The Wuzzles

The Wuzzles
Created by Mark Donald
Starring
Opening theme "The Wuzzles" performed by Stephen Geyer
Ending theme "The Wuzzles" (instrumental)
Country of origin United States
No. of episodes 13 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Marc du Pontavice
Running time approx 22–26 mins
Production company(s)
Distributor Buena Vista Television
Release
Original network CBS[1]
Picture format 4:3
Audio format Stereo
Original release September 14 (1985-09-14) – December 7, 1985 (1985-12-07)

The Wuzzles is an animated television series created for Saturday morning television, and was first broadcast on September 14, 1985 on CBS. An idea of Michael Eisner for his new Disney television animation studio, the premise is that the main characters are hybrids of two different animals.[2] The original thirteen episodes ran on CBS for their first run.[3]

Premise

The Wuzzles features a variety of short, rounded animal characters (each called a Wuzzle, which means to mix up). Each is a roughly even, and colorful, mix of two different animal species (as the theme song mentions, "livin' with a split personality"), and all the characters sport wings on their backs, although only Bumblelion and Butterbear are seemingly capable of flight. All of the Wuzzles live on the Isle of Wuz. Double species are not limited to the Wuzzles themselves. From the appleberries they eat to the telephonograph in the home, or a luxury home called a castlescraper, nearly everything on Wuz is mixed together in the same way the Wuzzles are. The characters in the show were marketed extensively. The characters were featured in children's books, as poseable figures and plush toys (similar to Care Bears), and in a board game.

Disney premiered two animated series on the same day in the same time slot, 8:30 AM ET, in the United States, with the other being Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears on NBC,[4] and both series were successful during their first seasons. However, The Wuzzles ended production after its initial run largely due to the sudden death of Bill Scott, the voice of Moosel. However, Scott was also the voice of Gruffi Gummi, Sir Tuxford, and Toadwart (aka Toadie) on Gummi Bears (which also saw the deaths of voice actors Bob Holt and Roger C. Carmel within 15 months of one another) and Corey Burton and Carmel (later Brian Cummings in 1987) took over those roles. CBS canceled the show, and ABC (later acquired by Disney in February 1996) picked it up and showed reruns during the 1986-1987 season; they aired it at 8:00 AM so the two Disney shows would not be in competition with one another.

It was a bigger success in the United Kingdom, where the pilot episode aired as a theatrical featurette in 1986 alongside a re-release of Disney's Bambi. In the United Kingdom, The Wuzzles and Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears were originally screened on the same channel (ITV) in 1985/1986; therefore, both series enjoyed high popularity, and The Wuzzles was also repeated on the Children's BBC (now called CBBC) in 1987. Reruns of the show were aired on both The Disney Channel and Toon Disney. Songwriter Stephen Geyer performs the lead vocal and composed the theme song for The Wuzzles.

Characters

Minor or one-shot characters

Characters that appeared in books and as plush toys, but not on TV

Baby Wuzzles

These characters appeared only as plush toys.

Voices

Episodes

No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date
1"Bulls of a Feather"Carole BeersMark EvanierSeptember 14, 1985 (1985-09-14)
Eleroo adopts a baby bullfinch and is reluctant to part with it, especially when the other Wuzzles wish to return it to its original mother. Meanwhile, Crocosaur plans to get wealthy with the baby bullfinch.
2"Hooray for Hollywuz"Carole BeersKen Koonce,
David Weimers
September 21, 1985 (1985-09-21)
Hoppo attempts to reach her dream of becoming a star in Hollywuz.
3"In the Money"Fred WolfKen Koonce,
Bob Rosenfarb,
David Weimers
September 28, 1985 (1985-09-28)
Bumblelion finds money on the ground, which was stolen money from the bank, and becomes rich, which puts a crimp in his friendship with the other Wuzzles.
4"Crock Around the Clock"Fred WolfKen Koonce,
David Weimers
October 5, 1985 (1985-10-05)
The stormy weather gets bad in Wuz, and with Crocosaur's house destroyed, he takes up residence with Butterbear, conning her of her food supply.
5"Moosel's Monster"Fred WolfTed PerryOctober 12, 1985 (1985-10-12)
Moosel's imagination goes out of control when he accuses everything of being a monster or an omen, and believes a real and friendly monster is all in his head.
6"Klutz on the Clutch"Fred WolfKen Koonce,
David Weimers
October 19, 1985 (1985-10-19)
Due to Rhinokey's crazy driving, he is banned from driving and therefore banned from the upcoming race.
7"Bumblelion and the Terrified Forest"Fred WolfKen Koonce,
David Weimers
October 26, 1985 (1985-10-26)
Bumblelion and Hoppo go deep into the Terrified Forest to rescue Butterbear from an evil witch.
8"Eleroo's Wishday"Fred WolfMark EvanierNovember 2, 1985 (1985-11-02)
Eleroo wishes to fly using the wishing well.
9"Ghostrustlers"Fred WolfKen Koonce,
David Weimers
November 9, 1985 (1985-11-09)
With a plague in Wuz Town, the Wuzzles move to a ghost town that really is inhabited by ghosts.
10"A Pest for a Pet"Fred WolfMark EvanierNovember 16, 1985 (1985-11-16)
The Wuzzles get revenge on Rhinokey by playing a joke on him that makes him depart from Wuz.
11"The Main Course"Fred WolfKen Koonce,
David Weimer
November 23, 1985 (1985-11-23)
After being attacked by Pirats (part parrot, part rat), the Wuzzles sail to an island where Hoppo is mistaken for a god by a tribe of Pig-Mice (part pig, part mouse) who intend to throw her into a volcano.
12"Class Dismissed"Fred WolfKen Koonce,
David Weimers
November 30, 1985 (1985-11-30)
When Butterbear is hired to make invitations to a ball, the other Wuzzles decide to get invited by bettering their class. Also, Crocosaur makes a bet with Butterbear about turning Brat into a sensible and polite Wuzzle.
13"What's Up, Stox?"Fred WolfKen Koonce,
David Weimers
December 7, 1985 (1985-12-07)
After visiting the new neighbor, zillionaire Tycoon (part tiger, part raccoon), the Wuzzles are given a money tree which they obsess over. Crocosaur plans to obtain it for himself.

References

  1. "Team Disney-flying High In Burbank - Page 4 - Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times. September 22, 1996. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  2. "'Whats' Wuzn'T 'Wuzzles,' Federal Judge Determines - New York Times". New York Times. September 19, 1987. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  3. "The Wuzzles Episode Guide (1985)". BCDB. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  4. "Disney Enters Saturday's Cartoon Fray". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved October 19, 2010.
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