The Further Adventures of SuperTed

Summary

The Further Adventures of SuperTed is a British-American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera and Siriol Animation in association with S4C, and continues the adventures of SuperTed.[1][2] Only 13 episodes were produced and originally broadcast on The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera in the United States starting on 31 January 1989.[3]

The Further Adventures of SuperTed
Opening titles
GenreAnimation
Adventure
Comedy
Sci-fi
Based onSuperTed created by
Mike Young
Developed byDave Edwards
Directed byBob Alvarez
Paul Sommers
Creative directorRay Patterson
Voices ofDerek Griffiths
Jon Pertwee
Melvyn Hayes
Victor Spinetti
Danny Cooksey
Tress MacNeille
Hamilton Camp
Pat Fraley
B.J. Ward
Frank Welker
Pat Musick
Marvin Kaplan
Narrated byDerek Griffiths (British version)
Brian Mitchell (American version)
Theme music composerJohn Debney
ComposerJohn Debney
Country of originUnited Kingdom
United States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes13
Production
Executive producersWilliam Hanna
Joseph Barbera
ProducersCharles Grosvenor
Jeff Segal (supervising producer)
Running time22 mins
Production companiesHanna-Barbera Productions
Wang Film Productions (overseas animation)
Siriol Animation (animation)
Original release
NetworkSyndicated
Release31 January (1989-01-31) –
25 April 1989 (1989-04-25)

Production edit

The original SuperTed, created by Mike Young became the first British cartoon series to be aired on Disney Channel in the United States in 1984. Young moved to the United States to work on more animated series and in 1988 he made a SuperTed-sequel-type cartoon called Fantastic Max (originally based on the cartoon pilot Space Baby) produced by Hanna-Barbera, who decided to create a new series of SuperTed.

This new American version of the show takes on a more epic format, with Texas Pete, Bulk and Skeleton also joined by new villains. The theme song was replaced with a more American overture, and the show poked fun at all aspects of American culture, from the Grand Ole Opry to Star Wars.[4] Only two of the original cast were used for this new series, with Victor Spinetti and Melvyn Hayes returning to voice Texas Pete and Skeleton. Unlike the original, the series used digital ink and paint.

In the UK, Mike Young and the BBC decided to rerecord the series to use the original voices of Derek Griffiths for SuperTed and Jon Pertwee for Spotty, which also resulted in some minor script changes. The episodes were also split into two parts, thus creating 26 10-minute stories, which resulted in the series not being broadcast until January 1990 on the BBC. It was repeated again twice in 1992 and 1993.

Characters edit

Heroes edit

  • SuperTed (voiced by Derek Griffiths in the UK version, Danny Cooksey in the US version) - A teddy bear who was thrown aside of the rejects and brought to life by Spotty's cosmic dust, and was given special powers by Mother Nature. The main hero of the series who rescues all people who need help.
  • Spotty Man (voiced by Jon Pertwee in the UK version, Pat Fraley in the US version) - SuperTed's loyal friend who is a yellow alien in a yellow jump-suit with green spots all around him and came from the Planet Spot that bought SuperTed to life with his cosmic dust and flies with SuperTed on every mission, he likes a few things to be covered with spots, a number of things he hated were being tied up by SuperTed (aka Terrible Ted), his traveling bag being carried away by biting ants, being locked up at Fort Knox by Texas Pete, being knocked in the Texas snake pit by Texas Pete and a haybail, having a couple being ice-danced by Pengy and Dr Frost, looking good in stripes with a white tiger disguise over him and having his Spots taken away by Texas Pete. He is the second main hero of the series.

