G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1989 TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero |
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DVD cover for G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Series 2 Season 1.
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| Genre | Military action-adventure |
| Created by | Hasbro |
| Voices of |
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| Narrated by | Jackson Beck (Operation Dragonfire mini-series only) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 44 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Andy Heyward Robby London |
| Running time | 30 min. |
| Production company(s) | DIC Enterprises |
| Distributor | Claster Television Sunbow Productions |
| Release | |
| Original network | First-run syndication |
| Original release | September 2, 1989 – January 20, 1992 |
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero was an animated TV show that aired from 1989 to 1992. It was based on the popular G.I. Joe toys from Hasbro and the comic book series by Marvel Comics. The show was produced by a company called DIC Enterprises.
This series continued the exciting adventures of the G.I. Joe team. They are a group of brave heroes who fight against the evil Cobra organization.
Contents
The Story Behind the Show
The series started in 1989 with a special five-part story called Operation: Dragonfire. In this mini-series, the villain Cobra Commander was changed back into his human form. The regular episodes then began in 1990. The show ran for two seasons and had 44 episodes in total.
This version of G.I. Joe followed the story from an earlier animated series. That show was made by Sunbow Productions and Marvel Productions. It aired from 1985 to 1986.
Why the Show Changed Companies
To save money, Hasbro decided to stop working with Sunbow. Instead, they hired DIC to continue the G.I. Joe series. A story editor named Buzz Dixon explained that DIC offered Hasbro a really good deal. This meant DIC took over making the show.
New Characters and Old Favorites
The DIC series picked up where the Sunbow show left off. However, it mainly focused on newer characters from the G.I. Joe toy line. General Hawk remained the leader of the G.I. Joe team. Sometimes, Sgt. Slaughter also helped lead the team.
In the first season, Captain Grid-Iron was a field commander. Later, Duke returned to his old role in Season 2. He appeared more often in the later episodes. Storm Shadow, who used to be with Cobra, joined the G.I. Joe team. This change matched the comic books, where he left Cobra in 1986–87.
Cobra's New Look
The first season mostly featured the G.I. Joe characters from 1990. Cobra had fewer characters, so they added some from 1989 and even some new ones from 1991. This brought in many different types of Cobra forces. Viewers got to see the Night Creepers and various kinds of Vipers.
Episode Styles and Music
The first season of the DIC series had many standalone episodes. These episodes helped introduce new team members and story ideas. After the "Operation Dragonfire" mini-series, the show started making two-part episodes. These longer stories often had deeper plots. They sometimes showed more serious situations for the Joes.
The show's theme song was called "Got to get tough... Yo Joe!" Stephen James Taylor created the music for both seasons.
Changes in Voice Actors
When the animation company changed, most of the original voice actors did not return. The Sunbow series used actors mainly from the West Coast of America. The DIC series was made in Canada, so a new group of voice actors was hired.
Only a few actors from the Sun Sunbow series came back for the DIC show. These included Sgt. Slaughter, Chris Latta (the voice of Cobra Commander), Ed Gilbert (General Hawk), Jerry Houser (Sci-Fi), and Morgan Lofting (Baroness). For Season 2, only Chris Latta returned. The voices for Baroness and Hawk were changed.
Behind the Scenes Crew
Many talented people worked behind the scenes to create the G.I. Joe series. They helped bring the characters and stories to life.
- Madeline Bascomb – Voice Director (Season Two)
- Marsha Goodman – Voice Director ("Operation Dragonfire" mini-series), Casting Director (Season One and Two)
- Shirley McGregor – Talent Coordinator
- Ginny McSwain – Voice Director ("Operation Dragonfire" mini-series)
- Doug Parker – Voice Director ("Operation Dragonfire" mini-series and Season One)
- Paul Quinn – Voice Director (Season Two)
- Victor Villegas – Voice Director ("Operation Dragonfire" mini-series)
See also
In Spanish: G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (serie de televisión de 1989) para niños
