Karen: I know I loved this show as a kid, even had some figurines of the characters, but now it's all pretty hazy to me. Anyone out there recall this series? It the usual mix of comedy and music.
Check out this strange live-action sequence they had -I think it was a one-time thing:
I remember the cartoon, but no specifics. The live action bit was fantastic. I imagine it was shot at Paramount Ranch like Ark II and other Filmation live-action shows. Man that was strange to see.
Similar as Rip, I recall it being on, but never really watched it.
Watching the live-action bit, I recall the 'horse-riding' shtick a steal from, I believe, the old 'Glen Campbell Show' or perhaps Marty Feldman's show with a spoof of old silent westerns (with the overly-makeup'ed lead character..).
All in all, this show came a few years after the point I would have watched it..
I remember loving that cartoon as a kid although I don't remember any particular stories. Of course, I remember the theme song and other songs I recall after over 40 years now are "123" ("one, two, three, you can't hide from me, one two three, just you wait and see ...") and another one with the lyric, "oh, what a party". Actually the latter stuck in my memory but I couldn't remember where I knew it from until I after just entering Groovie Ghoulies on Youtube and finding a bit performed by skeletons called, "Population Party". Watching a bit of the cartoon itself, it had a lot of Laugh-In style bits. Lots of stuff that appealed to my 8 to 10 year old self, and the songs are still fun.
I have no memory of this, but it was apparently aired before I could have remembered any of it anyway. I just have to say, that live-action sequence is very .... '70s.
Caught this show most Saturdays it was on. Seems like it also featured Sabrina the Teenage Witch from the Archie gang. Although I too fail to remember much about it, there was a hit single associated with the show: "Chick-a-Boom". Don't ya just love it?
Never actually saw the Groovie Goolies in real time, as it aired on a CBS station, and there was not one in our town at the time. (Yes, kids, in the days before internet and even before cable.) The live action segment is actually from a bizarre episode of the ABC Saturday Superstar Movie, called "Daffy Duck and Porky Pig Meet the Groovie Goolies." I did see that when it aired, and it always intrigued me. In fact, I don't remember anything else about that whole "movie." (The Saturday Superstar Movie was an interesting concept in itself, and perhaps worthy of a post one Saturday. It featured a different "movie" each week. It often featured animated versions of popular prime time shows, such as Gidget, Nanny and the Professor, That Girl, and Lost in Space).
Thanks for this post and the 2 videos, Karen! I was a loyal fan of the Groovie Ghoulies show. I loved the Universal monsters so much - watched all the old movies and collected the Marvel comics featuring Frankenstein, Dracula, Werewolf by Night, etc. I remember that this show had the same animation style as the Archies. It was pretty cheesy looking back at these videos! That live action sequence was obviously filmed in the hills surrounding Los Angeles. If I had seen this as a kid, I am sure I would have wondered why Dracula could survive outdoors in the sun!
Paul beat me to it - yes the live action thing was from a one-off "movie of the week" that stuck in my head for a long time as one of those "did I really see that or was it just a very vivid dream" memories. Then i saw a bootleg copy of it on VHS.
This is one of my wife's favorite Saturday Morning cartoon memories. We got a VHS collection of a few episodes in the late 80's and watched it once. It was typical weak Filmation animation and weak humor bits. But the music was very well done, as were most of the Saturday Morning music at that time.
And while most people who remember "Chick-a-boom" do remember it from the Groovie Goolies," the actual single was from a performer with the pseudonym "Daddy Dewdrop." The single was popular enough that it spawned an album, but there's a reason nobody ever heard a second single from the performer...
Glad you guys enjoyed the clips. It's funny, I was such a monster kid growing up (the Universal monsters were (and are) such favorites of mine too, Richard) yet I remember so little of this show! I think a lot of brain cells have come and gone. Conversely, my husband, who couldn't care less about monsters, instantly remembered the entire Groovie Goolies theme song when I told him I was writing this post! Go figure.
