10 Celebrities You Didn’t Know Starred in Saturday Morning Cartoons

Earlier than cable channels began taking part in cartoons across the clock, Saturday morning cartoons had been a sacred time for kids. An opportunity to begin a time off from faculty with animated heroes like Transformers‘ chief Optimus Prime, Rainbow Brite, and Completely different Strokes’ Gary Coleman.

If that final one sounds odd, it shouldn’t, as a result of there’s an extended historical past of celebrities starring in cartoons which can be largely forgotten. With stars that vary from legendary sports activities icons to beloved comedic performers, these are only a few of the cartoons centered round shocking faces.

10

‘Mary-Kate and Ashley in Motion!’ (2001–2002)

Created by Robin Riordan

When the world is threatened by evil supervillains, the best secret brokers, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, are deployed in Mary Kate and Ashley in Motion! The collection adopted the sisters occurring completely different secret missions together with their speaking robotic canine Quincy (Brendan Beiser), which centered extra on light-hearted comedy than motion. Mary Kate and Ashley in Motion! centered on the twins utilizing their brains over bodily fight to avoid wasting the day, maintaining the motion referred to within the title to a minimal.

By the early 2000s, Mary-Kate and Ashley had created an empire that included direct-to-home video films, a profitable clothes line, novelized adventures and varied different merchandise. A cartoon starring the 2 was inevitable, however the fan base that purchased Mary-Kate and Ashley dolls didn’t appear to be as all for watching their favourite twins be animated spies. Mary-Kate and Ashley in Motion! lasted for one season of 26 episodes earlier than the Olsen’s espionage careers got here to an finish.

Mary-Kate and Ashley in Motion!

Launch Date

October 20, 2001

Community

ABC

Solid

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  Ashley Olsen

  Ashley / Particular Agent Amber (voice)

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  Mary-Kate Olsen

  Mary-Kate / Particular Agent Misty (voice)

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  Terry Chen

  Rodney Choy (voice)

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  Michael Dobson

  Clive Hedgemorton-Smythe (voice)

9

‘Little Rosey’ (1990)

Created by Roseanne Barr

If there’s one factor youngsters beloved within the late 80s and early 90s, it was Roseanne Barr, so naturally she obtained her personal cartoon known as Little Rosey. Episodes would observe Rosey as she performed together with her mates utilizing the facility of her creativeness, with viewers seeing the world by the eyes of the kids. Little Rosey tailored Barr’s caustic tone of humor into an adolescent-appropriate kind, making Rosey mischievous however well-meaning.

Along with her sitcom, Roseanne, aimed toward an older viewers, the cartoon model failed to attach with audiences. Solely 13 episodes of Little Rosey had been produced, however two years after its cancelation a particular titled “The Rosey and Buddy Present” would convey again the characters for a one-time particular. Whereas Barr didn’t voice the character of Rosey for the collection, she and her then-husband, Tom Arnold, would lend their voices for the particular.

Little Rosey

Launch Date

September 8, 1990

Community

ABC

Solid

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  Noam Zylberman

  Uncredited

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8

‘The Gary Coleman Present’ (1982)

Based mostly on The Child with the Damaged Halo by George Kirgo

One of many extra forgotten cartoons in Hanna-Barbera’s lineup is the short-lived The Gary Coleman Present. The collection starred Gary Coleman because the angel Andy LeBeau, whose job every week was to assist a baby in want as a way to acquire his wings. Making his life troublesome was the mischievous demon (sure, this was a youngsters’s cartoon) named Hornswoggle (Sidney Miller), who would usually work to disrupt Andy’s good deeds. Serving to Andy was his supervising angel named Angelica (Jennifer Darling), who did her greatest to maintain the younger angel in line.

The Gary Coleman Present was an animated spin-off of The Child with the Damaged Halo, a made-for-TV film starring Coleman. Regardless that the collection wasn’t meant as a parody, it strongly resembles a bit of fiction created particularly by Grownup Swim. The Gary Coleman Present lasted for 13 episodes earlier than the plug was pulled, marking an finish to one of many extra uncommon choices from Hanna-Barbera.

