Marsupilami (1980s Hanna-Barbera series)

Marsupilami is an American-Belgian animated comedy television series that aired in weekday afternoon syndication from September 11, 1989 to May 20, 1991. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, it is based on the popular comic book character created by Belgian artist, André Franquin (who also served as story supervisor of this adaptation). The show ran for two seasons and 26 episodes.

Premise
In the remote forests of Palombia, lives a mysterious animal... With its tail that can reach eight meters, its yellow and black coating, its Gargantuan appetite and legendary agility, the Marsupilami stirs the greed of hunters in search of recognition. The best known of all is called Bring M’Backalive. More clumsy than dangerous, he plans to capture the Marsupilami for all means. With his three offsprings and his female, the mythical animal has more than one trick in his bag to get out of all situations, even outside his native forest... Houba! Houba!

Characters

 * Marsupilami
 * Marsupilamie
 * Bobo, Bibi and Bibu
 * Bring M'Backalive
 * Teo
 * Stroy
 * Blouprint
 * Hector
 * Aunt Diane
 * Felicia Devort

Voice cast

 * Frank Welker - Marsupilami (vocal effects)
 * Russi Taylor - Marsupilamie, Bobo, Bibi and Bibu (all vocal effects)
 * Michael Bell - Bring M'Backalive
 * Dana Hill - Hector
 * Don Messick
 * William Callaway
 * June Foray
 * Marty Ingels
 * Darryl Hickman
 * Jim Cummings
 * Jean Vander Pyl
 * Greg Burson
 * Jeff Bergman
 * Tabitha St. Germain (credited as Paulina Gillis) - Aunt Diane

Episodes
/Episodes

Production
After the success of the animated television adaptations to The Smurfs and Lucky Luke, Hanna-Barbera Productions began working on another show based on a Belgian-French comic book character, Andre Franquin's Marsupilami. Unlike the Disney version that came out later on, this series focused more closely to the original comics, with slapstick comedy and several Looney Tunes/Tom and Jerry-style visual gags added.

Paul Winchell was originally optioned to play Bring M'Backalive, but due to his departure from Hanna-Barbera after The Smurfs had been sabotaged with its time-travel season, Michael Bell instead voiced Bring M'Backalive.

Animation is done overseas at Wang Film Productions in Taiwan and Fil-Cartoons in the Phillipines.

Reception
The show received positive reviews from critics and fans alike.

Tropes
/Tropes

Trivia

 * This is the first television adaptation of Marsupilami, predating the Disney era and Marathon era.
 * Original stories for the series were written by the Hanna-Barbera staff after looking over the original comics as research.
 * The violence was not nearly as toned down as in the television adaptation of Peyo's The Smurfs.
 * Unlike the Disney incarnation (which was only by title), this incarnation before that followed more closely to the original Belgian comics and the Marsupilamis only speak in Marsu language.

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