The New Shmoo

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The New Shmoo
Created byAl Capp
Written byGene Ayres
Art Browne Jr.
Douglas Booth
Buzz Dixon
Donald F. Glut
Len Janson
Dale Kirby
Glenn Leopold
Chuck Menville
J. Michael Reaves
Jim Ryan
Directed byRay Patterson
Carl Urbano
Oscar Dufau
George Gordon
Voices ofFrank Welker
Dolores Cantu
Bill Idelson
Chuck McCann
Theme music composerHoyt Curtin
ComposerHoyt Curtin
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes16
Production
Executive producersJoseph Barbera
William Hanna
ProducersArt Scott
Alex Lovy
Running time11–21 minutes
Production companyHanna-Barbera Productions
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 22, 1979 (1979-09-22) –
November 15, 1980 (1980-11-15)

The New Shmoo is an American animated television series based on the character from the Li'l Abner comic strip created by Al Capp, produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1979 to November 15, 1980.[1]

The New Shmoo was broadcast as a stand-alone half-hour series from September 22 to December 1, 1979.[2] Beginning December 8, 1979, the remaining five episodes of The New Shmoo were now incorporated into the 90-minute package show Fred and Barney Meet the Shmoo which also featured combined reruns of Fred and Barney Meet the Thing.[3] Despite the show's title, Fred, Barney, the Thing, and Shmoo only met each other in brief bumpers between their individual segments.

Plot[edit]

Similar to Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! on CBS and later ABC, the show follows a group of teenagers—Mickey, Nita, and Billy Joe—who solve mysteries and crimes with their friend, Shmoo, a friendly bulbous creature who can stretch and shape his body into any form he wants. The teens worked for Mighty Mysteries Comics.

Production[edit]

During the original NBC run, the program included a short segment called "Sing Along With The Shmoo". In a manner reminiscent of Screen Songs, Shmoo became a bouncing ball, providing visual guidance to song lyrics so that viewers could sing along with the cartoon.

Cast[edit]

Episodes[edit]

No.TitleOriginal air date
1"The Amazing Captain Mentor"September 22, 1979 (1979-09-22)
A superhero comes to town to capture and rehabilitate bank robbers... or does he?
2"The Beast of Black Lake"September 29, 1979 (1979-09-29)
Black Lake is menaced by a serpentine monster that may or may not be real.
3"The Ber-Shmoo-Da Triangle"October 6, 1979 (1979-10-06)
The gang boards a plane bound for the Bermuda Triangle, unaware that their "pilots" are actually a pair of jewel thieves.
4"The Crystal Ball of Crime"October 13, 1979 (1979-10-13)
Madame Natasha is able to predict crimes before they're committed. Billy Joe has a premonition of his own--that Madame Natasha herself will commit a robbery!
5"Dr. Morton's Monster"October 20, 1979 (1979-10-20)
During a storm, a robot built by Dr. Morton seems to be creating havoc. He's actually helping to repair damage, but the townspeople don't see it that way. They cause the robot to go on a rampage, and only Shmoo can short it out.
6"The Energy Robbers from Space"October 27, 1979 (1979-10-27)
Aliens are stealing energy sources from a research lab. With help from Professor Potts, the gang exposes the criminals.
7"The Flying Disc of Doom"November 3, 1979 (1979-11-03)

Aliens turn back time, and seem to turn a farmer's dog into a puppy. But is there more to this strange turn of events?

Note: Shmoo creator Al Capp died of emphysema 2 days after this episode's telecast.
8"The Haunting of Atlantis"November 10, 1979 (1979-11-10)
Shmoo and company join a world famous oceanographer in his search for Atlantis, whose inhabitants don't exactly take kindly to intruders.
9"Monster Island"November 17, 1979 (1979-11-17)
A distress call brings the team out to Odyssey Island, where a Cyclops, Minotaur, and Medusa are running amok.
10"The Pyramid of Peril"November 24, 1979 (1979-11-24)
A billionaire is convinced a pyramid can make him young again. Mickey, Nita, Billy Joe, and Shmoo expose the scam.
11"The Return of Dracula"December 1, 1979 (1979-12-01)
The gang discovers that Dracula is alive and well and living in Transylvania.
12"Swamp of Evil"December 8, 1979 (1979-12-08) 1
The group ends up in a small town after getting lost during their vacation. They realize someone's been dumping harmful chemicals in the swamp. But who? And why?
13"The Terror of the Trolls"December 15, 1979 (1979-12-15) 1
An island is menaced by a horde of trolls.
14"The Valley Where Time Stood Still"December 22, 1979 (1979-12-22) 1
While visiting a ranch out west, the kids and Shmoo discover a valley inhabited by cavemen and dinosaurs.
15"The Wail of the Banshee"December 29, 1979 (1979-12-29) 1
A banshee is haunting the Dalton estate.
16"The Warlock of Voodoo Island"January 5, 1980 (1980-01-05) 1
Mickey's grandma, a lighthouse operator, is terrorized by a mysterious warlock.

