Crusader Rabbit facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crusader Rabbit |
|
|---|---|
Title card
|
|
| Created by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Opening theme | "Rabbit Fanfare" (adapted from "The Trail to Mexico") and "Main Title Rabbit" (adapted from "Ten Little Indians") |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes |
|
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
|
| Running time | 4 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
|
| Distributor | Metromedia Producers Corporation 20th Television NBCUniversal Television Distribution (on behalf of Classic Media) (current) |
| Release | |
| Original network |
|
| Picture format | |
| First shown in | 1947-1948 |
| Original release | August 1, 1950 – December 1, 1959 |
Crusader Rabbit was a very special cartoon show. It was the first animated series ever made just for television. The main characters were Crusader Rabbit and his best friend, Ragland T. Tiger, often called "Rags."
Each story was about four minutes long. They were like exciting cliffhangers, meaning each episode ended with a suspenseful moment. This made viewers want to watch the next day to see what happened!
The idea for the show was tested in 1948. The first series, Crusader vs. the State of Texas, started airing on August 1, 1950. The show was then sold to many different TV stations, a process called syndication. From 1950 to 1951, 195 black-and-white episodes were made. Later, in 1959, 260 new episodes were created in color. Jay Ward, who later made The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, helped produce Crusader Rabbit.
Contents
What is the Legacy of Crusader Rabbit?
The big success of Crusader Rabbit showed that TV cartoons could be very popular. This led to many more cartoon shows being made for television. Jay Ward, one of the creators, went on to make other famous cartoons like The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.
Where Can You Watch Crusader Rabbit Now?
In 1985, a company called Rhino Entertainment started releasing Crusader Rabbit episodes on home video. They planned to release all the original episodes. However, another company, 20th Century Fox, said they owned the rights to distribute the show.
Later, in 2009, AudioTape, Inc. released a three-DVD set. This set included 11 Crusader Rabbit stories. Two of these were from the older black-and-white series, and nine were from the newer color series.
How Has Crusader Rabbit Appeared in Popular Culture?
- There were two Dell Publishing comic books that featured Crusader Rabbit and Rags.
- In 2009, a book called Where Is Crusader Rabbit Now That We Really Need Him? was published. It was a story about soldiers in the Vietnam War.
The First Series (Black and White)
The first set of Crusader Rabbit episodes were shown through syndication. This means they were sold to many different TV stations across the country. Production for these 195 episodes finished in 1951.
First Series Episodes
- Crusader vs. the State of Texas (15 chapters)
- Crusader vs. the Pirates (20 chapters)
- Crusader and the Rajah of Rinsewater (20 chapters)
- Crusader and the Schmohawk Indians (15 chapters)
- Crusader and the Great Horse Mystery (20 chapters)
- Crusader and the Circus (10 chapters)
- Crusader in the Tenth Century (30 chapters)
- Crusader and the Mad Hollywood Scientist (15 chapters)
- Crusader and the Leprechauns (25 chapters)
- Crusader and the Showboat (25 chapters)
Who Voiced the Characters in the First Series?
- Lucille Bliss — Crusader Rabbit
- Vern Louden — Ragland T. ("Rags") Tiger
- Russ Coughlin — Dudley Nightshade
- Roy Whaley — Narrator
The Second Series (Color)
The second series of Crusader Rabbit started in 1956. There were 260 new episodes made, each with 20 "chapters." These shorter chapters were later put together to make 13 longer, one-hour programs.
Second Series Episodes
- "The Great Uranium Hunt" (also known as "Mine Your Own Business")
- "The Yukon Adventure" (also known as "Thar's Gold in Them Fills")
- "Tales of Schmerwood Forest" (also known as "Crook's Tour")
- "West We Forget"
- "Sahara You"
- "Gullible's Travels"
- "Should Auld Acquaintance Be for Cotton" (also known as "Belly Acres Mystery")
- "Nothing Atoll"
- "Scars and Stripes"
- "Apes of Rath"
- "Caesar's Salad" (also known as "There's No Place Like Rome")
- "The Great Baseball Mystery" (also known as "Gone With the Wind-Up")
- "The Search for the Missing Link"
Who Voiced the Characters in the Second Series?
- Ge Ge Pearson – Crusader Rabbit
- Vern Louden – Ragland T. ("Rags") Tiger
- Roy Whaley – Narrator
- Russ Coughlan – Dudley Nightshade
See also
In Spanish: Crusader Rabbit para niños
