The Best Quests

 It's time to wrap up Questember, and much like this year's Flintstones February, I thought I'd end things by celebrating our favorite Jonny Quest episodes. To help out, I've enlisted several friends, some of whom you'll remember from that "Favorite Flintstones" piece, and some whom I am pleased for you to meet. So, what are the best Quests? I'll begin with my favorite. 

My pick for the best Quest is hands down "The Robot Spy." In a show full of action and adventure, it stands out as one of the more suspenseful episodes. The characters don't go on a typical globe-trotting adventure or face off against fantastical creatures. It's a simple battle of man versus machine, and in this case, what a machine the titular robot spy turns out to be! What's little more than a robotic spider has undoubtedly become one of the most recognizable design elements from the show. It's a simple design, but incredibly effective. It's easily identifiable as a robot, and its spider similarities help sell the beings threatening nature. Stopping the spy takes more than anything else the Quest crew goes up against in the entire series, making this a real rollercoaster of an episode. What starts off slow and mysterious crescendos into an explosive ending. It is for those reasons that this episode is my pick for the best Quest.  

Returning from February's "Favorite Flintstones," please welcome back Disney animator and all-around lovely person, David Pruiskma! Like myself, he picks "The Robot Spy" as his favorite.

" I was asked to do a write-up about my favorite episode of the 1960s TV series, Jonny Quest. And I want to be clear here, I am talking about the first and, in my opinion, the ONLY season of Jonny Quest. The 1964-65 episodes were a staple of my childhood television life, both in prime time and in syndication on Saturday mornings, for nearly 60 years.

When the show premiered on ABC television in 1964, I was 7, going on 8. My brother was a couple of years older, my sister a couple of years younger, but we were all there in front of the old black and white “Magnavox”, ready for each episode, every week. We loved Jonny Quest, every single adventure. But now I am tasked with choosing just one favorite episode. I believe I can do this, but first I’d like to say just a few words about this action-adventure series, the first of its kind, really. Sure there may have been earlier shows which touched on the subject of action-adventure, Clutch Cargo, Space Angel, The Mighty Hercules, and a smattering of others. But, to me, these other shows were missing one important element of the action-adventure genre…. the ACTION!

Jonny Quest, on the other hand, was loaded with action! Spaceships, Dragons, Submarines, Missiles, Monsters and more. And let’s not forget the coolness factor! This was a living, moving (albeit limited), comic book! It was James Bond for the little shavers. It featured exotic locales, complex and interesting villains, space-age technology, and even GUNS! People got hurt. People got KILLED! And villains NEVER learned their lessons or changed their evil ways, thus, they were destined to perish, and often at their own hands. So I ask you, what’s not to like about that?

It has always been my stated theory that the Quest series was very much akin to the much earlier Fleischer Superman shorts from the 1940s. I believe both shows were really layout-driven shows. The dynamic layouts in both were really the showcase elements, that and the overall design. Of course, the Superman cartoons were far more lavish in their effects and full animation because they were theatrical films with much larger budgets and longer production schedules. But Jonny Quest was made for television and had to be produced quickly and comparatively cheaper. However, what Quest may have lacked in production value, it more than made up for with the ground-breaking theme song, great performances, and exciting underscoring composed by none other than Hoyt Curtin. 

All that said, I gotta pick one episode as a favorite. So, though I particularly liked Curse of Anubis, Shadow of the Condor, The House of Seven Gargoyles, and The Invisible Monster, I would have to single out The Robot Spy as my personal favorite, and I have a number of reasons why.

First of all, I like the creepy, mysterious aspects of the episode. I dig the disturbing and spooky, other-worldly music, as Dr. Quest and Race discover and study the silent “stranger”, which at first seems like a UFO. The villain, in this case Dr. Zin, is not revealed until later in the story. I like the writing, it’s clever and fast moving. I like the fact that all are in character and likable, right from the start. For instance, Dr. Quest is more curious than frightened of the UFO at first, but as it weighs on his mind he grows more and more troubled by it. I like the way Race and Quest are concerned about the welfare of the guards who were stricken. I like the fact that the lead characters all seem to be really fond of one another and are respectful to each other. Then, of course, there’s the weird spider legs aspect of the robot, which holds a primal fear for me, and that the spy moves about stealthily and completely silently at all times, hiding, watching, waiting to strike. And, finally, the disembodied eyeball adds a level of discomfort just because… well….. because it’s a giant disembodied EYEball!