Broadcast history[edit]

The New Shmoo originally aired in these following formats on NBC:

  • The New Shmoo (September 22, 1979 – December 1, 1979)
  • Fred and Barney Meet the Shmoo (December 8, 1979 – November 15, 1980)

Production credits[edit]

  • Executive Producers: William Hanna and Joseph Barbera
  • Producers: Alex Lovy and Art Scott
  • Directors: Ray Patterson, Carl Urbano, Oscar Dufau, George Gordon
  • Story Supervisor: Jim Ryan
  • Story Editor: Chuck Menville
  • Story: Gene Ayres, Doug Booth, Art Browne, Jr., Buzz Dixon, Donald F. Glut, Len Janson, Dale Kirby, Glenn Leopold, Chuck Menville, J. Michael Reaves, Jim Ryan
  • Story Direction: Don Christensen, Jan Green
  • Recording Director: Art Scott
  • Voices: Joe Baker, Daws Butler, Bob Hastings, Bill Idelson, Don Messick, Chuck McCann, Jim MacGeorge, Margaret McIntyre, Ginny McSwain, Dolores Cantu-Primo, Hal Smith, John Stephenson, Janet Waldo, Frank Welker, Bill Woodson
  • Graphics: Iraj Paran, Tom Wogatzke
  • Title Design: Don Sheppard
  • Musical Director: Hoyt Curtin
  • Musical Supervisor: Paul DeKorte
  • Creative Producer: Iwao Takamoto
  • Design Supervisor: Bob Singer
  • Character Design: Jack Kirby, Don Morgan, Mike Sekowsky, Sandra Young
  • Layout Supervisor: Don Morgan
  • Key Layout: Mark Kirkland
  • Layout: Kurt Anderson, Tom Bird, Aaron Crippen, Bob Foster, Linda Harris, Mike Hodgson, Ray Jacobs, Allen Larson, Jim McLean, Phil Ortiz, Glenn Schmitz, Dave Stevens
  • Animation Supervisors: Bob Goe, Bill Keil, Jay Sarbry, Ken Southworth
  • Animation: Robert Alvarez, Frank Andrina, Colin Baker, Anne Marie Bardwell, Ed Barge, Bob Bemiller, Robert Bransford, James Brummett, Oliver Callahan, Roger Chiasson, John Conning, Daniel De La Vega, Joan Drake, Judith Ann Drake, Gail Finkeldei, Hugh Fraser, Al Gaivoto, Jeff Hall, Bob Hathcock, Fred Hellmich, Bill Hutten, Aundre Knuston, Teresa Loewy, Hicks Lokey, Tony Love, Mauro Maressa, Burton Medall, Tran Vu Minh, Ken Muse, Eduardo Olivares, Margaret Parkes, Lester Pegues, Jr., Harry Rasmussen, Morey Reden, Joel Seibel, Leo Sullivan, Richard Trueblood, Robert Tyler, John Walker, Allen Wilzbach
  • Assistant Animation Supervisor: Rick Leon
  • Background Supervisor: Al Gmuer
  • Backgrounds: Lorraine Andrina, Fernando Arce, Greg Battes, Dario Campanile, Gil Dicicco, Dennis Durrell, Fla Ferreira, Martin Forte, Bob Gentle, Bonnie Goodknight, Al Gmuer, Ann Guenther, Tom Hames, James Hegedus, Eric Heschong, Jim Hickey, Mike Humphries, Andy Phillipson, Bill Proctor, Viviven Rhyan, Jeff Richards, Cal Titus, Dennis Veinzelos
  • Checking and Scene Planning: Cindy Smith
  • Xerography: Star Wirth
  • Ink and Paint Supervisor: Alison Victory
  • Sound Direction: Richard Olson, Bill Getty
  • Camera: Ross Avery, Bob Berry, Allen Childs, Marc Debrilande, Candy Edwards, Curt Hall, Mike Kane, Jerry Mills, Neil Viker, Roy Wade, Brandy Whittington, Jerry Whittington
  • Supervising Film Editor: Larry C. Cowan
  • Dubbing Supervisor: Pat Foley
  • Music Editor: Terry Moore
  • Effects Editors: Mark Mangini, Karla McGregor
  • Show Editor: Gil Iverson
  • Negative Consultant: William E. DeBoer
  • Production Manager: Jayne Barbera
  • Post Production Supervisor: Joed Eaton

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 431–432. ISBN 978-1-5381-0373-9.
  2. ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 588–589. ISBN 978-1-4766-6599-3.
  3. ^ Woolery, George W. (1983). Children's Television: The First Thirty-Five Years, 1946-1981, Part 1: Animated Cartoon Series. Scarecrow Press. pp. 202-203. ISBN 0-8108-1557-5. Retrieved 14 March 2020.

External links[edit]