Psychedelic Saturdays: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of “The Banana Splits”

By Michael Lyons

Saturday morning television doesn’t get more off-the-wall, more bonkers, more “huh?,” more ‘60’s than “The Banana Splits”...and there’s a whole generation that’s just fine with that.

From the reigning kings of Saturday morning, Hanna-Barbera, came this hour long show (a rarity for Saturday morning television at the time) combining live-action and cartoons with psychedelic sets and original rock music.  Yep, you read that right.

“The Banana Splits” has gained a following that ranges from rose-colored memories from the generation that grew up with the show to cult status from later generations who would discover this addictive TV oddity years after.

September 7th marked the 50th anniversary of “The Banana Splits” debut on NBC, which makes this the perfect opportunity to hop in our “Banana Buggies” and take a trip back in time to celebrate this unique Saturday morning offering. 

The official title was “The Banana Splits Adventure Hour’ and was hosted the by the title characters, a fictional rock band, which was comprised of Fleegle (a dog), Bingo (an orangutan), Drooper (a lion) and Snorky (an elephant).  They were actors in costumes (which were actually designed by puppeteers Sid and Marty Krofft, who would go on to contribute their own off-beat brand of Saturday morning shows like “HR Pufnstuf” and “Land of the Lost”).

The design of the costumes were very well done and came across as Hanna Barbera characters come to life.  They had unique touches, like odd, Spartan-like helmets and shaggy fur on Snorky the elephant.

The Banana Splits would hang out in their candy-colored clubhouse acting as hosts for the show, taking part in quick comedy skits (most of the slapstick kind) and performing their original songs (in VERY ‘60’s versions of what could be called some of TV’s first music videos).

During some of the other segments, The Banana Splits would go head-to-head with their arch enemies, The Sour Grapes (who were a group of adolescent girls) or race around in their “Banana Buggies” (large, all-terrain vehicles).

Throughout the hour, The Banana Splits would also introduce cartoons, which had been produced especially for the show.  There were the two adventure cartoons, “The Three Musketeers” and “Arabian Knights,” as well as the contemporary, “Fantastic Voyage”-like “Micro Ventures.”  Additionally, there was the comedic “Hillbilly Bears” and the live-action serial episodes of “Danger Island” (which were directed by Richard Donner, who would later go on to helm such Hollywood blockbusters as 1985’s “The Goonies” and the “Lethal Weapon” franchise).

“The Banana Splits Adventure Hour” was sponsored by Kellogg’s cereal.  In fact, the show would open each week with the four titular characters holding giant spoons, standing in front of signs of different Kellogg’s cereals and essentially delivering a commercial message, as they introduced the show.  Television sponsorship has truly changed throughout the years

In another act of synergy, the opening and closing credits of the show featured The Banana Splits cavorting at Kings Island Theme Park.  At the time, the Park was owned by Taft Broadcasting Company, who just also happened to own Hanna-Barbera.  It was a very canny way to cross-promote.

In 1972, there was a return of the characters in the one time, hour-long “movie,” “The Banana Splits in Hocus Pocus Park.”   Produced for the “ABC Saturday Superstar Movie,” the four stars find themselves transported into an offbeat, cartoon world.

Years later, the “Adventure Hour” was edited down to half-hour shows simply called “The Banana Splits” and placed into syndication.  In addition to the original segments, cartoons such as “Atom Ant,” “Secret Squirrel,” “The Adventures of Gulliver” and the live-action/animated “The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” were added.  Because the show was paired down like this, the original “Adventure Hour” is difficult to find today.

Another reason why “The Banana Splits” has faded in popularity, outside certain circles.

Yes, it’s off the wall, yes, it’s bonkers, yes, it is SO ‘60’s, but “The Banana Splits” is also the type of daring and original (albeit strange) children’s TV show that rarely gets made.

It’s also a prime example of Saturday Morning memories that have sadly become extinct.

They just don’t make ‘em like this any more.  To which, some would say, “Good!”...while fans of “The Banana Splits” would ask “Why Not?!?”

Sources:

IMDb 

Wikipedia

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Toon In Tonight: Remembering Saturday Morning Preview Specials

By Michael Lyons

Gather ‘round everyone and listen to a tale of a time when Saturday morning TV wasn’t just news shows and infomercials.  Instead, these mornings were jam packed with shows that were geared toward kids who had toiled away the weekdays in the rough and tumble world of elementary school.

These Saturday morning shows were everything from cartoons that centered on characters from crime solving dogs and strange super heroes to live-action shows that starred strange, costumed creatures.  

It no longer exists today, but Saturday morning television isn’t an urban myth, it actually happened, it was a “thing.”  In fact, Saturday morning programming was such an important part of each network’s line-up, that when the new fall TV season started, there were actually prime time shows that became known as the Saturday Morning Preview Special.

These would usually air the Friday night after Labor Day, as the following day, Saturday, would be the debut of the new morning line-up of shows.  For an entire generation, these specials were an oasis in the “back-to-school” world.  They created an eagerness for what was to come in the a.m. and almost served as a “Saturday Morning Eve” of sorts.

As Saturday Morning Television becomes a faded memory with each passing autumn, the one time Saturday Morning Preview Special has become an overlooked moment in TV history that’s become seemingly buried like a lost relic...

...until now.

What follows are just some examples of this one time annual tradition of kids TV that got everybody psyched for Saturday Mornings:

“The ABC Saturday Morning Sneak Peek” (ABC, 1973)

The comedy team of Jack Burns and Avery Schreiber (who just happened to have their own variety show at ABC at the time) were the hosts for this special.

The plot centered on a surprise party for Avery’s nephew and all of the stars of ABC’s new Saturday morning line-up were guests.   These included Batman and Superman from “Super Friends,” Lassie from “Lassie’s Rescue Rangers,” Singer Rick Springfield (later of “Jessie’s Girl” fame) from “Mission: Magic,” Goober the invisible dog from “Goober and the Ghost Chasers” and none other than Bugs Bunny himself (who was starring in his self-titled show).

Throughout the show, clips from the new series were shown, to peak the interest of kids at home.  This was a standard of the Saturday Morning Preview Shows.  

What’s unique about this show is that because technology to blend live-action and animation wasn’t advanced (and was costly), all of the characters appear in live-action.

The sight of a actors dressed as Batman and Superman, along with Rick Springfield, Lassie and a giant Bugs Bunny hiding in a living room for a surprise party is something that only ‘70’s TV could have brought us!

“The Bay City Rollers Meet the Saturday Superstars” (NBC, 1978)

From the file of “something that only ‘70’s TV could have brought us” comes this Saturday Morning Preview Show, featuring the Scottish, one hit wonder band The Bay City Rollers.

The Rollers were about to embark on their own Saturday morning variety show, produced by Sid and Marty Krofft (the masterminds behind the terrifically Trippy live-action shows “HR Pufnstuff” and “Sigmund and the Sea Monsters”).

Not only does the show preview the next day’s Saturday morning offerings, but familiar Krofft characters such as Witchiepoo appear alongside Erik Estrada and Joe Namath (who had prime time shows on NBC) in a weird display of network synergy.

“The Saturday Morning Preview Special” (CBS, 1983)

Host Scott Baio, alongside actor Sorrell Booke (in full character as Boss Hogg from “The Dukes of Hazzard”) preview shows like “Donkey Kong,” “Q-Bert” and “Dungeons and Dragons.”

Looking for a thirty minute ‘80’s time capsule?  Here it is!

“The ABC Saturday Morning Preview Special (ABC, 1992)

Twenty-six years ago, as the animation renaissance was about to kick into full gear at Disney, the studio also entered the TV animation race with several series.  One that debuted this year, “Goof Troop,” about Goofy and his son Max, would go on to be one if their most popular.

It was previewed by the cast of the ABC sitcom, “Step by Step,” along with a new, animated version of “The Addams Family,” (produced after the popularity of the 1991 live-action film).

The special and shows previewed are evidence that the ‘90’s were filled with unique and original Saturday morning offerings that also came out of that decade’s animation resurgence.  And with it, sadly, the ‘90’s became Saturday morning TV’s last hurrah.

These specials represent an excitement for Saturday Morning TV Shows that sadly no longer exists.  Many of the shows were offbeat, bizarre offerings filled with limited animation and sparse budgets.  They weren’t the best that TV had to offer...but the memories they provide are as sweet as the cereal consumed while watching them.

Sources:

Wikipedia

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