Jump to content

Jabberjaw

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 70.20.46.65 (talk) at 19:46, 14 September 2007 (→Characters). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Jabberjaw
GenreAnimation
Created byJoe Ruby
Ken Spears
Directed byCharles A. Nichols
Voices ofTommy Cook
Barry Gordon
Julie McWhirter
Pat Parris
Frank Welker
Country of origin United States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes16
Production
Executive producersWilliam Hanna
Joseph Barbera
ProducerAlex Lovy
Running time30 minutes
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseSeptember 11, 1976 –
September 3, 1978

Jabberjaw was a 30-minute Saturday morning animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions from September 11, 1976 to September 3, 1978 on ABC.

Jabberjaw is a great white shark who has the brain of a sardine and the courage of a guppy. He is also a drummer for The Neptunes, a rock group made up of four teenagers - Biff, Shelly, Bubbles and Clamhead - who live in an underwater civilization in the year 2076. Jabberjaw and The Neptunes traveled to various underwater cities where they encountered and dealt with diabolical villains who want to conquer the undersea world.

Per a great deal of Hanna-Barbera's output in the 1970s, the format and writing for Jabberjaw was similar to that for Scooby-Doo and Josie and the Pussycats. The show also drew inspiration (in the use of a shark as a character) from the then-recent film Jaws. It also shared The Flintstones' penchant for making use of puns as the names of locations, people, etc., in this case, ocean-themed puns (such as "Aqualaska" instead of Alaska).

Sixteen 30-minute episodes of Jabberjaw were produced, which aired on ABC Saturday Morning from September 11, 1976 to September 3, 1977 and rebroadcast for a second season of reruns on Sunday Morning from September 11, 1977 to September 3, 1978. Repeats have turned up in the late 1980s on USA Cartoon Express, in the 1990s on Cartoon Network and in the 2000s on Boomerang.

Like other cartoon shows produced in the 1970s, the Hanna-Barbera laugh track was added to the soundtrack of Jabberjaw.

Characters

  • Jabberjaw (voiced by Frank Welker) - The Neptunes' drummer. Jabberjaw was an air-breathing great white shark whose voice and mannerisms were similar to Curly Howard of the Three Stooges. Jabberjaw found it hard to get respect in a society where "shark ejectors" (robots that would guard various buildings or cities against sharks being allowed to enter) were commonplace, prompting him to frequently utter his catchphrase (borrowed from comedian Rodney Dangerfield): "No respect!"
  • Shelly (voiced by Pat Parris) - A dark-haired young woman, Shelly played tambourine for The Neptunes. Shelly was very intelligent, haughty and abrasive (similar to Josie and the Pussycats' Alexandra) and she held a great deal of contempt for Jabberjaw (or "blubberhead" as she would call him). Also, she's sometimes depressed by Bubbles' idiocy.
  • Clamhead (voiced by Barry Gordon) - Clamhead played bass guitar for The Neptunes. He tended to be either somewhat nervous or fairly impressed by new things (his catchphrases were crying out "abba-abba-abba!" and "wowee-wow-wow!" when excited). Clamhead was Jabberjaw's best friend, and bore a strong resemblance to Scooby-Doo's Shaggy.

Broadcast history

Original ABC broadcast:

Broadcast Schedules (all EDT):

  • September 1976 - November 1976, ABC Saturday 9:00-9:30 am
  • December 1976 - September 1977, ABC Saturday 8:30-9:00 am
  • September 1977 - September 1978, ABC Sunday 10:30-11:00 am

