THE Cartoon/Animation thread (Discussion)

(17-06-2019 01:11 )GMach1 Wrote:  Well I can honestly say that was different, it reminded me more a computer game world with strange creatures and aliens. With that in mind do any of you remember 2 computer games from the 1990's: one was called ZORK NEMESIS and the other series o0f 4 called MYST? I tried both on my then PC, didn't do too badly on the first but could barely start the second. They both had exquisite animation and rich, texured and detailed worlds created for them. Nice Rpj316

was tempted to try MYST, but I doubt if I could get it to work now under win 10. I was so into my Speccy ganes before I got my first PC which was a 386 Compaq from Dixons (remember them?) the first FIFA game I TRIED WAS FIFA 96 OR 97 and i remember it had a indoor soccer game which was cool. i remember one cheat for a speecy for space kinvaders which was if you typed in a certain number the aliens went home!!

(19-06-2019 22:51 )babelover48 Wrote:  "Anything can happen in the next half hour|" the intro to STINGRAY which i think was vastly overshadowed by the popularity of both Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet.

who was the villain's name in Stingray? and did any fall in love with Maria?

The main one was TITAN lord of the seas and I think you mean Marina-yes Troy Tempest was torn between her and Atlanta Shore, the Commander's daughter at Marineville. You can find Stingray at wco.tv btw.

As to MYST, well it was last around for Windows 98 but apart from being rich, textual and lush backgrounds gameplay was hard, it required a lot of lateral thinking and also thinking outside the box.

Favourite Spectrum game was/is SPYHUNTER, still play that on a simulator on my PC.

I'm going to be looking into Gerry Anderson productions and Supermarionation at a later date - being a member of the Appreciation Society since 1985 and the Facebook page as well I have got loads of stuff on the programmes we all enjoyed as kids. Also in future posts as mentioned before I will be looking at Cosgrove-Hall productions(from The Magic Ball to Dangermouse(already covered above) and other things they have done for animation both cell cartoons and stop-motion))

Speaking of Cosgrove-Hall I spotted this yesterday online:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ma...r-48660245

In this country Cosgrove Hall is synonymous with great animation either on cels or stop-motion. The first encounter I had was their school programme called The Magic Ball. Cosgrove and Hall were able to find new work in animation, specifically due to their earlier work on the 1972 series Rainbow. The producer of Rainbow, Thames Television, an ITV company, created a new, subsidiary, animation studio called Cosgrove Hall Films. Thames hired and commissioned Cosgrove and Hall as lead animators to create new animated programs, for this new studio, based on their earlier work with Rainbow. Thames Television also hired John Hambley as Cosgrove Hall Films' first executive producer. Its first series was Chorlton and the Wheelies, the lead role being named after the suburb of Manchester where the company was based (the other characters were placed on wheels as this made the stop-frame animation easier). The pop singer and musician Bernard Sumner worked for Cosgrove Hall from 1976 to 1979 as a tracer.

Danger Mouse was one of the studio's earliest international successes. The studio made 161 episodes between 1981 and 1992. In each one, Danger Mouse, the world's greatest secret agent, and his well-meaning but useless sidekick Penfold, outwit the evil Baron Silas Greenback and assorted baddies. In 1983 the studio made a 75-minute film, The Wind in the Willows, based on Kenneth Grahame's classic story of the same name. It won a BAFTA award and an international Emmy award. Subsequently, the studio made a 52-episode TV series based on the characters between 1984 and 1990. All the music and songs for the feature and series were written by Keith Hopwood, late of Herman's Hermits and Malcolm Rowe. Folk singer Ralph McTell sang the opening song. The Stone Roses guitarist John Squire worked on this series. Count Duckula was a spoof on the Dracula legend; its title character is the world's only vegetarian vampire. He aspires to be rich and famous. Originally he was a villain/henchman recurring in the Danger Mouse series, but got a spin-off series in 1988 that rapidly became one of Cosgrove Hall's most successful programmes. Both shows also aired on Nickelodeon in the United States during the late 1980s, and were popular in the ratings for the channel. In 1989, the studio produced a full-length feature based on Roald Dahl's The BFG(voiced by David Jason).

Truckers, the first book in The Bromeliad, was the studio's first collaboration with the best-selling author Terry Pratchett. The 1992 series follows the efforts of a group of gnomes, whose spaceship crash-landed on Earth 15,000 years ago, to return home. In 1993, the ownership of Cosgrove Hall was transferred to Anglia Television, following the loss of Thames' ITV licence and, following a series of takeovers and mergers, ownership finally belonged to ITV plc. In 1997, Cosgrove Hall Films produced two series for Channel 4 based on Wyrd Sisters and Soul Music, two novels from Pratchett's Discworld series.

One of the studio's specialties was producing programmes for young children, such as Noddy's Toyland Adventures, Bill and Ben, and Andy Pandy for the BBC. The latter two series were based on classic characters from the 1950s. In the mid-2000s, Cosgrove Hall worked on a new version of Postman Pat. The studio also animated Ghosts of Albion, the BBC's first fully animated webcast. Website visitors could learn about the production and help to develop the story. Cosgrove Hall produced Scream of the Shalka, a Doctor Who animated story for the BBC website. In 2006 they animated the missing first and fourth episodes of the Doctor Who serial The Invasion for a DVD release.

In 2008, shortly after Granada Television became the only surviving franchisee of Independent Television in England and Wales, all except four staff were made redundant by ITV, and Cosgrove Hall moved 'in house' to the Granada Television Studios in Manchester, ending 30 years of the studio in Chorlton. The company's owner, ITV Granada, was not very interested in investing in Cosgrove Hall, and a financial review decided that the company was no longer viable. The UK animation production industry was struggling due to increasingly tough competition from state-subsidised production in other countries where the industry was growing and very buoyant.

The company was again put under review by ITV plc in October 2009, being absorbed, and ceasing to exist, a few months later. Cosgrove Hall was developing Theodore, a CGI-animated series, when ITV absorbed the company. The land occupied by Cosgrove Hall's studios, in Albany Road, Chorlton, adjacent to the town's telephone exchange, which had stood empty for two years, was finally sold in summer 2010 to a housing development company. The intention was to demolish the historic studios and build retirement flats. During 2012, the studios were finally demolished as part of the above development. Urban explorers who visited the site during the demolition found and photographed some models and backgrounds used in previous productions. Coincidentally, during April of that year it was announced that during the previous summer, prior to the death of Mark Hall, he and Brian Cosgrove had pitched the idea of resurrecting the brand to possible investors.

Brian Cosgrove is now executive producer at CHF Entertainment, as was Hall until his untimely death. On 18 November 2011, it was announced that Mark Hall had died of cancer at the age of 75. Now, CHF Entertainment are actively working on a number of television series, including Pip Ahoy!, which is aimed at pre-school children and HeroGliffix, which is aimed at older children.
Source: Wikipedia.(May not be 100% accurate)

Definitely will be doing Gerry Anderson shows soon. First up will be STINGRAY.

So hot upstairs so went into my father's study and watched 4 episodes of 1977 series Challenge of the Super Friends and 4 episodes of CB Bears(80's) downloaded onto a USB stick.

Sad news of the death of voice-over artiste Russi Taylor
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-49141873

"STAND BY FOR ACTION! We are about to launch Stingray! Anything can happen in the next half hour!" so yells Commander Shore at the beginning of every episode in the opening sequence of STINGRAY.

Stingray was a children's puppet science-fiction tv series which had a run of 39 episodes during the mid-1960s. It was the third of Gerry Anderson's Supermarionation shows and his first show to be filmed in Videcolor. STINGRAY was a super submarine helmed by Captain Troy Tempest and his co-pilot Lieutenant George Lee 'Phones' Sheridan-hereafter known as Phones(due to the headphones he always wore listening out for any intruders in the ocean) Under the leadership of Commander Sam Shore they were part of WASP(World Aquanaut Security Patrol) whose job was to patrol the ocean floor and provide security as well protect their home and place of work, Marineville. Atlanta Shore was Sam Shore's daughter and initially Troy's girlfriend but then Marina came along, a beautiful, green-haired princess of the sea, who had been rescued by Troy and Phones after being held captive by the mighty Titan self-proclaimed god of the seas. Marina couldn't speak but could breathe underwater without oxygen. After bringing her to Marineville a test was set up to see if she could be trusted -sucking the oxygen out with a plant that had been erm planted by Titan's evil but stupid henchman, Surface Agent X20(think Roy Hodgson lookalike only silver-coloured ) to try to eliminate the 'accursed Terrainians!' Anyway Marina became a third member of the team but also a love interest for Troy which meant Atlanta was always battling against her for his affections. Seems Troy wanted his cake twice over!

Sam Shore the gruff commander of Marineville was confined to a mechanised 'flying' wheelchair due to a terrible accident he had had whilst serving the WASPs. Atlanta helped out in the control tower. The series centred around the fact that Marineville would be under attack by person or persons unknown hell bent on destroying them including their main protaganist Titan(who took his orders from a fish called Teufel-devil) and also wanted his slave Marina back. That was never going to happen on Troy's watch. If Marineville was under attack the whole of the city was on supports and would be electronically retract into the ground for added protection. A series of neutomic missiles would come out the ground in readiness for any attack and of course Stingray would be launched. A voice yells out Battle Stations and a drum sounds(there are two different drum sounds to indicate a launch is imminent and in progress) Access to the pen where Stingray is held was through the floor of the control tower. Troy and Phones sit on their seats and plunge through a sliding trapdoor downwards on poles towards Stingray, entering an open hatch on top before coming to a halt and being clamped into position. The submarine would submerge and then make its way to the underwater ocean door that was triggered as Stingray approached. Commands from Commander Shore would be answered by either P.W.O.R or P.W.R(Proceeding with order received OR Proceeding with Rigour)

One of the main villains mentioned above was Surface Agent X20(sounded a bit like actor Peter Lorre) and like Titan hated the "accursed Terrainians" Quite how he manages to go unfound is beyond me, but somehow he manages to stay one step ahead. He is a master of disguise with masks or make up and his house is not what it appears. A kick against a wall and the whole place transforms with control panels appearing behind rising paintings, a main table flipping over to reveal a huge control console and other various electrical stuff hidden behind everyday objects. Here he can contact Titan direct and inform him of his latest insidious plan - which usually fails.

Voice cast:
Don Mason-Captain Troy Tempest
George Easton-Lt. George Lee 'Phones' Sheridan
Lois Maxwell-Atlanta Shore(yes the one who played Miss Moneypenny in the Bond films)
Ray Barrett-Commander Sam Shore
David Graham-Marineville Tracking Station voice
Gary Miller-Troy Tempest for 2 episodes uncredited at the time.

Gary Miller sang the end title tune 'Aqua Marina' which was basically a montage of Troy and Marina together(you can see how his relationship with Atlanta was complicated by her) and that was through all 39 episodes. A really beautiful song composed by Barry Gray, a stalwart of the many series past and future, who wrote all the music for Stingray.

Sources: IMDB.com and my memory.
Coming soon: THUNDERBIRDS!

More conventional cartoon from Hanna-Barbera from 1969 a spin off from Wacky Races:

Dastardly and Muttley In Their Flying Machines
This featured Dick Dastardly and his snickering side kick dog, Muttley in a series of wacky adventures where the not-so magnificent men in their flying machines tried in vain to Stop the Pigeon(as the title song went) from delivering a message-the problem was we never actually knew what the message was, why they had to stop the pigeon and what might have happened had they stopped it. The series, set in World War 1, was based around the Vulture Squadron commanded by Dastardly and featured two other completely useless pilots. One didn't speak much but used a variety of funny sounds which for some reason only the second on could understand. Klunk, was the mad inventor, coming up with all sorts of ridiculous looking planes in an effort to try and stop the pigeon with various traps that usually Dastardly would end up in. Zilly, the second pilot was a coward and spent most of his time ducking down under his coat and shaking. Perhaps he knew something we didn't, but seemed to be able to translate the manic sounds made by Klunk. The planes they used were old biplanes and sometimes they would be cobbled to together to make a new one which ultimately would fail resulting in Dastardly falling to what looked like certain death each time, only for Muttley to save him(sometimes if he could be bothered) by twilring his tail enabling him to hover - how he found he could do this is not mentioned.

There is one other character in the cartoon that pops up frequently-known as the General, but never seen except for an arm that periodically comes out of the old-fashioned candlestick telephone that Dastardly always appears to have on his person-again not explained. Since the General is the only person that calls Dastardly, why does he bother to say "oh! it's you General!" Muttley is not the best sidekick to have because he changes sides all the time and is either all sweetness and light with Dastardly or changes in an instant and would bite his arm if he didn't get his way OR the one thing he covets more than anything else-a Medal. He must have a large collection of them and won't do many things without being given one by Dastardly. When he is given one, he goes into ecstacy, hugs himself, makes an odd mmmm noise then flies up into the air floating down seamlessly striking an odd pose as he lands.
The most often sentence that Dastardly says when plummeting to his certain doom is: "Muttley! Doooooo sooomethiiiiiinnnggg!"

The title song Stop the Pigeon is I think based on the old jazz standard Tiger Rag(Hold that Tiger!) and here are the lyrics:
Muttley, you snickering, floppy eared hound.
When courage is needed, you're never around.
Those medals you wear on your moth-eaten chest
Should be there for bungling at which you are best.
So, stop that pigeon
Stop that pigeon
Stop that pigeon
Stop that pigeon
Stop that pigeon
Stop that pigeon
Stop that pigeon
Howwww!
Nab him
Jab him
Tab him
Grab him
Stop that pigeon now.

You, Zilly, stop snickering, it's not worth the chance.
For you'll be returned by the seat of your pants.
And clunk, you invent me a thingamabob
That catches that pigeon or I lose my job.
So, stop that pigeon
Stop that pigeon
Stop that pigeon
Stop that pigeon
Stop that pigeon
Stop that pigeon
Stop that pigeon
Howwww!
Nab him
Jab him
Tab him
Grab him
Stop that pigeon now.


The pigeon is known as Yankee Doodle(not to be confused with Yakky Doodle a cartoon duck), so presumably that was a hang over from the old Confederate/Yankee civil war days when vital messages were passed using pigeons. When the pigeon has seemingly got the better of one of Klunk's inventions/traps he blows a bugle and flies off. They NEVER catch the pigeon. Amazingly only two people did the voices of the characters. Paul Winchell was Dick Dastardly(who also did Bubi Bear in Help! It's the Hair Bear Bunch!" and uncredited as The Hooded Claw in 'The Perils of Penelope Pitstop) and Don Messick, a stalwart of Hanna-Barbera productions to come. He did Klunk and Zilly and possibly the pigeon/The General and any other character that might appear.