USA Cartoon Express
Encyclopedia
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. The Express was the first structured animation block on cable television
, predating Nickelodeon
's animation blocks by half a decade and Cartoon Network
by more than a decade.
library. Well-known properties like Scooby-Doo
, Huckleberry Hound
, Yogi Bear
, Space Ghost
, The Smurfs
, and Jonny Quest
, sharing space with lesser-known properties like Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch
, Inch High, Private Eye
, Dynomutt, Dog Wonder
, and countless others, as well as numerous spinoffs of The Flintstones
such as The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show
. By the end of the 1980s, a more diverse lineup of cartoons aired on the Cartoon Express, including G.I. Joe
, Transformers
, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
, The Real Ghostbusters
, Jem
, Robotech
, and Alvin and the Chipmunks
. The announcer was Keith Olbermann
, who was also doing sports on New York
radio station WBBR
around the same time.
In October 1991, Turner Broadcasting purchased Hanna-Barbera
, and launched Cartoon Network
one year later, thus taking a chunk of Cartoon Express programming with it. The only Hanna-Barbera
shows on the Cartoon Express were The Smurfs
, which didn't leave the Express until 1993 and Scooby-Doo
, which didn't leave the Express until 1994.
and Problem Child
(based on the film franchise); both failed to catch on with viewers. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
became the new marquee series on the block.
shorts like Deputy Dawg
and Mighty Mouse
, and DC Comics
related cartoons such as Superfriends. In 1996, USA Network
premiered USA Action Extreme Team
with the launch of shows based on the Street Fighter II
, and Mortal Kombat
video game franchises and Savage Dragon
comic book franchise. Those three shows, along with Wing Commander Academy were involved in a crossover that centered around an original character called "The Warrior King." After the original series and TMNT
left the air, the block was turned into a morning-only all-action block, with programs like Mighty Max
, Sailor Moon
(which later became one of the mainstays of Cartoon Network
's Toonami
block), Street Sharks
, and Gargoyles
as the primary shows.
and SciFi Channel
's The Animation Station
, ending franchises that had been a staple of the network for 14 years.
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
from late 1982 to September 15, 1996. The Express was the first structured animation block on cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
, predating Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
's animation blocks by half a decade and Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
by more than a decade.
History
In September 1982, USA Cartoon Express was announced by USA as one of six new shows on its fall schedule. The Express originally aired during the early evening hours, replacing a prior block called Calliope.Hanna-Barbera
The initial lineup consisted mostly of series from the Hanna-BarberaHanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
library. Well-known properties like Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...
, Huckleberry Hound
Huckleberry Hound
The Huckleberry Hound Show is a 1958 syndicated animated series and the second from Hanna-Barbera following The Ruff & Reddy Show, sponsored by Kellogg's. Three segments were included in the program: one featuring Huckleberry Hound; another starring Yogi Bear and his sidekick Boo Boo; and a third...
, Yogi Bear
Yogi Bear
Yogi Bear is a fictional bear who appears in animated cartoons created by Hanna-Barbera Productions. He made his debut in 1958 as a supporting character in The Huckleberry Hound Show. Yogi Bear was the first breakout character created by Hanna-Barbera, and was eventually more popular than...
, Space Ghost
Space Ghost
Space Ghost is a fictional superhero created by Hanna-Barbera Productions and designed by Alex Toth for CBS in the 1960s. In his original incarnation, he was a superhero who, with his sidekick teen helpers Jan, Jace, and Blip the monkey, fought supervillains in outer space...
, The Smurfs
The Smurfs
The Smurfs is a comic and television franchise centred on a group of small blue fictional creatures called Smurfs, created and first introduced as a series of comic strips by the Belgian cartoonist Peyo on October 23, 1958...
, and Jonny Quest
Jonny Quest (TV series)
Jonny Quest – often casually referred to as The Adventures of Jonny Quest – is an American science fiction/adventure animated television series about a boy who accompanies his father on extraordinary adventures...
, sharing space with lesser-known properties like Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch
Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch
Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch is a 30-minute cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera which aired for one season on NBC from September 7, 1974 to August 30, 1975...
, Inch High, Private Eye
Inch High, Private Eye
Inch High, Private Eye was a 1973 Saturday morning cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The show originally ran from September 8, 1973 to August 31, 1974 on NBC Saturday morning for 13 episodes...
, Dynomutt, Dog Wonder
Dynomutt, Dog Wonder
Dynomutt, Dog Wonder is an American animated television series produced for Saturday mornings by Hanna-Barbera about a Batman-esque super hero, the Blue Falcon and his assistant, a bumbling yet generally effective robot dog Dynomutt, who could produce a seemingly infinite number of mechanical...
