Snorks

Snorks is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera which ran on NBC from September 15, 1984 to May 13, 1989. Although not as popular as the animated series The Smurfs, the program continued to be available in syndication from 1986 to 1989, on the BBC in the late 1990s, and from 2009–present on Boomerang. Freddy Monnickendam of Belgian character licensing firm SEPP originally developed the "Snorks" concept in 1982.

Belgian comics artist Nicolas Broca created the original character designs,^[1] which were originally created for characters called "Diskies" he wished to include in the Spirou et Fantasio Franco-Belgian comic he was drawing at the time. A page and a few images were realized, and were published in the limited edition album Les Mémoires de Spirou in 1989.

As of today, they have not been republished.^[2] The cartoon was relatively successful and has a considerable fan following. In May 2011, the series was added to Hulu as a part of their Hulu Plus instant streaming for paying subscribers.^[3]

Synopsis

The Snorks are a race of small, colorful beings that live happily in the underwater world of Snorkland. They have snorkels on their heads, which are used to propel them swiftly through the water. As evidenced by the cartoon series, when a Snork becomes excited their tube makes a "snork" sound. Like The Flintstones or The Smurfs, they have much of the same technology as contemporary humans, adapted to their own aquatic environment. The Snorks use clams as currency, even though clams were already being used by The Flintstones.

According to the Snork back-story, which was described in the show's first opening theme, a few ventured to the surface (which the Snorks believe is "outer space") in 1643, and watched a Royal Navy ship being attacked by pirates. The captain wound up in the water, and that was the first contact between the species when the Snorks saved his life, to which the captain then expressed his gratitude by writing a book about the Snorks, although very few humans believe in the existence of the Snorks. Since then, Snorks have adopted several human habits, such as wearing clothes.

There are a few episodes which have human encounters with the Snorks.

Characters

Main Snorks

• Allstar Seaworthy (voiced by Michael Bell) - An athletic, yellow-skinned, male Snork, generally considered to be the hero of the series. He is smart, brave and generous, usually serving as the leader of his gang during their various adventures. Allstar has a big interest, and excels, in science and inventions, much like his uncle, Dr. Galeo Seaworthy. Whenever AllStar reaches a "light bulb moment", his belt buckle would start to spin, giving him a "starbright idea". He is Casey's love interest, and used to be best friends with Junior when they were younger. He has a baby sister named Smallstar. Allstar has once joked that he will never understand female Snorks in the episode "Learn to Love Your Snork" when he fails to understand why Casey is upset.

In the upcoming TV specialThe Masked Pie Smurfer Smurfs Allstar Snork(originally called Allstar Snork Gets Smurfed),Allstar appers as the main protagonist,with Jokey Smurf as the main antagonist

• Casey Kelp (voiced by B.J. Ward) - A light-pink-skinned, female Snork with reddish hair tied up into bunches by green hair bows. Usually wears a midriff green shirt and matching pants. Intelligent, brave, and kind-hearted, she dislikes bullies or being bullied and will stand up for herself as well as others. Also pretty good at drawing. Once upset about her "giant" snork and goes out of her way to hide/shrink it. She is Allstar's love interest and Daffney's best friend. In season 4, however, she has a big crush on a star Snorkball player named Stevie and eventually becomes his date for the school prom, making her relationship with Allstar seem nonexistent.

• Wellington Wetworth, Jr. aka "Junior" (voiced by Barry Gordon) - An orange-skinned, male Snork with bluish hair who is a spoiled snob that takes after his parents, especially his Governor father. Before Bigweed becomes the villain in season 3, Junior is seen as minor villain-like, due to his rude attitude towards other Snorks, especially Allstar and his gang. He constantly seeks wealth, status, and to outperform Allstar, whom he frequently calls "Allwet", in everything. Usually learns his lesson at the end of the episode. Used to be best friends with Allstar when he was younger until standing up for himself went to his head. During the first two seasons, he appears to have a crush on Casey, but starting from season 3 he is often seen with Daffney, and hangs out more with Allstar's gang.

