| Laff-A-Lympics | |
|---|---|
Laff-A-Lympics title screen. |
|
| Also known as | Scooby's Laff-A Lympics |
| Genre | Comedy Sports |
| Format | Cartoon series |
| Written by | Neal Barbera Haskell Barkin |
| Directed by | Charles August Nichols Ray Patterson |
| Voices of | Julie Bennett Joe Besser Mel Blanc Daws Butler John Stephenson |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | William Hanna Joseph Barbera |
| Production company(s) | Hanna-Barbera Productions |
| Distributor | Warner Bros. Television |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | ABC |
| Original run | September 10, 1977 – July 31, 1979 |
Laff-A-Lympics was the co-headlining segment, with Scooby-Doo, of the package Saturday morning cartoon series Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics, produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The show was a spoof of the Olympics and the ABC television series Battle of the Network Stars, [1][2] which debuted one year earlier. It featured 45 Hanna-Barbera characters organized into the teams (The Scooby Doobies, The Yogi Yahooeys, and The Really Rottens) which would compete each week for gold, silver, and bronze medals. One season of 16 episodes was produced in 1977-78, and eight new episodes combined with reruns for the 1978-79 season as Scooby's All-Stars. Unlike most cartoon series' produced by Hanna-Barbera in the 1970s, Laff-A-Lympics did not contain a laugh track.
Contents |
The sporting competitions that the characters would be called upon to perform in would often be comical and offbeat versions of Olympic sports, races, and scavenger hunts. Each segment took place in a different location around the world. That event occurred on the moon as a climactic ending, which followed a rocket race to the moon that was held as the previous event.
Each episode was presented in a format similar to an Olympic television broadcast, with announcing/voice-over duties handled by an unnamed/unseen Announcer character. Hosting duties and commentary were provided by Snagglepuss and Mildew Wolf from the It's the Wolf! segments of Cattanooga Cats (though unlike It's the Wolf!, Mildew was no longer voiced by Paul Lynde; he is now voiced by John Stephenson). Since the show was airing on ABC, Snagglepuss and Mildew wore the then-traditional yellow jackets of ABC Sports announcers. Non-competing Hanna-Barbera characters such as Fred Flintstone, Barney Rubble, Jabberjaw and Peter Potamus made appearances as guest announcers and judges. Other non-competing characters included parents of contestants (who were interviewed by Mildew before events) and various monsters and creatures that would serve as antagonists during events.
The Laff-A-Lympics competition was based upon a point system. Various events were worth a certain point total for the first, second, and third place winners (usually 25, 15, and 10 respectively; however, the last event was often worth either double points or a larger point bonus for the winner). The team that had the most points by the end of the half-hour was declared the winner and received the gold medal. Points could also be subtracted for treachery and sabotage, which were the specialties of the villainous Really Rottens team.
The "good guy" teams, consisting of the Scooby Doobies and the Yogi Yahooeys, were good friends and their respective team members gladly helped each other whenever they got into a jam. The Really Rottens, however, always cheated and pulled dirty tricks which would ultimately cause them to be the last-place losers in most episodes. Much like Dick Dastardly and Muttley on Wacky Races, typically the Really Rottens would be just on the verge of winning, before they would make a fatal error at the very end that allowed one of the other two teams to end up at the top.[1] Occasionally, though, the Rottens' cheating technique wouldn't actually be against the rules, which resulted in them winning in a few episodes (there was even one episode where they won through sheer chance).[3] Only one complete season of Laff-A-Lympics episodes were produced, with eight new episodes combined with reruns for the second season of Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics (billed as Scooby's All-Stars). When it premiered in the fall of 1977, the series consisted of several segments, including "Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels" (which led off the two-hour program and later was spun off onto its own half-hour show), "The Scooby-Doo Show" and "Dynomutt" (both of which featured a small number of newly-produced segments alongside repeated segments from earlier seasons) and the "Laff-A-Lympics" segments themselves. The show resurfaced in 1980 as a half-hour series on its own (sans the "Captain Caveman," "Scooby-Doo" and "Dynomutt" cartoons) and titled Scooby's Laff-A-Lympics, and was rerun at various other points during the 1980s on ABC. It has also been frequently re-run in later years as Laff-A-Lympics on USA Cartoon Express, Cartoon Network and Boomerang.