, and countless others, as well as numerous spinoffs of The Flintstones
The Flintstones
The Flintstones is an animated, prime-time American television sitcom that screened from September 30, 1960 to April 1, 1966, on ABC. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, The Flintstones was about a working class Stone Age man's life with his family and his next-door neighbor and best friend. It...
such as The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show
The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show
The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show is a 30-minute Saturday morning animated series spin-off of The Flintstones produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, which ran for 16 half-hour episodes from September 11, 1971, to September 2, 1972, and four 8-minute episodes from September 9, 1972, to September 1,...
. By the end of the 1980s, a more diverse lineup of cartoons aired on the Cartoon Express, including G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe is a line of action figures produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier , Action Sailor , Action Pilot , Action Marine and later on, the Action Nurse...
, Transformers
Transformers
A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another by magnetic coupling.Transformer may also refer to:* ASUS Eee Pad Transformer, an Android 3.2 Honeycomb tablet computer manufacturer by Asus...
, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is an American animated television series produced by Filmation based on Mattel's successful toy line Masters of the Universe...
, The Real Ghostbusters
The Real Ghostbusters
The Real Ghostbusters is an American animated television series based on the 1984 film Ghostbusters. The series ran from 1986 to 1991, and was produced by Columbia Pictures Television, DiC Enterprises, and Coca-Cola Telecommunications. "The Real" was added to the title after a dispute with...
, Jem
Jem (TV series)
Jem, also known as Jem and the Holograms, is an American animated television series that ran from 1985 to 1988 in U.S. first-run syndication...
, Robotech
Robotech
Robotech is an 85-episode science fiction anime adaptation produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. and first released in the United States in 1985...
, and Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
. The announcer was Keith Olbermann
Keith Olbermann
Keith Theodore Olbermann is an American political commentator and writer. He has been the chief news officer of the Current TV network and the host of Current TV's weeknight political commentary program, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, since June 20, 2011...
, who was also doing sports on New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
radio station WBBR
WBBR
WBBR is a radio station broadcasting at 1130 AM in New York City. It airs Bloomberg Radio, a service of Bloomberg L.P. WBBR's format is general and financial news, offering local, national and international news reports along with financial market updates and interviews with corporate executives,...
around the same time.
In October 1991, Turner Broadcasting purchased Hanna-Barbera
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...
, and launched Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
one year later, thus taking a chunk of Cartoon Express programming with it. The only Hanna-Barbera
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...
shows on the Cartoon Express were The Smurfs
The Smurfs
The Smurfs is a comic and television franchise centred on a group of small blue fictional creatures called Smurfs, created and first introduced as a series of comic strips by the Belgian cartoonist Peyo on October 23, 1958...
, which didn't leave the Express until 1993 and Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...
, which didn't leave the Express until 1994.
Changes for 1993
In the fall of 1993, Cartoon Express introduced two original series, Itsy Bitsy SpiderItsy Bitsy Spider (TV Series)
The Itsy Bitsy Spider was an animated series based on the short film of the same name. It was broadcast on the USA Network's USA Cartoon Express. The title character's voice was done by Frank Welker.-External links:* at TV.com**...
and Problem Child
Problem Child (TV series)
Problem Child is an animated series produced by Universal Cartoon Studios and based on the Problem Child films. The TV series aired from 1993 to 1994. USA Network aired the series as part of their USA Cartoon Express programming block. The first 13 episodes can currently be seen on Hulu. The show...
(based on the film franchise); both failed to catch on with viewers. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated television series produced by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson. The pilot was shown during the week of December 28, 1987 in syndication as a five part miniseries and began its official run on October 1, 1988...
became the new marquee series on the block.
Terrytoons and the USA Action Extreme Team
USA later briefly acquired the broadcast rights to TerrytoonsTerrytoons
Terrytoons was an animation studio founded by Paul Terry. The studio, located in suburban New Rochelle, New York, operated from 1929 to 1968. Its most popular characters included Mighty Mouse, Gandy Goose, Sourpuss, Dinky Duck, Deputy Dawg, Luno and Heckle and Jeckle; these cartoons and all of its...
shorts like Deputy Dawg
Deputy Dawg
Deputy Dawg is a Terrytoons cartoon character featured on the animated television series of the same name in an original TV weekly run from 8 September 1962 to 25 May 1963, with no episodes on 8 December to 29 December 1962, resuming on 5 January 1963. The cartoons are between four and six minutes...
and Mighty Mouse
Mighty Mouse
Mighty Mouse is an animated superhero mouse character created by the Terrytoons studio for 20th Century Fox.-History:The character was created by story man Izzy Klein as a super-powered housefly named Superfly. Studio head Paul Terry changed the character into a cartoon mouse instead...