Like all little kids, my brother, my sister, and I were all planted on the floor in front of the old 

TV set, completely and totally engrossed in The Robot Spy. My Dad was sitting just behind us on the sofa and saw an opportunity for some fun. So he slowly and quietly, (almost as quietly as The Robot Spy) moved from the sofa to the floor and creeped gingerly up behind us while we were oblivious, eyes glued to that 24-inch screen in front of us. Then, at the very next tense moment on the screen, our Dad bellowed loudly at our backs, “BOO”!  With that, the three of us jumped and screamed so loud that Mom had to come in from the kitchen to see what had just happened. Dad was rolling on the floor with laughter by this time and, though still a little shaken, we all joined in the laughter with him, even Mom. And that funny, warm, and happy memory makes “The Robot Spy” a personal favorite episode of the classic animated series, Jonny Quest."   

Now, I'd like to introduce you guys to Cameron Louis Bates, of the "Scooby-Doo and Cameron Too" social media channels. Cameron here is a big Scooby fan, but he also loves the other Hanna-Barbera characters, Jonny Quest the most of all. He was more than happy to join in and discuss his favorite episode from the original series.

"I have always been captivated by "Jonny Quest" for its thrilling blend of adventure and intrigue, which first drew me in with the episode “The Werewolf of Timberland.” Created by Hanna-Barbera and premiering in 1964, this groundbreaking series was one of the early examples of animation aimed at a more mature audience, featuring complex plots and rich, detailed artwork that was a departure from the studio's usual fare. The show’s unique mix of science fiction, mystery, and action, combined with its memorable characters like the brave Jonny and his loyal dog Bandit, made it stand out. I fell in love with the series for its gripping storylines and the way it captured a sense of wonder and excitement. The adventure of "The Werewolf of Timberland," with its chilling atmosphere and suspenseful narrative, remains a standout memory, solidifying my admiration for this classic series."

Another newcomer joining us in this collab is Wendy Brydge! Another big Scooby fan, Wendy is a talented artist, and a member of the Scooby Panel podcast. Also like Cameron, she selects "The Werewolf of Timberland" as her personal favorite episode.

"I chose my first episode of Jonny Quest the same way I chose my first Nancy Drew book—I picked the scariest and most interesting sounding title. I was 8 or 9 when I started reading Nancy, but it took until I was 36 to start watching Jonny. 

I quickly picked out “Werewolf of the Timberland” as my first introduction to Jonny Quest, and it was literally love at first watch. Not only was the episode exceptionally drawn and animated, well cast and acted, and tremendously engaging, but it was also the perfect one for me: A scary werewolf story set in the Canadian forest, a wolf whose model was clearly recycled a few years later in the Scooby-Doo episode “Foul Play in Funland”, AND characters with French Canadian accents?? (I live in Northern Ontario, and my hometown is a stone's throw from the Quebec border.) Ahh, c'est magnifique! The episode was an easy 10/10. My one caveat is that I took French for 11 years in school, and every time someone on Jonny pronounced it “lou-p garou” instead of “loo garou”, I did find myself yelling at the screen, “The “p” is silent!”

I realized then and there that Jonny Quest was something special. I just didn't know how special until I had worked my way through the entire series and THERE WAS NOT ONE DUD EPISODE. Not ONE! In 26 episodes, it never lost steam, it never got stale, and it was never boring... this seriously had me questioning my loyalty to Scooby as the most perfect cartoon ever created—and suddenly I had 30+ years of Scooby collectibles screaming at me, “Oh, no, say it ain't so!”

Jonny is the ultimate adventure series, and the meticulous attention to detail in the show's many exotic settings is second to none. As an artist, the background art in every episode leaves me a bit breathless, as the quality is without a doubt gallery-worthy.

The better a show is, the more I think that we're tempted to wish it had umpteen more seasons. But this single season of Jonny Quest is so perfect that I can't help thinking that any future seasons would have fallen short of the mark. One only needs to look at Scooby-Doo to see that. The original “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?” is a mystery masterpiece, but the subtle-not-so-subtle change in style between its two seasons is palpable, and in my opinion, after season 1, Scooby never again captured 100% of the magic it initially had. If Jonny had gone on to make multiple seasons, I fear it would have suffered the same neutralizing that most other cartoons seem to have suffered.

Jonny, like Scooby, appreciated that cartoons – if done right – could be enjoyed by both children and adults equally. Clever, logical writing, and realistic animating were the key. These classics recognized that children can absolutely handle programming that's not “dumbed down” for them, and in my opinion, cartoons that assume a level of maturity in the children watching is exactly what helped them mature in the first place.