• Daffney Gillfin (voiced by Nancy Cartwright) - A pretty, coral-colored, dark-haired female Snork who wears a bob haircut and a red star-shaped hairpin. Always concerned with her looks, but has a good heart deep down. She wins the title of Miss Junior Snorkland in a beauty pageant with the help of Yucky, a baby rainbow swamp fish (much like the ugly duckling). With a talent in fine arts, Daffney becomes star of the show as the understudy for Tallulah Bankfish (a famous Broadway theatre actress from New Snork City) in a play, and has entered a piece of sculpture for an art show. She is best friends with Casey and Dimmy's love interest before he is written out. Also has a good relationship with Jo-Jo (who once calls Daffney "Alberta Einsnork"), and Lil Seaweed, with whom she shares fashion tips and works as fellow trapeze artists in a circus once.

• Tooter Shelby (vocal effects provided by Frank Welker) - A green-skinned, good-natured male Snork with dark green hair who is affected by aphasia and can "communicate" only through "tooting". His parents do not share this language disorder, although Tooter's mom has a lisp. Nevertheless, he is well loved by his friends who seem to have no problem understanding him. He has the ability to communicate with some of the sealife. Has once fallen in love with another tooting Snork named Tadah.

• Dimitris "Dimmy" Finster (voiced by Brian Cummings) - An athletic, orange-skinned, male Snork, Dimmy fancies himself to be a comedian as well as a fighter, but his attempts usually lead to awkward results. Has learned ballet to improve his Snorkball skills. He also has a big appetite, and hates being called by his full name. He is Allstar's good friend and Daffney's love interest, although he is temporarily replaced by Jo-Jo as Daffney's date to the debutante ball and becomes jealous. Once had a crush on a little mermaid whom he saved from a storm and the evil Dr. Strangesnork. From the beginning of the season 3, he is written out of the storylines for unknown reasons, but he does make some cameo appearances.

Minor Snorks

• Occy (vocal effects provided by Frank Welker) - Allstar's red male pet octopus. He was once owned by Junior until the latter abandoned him. Occy never gets along with Junior and will go out of his way to embarrass and/or chase Junior. Conversely, Occy is very loyal to Allstar. A multi-instrumentalist, Occy has held a sold-out concert to help Allstar raise money for the heavily-in-debt Dr. Galeo.

• Corky (voiced by Rob Paulsen) - An orange-skinned, male Snork. He works as the Snork Patrol Officer, a dedicated defender of Snorkland and quite a workaholic. He drives a multi-functional submarine, and his home is filled with all kinds of medals he has won for heroic achievements. He is liked by all Snorks and gets along well with Allstar and his friends.

• Jo-Jo (voiced by Roger DeWitt) - A strong, fearless, tan-skinned male Snork who grew up and lives in the wild, the Snork equivalent of Tarzan. Unlike his friends in Snorkland, Jo-Jo has two snorks, making him faster and stronger than all others, but he does not like to be taken just as a "big, brave, simple-hearted hunk". He loves freedom and all the wild sealife, which he is able to communicate with and tame. He is sometimes a bit uncomfortable with the "civilization", which he thinks is "too much" for him. On the other hand, Jo-Jo seems to enjoy the prehisnorkic era quite a lot, and falls instantly in love with Daffnork (a prehisnorkic version of Daffney). He becomes Daffney's date to the debutante ball after saving her life. Also assists Corky in helping others from time to time.
  • Fengy - A dogfish and Jo-Jo's companion since he was a child.

• Willie Wetworth (voiced by Fredricka Weber) - An orange-skinned boy Snork, younger brother of Junior, who often picks on him yet is still someone Willie looks up to and whose words Willie often repeats. He is the opposite of Junior — nice, kind, warm-hearted, and well liked by all. He is friends with Smallstar.

