BOB BURNS III DEAD AT 90

 

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With his own gorilla costume, he portrayed Tracy on The Ghost Busters and Burton the Gorilla on the Wonderbug segment of The Krofft Supershow.

JIM WARD DEAD AT 66

 

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He voiced Angus in The Secret Files of the SpyDogs; Albert Einstein in an episode of The Mummy: The Animated Series; XLR8, Diamondhead, Wildvine, and several minor roles in Ben 10 (2005); Stoker, Eyemore, Dr. Catorkian, Crusher and several minor roles in Biker Mice From Mars (2006); Mordru in an episode of Legion of Super Heroes; Mr. Sully in The Replacements; Professor X, the Sentinels, Dr. Abraham Cornelius, and Warren Worthington II in Wolverine and the X-Men; a judge in an episode of Back at the Barnyard; Ho-Boe in Winx Club; and The Brain in an episode of Justice League Action. He also provided voices for Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures, Men in Black: The Series, and Xyber 9: New Dawn.

JEFFREY GARCIA DEAD AT 50

 

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He played Ricardo Amino in an episode of Ozzy & Drix; Jerry Rivera in an episode of ChalkZone; and Pip the mouse and several minor roles in Back at the Barnyard. 

MEATBALLS & SPAGHETTI

 

MEATBALLS & SPAGHETTI
(CBS, September 18-December 11, 1982)
 
InterMedia Entertainment Company, Marvel Productions, MGM/UA Television, Pan Sang East Co. Ltd.

 

 

MAIN CAST:
Ron Masak – Meatball
Sally Julian – Spaghetti
Barry Gordon – Clyde
Frank Welker – Woofer, various

 

 

            Fred Silverman was the television executive credited with creating Saturday mornings as we knew them. After successful tenures heading up CBS and ABC and revitalizing their programming, his final move to NBC proved to be disastrous; full of high-profile and costly mistakes. After 3 years at the network, Silverman jumped sides and went into producing for television himself. He formed InterMedia Entertainment Company (later The Fred Silverman Company) in 1981 with partner George Reeves (the ABC executive, not the Superman actor) and struck a production deal with United Artists and its parent company, MGM. Soon after, they entered into a partnership with fledgling Marvel Productions to co-produce new animated series.

Clyde, Meatball, Spaghetti and Woofer rocking out on stage.

            One of the first results of that partnership was Meatballs and Spaghetti, whose name was a play on the dish spaghetti and meatballs, created by Silverman and Jerry Eisenberg. But this wasn’t a show about food; rather, that was the name of the featured rock band (and also the names of two of its members). Meatball (no “s” in the name as spoken by the other characters, voiced by Ron Masak) was the heavyset lead singer and guitarist. Spaghetti (Sally Julian) was the super thin, slightly ditzy keytarist, singer and Meatball’s wife. The pair took inspiration from Sonny & Cher, while Meatball was inspired by musician Meatloaf (however his overall look was taken from Eisenberg’s cousin that frequented the studio offices). Their friend Clyde (Barry Gordon) was the bassist that often teetered the line between being a book smart inventor and dim-witted screw-up. Their dog, Woofer (Frank Welker), was semi-anthropomorphized and served as their drummer, when not testing Meatball’s patience. Additionally, they had a pet piranha that could eat almost as much as Meatball. The band travelled around the country in mobile home either going to or looking for their next gig, or some money to tide them over in the meantime.

A gorilla plays the band's bus like an accordion.

            Each episode was broken up into two segments. Many stories typically revolved around Meatball attempting some kind of get-rich-quick scheme, or trying to drum up publicity to increase attendance for one of their gigs. Ala The Honeymooners or The Flintstones, Clyde was usually along for the ride as his hapless accomplice. Between the story segments a musical number would air that thematically tied into the second story. They were done in a music video style comprised of a series of visual gags set to music. The lyrics, however, were sparse and generally consisted of conversation between the characters in sing-song.

Meatballs & Spaghetti sing a tribute to Mexico and their food.

            Meatballs & Spaghetti debuted on CBS on September 18, 1982 as part of their Starcade programming block. Jack Mendelsohn was the credited writer for every episode, while Steven DePatie handled the music and lyrics in his final project. Animation duties were handled by Pan Sang East Co. Ltd. Unfortunately, neither of InterMedia and Marvel’s inaugural offerings were met with much praise from audiences or reviewers; with Variety stating “No try at music here, or even much comedy either. It’s without any socially redeeming value.” It was cancelled at the end of its single season.

CBS Saturday morning Starcade ad.

            With Amazon’s acquisition of MGM, they had also gained ownership of the show. In 2025, it was finally released for streaming on Amazon’s Cartoon Rewind after having not been seen since it originally aired. It was also made available for streaming on Tubi.

  

EPISODE GUIDE:

“Woofer the Wonder Dog / Jazz Meets Jaws” (9/18/82) – Meatball decides to get rid of the annoying Woofer by giving him to a circus. / Coming across a mechanical shark for a movie gives Meatball the idea to stage a shark attack to drum up attendance for their next show.

