Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).
Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears
Genre Animated series
Running time 22 minutes
Creator(s) Walt Disney Television
Starring (See Character lists below)
Country of origin Flag of United States United States
Original channel NBC, ABC
Original run September 14, 1985–December 8, 1990
No. of episodes 95 (65 shows)

Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears was an American animated television series that aired in the United States and other countries in the mid-1980s through the early 1990s. The show was created by The Walt Disney Company and premiered on NBC on September 14, 1985, and continued to air on ABC. The final episode of the series was aired on December 8, 1990. Episodes were later rebroadcast on the syndicated Disney Afternoon block. Reruns on the Disney Afternoon and on Saturday mornings on ABC continued through the summer of 1991. It was later archived into the Disney Channel and Toon Disney. It was inspired by the gummi bear candies. There was also a line of toys based on the show. There are 95 episodes in 65 shows.

The main characters were seven anthropomorphic bears, although some human characters also featured. The series is set in medieval times in the once populous Gummi Glen; the main Gummies' neighborhood is inhabited only by seven gummies. The world has other gummies. Great Gummies are refugees elsewhere awaiting a signal to return. Other gummies live in Ursalia. Allies of the gummies include the people of Dunwyn (Princess Calla and Cavin), other kind humans, and other Gummi Bears. Their main nemesis is Duke Igthorn, who aims, with the aid of ogres, to rule Dunwyn. The theme song, "Bouncing here and there and everywhere", was written by Michael and Patty Silversher.

The Gummi Bears gain their temporary ability to bounce by drinking Gummiberry Juice. If the juice was consumed by humans they would also gain temporary superhuman strength, although the effect would only work once a day. For this reason the bears kept the recipe secret (this element is perhaps influenced by the Asterix stories[citation needed]). A fruit juice drink called Gummiberry juice was for a short while retailed in the United Kingdom, and possibly other places.

Of interesting note, aside from DuckTales and Gargoyles, Gummi Bears was the only show in the Disney Afternoon generation of TV animation that had a series finale. All the other shows such as Chip n Dale Rescue Rangers and TaleSpin lacked a "last episode", and were for the most part ended on open notes.

The Gummi Bears were last seen on Toon Disney on December 28, 2001. A DVD release of Seasons 1 - 3 came in November 14, 2006. [1] There is no word on when Seasons 4 -6 will be released on DVD at this time.

Contents

[edit] Main characters

The Gummi Bears (left to right: Grammi, Cubbi, Gruffi, Sunni, Tummi, and Zummi)
Enlarge
The Gummi Bears (left to right: Grammi, Cubbi, Gruffi, Sunni, Tummi, and Zummi)

The seven gummies who live in Gummi Glen are:

  • Gruffi (voiced by Bill Scott (Season 1) and Corey Burton) - the no-nonsense, perfectionist and conservative every-job-Gummi. He is the technician of the group, and has a running feud with Grammi. Gruffi also can be viewed as the de facto leader of the Gummi Bears.
  • Zummi (voiced by Paul Winchell (Seasons 1–5) and Jim Cummings) - The colony's "keeper of Gummi wisdom" turned magician with unreliable skill. Frequently forgets important things, including spells, at the worst possible moment and does spoonerisms when stressed. He is also very helpless when he loses his glasses and suffers from fear of heights (acrophobia), which troubled the Gummi Bears frequently.
  • Grammi (voiced by June Foray) - The matriarch of the Gummi clan, she cooks and cleans and prepares the gummiberry juice. Her cookings - which sometimes are purely experimental - are not always appreciated by the others.
  • Tummi (voiced by Lorenzo Music) - the gluttonous teenaged Gummi who is seemingly slow in thinking and action, but is as courageous as the rest. He has a sweet tooth and is a talented planter. He loves building model boats.
  • Sunni (voiced by Katie Leigh) - "token adolescent" of the bunch who often rebels against the clan but learns her lessons eventually. She is quite fond of rather 'radical' fashions. Her dream is to one day be a princess.
  • Cubbi (voiced by Noelle North) - the youngest Gummi. An aspiring knight, he is always looking for adventure, and often finds it. Because of his youth, he is often not taken seriously by the others, which is just as frequently a huge mistake. When fighting crime at Dunwyn, he uses the masked identity of the Crimson Avenger.
  • Gusto (Augustus) (voiced by Rob Paulsen) - (introduced in Season 2) the artistic Gummi and an individualist, he lives away from Gummi Glen with his toucan friend, Artie Deco (originally voiced by series story editor, Jymn Magon). Gusto is an artist who is very creative with mercurial moods depending on how well his (sometimes unsophisticated) work is going or being appreciated. He sometimes goes to Gummi Glen to visit the rest of the Gummis. Being a later addition, he appears less often on the show although he is a fan favorite.