In the world of 2024, this type of complex traditional animation has sadly become a lost art. And it's ironic that the same technological advancements that contributed to traditional animation's decline are also what have allowed us to preserve Jonny Quest and Scooby-Doo for many, many years to come through physical media and streaming. At least there's that. (At heart, I'm a glass-half-full kind of gal.)

So happy 60th anniversary, Jonny! I just heard over the radio that there's been a Turu sighting in France. Better call Race and grab Bandit... the adventure's afoot!"

My next participant is a real cartoon connoisseur if you know what I mean. Introducing Austin Kelly, who takes to the sky with his favorite episode.

"I love Jonny Quest. It’s really the only Hanna-Barbera show that I could conceivably sit through without constantly checking my phone to see what time it is or when the show will be over already. Sure, there are many things to admire about many HB cartoons, but how many of them are really entertaining? Not many, sez I. But Jonny Quest just has that extra something, that comic book look crafted by Doug Wildey, those crisp cool voices by the great cast, the spontaneous exciting music by Hoyt Curtin, and arguably the best preserved show next to The Jetsons, looking incredible on Bluray like no other HB show. There are quite a few, I’m happy to say, Jonny Quest episodes that I thoroughly enjoy from start to finish. But my favorite, if I had to choose just one, would be Shadow of the Condor.

 It’s got the coolest set of characters that the show never revisited, including the fabulous Baron Heinrich von Fruelich, whose creepy persona and villainous motives were never topped again in TV cartoon history. It’s also got the feeble but wise Julio, whose scene in the dungeon where the Baron beats him senselessly probably ranks among the most violent that Hanna-Barbera ever dared to go in any of their productions. Willy the Weiner Dog also adds to the fun and, heck, that Condor is one of the spookiest and deadliest creatures I’ve ever seen on television. Granted, the show still gets held back from hitting its true stride because of the cheap HB production method, and one can only imagine how fun this would’ve been as a trimmed-down live-action two-reeler done in the golden age of the Hollywood studio system, the era this episode really belongs in. Even though its real potential may never be realized, Shadow of the Condor is great, spooky fun, and a great example of why I think Jonny Quest holds up best among all the other things that Hanna-Barbera churned out through their many years of cartoon-making."

Michael Lyons, accomplished writer and contributor to Cartoon Research, returns to this blog with the next entry. He goes right back to the beginning with his pick for the best Quest.

"In their book, Saturday Morning Fever: Growing Up With Cartoon Culture, authors Timothy Burke and Kevin Burke wrote of Jonny Quest:

“Most of the kids on Saturday morning were so annoying or useless that we rarely identified with them, but Johnny and Hadji seemed to be having so much fun on their adventures that we often wished we could be in their place.”

The reason that so many felt this way is because Hanna-Barbera’s Jonny Quest was unlike anything that had been done before or since. The series is a unique achievement in television and animation, from its design to plots to music.

It’s no wonder Jonny Quest is still celebrated sixty years after debuting. All that made the show so thrilling could be seen in the first episode, “The Mystery of the Lizard Men.”

From its opening prologue, it pulls us into the plot to the following mystery and action. 

 Artist Doug Wildey, who conceptualized the show's look, provided striking character design with bold black lines reminiscent of comic book art. This unique style can be seen in the opening scene of “The Mystery of the Lizard Men,” as a mysterious laser results in the explosion of a ship in the Sargasso Sea. It’s a striking visual that hints at what’s to come, not just on this first episode of Jonny Quest but also on the rest of the series.

As two men on a fishing boat attempt to alert the Coast Guard, we see the titular Lizard Men climb aboard the boat and then jump back into the water. After, that ship explodes, as well.

Government agents attempt to interview the survivor of the explosion in his hospital bed as he mumbles something about the Lizard Men.  The agents then realize they must bring in Dr. Benton Quest (John Stephenson), who once worked for the government. As they go through the Quest files, we, as the audience, get exposition about each character ingeniously. Jonny’s (Tim Matheson ) mother has passed (although we are mysteriously not told how), and agent Race Bannon (Mike Road) has been assigned to protect Jonny. We also learn that the Quest compound is located in the Florida Keys. As we go to the Quest Compound, we not only see Jonny and Race, but learn that the latter is also somewhat of a mentor and teacher to Jonny. We also meet Bandit, Jonny’s pup, with the black, mask-like markings that seem to have given the dog his name. As Dr. Quest meets with the government agents, he puts the facts into his computer, the Unitized Neutronic Information Center, called UNIC (pronounced "Eunice"). They learn that what’s causing the ship explosions in the Sargasso Sea is a laser (and we even get some education on what a laser is).

