Animated Titans: Filmation
>> Filmation Overview
>> Aqualad in Aquaman
>> Teen Titans
>> Kid Flash in Flash
>> Robin in Batman and Robin
Filmation Overview
Filmation Associates was formed in 1963 by radio announcer Norm Prescott,
former Bozo the Clown animator Lou Scheimer, and former Disney animator Hal
Sutherland. The fledgling outfit saw the opportunity of a lifetime in the
possible chance to secure a major network deal to animate a major comic book
company's lead character three years later. But how to instill to National
Periodical Publications the confidence that their tiny operation could be
trusted with "superhero number one?"
Well, National (now known as DC Comics) decided to inspect the little storefront
and check them out for themselves. Knowing that they were soon to arrive,
Scheimer proceeded to put all of his relatives, friends, etc. in "working
positions" at the studio. When the National execs made their appearance,
to really impress them, Scheimer, while guiding them around the studio caught
"one of his employees" in a "minor infraction" and summarily
(and loudly) "fired" him." The display of Scheimer "toughmindedness"
convinced Slational execs that, indeed, Superman was in the right hands and
work commenced soon afterwards. The New Aduentnres of Superman with the Superman
comic book's Mort Weisinger serving as the series' story editor, and Superman
comic book writers George Kaslsdan, Bob Haney, and Leo Dorfman scripting many
of the episodes, were a very faithful adaption to the comic book mythos.
The New Adventures of Superman, "A Filmation Production," made its debut
on CBS in September 1966, with DC's Mort Weisinger serving as story consultant.
Soundtracks were especially important when motion was curtailed, so executive
producer Allen Ducovny employed the old radio voices of Bud Collyer (Superman),
Joan Alexander (Lois Lane) and Jackson Beck (narrator).
The program was composed of short seven-minute adventures, some
of them featuring Superboy (Bob Hastings) and his dog Krypto. In 1967, CBS
offered The Superman-Aquaman Hour, which repeated some material from the previous
show along with segments featuring DC's super hero of the sea. He wasn't the
best known character available, but his friendship with animals (even if they
were oysters and octopi) seemed to make him ideal for kidvid.
In any case, the show hedged its bets by presenting an entire
army of DC heroes, including the Atom, the Flash, Green Lantern and Hawkman
- and the Teen Titans. In the same year CBS presented The Batman/Superman
Hour, using old Superman stories with new Batbits featuring Olan Soule and
radio personality Casey Kasem doing the voices of Batman and Robin. In 1969,
the Dynamic Duo returned in The Adventures of Batman.
While ABC aired the durable SUPERFRIENDS, CBS kept going with The Batman-Tarzan
Hour and The New Adventures of Batman (both in 1977). Then NBC got into the
act with Batman and the Super 7 (1980) and The Kid Power Hour with Shazam
(1981), the latter featuring the original Captain Marvel.
These Batman cartoons were shown in a half hour format. They were made by
Filmation and the series premiered February 10, 1977 on CBS. This series featured
the voices of the original television Batman and Robin (Adam West and Burt
Ward) and they added a new character named Bat-Mite and Batgirl was in this
series. The episodes from this series were used later in The Batman/Tarzan
Adventure Hour, Tarzan And The Super 7, and Batman And The Super 7.
Aqualad in "Aquaman"
The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure - Produced by Filmation: 1967-1969: Aquaman starred in a series of segments with his teen sidekick, Aqualad.
In addition, Aqualad's pet walrus, Tusky, and Aquaman's wife, Mera, appeared
and assisted the duo. The series was very faithful to the comics of the time,
as many episodes were written by DC Comics writers like George Kaslsdan and
Bob Haney; Aquaman would refer to Aqualad as 'Minnow' or 'Tadpole,' just as
in the comics. They often met in their lair, the Aquacave and faced adversaries
like Black Manta and The Fisherman. Aqualad was usually kidnapped, knocked
unconscious or placed in jeopardy at some point of every episode.
Here is a list of the 7-minute episodes produced:
Menace Of The Black Manta
The Rampaging Reptile Men
The Return Of Nepto
The Fiery Invaders
The Sea Raiders
War Of The Water Worlds
The Volcanic Monster
The Crimson Monster From The Pink Pool
The Ice Dragon
The Deadly Drillers
Vassa -- Queen Of The Mermen
The Microscopic Monster
Onslaught Of The Octomen
Treacherous Is The Torpedomen
The Satanic Saturnians
The Brain - Brave And Bold
Where Lurks The Fisherman
Mephisto's Marine Marauders
The Trio Of Terror
The Torp, The Magneto, And The Claw
Goliaths Of The Deep-Sea Gorge
The Sinister Sea Scamp
The Devil Fish
The Sea Scavengers
In Captain 'Cuda's Clutches
The Mirror-Man From Planet Imago
The Sea Sorcerer
The Sea Snares Of Captain Sly
The Undersea Trojan Horse
The Vicious Villainy of Vassa
Programmed For Destruction
The War Of The Quatix And Bimphabs
The Stickmen Of Stygia
Three Wishes To Trouble
The Silver Sphere
To Catch A Fisherman
The Teen Titans
Teen Titans - Produced by Filmation: 1967-1969: Aqualad was eventually spun off to his own segment, and along with Wonder
Girl, Kid Flash and Speedy formed "The Teen Titans," a group of
rising young superheroes. The series was faithful to the comic series, with
the exception of the absence of Robin. The Titans were headquartered in the
Titans Lair and responded to emergency calls, just as in the comics. The teen
teammates also refered to each other by their ginchy nicknames, like Wonder
Doll, Wonder Chick, Twinkletoes, Speedy-o, and Gill Head.
There were only three 7-minute episodes produced:
The Monster Machine
The Space Beast Roundup
Operation Rescue
Kid Flash in "Flash"
Flash - Produced by Filmation: 1967-1969: The Flash, with sidekick Kid Flash, also starred in three episodes of his
own. Kid Flash only appeared in "Take A Giant Step" and "To Catch A Blue Bolt." Wally differed from his comic-book counterpart
in that his hair was black. Other than that, The Flash partnership was the
same. In "To Catch a Blue Bolt" viewers can bear witness to Flash
and Kid Flash changing from their secret identities to superhero personas
with their Flash rings.
There were only three 7-minute episodes produced:
The Chemo Creature
Take A Giant Step
To Catch A Blue Bolt
Robin in "Batman & Robin"
The Batman/Superman Hour - Produced by Filmation: CBS, 1968-1969 Batman and Robin shared the show with Superman;
They starred
in 34 episodes, most of which were 2 parts.
The Adventures of Batman & Robin - Produced by Filmation: CBS, 1969-1970 This series was reruns of the episodes from
The Batman/Superman
Hour.
Here is a list of the episodes produced [many were 2-parters]:
Batman
My Crime Is Your Crime
The Cool, Cruel Mr. Freeze
How Many Herring In A Wheelbarrow?
The Nine Lives of Batman
Bubi, Bubi, Who's Got The Ruby?
The Big Birthday Caper
Partner In Peril
Hizzoner The Joker
The Crime Computer
A Game Of Cat And Mouse
Will the Real Robin Please Stand Up?
Simon, The Pieman
From Catwoman With Love
A Perfidious Pieman Is Simon
The Fiendish, Frigid Fraud
The Jigsaw Jeopardy
It Takes Two To Make A Team
Batman And Robin
A Bird Out Of Hand
The Joke's On Robin
In Again, Out Again, Penguin
Long John Joker
The 1001 Faces Of The Riddler
Two Penguins Too Many
The Underworld Underground Caper
Freeze's Frozen Vikings
The Great Scarecrow Scare
Beware Of Living Dolls
He Who Swipes The Ice, Goes To The Cooler
A Mad, Mad Tea Party
Perilous Playthings
The Cool, Cruel Christmas Caper
Enter The Judge
Wrath Of The Riddler
Opera Buffa
Further Batman & Robin Animated Series
While ABC aired the durable SUPERFRIENDS, CBS kept going with The Batman-Tarzan
Hour and The New Adventures of Batman (both in 1977). Then NBC got into the
act with Batman and the Super 7 (1980) and The Kid Power Hour with Shazam
(1981), the latter featuring the original Captain Marvel.
These Batman cartoons were shown in a half hour format. They were made by
Filmation and the series premiered February 10, 1977 on CBS. This series featured
the voices of the original television Batman and Robin (Adam West and Burt
Ward) and they added a new character named Bat-Mite and Batgirl was in this
series. The episodes from this series were used later in The Batman/Tarzan
Adventure Hour, Tarzan And The Super 7, and Batman And The Super 7.
Here is a list of the episodes produced:
The Pest
The Moonman
Trouble Identity
A Sweet Joke On Gotham City
The Bermuda Rectangle
Bite-Sized
Reading, Writing, And Wronging
The Chameleon
He Who Laughs Last
The Deep Freeze
Dead Ringers
Curses! Oiled Again!
Birds Of A Feather Fool Around Together
Have An Evil Day, Part 1
Have An Evil Day, Part 2
This Like A Job For Bat-Mite