, and DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
related cartoons such as Superfriends. In 1996, USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
premiered USA Action Extreme Team
USA Action Extreme Team
USA Action Extreme Team was a children's television programming block on USA Network from 1996 to 1998. It was expanded to weekly, and ended in September 1998, when the network permanently removed children's programming.-Shows:...
with the launch of shows based on the Street Fighter II
Street Fighter II
is a competitive fighting game originally released for the arcades in . It is the arcade sequel to the original Street Fighter released in and was Capcom's fourteenth title that ran on the CP System arcade hardware...
, and Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat (series)
Mortal Kombat, commonly abbreviated MK, is a science fantasy series of fighting games created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. The first four renditions and their updates were developed by Midway Games and initially released on arcade machines. The arcade titles were later picked up by Acclaim...
video game franchises and Savage Dragon
Savage Dragon
Savage Dragon is an ongoing American comic book series created by Erik Larsen, published by Image Comics and taking place in the Image Universe. The comic features the adventures of a superheroic police officer named the Dragon...
comic book franchise. Those three shows, along with Wing Commander Academy were involved in a crossover that centered around an original character called "The Warrior King." After the original series and TMNT
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated television series produced by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson. The pilot was shown during the week of December 28, 1987 in syndication as a five part miniseries and began its official run on October 1, 1988...
left the air, the block was turned into a morning-only all-action block, with programs like Mighty Max
Mighty Max (TV series)
Mighty Max is an American animated action/sci-fi/horror television series that aired from 1993 to 1994 to promote the British Mighty Max toys, an offshoot of the Polly Pocket line, created by Bluebird Toys in 1992. It ran for two seasons, with a total of 40 episodes airing during the show's run...
, Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon, known as , is a media franchise created by manga artist Naoko Takeuchi. Fred Patten credits Takeuchi with popularizing the concept of a team of magical girls, and Paul Gravett credits the series with "revitalizing" the magical-girl genre itself...
(which later became one of the mainstays of Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
's Toonami
Toonami
Toonami was a registered trademark of Cartoon Network, used initially for action-oriented programming blocks on Cartoon Network television channels worldwide, mostly showing American cartoons and Japanese anime, originating in the United States on March 17, 1997 and ended on September 20, 2008.The...
block), Street Sharks
Street Sharks
Street Sharks is an American animated television series about crime-fighting half-man/half-sharks. It was produced by DIC Entertainment and aired from 1994 to 1995, originally as a part of the Amazin' Adventures lineup. Later, in 1996, the Street Sharks teamed up with the Dino Vengers and the...
, and Gargoyles
Gargoyles (TV series)
Gargoyles is an American animated series created by Greg Weisman. It was produced by Greg Weisman and Frank Paur and aired from October 24, 1994 to February 15, 1997. Gargoyles is known for its dark tone, complex story arcs and melodrama...
as the primary shows.
The end of the line
On September 15, 1996, Cartoon Express left the station one final time as USA Networks cut its animation blocks on most of its outlets, including the Cartoon QuestCartoon Quest
Cartoon Quest was the name of a block of animated television shows that aired on the Sci Fi Channel starting in 1992. Similar to USA's Cartoon Express, it featured newly picked-up shows and dropped off alternatively with each season...
and SciFi Channel
Syfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
's The Animation Station
The Animation Station
The Animation Station was a block of animation or puppetry-related television shows on the Sci Fi Channel . Some of the shows shown were Star Wars: Droids, Star Wars: Ewoks, Transformers, Bionic Six, and The New Adventures of Gigantor.Broadcast in 1995 after being renamed from Cartoon Quest, the...
, ending franchises that had been a staple of the network for 14 years.
Hanna-Barbera
- The BiskittsThe BiskittsThe Biskitts is an animated cartoon TV series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions from 1983 to 1984 and aired on CBS. The series lasted for only one season, Shirt Tales replaced the show in its time slot on the following 1984-85 Saturday Morning season...
- Buford and the Galloping GhostBuford and the Galloping GhostBuford and the Galloping Ghost was a 30-minute Saturday morning animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions which aired on NBC from February 3, 1979 to September 1, 1979 on NBC...
- Butch Cassidy and the Sundance KidsButch Cassidy and the Sundance KidsButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kids was a Saturday morning cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1973 for NBC...
- Captain Caveman and the Teen AngelsCaptain Caveman and the Teen AngelsCaptain Caveman and the Teen Angels is an animated series created by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears and produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions from September 10, 1977 to June 21, 1980 on ABC....
- Challenge of the GoBotsChallenge of the GoBotsChallenge of the GoBots is an American animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera, based on the Gobots toy-line released from Tonka. Most of the toys were imported from the Japanese Machine Robo toy line. The show originally debuted in animated form as a five-part miniseries, which aired in...
