The Robonic Stooges

The Robonic Stooges
Genre	Animation
Directed by	Charles A. Nichols Chris Cuddington
Voices of	Paul Winchell Joe Baker Frank Welker David Jolliffe Bob Hastings Patricia Stich Jim MacGeorge
Narrated by	Frank Welker
Theme music composer	Hoyt Curtin
Composer	Hoyt Curtin
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	32 (8 minutes per episode)
Production
Executive producers	William Hanna Joseph Barbera
Producer	Terry Morse, Jr.
Running time	3 minutes
Original release
Network	CBS
Release	September 10, 1977 – March 18, 1978
Related
The Skatebirds

The Robonic Stooges is a Saturday morning animated series featuring the characters of The Three Stooges in new roles as clumsy crime-fighting bionic superheroes. It was developed by Norman Maurer and produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions from September 10, 1977 to March 18, 1978 on CBS and contained two segments: The Robonic Stooges and Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives.

The Robonic Stooges originally aired as a segment on The Skatebirds from September 10, 1977, to December 24, 1977, on CBS. When CBS canceled The Skatebirds in early 1978, the trio was given their own half-hour timeslot which ran for 16 episodes.

The Robonic Stooges

Moe, Larry and Curly — are superheroes who fight crime with their special bionic powers and are given assignments via film projector from their frustrated boss Agent 000 (pronounced "Oh-Oh-Oh") who runs the Superhero Employment Agency.

Since all of the original Three Stooges had died when production began (Moe Howard and Larry Fine had both died in 1975, Shemp Howard died in 1955 and Curly Howard in 1952), other voice actors were used to impersonate them, mostly veteran voice actors from other Hanna-Barbera productions. Paul Winchell voiced Moe, Joe Baker voiced Larry, and Frank Welker voiced Curly (Welker had previously used his Curly impersonation for the titular character in Jabberjaw). Unlike cartoon series produced by Hanna-Barbera in the 1970s, The Robonic Stooges did not contain a laugh track.

This was the second animated adaptation of the Three Stooges, the first being Cambria Studios' The New Three Stooges in 1965, which used the actual Stooges' voices. Norman Maurer, who was married to Moe Howard's daughter and had acted as the Stooges' agent during their lifetimes, worked on both series. The Stooges had previously appeared in another Hanna Barbera-created series: The New Scooby-Doo Movies (1972), this time as Moe, Larry and Curly-Joe. Though all three stooges were alive when this was produced, none were asked to supply the voice of their respective characters (as it was, Larry had suffered a debilitating stroke in 1970, which left his speech somewhat slurred); previous Stooge Joe Besser did voice characters in that series, but not any of the Stooges.

The Robonic Stooges episodes were occasionally seen between shows as interstitial segments on Boomerang.

Episodes

Aired as part of The Skatebirds:

