Superheroes
were big in 1966. The decade had started out with DC Comics
revitalizing their superhero stable with new versions of the Flash,
Green Lantern and more. Meanwhile, the publisher formerly
known at Timely and Atlas comics renamed itself to Marvel and
cemented its own legacy with The Fantastic Four. Batman
got a revitalizing shot in the arm with a live-action TV series. The
Fantastic Four and Spider-Man
would get cartoon shows in 1967, but between then was Hanna-Barbera.
Founded
by Tom & Jerry
creators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera in 1957 as H-B Enterprises,
became Hanna-Barbera Productions Inc. in 1959, and had a knockout
success in 1960 with The Flintstones.
The studio then cranked out a staggering number of successful (or at
least memorable) shows from Yogi Bear
to The Jetsons to
Jonny Quest.
1966
would see Space Ghost (created
by DC Comics veteran Alex Toth), which would usher in a new blast of
creativity from Hanna-Barbera with subsequent superhero shows like
Birdman and the Galaxy Trio and
Mightor. Space
Ghost had a solid visual design
and mixed super heroics with teen sidekicks, space opera, and a funny
animal sidekick, which helped set the formula for the company's more
“realistic” shows down the line.
But
there was another Hanna-Barbera superhero show that was produced in
1966 and aired on CBS. Sharing a September 10 air date with Space
Ghost, Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles was
a curious double billing of super hero comedy. A total of 18
thirty-minute episodes were produced over two seasons, and the show
was split up into two parts.
The
Impossibles were a musical trio
of musicians inspired by mod fashions and 60s rock and roll that
became a trio of superheroes who fought silly villains.
Frankenstein
Jr. on the other hand, was the
invention of boy scientist Buzz Conroy (and his father Professor
Conroy) who controlled a giant, friendly flying robot with an energy
ring and together they fought mad scientists and monsters.
That
sure sounds an awful lot like 1964's Gigantor, but
there are notable differences.
Rather
than simply taking cues from Frankenstein, Franky is a giant,
friendly looking robot Frankenstein's monster with a domino mask and
a cape. Franky also has more than just his fists at his disposal,
including a number of useful gadgets.
There's
not a whole lot to discuss about the show, considering its overall
short episode length. Its cult status ensured occasional the
occasional home video release and an appearance in the 2016 crossover
comic Future Quest, which was a mashup storyline where
numerous Hanna-Barbera heroes like Jonny Quest, Space Ghost, the
Herculoids, and Frankenstein Jr. had to team up to stop a villain
that threatened the world.
The
show IS notable, however, for its cast. Aside from diminutive voice
actor Dick Beals (who made a career of voicing kid characters
including Buzz on this show) and the Impossibles being voiced by
tremendously prolific voice actors Paul Frees, Hal Smith, and Don
Messick, the show was a breakout voice acting gig for Frankenstein
Jr's voice actor: Ted Cassidy.
Who's
Ted Cassidy?
Does this ring any bells?
Already
famous as Lurch (and Thing) on The Addams Family (1964-1966), Cassidy's
huge size and huge voice made his portrayal as Lurch an icon, but the
show ended in 1966, and he became a regular voice actor for
Hanna-Barbara throughout the rest of the 60s and 70s (among other
acting gigs including several appearances on the original Star
Trek) until his untimely death from surgery complications in 1979
at the age of 46.
On
the next episode of Shin Super Robot Sunday: Yokoyama returns.
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