THE GOODS: Hanna-Barbera

Thursday, October 25, 2012

MONSTER-MONTH: A COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN (Day 25)

“It’s right versus wrong, good over greed, niceness against naughtiness… That’s the dedication of the terrific trio--Frankie, Howler and Drak, Jr… The Drak Pack!”

(Frankie, but not the GROOVIE GOOLIES' Frankie!)

DRAK PACK was an animated series that ran on the CBS television network between 1980 and 1982 with a total of a mere sixteen episodes. It was produced by an Australian subsidiary of Hanna-Barbera.

The show centered around three characters: Drak (referred to as Drak Jr. in the opening segment, but very rarely in the series), Frankie and Howler, descendants of Dracula, the Frankenstein Monster and a werewolf. These three “monsters” combined to do good deeds to make up for their progenitors’ wrongdoings.

The three usually appear as normal humans, but when needed, they strike their right hands together and shout, “Whack ‘em!” or “Whacko!”. This is called a Drak Whack. They are then transformed into the vampire, the monster and werewolf. Drak can fly, is a telekinetic, and is a shapeshifter. Unlike most cartoon vampires, Drak may take on many forms, though he seems to favor that of a bat. Frankie has super-strength and can produce electric bolts. Howler has super-breath and an ultrasonic howl.

Frankie was very much the typical Karloff Frankenstein Monster with green skin, big boots, bolts in his neck and a seemingly shrunken suit stretched over his large barrel chest. The distinctive feature of Frankie is that there are no clear scars and that his hair is more of a pompadore than a flat-top.

(Click to Frankensize)

They use a flying car that can also work as a submersible, which is called “The Drakster”. And when they need advice, they turn to “Big D” Count Dracula, Drak’s great-uncle.

Their arch-nemesis is Dr. Dred, a blue-skinned evil genius. Dred’s henchmen, who are known by the name OGRE (The Organization for Generally Rotten Enterprises), include Toad, Fly, the Mummyman and Vampira. Toad is very much a toady to Dred, and he often unintentionally helps the Pack. Fly is a humanoid fly with similar traits. Mummyman has super-strength and use his wrappings to entangle the Pack. Vampira, a female vampire with powes similar to Drak, has a crush on Drak.

(Dr. Dred doing his best Vincent Price.)

(Drak's Great Uncle Count Dracula)

(Vampira and Toad)

OGRE is based on an artificial island called “Dredquarters” or “Drednought” or “OGRE Island”. They also travel in an airship referred to as “The Dredgible”.

It’s possible other concepts influenced the creation of The Drak Pack, as Hanna-Barbera weren’t exactly known as innovators, such as Dell Comic’s heroic monsters or NBC’s MONSTER SQUAD, which featured Dracula, Frankenstein and a werewolf fighting bad guys.

DRAK PACK employed the voice talents of William Callaway, Hans Conried, Jerry Dexter, Chuck McCann, Julie McWhirter, Don Messick, Alan Oppenheimer and John Stephenson.

(Click to Frankensize)

Those wacky websites with knowledge of Frankie and the DRAK PACK that you may wish to delve further into:

http://www.toontracker.com/drakpack/drakpack.htm

http://taliesinttlg.blogspot.com/2012/03/drak-pack-review.html

http://headhuntershorrorhouse.wikia.com/wiki/Frankie_(Drak_Pack)

http://www.toonopedia.com/drakpack.htm

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/WesternAnimation/DrakPack

That's all folks...

(Click to really Frankensize this Charles Addams drawing!)

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

MONSTER-MONTH: COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN (Day 9)

Today, we venture into the strange world of Hanna-Barbera Animation to visit with a robot who carries the burden of the name... Frankenstein!

FRANKENSTEIN, JR. AND THE IMPOSSIBLES were a pair of Hanna-Barbera cartoons packed into a half hour of television programming for the CBS television network. It premiered September 10, 1966.

Similar to many of the animation company’s efforts, this series was shortlived--ending after an 18 episode run. Frankenstein Jr. is actually the name of the gigantic robot created by Professor Conroy for his boy genius son Buzz Conroy--apparently he didn’t grasp that Frankenstein was the creator not the creation.

Set in Civic City, the adventures of young Buzz and Frankenstein, Jr. as they fight supervillains in the name of justice. Buzz would activate his pal, “Frankie”, via an energy ring. Frankenstein, Jr. is very similar in appearance to the very popular animated character GIGANTOR, who had a hit show at the time.

Frankie was voiced by Ted Cassidy (Lurch of THE ADDAMS FAMILY). Buzz was voiced by Dick Beals, also famous for the voice of Chuck Jones’ Ralph Phillips for Warner Bros. and Davey of DAVEY & GOLIATH.

The target of complaints about violence in children’s television, the show was cancelled in 1968.

FIVE FRANKENSTEIN FUN FACTS:

Gold Key Comics released a single issue of FRANKENSTEIN JR. AND THE IMPOSSIBLES in 1966 as a tie-in to the TV show. The contents of it were reprinted in “The Impossibles Annual” by Atlas Publishing & Distributing Co. Ltd., in 1968 in the United Kingdom.
In 1976, Space Ghost and Frankenstein Jr. were repackaged and combined together into a single cartoon series entitled SPACE GHOST/ FRANKENSTEIN JR. SHOW for NBC.
Ted Cassidy also voiced the role of Ben Grimm aka The Thing in the 1978 FANTASTIC FOUR animated series and went on to voice and announce for animated shows like GODZILLA, THE HULK, SUPER FRIENDS and voicing the opening narration of the 1970s THE INCREDIBLE HULK.
FRANKENSTEIN JR. and THE IMPOSSIBLES is available via Warner Bros. and print on demand.
Frankenstein Jr. or “Frankie” as he is referred to by Buzz, stands 30 feet tall.