Friends edit

  • Slim, Hoppy and Kitty (voiced by Danny Cooksey and Tress MacNeille) - The kids of Oklahoma whose animals won first pride in the rodeo prairie, but needed SuperTed's help when Texas Pete tried to ruin their bull riding competition by using a radio controlled bull and took them and the entire state of Texas, their only appearances were in "Texas Is Mine."
  • Major Billy Bob (voiced by Danny Mann) - The owner of the Grand Ol Opry who makes SuperTed a singing star by signing a contract after saving country music (after watching him sing with Texas Pete with his pal Coral) at the end of "Phantom of the Grand Ol' Opry" (the only episode he features in).
  • Billy (voiced by Robbie Lee) - The boy that needed SuperTed's help when his father Dr. Livings had been kidnapped by the Polka Dot tribe after a discovery in a cave of paintings at the primitive Brazilian Rainforest, his only appearance was in "Dot's Entertainment."
  • The Space Beavers (voiced by Jerry Houser and Charlie Adler) - The Space Beavers get very naughty and they are invited to Dr. Frost and Pengy. They are greedy munching trees. Formally, they do not like SuperTed and Spotty. But they become good friends with them.
  • Kiki (voiced by Georgi Irene) - The child with the pet whale (who she gave a good scrubbing) that got kidnapped by Texas Pete, Bulk and Skeleton to find sunken treasure and needed SuperTed's help to save it, after she has been rescued she rewards SuperTed and Spotty Man with a couple of Spotty shells. Her only appearance (with her pet whale for that matter) was in "The Mysticetae Mystery."
  • Blotch (voiced by Billie Hayes) - Spotty's little sister.
  • Prince Rajeash (voiced by Danny Cooksey) - An Indian prince who can't make decisions. He has an uncle, Prince Pyjamarama with his helper Mufti the fool. Prince Pyjamarama is not happy with Rajeash. Soon, Rajeash is betrayed by Prince Pyjamarama and nasty Mufti. But luckily, Rajeash's new friends SuperTed and Spotty help him and in the end, Rajeash now becomes a new raja after Prince Pyjamarama and Mufti flew to the water.

Villains edit

  • Texas Pete (voiced by Victor Spinetti) - The principal antagonist of the series.
    • Bulk (voiced by Marvin Kaplan) - Texas Pete's fat, idiotic henchman.
    • Skeleton (voiced by Melvyn Hayes) - Texas Pete's effeminate, nervous henchman.
  • Polka Face (voiced by Howard Morris) - The Polka Dot Tribe leader who tries to sell his tribal lands. He reforms and vows to be a better man at the urging of Super Ted in the end of "Dot's Entertainment."
  • Bubbles the Clown (voiced by Frank Welker) - A career burglar from Planet Boffo who escapes prison and enlists Skeleton and Bulk for a heist.
  • Sleepless Knight (voiced by Kenneth Mars) - A knight who gives people nightmares.
  • Dr. Frost (voiced by Kenneth Mars) - A mad scientist who plots to free the world while manipulating the Space Beavers into helping in his plot.
  • The Hairmongers- A group of aliens from the planet Fluffalot.
    • Julius Scissors - Co-leader of the Hairmongers.
    • Marcilia - Co-leader of the Hairmongers.
  • The two spies from the enemy Striped Army
  • Prince Pyjamarama (voiced by Frank Welker) - Prince Pyjamarama is Prince Rajeash's uncle and the main antagonist of the episode "Ruse of the Raja." He and his helper Mufti become traitors to Prince Rajeash.
    • Mufti (voiced by Bob Arbogast) - Prince Pyjamarama's henchman.

