The Skatebirds
Encyclopedia
The Skatebirds was a 60-minute show on CBS
Saturday mornings from 1977
-78
, produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions
. The show featured four short segments hosted by live-action wraparounds featuring "The Skatebirds", three large birds played by actors in costumes.
The Skatebirds, so-called because they roller skated, were named Satchel (a pelican
), Knock-Knock (a woodpecker
) and Scooter (a penguin
). Their nemesis was Scat-Cat, voiced by Scatman Crothers
who had previously played Hanna-Barbera's Hong Kong Phooey
and a character also named Scat Cat from the Disney movie The Aristocats
. The appearance of the characters and the format of the show was similar to Hanna-Barbera's The Banana Splits
. Unlike most Saturday morning children's shows produced in the 1970s, The Skatebirds did not contain a laugh track
.
The Skatebirds lasted only a half-season in its original run from September 10, 1977 to January 28, 1978. In the fall of 1979, the show was cut down to a half-hour by removing The Robonic Stooges and Woofer And Whimper, Dog Detectives (which had been spun off into a separate half-hour) and broadcast on CBS Sunday mornings on and off until January 1981. In the late 1980s, a different shortened version of The Skatebirds (now featuring The Robonic Stooges and Wonder Wheels) was shown on USA Cartoon Express
and later resurfaced on Cartoon Network
and Boomerang
.
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
Saturday mornings from 1977
1977 in television
The year 1977 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1977.For the American TV schedule, see: 1977-78 American network television schedule.-Events:...
-78
1978 in television
The year 1978 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1978.For the American TV schedule, see: 1978-79 American network television schedule.-Events:...
, produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
. The show featured four short segments hosted by live-action wraparounds featuring "The Skatebirds", three large birds played by actors in costumes.
The Skatebirds, so-called because they roller skated, were named Satchel (a pelican
Pelican
A pelican, derived from the Greek word πελεκυς pelekys is a large water bird with a large throat pouch, belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae....
), Knock-Knock (a woodpecker
Woodpecker
Woodpeckers are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes. They are one subfamily in the family Picidae, which also includes the piculets and wrynecks. They are found worldwide and include about 180 species....
) and Scooter (a penguin
Penguin
Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...
). Their nemesis was Scat-Cat, voiced by Scatman Crothers
Scatman Crothers
Benjamin Sherman "Scatman" Crothers was an American actor, singer, dancer and musician known for his work as Louie the Garbage Man on the TV show Chico and the Man, and as Dick Hallorann in The Shining in 1980...
who had previously played Hanna-Barbera's Hong Kong Phooey
Hong Kong Phooey
Hong Kong Phooey is a 16-episode Hanna-Barbera animated series that first aired on ABC Saturday morning from to . The main character, Hong Kong Phooey, is a superhero who uses Chinese martial arts to fight crime. Hong Kong Phooey is the secret alter ego of Penrod "Penry" Pooch, a "mild-mannered"...
and a character also named Scat Cat from the Disney movie The Aristocats
The Aristocats
The Aristocats is a 1970 American animated feature produced and released by Walt Disney Productions in 1970 and stars Eva Gabor and Phil Harris, with Roddy Maude-Roxby as Edgar the butler, the villain of the story...
. The appearance of the characters and the format of the show was similar to Hanna-Barbera's The Banana Splits
Banana Splits
The Banana Splits were four comedic animal characters who featured in a late 1960s children's variety show made for television. The costumed hosts of the show were Fleegle , Bingo , Drooper and Snork .The Banana Splits Adventure Hour was an hour-long, packaged television program that featured both...
. Unlike most Saturday morning children's shows produced in the 1970s, The Skatebirds did not contain a laugh track
Laugh track
A laugh track is a separate soundtrack invented by Charles "Charley" Douglass, with the artificial sound of audience laughter, made to be inserted into television programming of comedy shows and sitcoms.The term "laugh track" does not apply to the genuine audience laughter on shows that shoot in...
.
The Skatebirds lasted only a half-season in its original run from September 10, 1977 to January 28, 1978. In the fall of 1979, the show was cut down to a half-hour by removing The Robonic Stooges and Woofer And Whimper, Dog Detectives (which had been spun off into a separate half-hour) and broadcast on CBS Sunday mornings on and off until January 1981. In the late 1980s, a different shortened version of The Skatebirds (now featuring The Robonic Stooges and Wonder Wheels) was shown on USA Cartoon Express
USA Cartoon Express
The USA Cartoon Express was a programming block of animated productions which aired on cable television's USA Network from late 1982 to September 15, 1996...
and later resurfaced on Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (United States)
Cartoon Network is an American cable television network owned by Turner Broadcasting which primarily airs animated programming. The channel was launched on October 1, 1992 after Turner purchased the animation studio Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1991...
and Boomerang
Boomerang (TV channel)
Boomerang is a 24-hour American cable television channel owned by Turner Broadcasting System, a division of Time Warner. Boomerang specializes in reruns of animated programming from Time Warner's extensive archives, including pre-1986 MGM, Hanna-Barbera, Cartoon Network, DePatie-Freleng Enterprises...
.
Segments
- Wonder WheelsWonder WheelsWonder Wheels was a five-minute cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions which was originally broadcast as a segment on the CBS Saturday morning package program The Skatebirds .-Summary:...
- A cartoon about a teenage boy and his living shape-shifting motorcycle Wonder Wheels. - Woofer & Wimper, Dog DetectivesClue ClubClue Club is a 30-minute Saturday morning animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions from August 14, 1976 to September 3, 1977 on CBS....
- This segment is actually edited version of Clue ClubClue ClubClue Club is a 30-minute Saturday morning animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions from August 14, 1976 to September 3, 1977 on CBS....
episodes featuring two talking dogs who help solve mysteries with four teenage detectives.
Cast
- Maurice Cook - Scat-Cat
- Bruce Hoyt - Knock-Knock
- Ken Means - Satchel
- Joe Giamalva - Scooter
Voices
- Joe E. Baker - Larry Fine
- Wally BurrWally BurrWally Burr is an American voice actor and director. He was best known as the voice director for the Generation 1 cartoon and The Transformers: The Movie. Aside from voicing some incidental characters, he has also filled in roles for regular voice actors who were unavailable for taping. He is also...
- - Henry CordenHenry CordenHenry Corden was a Canadian-born American actor and voice artist best-known for taking over the role of Fred Flintstone after Alan Reed died in 1977. His official debut as Fred's new voice was on the 1977 syndicated weekday series Fred Flintstone and Friends for which he provided voice-overs on...
- - Scatman CrothersScatman CrothersBenjamin Sherman "Scatman" Crothers was an American actor, singer, dancer and musician known for his work as Louie the Garbage Man on the TV show Chico and the Man, and as Dick Hallorann in The Shining in 1980...
- Scat-Cat - Susan Davis - Dooley
- Micky DolenzMicky DolenzGeorge Michael "Micky" Dolenz, Jr. is an American actor, musician, television director, radio personality and theater director, best known as a member of the 1960s made-for-television band The Monkees.-Biography:...
- Willie Sheerer - Ron FeinbergRon FeinbergRonald A. Feinberg was an American character actor and voice actor who appeared in films and on television. He can be seen playing the character Fellini opposite Don Johnson in the postapocalyptic film A Boy and His Dog. Ron made a number of appearance on Mission: Impossible...
- - Joan GerberJoan GerberJoan Gerber is an American voice actress for a variety of cartoons.- Filmography :* 1959: Matty's Funday Funnies : Additional Voices...
- - Virginia GreggVirginia GreggVirginia Gregg Burket was an American actress best known for her many roles in radio dramas.Born in Harrisburg, Illinois, Virginia Gregg was the daughter of musician Dewey Alphaleta and businessman Edward William Gregg.-Radio:Gregg was a prolific radio actor, heard on such programs as The...
- - Bob HastingsBob HastingsRobert "Bob" Hastings is an American film, radio, and television character actor. He has also provided voices for animated cartoons....
- D.D. - Bob Holt - Satchel
- Jane James -
- Ralph JamesRalph JamesRalph Torrez James was an American voice and character actor. Although he did a few voices for the Looney Tunes, James might be remembered best for performing the voice of Mr. Turtle in the classic commercials for Tootsie Pops which ran throughout the 1970s...
- - David Jolliffe - Larry
- Casey KasemCasey KasemKemal Amin "Casey" Kasem is an American radio personality and voice actor who is best known for being the host of the nationally syndicated Top 40 countdown show American Top 40, and for voicing Shaggy in the popular Saturday morning cartoon franchise Scooby-Doo.Kasem, along with Don Bustany and...
- - Jim MacGeorgeJim MacGeorgeJim MacGeorge is an actor and voice actor.He is probably best known for his voice roles as Beany Boy, Crowy and Uncle Captain Horatio K. Huffenpuff in Beany and Cecil, Oliver Hardy in the Laurel and Hardy cartoon series, Crazy Claws in The Kwicky Koala Show, Bort in The Mighty Orbots, Wimper in...
- Wimper - Ross MartinRoss MartinRoss Martin was a Polish-born American Emmy-nominated actor known for playing Artemus Gordon in the western TV series The Wild Wild West, starring Robert Conrad, and Andamo on Mr...
- Agent 000 - Julie McWhirterJulie McWhirterJulie McWhirter is an Indiana-born voice actress and impressionist best known for her work as Kanga in "Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore". Her voice acting also includes numerous Hanna-Barbera cartoons, such as Jeannie, Jabberjaw, Casper and the Angels, Drak Pack and The Smurfs...
- - Allan MelvinAllan MelvinAllan Melvin was an American character actor who appeared in several television shows, including the roles of Corporal Henshaw on The Phil Silvers Show; Alice's boyfriend Sam the Butcher on The Brady Bunch; and Archie Bunker's friend Barney Hefner on All in the Family and Archie Bunker's...
- - Don MessickDon MessickDonald Earl "Don" Messick was an American voice actor best known for his work for Hanna-Barbera. Perhaps his most well-known voice creations include Scooby-Doo, Papa Smurf, and Dr. Benton Quest....
- Scooter - Marvin MillerMarvin Miller (actor)Marvin Elliott Miller was an American film and voice-over actor. Possessing a deep, baritone voice, he began his career in radio in St. Louis, Missouri before becoming a Hollywood actor...
- - Alan OppenheimerAlan OppenheimerAlan Oppenheimer is an American character actor and voice actor. He has performed numerous roles on live-action television since the 1960s, and has had an active career doing voice work in cartoons since the 1970s.-Early life:...
- - Vic PerrinVic PerrinVic Perrin was an American actor and voice artist. He is best remembered as the "Control Voice" in the original version of the TV series The Outer Limits ....
- - Robert RidgelyRobert RidgelyRobert Ridgely was an American actor and vocal artist, known for both on-camera roles and extensive voice-over work.-Career:...
- - Ken SansomKen SansomKenneth Sansom is an American actor and voice actor who first began acting in the early seventies. His first role was in an episode of Mayberry R.F.D., a continuation of the The Andy Griffith Show. He is best known for his role as Rabbit in The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. He also voiced...
- - Ronnie SchellRonnie SchellRonald Ralph "Ronnie" Schell is an American actor, stand-up comedian and cartoon voice actor . Early in his career he appeared as himself as a contestant on You Bet Your Life opposite Groucho Marx, demonstrating a comic barrage of jive talk.-Life and career:Schell was born in Richmond, California...
- - Hal SmithHal Smith (actor)Harold John "Hal" Smith was an American character actor and voice actor. Smith is best known as Otis Campbell, the town drunk on The Andy Griffith Show, and was the voice of many characters on various animated cartoon shorts...
- - John StephensonJohn Stephenson (actor)John Stephenson is an American actor and voice actor. He has also been credited as John Stevenson...
- Sheriff Bagley - Patricia Stich - Pepper
- Tara Talboy - Dotty
- Janet WaldoJanet WaldoJanet Waldo is an American actress and voice artist with a career encompassing radio, television, animation and live-action films. She is best known in animation for voicing Judy Jetson, Penelope Pitstop and Josie McCoy in Josie and the Pussycats...
- - Lennie WeinribLennie WeinribLennie Weinrib was an American actor, voice actor and writer. He is best known for playing the title role in the children's television show H.R...
- Knock-Knock - Frank WelkerFrank WelkerFranklin Wendell "Frank" Welker is an American actor who specializes in voice acting and has contributed character voices and other vocal effects to American television and motion pictures.-Acting career:...
- Curly Howard, Narrator, P.O.P.S. - Paul WinchellPaul WinchellPaul Winchell was an American ventriloquist, voice actor and comedian, whose career flourished in the 1950s and 1960s...
- Moe Howard, Woofer
Crew
- Wally BurrWally BurrWally Burr is an American voice actor and director. He was best known as the voice director for the Generation 1 cartoon and The Transformers: The Movie. Aside from voicing some incidental characters, he has also filled in roles for regular voice actors who were unavailable for taping. He is also...
- Recording Director - Norman MaurerNorman MaurerNorman Albert Maurer , a comic book artist and writer, was also a director and producer of films and television shows.-Comic books:...
- Creator ("Robonic Stooges" segments)