This team drew mainly from the 1970s Hanna-Barbera cartoons, particularly the "mystery-solving" series derived from Scooby-Doo, whose titular character served as team captain. The early production art for the series showed Jeannie from the Jeannie series and Melody, Alexander, Alexandra, and Sebastian the Cat from the Josie and the Pussycats series as members of the "Scooby Doobies" team, but legal problems with Columbia Pictures Television, Screen Gems' successor, prevented it. Hanna-Barbera owned Babu, but Columbia controlled all rights to Jeannie's image. As a result, Babu appeared alone as a member of the "Scooby Doobies". Likewise, Archie Comics held rights to the Josie characters. In the actual series, Jeannie was replaced by Hong Kong Phooey and the Josie characters were replaced by Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels.[2][3]
Among the members of the Scooby Doobies are:
| Name | Note |
|---|---|
| Scooby-Doo | Team captain; Character from The Scooby-Doo Show |
| Shaggy Rogers | Character from The Scooby-Doo Show |
| Scooby-Dum | Character from The Scooby-Doo Show |
| Dynomutt | Character from Dynomutt, Dog Wonder |
| Blue Falcon | Character from Dynomutt, Dog Wonder |
| Captain Caveman | Character from Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels |
| Brenda Chance | Character from Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels |
| Taffy Dare | Character from Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels |
| Dee Dee Skyes | Character from Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels |
| Speed Buggy | Character from Speed Buggy |
| Tinker | Character from Speed Buggy |
| Babu | Character from Jeannie |
| Hong Kong Phooey | Character from Hong Kong Phooey |
This team drew mainly from the 1950s and 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoons and is the only team made up completely of anthropomorphic animals. Grape Ape is the only post-1962 character in the line-up.
Among its members are:
This team is composed of villainous characters. With the exception of Mumbly and the Dalton Brothers, all of the members are original characters, many of whom are based on various characters that appeared in cartoons and comics prior to Laff-A-Lympics. Originally, Muttley and Dick Dastardly were planned as the leaders of the Really Rottens; however, they could not appear on the show due to those characters being co-owned by Heatter-Quigley Productions.[4][5][6] In their place, Hanna-Barbera used the existing character Mumbly and created the new character Dread Baron.[7] Prior to Laff-A-Lympics, Mumbly was a heroic detective rather than a villain on his original show. Following the character's revision as the villainous team leader, he remained a villain in Yogi Bear and the Magical Flight of the Spruce Goose, which was also Dread Baron's only other role.[5] The Dalton Brothers appeared in 1950s and 1960s shorts (including the 1958 short Sheriff Huckleberry Hound, which featured appearances by Dinky, Dirty, and Dastardly Dalton, as well as their other brothers Dangerous, Detestable, Desperate, and Despicable). However, they were given new character designs for the Laff-A-Lympics series.[3] After Laff-A-Lympics, Dinky reappears in The Good, the Bad, and Huckleberry Hound with brothers Stinky (who bears a resemblance to Dastardly from Laff-A-Lympics), Finky, and Pinky.
Among the members of the Really Rottens are:
| Name | Note |
|---|---|
| Mumbly | Team captain; Character from The New Tom & Jerry/Grape Ape/Mumbly Show; Bears a strong resemblance to Wacky Races character Muttley [8] |
| Dread Baron | Original character; Bears a strong resemblance to Dick Dastardly[8] (who is revealed to be his twin brother in the Laff-A-Lympics # 13 comic book)[5][9] and the Red Max, both from Wacky Races |
| Dinky Dalton | Character from Quick Draw McGraw and The Huckleberry Hound Show; Giant villainous cowboy brother whose Stetson obscures his eyes |
| Dirty Dalton | Character from Quick Draw McGraw and The Huckleberry Hound Show; Short villainous cowboy brother with mustache |
| Dastardly Dalton | Character from Quick Draw McGraw and The Huckleberry Hound Show; Short villainous cowboy brother with blond hair |
| Mr. Creepley | Original character; Patriarch of villainous monster family based on The Gruesomes and Mr. & Mrs. J. Evil Scientist[10] |