The Gary Coleman Present

Launch Date

September 18, 1982

Community

NBC

Solid

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  Gary Coleman

  Andy Le Beau

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  Julie McWhirter

  Uncredited

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7

‘Chuck Norris Karate Kommandos’ (1986)

Created by Chuck Norris

Motion star Chuck Norris couldn’t be contained to the massive display screen when Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos made a short look within the Nineteen Eighties cartoon lineups. The collection follows Norris alongside together with his workforce of specialists as they battle the evil group generally known as VULTURE. Together with the animated journey, Norris would greet viewers in his live-action kind to wax poetically concerning the nature of violence or the advantage of self-control.

1986 was the identical yr that Sylvester Stallone had his muscle groups compressed into 2D when Rambo obtained his personal animated collection. The wave of matinée motion stars preventing shadowy organizations was an try and seize a bit of the G.I. Joe market that was promoting toys quicker than they may inventory the cabinets. Solely 5 episodes of Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos had been made, however that didn’t cease merchandising consultants from making motion figures, comedian books, and anything the mustached martial artist may very well be printed on.

Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos

Launch Date

1986 – 1985

Community

Syndication

Solid

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  Kathy Garver

  Pepper (voice)

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  Linda Gary

  Angel Face (voice)

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  Keone Younger

  Tremendous-Ninja (voice)

6

‘Hammerman’ (1991–1992)

Created by MC Hammer

The rapper that found out each phrase that rhymes with hammer, MC Hammer, acquired an animated model of himself within the Saturday morning cartoon Hammerman. In Hammerman, Stanley Burrell (MC Hammer) is a form youth middle worker, however when he places on a magical pair of speaking footwear, he turns into the superhero Hammerman. As a brand new superhero, Hammerman nonetheless has lots to be taught, so he will get recommendation from the earlier proprietor of the footwear, Gramps, who was as soon as a superhero himself.

Whereas there gained’t be anybody calling Hammerman an animated traditional, it’s essential to notice that the collection has a singular type that made it visually stand out towards cartoons that had been nonetheless taking their cues from the Hanna Barbera type of animation. That stated, Hammerman seems like a venture that was fast-tracked to get on TV, with a very lengthy intro that explains, in nice element, a premise that’s pretty easy. An intro from MC Hammer is frequent in reveals cashing on-line ink on a celeb, however in Hammerman additionally they really feel like padding to over compensate for not a lot animation.

Hammerman

Launch Date

1991 – 1991

Community

ABC

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  Clark Johnson

  Hammerman/Stanley Burrell (voice)

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  Jackie Richardson

  Hammerman/Stanley Burrell

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5

‘Bruno the Child’ (1996–1997)

Created by Joel Madison

Large spies are available small packages within the Bruce Willis beginning journey cartoon Bruno the Child. Willis voiced the character of Bruno, a small youngster who makes use of a computer-animated model of an grownup (who seems like Willis) to function as an elite spy. Regardless that Bruno is simply a sixth grader, he has sufficient resourcefulness and intelligence to be the highest agent to name on when the mission appears unattainable.

Bruno the Child wasn’t launched to a lot fanfare, and even avid cartoon watchers of the 90s may need missed this one when it had its quick run. The usage of 3D expertise was an rising artwork on the time, which ends up in an odd-looking model of Willis that’s used when Bruno is making an attempt to hide his age and identification. Followers of Willis who aren’t aware of the cartoon would possibly get pleasure from catching an episode for the novelty of it, nevertheless it’s uncertain it should result in a binge of all 36 episodes.

Bruno the Child

Launch Date

1996 – 1996

Community

Syndication

4

‘ProStars’ (1991)

Created by Andy Heyward and Douglas Sales space

If Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson, and Wayne Gretzky weren’t dominant sufficient of their respective sports activities, the cartoon ProStars noticed them battle crime as nicely. In ProStars, the three sports activities stars assist youngsters and tackle tremendous villains with the assistance of gadgetry that’s normally tied into the athletes’ particular person experience. The three stars didn’t hit the recording sales space to voice their very own characters, however they would seem as speaking heads in every episode.

