Tintin, the intrepid young reporter and brain child of legendary Belgian cartoonist Herge, undoubtedly has more fans outside the U.S. than in it. Still, his optimistic and curious nature made him a popular subject for an animated series in the 60s.

One of the main draws of Tintin is his insatiable appetite for travel and knowledge but that can get him into trouble as well. Wherever he traveled, Tintin had the company of his adorable terrier Snowy, whose original name in French was Milou. Human companions included the inept duo of Thompson and Thomson (originally Dupond and Dupont), two almost identical detectives, sporting mustaches and bowler hats; and Captain Haddock, a hard-drinking sailor with very colorful vocabulary.

Tintin's adventures took him to Tibet, South America and Africa among other places, and the boy reporter even made it to the Moon. Plotlines followed the original comic books fairly faithfully, though changes were made in the level of violence, in Haddock's alcoholic tendencies and in certain cultural attitudes that might have been awkward for wider audiences.

Tintin didn't come to America until 1971 when Tele-Features Studio aired the show in syndication. The half-hour format couldn't quite capture the many nuances of the original books and the run wasn't a success. A new studion revived Tintin's world in 1991 with much better results.