Space Stars
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Space Stars was a 1981 NBC Saturday morning cartoon created by Hanna-Barbera which ran from 1981-1982.
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[edit] Format
Space Stars ran four cartoon segments each week: Space Ghost, The Herculoids, Teen Force, and Astro and the Space Mutts. The cartoons would occasionally cross-over into one another, and Space Ghost and the Herculoids both had their own respective series in the mid-1960s. Teen Force and Astro are both new segments, although the Astro character was originally the family dog from The Jetsons.
[edit] Space Ghost
A total of 22 episodes were produced for Space Ghost, featuring a new assortment of villains including an evil version of Space Ghost called Space Spectre, who came from an alternate universe. The Phantom Cruiser was also given a sleeker and more modernized look. Similar to the original series, Space Ghost often came to the aid of the Herculoids and vice versa. They also frequently crossed paths with the Teen Force, and it appeared that Jan and Teen Force member Kid Comet were dating as well.
[edit] The Herculoids
As a departure from the original series, this incarnation of the Herculoids had its roots in science fiction, and had story direction and content similar to Jonny Quest and Space Ghost. This series takes place on a far-away planet named Quasar in the land of Amzot (the planet was only named as such in this series, though Amzot was first mentioned in the "Time Creatures" episode of the original series). Eleven episodes were produced.
[edit] Teen Force
Teen Force focused on three superhumanly gifted young adults who hail from an unknown alternate universe which is located beyond the confines of the mysterious Black Hole X, which serves as a gateway into the universe in which the other main characters from Space Stars exist.
The Teen Force consists of Kid Comet, who can move at speeds exceeding the speed of light, and can even move quickly enough to travel through time; Moleculad, who can control his molecular structure for various effects; and Elektra, who possesses the psionic disciplines of telepathy, telekenesis, and teleportation. Accompanying them are a pair of diminutive blue-skinned aliens named Plutem and Glax, also known as the Astromites. Their principal enemy in the series is Uglor, a mutant native and tyrannical ruler of the planet Uris, whose inhabitants are a race of evolved simians. Uglor's mutancy granted him bird-like wings and the ability to generate destructive lightning-like energy bolts from his eyes.
[edit] Astro and the Space Mutts
Astro and the Space Mutts featuring Astro, the family dog from the Jetsons. He teams up with two other dogs named Cosmo and Dipper, lead by their human leader Space Ace. Together, the trio act as galactic police officers.
[edit] Syndication
On the USA Network, the Astro and the Space Mutts segments were never shown. Additionally, the Space Ghost, Herculoids, and Astro segments have been seen on the Cartoon Network, and Boomerang, but not the Teen Force segments. Furthermore, the series has never been shown in its entirety on the Cartoon Network, and has yet to be shown in its entirety on Boomerang.
[edit] Voice cast
- Michael Bell ... Space Ace
- Keene Curtis... Narrator
- Gary Owens ... Space Ghost
- Virginia Gregg ... Tara
- Darryl Hickman ... Kid Comet
- Casey Kasem ... Announcer
- Allan Lurie ... Uglor
- Sparky Marcus ... Dorno
- Don Messick ... Astro/Gloop/Gleep
- David Raynr ... Moleculad
- Mike Road ... Zandor/Tundro/Zok/Igoo
- Steve J. Spears ... Jace
- Alexandra Stewart ... Jan
- B.J. Ward ... Elektra
- Lennie Weinrib ... Dipper
- Frank Welker ... Cosmo/Blip
- Michael Winslow ... Plutem