Pole Position (TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pole Position |
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| Genre | Animated television series |
| Created by | Jean Chalopin |
| Developed by | Michael Reaves Jean Chalopin |
| Written by | Marc Scott Zicree Chuck Lorre Ted Pedersen Rowby Goren Michael Reaves |
| Directed by | Bernard Deyriès |
| Voices of | David Coburn< Lisa Lindgren Melvin Franklin Darryl Hickman |
| Country of origin | France United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 13 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Jean Chalopin Andy Heyward |
| Running time | 25 mins |
| Production company(s) | DIC Audiovisuel |
| Distributor | LBS Communications |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBS |
| Original release | September 15 – December 8, 1984 |
Pole Position is an exciting animated TV show from France and the United States. It was made by a company called DIC Audiovisuel.
The show got its name from the popular video game Pole Position. Even though they share a name, the TV show and the game are very different! The only things they have in common are that one of the cars in the show, "Wheels," is red (like the car in the first game), and another car, "Roadie," is blue (like the car in Pole Position II).
About the Show
Pole Position first aired in 1984 on CBS. It was part of their Saturday morning cartoon lineup. There were 13 episodes in total. Later, the show was shown again in the UK on CBBC and BBC1 in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The story is about the Darrett family. They are a group of stunt drivers who also fight crime! They pretend to be a traveling "Pole Position Stunt Show." This show is secretly supported by the United States government. It helps them hide their crime-fighting missions and keep their amazing cars in top shape.
The Darrett parents sadly passed away in a car accident. Their younger children, Tess and Dan, had to take over their dangerous but important work. Their uncle, Zack, became their guardian and helped run the stunt show.
The cars in the show are super cool! They have lots of hidden gadgets like water skis and even hover jets. The cars' computers are special too. They are called "modules" and can be taken out of the dashboard. These modules are like characters themselves, with talking faces shown on video screens.
Meet the Characters
- Tess Darrett – Tess is the oldest sister and the main leader of the group. She drives the red car named Wheels. Tess's voice is done by Lisa Lindgren.
- Dan Darrett – Dan is Tess's younger brother. He can be a bit hot-headed and drives the blue car named Roadie. David Coburn is the voice of Dan.
- Daisy Darrett – Daisy is the youngest sister, still a pre-teen. Her voice is provided by Kaleena Kiff.
- Dr. Zachary Darrett – Known as Uncle Zack, he is an engineer who uses a wheelchair. He's the uncle of Tess, Dan, and Daisy. Uncle Zack is in charge of the whole Pole Position operation and designs the special vehicles. Jack Angel voices him.
- Kuma – Kuma is Daisy's unique pet. He's a special creature, a mix between a raccoon and a monkey. Marilyn Schreffler is the voice of Kuma.
- Wheels – This is a red and black 1965 Ford Mustang driven by Tess. Wheels has an AI computer that is very careful. He often says he's "getting too old for this" when things get intense! The voice of Wheels is Melvin Franklin from the singing group The Temptations.
- Roadie – This car looks more futuristic and is light-blue. Dan drives Roadie. Roadie's AI computer is very smart and tries to keep Dan out of trouble. Darryl Hickman voices Roadie.
Episode Guide
| No. | Title | Original air date | |
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| 1 | "The Code" | September 15, 1984 | |
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A former Pole Position agent tries to steal the control codes for Roadie and Wheels to use the cars for bad deeds.
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| 2 | "The Canine Vanishes" | September 22, 1984 | |
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The team searches the Florida Everglades for a lost dog carrying an important medicine. They must find it before bad guys do.
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| 3 | "The Chicken Who Knew Too Much" | September 29, 1984 | |
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The team protects a chicken that holds a secret to a hidden treasure.
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| 4 | "Strangers on the Ice" | October 6, 1984 | |
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The team needs to deliver satellite equipment to a mountain station. But it gets stolen, and a snowstorm makes it hard to get back.
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| 5 | "The Race" | October 13, 1984 | |
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The team joins a race that might be used to sneak a computer chip out of the country.
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| 6 | "The Thirty-Nine Stripes" | October 20, 1984 | |
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The team protects museum paintings that are being mysteriously damaged. The cut pieces hide a secret plan for a new computer chip.
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| 7 | "The Thirty-One Cent Mystery" | October 27, 1984 | |
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Kuma finds clues about a plot to steal an Indian totem at Mount Rushmore. He tries to warn everyone using coins that show the same presidents.
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| 8 | "Dial M for Magic" | November 3, 1984 | |
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The team gets stuck in a strange town controlled by a mysterious magician.
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| 9 | "The Bear Affair" | November 10, 1984 | |
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Daisy gets a talking teddy bear that gives clues about a factory. Tess and Dan investigate to find out what's going on.
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| 10 | "To Clutch a Thief" | November 17, 1984 | |
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Tess is crowned carnival queen, but her special amulet goes missing. The team must find out who took it.
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| 11 | "The Secret" | November 24, 1984 | |
| 12 | "Shadow of a Trout" | December 1, 1984 | |
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Uncle Zach disappears, and the kids become suspects in his vanishing act.
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| 13 | "The Trouble with Kuma" | December 8, 1984 | |
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The kids go to an island threatened by a tsunami to rescue Kuma's creator. They find his assistants are trying to harm him and steal his genetic research.
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Main Voice Actors
- Lisa Lindgren – Tess Darrett
- Kaleena Kiff – Daisy Darrett
- David Coburn – Dan Darrett
- Jack Angel – Dr. Zachary Darrett
- Marilyn Scheffler – Kuma
- Mel Franklin – Wheels
- Darryl Hickman – Roadie
