Rocket Robin Hood

[Del]

Anyone remember this cartoon? What a great TV show... Basically the idea was that instead of Sherwood Forest, they'd have Sherwood Asteroid. Instead of horses they had rocket-packs. Another gem from my childhood...

[Jaimoe]

I think all Canadian boys of a certain and/or genreation watched this show growing up.

For everything Rocket Robin Hood, check-out this site. It's very informative:

http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Boulevard/2196/rrobin.html

[Del]

To a generation of Canadians, with childhood between 1966 and 1984, the legend of Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest is more recognizable as that of Rocket Robin Hood of Sherwood Asteroid, Space Age version and descendant of the medieval outlaw, who, accompanied by such latter-day Merry Men as brawny Little John, "pleasingly plump" Friar Tuck, and spirited, red-goateed Will Scarlet, continues his ancestor's crusade against heavy taxation, despotism, and the general forces of evil.

Rocket Robin Hood was produced in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and later in New York City from 1966 to 1969. Al Guest of Toronto had been founder and leader of "The Guest Group", a team of cartoon animators that formed into Trillium Productions to bring the Merry Men of the future to television. Krantz Films of New York, the company also responsible for the second and third seasons of Spiderman (1967-70) and two series of six-minute cartoons that recounted periods and personalities in history and featured the museum-inhabiting Max the 2000-Year-Old Mouse and the quirky, time machine inventor, Professor Kitzel, financed and had ownership of the project.

Per-episode budgets reached a high of $18,000, prompting company chief executive Steven Krantz to hire and send Ralph Bakshi to Toronto to oversee what Krantz considered to be a problematic production. Bakshi replaced Shamus Culhane of "The Guest Group" as the Rocket Robin Hood in-animation-studio producer, and the style of the television series underwent a distinctly noticable change at this time. Differences of opinion on matters creative and financial and consequent quarrels in Trillium offices resulted in Bakshi departing Toronto and moving production of remaining episodes to New York City.

The writers of Rocket Robin Hood evidently had a tongue-in-cheek penchant for mixing past with future (i.e. old Earth periods with the Space Age) and myth with fantasy, with a Gothic motif distinguishing the backgrounds of many later episodes to a desirable spooky effect. However, the production as a whole does suffer from poor animation, too many half-baked sequels to earlier episodes so that animation, even dialogue, could be reused wholesale, and a stereotypical pair of continuing villains, one-dimensional tyrant Prince John and the Sheriff of N.O.T.T., whose overweening ineptitude is so laughable as to nullify any attempt at instilling a sense of menace. Itis not surprising that Rocket Robin Hood does not enjoy the critical success of the other Krantz Films animation properties. Halliwell's Television Companion, while saying that Spiderman was, "...quite stylishly done," describes Rocket Robin Hood as, "Undistinguished cartoon capers." But it was, by and large, great fun! For Generation X, it was the equivalent of the Saturday matinee serials of the 1930s and 1940s.

The speed of light is recognized in one instance as being impossible to surpass, and yet easy, fast interstellar travel is frequently referred to or accomplished, with no mention of how it is achieved. Space is said to be an airless void in some episodes, while in others humans or other air-breathing creatures can survive in the vacuum of space for quite some time without the necessary attire. However, Rocket Robin Hood is innocent fantasy. It is set far in the future, the Earth year 3000, when scientific possibilities are nearly infinite. Lapses in continuity can be forgiven and disbelief can be suspended, because the notion that distant descendants of Robin Hood's men will all look the same as their ancestors, share a sense of social justice, and come together to vanquish evil, is enticing enough to command the unwavering attention of young or young-at-heart viewers...

[Stapes]

I never got into Rocket Robin Hood.

I was really into Goldorack and G-force.

[Jaimoe]

I was getting away from cartoons by the time G-Force hit the small screen, although I watched it from time-to-time.

Spiderman, Hong Kong Fuey, Shazam, Rodney Allen Ripey, Looney Tunes, Scooby Doo, Star Trek the animated series, Planet Of The Apes the animated series and old movies on PBS ruled the airwaves for me as a kid.

[Del]

That was a good show as well... Remember this one?