- 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....
- DevlinDevlin (TV series)Devlin is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera for ABC in 1974.-History:The series was inspired by the huge popularity of Evel Knievel and featured a stunt motorcyclist with a travelling circus, Ernie Devlin, and his siblings Tod and Sandy...
- Dynomutt, Dog WonderDynomutt, Dog WonderDynomutt, Dog Wonder is an American animated television series produced for Saturday mornings by Hanna-Barbera about a Batman-esque super hero, the Blue Falcon and his assistant, a bumbling yet generally effective robot dog Dynomutt, who could produce a seemingly infinite number of mechanical...
- The FlintstonesThe FlintstonesThe Flintstones is an animated, prime-time American television sitcom that screened from September 30, 1960 to April 1, 1966, on ABC. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, The Flintstones was about a working class Stone Age man's life with his family and his next-door neighbor and best friend. It...
- The Flintstone Comedy HourThe Flintstone Comedy HourThe Flintstone Comedy Hour is a one-hour Saturday morning cartoon anthology series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The program originally aired on CBS as an hour-long show from September 9, 1972 to September 1, 1973 on CBS...
- Galaxy Goof-UpsGalaxy Goof-UpsGalaxy Goof-Ups was a half-hour Saturday morning animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions which aired on NBC from September 9, 1978 to September 1, 1979...
- Goober and the Ghost ChasersGoober and the Ghost ChasersGoober and the Ghost Chasers was a Saturday morning cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera which aired on ABC from September 8, 1973 to August 30, 1975. A total of 16 half-hour episodes of Goober and the Ghost Chasers were produced. The show's episodes were later serialized as part of the syndicated...
- The Great Grape Ape ShowThe Great Grape Ape ShowThe Great Grape Ape Show is a Saturday morning cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that was broadcast on ABC from 1975 to 1978.-Summary:...
- Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch!
- The HerculoidsThe HerculoidsThe Herculoids is a Saturday morning animated television series that was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The show debuted on September 9, 1967 on CBS...
- Hong Kong PhooeyHong Kong PhooeyHong 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"...
- Huckleberry Hound and FriendsHuckleberry HoundThe Huckleberry Hound Show is a 1958 syndicated animated series and the second from Hanna-Barbera following The Ruff & Reddy Show, sponsored by Kellogg's. Three segments were included in the program: one featuring Huckleberry Hound; another starring Yogi Bear and his sidekick Boo Boo; and a third...
- Inch High, Private EyeInch High, Private EyeInch High, Private Eye was a 1973 Saturday morning cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The show originally ran from September 8, 1973 to August 31, 1974 on NBC Saturday morning for 13 episodes...
- JabberjawJabberjawJabberjaw is a 30-minute Saturday morning animated series created by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears and produced by Hanna-Barbera and aired from September 11, 1976 to September 3, 1978 on ABC.-Premise:...
- Jana of the Jungle
- Laff-A-LympicsLaff-A-LympicsLaff-A-Lympics was the co-headlining segment, with Scooby-Doo, of the package Saturday morning cartoon series Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics, produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The show was a spoof of the Olympics and the ABC television series Battle of the Network Stars, which debuted one...
- Magilla GorillaMagilla GorillaThe Magilla Gorilla Show is an animated series for television produced by Hanna-Barbera for Screen Gems between 1963 and 1967, and originally sponsored in syndication by Ideal Toys from 1963 through 1966. The show also had other recurring characters, including Punkin' Puss & Mushmouse, and Ricochet...
/Quick Draw McGrawQuick Draw McGrawThe Quick Draw McGraw Show is the third cartoon television production created by Hanna-Barbera starring an anthropomorphic cartoon horse named Quick Draw McGraw following their success with The Ruff & Reddy Show and The Huckleberry Hound Show. The show debuted in syndication in the fall of 1959,...
/Wally GatorWally GatorWally Gator is one of the segments from The Hanna-Barbera New Cartoon Series. The other segments that compose this trilogy are Lippy the Lion & Hardy Har Har and Touché Turtle and Dum Dum. The segment consisted of 52 episodes over two seasons....
/Loopy De LoopLoopy De LoopLoopy De Loop was the only theatrical cartoon short series produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera after leaving MGM and opening their new Hanna-Barbera Studios... - Monchichis
- The New Fred and Barney ShowThe New Fred and Barney ShowThe New Fred and Barney Show was a 30-minute Saturday morning cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera as a 1979 series revival of The Flintstones from February 3 to October 20, 1979 on NBC...
- Pac-ManPac-Man (TV series)Pac-Man is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera based on the video game Pac-Man by Namco, which premiered on ABC and ran from 1982 to 1983. During the first airing of the show, the large number of advertisers sponsoring it caused commercial breaks to be double their normal length...