| Mrs. Creepley | Original character; Matriarch of villainous monster family based on The Gruesomes and Mr. & Mrs. J. Evil Scientist[10] |
| Junior Creepley | Original character; Member of villainous monster family based on The Gruesomes and Mr. & Mrs. J. Evil Scientist[10] |
| Orful Octopus | Original character; Pet of the Creepleys; Villainous version of Squiddly Diddly and Occy the Octopus (pet of The Gruesomes) |
| The Great Fondoo | Original character; Evil magician whose tricks and spells never work as intended and always backfired; Similar to Abner K. Dabra from the 1963 book, Yogi Bear and the Cranky Magician |
| Magic Rabbit | Original character; Pet of the Great Fondoo; Bears a resemblance to the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland (or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This?) |
| Daisy Mayhem | Original character; Mean-spirited hillbilly with split ends in her hair and bare feet; Bears a strong resemblance to the Li'l Abner character Moonbeam McSwine |
| Sooey | Original character; Daisy Mayhem's patch-eyed pig |
| # | Location | Guest Star(s) | Winner | Original Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDLA-1 | "The Swiss Alps and Tokyo, Japan" | Fred Flintstone & Barney Rubble, Mrs. Mumbly (Mumbly's mom) | The Scooby Doobies (105 points) |
September 10, 1977 |
| Events: Downhill Ski Contest, Ice Skating, Toboggan Race, Sumo Wrestling, One-Point Tennis, Baseball Batting Contest | ||||
| SDLA-2 | "Acapulco and England" | Jabberjaw | The Scooby Doobies (70 points) |
September 17, 1977 |
| Events: Cliff Diving, Underwater Relay, Speed Boat Race, Big Ben Tower Climb, Fox Hunt, Skateboard Polo | ||||
| SDLA-3 | "Florida and China" | The Scooby Doobies (115 points) |
September 24, 1977 | |
| Events: Swamp Buggy Race, Waterski Contest, Auto Track Race, Rickshaw Race, Ping Pong, Gymnastics | ||||
| SDLA-4 | "The Sahara Desert and Scotland" | Loch Ness Monster | The Yogi Yahooeys (70 points) |
October 1, 1977 |
| Events: Dune Buggy Race, Fill Up the Oasis Race, Loch Ness Photograph Race, Three Legged Kilt Race | ||||
| SDLA-5 | "France and Australia" | The Scooby Doobies (120 points) |
October 8, 1977 | |
| Events: Tour de France Bicycle Race, Eiffel Tower Climb, Boomerang Throw, Kangaroo Race | ||||
| SDLA-6 | "Athens, Greece and the Ozarks" | The Scooby Doobies (105 points) |
October 15, 1977 | |
| Events: Pole Vault, Disco Throw (Discus), Rail Cart Race, Keelboat Race | ||||
| SDLA-7 | "Italy and Kitty Hawk, North Carolina" | The Scooby Doobies (85 points) |
October 22, 1977 | |
| Events: Motor Scooter Race, Canal Boat Race, Hang Gliding, Skydiving, Hot Air Balloon Race | ||||
| SDLA-8 | "Egypt and Sherwood Forest" | The Scooby Doobies (90 points) |
October 29, 1977 | |
| Events: Touch the Tip of the Pyramid, Camel Race, Armor Foot Race, Princess Rescue Contest | ||||
| SDLA-9 | "Spain and the Himalayas" | Abominable Snowman | The Scooby Doobies (90 points) |
November 5, 1977 |
| Events: Bullfight, Gypsy Wagon Race, Hang the Bell on the Abominable Snowman, Climbing Mount Everest | ||||
| SDLA-10 | "India and Israel" | Jabberjaw, Peter Potamus, Fred Flintstone & Barney Rubble | The Yogi Yahooeys (100 points) |
November 12, 1977 |
| Events: Tiger Hunt, Elephant Bark Race, Sun Sail Sledding Contest, Reed Boat Race | ||||
| SDLA-11 | "Africa and San Francisco" | Jabberjaw | The Yogi Yahooeys (80 points) |
November 19, 1977 |
| Events: Jungle Boat Race, Vine Swinging Contest, Rollerskating, Fishing | ||||
| SDLA-12 | "The Grand Canyon and Ireland" | The Yogi Yahooeys (135 points) |
November 26, 1977 | |
| Events: Burro Race, Tightrope Race, Catch the Leprechaun, Hole-in-one Golf Tournament | ||||
| SDLA-13 | "Hawaii and Norway" | The Scooby Doobies (90 points) |
December 3, 1977 | |
| Events: Surfing, Outrigger Race, Viking Longboat Races, Long Jump Wearing Snowshoes | ||||
| SDLA-14 | "North Pole and Tahiti" | Fred Flintstone & Barney Rubble | The Scooby Doobies (120 points) |
December 10, 1977 |
| Events: Dog Sled Races, Igloo Building Contest, Around the Reef Paddleboat Race, Sandcastle Building Contest | ||||
| SDLA-15 | "Arizona and Holland" | Mr. and Mrs. Mayhem (Daisy Mayhem's parents) | The Scooby Doobies (75 points) |
December 17, 1977 |
| Events: Wild Bronc Riding Contest, Steer Roping, Windmill Riding contest, Dyke Building Contest | ||||
| SDLA-16 | "Quebec and Baghdad" | The Scooby Doobies (65 points) |
December 24, 1977 | |