Dr. Quest, Race, and Jonny sail off for the Sargasso Sea (depicted as a graveyard of shipwrecks covered in sargasso weed, in some striking backgrounds). Jonny, Race, and Bandit explore a shipwreck and tangle with the Lizard Men, who are, in actuality, men in diving suits designed to look like lizards, led by a madman (Vic Perrin), who is operating a laser base from an underwater lair, and plans to use it to blast a manned rocket to the moon out of the sky. Race and Jonny are captured, but with assistance from Bandit, they manage an escape in an elaborate action sequence that rivals many seen in live-action, culminating in a speedboat chase, crash, and a fire-engulfed oil slick, accomplished through some dynamic animation. As the boats race, the evil madman fires his laser, but Dr. Quest saves the day by deflecting the laser with a mirror, exploding the villain’s ship.

“The Mystery of the Lizard Men” sets the stage perfectly, in Jonny Quest’s first episode, of all that was to come in the series (which would include the addition of Hadji) and all that fans have come to appreciate in the six decades since the series debuted. Adventures that had come before, like pulp comics, radio, and movie serials, may have inspired the show, but so many adventures since then, like the Indiana Jones and The Incredibles movies, have been inspired by Jonny Quest. It’s no wonder, as authors Timothy Burke and Kevin Burke noted, that when it came to the adventures of Jonny, Hadji, Race, Dr. Quest, and Bandit, so many kids wish they “could be in their place.”

Happy anniversary, Jonny Quest!

Last but most certainly not least, Greg Ehrbar, hot off his newest book, Hanna-Barbera: The Recorded History, arrives to discuss the quintessential Jonny Quest episode!

"Just as I felt compelled to do when asked to choose a favorite Flintstones episode when there are so many favorites, instead here is my choice for the episode that best exemplifies the entire series. Like The Flintstones, Top Cat, and The Jetsons, Jonny Quest broke new ground for entertainment, providing a series of elements that make a great animated action/adventure for television.

It has been widely reported that Jonny Quest was, to a great degree, developed by Doug Wildey. It was also a monumental effort by the studio artists, grappling with ambitious storylines involving global locales, monsters, fierce animals, vile villains, and a more sophisticated level of storytelling and artwork. Jonny Quest also presented animation challenges, as all the story, action, and settings had to be rendered in limited animation on a tight schedule.

Beyond the spectacular comic book look and difficult line work that Wildey brought to Jonny Quest, it was also inspired by cliffhanger movie series (as was Star Wars) and radio adventures. Indeed, the popular series, Jack Armstrong, The All-American Boy was considered by Hanna-Barbera as a series. From the cliffhanger form and serialized radio programs came the exciting moments that came before commercial breaks. 

Among H-B’s greatest strengths were its voice actors, the music (in this case, Hoyt Curtin, Ted Nichols, and Jack de Mello), and sound effects. Viewers became attached to their favorite H-B characters through the skills of the actors as well as the stunning visuals. 

Double Danger scores on all counts. It is completely character-driven. Those unfamiliar with the characters would not necessarily appreciate how the substitution of dashing hero Race Bannon with an impostor would affect Jonny and company. While this “evil twin” premise is older than high-button shoes, in this instance there are a lot of interesting touches. Most of all, it’s a showcase for two of the series’ best recurring characters, including sinister Dr. Zin and the enigmatic Jade.

The scientific situation facing Dr. Benton Quest is developing a drug that will allow astronauts to exist in deep space for years without going crazy from the solitude (The Twilight Zone handled a similar issue with its “Where is Everybody?” premiere episode with Earl Holliman). Naturally, Dr. Zin wants to use it for mind control. In the Hanna-Barbera tradition of “don’t ask, just go with it,” Zin transforms one of his employees (from a Linked In listing?) into a duplicate of Race Bannon.

The voice work is nothing short of classic radio drama, with some of the finest actors giving it their all. Mike Road is the focal point as Race and Fake Race. In effect, he does three different voices. One is the familiar Race “Fireman’s Fund” Bannon. The second is the foreign agent, of no specific national origin for the agent in his own character. The third is the most interesting, a voice trying really hard to sound like another voice. This is a nice touch because it adds texture, as if the agent can’t quite get the American accent, sending a signal to viewers that this is the phony.