That was wild!
ReplyDeleteI remember the cartoon, but no specifics. The live action bit was fantastic. I imagine it was shot at Paramount Ranch like Ark II and other Filmation live-action shows. Man that was strange to see.
Thanks!
Rip Off
Similar as Rip, I recall it being on, but never really watched it.
ReplyDeleteWatching the live-action bit, I recall the 'horse-riding' shtick a steal from, I believe, the old 'Glen Campbell Show' or perhaps Marty Feldman's show with a spoof of old silent westerns (with the overly-makeup'ed lead character..).
All in all, this show came a few years after the point I would have watched it..
I remember loving that cartoon as a kid although I don't remember any particular stories. Of course, I remember the theme song and other songs I recall after over 40 years now are "123" ("one, two, three, you can't hide from me, one two three, just you wait and see ...") and another one with the lyric, "oh, what a party". Actually the latter stuck in my memory but I couldn't remember where I knew it from until I after just entering Groovie Ghoulies on Youtube and finding a bit performed by skeletons called, "Population Party". Watching a bit of the cartoon itself, it had a lot of Laugh-In style bits. Lots of stuff that appealed to my 8 to 10 year old self, and the songs are still fun.
ReplyDeleteI have no memory of this, but it was apparently aired before I could have remembered any of it anyway. I just have to say, that live-action sequence is very .... '70s.
ReplyDeleteCaught this show most Saturdays it was on. Seems like it also featured Sabrina the Teenage Witch from the Archie gang. Although I too fail to remember much about it, there was a hit single associated with the show: "Chick-a-Boom". Don't ya just love it?
ReplyDeleteNever actually saw the Groovie Goolies in real time, as it aired on a CBS station, and there was not one in our town at the time. (Yes, kids, in the days before internet and even before cable.)
ReplyDeleteThe live action segment is actually from a bizarre episode of the ABC Saturday Superstar Movie, called "Daffy Duck and Porky Pig Meet the Groovie Goolies." I did see that when it aired, and it always intrigued me. In fact, I don't remember anything else about that whole "movie." (The Saturday Superstar Movie was an interesting concept in itself, and perhaps worthy of a post one Saturday. It featured a different "movie" each week. It often featured animated versions of popular prime time shows, such as Gidget, Nanny and the Professor, That Girl, and Lost in Space).
Thanks for this post and the 2 videos, Karen! I was a loyal fan of the Groovie Ghoulies show. I loved the Universal monsters so much - watched all the old movies and collected the Marvel comics featuring Frankenstein, Dracula, Werewolf by Night, etc. I remember that this show had the same animation style as the Archies. It was pretty cheesy looking back at these videos! That live action sequence was obviously filmed in the hills surrounding Los Angeles. If I had seen this as a kid, I am sure I would have wondered why Dracula could survive outdoors in the sun!
ReplyDeletePaul beat me to it - yes the live action thing was from a one-off "movie of the week" that stuck in my head for a long time as one of those "did I really see that or was it just a very vivid dream" memories. Then i saw a bootleg copy of it on VHS.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my wife's favorite Saturday Morning cartoon memories. We got a VHS collection of a few episodes in the late 80's and watched it once. It was typical weak Filmation animation and weak humor bits. But the music was very well done, as were most of the Saturday Morning music at that time.
And while most people who remember "Chick-a-boom" do remember it from the Groovie Goolies," the actual single was from a performer with the pseudonym "Daddy Dewdrop." The single was popular enough that it spawned an album, but there's a reason nobody ever heard a second single from the performer...
Glad you guys enjoyed the clips. It's funny, I was such a monster kid growing up (the Universal monsters were (and are) such favorites of mine too, Richard) yet I remember so little of this show! I think a lot of brain cells have come and gone. Conversely, my husband, who couldn't care less about monsters, instantly remembered the entire Groovie Goolies theme song when I told him I was writing this post! Go figure.
ReplyDelete