• Governor Wellington Wetworth (voiced by Frank Nelson in Season 1 and 2, Barry Gordon in Season 3) - An orange-skinned, male Snork with lavender colored hair. Vain and egocentric, Governor Wetworth is a stereotypical politician who generally evades blames and takes undue credit, thus disliked by the majority of Snorks. As Junior and Willie's father, he wants Junior to follow in his steps and often turns a blind eye to Junior's misbehavior until trouble arises. Dislikes Dr. Galeo, Allstar and his gang for stealing the spotlight. Younger brother to Captain Long John, a kindly, old pirate who's friends with AllStar and Casey. Often forgets and messes up his public speeches. Occasionally shows a good side of himself by donating to charity and encouraging Junior to earn his own money for buying a car.

• Dr. Galeo Seaworthy (voiced by Clive Revill) - A purple-skinned, bespectacled male Snork with white hair and a moustache. A scientist and inventor, he has saved Snorktown numerous times from villains and disasters with his contraptions, whose occasional kinks also serve as a running gag throughout the series. He is Allstar's uncle, brother to Dr. Strangesnork, and a friend to Allstar's gang, often providing them with various devices for their adventures. He has successfully built a time machine which helps his prehisnorkic friend Ork get back home.

• Smallstar Seaworthy (voiced by Gail Matthius) - A yellow-skinned, female, infant Snork. She is Allstar's baby sister and friends with Willie. She appears to be very naughty and has once vandalized Governor Wetworth's monument and doodled on his face with Casey's red crayon.

Supporting Snorks

• Mr. Seaworthy (voiced by Bob Holt) - A yellow-skinned, male Snork. He is Allstar and Smallstar's father, and manager of the Snorkland Steam Plant, responsible for providing energy for buildings and automobiles, as well as heat for heating and cooking needs for the residents of Snorktown.

• Mrs. Seaworthy (voiced by Edie McClurg) - A bespectacled, yellow-skinned, pink-haired female Snork, Allstar and Smallstar's mother. Owns a beautiful, expensive blue coral necklace passed down to her through many generations in her family.

• Mr. Kelp (voiced by Robert Ridgely) - A light-pink-skinned, red-haired, bespectacled male Snork and Casey's father. Owner of the Kelps store.

• Mrs. Kelp (voiced by Joan Gerber) - A light-pink-skinned, female Snork and Casey's mother.

• Auntie Marina (voiced by Mitzi McCall) - A light-pink-skinned, female Snork with reddish hair, Casey's aunt. Passionate about acting and theatre, and good friends with the famous actress Tallulah Bankfish.

• Mrs. Wetworth (voiced by Joan Gardner) - A female Snork with bluish hair, Junior and Willie's mother. She's usually seen correcting her husband, Governor Wetworth, during his speech, as he tends to either forget his words or misspeak.

• Grandpa Wetworth (voiced by Frank Welker) - An orange-skinned Snork. He's Junior and Willie's grandfather, a smart trickster that acts as if he knows less than what he does. He's an elderly male that is young at heart and in spirit, as well as being technologically savvy. Junior always tries to surpass him in tricks but Grandpa Wetworth is always one step ahead. He's liked by all and likes Allstar and his friends.

• Ms. Seabottom (voiced by Edie McClurg) - A yellow-skinned, bespectacled female Snork. She is a high school teacher and appears to be the only teacher to take the students on field trips.

• SNIP and SNAP - A pair of robo-Snorks, with SNIP being male and SNAP female. They were created by Bigweed in order to get rid of Corky and thus taking over Snorkland. They pretend to be UFOs upon first appearance. After successfully framing Corky and making him leave, they allow Bigweed and Lil Seaweed to take over Snorkland. Then with a change of heart and SNAP being dismantled by a furious Lil Seaweed, SNIP helps Corky and Allstar's gang get rid of Bigweed and Lil Seaweed. Later, Dr. Galeo manages to rebuild SNAP and create a communication device that allows SNIP and SNAP to make sounds of basic words.