[edit] Friend/Ally Characters

  • Cavin (voiced by Christian Jacobs, Brett Johnson, David Faustino, Jason Marsden, R.J. Williams) - Cavin is the squire of Sir Tuxford, the highest knight in King Gregor's court. Cavin befriends the Gummi Bears in the first episode and shares the same ambition as Cubbi - to become a knight. Cavin also had the medallion, given to him by his grandfather, that opened The Great Book of Gummi, the source of all Gummi Bear wisdom. The young squire also has a secret crush on Princess Calla.
  • Princess Calla (voiced by Noelle North) - Princess Calla is the daughter of King Gregor, ruler of Dunwyn. She is an adventurous character and she often drags the dumbstruck Cavin (who she is overly fond of) into story situations. Calla also befriended the Gummi Bears and is close friends with Sunni. She hates the pomp and circumstance that comes with being royalty while wishing to be more involved in the governance and defense of the realm.
While it is not known what ever became of Calla's mother, as there is never any mention of her mother in any of the episodes, it is often assumed by fans that Calla's mother died in childbirth. Calla is also voiced by the same person who voiced Cubbi, which explains some common tones the two characters exhibit in the program, especially when either one is expressing excitement. Calla was named after the daughter of the late NBC president Brandon Tartikoff, according to the Internet Movie Database.
  • King Gregor (voiced by Michael Rye) - King Gregor is the ruler of Dunwyn. He is a brave figure and protects his people from villains like Duke Igthorn with the help of Sir Tuxford and his knights. Gregor is unaware of the Gummi Bears' existence or involvement in saving his kingdom many times. His pride and joy is his daughter, Calla, which later included considerable respect of her previously hidden fighting prowess.
  • Sir Tuxford and knights (voiced by Bill Scott, Roger C. Carmel, Brian Cummings) - Sir Tuxford is the highest ranking knight in King Gregor's court. He is an older, jolly character, always ready for a fight but perhaps past his prime. Sir Tuxford leads the knights of Castle Dunwyn and is the main force that keeps Duke Igthorn and his ogres away. His catchphrase is often "I'm sure I don't know, Sire." when questioned by King Gregor of the present situations.
  • Sir Thornberry - an old Gummi Bear, and the last inhabitant and self-appointed keeper of the Gummi Bear city Ursalia. Somewhat absent-minded but brave, and has a very good nose which he uses to track scents like a dog.
  • Sir Gawain - Cavin's grandfather, who also originally found the Gummi Medaillon which Cavin had been wearing until he gave it to the Gummi Bears. He is highly idealistic and loves to tell tall tales of the Gummi Bears on every suitable occasion. He has met the Bears of Gummi Glen, but he is unaware that Cavin knows them as well.
  • the Barbics - a group of more savage Gummi Bears who had been driven out of their home by humans and found refuge in Ursalia. Notable characters are Ursa, their female leader, Gritty, Ursa's one-eyed right hand, and Buddy, their youngster, who becomes friendly with his age-mates Sunni and Cavin.
  • the Gummadoon Gummies - the inhabitants of a Gummi Bear city who used magic to vanish it and themselves from a horde of hostile humans. They reappear every 100 years, for one day only. Notable characters are Counselors Wooddale and Berrybowum, and the knights Sir Plucky, Sir Blastus and Sir Gumlittle.
  • Sir Victor Igthorn - a famous paladin in the realm of Dunwyn. He is Sigmund's twin brother, and ashamed of his family's betrayal he has taken the path of justice to atone for their sins. He has become Cavin's idol and friend, but he is unaware of the Gummi Bears' existence. He can take any insult to himself, but NOT to his steed Destiny, and has the ability to make ladies swoon when he kisses their hands. Sigmund blackmailed Victor about his relations into assisting him to in taking Dunwyn Castle. However, Cavin found Victor in the attempt and convinced him to undo his betrayal. Victor did so and fought off his brother, then publicly confesses his dark secret before Sigmund could betray it. However to his relief, Victor learned that while his kinship to Sigmund is a surprise, no one holds it against him.
  • Marie - the daughter of King Jean-Claude, the ruler of a neighbour kingdom of Dunwyn. Originally spoiled and bratty, she considered Calla a rival and picked a fight with her on every occasion. After both their lives were saved by the Gummi Bears, however, she has mellowed considerably and is now one of Calla's best friends.

