King Koopa's Kool Kartoons is a local, American live-action children's television show broadcast in Southern California during the Autumn of 1989. The show was produced by DIC Entertainment in association with Fox Television Studios[1] for the Fox television station KTTV - 11 Los Angeles by Gerry Pass – who developed and rolled out the Fox Kids Club – and DIC Animation City, in association with Nintendo.[2] It was a live-action spin-off to The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, a popular animated show based on the Super Mario video games. The show was discontinued after 65 episodes.
| King Koopa's Kool Kartoons | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Variety Comedy Sketch comedy |
| Created by | Gerry Pass |
| Based on | |
| Written by | Christopher Brough Jack Hanrahan Eleanor Burian-Mohr |
| Directed by | Stephen J. Abramson |
| Starring | Christopher Collins Patrick Pinney |
| Theme music composer | Haim Saban |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 65 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Andy Heyward |
| Producer | Christopher Brough |
| Production companies | DIC Enterprises Nintendo of America |
| Original release | |
| Network | KTTV |
| Release | September 11 – November 20, 1989 |
| Related | |
The show stars King Koopa, based on an animated version of Bowser, the central arch-villain from the Mario video game series. The 30-minute wrap around program was originally broadcast during late afternoon time slots, normally around 4:30pm to 5:30pm[3] on the Los Angeles-based television channel KTTV Fox 11.
Format
editThe format of the show was one of the last in the tradition of classic children's television shows in the vein of Bozo the Clown: the show would begin with the same pre-recorded theme song and lead into a live studio audience of around 40 to 60 children bussed in from around Los Angeles at the beginning of the show. The audience of children were all given special hats shaped like Koopa heads and T-shirts with "Koopa's Troopas" printed on them[4] (the children would actually get to keep the shirts, but the troopa helmets, as they called them, were claimed by the producers at the end of the taping and reused every show). Koopa would then start talking to the audience with a different theme every day.
The live-action Koopa would then act as emcee, introducing old, public domain animated cartoon shorts, wrapped around different live-action segments, including a segment with Ratso, King Koopa's pet rat, a segment with Koopa reading fanmail, a segment with Mr. Mean Jeans, and a joke segment. King Koopa would then end the show by telling the audience to be a good Koopa Troopa or he would "Koopa Youpa'. After that, he would give contestants prizes with an envelope given by Ratso.[5]
Production
editThe show featured an actor in a King Koopa costume similar to one previously used in the 1989 Super Mario Bros.-themed Ice Capades show, only with a more detailed mask to make the actor look more believable on television. The actor playing Koopa (originally Christopher Collins, later Patrick Pinney) performed the role with a gruff, gravel-voiced faux-malevolence that ultimately revealed a hesitantly nice personality.
Unlike any previous appearance, King Koopa was seen with a pet creature named Ratso that best resembled a mix of dog and weasel with the large ears of a bat. Ratso had his own special "theatre" where kids could also claim prizes (in which he was played by a puppet). Koopa would be seen walking Ratso on a leash in the pre-recorded opening and closing credit sequences (where he was played by a dog in a costume).
Partway through the series' production, Christopher Collins was fired and replaced allegedly due to inappropriate behavior toward crew and audience members.[6]
The entire 65 episodes of King Koopa's Kool Kartoons was produced and developed over the course of 13 weeks before being quietly cancelled.
Cancellation
editDespite high ratings and viewership, King Koopa's Kool Kartoons was not renewed for a second season. The full reasoning behind the show's cancellation is unknown, but is partially accredited by former writer Christopher Brough to be a formal invitation from the then-president of The Walt Disney Company, Michael Eisner, to Fox Kids to cancel the cartoon regarding the content.[7]
The show was later aired in the United Kingdom via The Children's Channel throughout the remainder of 1990.[8][better source needed]
Reception
editReception of the show among children was overwhelmingly positive, but the show was not received well by parents, as an angry letter from the Los Angeles Times newspaper shows. However, in a "Viewers' View" column in the Los Angeles Times, a parent wrote that the show's portrayal of King Koopa was "frightening for small children", implying a mixed reception.[9][better source needed]
In 1990, the program was nominated as the best youth program for the Los Angeles local Emmy Awards.[10]
Legacy
editDue to King Koopa's Kool Kartoon's one-time broadcast format, the show has become one of DIC Entertainment's and Nintendo's famous examples of lost media, and efforts to preserve the show have been ongoing.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^ "UCLA Library Catalog". search.library.ucla.edu. Retrieved 2022-05-13.
- ^ "DIC to Introduce New Syndicated Kids' Block" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 7, 1989. p. 34. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
- ^ "4 Nov 1989, 103 - News-Pilot at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2022-05-13.
- ^ "Retro Junk". www.retrojunk.com. Retrieved 2022-05-13.
- ^ "Retro Junk". www.retrojunk.com. Retrieved 2022-05-13.
- ^ Kendall, Gene (January 9, 2023). "Nintendo's Oddest Lost Media - King Koopa's Kool Kartoons". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ "The Mario TV Show that made Parents Angry". YouTube. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
- ^ "King Koopa's Kool Kartoons". mariowiki.com. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
- ^ Corcoran, Nancy (October 29, 1989). "Viewers' Views". The Los Angeles Times. p. 623. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
- ^ Bernstein, Sharon. "Channel 2 Leads Pack in Emmy Nominations". Los Angeles Times. April 20, 1990.
