Silver Anniversary: "Tiny Toon Adventures"

Greetings Toonsters!  

"Tiny Toon Adventures" premiered on Friday night, September 14, 1990 -- 25 years ago today!

It began its daily weekday run on the following Monday, September 17th.

Thanks to all who made "Tiny Toons" happen.  

There's a book in this adventure.  Until then, enjoy a few visual memories...

"Tiny Toon Adventures" pep rally, Warner Bros. lot, 1990.  

"Tiny Toon Adventures" at the Rose Bowl parade, 1992 (above).  And below, a pre-internet visit to the bizarre.   

  

ANIMANIACS: The Voice of God

God is not dead.  But the voice of God in two Animaniacs segments has passed away.  

Stage and television actor Malachi Throne, who provided the rich and resonant voice of God in both the Slappy Squirrel cartoon "Guardin' the Garden" and the Hip Hippo segment "Noah's Lark," passed away on March 13 at the age of 84.  

 

Mr. Throne's acting career spanned 60 years and he appeared in over 100 TV series, including the original "Batman," "Star Trek," "The Outer Limits"...


 

The Hip Hippos attempt to board "Noah's Lark." 

..."Hogan's Heroes," "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,"  "I Spy," "The Wild Wild West,"  "Mannix," "Mission: Impossible," "Hawaii Five-O"...

 



..."The Rockford Files," and "Law and Order," to name just a few, and he had recurring roles on "Ben Casey" and "To Catch A Thief."  





                                               God bless you, Mr. Throne.

"Tiny Toon Adventures" Early Logo -- Part 5

Here's one more previously-unpublished Tiny Toon Adventures logo, circa 1989-1990.  Like many of the other roughs, this logo was drawn and designed by Alfred Gimeno. 

"Tiny Toon Adventures" Early Logo -- Part 4

Here's yet another unpublished Tiny Toon Adventures logo, circa 1990.  This is an early rough designed and drawn by Alfred Gimeno, who went on to produce and direct a bunch of great episodes in the series.     

"Tiny Toon Adventures" Volume 3 on DVD: January 8, 2013

At last...some forward progress on the release of more Tiny Toons to DVD, including Baby Plucky's premiere in "The Potty Years."   Coming January 8, 2013, volume 3:  

"Tiny Toon Adventures" Early Logo -- Part 3

Here's yet another previously-unpublished Tiny Toon Adventures logo, circa 1990.  This one was among the finalists before we settled on the rings logo.   I believe a variation of this piece was used in some preliminary promotional art.  

Tiny Toon Adventures Valentines Cards

Happy Valentines Day!

Plucky Duck as BatDuck in "Tiny Toon Adventures"

Here's a production cel from the Tiny Toons episode entitled "The Just-Us League of Supertoons," written by Paul Dini and directed by Byron Vaughns.  

Pictured from left to right:  that's Fifi as Scentanna, Buster as Superbunny, Plucky as BatDuck, Babs as Wonder Babs, Little Beeper as Dasher, Calamity Coyote as Keen Arrow,  and Sweetie as Pink Canary.  

This particular cel is owned by my good friend Captain Charles Clarke. 

Christmas Card from Warner Bros. Animation, 1999

Bugs Bunny, Scooby Doo, Superman, Taz, Buster Bunny and Babs Bunny (no relation), Yakko, Wakko and Dot Warner (related), Michigan J. Frog, Pinky & the Brain, Tweety and Sylvester, Wile E. Coyote, Father Time and Big Fat Baby from "Histeria," Batman from "Batman Beyond" and the cast from "Detention" wish you Happy Holidays!

It's A Wonderful Tiny Toons Christmas Special Logo

Here's the logo for "It's a Wonderful Tiny Toons Christmas Special" which first aired on December 6, 1992.   This image was used in trade ads, in newspaper reviews, and in "TV Guide" promotions.   Whoever ordered this artwork must have requested "extra cel-shadows."  That request was granted.   

Merry Christmas!

Buster Bunny Cel -- Tiny Toon Adventures

Buster Bunny

One of my favorite cels of Buster.  Can you name the episode?  Do you remember the scene?  Do you know which studio animated this episode?

Acme Looniversity team colors (including their varsity jackets) matched the colors of my home town team, Metuchen High School (Metuchen, New Jersey).  

Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation

Question:  What part of the animation industry began with Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation? 

Answer:   Direct-to-home video animated features.  Steven Spielberg presents "Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation" was the first animated feature film released directly to home video by one of the major studios.  It hit the retail stores March 11, 1992.  Disney's first direct-to-video animated feature, The Return of Jafar, came in 1994, as did the first of The Land Before Time direct-to-video sequels.  

I just uncovered my copy of the original promotional poster, which I scanned and posted directly above.  

Below are a few of the gag credits that appeared during the end scroll of  How I Spent My Vacation...

Reason This Movie Went Straight To Home Video

Cuz It's So Darned Good!

Original Running Time:    

8 Hours, 47 Minutes

Hey, What About That Urkel Kid?  

Is He Funny Or What? 

