From the creation and production of King Features Productions, come out the successful Beatles cartoon series, featuring a half-hour long episodes consisted of two adventure stories about the sond and a sing a longs or animated music videos of The Beatles, around 5-7 minutes length each song with lyrics on the screen. Production of the series came from a hectic schedule, on
ly 6 months to go before the series premiere, Al Brodax (head of King Features motion picture television department) hadn't found a studio to produce, anyone to write the scripts and artists who will portray John, Paul, George and Ringo voices.
Production came out a very simple format with caricatures and scripts of their individual personalities, Beatles placed in two situations: the typical one where they were chased by girl fans & media trying to cash in on their success while the second untypical situation, they were fleeing from ghosts, vampires or a lovesick octopus that all were, Beatles fans. American experienced voice artist Paul Frees voiced John Lennon and George Harrison while British familiar Englishman Lance Percival voiced Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. Amazingly, the series captured 52 percent of the audience, an extraordinary profit and success at first season (Saturday morning 10:30 am), with an international flavour of adventures (sets featured different countries & locations), stories loosely based on lyrics of Beatles song which also title of the story and they sing with lyrics appeared on the bottom of the screen. Plus, the caricatures with Beatles' individual traits, John Lennon as leader always chin up, looking down his nose with his jerky movements & almost aggressive, Paul McCartney the most posed and stylish of the band with his hands express whatever he says, George Harrison in his frowning impression was wry with loose limbed and Ringo Starr as Groucho Marx type with clothes always looked too big, the series was very entertaining.
George Harrison noted, “I always king of liked them. They were so bad or silly they were good, if you know what I mean...”
and from John Lennon, “You know I still get a blast out of watching the Beatles cartoons on TV...”
The Beatles Cartoon series became an international hit & on it's syndication, it completed 3 seasons with 39 episodes (total of 78 stories) aired from September 1965 until September 1969, now available on DVD.
The Beatles Cartoon Casts:
- Paul Frees ........... voice of John Lennon and George Harrison
- Lance Percival ............ voice of Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr
- The Beatles ........... Playing their songs
- John Lennon ............. vocals and rhythm guitar
- Paul McCartney ............. vocals and bass guitar
- George Harrison ............ vocals and lead guitar
- Ringo Starr ............. vocals and drums
List of Beatles songs per episodes:
1. A Hard Day's Night & I Want To Hold Your Hand
2. Do You Want To Know A Secret & If I Fell
3. Please Mr. Postman & Devil In Her Heart
4. Not A Second Time & Slow Down
5. Baby's In Black & Misery
6. You've Really Got A Hold On Me & Chains
7. I'll Get You & Honey Don't
8. Any Time At All & Twist And Shout
9. Little Child & I'll Be Back
10. Long Tall Sally & I'll Cry Instead
11. I'll Follow The Sun & When I Get Home
12. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby & I Should Have Known Better
13. I Wanna Be Your Man & I'm A Loser
14. Don't Bother Me & No Reply
15. I'm Happy Just To Dance With You & Mr. Moonlight
16. Can't Buy Me Love & It Won't Be Long
17. Anna(Go To Him) & I Don't Want To Spoil The Party
18. Matchbox & Thank You Girl
19. From Me To You & Boys
20. Dizzy Miss Lizzy & I Saw Her Standing There
21. What You're Doing & Money
22. Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand & She Loves You
23. Bad Boy & Tell Me Why
24. I Feel Fine & Hold Me Tight
25. Please Please Me & There's A Place
26. Roll Over Beethoven & Rock And Roll Music
27. Eight Days A Week & I'm Looking Through You
28. Help! & We Can Work It Out
29. I'm Down & Run For Your Life
30. Drive My Car & Tell Me What You See
31. I Call Your Name & The Word
32. All My Loving & Day Tripper
33. Nowhere Man & Paperback Writer
34. Penny Lane & Strawberry Fields
35. And Your Bird Can Sing & Got To Get You Into My Life
36. Good Day Sunshine & Ticket To Ride
37. Taxman & Eleanor Rigby
38. Tomorrow Never Knows & I've Just Seen A Face
39. Wait & I'm Only Sleeping
