Mission: Magic! facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mission: Magic! |
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| Genre | Cartoon series |
| Presented by | Filmation |
| Voices of |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 16 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company(s) | |
| Distributor | CBS Television Distribution |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Original release | September 8 – December 22, 1973 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | The Brady Kids |
Mission: Magic! was a fun American cartoon show that aired on Saturday mornings. It starred the famous rock singer Rick Springfield. This cartoon was a spin-off from another show called The Brady Kids. The company Filmation made it.
The show had 16 episodes. They were shown on the ABC network from September to December in 1973. Mission: Magic! was also popular in Rick Springfield's home country, Australia.
The story was about Miss Tickle, a teacher with amazing magic powers. She could take her students on adventures to fantasy worlds using her special magic blackboard!
Contents
Meet the Characters of Mission: Magic!
Rick Springfield voiced his own cartoon character in the show. Even though he had a strong Australian accent, it was his real voice! On the show, Rick always wore white pants and a white sweater. His sweater had a cool design: a small "r" inside a circle with a lightning bolt. This design came from his 1973 album, Comic Book Heroes.
Rick was joined by a group of interesting characters:
- Miss Tickle: A cheerful teacher who was secretly a magic expert. Her name was a funny play on the word "mystical."
- Kim: An Asian girl who was the leader of "The Adventurers Club."
- Vinnie: He had a strong New York accent and sometimes mixed up big words.
- Carol: A blonde girl who really liked Rick Springfield.
- Socks: A quirky character, a bit like Jughead from Archie Comics. He always wore a light blue hat.
- Franklin: A black athlete.
- Harvey: A short, smart, and bespectacled nerd.
These characters were part of an after-school group called "The Adventurers Club." It was a bit unclear if it was a social club or a real class. Miss Tickle often used school subjects in their adventures. Before and after each adventure, the school principal, Mr. Samuels, would visit. He had no idea about Miss Tickle's magic!
How the Magical Adventures Began
Every Mission: Magic! adventure started with a special enchanted gramophone. Rick would use it to talk to the Adventurers. He would tell them where he was and invite them to join him.
Then, Miss Tickle would point her magic ring at Tut Tut. Tut Tut was a ceramic cat on her desk. He would come to life after Miss Tickle said a magic rhyme:
- "O Tut Tut, cat of ancient lore,
- "'Tis time to draw the magic door."
After drawing a magic door on the blackboard, Miss Tickle, Tut Tut, and the students would meet up with Rick Springfield. Rick had his own magical friend, an owl named Ptolemy. Together, they would travel to mythical lands and different times. They solved many mysteries they found along the way.
Music and Legacy of the Show
At the end of each show, Rick Springfield would perform a song. The song's message usually matched the lesson or moral of the story. Rick wrote, composed, and sang all the songs for the show. An album with these songs, also called “Mission: Magic!”, was released in Australia in 1974. A CD version came out in 2004.
Mission: Magic! was made to help Rick Springfield become more famous in America. But the cartoon also paved the way for a later show. It was similar to the 1990s PBS series, The Magic School Bus. In that show, Lily Tomlin voiced the character Miss Frizzle.
Both shows had red-haired teachers with magic powers. Both also featured groups of students from different backgrounds. Plus, both shows had two main goals: to entertain and to teach. In each weekly episode, both groups would go on many adventures. They traveled through time and space using magic.
Interestingly, Rick Springfield later said he wasn't a big fan of this series. He even joked that it "scarred me for life."
Voice Actors Who Brought Characters to Life
- Miss Tickle – Lola Fisher
- Socks, Vinnie, Mr. Samuels – Howard Morris
- Kim, Carol – Erika Scheimer
- Harvey, Franklin – Lane Scheimer
- Himself – Rick Springfield
Episode Guide
| Nº | Title | Original air date | |
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| 1 | "The Land of Backwards" | September 8, 1973 | |
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The Adventurers Club goes to the Land of Backwards where they meet poet Shelly Percy, and contend with Big Billy and his gang. The trouble is that they are arrested when they return stolen jewels. They escape, and save the day. Shelley expresses his joy by crying, showing that everything is done in reverse in this land after all. Song: "You'd Better Think Twice"
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| 2 | "Modran" | September 15, 1973 | |
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Modran, Bell, Book, and Candle steal gold so that Modran can win a tournament by cheating. Miss Tickle and company go to the Land of Prestidigitation to stop them. Socks releases a genie, and Modran captures Carol, Kim, Ptolemy, and Tut-Tut, intending to use them as insurance to guarantee that he will win the title of World's Greatest Magician. Song: "Catch Me If You Can"
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| 3 | "Dissonia" | September 22, 1973 | |
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The Adventurers Club visit a land where three music-hating villains have created a music eliminator to wipe out all the music in the world. Miss Tickle tries using her magic to destroy the machine, only to realize that it is indestructible. What can be done to restore music to the world? Song: "Love Is the Key"
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| 4 | "Land of Hyde and Go Seek" | September 29, 1973 | |
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The group visits a land where Colonel Kadiddle is threatened by invaders who only want the substance that can change their hairstyles. Miss Tickle uses her magic to make peace between the warring factions. Song: "If We Help One Another"
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| 5 | "The City Inside the Earth" | October 6, 1973 | |
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While visiting the Carlsbad Caverns, the Adventurers Club is summoned by Rick to a city beneath the Earth's surface. There, they run into Professor Fahrenheit, who seeks to claim the underground city for himself.