Episodes

  1. Dr. Lo Has Got To Go (September 11, 1976) - Dr. Lo has developed a growth ray with which to enlarge sea creatures and threaten underwater cities. Jabber and The Neptunes soon find themselves battling the evil Doctor and his creations.
  2. There's No Place Like Outer Space (September 18, 1976) - Jabberjaw and The Neptunes are giving a concert at a UFO Convention where they encounter real space invaders, led by Commander Domax.
  3. Atlantis, Get Lost (September 25, 1976) - The Neptunes travel to Atlantis, where they meet a power-hungry prime minister named Dorsal, who wants to overthrow Queen Atlanta and conquer the undersea world.
  4. Run, Jabber, Run (October 2, 1976) - Jabber and The Neptunes journey to Oysteralia for the underwater Olympic Games, where they encounter a sinister spy ring after Jabber accidentally swallows a piece of valuable microfilm.
  5. The Sourpuss Octopuss (October 9, 1976) - Jabber and The Neptunes are on the hunt for the ancient Treasure of Panaqua with archaeologist Dr. Acosta and encounter the Octopuss, a criminal who also wants the Treasure.
  6. Hang Onto Your Hat, Jabber (October 16, 1976) - The Brotherhood of Evil threatens the undersea world when it learns the Power Helmet, invented by Professor Ortega, grants its bearer’s every wish.
  7. The Great Shark Switch (October 23, 1976) - Commander Shark has kidnapped the Ambassador of Aquatania, but the authorities think Jabberjaw and The Neptunes are to blame.
  8. Claim-Jumped Jabber (October 30, 1976) - The evil Coldfinger is after all the richest mines in Aqualaska. When Jabberjaw gets in the way, Coldfinger puts Jabber on ice!
  9. Ali Jabber and the Secret Thieves (November 6, 1976) - While touring the undersea kingdom of Hydrabia, Jabberjaw and The Neptunes meet Volton, an evil mass of energy who lives inside a magic Electrolamp.
  10. Help, Help, It's the Phantom of the Kelp (November 13, 1976) - The Phantom, with the aid of a powerful growth ray, plans to raise an army of ferocious prehistoric plants to make the Aqua International Corporation bow to his demands.
  11. No Helpin' The Sculpin (November 20, 1976) - Jabber and The Neptunes encounter the sinister Sculpin, who has stolen an unfinished time machine and mistakes Clamhead for its inventor, the brilliant Professor Thorsten.
  12. The Bermuda Triangle Tangle (November 25, 1976) - Jabberaw and the gang accidentally enter the domain of Madame Sargasso, an evil sorceress who wants to turn them into her zombie slaves. (Note: originally broadcast not on a Saturday morning, but on Thanksgiving Day 1976 (November 25), during ABC's Thanksgiving Funshine Festival).
  13. Malice in Aqualand (November 27, 1976) - In Aqualand, Jabber and The Neptunes uncover a plot by Dr. Cybron to kidnap the President of the Undersea Nations Organizations and replace him with a robot.
  14. The Fast-Paced Chase Race (December 4, 1976) - The Neptunes participate in a Trans-Marine Race to Petrolaqua, the oil capital of the undersea world, while attempting to foil the evil plans of Dr. Robek.
  15. The Piranha Plot (December 11, 1976) - Jabberjaw and The Neptunes' tanker is captured by the Piranha, who has designs on ruling the Underwater States of America and captures the tanker for its load of special rocket fuel.
  16. There's No Heel Like El Eel (December 18, 1976) - The eerie El Eel threatens to turn the entire undersea world to stone, and there’s only one guy who can stop him: the great El Jabbo!

Production credits

  • Executive Producers: Joseph Barbera and William Hanna
  • Created by: Joe Ruby and Ken Spears
  • Director: Charles A. Nichols
  • Creative Producer: Iwao Takamoto
  • Associate Producer: Alex Lovy
  • Storyboard Direction: Don Jurwich, Michael O'Connor, Paul Sommer, Kay Wright
  • Recording Director: Alex Lovy
  • Story Editor: Ray Parker
  • Story: George Atkins, Haskell Barkin, John Bates, Larz Bourne, Tom Dagenais, Robert Fisher
  • Voices: Tommy Cook, Regis Cordic, Ron Feinberg, Barry Gordon, Gay Hartwig, Hettie Lynn Hurtes, Casey Kasem, Keye Luke, Julie McWhirter, Don Messick, Pat Parris, Vic Perrin, Barney Phillips, Hal Smith, John Stephenson, Janet Waldo, Lennie Weinrib, Frank Welker
  • Production Supervisor: Victor O. Schipek
  • Graphics: Iraj Paran
  • Creative Design Supervisor: Bob Singer
  • Character Design: Donna Zeller
  • Unit Director: Volus Jones
  • Musical Director: Hoyt Curtin
  • Musical Supervisor: Paul DeKorte
  • Layout: Mike Arens, Dale Barnhart, Hak Ficq, C.L. Hartman, Alex Ignatiev, Ray Jacobs, Homer Jonas, Bill Lignante, Jim Mueller, Tony Rivera, Linda Rowley, Tony Sgrol, Al Wilson
  • Animation: Frank Andrina, Tom Barnes, Bill Carney, Rudy Cataldi, Lillian Evans, Otto Feuer, Hugh Fraser, Fernando Gonzalez, Jack Hadley, Bob Hathcock, Dan Mills, Ken Muse, Constantin Mustatea, Floyd Norman, Eduardo Olivares, Don Patterson, Tom Ray, Morey Reden, Lenn Redman, Ken Southworth, Leo Sullivan, Dick Thompson, Carlo Vinci, Russ Von Neida
  • Backgrounds: Fernando Arce, Fernando Montealegre, Phil Phillipson, Robert Schaefer, Marilyn Shimokochi, Dennis Venizelos
  • Technical Supervisor: Frank Paiker
  • Checking and Scene Planning: Evelyn Sherwood
  • Ink and Paint Supervisor: Billie Kerns
  • Xerography: Star Wirth
  • Sound Direction: Bill Getty, Richard Olson
  • Supervising Film Editor: Larry Cowan
  • Music Editors: Pat Foley, Chip Yaras
  • Effects Editors: Richard Allen, Terry Moore
  • Negative Consultant: William E. DeBoer
  • Post Production Supervisor: Joed Eaton
  • Production Manager: Jayne Barbera
  • Camera: George Epperson, Charles Flekal, Curt Hall, Ron Jackson, Jerry Smith, Norman Stainback, Roy Wade
  • A Hanna-Barbera Production / © 1976 Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc.

Yogi's Space Race (1978-79)

Main article: Yogi's Space Race

In the fall of 1978, Jabberjaw was featured in a new NBC Saturday morning program called Yogi's Space Race, in which he participated in intergalactic racing competitions with Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound and several new characters. Jabberjaw's racing partner was a lazy bloodhound named Buford (from The Buford Files).

Other appearances

  • Jabberjaw made a guest appearance in the Adult Swim animated television series Sealab 2021 in the episode, "Return of Marco" (2004), where he was one of the many sharks impaled with spears by the underwater cave tribe called the Snarkells.
  • Jabberjaw appeared later still in sporadic appearances on Cartoon Network's Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law (2002) where the Neptunes were accused of stealing Shouyu Weanie's song. It is also referenced that in the late 1990s, Jabberjaw was briefly engaged to budding filmmaker Madeline Austin-Kulat. In this show, Frank Welker reprises his role of Jabberjaw and also voices Biff. Clamhead made another appearance in the episode "Identity Theft" where he was voiced by Steven Blum.
  • Jabberjaw also appeared on Cartoon Network (and later Boomerang) in a music video set to Pain's "Jabberjaw (Running Underwater)" with Jabberjaw and The Neptunes portrayed as a ska band, with the group dressed in modern clothing, and with Jabberjaw sporting a goatee and nose ring.

Merchandising

Jabberjaw merchandise released between 1977 and 1979 included a lunch box and thermos, coloring books, iron-on transfers, a story book, a read & color book, puzzles, a Presto Magix Dry transfer game and a school tablet. A Jabberjaw comic book series was scheduled to be published by Charlton in 1977, but was later canceled; however, in France, Jabberjaw was featured in comic books under his French language name Mantalo in 1978-1980.

In July 1988, a videocassette titled Hanna-Barbera Presents: Jabberjaw was released by Worldvision Home Video (a sister company of Hanna-Barbera) and contained four episodes: "Dr. Lo Has Got To Go", "There's No Place Like Outer Space", "The Sourpouss Octopuss" and "The Great Shark Switch".

Trivia

  • For whatever reason, this is one of a number of shows made before the mid-1980's seen on the Cartoon Network (and by extension Boomerang) to have been taken from PAL prints.

Jabberjaw in other languages

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Jabberjaw&oldid=157910315"