I'm Surprised!

[Joseph_Gallant]

Given all the hype over the new big-screen version of "King Kong" (which at this writing, December 17th, appears to be on the verge of becoming a major box-office disapointment), I am surprised that nobody (as far as I know) has tried to get reruns of the 1966-68 "King Kong" cartoon series back on the air, in part to feed the hype.

I haven't seen it since it's original broadcast as a youngster. I do recall that it was produced by Rankin/Bass (yes, the same company whose "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer" is considered one of TV's all-time classic Christmas specials). Unlike "Rudolph", "King Kong" was a "straight" animated cartoon with the kind of limited animation so prevelant at the time.

However, the show seems to be remembered as quite "cheesy", which might explain why it's not seen much in reruns these days. Of course, there may have only been between thirteen and seventeen half-hour episodes produced (common practice for Saturday-morning cartoon series of the period).

I do remember some of the theme song; it went something like this:

"King Kong!

You know the name of King Kong.

You know the fame of King Kong,

Ten times he size of a man!"

(there may have been another stanza; but I don't remember it)

Given that the new "King Kong" movie is on the verge of becoming a box-office disaster, I have been thinking a lot of the theme from the 1966 "King Kong" cartoon series, and have sung it to myself over the past day or so with these revised lyrics, which I present in the hope you'll get a chuckle out of them:

"King Bomb!

You know the name of King Bomb.

You know the fame of King Bomb,

Ten times as much of a flop!"

There was also "Kong: The Animated Series" in 2000, but I have never seen any episodes of it.

This is a link to a page with a brief description of the 1966 "King Kong" cartoon series.

 

[Joe_Capitano]

King Kong the Animated Series is out (or coming out) on DVD, however. Check the video stores. (So says rankinbass.com)

 

[VCarter]

> Given all the hype over the new big-screen version of "King
> Kong" (which at this writing, December 17th, appears to be
> on the verge of becoming a major box-office disapointment),
> I am surprised that nobody (as far as I know) has tried to
> get reruns of the 1966-68 "King Kong" cartoon series back on
> the air, in part to feed the hype.
>
> I haven't seen it since it's original broadcast as a
> youngster. I do recall that it was produced by Rankin/Bass
> (yes, the same company whose "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed
> Reindeer" is considered one of TV's all-time classic
> Christmas specials). Unlike "Rudolph", "King Kong" was a
> "straight" animated cartoon with the kind of limited
> animation so prevelant at the time.
>
> However, the show seems to be remembered as quite "cheesy",
> which might explain why it's not seen much in reruns these
> days. Of course, there may have only been between thirteen
> and seventeen half-hour episodes produced (common practice
> for Saturday-morning cartoon series of the period).
>
> I do remember some of the theme song; it went something like
> this:
>
> "King Kong!
>
> You know the name of King Kong.
>
> You know the fame of King Kong,
>
> Ten times he size of a man!"
>
> (there may have been another stanza; but I don't remember
> it)
>
> Given that the new "King Kong" movie is on the verge of
> becoming a box-office disaster, I have been thinking a lot
> of the theme from the 1966 "King Kong" cartoon series, and
> have sung it to myself over the past day or so with these
> revised lyrics, which I present in the hope you'll get a
> chuckle out of them:
>
> "King Bomb!
>
> You know the name of King Bomb.
>
> You know the fame of King Bomb,
>
> Ten times as much of a flop!"
>
> There was also "Kong: The Animated Series" in 2000, but I
> have never seen any episodes of it.
>
> This is a link to a page with a brief description of the
> 1966 "King Kong" cartoon series.
>
I recall this cartoon vividly as I remember it being broadcast on ABC in the
late 1960s-around 1966/67-on Saturdays, and then locally around 1976 or 1977
on WLKY-32 in Louisville (then an ABC station) on Saturdays at 7 or 7:30 am
at the height of the popularity of the 1976 movie release of 'King Kong',the
same station also had the local rights to the 1933 RKO movie with Fay Wray
which it showed a few times a year.
I think the second stanza went like this:

'one day a boy too young to know the danger,
made a friend of this giant fearsome stranger,
and the life they led on their island home
became a legend, the legend of...
King Kong, you know the name of King Kong,
you know the fame of King Kong, ten times
as big as a man'!

this is how I remember it. I heard some news that the cartoon was supposed to
come out on DVD in Fall 2005, but so far I haven't anything else on it.