Villains

• Dr. Strangesnork "Seaworthy" (voiced by René Auberjonois) - A purple-skinned, male Snork who has white hair adorned with black lightning-shaped streaks. He is a villainous and absent-minded scientist, often forgetting his own name. He attempts to take over Snorkland with various schemes and inventions. He is jealous of his brother, Dr. Galeo, and wants to take revenge upon him and his nephew, Allstar.
  • Finneus (vocal effects provided by Frank Welker) - An orange catfish with black stripes. He's Dr. Strangesnork's sidekick and companion from childhood. He's always reminding Dr. Strangesnork of everything that he forgets.

• Bigweed (voiced by Michael Bell) - The main villain of the series since season 3. He is supposed to be a large, green, seaweed-like creature with magical abilities, such as disguising himself as a Snork or any other form of sealife. Seeks to take over Snorkland and enslave the Snorks, but always ends up being outwitted. His hair turns out to be an important ingredient to cure Allstar's rare disease at one point.
  • Lil Seaweed (voiced by B.J. Ward) - Bigweed's female sidekick who wears a red hair bow and makeup. Same species as Bigweed with similar magical abilities but on a lower level. About the same age as Allstar and his friends. Later on, she is forced by Snorkland Social Services to attend school because of her age. Although Bigweed calls her "klutz", the two share a strong bond. Lil Seaweed also forms a secret friendship with Daffney.
  • Weed and Wood - Bigweed's two buddies and secondary sidekicks.

• The Great Snork Nork (voiced by Frank Welker) - An indigo-colored vampire Snork and the Snork equivalent of Count Dracula. Unlike others, his snork is on the front of his face, turning downward. He has fangs and sleeps like a bat, hanging upside-down from the ceiling. He hates and avoids light at all cost. He has magical abilities and can hurl electrical bolts from his hands. He wants to take over Snorkland and is always accompanied by two sidekicks, who are miniature versions of him minus the magical abilities.

• The Snork-Eaters - Large red creatures known to prey off Snorks. The only thing that scares them is a type of fish called Snork-Eater Eaters, with tiny bodies and enormous mouths. In addition, King Neptune also has the power to banish Snork-Eaters.

Others

• Serena the Mermaid - A Snork-sized tiny mermaid with long blond hair. She is saved from a storm and later from Dr. Strangesnork by Dimmy, and is transformed into regular mermaid size by Dr. Strangesnork's enlarging machine. No longer worried about her size, she returns with her friends to the mermaid world after giving Casey one of her hair accessories and kissing Dimmy on the cheek.

• King Neptune - A character from Roman mythology serving as the ruler of the sea. He's portrayed as a merman who controls the rise and fall of tides with a magical conch shell. Most Snorks believed King Neptune was a myth until he appears after losing his magical conch shell which is later found by Willie.

• Matilda (Voiced by Mitzi McCall) - An overzealous female Snork with long blond hair and a mole next to her left eye. She is seen as a cheerleader during a game and enjoys dancing a lot. She has a big crush on Junior, who tries to avoid her but never seems to succeed.

• Esky - An orange-colored male Snork who lives in the Snork Pole. He wears winter clothing and accessories like all the other inhabitants of his area. Although lacking in self-confidence, he is a brave, responsible, and the fastest Snork in his area, having once saved his town and Allstar's gang from the Snork-Eaters with the help of a friendly Snork-Eater Eater fish.

• Ebb - A good-natured, cream-colored Snork with a protruding front tooth who snorks and talks backwards. Shunned for his eccentricities in his hometown, Ebb left and settled down in a deserted, run-down reef in Snorkland. Initially mistaken by Allstar and his gang to be a faceless Snork monster, he befriends them and becomes an excellent snorkerang player. However, his new home is set to be rebuilt into a clamdominium by Governor Wetworth. Allstar's gang then plays a trick and makes the place appear haunted, and Ebb accidentally "saves" the Governor's life by chasing the "monsters" away. He is thus rewarded with a nice reef-top apartment for his "heroic deeds".

• Ork - A prehisnorkic Snork with long red hair, who has been frozen in an ice cube for two million years and discovered by Dr. Galeo, Daffney and Jo-Jo. The Snork equivalent of a Stone Age caveman, Ork has poor grammar skills, dresses like Jo-Jo, and is deeply homesick when trapped in the "modern" Snorkland. However, having lived in the modern days for two months, he experiences a bit of a "culture shock" when he finally returns home via Galeo's time machine. Claiming that things are no longer what he remembers them to be, Ork decides to go back to Snorkland with his new friends.

• The Snork-Eater Eater - A small yellow fish that can commune with the Snorks. Its mouth can be opened and expanded to a great extent, catered specifically to devouring Snork-Eaters.

Episode list

Season 1 (1984)

Season 1 ran from September 15, 1984 to December 8, 1984. Several title cards from season 1 were lost in syndication for some unknown reason. The first season had a narration opening starting off with a random man narrating about a mythical legend about mysterious underwater sea creatures rescuing Spanish Captain Ortega.^[4] It was used exclusively on NBC in 1984.

"I first discovered Capt. Ortega's logbook in a monastery overlooking the ocean. On the morning of February 13, 1634, Captain Ortega anchored his ship behind a barrier reef. That night, they were attacked by pirates. The ship set afire sank into the lagoon. Ten days later, the Captain was found. Delirious, still clutching his logbook, he described a world of tiny, underwater creatures no bigger than his thumb. No one believed him, but you know, there's something about Captain Otega's story. That makes me believe it's true." A chorus of men begin singing "Snork along, it's a snorkfilled celebration", which then yields to Tooter blowholing the title.

1. Journey To the Source / Hooked on a Feeling
2. Vandal Scandal/ The Ugliest Yuckfish
3. The Littlest Mermaid / Which Snork Snitched
4. Allstar's All-Star Band / A Sign of The Tides
5. Now You Seahorse, Now You Don't / Snorkymania
6. Snork Dance / Snork Marks the Spot
7. Junior's Secret / The Blue Coral Necklace.
8. Casey and The Doubleheader/ Das Boot
9. Snorkin Surf Party / The Snorkness Monster
10. A Snork on the Wild Side / Allstar's Double Trouble
11. Fine Fettered Friends / Time Out for Sissies
12. Me Jo-Jo, You Daffney / The Old Shell Game
13. The King of Kelp / Whale Tales

Season 2 (1985–1986)

Season 2 ran from September 14, 1985 to May 4, 1986. It featured a lively uptempo dance theme called "We're The Snorks".^[5] This theme would later be used on Worldvision Home Video (now CBS Home Entertainment) releases of 1986–1987. It was also featured on VH1's I Love the '80s 3-D segment about the Snorks.

1. Up, Up, and a Wave/ Gills Just Wanna Have Fun.
2. Snorkitis is Nothing to Sneeze At / The Whole Toot and Nothing But the Toot
3. Chickens of the Sea / Never Cry Wolf-fish
4. A Hard Day's Snork / Learn to Love Your Snork
5. Allstar's Freshwater Adventure / Dr. Strangesnork
6. It's Just a Matter of Slime / Water Friends For?
7. Junior's Octopuppy / The Shape of Snorks To Come
8. A Snorking We Did Go/ Guess What's Coming To Dinner?
9. The Big Scoop / The New Neighbors
10. I Squid You Not / The Backwards Snork

Season 3 (1987)

Season 3 ran in fall 1987 on the syndicated block The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera. In this season, the familiar "Come Along with the Snorks" theme debuted.

1. All's Whale that Ends Whale / Allstar's Last Hour
2. A Willie Scary Shalloween / Sea Shore Sideshow
3. Freeze Save our Town / Snip and Snap
4. Junior's Empire / The Golden Dolphin
5. It's Always Darkest Before the Snork / The Sand Witch
6. Tooter Loves Tadah / The Shady Shadow
7. Daffney's Ransom / Salmon Chanted Evening
8. Casey in Sandland / Reefberry Madness
9. A Farewell of Arms / Mummy Snorkest
10. Jo-Jo in Control / The Day the Ocean Stood Still
11. Chills, Drills and Spills / The Longest Shortcut
12. Willie & Smallstar's Big Adventure / Taming of the Snork
13. A Snork in a Gilded Cage / The Snorkshire Spooking

Season 4 (1988)

Season 4 aired in 1988-1989 on The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera. Most of the episodes in this season were full-length episodes, rather than two shorts.

1. Daffney's Not so Great Escape / Willie's Best Fiend
2. Dr. Strangesnork's Bomb / Day of the Juniors
3. Ooze Got the Snorks / A Starfish is Born
4. The Silly Snorkasaurus / Who's Who?
5. Battle of the Gadgets / Little Lord Occy
6. Junior's Fuelish Kelp Rush / The Boo Lagoon
7. How the Snork was Won / In Junior's Image
8. Robosnork
9. Summer and Snork
10. Allstar's Odyssey
11. In Greed we Trust
12. Jaws Says the Word
13. Prehissnorkic
14. Rhyme and Punishment
15. The Wizard of Ice
16. Big City Snorks
17. Nightmare on Snorkstreet
18. Robin Snork
19. Snorkerella
20. Snork Ahoy
21. The Daring Young Snork on the Flying Trapeze
22. Oh Brother!
23. The Story Circle
24. I'll Be Senior
25. The Day They Fixed Junior Wetworth
26. The First Snork in Space
27. Wish or Wish Out
28. All That Glitters is Not Goldfish
29. My Dinner with Allstar
30. Allstar's Odyssey

Cast

• René Auberjonois - Dr. Strangesnork
• Michael Bell - Allstar Seaworthy, Bigweed
• Nancy Cartwright - Daffney Gilphin
• Brian Cummings - Dimmy Finster
• Roger DeWitt - Jo-Jo
• Joan Gardner - Mrs. Wetworth
• Joan Gerber - Mrs. Kelp
• Barry Gordon - Junior Wetworth, Governor Wetworth (2nd voice)
• Bob Holt - Mr. Seaworthy
• Gail Matthius - Smallstar Seaworthy
• Mitzi McCall - Auntie Marina
• Edie McClurg - Ms. Seabottom, Mrs. Seaworthy
• Frank Nelson - Governor Wetworth (1st voice)
• Rob Paulsen - Corky
• Clive Revill - Dr. Galeo Seaworthy
• B.J. Ward - Casey Kelp, Lil' Seaweed
• Fredricka Weber - Willie Wetworth
• Frank Welker - Tooter Shelby, Occy, Grandpa Wetworth, Great Snork Nork, Finneus

Additional voices

• Patricia Alice Albrecht -
• Jack Angel -
• Chub Bailey -
• Roger C. Carmel -
• Mary Ann Chin -
• Cam Clarke -
• Selette Cole -
• Townsend Coleman -
• Peter Cullen -
• Jim Cummings -
• Jennifer Darling -
• Jerry Dexter -
• Jeff Doucette -
• Marshall Efron -
• Dick Erdman -
• Miriam Flynn -
• Pamela Hayden -
• Arte Johnson -
• Stan Jones -
• Zale Kessler -
• Marilyn Lightstone -
• Shane McCabe -
• Chuck McCann -
• Diane Michelle -
• Howard Morris -
• Alan Oppenheimer -
• Laurel Page -
• Hal Rayle -
• Peter Renaday -
• Robert Ridgely - Mr. Kelp
• Joe Ruskin -
• Ken Sansom -
• Ronnie Schell -
• Howard Stevens -
• Rip Taylor -
• Jean Vander Pyl -

Popular culture

• Michael Bell reprises his role of Allstar Seaworthy in the Family Guy episode "Brian the Bachelor" while Nancy Cartwright voiced Casey Kelp.

References

External links

• Snorks at the Internet Movie Database
• fr:Nicolas Broca