October 2, 1992 – November 23, 2003
ToonHeads is an American animation anthology series consisting of Hanna-Barbera, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Warner Bros., and Popeye cartoon shorts, with background information and trivia, prominently about animators and voice actors of the shorts.
Summary[]
Early seasons feature an announcer stating each episode's theme and three cartoons to be showcased. Then the show underwent two format changes. The first happened in late 1995 when Don Kennedy was added as the narrator and would tell the history and facts of each cartoon shown (Don Kennedy would also have narration duties on The Tex Avery Show that same year).
The second format change came in 1998 when George A. Klein took over as producer and writer of the show. He wanted the show to be a "Ken Burns" type of weekly documentary on specific cartoon history. Creating specific "themed" episodes utilizing the Warner Bros. cartoons. Three basic concepts used for these episodes are directors (e.g. Chuck Jones and Friz Freleng), characters (e.g. "of Tweety" and "The Year Elmer Fudd Got Fat"), and themes. Episodes include themes like cartoons that lampooned Hollywood celebrities and movies; cartoons where the humor comes from a character trying to get some sleep and being interrupted; cartoons that make fun of sports; obscure and rare works from Warner Bros.; and a look at the allegations of plagiarism between "The Cat Concerto" and "Rhapsody Rabbit". Trivia questions were also added about the related cartoons used in each episode's theme. From 1998 to 2003 Leslie Fram did the narration for each episode's final tracks and George A. Klein narrated the rough-cut scratch tracks.
Sound Effects Used[]
- Elektra Records, Hoot Owl (Heard in the Season 1 outro.)
- Elektra Records, Hyena (Heard in the Season 1 intro.)
- Roadrunner's Beep Beep Sound (Heard in "A ToonHeads Special: The Lost Cartoons".)
- Roland Elephant Trumpeting Sound (Heard in a high pitch in the Season 1 intro.)
- Sound Ideas, BORK, CARTOON - LOUD ZORK (Heard once in "Director Robert McKimson" and in "Night of 1000 Elves".)
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, SLIDE - DOUBLE VIOLIN SLIDE DOWN (Heard twice in reverse in "The Great Cartoon Controversy".)
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, SLIDE - SHORT VIOLIN SLIDE UP (Heard once in "A ToonHeads Special: The Lost Cartoons".)
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, WHISTLE - FLUTTER WHISTLE: LONG SPINNING WHISTLE (Heard once in "One Toon Wonders".)