 

“Mixed up Medical Reports / The Werewolf Story” (9/25/82) – Meatball’s x-rays get mixed-up with those of a 200-year-old parrot with only two weeks to live. / Playing up to the town’s history of werewolves for their next gig gets the band invited to dinner by actual werewolves.

 

“Once Upon a Farm / The Big Shrink” (10/2/82) – Meatball is tricked into trading their bus for a rundown farm. / Clyde accidentally creates a shrink ray that ends up shrinking him and Meatball to the size of insects.

 

“Spaghetti’s Old Boyfriend / Watch the Birdie” (10/9/82) – Meatball finds himself feeling inferior to Spaghetti’s handsome and athletic old boyfriend. / Meatball and Clyde plot to get a photo of a rare bird being born in order to win a $500 competition.

 

“The Space Aliens / Big Bad Bigfoot” (10/16/82) – Aliens lure the band onto their ship to run experiments on them. / A camping vacation puts the band right in Bigfoot’s backyard.

 

“Come Back Little Woofer / Sunken Treasure Cruise” (10/23/82) – Woofer falls on his head and develops amnesia after Meatball enters him into a dog show. / Finding a treasure map in an old chest that Spaghetti buys causes Meatball to spend all their money to go on a treasure hunt.

 

“Monkey Doodle Dandies / Throwing the Bull” (10/30/82) – After discovering a chimpanzee’s paintings sell for big bucks, Meatball decides to teach a chimp of their own to paint. / The band comes up with plans to replace the bull they had accidentally knocked out in an upcoming bullfight.

 

“Going to the Dogs / The Caveman Story” (11/6/82) – Meatball plans to rent out Woofer as a guard dog for extra money. / Clyde builds Spaghetti an arcade machine for her birthday he accidentally made with a part from an experimental time machine.

 

“Piracy on the High C’s / Robot Roadie” (11/13/82) – Meatball and Clyde end up with jobs as night watchmen at a record company the night record pirates decide to rob the place. / Meatball tasks Clyde with building the band a robot roadie to handle their equipment for them.

 

“The Kid Sitters / Doubles or Nothing” (11/20/82) – Meatball and Clyde babysit the pet goat of a famous record producer to get him to listen to their demo. / Meatball and Clyde get jobs as extras in a movie just as a thief robs the studio payroll.

 

“Foreign Legion Air-Heads / Magical Moments” (11/27/82) – Meatball and Clyde accidentally enlist in the French Foreign Legion and are shipped off to a desert outpost. / Jealous Meatball thinks Spaghetti is leaving him for a man with more money.

 

“Woofer Meets Tweeter / Flying Carpet Caper” (12/4/82) – The band is talked into taking over Spaghetti’s cousin Debbie’s pizza stand so that she and her friends can go to a rock concert. / Spaghetti buys a chest at an auction that ends up containing a magic flying carpet that a couple of strange characters want to get their hands on.

 

“A Christmas Tale / The Beach Peaches” (12/11/82) – Meatball and Clyde must deliver presents after they end up getting the real Santa arrested for chaos they caused in their department store jobs. / Debbie and her friends enter a boat race against their rival, and if she wins they must leave the beach…for good.

CARY-HIROYUKI TAGAWA DEAD AT 75

 

You can read the full story here.

Best known for portraying Shang Tsung in the Mortal Kombat franchise, he voiced Sumo Kuma in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012) and Akita in DuckTales (2017). He also voiced Sin Tzu in the final Batman DCAU video game, Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu.

R.I.P. TONY BENEDICT

 

You can read the announcement here.

He wrote for The Space Kidettes, The Super 6, The Atom Ant/Secret Squirrel Show, Super President, Young Samson & Goliath, The Pink Panther Show, CB Bears, Baggy Pants & the Nitwits, Saturday Supercade, and The Bugs Bunny & Tweety Show; worked on storyboards for Beany and Cecil (1988), Camp Candy, Tiny Toon Adventures, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventures, Tom & Jerry Kids Show, Madeline and Droopy: Master Detective; and was a story editor on The Wuzzles.

DANNY SEAGREN DEAD AT 81

 

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Best known as the first live-action Spider-Man on The Electric Company, he performed a variety of puppets for Sesame Street’s first season including Big Bird, and provided the voice for Father Basketball in season 17. 

THANSKGIVING EPISODES AND SPECIALS

 The American holiday of Thanksgiving is a time when families get together and fill up on lots of homemade goodies while also expressing thanks for everything and everyone they have in their life. Although not as widely celebrated on the small screen as its surrounding holiday brethren, there have been some episodes here and there on Saturday mornings. And these are those episodes, with more to come each year. Know of any we missed? Let us know!

All Grown Up!

"R.V. Having Fun Yet?"

Tensions rise between the kids and their parents over conflicting ideas of "fun" as they embark on a road trip to bring Susie to her New York Thanksgiving parade performance. 

