The topic is cartoons based of live action movies, television series and real people-the good, the bad and the ridiculous. For me:
The Good: The Beatles
The Bad: Gilligan’s Planet
The Ridiculous: Fonz And The Happy Days Gang
The Mediocre: Star Trek: the Animated Series (1973-1974)
The Good: Star Wars: the Clone Wars (two different series, my grandson loves them)
The Good: Muppet Babies
The Mediocre: Star Wars Droids/Ewoks hour
The Horrific: Laverne and Shirley (they were in the army with a talking pig or something like that)
I always enjoyed “The Real Ghostbusters” series.
Fun fact about that cartoon… Bill Murray’s character, Peter Venkman, was voiced by Lorenzo Music - the voice actor that also voiced Garfield in the old “Garfield & Friends” animated series.
Years later, Bill Murray would end up voicing Garfield in the live action adaptations.
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood is an animated spinoff of Mr. Rogers’s Neighborhood. Haven’t seen it, so no verdict yet.
That was the first that came to my mind.
I also really like the Jackie Chan cartoon series, although it wasn’t explicitly based on any of his movies.
I remember an aniomated series called Ali starring and about, well, Muhammad Ali, having adventures, solving mysteries and teaching young kids to stay off drugs or something. The only visual I can recall is Ali and another man sharing a scuba tank in buddy-breathing.
And that an episode was pre-empted, for some mildly newsworthy reason. Checking wiki…
Huh… the full title was I Am the Greatest: The Adventures of Muhammad Ali, though the name “Ali!” was shouted repeatedly during the opening theme. I can’t find any info about the dropped episode.
Anyway, The Real Ghostbusters rocked, as long as Slimer was kept to an absolute minimum.
Bad: Spaceballs, the Animated Series
Unknown: Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventures
Wasn’t there a rival “Ghostbusters” cartoon out at the same time, based upon an old children’s TV series of the same title, which included a gorilla in a hat?
I remember one year had cartoon versions of;
The Mask based on the Jim Carrey movie.
Dumb and Dumber based on the Jim Carey movie
Ace Ventura Pet Detective based on the Jim Carey movie.
The Dumb and Dumber one wasn’t bad.
The Back to the Future cartoon was fun. It took place after the third movie and had a nice dynamic between Doc, Marty, the wife and the kids.
Christopher Lloyd hosted live action bumped segments.
Yes I remember that one as well…which, I believe, is why the cartoon based off the movie was “The Real” Ghostbusters.
Reading the Ali one above…I’m having flashbacks of a Mr T cartoon as well, but can’t remember much about it except Mr T running around with a bunch of kids.
It’s weird because it was based on a live-action showthat pre-dated the movie Ghostbusters.
A cable station (qubo, I think) replays it… it is not a terrible show. The animation is actually much better than other more “respected” Filmation shows.
Mr. T’s cartoon was called: Mister T.
The “Clerks” 'toon was pretty funny.
That’s the example I came in to give.
Great: The Lone Ranger(1966). It had a Wild, Wild West feel to it.
WTF??: Little Rosey-an animated Roseanne Barr as a child.
The movie version of the Wizard of Oz has spawned a number of series:
Tales of the Wizard of Oz, 1961
Off to See the Wizard, 1967
The Wizard of Oz, 1990
The Wonderful Galaxy of Oz, 1990 (anime)
The Ox Kids, 1999
Adventures in the Emerald City, 1999 (Russian)
Ruby (rather than silver) slippers are the giveaway.
The animation was mediocre. Typical Saturday morning low-budget limited animation. But many of the scripts would have made excellent live action episodes if there had been a fourth season. And almost all of the original cast took part with the exception of Walter Koenig.
I’ll nominate Batman: The Animated Series as an excellent adaptation. Although it is one of many series based on the comic book, it successfully emulated the first two live action Batman films directed by Tim Burton, including the theme music by Danny Elfman
I honestly believed I was the only one who ever trotted that little bit of trivia out.