Today’s Saturday Morning Cartoon isn’t a cartoon at all. Back in 1979 Hanna–Barbera produced two hour long TV specials based on their popular Super Friends cartoon.
The Super Friends was Hanna-Barbera’s version of DC’s Justice League of America. It started in 1973 and run in various incarnations to 1986. The original line up consisted of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman with a couple of annoying kids tagging along with their dog. Later versions featured the Wonder Twins with a space monkey.
1973’s Super Friends opening
1978’s Challenge of the Super Friends
The Legends of the Superheroes specials were Star Wars Christmas Special bad. It starred Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin. Superman and Wonder Woman were off limits at the time (Superman had a movie coming out and Wonder Woman still had her own TV show). Instead Garrett Craig co-starred as Captain Marvel, Howard Murphy as the Green Lantern, Bill Nuckols as Hawkman, Barbara Joyce as The Huntress, Rod Haase as The Flash, Alfie Wise as The Atom and Danuta (Danuta Rylko Soderman) as the Black Canary.
The first episode had the Legion of Doom featuring Riddler (Frank Gorshin), Weather Wizard (Jeff Altman), Sinestro (Charlie Callas), Mordru (Gabriel Dell), Dr. Sivana (Howard M-orris), Giganta (A’leshia Brevard) and Solomon Grundy (Mickey Morton) planting bombs and the heroes looking for them. The second episode is a roast hosted by Ed McMahon and features a hero named Ghetto Man. It’s just terrible.
Warner Brothers recently released this show on DVD but only through their burn on demand service Warner Archives Collection. It’s only for the brave.