Episode list edit

Title US air date UK air date
(1st half / 2nd half)
1"Phantom of the Grand Ol' Opry"31 January 1989 (1989-01-31)8 January 1990[5]
10 January 1990[6]
SuperTed loses his memory in a rocket crash and Texas Pete calls him "Terrible Ted" and joins him up in his gang with Skeleton and Bulk. in the jewelry store he ties up Spottyman (who follows tracks to the location). Then Tex starts to create music havoc with his "I'm a big deal song" for his night at the Grand Ol' Opry (where Spotty brings Terrible Ted's memory back to "SuperTed" again with his cosmic dust).
2"Dot's Entertainment"7 February 1989 (1989-02-07)15 January 1990[7]
17 January 1990[8]
Billy's father goes missing after a cave painting exhibition of 'Polka Dot Trible' in a Brazilian Rainforest cave, he comes to get SuperTed and Spotty (who have been watching a carnival in the Rio Street) to come to the rescue of his missing father. then Spotty gets to focus of some 'legendary' attraction when they get to the Polka Dots Village (to whom its leader Polka Face sells his tribal land to Theme park developers, then turns into a nice guy at the end).
3"Knox Knox, Who's There?"14 February 1989 (1989-02-14)22 January 1990[9]
24 January 1990[10]
Blotch (Spotty's sister) is in aid of Spotty and SuperTed's help to find Speckle the Hoparoo, our two heroes fly to a couple of planets (a desert one and an arctic one) where Texas Pete and his henchman Skeleton and Bulk (who kidnapped Speckle) find cosmic dust for a 'springing-to-life' gold rush at Fort Knox in Northern Kentucky. While it is happening SuperTed, Speckle and Spotty find a recipe to capture the villains (by tipping chocolate over Bulk etc.) with a banjo.
4"The Mysticetae Mystery"21 February 1989 (1989-02-21)5 February 1990[11]
7 February 1990[12]
When SuperTed and Spotty enjoy a tropical holiday, Texas Pete and his cronies Bulk and Skeleton salvage sunken treasure that a whale eats up, then capture a child named Kiki and her pet whale (who calls on the short-waves for SuperTed's help). Meanwhile, after Tex and his crew go scuba diving, SuperTed (who saw the big Whale collar that Tex put the whale in) and Spotty (who saw her lost charm bracelet on the boat) get a couple of dolphins to go under the ocean to stop the kidnap of Kiki and stop Texas Pete stealing treasure and set the Whales free.
5"Texas Is Mine"28 February 1989 (1989-02-28)12 February 1990[13]
14 February 1990[14]
Texas Pete steals the entire state of Texas and blasts it into space—the largest rancho in the galaxy! It's up to SuperTed and Spotty to get the Lone Star State back where it belongs.
6"Sheepless Nights"7 March 1989 (1989-03-07)26 February 1990[15]
28 February 1990[16]
SuperTed and Spotty travel to Lethargia where the children are all having the same scary nightmares. Ted enters their dreams to help. There he confronts the dreaded Sleepless Knight, whose goal is to give children everywhere nightmares.
7"We Got Nutninkhamun"14 March 1989 (1989-03-14)19 February 1990[17]
21 February 1990[18]
Texas Pete gets his hands on Cosmic Dust and uses it to bring an ancient mummy to life. Then the whole gang is off to Egypt to make the mummy lead them to the secret treasure. Can SuperTed stop them before they steal priceless artifacts?
8"Leave It to Space Beavers"21 March 1989 (1989-03-21)12 March 1990[19]
14 March 1990[20]
A villain called Dr. Frost and his henchman Pengy (a penguin-type character) plan to destroy the world by freezing it while tricking the Space Beavers into eating the world's trees.
9"Bubbles, Bubbles Everywhere"28 March 1989 (1989-03-28)29 January 1990[21]
31 January 1990[22]
After SuperTed declares Texas Pete Public Enemy No. 1, a clown villain called Bubbles steals Texas Pete's Public Enemy No. 1 title after a casino robbery and becomes companion to Bulk and Skeleton in a scheme to rob a diamond museum. Texas Pete has a chat with SuperTed and Spotty to help him get rid of Bubbles and his dog in two big bubbles. SuperTed rewards Texas Pete by being declaring him Public Enemy No. 33.
10"Farewell My Lovely Spots"4 April 1989 (1989-04-04)19 March 1990[23]
21 March 1990[24]
Spotty's spots have been stolen, and it looks like Texas Pete is the culprit. Only a ransom of cosmic dust will get them back. In a brilliant bit of sleuthing, SuperTed discovers that it was the work of a Texas Pete look-alike all along!
11"Ben-Fur"11 April 1989 (1989-04-11)26 March 1990[25]
28 March 1990[26]
SuperTed and Spotty journey to the "Kids Town Satellite". SuperTed recounts his adventures on the planet "Fluffalot" where he defeated the Hairmongers and their leaders, Julius Scissors and Marcilia in a series of "Ben Hur"-like contests.
12"Spotty Earns His Stripes"18 April 1989 (1989-04-18)2 April 1990[27]
5 April 1990[28]
Spotty gets drafted into the Spotted Army. He becomes the unsuspecting dupe of the two spies from the enemy Striped Army, who plan to invade the planet. Can SuperTed help his friend in time to fend off the invasion?
13"Ruse of the Raja"25 April 1989 (1989-04-25)5 March 1990[29]
7 March 1990[30]
A young Indian prince asks SuperTed to help him be a better ruler. But the prince's evil uncle Prince Pyjamarama wants to snatch the kingdom with his helper Mufti. Only SuperTed can foil his nasty plans.

