animation - 2/6 - Retroland

Scooby Doo

Don't ever let them tell you that your personal challenges will keep you from reaching your dreams. We of Generation TV know better, because we've watched a dog with a truly brutal speech impediment become the longest-running cartoon star in network TV history. If Scooby-Doo can do it, then by golly so can you.

The Skatebirds

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Roller-skating was all the rage in the 70s, and it didn’t take Saturday morning cartoons long to latch on to the fad. The result wasThe Skatebirds, a mixture of live action and animation produced by Hanna-Barbera and first broadcast on CBS in 1977.

Inch High Private Eye

Speed Buggy

The Jungle Book

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With a cast of colorful characters, and a soundtrack so memorable it could stick in the subconscious like glue, The Jungle Book is not only a timeless classic in the illustrious history of beloved films by Walt Disney, it is also one of the last films that he would oversee. Released in 1967, Disney's Midas touch is evident throughout this rather loose adaptation of the “Mowgli” stories, written by author Rudyard Kipling.

The Aristocats

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For their first animated feature without Walt at the helm, Disney introduced audiences to a lovable collection of felines in the 1971 film, The Aristocats. Featuring an all-star cast of voices including Eva Gabor, Phil Harris. Scatman Crothers and Sterling Holloway, this entertaining romp through Paris and the surrounding countryside proved that, with or without their leader, the Disney name would remain synonymous with quality animated films.

The Groovie Goolies

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With the overwhelming success of The Archies on Saturday mornings, Filmation decided to offer a similar show with monstrous results. The Groovie Goolies, an animated collection of decidedly hipper versions of the famous movie monsters of yesteryear were paired with some new friends. Featured alongside Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, Sabrina and the Groovie Goolies debuted in 1970 and a year later, finally got their own show, The Groovie Goolies.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit

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Forget the big-name actors in movies like Grand Hotel, Around the World in 80 Days, Murder on the Orient Express and Mars Attacks! Here's the real all-star cast: Mickey, Bugs, Donald, Daffy, Goofy, Yosemite Sam, Betty Boop, Woody Woodpecker, Droopy and more, along with a long-eared newcomer named Roger. Who Framed Roger Rabbit not only boasted the most impressive cartoon lineup in movie history, it was a groundbreaking achievement in mixing those toon actors with live-action stars like Bob Hoskins and Christopher Lloyd. It also happened to be more fun than you could shake a portable hole at.

Garfield and Friends

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Garfield, role model for lazy cats everywhere, started out as a syndicated newspaper comic strip created by Jim Davis. And, as one might expect, the character proved popular enough to made the transition to TV commercials, which eventually led to his own Saturday morning show in 1988, Garfield and Friends. The kitty with an attitude endeared himself to many a young viewer, enough to stick around for a respectable 121 episodes.

Mission: Magic

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If an association with The Brady Bunch was good enough for Davy Jones, why couldn’t another emerging teen idol use the power of Brady to spark some increased career exposure. In the case of Mission: Magic, Australian singer Rick Springfield lent his likeness, name and music to this animated Saturday morning series, an offshoot of The Brady Kids, to conjure up a little extra name recognition with record-buying youngsters.