First Theatrical Screening:   

June 8, 1991, Old Orchard Theatre,  Skokie, Illinois

Last Theatrical Screening:  

 (Same As Above)

This Film Has Been Edited 

For Your Protection.

Do Not Back Up 
Severe Tire Damage

Man In Sound Recording Booth Who Pushes That Funny Red Button A Lot 

Link Poonie

Moral of the Story (Pick One):

1. Enjoy Your Vacation.

2. Relish Your Youth.

3. Don't Pick Up Chainsaw-Wielding Hitchhikers.

4. Feature Length Movies Should Not Have 18 Different Plots. 

These End Credits

Are Interminable. 

Top 4 Reasons A Caricature Of David Letterman Is In This Video:

4. We Admire His Comedy Stylings.

3. We Wanted To Use Merv Griffin, But He Threatened To Sue.

2. We Needed Some Filler.

1. We're Brown-Nosing Weasels Who Want Him To Mention Us On His Show.

Other Stuff Done By

Some Guy Named Bob. 

And That's The Final End Credit. 

We Lied.

The Cast

Valhalla ....... As Himself 

Suggested Retail Price

$19.95 Without Rebate

With Rebate 

About A Buck And A Quarter

"Tiny Toon Adventures" Promotional Art

Here's an image of a postcard that was sent out to "Tiny Toons" viewers who wrote fan letters to Warner Bros. during the heyday of "Tiny Toon Adventures" in the early-to-mid 90's.

This was clearly not produced by the animation department.  Looks more like the work of Warner Bros. Worldwide Licensing.  Animators tend to avoid having characters float aimlessly in midair, as is the case with Elmyra and Little Beeper in this promotional piece.  I'm not sure what Furrball's problem is, but he looks like he's in desperate need of a litter box.   Calamity Coyote appears to be missing his neck and has no clear purchase on the rope by which he may or may not be swinging.  Dizzy Devil has no left foot, and it looks like he's about to eat a drumstick that is dangerously undercooked.  Babs is making a proactive pass at Hamton, or at least, at Hamton's hind quarters.  Fifi LaFume is positioned closer to us than Buster, and Buster is closer to us than Shirley the Loon, but Shirley the Loon's head is closer to us than Fifi.   It's sort of like an M.C. Escher drawing, but not in a good way.  

Thank you, Warner Bros., for this lesson in promotional art run amok!  

"Tiny Toon Adventures" at the Pasadena Rose Parade

Back in the early 90's, Baskin-Robbins sponsored a "Tiny Toon Adventures" float for a couple of years at the annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year's Day.  The photo below is from the first year of Tiny Toon's participation -- I think it was January 1, 1993.   (Baskin-Robbins also sold a line of Tiny Toon ice cream products for a number of years.)
    

Buster and Plucky -- "Tiny Toon Adventures"

Ken Boyer was one of the very first artists to work on "Tiny Toon Adventures."  He and Alfred Gimeno drafted most of the initial versions of the characters who would become the stars of the series.  

This drawing and cell set-up of Buster and Plucky is by Ken.  He really knew these characters inside and out.  I can't think of anyone who drew them better.  Ken packed his drawings with personality that made the Tiny Toon stars both cute and pushy at the same time.  Quite a feat! 

Tiny Toon Adventures TV Guide Cover: Merry Christmas!

December 19th-25th, 1992:  Buster, Babs, Plucky and Hamton make the cover of "TV Guide's" Christmas issue.   This is a copy of the artist's proof. 

Here's the original painted background and cel setup...preserved for posterity by Jean MacCurdy, who gave it to me as a Christmas gift back in '92.  Thanks Jean!  

 

Tiny Toon Adventures vs. Batman: the Animated Series

Both "Tiny Toon Adventures" and "Batman: the Animated Series" have won their fair share of Emmy Awards.  On a couple of occasions, the two shows wound up in competition for the same award.  After one of those skirmishes when the toons prevailed over the superhero, Bruce Timm drew up this beautiful piece, below.  

At Warner Bros. Animation ( and most other studios)  many artists would celebrate birthdays, holidays, major events, studio politics and other humorous moments of life by drawing up cartoons and caricatures of fellow workers.  Batman producer/director/designer Bruce Timm was and is one of the very best at these works of comic art, and his caricatures have always been brilliant.  His cartoons of Eddie Fitszgerald and Tom Minton were used as the initial rough facial models for Pinky and the Brain.  (We just added ears, white furry bodies and pink tails to Bruce's drawings of Eddie and Tom.)

"Tiny Toon Adventures" -- Early Logo -- Part 2

Here's another early "Tiny Toon Adventures" logo that Alfred Gimeno and I worked on for a while.  Of course, we ultimately went with the ring logo, further below.  

It Was Twenty Years Ago Today...

"Tiny Toon Adventures" began to play...

                                                                                                     Tiny Toon Adventures (c) Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.

Those Were the Days...

                                    When Tiny Toons were young...

     "Tiny Toon Adventures" premiered twenty years ago today!

                                                                                                  Tiny Toon Adventures (c) Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.