Based loosely on the famous Role-Playing-Game of the same name, this classic cartoon ran for 2½ seasons in the mid 80’s, with 27 episodes.

Six kids, whilst on a theme park roller-coaster named Dungeons & Dragons, went through a portal and got teleported to another dimension, to a magical and mysterious place known as the Realm. The kids were befriended by a dwarfish being known as DungeonMaster, who gave each kid a unique magical item.

It was never made clear exactly why the group were taken to the Realm, or what their purpose was. Their never-ending quest was to return home to Earth, and in many episodes they actually had the opportunity to do so, but decided not to for various reasons, usually to help out a ‘friend’ or something equally worthy.

Along the way they had many adventures, helping strangers and fighting the ‘baddies’, although each episode was totally unrelated to the others – there was no continuity throughout the series.

The six kids were Hank, Sheila, Bobby, Diana, Eric, and Presto. Their magic items reflected their personalities.

Hank (the ranger) was given a magical golden bow that although unstrung, could fire a variety of magical arrows at Hank’s will. He seemed to be the oldest, and naturally became the leader of the party. He may also have had something going on with Sheila, although this was never made clear.

Sheila (the thief) was the most passive member of the group. She was given a cloak of invisibility, which made her (surprise) invisible when she put its hood up. Although meant to be a thief, she only ever used her stealth abilities against ‘baddies’, usually to steal back the group’s magic items. She was Bobby’s older sister.

Bobby (the barbarian) was the impetuous member of the group, and was given a magic club. He was the most impetuous character, being the ‘child’ of the group (all of the others were older teens). Unfortunately he only ever really got to use his club on inanimate objects, this being a kids show after all…

Diana (the acrobat) was a gymnast on Earth, which accounted for her item, a staff that she could extend/contract at will. She used this e.g. as a javelin, or to pole-vault over gaping chasms etc. Diana was also one of the first strong black characters in cartoons.

Eric (the cavalier) was the defensive and spoilt rich-kid, and so he was given a magic shield that could withstand anything, symbolic of his life on Earth where he was ‘shielded’ by money/status. Eric provided comic relief in the show, and bizarrely was voiced by ‘Ralph Malph’ from Happy Days.

Presto (the wizard) was an amateur magician on Earth, so was given a magic wizard’s hat. When casting a spell, Presto would speak a two-line rhyme and then pull something (usually random) from his hat. Unfortunately Presto wasn’t very good, and his spells rarely worked as intended, although they often helped the group when in trouble. Probably the most surreal item ever pulled put of his hat was an aircraft carrier. How bizarre. His hat was mainly a plot-device; he’d try a spell, screw it up, and thus cause problems and mayhem.

Other characters:

DungeonMaster acted as the group’s guide. He would appear at the beginning of each episode and give the group vague/cryptic clues and riddles as to what to do, but never explained things properly (which really annoyed Eric). He had great magical powers, but was not all-powerful – in one episode the group had to rescue him. DungeonMaster also had a mysterious relationship with Venger (see below). He was definitely Venger’s mentor, and possibly his father. He alludes to this in one episode when he says, “everyone makes mistakes; Venger was mine”.

Venger was the chief baddie, and DungeonMaster’s nemesis. As mentioned above, he seemed to have been taught by DungeonMaster before (for reasons unknown) he turned to evil. He sought complete power over the Realm, but never succeeded; he spent most of his time trying to steal the group’s magical items (which Sheila then had to steal back). He was also scared of Tiamat (see below). Usually he appeared randomly on his flying horse, or tried to trick the group by pretending to be someone else.

Uni was a (really irritating) baby unicorn that befriended the group, especially Bobby. She had magical powers; she could cast spells and could teleport. Like Presto’s hat she was also really a plot-device; Uni would get lost, Bobby would go to find her, he’d get into trouble, the group would have to come and rescue him.

Tiamat was a huge five-headed dragon, that wasn’t really good or evil. Each of her heads shot a different substance, e.g. fire, cold, acid. She was the only thing that Venger was really scared of.

The show ran for two whole seasons but then got cancelled in the middle of the third. So they never actually made it home! Apparently a final episode, which concluded everything, was written, but never made.

[Stapes]

How about the live action Marvel TV Series'

Goddamn did I ever have a crush on Lynda Carter.

