Time To Get Nostalgic With The Best Cartoons Of The ’50s and ’60s

Gumby

Gumby detailed the claymation adventures of sweet little green Gumby and his equally sweet little horse Pokey with a healthy dose of surrealism, as in the episode where Gumby falls through his mirror and enters the Mirror World, where everything is backward. There is also the sinister Blockheads, who cause nothing but trouble. Though widely regarded as a classic, it may seem a little primitive to contemporary audiences. But anyone who looks past the surface will find the level of imagination and inventiveness unchanged by the decades.

The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show

If you want evidence of good writing in cartoons in the '60s, look no further than Rocky and Bullwinkle. This show was actually quite smart, and it often made use of puns and clever turns of phrase to comment on topical issues and to make fun of itself.

Structured as a variety show, the cast included Rocky the flying squirrel, Bullwinkle the moose, Dudley Do-Right who did things right, and a pair of Russian spies named Boris and Natasha.

The Quick Draw McGraw Show

The Quick Draw McGraw Show is the story of anthropomorphic horse/sheriff Quick Draw McGraw, his sidekick, and partner Baba Looey, and the misadventures they get up to in the Old West. A show within the show deals with Augie Doggie and his father Doggie Daddy, who have similar misadventures in a different and more modern milieu. A little comic relief and a little mild drama meant Quick Draw McGraw was perfectly watchable; today, if you can find it, it’s a throwback to a calmer time, and kind of soothing.

Merrie Melodies

Merrie Melodies was (and is) the sister series to Looney Tunes, and you would not be wrong to wonder what the difference between them really was. There wasn’t much of one, honestly: Looney Tunes was the first broadcast in black and white, while Merrie was always color. Other than that, the theme music, and the title cards, they were identical. Call them 1 and 1A, if you must; either way, they’re still towering examples of the Golden Age of American Animation. However, Merrie Melodies usually find itself in the shadow of Loony Tunes.

Heckle and Jeckle

Created by Paul Terry, and produced at his own Terrytoons animation studio, Heckle and Jeckle features two identical yellow-billed magpies that are frequently outsmarting their victims while continuously getting into trouble. Released October 1, 1956, the two birds are downright mischevious and are known to create trouble completely unprovoked. However, those they target sometimes win in the end. It is noted that Terry considered his work on Heckle and Jeckle to be his best series of studio cartoons.

Tom and Jerry

Maybe a little too violent for some sensibilities (seriously, some of those cartoons are dark), Tom and Jerry is nonetheless one of the titans of early American animation, and a lot of fun to watch, especially now that they’ve replaced some of the more unpalatable characterizations with updated versions. Just remind yourself: the mouse is going to win. For a real treat, dig up the thirteen bizarro episodes produced in Czechoslovakia in 1961-62.

Yogi Bear

Speaking of Yogi Bear, how could we go on without mentioning this show that premiered In 1962. The Yogi Bear character first appeared on the Huckleberry Hound Show a few years earlier, though. Yogi Bear is still considered to be one of the most popular cartoons ever produced by Hanna Barbera.

We still love Yogi and his little pal Boo Boo. Yogi bear often spoke in rhyme and he had a number of catchphrases including, "I'm smarter than the av-er-age bear!"

The Woody Woodpecker Show

Even if you've never seen Woody Woodpecker, you're probably aware of this character and his antics. Woody Woodpecker was always acting silly and getting himself into trouble. He was a classic screwball character. He doesn't live up to the legend status that the Looney Tunes seem to have (more on them later), but he's still a staple of '60s television.

Woody Woodpecker shorts used to air before major motion pictures. This show was created to keep the public's interest in the character after animated shorts fell out of fashion.

Spider-Man

The Spiderverse got its start in the 1960s and it's still very much growing today. The first time this superhero made an appearance on television was in the animated show Spider-Man which ran from 1967-1970.

The animation isn't that great in terms of quality because of a limited budget, but even so, this show turned a lot of youngsters onto Peter Parker and his super alter-ego. We have this show to thank for the Marvel movies of today (maybe).

Top Cat

Top Cat had a fairly short run as well, lasting just a single season, but its impact has sustained long enough to support a Mexican film adaptation in 2011. A gentle stab at animated social commentary, Top Cat and his gang live in an alleyway, forever dreaming of getting out (and coming up with get-rich-quick schemes to try to make the dream come true) and forever getting held down by The Man in the person of Officer Dibble. Seems fairly contemporary, still.