No.	Title	Airdate
1	Invasion of the Incredible Giant Chicken	September 10, 1977
Professor Cluck has invented a super-growth formula which he uses on some chickens in his plan to become President of the World.
2	Dimwits and Dinosaurs	September 17, 1977
Dr. Hansenfoot's time machine is stolen by Ugh the Pug and he uses it to commit crimes using prehistoric times as a hideout.
3	Fish and Drips	September 24, 1977
Shark Yo Yo has defrosted a gigantic octopus which he uses to rob ships at sea.
4	Have Saucer Will Travel	October 1, 1977
The Blobobians have approached Earth and have captured the Robonic Stooges to determine if there is intelligent life on Earth.
5	I Want My Mummy	October 8, 1977
A mummy with magical talents has stolen the Crown of King Tut-Tut.
6	The Great Brain Drain	October 15, 1977
Dr. Crackula has stolen the brain of Dr. Brainly (the smartest man in the world) and then captures Curly to place Dr. Brainly's intelligence into him.
7	Flea Fi Fo Fum	October 22, 1977
Ludwig Lillyput uses a miniaturizing formula to shrink nations as part of revenge on those that ridiculed his ideas.
8	Frozen Feud	October 29, 1977
Klondike Mike and his Yeti are stealing Alaska's oil in order to sell it and make Klondike Mike the wealthiest man in the world.
9	Mother Goose on the Loose	November 5, 1977
A vacuum cleaner-riding witch named Mother Goose is on the loose and the Robonic Stooges are sent to capture her.
10	Curly of the Apes	November 12, 1977
Tricker Mortis the Ivory Poacher is stealing elephants.
11	Don't Fuel with a Fool	November 19, 1977
Professor Octane has created a Zoom Zoom super-fuel, but doesn't know what he used to make it since he made it by accident. Unfortunately for him, Ethel Methel has kidnapped Professor Octane and the super-fuel. It's up to the Robonic Stooges to save the Professor, recover the super-fuel, and capture Ethel Methel.
12	The Eenie Meanie Genie	November 26, 1977
The Robonic Stooges unknowingly free an evil genie who then goes on a rampage.
13	On Your Knees, Hercules	December 3, 1977
In Ancient Greece, Achilles the Heel uses a special potion to control Hercules in a plot to become king of all Greece.
14	Rub a Dub Dub, Three Nuts in a Sub	December 10, 1977
A fish-man from Atlantis has stolen a submarine to add to his collected specimens.
15	There's No Joy in an Evil Toy	December 17, 1977
Mr. Toy Ploy is robbing toy stores in order to force people to buy the stolen toys from him.
16	Three Little Pigheads	December 24, 1977
Coach Roach and his Croakers football team are using special shoulderpads to cheat their way to the championships. The Robonic Stooges are sent to keep the game honorable.

Aired as part of The Three Robonic Stooges (2 shorts aired per 30-minute episode):

No.	Title	Airdate
17	Bye Bye Blackbeard	January 28, 1978
Blackbeard is robbing ships at sea.
18	The Silliest Show on Earth	January 28, 1978
The Amazing Bongo Brothers are abducting the circus people that fired them from the circus.
19	Mutiny on the Mountie	February 4, 1978
After being thrown out of the Mounties for his pranks, Pierre LeSly is discrediting the Mounties and it's up to the Robonic Stooges to stop him.
20	Woo Woo Wolfman	February 4, 1978
In his revenge on the local villagers, Count von Crankenstein plans to transform an ordinary poodle into a wolfman. Unfortunately, an accident merges the two into Poodleman.
21	Burgle Gurgle	February 11, 1978
Professor Hate is robbing millionaires on their yachts.
22	Schoolhouse Mouse	February 11, 1978
Mouse Louse uses his Hypno-Harp to take control of the students at Junior Junior High.
23	Rip Van Wrinkles	February 18, 1978
While making a cake for Moe, Curly mistakes a container of yeast for a container of sleeping powder. This causes them to fall asleep until they wake up in their old age in the year 2070 where Agent 000 the III has them stop Dr. Glueco and his glue monster Gloop.
24	The Three Nutsketeers	February 18, 1978
In 17th-Century France, King Fouie the 14th is a puppet in Cardinal Poreleau's plan to rule France. With the Three Musketeers imprisoned, it's up to the Robonic Stooges to stop Cardinal Poreleau.
25	Pest World Ain't the Best World	February 25, 1978
The robotic outlaw Yulesinner has taken over wild-west-themed park called Pest World.
26	Superkong	February 25, 1978
Aristotle Beastly has stolen a 20-story gorilla and uses it to commit crimes.
27	Dr. Jekyll and Hide Curly	March 4, 1978
In San Francisco at the turn of the century, Dr. Jekyll Hyde uses his Red Hot Atomic Pepper that creates another side of him that plans vengeance on the Robonic Stooges for locking "them" away.
28	Three Stooges and the Seven Dwarfs	March 4, 1978
Once upon a time, an evil queen puts Ebony Black to sleep with a poison baked apple in a plot to keep her from completing a castle next to her castle. When the queen ends up making off with Ebony Black, the Robonic Stooges are sent to find Ebony and wake her.
29	Blooperman	March 11, 1978
Blooperman demands a raise of $1,000 an hour from Agent 000, which he's unable to pay Blooperman. To keep Blooperman from heading to the side of evil, Agent 000 sends the Robonic Stooges to bring him back.
30	Jerk in the Beanstalk	March 11, 1978
Curly accidentally uses a super concentrated fertilizer that causes a beanstalk to grow out throughout the city. They soon use a super vitamin on a caterpillar to eat the beanstalk which also turns into a problem.
31	Star Flaws	March 18, 1978
In the year 3001, Galacto is using his Laser Eraser to erase the Earth's cities in a plan to conquer Earth.
32	Stooges, You're Fired	March 18, 1978
In this clip episode, Agent 111 (Agent 000's superior) has grown tired of the Robonic Stooges' bungling. So Agent 111 holds a trial to determine what to do with them.

