Super Friends (1973 TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Super Friends |
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The opening title screen for the first Super Friends series
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| Genre | Action Adventure Science fiction |
| Created by | E. Nelson Bridwell Carmine Infantino Julius Schwartz (consultants) |
| Written by | Jack Cole Gardner Fox Mort Weisinger |
| Directed by | Charles A. Nichols |
| Creative director(s) | Iwao Takamoto |
| Voices of | Sherry Alberoni Norman Alden Danny Dark Shannon Farnon Casey Kasem Ted Knight Olan Soule John Stephenson Frank Welker |
| Narrated by | Ted Knight |
| Theme music composer | Hoyt Curtin |
| Composer(s) | Hoyt Curtin Will Schaefer |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of episodes | 16 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | William Hanna Joseph Barbera |
| Producer(s) | Iwao Takamoto |
| Running time | 60 minutes (including commercials) |
| Production company(s) | Hanna-Barbera Productions National Periodical Publications |
| Distributor | Taft Broadcasting |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Picture format | Color |
| Audio format | Mono |
| Original release | September 8 – December 22, 1973 |
| Chronology | |
| Followed by | The All-New Super Friends Hour |
Super Friends is a classic animated TV show from 1973. It was created by Hanna-Barbera and DC Comics. The series is based on the popular Justice League comic books. This show was the very first in the long-running Super Friends cartoon series.
Meet the Super Friends
The Super Friends cartoon first appeared on ABC on September 8, 1973. It featured some of the most famous DC superheroes. These heroes included Superman, Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman. Many of the voice actors from earlier superhero cartoons joined this new show. For example, Superman, Batman, and Aquaman had their own animated series before.
Besides the main heroes, the show also introduced three new sidekicks. These characters were not from the original comic books. They were Wendy Harris, Marvin White, and Wonder Dog. Wendy and Marvin were shown as young detectives or heroes-in-training. Wonder Dog was special because he could reason and even talk!
How the Episodes Worked
Each episode of Super Friends started with an emergency. The heroes would find out about it using a huge computer called the TroubAlert. This computer was located in their headquarters, the Hall of Justice. Colonel Wilcox, a U.S. Army official, often helped the Super Friends. He acted as a contact between the team and the government.
The Super Friends always tried to solve problems peacefully. They often convinced the bad guys to change their ways. Many episodes also focused on natural disasters. These disasters were often caused by human or alien actions. The show frequently included important messages about protecting the environment.
Special Hero Guests
Sometimes, other heroes from the larger Justice League joined the Super Friends. These guest stars included the Flash, Plastic Man, and Green Arrow.
Plastic Man made a quick appearance in the episode "Professor Goodfellow’s G.E.E.C." Superman called him to help get a mouse out of a computer.
Green Arrow appeared in the episode "Gulliver's Gigantic Goof." He was called a "Staunch member of the Justice League of America." This showed how important he was to the team.
Voice Actors
- Sherry Alberoni - Wendy Harris
- Norman Alden - Aquaman, Green Arrow, Plastic Man
- Danny Dark - Superman
- Shannon Farnon - Wonder Woman
- Casey Kasem - Robin
- Ted Knight - Narrator, The Flash
- Olan Soule - Batman
- John Stephenson - Colonel Wilcox
- Frank Welker - Marvin White, Wonder Dog
Episodes