- Paw PawsPaw PawsPaw Paws, sometimes known as Paw Paw Bears, debuted as one of the original segments of The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera. A group of small bears that lived in a tribal society, the cubs spent every day defending themselves from their enemies, The Meanos, led by the evil sorcerer, Dark Paw...
- The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm ShowThe Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm ShowThe Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show is a 30-minute Saturday morning animated series spin-off of The Flintstones produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, which ran for 16 half-hour episodes from September 11, 1971, to September 2, 1972, and four 8-minute episodes from September 9, 1972, to September 1,...
- The Robonic StoogesThe Robonic StoogesThe Robonic Stooges was a 30-minute Saturday morning animated series featuring the characters of The Three Stooges in new roles as clumsy crime-fighting bionic superheroes...
- The Roman HolidaysThe Roman HolidaysThe Roman Holidays is a Hanna-Barbera animated television series that was broadcast in 1972 on NBC. It ran for 13 episodes before being cancelled...
- Scooby-DooScooby-DooScooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...
and its various spin-offs - Shirt TalesShirt TalesShirt Tales are characters that were created in 1980 by greeting card designer Janet Elizabeth Manco and were featured on Hallmark Cards greeting cards...
- The SkatebirdsThe SkatebirdsThe 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...
- The Smurfs
- Snorks
- Space Kidettes
- Space Ghost and Dino BoySpace GhostSpace Ghost is a fictional superhero created by Hanna-Barbera Productions and designed by Alex Toth for CBS in the 1960s. In his original incarnation, he was a superhero who, with his sidekick teen helpers Jan, Jace, and Blip the monkey, fought supervillains in outer space...
(minus the Dino Boy segments) - Space StarsSpace StarsSpace Stars is a 1981 NBC Saturday morning cartoon created by Hanna-Barbera which ran from 1981-1982.-Format:Space Stars ran four cartoon segments each week: Space Ghost, The Herculoids, Teen Force, and Astro and the Space Mutts. The cartoons would occasionally cross-over into one another...
(minus the Astro and the Space Mutts segments) - Speed BuggySpeed BuggySpeed Buggy is a Saturday morning cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and broadcast on CBS from September 8, 1973 to August 30, 1975.-Production:...
- Valley of the DinosaursValley of the DinosaursValley of the Dinosaurs is an animated television series from Hanna-Barbera that ran for 16 half-hour installments on CBS Saturday Morning from September 7, 1974 to September 4, 1976...
- Wheelie and the Chopper BunchWheelie and the Chopper BunchWheelie and the Chopper Bunch is a 30-minute cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera which aired for one season on NBC from September 7, 1974 to August 30, 1975...
- Where's Huddles?Where's Huddles?Where's Huddles? is a Hanna-Barbera animated television program which premiered on CBS on July 1, 1970 and ran for ten episodes as a summer replacement show until September 2...
- Wildfire
- Yogi's GangYogi's GangYogi's Gang is a 30-minute animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera which aired 16 half-hour episodes on ABC from , to . The show began as Yogi's Ark Lark, a special TV movie on The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie in 1972...
- Yogi's Space RaceYogi's Space RaceYogi's Space Race was a 90-minute Saturday morning cartoon program block produced by Hanna-Barbera from September 9 to December 2, 1978 for NBC. The show also appeared on BBC in the United Kingdom...
- Yogi's Treasure HuntYogi's Treasure HuntYogi's Treasure Hunt is a segment that kicked-off in 1985 as the first of the programming block, The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera. It also ran as a regular series in syndication from 1985 to 1988.-Plot:...
- Young Samson & GoliathSamson & GoliathSamson & Goliath is a 30-minute animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions for NBC in 1967, and primarily sponsored by General Mills...
Other series
- Adventures of Sonic the HedgehogAdventures of Sonic the HedgehogThe Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog is an American animated series that was first broadcast in September 1993, and only for one season...
(1995-1996) - The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 is an American animated television series based on the video game Super Mario Bros. 3. It aired on NBC with Captain N: The Game Master in a programming block titled Captain N & The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 from September 8, 1990 through December 1,...
(1994-1995) - Battle of the PlanetsBattle of the PlanetsBattle of the Planets is an American animated television adaptation of the Japanese anime series Science Ninja Team Gatchaman . Of the 105 original Gatchaman episodes, 85 were used in the Battle of the Planets adaptation, produced by Sandy Frank Entertainment...
- Bigfoot and the Muscle MachinesBigfoot and the Muscle MachinesBigfoot and the Muscle Machines is a special animated TV mini-series that was aired on the animated half-hour TV series Super Sunday and Super Saturday containing 9 segments that ran for 6 minutes each and every weekend, along with Jem, Robotix, and Inhumanoids...