[Jaimoe]

I never watched D&D, although I know the show. I was growing out of cartoons by that point.

[Esau]

I never watched D&D, although I know the show. I was growing out of cartoons by that point.

Same here.Never saw the D&D show but knew about it.

I did occaisonally watch Rocket Robin Hood but was never really a fan of that show either,my brother on the other hand watched it everyday.

As a kid I actually watched very little TV,saturday mornings were always hockey days,either I had a pratice or the team my Dad coached had one which I would always go and skate with.

As for shows I watched:

Spiderman,Looney Tunes & Scooby Doo (a couple others I forget) were about the only ones I really watched.I was never a huge TV kid while growing up.

[Stapes]

You must have been much too old for

The Super Friends then.

Any one familliar with this show should take the time to check out this ==> Websight.

It's hillariously irreverent.

[CyberHippie]

Nice call on the AD&D cartoon... That was a great one, I've actually managed to find a few espisodes on the web too.

I remember Rocket Robin Hood well, it seemed to be the only cartoon on at like 6:30am Saturday mornings. It totally makes sense that the same guys did Spiderman, similiar shoody looking animation. Not that I fault them, it was a looong time ago.

Was Goldorack one of those ones where they drove separate vehicles that all combined into one big robot?

[Stapes]

Was Goldorack one of those ones where they drove separate vehicles that all combined into one big robot?

No that was Voltron

My brother was into that show pretty heavy. I was a little too old by then.

Goldorack was a Robot that flew around in a flying saucer and fought monsters and other robots. I only remember ever seeing this show in french so my comprehension level was pretty abismal.

[Rob Not Bob]

Wonder Woman wasn't Marvel, she was (and is) DC.

Oh yeah, Spider Man live action pissed me off because the guy who played J. Jonah Jameson was bald, and I always felt that the very look of JJJ was the brush cut and Hitler mustache. I was worried a little when they cast the great J. K. Simmons as JJJ (perfect for the role , but also another bald dude) ... but they got him an awesome hairpiece that worked a charm, the brush cut with the little devil horn tufts sticking up.

Cheers,

RnB

"Play that sad walking away music from the Incredible Hulk ..."

RnB

[Irie Guy]

Great page there Stapes. Lots of missed memories showing up there. I remember whenver I watched Wonder Woman my dad would say. Oh I see you're watchning Iron tits again. I never could figure out what time period Wonder Woman was supposed to be happening in though.

[Guest Low Roller]

Oh, the memories.... Saturday morning cartoons were essential to my upbringing.

Let's see:

Goldorak- yes!,

G-Force- yes!,

D&D- no (hated the show),

Rocket Robin Hood- no (too many repeated backgrounds and scenes, worse than He-Man)

Voltron- Hellz ya bitch!

Here's some of my favorites:

- Silverhawks

- Thundercats

- Pole Position

- M.A.S.K. <---- Yeah biatch!!! Best toys ever!

- Galaxy Rangers

- Transformers

- G.I.Joe

- Tranzor Z <-- no toys, so I was forced to build one out of Lego

- Superfriends

- Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends

[Booche]

Come gather around me. Space travelers surround me. Hark now to the ballad of Rocket Robin Hood.

I may well confound you, astound you, spellbound you, with heroes and villains, the bad and the good.

Watch now as our rockets race here from afar. For now, with our Robin, we live on a star.

Three. Two. One. Blast off!

Band of brothers, marching together. Heads held high in all kinds of weather.

With fiery blasts, our roaring rockets rise, beyond the Earth, beyond the skies!

At the sight of Robin, take your stand, with the gallant leader of our band.

Send a joyous shout throughout the land! For Rocket Robin Hood!

[Rob Not Bob]

Great page there Stapes. Lots of missed memories showing up there. I remember whenver I watched Wonder Woman my dad would say. Oh I see you're watchning Iron tits again. I never could figure out what time period Wonder Woman was supposed to be happening in though.

Originally it was set during World War 2, then in later seasons it was brought up to the modern day.

RnB

[Irie Guy]

Well that explains a lot. I thought I remembered something about Germans and the like but then there were computers and stuff.

[scottieking]

YES Roller, MASK was awesome. Anyone remember Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors?