The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera

The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera is an animated syndicated programming block produced by Hanna-Barbera that ran on a weekly schedule and was performed in live action. The program ran from 1985 to 1994.[1]

The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera
Genre
Theme music composer
Opening theme"It's Fun! Fun! Fun! Funtastic!" by The Funtastic Singers
Ending theme"It's Fun! Fun! Fun! Funtastic!" by The Funtastic Singers
Composer(s)Hoyt Curtin
Country of originUnited States
Original language(s)English
Production
Executive producer(s)
Running time
  • 90 minutes (1985–1986)
  • 120 minutes (1986–1993)
  • 60 minutes (1993–1994)
Production company(s)Hanna-Barbera Productions
DistributorWorldvision Enterprises (1985–1991)
Turner Program Services (1991–1994)
Release
Original networkSyndication
Audio formatStereo
Original release1985 (1985) 
1994 (1994)
Chronology
Preceded byHanna–Barbera's World of Super Adventure

Overview

The block premiered on Sunday, September 15, 1985 and included an array of both old and new Hanna-Barbera original cartoon shows. The show aired on Sundays in most markets, but some stations broadcast it on Saturdays.[2] The 1985 to 1987 edition was hosted by legendary Hanna-Barbera mainstays, Yogi Bear, Quick Draw McGraw, Huckleberry Hound and Snagglepuss (all voiced by Daws Butler).

Each show included HBTV segments featuring music videos of classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon clips (similar to Disney's D-TV and Nickelodeon's sister network MTV). It included hits like "Bad Moon Rising" by Creedence Clearwater Revival and "Somebody's Watching Me" by Rockwell. "It's Fun! Fun! Fun! Funtastic!", was the main theme song for the first three seasons (it was also the theme for Yogi's newest series, Yogi's Treasure Hunt).

Next, The Down and Dirty Dinosaurs from the game show Skedaddle hosted the 1988 edition, and then the 1990 edition was hosted by Kenny Ford and Jennifer Love Hewitt (while their show Kids Incorporated was off the air).

The shows featured in the animation block included The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda, Fantastic Max, The Flintstone Kids, The Further Adventures of SuperTed, Galtar and the Golden Lance, Midnight Patrol: Adventures in the Dream Zone, The New Adventures of Jonny Quest, Paddington Bear, Paw Paws, The Pirates of Dark Water, Richie Rich, Sky Commanders, The Snorks, Swat Kats: The Radical Squadron, 2 Stupid Dogs, Yogi's Treasure Hunt, Yo Yogi! and Young Robin Hood.[1]

The block ran from 1985 to 1994 and was 90 minutes long in 1985. However, due to the initial success, the running time increased to two hours in 1986. With time, its popularity waned and the program's length decreased from two hours in 1987 to one hour in 1993.

Distribution

It was originally distributed by Worldvision Enterprises, then moved to Turner Program Services after the sale of the Hanna-Barbera studio to Turner Broadcasting. Most of the shows that aired on the block are now distributed by Warner Bros. Television Distribution. When it first aired, The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera could be seen on all independent stations owned by Taft, the parent company of Hanna-Barbera Productions and Worldvision Enterprises at the time.

Stations

When The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera first launched in Sunday September 15 of 1985, it was also pre-sold to Taft Broadcasting, Tribune, Metromedia, Chris-Craft[3] owned stations.

City Station
Atlanta WGNX 46 (Ind)[4]
Bangor WVII 7 (ABC)[5]
Boston WXNE 25 (Ind)[6]
Buffalo WUTV 29 (Fox)[7]
Burlington KJMH 26 (Ind)[8]
Chicago WPWR 50 (Ind)[9]
Cleveland WRLM 67 (Ind)[10]
Detroit WXON 20 (Ind)[11]
Flint WSMH 66 (Fox)[12]
Fort Pierce/West Palm Beach WTVX 34 (Ind)[13]
Fresno KAIL 53 (Ind)[14]
Greenville WHNS 21 (Ind)[15]
Greeneville/Bristol WEMT 39 (Fox)[16]
Hagerstown WHAG 25 (NBC)[17]
Hartford WTIC 61 (Fox)[18]
Houston KTXH 20 (Ind)[19]
Kansas City KSHB 41 (Fox)[20][21]
Lansing WSYM 47 (Ind)
Las Vegas KVVU 5 (Fox)[22]
Los Angeles KCOP 13 (Ind)[23]
Miami WCIX 6 (Fox)[24]
Omaha KPTM 42 (Ind)[25]
Pensacola/Mobile WJTC 44 (Ind)[26]
Philadelphia WTXF 29 (Fox)[27][28]
Portsmouth/Norfolk WYAH 27 (Ind)[29][30]
Sacramento KTXL 40 (Fox)[31]
San Francisco KBHK 44 (Ind)[32][33]
KOFY 20 (Ind)
Secaucus/New York City WWOR 9 (Ind)[34][35]
South Bend WNDU 16 (NBC)[36]
Spokane KSKN 22 (Ind)[37]
St. Louis KPLR 11 (Ind)[38]
Tacoma/Seattle KCPQ 13 (Fox)[39][40]
Tampa WFTS 28 (Ind)[41]
Traverse City WGTU 29 (ABC)[42]
Washington, D.C. WDCA 20 (Ind)[43]
WFTY 50 (Ind)[44]
York/Harrisburg WPMT 43 (Fox)[45]

Shows

The series had a superstar lineup of both old and new Hanna-Barbera characters throughout its run.