| Events: Lacrosse Batting, Canadian Tree Cutting, Flying Carpet Races, Magic Rope Climbing | ||||
| # | Location | Guest Star(s) | Winner | Original Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Russia and the Caribbean" | The Scooby Doobies (100 points) |
September 9, 1978 | ||
| Events: Siberian Moose Marathon, Dancing Race Through Moscow, Porpoise Race, Bluebeard's Treasure Hunt | ||||
| "New York and Turkey" | The Really Rottens (75 points) |
September 16, 1978 | ||
| Events: Hansom Carriage Race, Crown the Statue of Liberty, Unicycle Race, Swimming Relay Race | ||||
| "South America and Transylvania" | Mad Monster, Mummy, Monster from the Brak Lagoon | The Yogi Yahooeys (90 points) |
September 23, 1978 | |
| Events: Bull Lasso Contest, Rubber Raft Race, Spooky Scavenger Hunt, Log Roll Race | ||||
| "French Riviera and New Zealand" | Fred Flintstone | The Scooby Doobies (90 points) |
September 30, 1978 | |
| Events: Soapbox Derby, Free Flight Kite Contest, Ostrich Race, Mud Puddle Tug-of-War | ||||
| "New Orleans and Atlantis" | Jabberjaw | The Yogi Yahooeys (70 points) |
October 7, 1978 | |
| Events: Antique Aircraft Distance Race, Chinese Dragon Race, Sea Horse Race, Mermaid Rescue | ||||
| "Morocco and Washington, D.C." | The Really Rottens (75 points) |
October 14, 1978 | ||
| Events: Roller Scooter Race, Sand Chariot Race, Rally Race, Marine Corp. Obstacle Course | ||||
| "Canada and Warsaw, Poland" | The Yogi Yahooeys (85 points) |
October 21, 1978 | ||
| Events: Get Your Man Contest, Dog Sled Race, Freestyle Pole Vault, Pogostick Race | ||||
| "Siam and the Moon" | All three teams tie (80 points) |
October 28, 1978 | ||
| Events: Siamese Sampan Race, 3-Way Soccer, Rocket Race, Moon Foot Race | ||||
Overall standings:[11]
In March 1978, Marvel Comics produced a comic book series based on the cartoon. Creative staff for the comic book included Mark Evanier, Carl Gafford, Scott Shaw, Jack Manning, Owen Fitzgerald and others. The series lasted 13 issues. A Laff-A-Lympics comic book was also published in Australia in 1978 by Sydney Murray Publishing. From 1980-1982, various Laff-A-Lympics stories were reprinted in Laff-A-Lympics Annual hardback books in the United Kingdom by Fleetway.
An updated Laff-A-Lympics called the "Superstar Olympics" appeared in the Hanna-Barbera Presents #6 comic book in 1996. The Superstar Olympics featured Atom Ant, Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy, Barney Rubble, Betty Rubble, Boo Boo Bear, Chopper, Cindy Bear, Dick Dastardly, Fred Flintstone, Grape Ape, Hokey Wolf, Huckleberry Hound, Jabberjaw, Magilla Gorilla, Muttley, Peter Potamus, Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks, Quick Draw McGraw, Ranger Smith, Secret Squirrel, Snagglepuss, Snooper and Blabber, Squiddly Diddly, Top Cat, Touché Turtle, Wally Gator, Wilma Flintstone, and Yogi Bear.
A Laff-A-Lympics hand-held pinball game was released in 1978. The game featured Scooby-Doo, Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels, Blue Falcon, Yogi Bear, Boo-Boo Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Grape Ape, Mumbly, Dread Baron, Mr. Creepley, Dalton Brothers, Snagglepuss, and Mildew Wolf.
In 1979, Hanna-Barbera released a Laff-A-Lympics Old Maid card game that included Scooby-Doo, Shaggy Rogers, Dynomutt, Blue Falcon, Hong Kong Phooey, Yogi Bear, Boo-Boo Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Grape Ape, Quick Draw McGraw, Pixie and Dixie, Yakky Doodle, Mumbly, Dread Baron, Snagglepuss, and Mildew Wolf.
In 1996, four VHS editions of the show were released in the USA on the NTSC format, each containing two episodes for a running time of approximately 50 minutes:
At the same time in the UK a "bumper special" VHS rape was released in UK on the PAL format containing the following episodes[14] (The UK episodes of this series were the US episodes divided in two with just 1 location per episode):
The first four episodes were released on Region 1 DVD on January 19, 2010, as Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics, Volume 1. This Volume contained:
Target released an exclusive second volume with the next four episodes on the same day titled Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics, Volume 2.[15] The volume would released to other stores on October 19, 2010.[16] This Volume contained:
There have been no Region 2 releases of this series to date.
TBA
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||