15 forgotten cartoons from the early 1970s you used to love
Saturday mornings used to consist of sugary cereal and hours of cartoons. Do you remember any of these?
We all yearn to go back to the days when Saturday mornings consisted of a big bowl of sugary cereal and hours of our favorite cartoons. Before cable TV, on-demand shows and Netflix, there were only four hours of television each week devoted just to children.
Popular staples like Scooby Doo, The Flintstones and The Jetsons have received a lot of attention throughout the year, with movies and revivals coming out every few years. But what about the shows we used to love that haven't stood the test of time? Here are 15 cartoons from the early 1970s that we still love, even if we may have forgotten about them.
Cattanooga Cats (1969)
These cool cats made one ferocious rock band.
Motor Mouse and Autocat (1969)
It was like Tom and Jerry, except with racecars.
Dastardly and Muttley in the Flying Machines (1969)
Dick Dastardly and his pooch flew old-timey airplanes to stop a pigeon carrying secret messages.
Sabrina and the Groovie Goolies (1970)
Before the Groovie Goolies had their own show, they joined Sabrina the Teenage Witch to fight off enemies.
The Funky Phantom (1971)
In this case, the "funky" phantom the title refers to was a Revolutionary War–era ghost named Mudsy.
Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch! (1971)
These fun-loving bears sure knew how to have a good time.
The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show (1972)
Remember when Pebble and Bamm-Bamm from The Flintstones were teenager and high school sweethearts?
The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan (1972)
Try saying that three times in a row. Mr. Chan and his kids spent every episode solving mysteries, along with their dog Chu Chu.
Speed Buggy (1973)
If there wasn't a fast-racing car or airplane in the 1970s, did it even qualify to be a cartoon?
Inch High, Private Eye (1973)
It must have been tough solving mysteries while standing just one inch tall.
Bailey's Comets (1973)
Who could roller skate the fastest to win the million-dollar prize?
Hong Kong Phooey (1974)
A parody of kung fu shows made its way onto Saturday morning television in the form of Penry Pooch.
Valley of the Dinosaurs (1974)
A family entered a parallel universe and met its prehistoric doppelganger.
Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch (1974)
Wheelie was the superhero we all adored, and it was even better that he was a red Volkswagen Beetle!
The Great Grape Ape Show (1975)
What's with all the tongue twisters?
17 Comments
If you you were thinking of Manta and Moray from Tarzan and the Super 7 then I doubt that that will ever see the light of day again because the company was sued for copyright infringement by DC Comics (DC won both the original suit and the appeal)
Moray (birth name unknown) was orphaned when her parents' plane crashed into the sea; the young girl was saved, and subsequently raised, by dolphins. Over the next few years, Moray learned to live in the ocean. Then she discovered and revived Manta, who became her companion. Both pledged themselves to protecting the sea-world from any who would threaten it. An excellent swimmer, Moray can hold her breath for incredibly long periods but (unlike Manta) is vulnerable to deep-water pressure. She wears a leg-baring red wetsuit with white trim, and a matching headband.
Manta and Moray's other companions include Whiskers (a sea lion) and Guppy (a gray whale).
The picture included is the title card from Jana.
As for the cartoons you mentioned here, they were all wonderful to watch. My main favorites then were Hong Kong Phooey, Valley of the Dinosaurs, and Charlie Chan and the Chan Clan.
Give me back my 70s!