Voices

• Joe Baker - Larry
• Ross Martin - Agent 000
• Frank Welker - Curly, Narrator, Additional Voices
• Paul Winchell - Moe, Additional Voices

Production credits

• Executive Producers: William Hanna, Joseph Barbera
• Producer: Terry Morse, Jr.
• Creative Producer: Iwao Takamoto
• Associate Producer: Neil Balnaves
• Story: Kathy Colburn, Tom Dagenais, Dill Dailey, Dianne Dixon, Kari Oaurs, Andy Heyward, Chris Jenkyns, Mark Jones, Joan Maurer, Michael Maurer, Norman Maurer, Jack Mendelsohn, Howie Post, Cliff Roberts, Sandy Sandifer
• Story Editors: Norman Maurer, Sid Morse
• Story Directors: Alvaro Arce, Carl Fallberg, Cullen Houhtailing, Mike O'Connor, Don Sheppard, George Singer, Karren Wright
• Voices: Joe Baker, Bob Hastings, David Jolliffe, Jim MacGeorge, Ross Martin, John Stephenson, Patricia Stitch, Tara Talboy, Frank Welker, Paul Winchell
• Editors: Peter Berger, Warner Leighton, Peter Jennings
• Supervising Film Editor: Dick Elliott
• Assistant Film Editor: Barry Gold
• Music: Hoyt Curtin
• Musical Supervision: Paul DeKorte
• "Robonic Stooges" Created by: Norman Maurer
• Recording Director: Wally Burr
• Graphics: Iraj Paran
• Character Design: Bob Singer, Norman Maurer, Lew Ott, George Wheeler
• Layout Supervision: Steve Lumley
• Layout: Bob Fosbry, Terry Moesker, Joe Shearer, Mike Trebert
• Backgrounds: Richard Zaloudek, Milan Zahorsky, Jerry Liew, Michael King-Prince, Peter Connell, Ken Wright, Michael Chojecki, Lesley Nicholl
• Animation Checking: Narelle Nixon
• Xerography: Ellen Bayley
• Ink and Paint Supervision: Narelle Derrick
• Production Managers: R.J. Louis, James Cranston
• Production Coordinator: Tobi Singleton
• Production Supervision: Doug Patterson, Mark D'Arcy-Irvine, Adrienne Smith
• Art Director: Kirk Axtell
• Script Supervisors: Mary Jane Ferguson, Lester Hoyle
• Sound Direction: Richard Olson, Bill Getty
• Sound Mixers: Manuel Topoto, James Pilcher
• Animation Photography: Terry Smith, Carole Laird, Mark D'Arcy-Irvine, Kieren Mulgrew, Tom Epperson
• Dubbing Supervision: Pat Foley
• Negative Consultant: William E. DeBoer
• Post Production Supervision: Joed Eaton
• A Hanna-Barbera Production
• This Picture Made Under the Jurisdiction of IATSE-IA Affiliated with A.F.L.-C.I.O.

© 1978 Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc.

External links

• The Robonic Stooges at IMDb
• The Robonic Stooges at The Big Cartoon DataBase