Home media edit

UK edit

Between 1990 and 1991 three videos were released by the BBC, whereas the two episodes of the British dub on each of the VHS tapes were made into 20-minute stories. No DVD releases have been made to date, in either the United Kingdom or the United States.

VHS Name Catalogue Number Release Year Episodes
The Further Adventures of SuperTed:
"Phantom of the Grand Ol' Opry"
BBCV 4304 2 April 1990
  • "Phantom of the Grand Ol' Opry"

  • "Dots Entertainment"
The Further Adventures of SuperTed 2:
"Knox Knox, Who's There?"
BBCV 4394 10 September
1990
  • "Knox Knox, Who's There?"

  • "Bubbles, Bubbles Everywhere!"
The Further Adventures of SuperTed 3:
"'The Mysticetae Mystery"
BBCV 4635 1 July 1991
  • "The Mysticetae Mystery"
  • "Texas Is Mine"

US edit

On 26 July 1990, Hanna-Barbera Home Video released The Further Adventures of SuperTed: 'Leave it to Space Beavers' on VHS (UPC: 017951751035), featuring the episodes Knox Knox! who's There?, Phantom of the Grand Ole Opry, Leave it to Space Beavers and Ruse of the Raja.

Cast edit

British main cast edit

American main cast edit

  • Danny Cooksey - SuperTed, Slim and Hoppy (in "Texas is Mine"), Kids town boy (in "Ben-Fur"), Prince Rajeesh (in "Ruse of the Raja")
  • Pat Fraley - Spotty Man
  • Brian Mitchell - Narrator, Polka-Dot Elder (in "Dot's Entertainment")

British and American main cast edit

Additional voices edit

Crew edit

References edit

  1. ^ "SuperTed". BBC Wales Arts. 11 February 2009.
  2. ^ Luke Owen (15 July 2014). "7 things you didn't know about SuperTed". Metro. UK.
  3. ^ Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 224–225. ISBN 978-1538103739.
  4. ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 354–355. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  5. ^ "BBC One London - 8 January 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  6. ^ "BBC One London - 10 January 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  7. ^ "BBC One London - 15 January 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  8. ^ "BBC One London - 17 January 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  9. ^ "BBC One London - 22 January 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  10. ^ "BBC One London - 24 January 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  11. ^ "BBC One London - 5 February 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  12. ^ "BBC One London - 7 February 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  13. ^ "BBC One London - 12 February 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  14. ^ "BBC One London - 14 February 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  15. ^ "BBC One London - 26 February 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  16. ^ "BBC One London - 28 February 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  17. ^ "BBC One London - 19 February 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  18. ^ "BBC One London - 21 February 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  19. ^ "BBC One London - 12 March 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  20. ^ "BBC One London - 14 March 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  21. ^ "BBC One London - 29 January 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  22. ^ "BBC One London - 31 January 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  23. ^ "BBC One London - 19 March 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  24. ^ "BBC One London - 21 March 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  25. ^ "BBC One London - 26 March 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  26. ^ "BBC One London - 28 March 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  27. ^ "BBC One London - 2 April 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  28. ^ "BBC One London - 5 April 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  29. ^ "BBC One London - 5 March 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  30. ^ "BBC One London - 7 March 1990 - BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  31. ^ a b "The Further Adventures of SuperTed (1989– )". IMDb.com. 31 January 1989. Retrieved 26 July 2015.

External links edit

  • The Further Adventures of SuperTed at IMDb  
  • Toonhound - SuperTed