- Cadillacs and DinosaursCadillacs and Dinosaurs (TV series)Cadillacs and Dinosaurs is an American Saturday morning animated television series which aired on CBS Kids in the United States from 1993 to 1994. Based on the comic book of the same name by Mark Schultz, the show was created by screenwriter Steven E...
(1996) - Captain N: The Game MasterCaptain N: The Game MasterCaptain N: The Game Master was an American animated television series that aired on television from 1989 to 1991 as part of the Saturday morning cartoon lineup on NBC. The show incorporated elements from many of the most popular Nintendo games of the time...
(1993-1995) - The Chipmunks Go to the Movies
- C.O.P.S.
- Defenders Of The EarthDefenders of the EarthDefenders of the Earth is an animated television series produced in 1986, narrated by Corey Burton and featuring characters from three comic strips distributed by King Features Syndicate—Flash Gordon, the Phantom, and Mandrake the Magician—battling the Flash Gordon villain Ming the Merciless in the...
- Dennis the MenaceDennis the Menace (1986 TV series)Dennis the Menace is an American animated series produced by DIC Entertainment , based on the comic strip by Hank Ketcham....
(1996) - Denver the Last DinosaurDenver, the Last DinosaurDenver, the Last Dinosaur is a U.S.-French cartoon for children originally released in 1988 by World Events Productions . It was nationally syndicated throughout the United States in 1988 with reruns airing until 1990...
- DinosaucersDinosaucersDinosaucers Dinosaucers Dinosaucers (known in Japan as: is an animated television series co-produced in the United States, Canada and Japan. It was created by DIC Entertainment and Madhouse which has done the overseas animation and in association with Ellipse Programmé and Nelvana. This animated...
- Dragon's LairDragon's Lair (TV series)Dragon's Lair is a short-lived television cartoon series by Ruby-Spears Productions based on the 1983 video game of the same name. Thirteen half-hour episodes were produced from 1984-1985, airing on ABC...
(1988-1992) - Fat Albert and the Cosby KidsFat Albert and the Cosby KidsFat Albert and the Cosby Kids is an animated series created, produced, and hosted by comedian Bill Cosby, who also lent his voice to a number of characters, including Fat Albert himself. Filmation was the production company for the series. The show premiered in 1972 and ran until 1985...
(1989-1991) - G.I. JoeG.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1989 TV series)G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a half-hour American animated television series based on the successful toyline from Hasbro and the comic book series from Marvel Comics. The series was produced by DIC Entertainment and ran from 1989 to 1991....
- He-Man and the Masters of the UniverseHe-Man and the Masters of the UniverseHe-Man and the Masters of the Universe is an American animated television series produced by Filmation based on Mattel's successful toy line Masters of the Universe...
(1988-1990) - Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling
- Jayce and the Wheeled WarriorsJayce and the Wheeled WarriorsJayce and the Wheeled Warriors is a French/North American animated TV show which first aired on September 16, 1985. It was produced by DIC Entertainment , and animated by Japanese animation studios Sunrise, Shaft, Studio Giants, Studio Look and Swan Production...
- JemJem (TV series)Jem, also known as Jem and the Holograms, is an American animated television series that ran from 1985 to 1988 in U.S. first-run syndication...
- Kidd VideoKidd VideoKidd Video was a Saturday morning cartoon created by DiC Entertainment in association with Saban Entertainment. Its original run was on NBC from 1984 to 1985, but continued in reruns on the network until 1987, when CBS picked the show up...
- M.A.S.K.M.A.S.K.M.A.S.K. is an animated television series directed by several uncredited Japanese studios, KK C&D Asia, Studio Juno, Studio World, Ashi Production , and produced by the French-American DIC Enterprises, Inc and also the toyline of the same name sold by Kenner.-History:A total of 75...
(1987-1989) - Mister TMister T (TV series)Mister T was an animated series that aired on NBC from 1983 to 1986. A total of 30 episodes were produced during the first two seasons, with the final season consisting entirely of reruns...
- The Real GhostbustersThe Real GhostbustersThe Real Ghostbusters is an American animated television series based on the 1984 film Ghostbusters. The series ran from 1986 to 1991, and was produced by Columbia Pictures Television, DiC Enterprises, and Coca-Cola Telecommunications. "The Real" was added to the title after a dispute with...
(1991-1994) - She-Ra: Princess of PowerShe-Ra: Princess of PowerShe-Ra: Princess of Power is an American animated television series produced in 1985 by Filmation. It is a spinoff of Filmation's highly successful He-Man and the Masters of the Universe series, aimed primarily at a young girls' audience to counter-balance the latter show's popularity with boys...
