Invisible Menace"), Professor Martinez (in "The Water Beast"), Jules (in "The Marsh Monster")
  • Henry Corden - Vika (in "Tibetan Raiders"), Rudolph Korloff (in "The Mummy of Nazca")
  • Danny Dark - Superman
  • Shannon Farnon - Wonder Woman, Rima, Hawkgirl, Drowning Boy, Susan (in "Tiger on the Loose"), Newton's daughter (in "The Collector"), Medula (in "The Mind Maidens"), Dr. Taylor (in "The Fifty Foot Woman"), Dr. Xra (in "The Man Beasts of Xra"), Magda Duval (in "The Marsh Monster")
  • Pat Fraley - Ron (in "Handicap"), Newton's son (in "The Collector"), Jack (in "Cheating")
  • Bob Hastings - Corky (in "Joy Ride"), Scott (in "Handicap")
  • Buster Jones - Black Vulcan
  • Jane Jones - Jody (in "Hitchhike")
  • Casey Kasem - Robin, Police Officer (in "The Brain Machine"), Tour Guide (in "Invasion of the Earthors"), Mr. Brown, Guest, Justice League Computer, Secret Four Member #3 (in "The Secret Four"), Dictor (in "The Mysterious Time Creatures"), Insecta (in "Coming of the Antropods"), Brunette Scientist (in "The Marsh Monster"), Mr. Thompson (in "Doctor Fright"), Professor Larvey (in "Will the World Collide?)
  • Joyce Mancini - Mary Nelson (in "Tiny World of Terror")
  • Ross Martin - Secret Four Member #1 (in "The Secret Four"), Professor Strickland (in "Tiny World of Terror")
  • Chuck McClennan - Earthor #1 (in "Invasion of the Earthors")
  • Alan Oppenheimer - Dr. Cranum (in "The Brain Machine"), Doctor Fright (in "Doctor Fright"), Captain Shark (in "The Protector"), Gentleman Ghost (in "The Ghost"), Scientist (in "The Ghost")
  • Richard Paul - First Mate (in "The Whirlpool")
  • Barney Phillips - Flash (Barry Allen)
  • Mike Road - Varko (in "Planet of the Neanderthals")
  • Michael Rye - Apache Chief, Green Lantern, Abominable Snowman (in "Alaska Peril")
  • Olan Soule - Batman, Police Officer (in "The Brain Machine"), Professor Wong (in "Tiny World of Terror"), Professor Fearo (in "Will the World Collide?")
  • John Stephenson - Dr. Droid (in "The Monster of Dr. Droid"), Sculpin (in "Frozen Peril"), Freighter Captain (in "Frozen Peril")
  • Liberty Williams - Jayna, Little Sister
  • Bill Woodson - Narrator, Captain Croner (in "The Whirlpool"), Dr. Scat (in "The Brain Machine"), Police Chief (in "The Brain Machine"), Earthor #2 (in "Invasion of the Earthors"), Secret Four Member #2 (in "The Secret Four"), Boris (in "The Monster of Dr. Droid"), Professor Fairweather (in "The Invisible Menace"), Newton Domehead (in "The Collector"), Professor Dalton (in "Alaska Peril"), Professor Zarkoff (in "Forbidden Power"), Mutant (in "Forbidden Power"), Dr. Markham (in "The Man Beasts of Xra"), Jay's Pop (in "Runaways"), Cleazor (in "Will the World Collide?"), Professor Comstock (in "Time Rescue")

Home media releases

Warner Home Video (via DC Comics Entertainment, Hanna-Barbera Cartoons and Warner Bros. Family Entertainment) released The All-New Super Friends Hour – Season 1, Volume 1 on DVD[3] on January 8, 2008, containing 7 uncut, original episodes (28 cartoon segments), restored and remastered, and presented in its original, unedited hour-long version and original broadcast presentation. However, the episodes are not in their original airdate order just as they originally aired on ABC. On January 27, 2009, Warner released The All-New Super Friends Hour – Season 1, Volume 2 featuring the remaining eight episodes.

DVD name Ep No. Release date
Season 1, Volume 1 7 (28 cartoons) January 8, 2008
Season 1, Volume 2 8 (32 cartoons) January 27, 2009

DC Super Friends

Despite using the main theme from The World's Greatest Super Friends, the 2010 DC Super Friends "The Joker's Playhouse" shares several elements of its opening sequence with The All-New Super Friends Hour including introducing several of the Super Friends by name.[4]

gollark: Python has an annoying limitation where times above 9999 years are artificially blocked.
gollark: CBOR somehow became the trendy thing despite mostly being worse.
gollark: I just do any conveniently timed competition.
gollark: So don't unless it has positive effects generally!
gollark: The tournament arc is 2023.

References
  1. Woolery, George W. (1983). Children's Television: The First Thirty-Five Years, 1946-1981, Part I: Animated Cartoon Series. Scarecrow Press. pp. 275–278. ISBN 0-8108-1557-5. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  2. Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 114–122. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  3. Cyrenne, Randall (2008-02-04). "The All-New Super Friends Hour: Season One, Volume One • Animated Views". Animated-views.com. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  4. "DC SUPER FRIENDS™ The Joker's Playhouse DVD Episode | Imaginext | Fisher Price". YouTube. 2011-08-26. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
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