 

[bpatrick]

> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > I recall this cartoon vividly as I remember it being
> broadcast on ABC in the
> late 1960s-around 1966/67-on Saturdays, and then locally
> around 1976 or 1977
> on WLKY-32 in Louisville (then an ABC station) on Saturdays
> at 7 or 7:30 am
> at the height of the popularity of the 1976 movie release of
> 'King Kong',the
> same station also had the local rights to the 1933 RKO movie
> with Fay Wray
> which it showed a few times a year.
>
> I remember WLKY carrying it in the mid and late '70s.
I also remember watching it back in '66 and '67. The
cartoon King Kong didn't bear much resemblance to the
one in the movies (1933, 1976, or 2005); he was considerably
friendlier, more like an overgrown pet (not quite Magilla
Gorilla but in the same spirit, perhaps). I don't think
any studio will ever be able to top the original version
with Fay Wray.
>
>
>

 

[rugrats1]

> I also remember watching it back in '66 and '67. The
> cartoon King Kong didn't bear much resemblance to the
> one in the movies (1933, 1976, or 2005); he was considerably
> friendlier, more like an overgrown pet (not quite Magilla
> Gorilla but in the same spirit, perhaps). I don't think
> any studio will ever be able to top the original version
> with Fay Wray.

Apparently, either Rankin-Bass or ABC wanted a tamer Kong, so he would be more appropriate for younger audiences. Yes, violence on kiddie TV was yet to be concern, but they apparently felt that the movie Kong was still a little too violent for the animated version to emulate.

While we know the name of King Kong and the fame of King Kong, I wonder if it was worth it to know the "tame" King Kong.

 

[ixnay]

> > I remember WLKY carrying it in the mid and late '70s.
> I also remember watching it back in '66 and '67. The
> cartoon King Kong didn't bear much resemblance to the
> one in the movies (1933, 1976, or 2005); he was considerably
>
> friendlier, more like an overgrown pet (not quite Magilla
> Gorilla but in the same spirit, perhaps). I don't think
> any studio will ever be able to top the original version
> with Fay Wray.

WPHL-17 Philadelphia carried KK in the early 70s.

The R/B Kong's closest semblance to his movie behavior came during the closing credits, when he climbs the ESB and starts whacking away at jet fighters, connecting on at least one try. Doesn't try to find Fay, though.

R/B remained active in Saturday mornings through the early 70s ("The Jackson 5", "The Osmonds", "Kid Power" [starring the kids from Morrie Turner's "Wee Pals" comic strip]). All of the above, like KK, aired on ABC and were done in conventional animation, although at this late date I'd like to see Kong, Michael or Donny in "Rudolph" style.

*I'm* surprised no one has mentioned Kong's supporting segment, "Tom of T.H.U.M.B.".* Tom and his Chinese buddy Charlie were janitors at the CIA until they accidentally tripped a reduction ray gun that they were working under. And that's how they became the "Tiny Human Underground Mole Bureau", operating out of a file drawer there in Langley.

The opening of "Tom" featured cheerleaders yelling "T! H! U-M-B! Heeeeyyyyyy TOM!"

Then there's Donkey Kong from CBS's "Saturday Supercade", but that's another thread.

ixnay

*Two stories of *Kong* aired in the half hour show every week, sandwiched around "Tom".<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by ixnay on 12/20/05 06:01 PM.</FONT></P>