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Saturday Mornings and Shag Carpet


In a commenting frenzy on Dive's site yesterday, the subject of HR Pufnstuf came up. Enough people were clueless about the show, and it was suggested that I post about it to clear things up. The thing is, it has been written about plenty--entire sites are devoted to the show.

In doing some poking around, I found other shows from the 60s and early 70s, however, that reminded me of the glorious days of Saturday morning cartoons. In the days when kids only had a few TV channels to choose from and didn't spend hours and hours every day in front of the tube, Saturday mornings were special. Saturday mornings were devoted to cartoons that were not seen any other day.

You would sleep in just a little, and then, with blanket in hand, drag yourself to your favorite spot in front of the TV. You would switch it on with the knob and turn the dial to ABC or NBC of CBS, and you would settle into the orange shag carpet with your bowl of Fruit Loops and a luke warm glass of Tang for a few hours of comic celluloid bliss. Whiz, Bang, Bop. I was just a little kid when my older sister brought a friend home from college, some guy who slept on the couch in the room where I would be watching my cartoons in the morning. Bright and early, 7:30 am or so, I sneeked in and plopped myself down in front of the TV as usual. Didn't matter to me. It was MY time.

Here are some of my favorites:


Super Chicken: Here is the theme song that I will be singing for the rest of the day.

And here is a site devoted to the show--Dave's Unofficial Super Chicken Home Page



George of the Jungle. Here is the song.


The Ant and the Aardvark. Agian, the theme song.

Secret Squirrel and Morocco Mole. What a squirrel--the theme song.

Are there some I have missed? What did you watch on those magic Saturday mornings?

The theme songs are all featured on Mike Classic Cartoon Themes, along with a CD of 93 themes.

Comments

he he lovely memories Robyn especially your charming spot in front of the tv regardless of the youth snoring behind you! Funny.
Well there was Tiswas and all that slapstick loud stuff which i kind of liked but turned the volume down.. Heckle and Jeckle when i was very young, oh and a bit later, The Partridge Family as i was IN LOVE with David Cassidy. No, not a crush or a phase, he was mine. lol! That Sat. morning routine was a religion. Went through a phase of going to another girl's house to watch, who was like-minded, though hers was a mere crush of course. Only thing was, her brother was gorgeous and my mind was split so i had to return home to devote all to David eventually. Then i would pop off to the shops to buy a new item of clothing if i was lucky, like a pink fluffy 'bunny jacket'.
Sassy Sundry said…
Oh hurrah!

Some of these were off the air by the time I was a kid, but great memories. And I don't need to click the links. I'm singing "George of the Jungle" right now.

"Shag carpet" doesn't help the cleansing quotient, though. Hee hee.
dive said…
Woo!
I don't remember having seen any of those, Robyn.
My childhood days were mostly radio, but when we did finally get a little nine inch black and white TV, I remember the joy of Tom and Jerry.
They don't seem to show it any more (well they probably do on satellite or cable but I refuse to waste my money on those).
I was "grown up" by the time Lynn's programmes came on.
Scout said…
Lynn, I thought David Cassidy belonged to me. I have never heard of Tiswas, but I did watch Heckle and Jeckle. Bunny jackets--ha.

Sassy, the George of the Jungle movie almost ruined the magic for me. But it all came back when I heard the song. And the drums

Dive, I watched Tom and Jerry on a local channel out of Chicago. It was on after school.

Up and at 'em, Atom Ant! That's the mantra for today.
dive said…
Just be careful of your back if you're flying round like a cartoon superhero!
Ms Mac said…
The only one I ever saw from your list was Secret Squirrel. Aussies love HR Pufnstuf but I never saw it.

I loved some British things like Rentaghost and The Ghosts of Motley Hall and the children's gameshows Crackerjack and Runaround. Oh and cartoon Dangermouse but I think they were more after school shows. On Saturday mornings I was a big fan of Swap Shop and Tiswas.

Good times!
Sassy Sundry said…
That's why I didn't see the movie.

I miss the Smurfs. I really liked the Smurfs. The Smurfs are scary, but I really liked them.
Gina said…
Tom Slick!

Loved George of the Jungle!

And lucky you, I never ate Froot Loops and Tang. My mother would have had a heart attack.

And, for some unknown reason, I loathed the Smurfs.
one of my favorites wasDastardly & Muttley in their Flying Machines.


Their mission was simple: Catch Yankee Doodle Pigeon, who was a carrier pigeon used to deliver secret documents or something or other (if anyone actually knows who they were being delivered to, please let me know).
Oh not to forget "the banana Splits" remember them robyn???
Sassy Sundry said…
Tra la la
la lala la
tra la la
la lala la

one banana,
two banana,
three banana...

Lots of fun for everyone!
Yeah, no Robyn lots of people made that mistake, i mean it's easily done and generously forgiven, but no, firmly no Robyn, N.O. David Cassidy was mine. Mine all mine. In fact, he still is really, so you or anyone else can't even claim him now i'm afraid. Sor-ree. lol.

Oh and someone DID sing the banana song omg let me out of here...
Ame said…
OMG ROBYN!!!!!!!!!!!! AWESOME POST Girlfriend! GEEEEEEEEEZ...I have to program my brain to come visit you on a daily basis now...GEEZ! LOL! ;) You wrote my LIFE...down to the Tang and TV! AAAAAAAACK! LOLOL! OOOOO! Loved the Banana Splits too..Tra La La....OH MAN does that bring back MEMORIES!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Too MUCH!

And would you BOTH please STOP IT! Lynn...hate to inform you...David Cassidy AND Bobby Sherman were and ARE both MINE!!!! Muuuuuaaahahahahahahaha!

Carry on...Lynn's already had her WICKID BLUE...how appropriate Swan DIVE LADY...AAAAAAAAACK! GOOD ONE HUH? LOLOL! I'm breaking into another BD bottle of Ca Cab!

Au Revoir my DP Family!
;) xo

PS: You did GOOD ROBYN! ;)
Scout said…
OK, if I can't have David Cassidy or Bobby Sherman, can I have Leif Garret? I may be the only one who was devoted to Two for the Road, with a gorgeous boy traveling the country with his dad in a Winnebago.
Scout said…
Oops, it was THREE for the Road, and I loved Vincent van Patten, too, although not as much as Leif Garrett.
Yes Robyn you can have him. DC's mine all mine. No Ame, mine. Back off. LOL.
Like your guest map very much. Dive why are you in Manchester? Silly you...
navaneedh said…
just linked this article on my facebook account. it’s a very interesting article for all.


Shag Carpet
Robyn Martins said…
Thank you for the FB link, Navaneedh. That's very thoughtful of you.

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