Regardless that the idea of ProStars is excessive, the collection has a kitschy enjoyable that represents the Nineties higher than it ever in all probability meant. Anybody wanting on the cartoon for the primary time will discover it absurd, however 90s youngsters will really feel a specific amount of nostalgia for the presentation. ProStars gained’t be entered into the cartoon corridor of fame, however Jordan, Jackson, and Gretzky nonetheless did fairly nicely for themselves anyway.

ProStars

Launch Date

1991 – 1990

Community

NBC

• 
• 

  Dave Fennoy

  Bo Jackson (voice)

• 
• 

  Wayne Gretzky

  Wayne Gretzky

3

‘Life with Louie’ (1994–1998)

Created by Louie Anderson

Humorist Louie Anderson might have been an unlikely option to star in a cartoon, however Life with Louie ended up being a vivid spot within the 90s cartoon lineup. Impressed by Anderson’s childhood, Life with Louie adopted an 8-year-old model of Anderson as he grew up within the fictional city of Cedar Knoll, Wisconsin. The collection tackled actual points like cash points, first crushes, and pressure inside a household, particularly in regard to Louie and his strict father, Andy.

Individuals who grew up within the period of Fox Children on Saturday mornings will little doubt bear in mind Life with Louie, however youthful animation followers ought to make a degree to take a look at the present. The cartoon doesn’t essentially have grownup sensibilities, nevertheless it approaches matters youngsters understood or had been coping with in an emotionally sincere means that made it stand out from its contemporaries. Life with Louie has aged nicely, being each humorous, timeless, and immensely relatable.

Life with Louie

Launch Date

1994 – 1997

Community

FOX, Fox Children

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  Brian Doyle-Murray

  Pete (voice)

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• 
• 

  Jim Cummings

  Jojo Stomopolous (voice)

2

‘Camp Sweet’ (1989–1992)

Created by Joel Andryc, Ellen Levy-Sarnoff and John Sweet

Humorous man John Sweet prolonged his streak of profitable tasks when he took on the job of an animated camp counselor in the cartoon Camp Sweet. Sweet performed himself because the counselor of a small sleepaway camp crammed with an eclectic group of adolescent campers. Whereas Sweet taught the youngsters security classes, he additionally needed to be looking out for the villainous Rex DeForest III (Lewis Arquette), who wished to demolish the camp.

Sweet didn’t make a profession out of starring in kid-friendly comedies, however his persona lent itself nicely to a cartoon. It’s frequent for skilled actors to nonetheless wrestle with adapting their expressiveness to voice work, however Sweet was among the best comedic performers of his technology and he did improbable work with Camp Sweet. He was well used as nicely, giving him loads of moments to shine, however spreading the main focus to his youthful campers so it wasn’t a one-man present.

1

‘Want Child’ (1991)

Created by Andy Heyward

Saturday morning cartoons had been primarily aimed toward youngsters, however they not often starred youngsters. One main exception was the fantasy comedy Want Child with House Alone megastar Macaulay Culkin inflicting animated mischief. Want Child noticed Culkin residing with a fictional model of his household and within the possession of a baseball glove that granted the younger boy something he wished. A typical episode would see Macaulay’s want turning into greater than he might deal with, with the powers from the granted want expiring on the worst attainable time.

Individuals who weren’t youngsters within the early 90s won’t ever perceive how massive House Alone and Culkin had been to the under-10 crowd. There’s a technology of fogeys who harm their toes on micromachines positioned as traps on the foot of their stairs, and so they had the recognition of each in charge. Having Culkin star in a cartoon made logical sense, however the fantasy component didn’t resonate with the fan base and Want Child didn’t final previous 13 episodes.

Want Child

Launch Date

1991 – 1990

Community

NBC

Solid

• 
• 
• 

  Marilyn Lightstone

  Katie McClary (voice)

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