To top it off, this episode features the mysterious Jade, a beautiful spy so mysterious that one never knows what side she favors and how much power she has. She refers to an aircraft as being controlled by “one of my pilots.” Jade is an independent, Lauren Bacall-type film noir woman, attached to but not dependent on her man, with a cool veneer and seemingly endless resources. In the context of sixties TV, she was Emma Peel and Honey West in animated form, but unlike them, largely unrecognized for her iconic, pioneering status. It is Jade who immediately discovers Fake Race through the nebulous nature of her relationship with the real Race. It was somewhat mature for a 1964 TV cartoon.

Equally underappreciated is Cathy Lewis, one of the great actors of the classic radio days. She was radio’s sensible “Jane,” the co-lead (and narrator) alongside Marie Wilson (later of Where’s Huddles) in the long-running comedy My Friend Irma. On TV, she was snobby Deirdre Thompson, the sister of “Mr. B,” on the sitcom Hazel, which was a Screen Gems series concurrent with Jonny Quest. Lewis did very little animation work, which makes her performance as Jade stand out even more. 

Hadji plays a key role in the heroics in Double Danger. Hadji is the kind of “cool friend” any adventurous kid would want to know. He has untold knowledge and does amazing things that constantly surprise Jonny, and young viewers. His daring rescue by way of an elephant stampede is one of the many highlights of this episode. Bandit also gets in a few moments of cuteness and bravery (we loved Bandit - thanks Joe, sorry Doug). The conclusion portends the classic Scooby-Doo unmasking – in this case, an “unwigging” -- along with the trademark chuckling fade out. Double Danger delivers the best of all possible Quest worlds."

And on that note, we end Questember on a note as climactic as any Jonny Quest episode. Before we go, I have to give a big thanks to every participant in this collaboration. Everyone brought a unique point of view to their favorite episode, and you were all extremely kind in helping put this together. Happy sixty years to Jonny Quest, and here's to sixty more!

Video of the Week: Cartoon Network Answers a Jonny Question

 If there's one thing Cartoon Network excelled at in its early years, it was advertising. Being an all-new channel, the network had to work hard to attract viewers, and they did a lot of experimenting in those efforts. One of the coolest things they did was respond to viewer mail. Obviously, their answers were anything but straightforward, and this one is no exception.

In this particular "Cartoon Network Responds" segment, they answer a fan who asks the channel to bring back the classic Jonny Quest episodes (I imagine he was one of many who wasn't exactly thrilled with The Real Adventures). Cartoon Network tells the viewer that they'll now be recasting a whole bunch of their shows, including Quest. Is the new cast an improvement on The Real Adventures incarnation? I'll let you decide!

Canceled Quick Draw McGraw Projects

 Jonny Quest isn't the only Hanna-Barbera celebrating an anniversary this month. Far from it, in fact! This month also sees the 65th anniversary of Quick Draw McGraw's premiere, one of my absolute favorite Hanna-Barbera productions. And yes, this does mean Quick Draw and Baba Looey are now eligible to retire. In celebration, here's a quick look at two Quick Draw McGraw projects that never got off the ground!

Hey, remember Flintstones: On the Rocks? In case you don't, it was a 2001 special made by many of the crew members behind Dexter's Lab. It told the story of a particularly rough patch in Fred and Wilma's marriage, and sported Craig Kellman's designs for the characters he drew up a few years later. Now, what if I told you this same team nearly gave us a Quick Draw special? In a video discussing Flintstones reboots, Youtuber RebelTaxi learned from an anonymous crew member that after On the Rocks was finished, the team moved on to making a Quick Draw McGraw project. According to them, they were given a lot more creative freedom on this special than with The Flintstones, as the powers that be weren't as worried about him. Unfortunately, that was also its undoing. There was a lack of interest in it from the higher ups, and it was never completed. The special was, at the very least, completely storyboarded, which is really interesting to hear. Beyond that, though, we don't know anymore about this. If it was anything like On the Rocks, I imagine it would have looked pretty nice if nothing else.

Jumping forward to circa 2010, Jorge Gutierrez, who's best known for creating the Nickelodeon series El Tigre, was working at Warner Bros. Animation. He was on the production team for an animated take on MAD when he pitched a new take on Quick Draw McGraw, done in his recognizable style. On his Twitter where he shared these pieces, he stated that this version would have been a "super violent spaghetti western." WB wasn't really receptive to the pitch, but that didn't stop him from trying again. He went on to develop a second pitch, this time built around El Kabong, but once again, WB didn't seem interested. Jorge Gutierrez himself doesn't really know why it didn't move forward, but if I had to guess, they probably didn't think Quick Draw had enough "brand recognition" to justify a new series. Why do something interesting when you can just rehash Scooby-Doo for the zillionth time? In all seriousness though, it's disappointing this one didn't pan out. Gutierrez is one of my favorite contemporary animators, and I'd have loved to see how he'd depict these characters. But what about you guys? Would you have been interested in either of these projects, or were they better off buried and dead?

