TV Animation - 1961

- September 2020

These are animated cartoon characters that debuted on American television in 1961.

Again, as in previous years, Hanna-Barbera was producing some great cartoons with Top Cat and The Yogi Bear Show. The character Yogi had actually debuted a few years earlier on The Huckleberry Hound Show, but in 1961 he go his own series, and Snagglepuss starred in one of the segments.

The Alvin Show was the first animated incarnation of Alvin and the Chipmunks. The characters seem to be redesigned every couple decades for the next generation of kids. This year was also the first time the comic strip character Dick Tracy was animated.

Davey and Goliath was a stop-motion series created by Art Clokey, the same guy that created and animated Gumby.

Calvin and the Colonel was sort of an animated non-racial remake of Amos 'n' Andy. The original actors who voiced Amos and Andy in that radio program even voiced the characters Calvin and the Colonel in this series.

Lastly, Tales of the Wizard of Oz was a short-lived series that put the Wizard of Oz characters in different adventures each segment.

( I also have to add that Snagglepuss is one of my favorite characters. He's hilarious! "Heavens to Murgatroyd!"   )

Thanks for taking the time to read this. If you want to see more, check out the "History of TV Animation" section of my gallery.