(1998-1989) - Slimer! And the Real Ghostbusters
- Sonic the HedgehogSonic the Hedgehog (TV series)Sonic the Hedgehog: The Animated Series is an American animated series produced by DIC Entertainment with the partnership of Sega of America and was based on the Sonic the...
(1995-1996) - Sport BillySport BillySport Billy is a 1979 animated television cartoon made by Filmation Associates, initially for broadcast in Germany. In 1982, Filmation carried the show over to the United States for syndication, and as a summer replacement in NBC's Saturday morning children's programming...
- The Superman Batman Adventures (featuring various FilmationFilmationFilmation Associates was an American production company that produced animation and live action programming for television during the latter half of the 20th century. Located in Reseda, California, the animation studio was founded in 1963...
-produced shorts, plus various SuperFriends shorts) - Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series)Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated television series produced by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson. The pilot was shown during the week of December 28, 1987 in syndication as a five part miniseries and began its official run on October 1, 1988...
(1993-1996) - Terrytoons Show
- Turbo TeenTurbo TeenTurbo Teen was an animated series about a teenager with the ability to literally transform into a sports car. It aired Saturday mornings on the ABC Network for twelve episodes between 1984 and 1985...
- Toxic CrusadersToxic CrusadersToxic Crusaders is an animated series based on The Toxic Avenger films. It features Toxie, the lead character of the films leading a trio of misfit superheroes who combat pollution. This followed a trend of environmentally considerate cartoons of the time, including Captain Planet and the...
- VoltronVoltronVoltron is the titular super robot of an anime series that features a team of young pilots, known as the Voltron Force. The team’s individual vehicles join together to form the giant super robot, with which they defend the galaxy from evil...
- WildC.A.T.sWildC.A.T.s (TV series)WildC.A.T.s is a half-hour animated television series based on the comics series of the same name. WildC.A.T.s is about the universal war between two prehistoric alien races. One of the races is the heroic Kherubim while the other is the evil Daemonites.-Production and series run:The WildC.A.T.s...
- The Woody Woodpecker ShowThe Woody Woodpecker ShowThe Woody Woodpecker Show is a long-running 30-minute American television series mainly composed of animated cartoon escapades of the world-famous woodpecker and other Walter Lantz characters including Andy Panda, Chilly Willy, and Inspector Willoughby released by Walter Lantz Productions...
(1987-1995)
USA Cartoon Express original series
- The Itsy Bitsy SpiderItsy Bitsy Spider (TV Series)The Itsy Bitsy Spider was an animated series based on the short film of the same name. It was broadcast on the USA Network's USA Cartoon Express. The title character's voice was done by Frank Welker.-External links:* at TV.com**...
- Problem ChildProblem Child (TV series)Problem Child is an animated series produced by Universal Cartoon Studios and based on the Problem Child films. The TV series aired from 1993 to 1994. USA Network aired the series as part of their USA Cartoon Express programming block. The first 13 episodes can currently be seen on Hulu. The show...
USA Action Extreme Team
- Adventures of Sonic the HedgehogAdventures of Sonic the HedgehogThe Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog is an American animated series that was first broadcast in September 1993, and only for one season...
- BattletoadsBattletoadsBattletoads is a platformer video game created by Tim and Chris Stamper and developed by Rare. Starring three anthropomorphic toads named after skin conditions , the game was created to rival the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games....
- Dogtanian and the Three MuskehoundsDogtanian and the Three MuskehoundsDogtanian and the Three Muskehounds is an animated cartoon adaptation of the classic Alexandre Dumas story of d'Artagnan and The Three Musketeers. Most of the characters are anthropomorphizations of dogs, hence the title of the cartoon...
- Double DragonDouble Dragonis a classic beat 'em up video game series initially developed by Technos Japan Corporation, who also developed the Kunio-kun series ....
- ExosquadExosquadExosquad is an American animated television series created by Universal Cartoon Studios as a response to Japanese anime. The show is set in the beginning of the 22nd century and covers the interplanetary war between humanity and Neosapiens, a fictional race artificially created as workers/slaves...
- Gargoyles
- G.I. JoeG.I. JoeG.I. Joe is a line of action figures produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier , Action Sailor , Action Pilot , Action Marine and later on, the Action Nurse...
- Highlander: The Animated SeriesHighlander: The Animated SeriesHighlander: The Animated Series is a Canadian-French animated television series which premiered on September 18, 1994. It is a loose spinoff of the cult classic 1986 film of the same name. The series was produced by Gaumont Multimedia with the worldwide distribution rights owned by Bohbot...
- Mighty MaxMighty MaxMighty Max may refer to:* Mighty Max , a series of toys from Bluebird Toys** Mighty Max , a television series based on the toys* Max Weinberg, an American drummer and television personality...