Whatever Happened With the Live-Action Jonny Quest Film?

Ever since The Flintstones premiered in cinemas in 1994, Hollywood has attempted to bring many other classic Hanna-Barbera characters to the big screen similarly. While some of these attempts would be realized, like Scooby-Doo and Yogi Bear, many would not. For better or for worse, Jonny Quest would fall into the latter camp. Over the last thirty years, numerous directors, writers, and production companies have tried to bring the series to life, but to no avail. Since this month is a celebration of all things Quest, and I just love talking about canceled/unproduced stuff, I thought it'd be fun to look at the history of this project. Get ready, because this story has as many twists and turns as any classic Jonny Quest adventure!

While there had been rumors about the project since the mid-1980s, traction on a live-action Quest flick didn't begin officially until April 1994, just a month before The Flintstones would release and become one of the year's biggest movies. This version of the movie was to be brought to us by Tribeca Productions and The Donners' Company and would enter production in 1995. Richard Donner of Superman and Goonies fame would direct the film, based on a script by Fred Dekker, who wrote movies like The Monster Squad and Robocop 3. They were gunning for a 1996 release, to help tie into Turner's big "Year of Jonny Quest" which also saw The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest TV series premiere.

So, what was the story of this movie? According to artist, writer, and Jonny Quest superfan Lance Falk, it told a story focusing on how both Hadji and Race joined the Quest crew. Characters like Dr. Zin, Jade, and the robot spy would all appear. It was to be set in 1964 and would be chock full of references and imagery from the classic episodes. It sounds like it had some potential, so naturally, it didn't go anywhere. I couldn't find any info as to why the project stalled, but given the eventual failure of The Real Adventures animated series and how much money was poured into that project, I imagine any Hollywood studio was cautious to greenlit anything related to Quest at that time.

We wouldn't hear any more official news on the project until over a decade later. In 2007, Variety reported that Warner Brothers was now taking a crack at it. This version would be written by Dan Mazeau, best known today for writing Fast X. For a while there, it seemed like production was moving full steam ahead. In 2008, Peter Segal was hired to direct, hot off the success of that summer's Get Smart (itself a film version of a classic sixties series). Just a year after that, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson confirmed that he would indeed portray Race Bannon in the film after a year of rumors. Zac Efron was also heavily rumored to play the title character, though this was never confirmed. Everything appeared to be moving along, and then...nothing! Segal said he was still working on the film in late 2013, and not too long after that, the project got another overhaul.

In May 2015, it was reported that a new version of the movie was being developed by Robert Rodriguez and Pirates of the Caribbean screenwriter Terry Rossio. Directors like Joe Cornish and Scott Derickson were in talks of helming the movie. A year later, a Forbes writer discussed the project, saying that he had read the script and thought it was excellent. This article also mentioned several actors that the studio was looking at for the role of Race. Among them were Bradley Cooper, Will Smith, and Idris Elba.

However, the Rodriguez version of Jonny Quest wouldn't be in development for long. In 2018, The Wrap learned that the film would now be directed by Chris McKay, who had recently directed The Lego Batman Movie for WB. Unfortunately, that's about where the story for Jonny ends. McKay did say in 2021 that a script had been turned in (though made no mention of who wrote said script), but there have been no further updates. Given WB's chaotic last couple of years, I'm not surprised, and I really doubt a Jonny Quest movie is a high priority for them.

And there you have it, the saga of the unmade Jonny Quest film, which ended about as abruptly as it began. I'm sure there will be more versions and updates on the project in the years to come, but it seems wild that it hasn't happened already. Quest feels like a perfect film for Hollywood these days. There's a sense of nostalgia towards it that can bring in older viewers, Jonny himself could bring in younger viewers unfamiliar with the property, and it's got plenty of sequel and merchandise potential. Maybe someday...

Video of the Week: Space Ghost Interviews Jonny Quest

Jonny Quest is undoubtedly Hanna-Barbera's most popular action cartoon, but in a somewhat distant second place has got to be Space Ghost. Hanna-Barbera made several adventure series throughout the years, but none of those creations matched these two in popularity. