In late 1966, thanks largely in part to the immediate success a few months earlier of the campy Batman TV show, Marvel Comics licensed the rights for five of their superheroes -- Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, Sub-Mariner, and my favorite Marvel hero, Captain America -- to Grantray-Lawrence Animation. They produced several episodes of these characters, in what can only charitably be described as "limited animation."
This is the theme song for the main show itself, featuring all five characters.
This is the theme song for the main show itself, featuring all five characters.
Nice that the guy who posted this on YouTube messed it up with his email address, innit?
Some of those heroes' individual theme songs have been stuck in the minds of many for over fifty years. They used the theme for the Iron Man cartoons not once, but three times in the first Iron Man film in 2008!
The artwork was pretty much taken directly from the comic issues that supplied the cartoons with their stories. So we got to see crude copies of art by Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Don Heck...
The studio used the most rudimentary methods to "animate" these drawings. Check out the horrible animation quality on the first Thor episode. And try to bear with it for at least the first four or five minutes, willya?
The studio used the most rudimentary methods to "animate" these drawings. Check out the horrible animation quality on the first Thor episode. And try to bear with it for at least the first four or five minutes, willya?
That over-the-top rendering of the voice of Loki was provided by Len Carlson (1937-2006). And that was the voice I "heard" every time I read an issue of Journey into Mystery (later renamed Thor), at least until Tom Hiddleston first played Loki in 2011.
Boston viewers got an additional treat, if one can call it that. We not only had The Marvel Super Heroes cartoons, we also had Captain America himself to introduce the episodes I'm not 100% certain, but I'm pretty sure only the New England area (Boston's Channel 7, WNAC-TV) had him.
Cap was played by an actor named Arthur Pierce (née Levy). And Mr. Pierce is still alive! Click here if you'd like a recent photo and some up-to-date information.
Pierce's Captain America was scripted to be pretty corny, but I suppose we can thank the tone of the Batman TV show for that.
W
Major Mudd (Ed McDonnell, 1926-1979) was a local Boston kiddie show host who also played
the characters of Feep and Lord Bumblebrooke! Someday I may post about him alone!
Well, that's it for today, fellow babies. NO COMICAL WEDNESDAY POST NEXT WEEK! Instead, I'm going to be posting a five-part piece of fiction called "For Baby (For Bobbie)" which I've been threatening you with promising you for a few weeks. That will probably begin this Saturday. I sincerely hope I'll see you then.
Thanks for your time.
I have to confess I actually enjoyed the clip, over the top voice and all. A throwback to an age of innocence when everything wasn't CGI'd and autotuned to lifelessness...look forward to your promised fiction.
ReplyDelete"For Baby (For Bobbie)" is scheduled to post Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Hope you like it!
DeleteCaptain America sure was goofy back then. I still remember that movie that made with him before the MCU came to be. Sooo bad.
ReplyDeleteOh, you mean that one from the '90s which took the ultimate Nazi character, the Red Skull, and for some stupid reason made him an Italian?!?
DeleteThere was also a 1979 TV-movie which looked pretty bad, but I never saw it.
That was quite a fun ride through the past, Silver. I couldn't help but smile while watching and listening. Despite the quality, it's priceless relative to today's cartoons.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
PS 1966 was a very good year. I don't remember it, but I was born in it.
Aww, then you're just a baby!
DeleteThat is definitely bad animation, but it's bad enough to be funny. I know what you're going to post, but for some reason I'm drawing a blank on the title. I know it's from a song or . . . I don't know. MUST GOOGLE NOW.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
John Denver! Of course. I still have my Rocky Mountain High album.
DeleteThe only things I have in common with the main male character in my upcoming stories are his age, the type of car he owns, and the fact that he is a big John Denver fan in 1974, the year the story begins.
DeleteI still have my "Rocky Mountain High" cassette!
Captain America has come along way since his inception. I had to chuckle at the early videos.
ReplyDeleteSo, we are going to finally read your longest post ever as promised. haha...I will be back.
Stay warm Silver...
Before you read "For Baby (For Bobbie)" you may want to pack a lunch, True!
DeleteThank for sharing the theme song. It reminds me of a time when an upbeat theme song came at the beginning of a TV show, something that is becoming increasingly rare nowadays.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I've noticed that, too. Old-time theme songs were great. They often told first-time viewers what the show was all about.
Delete