Underdog

The main character in Underdog main character was a shoe shine, er, dog, called Shoeshine Boy, who would morph into Underdog whenever his friend/crush Sweet Polly Purebred was in trouble. Underdog tended to speak in rhyming couplets (“Have no fear, Underdog is here!”). Audiences at the time likely didn’t have much problem with that - the show ran over 125 episodes - but it may be too much for contemporary viewers to absorb without giggling.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?

Scooby-Doo is somehow both timeless and very '60s. This show about a gang of mystery solvers and their (sort of) talking dog made its mark on the world of animation. Whether you were into Fred's leadership, Velma's brains, Daphne's beauty, Shaggy's silliness, or Scooby's "ruh-roh"s, this show had something for everybody.

That Mystery Machine was oh so groovy, and so many villains would have gotten away with their evil plans if it weren't for these meddling kids!

Looney Tunes

When you think about the great cartoons of the '50s and '60s, it doesn't get much greater than Looney Tunes. These characters aren't just characters— they're icons. Looney Tunes gave us Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and Elmer Fudd, among many other timeless cartoon characters.

It was through these characters that the world was introduced to the many voices of Mel Blanc. We're still quoting lines from this series all these years later. Is it duck season or rabbit season?

Huckleberry Hound

Laid-back, smooth-talking Huckleberry Hound’s 1958-1961 show was the first animated series to win an Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Children’s Programming. Presenting Huck as a low-key hero standing up for goodness and righteousness, the show has a big, beating heart at its center, which endeared it to audiences during its run, and does the same to contemporary audiences.

Jonny Quest

Jonny Quest's dad is a brilliant scientist who, in a show of either great or extraordinarily poor parenting, lets his son come with him on all sorts of daring and dangerous adventures. Sort of an update of radio serials and adventure comics, Jonny Quest ran for only a season (in prime time, like Top Cat) on ABC, despite being critically and commercially acclaimed. It was probably watchable when it was first broadcast for the same reasons it is now: who doesn’t like a good adventure story?

The Flintstones

Sort of connected, in its sensibilities, to All in the Family and other portraits of the working class in the 1950's and 60's America, The Flintstones is the tale of two families who live next door to each other and do things together regularly. Fred and Barney work at the quarry, go bowling each week, and belong to the lodge; Wilma and Betty are homemakers (and, later, stay-at-home moms.) In a lot of ways, that was the 1950s in America. Except that The Flintstones was set in the Stone Age.

Magilla Gorilla

The story of a big, genial gorilla who lounges in a pet store window eating the store owner out of house and home, Magilla Gorilla had a brief but eventful reign over the airwaves. The show introduced the Yiddish word “megillah” to regular conversation (okay, no, it didn’t) and made clear that, no matter how much you might want one, you should not own a gorilla. Even if he can drive a motorcycle and was almost sent into space.

The Banana Splits Adventure Hour

One of the first attempts at combining live-action with animation, The Banana Splits was part of the small variety show boom of the late ‘60s and very early ‘70s. The Splits, a four-member band comprised of furry characters named Fleegle, Bingo, Drooper, and Snorky, hosted, and the theme song was popular enough to hit the charts. About as ‘60s as you can get, at the time the cartoon was probably just another TV show, but now watching it is like a trip to bizarro world.

The Archie Show

The Archie franchise has never really left the mainstream, and now it's seeing a resurgence with the CW series Riverdale. Before Riverdale, though, and before Archie's Weird Mysteries, there was The Archie Show. The Archie Show was an American animated musical comedy based on the Archie comic books from the 1940s. It aired on CBS from September 1968 until August of the next year.

Since then, many Archie cartoons have come and gone, but we'll always have a place in our hearts for the original TV show.

Snagglepuss

Photo Credit: Pinterst

Photo Credit: Pinterst

Remember Snagglepuss? This feline character first appeared on the Quick Draw McGraw Show and later became a regular character on The Yogi Bear show in 1959.

Daws Butler was the voice of Snagglepuss, who was a pink lion who wore a shirt collar and the cuffs of sleeves for some reason. Snagglepuss had dreams of becoming an actor, and his famous for his catchphrase was, "Heavens to Murgatroyd!" Yeah, it's a weird concept for a cartoon, but it works!

