Saturday Cartoons - Michael Jackson Memorial Edition

TV Dads

Happy Father's Day

As a child, television provided me with countless and diverse images of fatherhood; stern but loving family men, widowers, bachelor uncles, hapless but lovable dads etc. So many role models to chose from, and all as far removed from real life as my little house in the suburbs of Long Island was to the Hollywood sound stages where these shows were filmed. My father wasn't quite like any of these men; quiet by nature, he wasn't an overflowing font of fatherly advice and I don't recall having many heart to heart talks with him. This is not to say he wasn't a good and loving father; he definitely was. He just wasn't particularly good at expressing emotions. Also, unlike most TV dads, who seemed to lounge around the house in a tie (except on weekends when cardigan sweaters were the norm), my Dad was a blue collar worker and the only time he wore a suit was to attend a wedding or funeral.

Still, unrealistic representations of fatherhood aside, these two-dimensional (in more ways than one) men present us with iconic images that are hard to forget. Today is Father's Day and in celebration thereof, I present some of my favorite TV Dads...

Being a dad is the single greatest joy in my life. It is also the most nerve-wracking, stress inducing and ulcer-forming part of my life (and I wouldn't trade it for anything). Happy Father's Day!

More Cartoon Theme Songs

It's Saturday! That means more great old kids' shows here at the Museum...

Have no fear, Underdog is here!

Hong Kong Phooey -How can you not love a cartoon voiced by the great Scatman Crothers?

The Banana Splits - Hanna-Barbera's mixture of live action and animation had an undeniably catchy theme song.

H.R. Pufnstuf - brought to you by the psychedelic (or is that psychotic?) minds of Sid and Marty Krofft.

Felix the Cat - another theme song that's stuck with my all these years...




Casper the Friendly Ghost -a cartoon about a dead little boy who just wants to be loved (sounds like the plot of a Japanese horror movie).

Today's Birthdays (and How to Celebrate Them)

M.C. Escher
Dutch graphic artist (1898 -1972)

Walk sideways down a flight of stairs.

Barry Manilow

Ultimate 1970's singer/songwriter (born 1943)

Sing along to this video of Barry performing his 1978 hit Copacabana (bonus points if you wear a white sequined jump suit while doing so).

Holy Bat Stuff!

Batgirl

Batcave

Batarang

Batmobile

Batboat

Batcycle

Batcopter

Batphone




Batpoles




Batvillains

Batusi

Anti-Shark Repellent Batspray

Batsignal

Batnoculars

Batrope

Batshield

Saturday Morning Cartoons

For your Saturday viewing pleasure, I present some of the cartoon theme songs that were my favorites growing up.

Best friends (or more)? You decide...

Lucy and Ethel

A woman needs something to fill those long, lonely nights while hubby's working at the club. Who can she turn to? Her best friend of course.

Mr. Ed, Wilbur and Carol

Carol and Wilbur. Ed and Wilbur. Ed and Carol. This is the seedy underside of suburban life that John Cheever wrote about. Or would have, had he written about a menage a trois between a talking Palomino, an architect and his hot, blonde wife (and you wonder why I don't let my son read this blog).

Ginger and Maryann

God, I hope so!




Ed Norton and Ralph Kramden
What really went on during those Racoon Lodge meetings?





Oscar and Felix

Felix cooked for him, cleaned for him and did his laundry; let's face it, he was Oscar's bitch.

The Golden Girls

Older women need love too! And is it me or did they seem to spend a lot of time in their night gowns?

Superman and Jimmy Olsen

Superman's Pal? More like Superman's Boy Toy.

Newman and Kramer

Not that there's anything wrong with it.




The Skipper and Gilligan
Is "little buddy" Skipper's nickname for Gilligan or secret code for a special part of his anatomy?




Yogi Bear and Boo Boo

"Hey there Boo Boo! Come into my den; it's going to be a long, cold winter and I have just the thing to keep us warm. "