References

  1. Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 228. ISBN 978-1538103739.
  2. Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. p. 353. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  3. "Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera Ad, 1985 Paw Paws & Galtar". Flickr.
  4. "Retro: Atlanta Sunday, January 11, 1987". Radio Discussions. January 11, 2007.
  5. "Retro: Maritimes Sun, July 26, 1987". Radio Discussions. July 26, 2010.
  6. "Retro: Boston, MA: Sunday, September 15, 1985". Radio Discussions. January 1, 2019.
  7. WUTV Funtastic World of Hanna Barbera and Smurfs 1987 on YouTube
  8. "Retro: Western Illinois Sun, Mar 13, 1988". Radio Discussions. March 17, 2010.
  9. WPWR-TV Chicago - Childrens' Programming Promos on YouTube
  10. "Local and Syndicated Akron TV History". Radio Discussions. September 20, 2012.
  11. "Retro: Detroit/Windsor, Sunday, June 2, 1991". Radio Discussions. April 6, 2017.
  12. "Retro: Owosso, MI, Sunday, November 15, 1987". Radio Discussions. November 23, 2017.
  13. "WTVX West Palm Beach Weekday Schedules as an Independent (first 10 yrs., 1989-1999)". Radio Discussions. August 16, 2014.
  14. "Retro: Fresno Sat/Sun 2/21-22/87 (pt 1)". Radio Discussions. August 16, 2005.
  15. "Retro: Spartanburg, SC, Sunday, July 12, 1987". Radio Discussions. March 31, 2019.
  16. "Retro: Bristol/Knoxville/Lexington (3-4-1990)". Radio Discussions. March 3, 2015.
  17. "Retro: Baltimore/DC/Lancaster, Saturday, September 2, 1989". Radio Discussions. February 1, 2019.
  18. "Retro: Meriden, CT, Sunday, August 7, 1988". Radio Discussions. August 19, 2017.
  19. "Houston-September 13-14, 1986-Independents". Radio Discussions. November 26, 2007.
  20. "Retro: Kansas City/Topeka/St. Joseph, Saturday, May 13, 1989". Radio Discussions. May 9, 2019.
  21. KSHB-TV Kids Promo 1986 on YouTube
  22. KVVU Ch. 5 - (1991) The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera Promo Commercial on YouTube
  23. "KCOP Los Angeles, February 22-28, 1986". Radio Discussions. September 16, 2005.
  24. "Retro Request: Sat 10/31 & 11/7 and Sun 11/1, 1987". Radio Discussions. March 14, 2010.
  25. "Retro: Nebraska/Central-East South Dakota/Sioux City Sun, July 5, 1987". Radio Discussions. July 12, 2010.
  26. "WJTC schedule, July 1991". Radio Discussions. February 10, 2015.
  27. "Cartoons that aired in Philadelphia from 1987-1996". Radio Discussions. June 3, 2018.
  28. 80's Commercials Vol. 679 on YouTube
  29. 1988 WYAH Funtastic World of Hanna Barbera Commercial Block 1 on YouTube
  30. 1988 WYAH Funtastic World of Hanna Barbera Commercial Block 2 on YouTube
  31. "Retro: Fresno Sat/Sun 2/21-22/87 (pt 2)". Radio Discussions. August 16, 2005.
  32. KBHK Commercials (December 1990) on YouTube
  33. "Hanna Barbera Music Videos: Anyone Remember?". RiffTrax Forum. December 25, 2008.
  34. "Retro: New York Metro - Saturday, August 13, 1988". Radio Discussions. April 11, 2010.
  35. WWOR-TV The Kids' Place Channel 9 Commercial (1987) on YouTube
  36. "Retro: Northern Indiana, Sun. December 15th, 1985 (includes WTBS, USA, NICK and ESPN)". Radio Discussions. December 2, 2013.
  37. "Retro: Spokane, WA - Sunday, April 5, 1987". Radio Discussions. October 10, 2012.
  38. "Retro: St Louis Sat/Sun, June 28/29, 1986". Radio Discussions. January 16, 2008.
  39. "Retro: Vancouver/Victoria Sun, Sept 21, 1986". Radio Discussions. September 21, 2010.
  40. 80's Commercials Vol. 573 on YouTube
  41. "Retro: St. Petersburg, FL, Sunday, March 23, 1986". Radio Discussions. June 22, 2017.
  42. "Ludington, MI 1/11/1992". Radio Discussions. December 17, 2017.
  43. "Retro: Washington-Baltimore, Sunday, April 27th, 1986". Radio Discussions. August 8, 2012.
  44. "Retro: Washington, DC/Baltimore, Wednesday, April 30, 1986 daytime hours". Radio Discussions. March 21, 2012.
  45. "Retro: Reading/Philadelphia, Sunday, July 3, 1988". Radio Discussions. May 31, 2018.
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