- Monster In My PocketMonster in My PocketMonster in my Pocket is a media franchise developed by Morrison Entertainment Group, headed by Joe Morrison and John Weems ....
- Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the RealmMortal Kombat: Defenders of the RealmMortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, also known as Mortal Kombat: The Animated Series, is a cartoon series based on the popular Mortal Kombat video game series...
- Sailor MoonSailor MoonSailor Moon, known as , is a media franchise created by manga artist Naoko Takeuchi. Fred Patten credits Takeuchi with popularizing the concept of a team of magical girls, and Paul Gravett credits the series with "revitalizing" the magical-girl genre itself...
- Savage DragonSavage DragonSavage Dragon is an ongoing American comic book series created by Erik Larsen, published by Image Comics and taking place in the Image Universe. The comic features the adventures of a superheroic police officer named the Dragon...
- Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM)
- Super Mario WorldSuper Mario World, subtitled Super Mario Bros. 4 for its original Japanese release, is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo as a pack-in launch title for the Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System , and is the fourth game in the Super Mario series...
- Superfriends
- Street FighterStreet Fighter, commonly abbreviated as SF, is a series of Fighting Games developed in Japan in which the players pit the video games' competitive fighters from around the world, each with his or her own unique fighting style, against one another...
- Street SharksStreet SharksStreet Sharks is an American animated television series about crime-fighting half-man/half-sharks. It was produced by DIC Entertainment and aired from 1994 to 1995, originally as a part of the Amazin' Adventures lineup. Later, in 1996, the Street Sharks teamed up with the Dino Vengers and the...
- The Superman/Batman AdventuresThe Superman/Batman AdventuresThe Superman/Batman Adventures was a television series that aired on USA Network in 1995. It was later aired on Cartoon Network and Boomerang. The series featured edited episodes of various seasons of the Super Friends, as well The New Adventures of Superman, The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure,...
- UltraforceUltraforceThe Ultraforce is a fictional superhero group that appears in comic books published by Malibu, and later Marvel, as well as an animated series produced by DIC. Their purpose was to protect the public and keep other Ultras from getting out of line...
- WildC.A.T.s
- Wing Commander AcademyWing Commander AcademyWing Commander Academy is an American animated television series created and produced by Universal Cartoon Studios, along with a team led by Larry Latham. The show was based on the Wing Commander franchise and loosely served as a prequel to Wing Commander. The show's premiere airdate was September...
TV specials
- He-Man and She-Ra Christmas
- Snow White ChristmasSnow White ChristmasA Snow White Christmas, released in 1980 is a Christmas cartoon-movie that is 50 minutes long and dedicated to the young children.-Plot summary:The movie is a sequel to the original Snow White story with some elements of the original story...
- Real Ghostbusters Christmas
- Family Circus Easter
- Family Circus Christmas
- Chucklewoods Easter
- Chucklewood Halloween
- Chucklewood Christmas
- Chucklewood Thanksgiving
- Scooby-Doo: Halloween Hassle
- Scooby-Doo: Headless Horseman of Halloween
- Nutcracker Scoob
- Santa and the Three BearsSanta And The Three BearsSanta and the Three Bears is a 1970 animated featurette, which aired on television regularly during the holiday season. It was later released on video in 1992 by Kids Klassics and distributed by GoodTimes Home Video in the VHS format....
- Fat Albert Easter
- Fat Albert Halloween
- Fat Albert Christmas
- Smurfs Christmas Special
- Smurfs Halloween
- Pac-Man Halloween
- Christmas Comes to Pac-LandChristmas Comes to Pac-LandChristmas Comes to Pac-Land is an animated television special and spinoff of the Saturday morning animated series, Pac-Man based on the original video game. It premiered on ABC in prime time on December 16, 1982...
- Puff the Magic DragonPuff the Magic Dragon (film)"Puff, the Magic Dragon" is a 30 minute animated television film released on October 30, 1978, based on the song of the same name. The title character was voiced by Burgess Meredith...
External links
- Buttons Sound Work - USA Cartoon Express Movie Special
- USA Cartoon Express @ Everything2.com
- Does anyone remember the USA Network's Cartoon Express?
- USA Cartoon Express - DVDtoons Forums
- The 80s Server - Forums « USA Cartoon Express
- USA Cartoon Express - Google Groups
- GAC Forums > Golden Age Cartoons Forums > The Termite Terrace Trading Post - OT: Do You Remember the USA "Cartoon Express"?
- GAC Forums > Golden Age Cartoons Forums > The Termite Terrace Trading Post - "The Yogi Bear Show" Was in Syndication Since the Late 80's
- Intro for Sonic the Hedgehog, from Retrojunk.com
- Cartoon Express Intros from the early 1980s through early 1990s
- USA Cartoon Express on The Retroist