The popularity of TV's Wonder Woman and The Six Million Dollar Man spurred network interest in reviving the Super Friends program, which had run in the 1973/1974 season. When it was again unveiled in 1977, more young children and teenagers than before tuned in, making The All-New Super Friends Hour a huge ratings success. The success prompted the ABC television network to plan a new and even more innovative series for the fall of 1978.
Characters
In this particular incarnation of the Super Friends, the DC Comic book legends Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman and Aquaman return to fight for justice. However, this time, they get help from the shape-shifting super-teens The Wonder Twins, along with their space-monkey Gleek.
Format
The All-New Super Friends Hour featured 45 animated shorts and 15 regular episodes per program which followed a basic format each week. The first segment of every show featured two of the heroes teaming up in a separate mini story. The second segment featured a story with the Wonder Twins. The typical plot is that teenagers engage in a specific discouraged activity like vandalism or hitchhiking, and the Twins are summoned to deal with it. Inevitably, the misbehaving teenagers find themselves in danger as a consequence of their misbehavior and the Twins rescue them. The third segment was considered the "primary" adventure of the week which featured the entire Super Friends roster in a longer adventure. The fourth and final segment featured a story with one of the primary lineup along with a special guest star. The fourth segment typically featured a problem which was solved using the guest star's unique abilities. In addition, there were additional short spots between segments with members of the Super Friends giving basic safety lessons, basic health and first aid advice, magic tricks, craft projects, and a two-part riddle featuring the week's primary plot line.
Syndication/cable
The 15 hour-long shows were later cut into half-hour installments for local syndication in the early 1980s. Episodes from the 1977 series were included in The Superman/Batman Adventures, which aired on the USA Network in 1996 and later on the Cartoon Network and Boomerang, which would air the original hour-long shows from 1977 in their entirety in July 2004 and again in June 2008.
Black Manta appeared on the episodes "The Whirlpool" and "The Water Beast", where he was referred to simply as "Manta" and his suit color was now olive brown. Gentleman Ghost appears in the episode titled "Ghost." In this show, he is referred to only as "Gentleman Jim Craddock" instead of "Gentleman Ghost." A man casts a spell to bring Gentleman Ghost to the living so that he can take revenge on Superman and Wonder Woman for imprisoning his spirit. He uses his powers to turn U.N. representatives into ghosts and later turns Superman and Wonder Woman into ghosts. The curse is eventually broken, after which the Super Friends used the mystical Rods of Merlin to send Gentleman Ghost back to his grave, never to return.
List of episodes
Voice Cast
Norman Alden - Aquaman, Caller, Professor Rogers, Gruth
Jack Angel - Hawkman, Samurai, Dr. Lau, Professor Price
Michael Bell - Zan, Gleek, Mechanic, Jeff, Kalmo, Sully, Gary
Casey Kasem - Robin, Police Officer, Tour Guide, Mr. Brown, Guest, Justice League Computer, Secret Four Member #3, Dictor, Insecta, Brunette Scientist, Mr. Thompson, Professor Larvey
Bill Woodson - Narrator, Captain Croner, Dr. Scat, Police Chief, Earthor #2, Secret Four Member #2, Boris, Professor Fairweather, Newton Domehead, Professor Dalton, Professor Zarkoff, Mutant, Dr. Markham, Jay's Pop, Cleazor, Professor Comstock
released The All-New Super Friends Hour – Season 1, Volume 1 on DVD on January 8, 2008, containing 7 uncut, original episodes, restored and remastered, and presented in its original, unedited hour-long version and original broadcast presentation. However, the episodes are not in their original airdate order just as they originally aired on ABC. On January 27, 2009, Warner released The All-New Super Friends Hour – Season 1, Volume 2 featuring the remaining eight episodes.
DVD name
Ep No.
Release date
Season 1, Volume 1
7
January 8, 2008
Season 1, Volume 2
8
January 27, 2009
''DC Super Friends''
Despite using the main theme from The World's Greatest Super Friends, the 2010 DC Super Friends "The Joker's Playhouse" shares several elements of its opening sequence with The All-New Super Friends Hour including introducing several of the Super Friends by name.
