"The Man Who Hated Laughter"

By kalel21
Posted on: Apr 8th 2008 at 2:07 PM

Replies: 13

Does anyone else remember this show? It was aired in the 1970s and I think it was an episode of a Saturday morning anthology show.

The premise was a bad guy who hated anything funny. So he invites all the funniest comic strip characters (or at least those owned by King Features--Hi & Lois, Dagwood & Blondie, Snuffy Smith, etc.) on to a cruise ship, with plans to blow them all up.

Some King Features adventure heroes, including Flash Gordon and (if I remember correctly) the Phantom, must save the day at the last minute. Popeye lends a hand at the end in saving everyone and giving the villain his just desserts.

I have a fond childhood memory of this one. I'd love to see it as an adult, but I have no idea if it would hold up at all. Childhood memories are tricky things in areas such as this.

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Posted by: RedFive

Posted on: 2008-04-08 at 05:09:03 PM

I do! It's been awhile (early 70s I believe) but I remember the cruise theme, and the toons being stuck on an island (an inspiration for Lost perhps?)
I also remember Brutus (from Popeye) as the henchman for the villain

Posted by: Chuck Taine

Posted on: 2008-04-09 at 05:38:50 AM

Now that you mention it, this does "ring' a bell of an distant memory. My memory says that it was an episode of the "ABC Saturday Morning Special," that anthology series of many different 'toons, topics. In fact, another memory pops up about this series. I recall that it featured an animated adventure of Lassie, that was used as the basis for a one season animated Lassie show, "Lassie's Rescue Rangers," or, similar. Another Filmation licensed show, I believe.

Don, can you back us up with any of this?

Posted by: kalel21

Posted on: 2008-04-09 at 08:36:09 AM

Well, there's no sense in working in an art college library if I don't make occasional use of the resources here.

I found a reference to it in "Television Cartoon Shows," by Hal Erickson--which is a really nifty two-volume set listing such shows alphabetically.

The show was called "Popeye Meets the Man Who Hated Laughter. It aired in 1972 on "The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie."

Other episodes from the "Superstar Movie" included "Yogi's Ark Lark," "Daffy Duck and Porky Pig Meet the Grooive Goolies" and "The Brady Kids on Mysterious Island."

There was an episode calld "Lassie and the Spirit of Thunder Mountain," which did end up being the pilot for "Lassie's Rescue Rangers."

Posted by: Chuck Taine

Posted on: 2008-04-10 at 04:35:58 AM

Well, I had the network, and, day right. But the classic warner characters meet the Archie TV "Munsters" I know back then (70's) Warner was in the midst of being acquired, but allowing Porky and Daffy to be used in something that sounds very "shlocky," I'm very surprised. Was this totally Flimation, or, did other 'toon producers contribute as well?

Posted by: kalel21

Posted on: 2008-04-10 at 07:34:44 AM

Referring again to "Television Cartoon Shows":

Apparently they went to different studios for different episodes. The entry for the "Superstar Movie" lists Hanna-Barbara, Rankin-Bass, Warner Bros., Universal, Filmation, King Features and Fred Calvert Productions as all taking part.

Unfortunately, the entry isn't detailed enough to say which studio (Filmation or WB) produced the Porky & Daffy meets the Groovy Ghoulies episode.

Posted by: kalel21

Posted on: 2008-04-10 at 09:06:06 AM

I also just checked youtube. There is a short clip posted from the show. It's not high quality, but it shows you all the characters who were there.

They pretty much seemed to cover all the King Features characters, including some classics like the Katzenjammer Kids and Moon Mullins.

The heroic characters assigned to rescue them all does include Flash Gordon and the Phantom, as well as Mandrake and Lothar. Kinda of a prototype for the future "Defenders of the Earth" series.

Posted by: Don Markstein

Posted on: 2008-04-12 at 01:42:56 PM

No, Kal, I can't honestly say I remember that one. But I've caught so many references to it over the years, I've occasionally thought I might someday write an article on it here. (Or, it must be said, I might not.)

But -- all the King Features characters?!! Yeesh, that covers a lot of territory! Was Prince Valiant in it? The Lockhorns? What about Ming Foo?

But if Moon Mullins was there, that's a clear example of a non-King character turning up. He was a Chicago Tribune Symdicate character.

Quack, Don

Posted by: kalel21

Posted on: 2008-04-12 at 04:51:05 PM

Oops. Sorry, I checked the clip again and Moon Mullins was not there. I have no idea who I mistook for Moon, since none of the characters they showed look that much like him. Anyway, the show does stick to King Features characters.

I got carried away with my "all King Features characters" remark, though. It's a nice cross-section (Maggie and Jiggs, Beetle Bailey, Tiger, etc.), but hardly all of them.

Posted by: ramapith

Posted on: 2008-05-07 at 07:56:11 AM

Chuck: Warners came into "Groovie Goolies" right off having paired Daffy Duck and Speedy Gonzales in what were generally the worst cartoons of either character's career. I think it's safe to say management had clearly forgotten any notion of the Looney Tunes stars ever having had any class—or for that matter, having appealed to any audience beyond the least discriminating diaper soilers.

So the results were unfortunately just about as "schlocky" as you imagine. Be very afraid.

Posted by: Don Markstein

Posted on: 2008-05-08 at 07:02:33 AM

More evidence of management forgetting or ignoring the notion that the Looney Tunes characters ever had any class is the Baby Looney Tunes series currently on Cartoon Network, replacing the actual classic catoons (which are currently unavailable on TV, for the very first time since television began). I haven't seen Loonatiks, but I suspect that's more of the same.

And let me add, it's great to have you back, Ramapith! Hope we see you around here a lot!

Quack, Don

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