Speed Racer

Speed Racer had something of a rebirth in the ironic ‘90s, although it may have been less irony than nostalgia, considering that the show was shown on American television in 1967 and 1968 and ran in regular reruns throughout the ‘70s. Charmingly low-rent, Speed Racer is the story of young Speed, his brother Spritle, their parents Mom and Pop Racer, and Speed’s girlfriend Trixie. Each episode ends with Speed winning his race, sometimes with the help of the mysterious Racer X. It's still worth watching now if you can tolerate some fairly primitive animation and a decided lack of irony.

Felix the Cat

Felix the Cat, the character, has been around since the silent era, and no one knows who exactly created him. His signature has long been his enthusiastic laughter, a trait which persisted in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s TV show Felix the Cat. Most of the 126 episodes revolved around a plot to steal Felix’s Magic Bag, but the feline was so darn jovial that audiences couldn’t help but be charmed, and the little guy’s just as charming today as he was in 1960.

The Pink Panther

Can you hear the Pink Panther theme song in your head right now? We definitely can. The Pink Panther is a British- American series of films and TV shows featuring a French detective by the name of Inspector Jacques Clouseau who wasn't very good at his job.

The animated Pink Panther was an ultra-suave, ultra-pink Art Deco icon whose antics are still unmatched. Many actors have played Clouseau over the years, but we think Peter Sellers did it best.

Mr. Magoo

Mr. Magoo was played in 1949, originally as animated shorts that were played in the movie theatre. Yet, in 1960, the show made its television debut. The show followed the character Mr. Magoo (voiced by Jim Backus) who was extremely nearsighted, yet refused to admit that there was a problem with his sight. This led him into many humorous situations which he always managed to get himself out of. Mr. Magoo was very successful and won two Academy Awards for Best Short Subject Cartoons, and Magoo himself was ranked number 29 of the "50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time" by TV Guide.

Deputy Dog

Deputy Dog debuted in 1960, produced Terrytoons, and voiced by Dayton Allen. The character of Deputy Dog was a Southern deputy sheriff in Florida. However, as the show ran, the location changed to Mississippi and eventually ended in Tennessee. The show focused on Deputy Dog dealing with stereotypical southern characteristics and problems. The show also featured Deputy Dog's sidekicks Ty Coon, Muskie the Muskrat, and Vincent Van Gopher. The show ran on a weekly basis and received praised from the adults at the time, due to its southern undertones.

Fantastic Four

Fantastic Four is a series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and based off of the Marvel comic book series Fantastic Four. The premise of the show is that four different costumed superheroes with their own special powers team up to fight off evil villains in each episode.The show aired on ABC from 1967 to 1970. It had 20 episodes and was part of the continuing series Hanna-Barbera's World of Super Adventure. Fantastic Four is one of the few Marvel-related television projects that is not currently owned by Disney.

George of the Jungle

George of the Jungle was an animated show loosely based off of Tarzan. It was produced by Jay Ward and Bill Scott, the creators of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. Yet, George of the Jungle was also a cartoon characterization of George Eiferman, drawn by a Navy cook on his boat during World War II. The show focused on George, a wild man, who was the king and the protector of the jungle. yet, he was also clumsy and dim-witted, but he always managed to save the day. The show aired on Sunday Morning's from September 9, 1967, to December 30, 1967, on ABC and had a total of 17 episodes.

Roger Ramjet

Roger Ramjet was an animated comedy series that first began in 1965 and has aired in syndication since. The show stars Roger Ramjet (voiced by Gary Owens) and the American Wagle Squadron. The show was known for its popular culture references, making the show enjoyable for various ages. Ramjet is a not very bright, yet highly dedicated hero who was known to take Proton Energy Pills, giving him the strength of 20 atom bombs for 20 seconds which he uses against various recurring villains throughout the series.

The Ruff and Reddy Show

The Ruff and Reddy Show was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions for NBC. The series was based on the adventures and experiences of Ruff, a sharp and loyal cat, and Reddy, a noble, yet not-so-sharp dog. The show premiered in December 1957 and ran until 1960 with three seasons and 50 episodes. Unlike Tom and Jerry, the dog and cat were not enemies, but friends. The show was also known for its use of limited animation techniques, using fewer drawings, and saving more time.

Space Ghost

Space Ghost debuted in 1966 and ended in 1968, yet, remained in syndication until 1970. In the original series, Space Ghost was an intergalactic crime fighter who had the power of flight, invisibility, and the ability to shoot rays from how wrist powerbands. Along with his sidekicks Jan, Jace, and Blip the monkey, they fought recurring supervillains in outer space. The show was created by Hanna-Barbera Productions and was designed for CBS. The show is also credited with the rise of superhero cartoon popularity in the 1960's.