[edit] Enemy Characters

  • Duke Sigmund Igthorn (Michael Rye) - a former knight of Dunwyn, he was exiled after plotting against King Gregor. He found refuge in Castle Drekmore and formed an army of local ogres. He is a bad-tempered and scheming villain, who constantly seeks the conquest of Dunwyn. After having encountered the Gummi Bears, he has employed their secrets time and again to fulfill his plans, but he always meets only short-lived success at best. He has a BIG - and alas unrequitted - crush on Lady Bane. We discover that he has a brother named Sir Victor, who fights crime, the antithesis of Igthorn. We also discover that Igthorn's first name is Sigmund.
  • Toadie (Toadwart) (Bill Scott, season 1 / Corey Burton) - The smallest ogre on Drekmore, and Igthorn's lackey and second-in-command. As his name suggests, he is a fawning and enduring character who - mostly - bears any bullying and punishment brought upon him by the Duke and his fellow ogres. He is also (by some small margin) the smartest of his kin. He also has a cousin named Tadpole.
  • Lady Bane {Tress Macneille} - The evil witch of the series. She is in possession of a Gummi Medallion much like Zummi's, and craves any power she can get her hands on (including the Gummi Bears') for her bid for power. She is served by her jackal-like Troggles and on occasion by Duke Igthorn, whose crush on her she finds VERY annoying.
  • the Ogres - Duke Igthorn's shock troops. Big and strong, but very dumb; they constantly call their master "Iggy" or "Dookie" (much to his annoyance). Only two are ever mentioned by name: Zook (green skin and orange hair) and Gad (purple skin and metal helmet), who are a sort of Igthorn's bodyguards. Gadzooks!
  • Carpies - a race of vulture-like creatures living on the spire-like Carpy Mountain. They capture Sunni twice - first for her singing talent, then to become their King (or rather, Queen). Their bullying King has been succeeded by Bobo the Dodo.
  • Unwin (Will Ryan) - a knight squire at Dunwyn. A big bully and loud-mouth who constantly picks on Cavin.

[edit] Places

  • Gummi Glen - An oak tree that was once filled wih hundreds of Gummies now houses six {Cubbi, Sunni, Grammi, Tummi, Gruffi and Zummi}. It was the home for the gummies until it was destroyed by Duke Igthorn when he used the termite, Bigtooth on it as part of his plan to conquer Dunwyn.
  • Dunwyn - The kingdom that Gummies defend from Igthorn. Among the people who live there are King Gregor, Sir Tuxford, Cavin and Princess Calla.
  • Drekmore - Duke Igthorn's lair. A very unclean castle that also hords Igthorn's ogres. It was shot up like a rocket when an ogre fell into the Gummiberry juice machine.
  • Ursalia - A lost Gummi mountain city, which boasts a large library, was initially populated only by Sir Thornberry. However, the city was gradually repopulated by first the Barbic Gummis and then the Gummi Glen Gummies after their colony was destroyed.

[edit] Episode List

[edit] Season One 1985-86

  1. A New Beginning
  2. The Sinister Sculptor
  3. Zummi Makes It Hot
  4. Someday My Prints Will Come
  5. Can I Keep Him?
  6. A Gummi In A Gilded Cage
  7. The Oracle
  8. When You Wish Upon A Stone
  9. A Gummi By Any Other Name
  10. Loopy, Go Home
  11. A Hunting We Will Go
  12. The Fence Sitter
  13. Night Of The Gargoyle
  14. The Secret Of The Juice
  15. Sweet And Sour Gruffi
  16. Duel Of The Wizards
  17. What You See Is Me
  18. Toadie's Wild Ride
  19. Bubble Trouble
  20. Gummi In A Strange Land
  21. Light Makes Right

[edit] Season Two 1986-87

  1. Up, Up And Away
  2. Faster Than A Speeding Tummi
  3. For A Few Sovereigns More
  4. Over The River And Through The Trolls
  5. You Snooze, You Loose
  6. The Crimson Avenger
  7. A Hard Dazed Knight
  8. Do Unto Ogres
  9. For Whom The Spells Holds
  10. Little Bears Lost
  11. Guess Who's Gumming To Dinner
  12. My Gummi Lies Over The Ocean

[edit] Season Three 1987-88

  1. Too Many Cooks
  2. Just A Tad Smarter
  3. If I Were You
  4. Eye Of The Beholder
  5. Presto Gummo
  6. A Tree Grows In Dunwyn
  7. Day Of The Beevilweevils
  8. Water Way To Go
  9. Close Encounters Of The Gummi Kind
  10. Snows Your Old Man
  11. Boggling The Bears
  12. The Knights Of Gummadoon
  13. Mirthy Me
  14. Gummi Dearest

[edit] Season Four 1988-89

  1. The Magnificent Seven Gummies
  2. Music Hath Charms
  3. Dress For Success
  4. A Knight to Remember
  5. Gummies just want to have fun
  6. Color me Gummi
  7. The Crimson Avenger Strikes Again
  8. There's no Place Like Home
  9. Tummi's Last Stand
  10. He Who Laugh's Last
  11. Ogre Baby Boom
  12. The White Knight
  13. Girls Knight Out
  14. Good Neighbor Gummi
  15. Top Gum
  16. Gummies at Sea

[edit] Season Five 1989-90

  1. The Road to Ursalia
  2. Let Sleeping Giants Lie
  3. A Gummi a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
  4. Life of the Party
  5. Bridge on the River Gummi
  6. My Kingdom for a Pie
  7. The World According to Gusto
  8. Ogre for a Day
  9. A Gummi is a Gummi's Best Friend
  10. Princess Problems
  11. Beg, Burrow and Steal
  12. Return to Ursalia

[edit] Season Six 1990-91

  1. A Gummi's Work is Never Done
  2. Friar Tum
  3. Never Give a Gummi an Even Break
  4. Tuxford's Turnaround
  5. Toadie the Conqueror
  6. Zummi in Slumberland
  7. A Recipe for Trouble
  8. Patchwork Gummi
  9. Thornberry to the Rescue
  10. Once More, The Crimson Avenger
  11. Queen of the Carpies
  12. True Gritty
  13. Tummi Trouble
  14. Rocking Chair Bear
  15. Trading Faces
  16. May the Best Princess Win
  17. Wings over Dunwyn
  18. The Rite Stuff
  19. King Igthorn Part 1
  20. King Igthorn Part 2

[edit] Significance

The Adventures of the Gummi Bears was Disney's first foray into television animation. At the time of its first premiere, very few, if any, animated television series were on par with Gummi Bears' production values. It even exceeded the quality of much Japanese animation made for TV at the time. Gummi Bears is often credited by animators and animation historians as having helped jump start the massive boom of television animation in the late 1980s all through the 1990s.

Gummi Bears also became the forerunner for Disney's famous Disney Afternoon timeslot, which gave way to classics such as DuckTales, Darkwing Duck, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, TaleSpin, and Gargoyles. Although shows created in its wake such as the above mentioned exceeded Gummi Bear's budget and length, it is often credited as the sort of prototype to all of the subsequent animation which followed it, while DuckTales really jump started the trend. Nevertheless, it was a gamble which paid off tremendously in the long run.

It should also be noted that this show has the most number of seasons of any Disney animated series. Even though it did not have the most total episodes, this shows that Gummi Bears was approved for 6 straight seasons, something no comparable show has done before or since. Even some of the big non-Disney animated series such as Batman: The Animated Series, X-Men, or Spider-Man cannot match this claim. Some shows like DuckTales have more episodes but fewer number of seasons. The significance of this is that there were new episodes contracted and made from 1985 to 1990.

[edit] DVD Release

The first 3 seasons of Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears were released on November 14, 2006

Volume 2 containing Seasons 4-6 will be released sometime in 2007.

[edit] Title in other languages

[edit] External links


The Disney Afternoon
Aladdin • Bonkers • Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers • Darkwing Duck • Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears
Doug • DuckTales • Gargoyles • Goof Troop • Hercules: The Animated Series • The Lion King's Timon and Pumbaa
Mighty Ducks • 101 Dalmatians: The Series • Quack Pack • The Schnookums and Meat Funny Cartoon Show • TaleSpin  		 The Disney Afternoon
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../d/i/s/Disney%27s_Adventures_of_the_Gummi_Bears_497f.html"