The Blue Racer

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The Blue Racer is a series of theatrical cartoons produced at DePatie-Freleng Enterprises from 1972 to 1974.

The series depicts a blue snake named Blue Racer (who talks like Paul Lynde, although Canadian-born voice artist Larry D. Mann voiced him) trying unsuccessfully to catch a Japanese-streotyped beetle, who is a black belt in Karate.

It is rumored that due to backlash from Japanese-Americans, the beetle was dropped, half-way through the series.^{[citation needed]}

Because the series was very rarely circulated after the theatrical run, it is now very hard-to-find. 35mm films, which was sent to theaters, have gone into the hands of movie collectors. 16mm films have shown up in some collector's hands as well, but rarely. Now, it can be seen on Cartoon Network's Boomerang with The Pink Panther and other DePatie-Freleng cartoons.

Both characters spun-off from Tijuana Toads in "Hop and Chop" (Japanese beetle) and "Snake in the Gracias" (Blue Racer). The goofy bird from the Tijuana Toads (Crazylegs Crane, who also repeatedly failed to collar the Racer and Toads himself) also later appeared in the series as well.

17 cartoons were produced.

Directors are Art Davis, Gerry Chiniquy, Sid Marcus, Bob McKimson, David Deneen, Bob Balser, and Cullen Houghtaling.

Producers are David H. DePatie and Friz Freleng.

[edit] Trivia

Bob Holt voiced both the Blue Racer and the Japanese Beetle in the 1972 short "Support Your Local Serpent".
In the 1973 shorts the Japanese Beetle was no longer featured in the series making the 1972 short "Blue Racer Blues"

his last appearance.

Since July of 2005, Boomerang has aired every Blue Racer cartoon at least once.

[edit] Filmography

1971

Snakes in the Gracias (Hawley Pratt) (Featuring the Tijuana Toads)

1972

Hiss and Hers (Gerry Chiniquy)
Nippon Tuck (Gerry Chiniquy)
Support Your Local Serpent (Art Davis)
Punch and Judo (Art Davis)
Love and Hisses (Gerry Chiniquy)
Camera Bug (Art Davis)
Yokohama Mama (Gerry Chiniquy)
Blue Racer Blues (Art Davis)

1973

The Boa Friend (Gerry Chiniquy)
Wham and Eggs (Art Davis)
Blue Aces Wild (Gerry Chiniquy)
Killarney Blarney (Gerry Chiniquy)
The Fowl Play (Bob McKimson)
Freeze a Jolly Good Fellow (Sid Marcus)
Aches and Snakes (David Deneen)
Snake Preview (Cullen Houghtaling)

1974

Little Boa Peep (Bob Balser)

[edit] Opening Credits

Written by: John W. Dunn
Music by: Doug Goodwin
Animation: Warren Batchelder, Ken Muse, George Nicholas, Phil Roman, Don Williams
Background: Richard Thomas
Layout: Dick Ung
Film Editor: Lee Gunther
Production Supervisor: Jim Foss
Camera: John Burton Jr.
Production Coordinator: Harry Love
Produced by: David H. DePatie, Friz Freleng
Directed by: Hawley Pratt