Super President

Produced by DePatie-Freleng Animation between 1967 to 1968, Super President features the American President (voiced by Paul Frees) who gains his powers as a reult of a cosmic storm. This gives him the ability to change his molecular composition along with increased strength. There were a total of 30 episodes produced, which were aired Saturday mornings on NBC. However, the show also recieved some criticism for portraying a national leader who was like Superman, however, basically invincible.

Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales

Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales is a cartoon that aired on CBS from 1963 to 1966. It was produced by Total Television, the same company that ended up producing Underdog. The show features a fast-talking penguin named Tennessee Tuxedo (voiced by Don Adams), and his best friends Chumley the Walrus, Yakety Yak, and Bald Eagle. The characters constantly complain about their lives at the Megopolis Zoo and the show follows their attempts to use science to help them escape.

Colonel Bleep

Created by Robert D. Buchanan, and animated by Soundac of Miami, Colonel Bleep was the first color cartoon series made for television after its release in 1956. Although it is rumored that Joseph Barbera of Hanna-Barbera production played a role in its creation, it is assumed that his participation was short-lived. The show took place on a fictional island known as Zero Zero island where Earth's equator meets the Greenwich Meridian. Here, Colonel Bleep, an alien lifeform from planet Futura helped to protect Earth by manipulating automatic energy. The show was heavily influenced by the Space Age and was eventually syndicated in 1957 with episodes ranging from three to six minutes.

Winky Dink and You

Winky Dink and You was a CBS television show that aired from 1953 to 1957 on Saturday mornings. The show was created by Harry Pritchett and Ed Wyckoff and even had a host (Jack Barry). The program showed the adventures of the cartoon character Winky Dink (voiced by Mae Questal) and his dog woofer. The show has also been credited with the title of the first interactive TV show. The audience could buy specific kits for the TV show and at a certain point in the show draw onto a vinyl plastic that went over the screen to help move the story along.

King Leonardo and His Short Subjects

Released in 1960 by Total Television, which would later become Leonardo productions, King Leonardo was about the character Leonardo the Lion (voiced by Jackson Beck) who is the king of Bongo Congo. He is aided by the calm skunk Odie Cologne (voiced by Allen Swift) who helps make sure that the kingdom is under control. Together they fight against the foe Biggie Rat who is constantly trying to overthrow Leonardo and take over the kingdom. The show was aired on NBC's Saturday morning cartoon lineup until 1963.

The Nutty Squirrels Present

The Nutty Squirrels Present television series was produced by Transfilm-Wide Animation, and aired from 1960 to 1961 for one season. The original cartoons came from overseas countries in Eastern Europe by Fima Noveck, the President of Flamingo Telefilm Sales. Once the cartoons were brought to the United States, they were given a new soundtrack, translated into English. These Flamingo cartoons were based on education and the shows were designed to help motivate and inspire learning from its viewers.

Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse

Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse was produced by Trans-Artist Productions and syndicated by Tele Features Inc. in 1960. The characters Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse were created as a parody of Bob Kane's earlier creation of Batman and Robin. The show features the pair of animals that are superheroes that lack secret identities. There are many similarities between the pair of animals and their predecessors Batman and Robin. The two live in the Cat Cave, drive in the Cat Mobile and are summoned by a Cat Signal. Mostly everything is the same except the two are a cat and a mouse.

The Alvin Show

The Alvin Show was the first show to ever feature the singing group Alvin and the Chipmunks. The show was sponsored by General Foods and was aired on CBS from October 4, 1961, to September 12, 1962, for a total of one season. The show was originally in black and white, but color prints of the episodes were eventually released after its syndication in 1965. The animation was produced by Herbert Klynn's Format Films and utilized music and portrayed the Chipmunks as a group of kids managed by a father figure named David Seville.

Linus! The Lionhearted

Linus! The Lionhearted was a lion character created in 1959 by the Ed Graham advertising company as an ad for General Foods' Post cereals. During this time, Linus the Lionhearted was the spokesperson for the post cereal "Heart of Oats. In 1963, Linus was then re-made to sell Crispy Critters and the ads became so popular that Linus was made into the television show Linus! The Lionhearted in 1964 and ran on CBS until 1966. It then returned in color on ABC for three more years until it was eventually canceled after the FCC made it illegal to have children's television show characters as an advertisers spokesperson.