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| 6 | "2600 A.D." | October 13, 1973 | |
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Miss Tickle and the students travel into the distant future. They discover that in 2600 A.D., Omni the robot is the ruler of humans. Omni turns out not to be so evil when a comet heads for Earth. In desperation, he asks Miss Tickle and Rick to help him. Song: "You Can't Judge a Book"
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| 7 | "Something Fishy" | October 20, 1973 | |
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The team finds danger in an underwater city. Dr. Manta is using his power over the water to dominate the subjects. In addition, he has captured Socks and Vinnie. Can Miss Tickle end the villain's threat before innocent people end up in a watery grave? Song: "Free and Easy"
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| 8 | "Giant Steppes" | October 27, 1973 | |
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When Rick and his friend Billy are captured by the female giant Madame Mammoth, Miss Tickle has to come to their rescue. The Adventurers Club's mission this time is to restore the miniaturized Billy to his rightful place as ruler of the land. Song: "You Can Really Do It (If You Try)"
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| 9 | "Statue of Limitations" | November 3, 1973 | |
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The club goes to modern day Paris to investigate the theft of a statue called "The Contemplator". Female stage magician Trix Le Grande is a suspect. But so are Pierre La Hoax and the Artful Codger. Further complicating matters are the fact that each of the three has his or her own Contemplator. Song: "I Want You"
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| 10 | "Will the Real Rick Springfield Please Stand Up?" | November 10, 1973 | |
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Miss Tickle cannot figure out why Rick is being so hard on Ptolemy. It soon turns out that "Rick" and "Ptolemy" are actually the Chameleon and Arlo, a pair of crooks who can change their appearances to be anyone they want. They have entered our world through the magic door. Eventually, both men pose as Rick, creating further chaos. Song: "It's Driving Me Crazy"
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| 11 | "Doctor Astro" | November 17, 1973 | |
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Miss Tickle and her friends go after Dr. Astro, who has stolen the Golden Horns and uses their power to bring the Zodiac signs to life. Can even Miss Tickle triumph over this evil? Song: "We're Gonna Have a Good Time"
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| 12 | "Doctor Daguerreotype" | November 24, 1973 | |
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Dr. Daguerreotype has invented a camera that can turn people and objects into photographs. He and his accomplices Rex and Ina use it to photograph the magic door so that they can steal famous landmarks. When the Adventurers Club pursues them, they turn all but Miss Tickle and Rick into photographs. Their plan to photograph the adults backfires, and they end up on film themselves. Miss Tickle restores her friends and the magic door to normal so that they can return safely. Song: "On the Other Side"
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| 13 | "Nephren" | December 1, 1973 | |
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While on a mission to restore the City of Antiquity, Miss Tickle contends with Nephren, an ancient Egyptian queen who has come back to life. This queen's magic proves so powerful that Miss Tickle ends up exhausted. But both women have to join forces to rescue Nephren's lackeys, who are trapped inside a pyramid. Song: "I Know That It's Magic"
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| 14 | "Modran Returns" | December 8, 1973 | |
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Modran lures Miss Tickle and her students into his world by using Rick as bait. This time, the sorcerer's scheme is to steal Tut-Tut, who turns out to be the key to the magic door. The good guys have to get him back just so they can return. However, that will not be easy. Song: "Just Gotta Sing"
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| 15 | "Horse Feathers" | December 15, 1973 | |
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The Adventurers Club attends a rodeo in a land beyond the magic door. They discover that a cowpoke named Bronco is up to no good. But he soon sees the error of his ways. Song: "Welcome to the Rodeo"
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| 16 | "A Light Mystery" | December 22, 1973 | |
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After Franklin delivers his speech about being named Science Student of the Year, he and the others discover that a generator has been stolen. The Adventurers Club goes to the Land of Lights to get it back. There are three suspects: Count Celesta, Madame Marquee, and Baron Borealis. Each one rules a different province, but one seeks to become the ruler of the entire land. Song: "Starlight, Starbright"
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NOTE:All songs written and performed by Rick Springfield. Each song runs only 90 seconds, edited from the versions on the 1974 album.
