What’s are your favorite cartoons?
Two things I should mention right off. Next to snow days, birthdays and Christmas, there simply wasn’t a more anticipated event that happened regularly than the ritual of a child’s Saturday morning cartoon viewing.
Today, if you look on the main network schedules, Saturday morning is chock full of shows like “WWE Saturday Morning Slam”, “Big Bad Beetleborgs”, and of course, “Power Rangers”.
Which may lead you to ask, “what cartoons were so good back in the day that you remember them so fondly four decades later?”
So, for this post, I’ll share some of my favorite memories of cartoons from mostly the 60’s and 70’s, and also ask that you share your favorites via a comment or two!
CLICK ON THE IMAGES BELOW TO RELIVE THE CARTOON’S THEME SONG TOO!
THE JETSONS (1962-1963)
Set in the future, a misunderstood family goes on countless wild adventures where they have trouble and get themselves into mischief and difficult situations. They have to work together from time to time to get themselves out of trouble and try to live a fine life.
With the talents of Hanna & Barbera as well as the voice talent of the incomparable Mel Blanc, this classic cartoon was the first ever to be broadcast in color on ABC.
STREAMING: Boomerang, Max & Tubi
SCOOBY-DO WHERE ARE YOU! (1969-1978)
A group of teenage friends and their Great Dane (Scooby-Doo) travel in a bright green van solving strange and hilarious mysteries, while returning from or going to a regular teenage function.
What do I recall first of this classic cartoon? First and foremost, the voice of Kasey Casem (Shaggy), the creepy coin collector, the “Black Knight”, Scooby-Doo’s interesting method of communication, and how the show always had you guessing who the culprit was in each episode, as the best whodunits do to this day. Not to mention Velma always losing her glasses at the least opportune time.
STREAMING: Boomerang, Max & Tubi
THE FLINTSTONES (1960-1966)
The misadventures of two modern-day Stone Age families, the Flintstones and the Rubbles.
Another Hanna-Barbera production, this one the antithesis of “The Jetsons” with its prehistoric setting, but mostly similar storylines. Who over 40 doesn’t know every word of the theme song? I find it a bit funny that the adult version of Bam-Bam looks remarkably like Fred from “Scooby-Doo” though!
STREAMING: Boomerang, Max & Tubi
THE BUGS BUNNY SHOW (1960-1975)
TV series featuring the classic Looney Tunes animated shorts.
Not my all-time favorite, but I did enjoy the antics of the cast of characters and the situations they’d find themselves in. I think the kids of today would be so traumatized at the anvils falling, characters being run over by trains and such, and throw or dropping over the side of cliffs!
STREAMING? Boomerang
SPEED BUGGY (1973-1983)
Animated ‘Saturday-morning’ television cartoon about a race car.
Honestly, to some extent, you take Scooby-Doo, replace the Great Dane with a race car, change the stories a bit to be race-oriented hijinks, and you have the plot of this cartoon. What can I say? I was an easy target for cartoons as a child!
STREAMING? Unknown
SUPER FRIENDS! (1973-1985)
Just Imagine! The greatest heroes of our time, banded together to stamp out the forces of evil wherever and whenever they might appear! Based on DC Comics’ long-running Justice League of America series, the show featured the Justice League (Superman, Batman & Robin, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman together with ‘apprentice’ super-heroes Marvin, Wendy, and Wonder Dog. Other DC luminaries such as the Flash and the Atom made periodic cameos.
First thing I think of when I see this poster? “Wonder Twin Powers: Activate!”
STREAMING? Unknown
UNDERDOG (1964-1973)
A shoeshine puppy transforms himself into a superhero every time Sweet Polly Purebred (a pretty TV reporter) gets in trouble.
A dog (with that voice!) that speaks in rhyme and transforms into a superhero for the benefit of his Marilyn Monroe inspired love interest? Must-See TV all the way!
STREAMING? Unknown
DAVEY AND GOLIATH (1960-2004)
In this stop-action animated series, young Davey Hansen and his best friend (and dog) Goliath live ordinary suburban American lives. In each episode, Davey and Goliath experience some form of moral conflict either in themselves or in their friends. Drawing upon the guidance of his parents, his teachers, and his own religious beliefs, Davey doesn’t always do the right thing, but he does always come away from the experience having learned valuable moral and life lessons.
Before Wallace & Gromit, there was Davey & Goliath. My parents totally loved this show for the moral lessons and everyday decision making it taught. I loved it for the characters. “Ooooh, Daaaavey!”
STREAMING? Plex & Tubi
WINNIE THE POOH ANIMATED SHORTS (1960’S)
At last, the “bear of very little brain” but lots of enchanted stuff(ing) brings his pooh-whimsy to the screen. With “Honey Tree”, “Blustery Day”, “Tigger Too” and “A Day for Eeyore”, Disney pushed the quality of children’s entertainment to a whole other level.
Not exactly Saturday morning cartoons (until the series later in the 70’s), these short films in the 60’s featuring narration by Sebastian Cabot (Family Affair) and the voice talents of Sterling Holloway (many Disney films) and Hal Smith (The Andy Griffith Show) were fun, captivating and simply beautiful in their execution.
STREAMING? Disney+
CAPTAIN CAVEMAN & THE TEEN ANGELS (1977-1980)
The adventures of a superhero caveman and a trio of female amateur detectives.
Being a teen obsessed with the ABC series “Charlie’s Angels” in the mid-70’s, this animated series from Hanna-Barbera was a natural choice for those Saturday morning before “American Bandstand” came on with Dick Clark.
STREAMING? Boomerang
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN
My tendency after providing a list like the one above is to hear back from my readers about how you feel about my list. Did you grow up loving or hating these classics? Were you more of a “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” or “Josie & the Pussycats” (or something else) fan? Take a moment to leave a comment and let me know!
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