Amphibia

"The Big Bugball Game"

Anne must learn to be a team player in order to help the farmers win the annual Bugball game against the Townies during their Thanksgiving-like holiday.

Animaniacs (1993)

"Turkey Jerkey"

Native American Warners must keep their pet turkey from becoming Thanksgiving dinner.

Big City Greens

"Big Deal"

Desperate for a new TV, Cricket convinces his family to go to a big Thanksgiving sale at a big-box store.

Big John, Little John

"Speak for Yourself, John"

Little John gets asked to the school’s Thanksgiving dance that Big John is asked to chaperone.

Bobby's World

"Generics and Indians"

A Native American community comes to the Generics' rescue when their van breaks down and offers them a different perspective of Thanksgiving.

The Care Bears Family

"Grams Bear's Thanksgiving Surprise"

The Care Bears must stop Sour Sam from ruining Thanksgiving with his crabby apple pies.

CityKids

"Rooftop Thanksgiving"

The kids band together to help a hard-off family have a good holiday.

Craig of the Creek

"Craig and the Kids Table"

When Bernard accidentally ruins dessert, Craig and the Kids Table help keep him out of trouble with the family.

Disney's House of Mouse

"House of Turkey"

Everyone eagerly awaits Mr. Turkey's arrival as the literal dinner guest.

Doug/Disney's Doug

"Doug's Thanksgiving"

When Bill Bluff is told he should have Thanksgiving dinner with an average family to boost his popularity, Doug's family ends up chosen and their holiday is turned upside-down.

Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp

"The Temporary Thanksgiving Turkey Truce"

Lance’s holiday is disrupted by a search for microfilm.

Life with Louie

"The Fourth Thursday in November"

The Andersons host Thanksgiving dinner for the entire family.

The Loud House

"The Loudest Thanksgiving"

Lori and Bobby try to bring their respective families together so they won't have to spend Thanksgiving apart.

"The Loud House Thanksgiving Special (Clyde's Kitchen)"

Lincoln and Clyde are helping each other prepare the perfect Thanksgiving dinner over video chat.

Max & Ruby

"Max's Thanksgiving"

While Ruby is eager to help Grandma prepare for Thanksgiving dinner, Max is just ready to eat her famous stuffing.

"Max and Ruby Give Thanks"

Ruby encourages Max to go somewhere else to find something to be thankful for while she works on her Thanksgiving cards.

The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

"A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving"

The gang learns about the true meaning of Thanksgiving.

Pac-Man

"Happy Pacs-Giving"

The Pac-Family hears a story about the first Pacs-Giving.

Pepper Ann

"Thanksgiving Dad"

Pepper Ann believes her father will actually visit this Thanksgiving.

Q*Bert

"Thanksgiving for the Memories"

Q*Bert's class gets a history lesson about the first Thanksgiving in Q*Burg.

The Real Ghostbusters

"The Revenge of Murray the Mantis"

Ghosts possess the Murray the Mantis parade balloon, and the guys' only chance at beating it rests with Mr. Stay Puft.

Recess

"The Great Can Drive"

Mikey is the only one who sees the Thanksgiving can drive as a way to help the needy, as the others get discouraged over once again not being able to beat The Ashleys at it. 

Sesame Street

"A Sesame Street Thanksgiving"

All the residents of the street gather together for a Thanksgiving feast where they plan on sampling foods from each others' respective cultures.

The Spectacular Spider-Man

"Nature vs. Nurture"

Aunt May is released from the hospital just in time for Thanksgiving--and for the newly-transformed Venom to come looking for trouble.

Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City

"Berry Bounty Bust"

Personalities clash over holiday traditions when Strawberry and her aunt are invited over to Lime's for a Berry Bounty banquet.

The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries

"Happy Pranksgiving"

Granny is on the hunt for the Squeegee the Clown parade balloon.

Teen Titans Go!

"Thanksgiving"

Uninvited guests look to spoil the perfect Thanksgiving Robin had planned for their special guest: Batman.

"Thanksgetting"

Bored with Thanksgiving, the Titans decide to come up with their own holiday and traditions.

"A Doom Patrol Thanksgiving"

Beast Boy returns home for Thanksgiving where the Doom Patrol enter a float in the local parade and watch old home movies the Chief had hidden from them.

"The Wishbone"

When the wishbone the Titans make wishes on breaks, they head to Gobble-Gobble land to set things right.

Teacher's Pet

"The Turkey that Came to Dinner"

The pets must protect the turkey Grandma Rose brought along from becoming Thanksgiving dinner.

Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales

"The Romance of Plymouth Rock"

Tennessee plans to put on a play about the Pilgrims and Jeroba Jump and Tiger Tornado join the cast in order to sabotage it.

Underdog (1964)

"Simon Says No Thanksgiving"

Simon Bar Sinister goes back in time to get rid of Thanksgiving so that the Thanksgiving parade won't prevent him from crossing the street.

Young Justice

"Illusion of Control"

It's a time for the team to get together, be thankful and heal, but an uninvited guest seeks to upend all that.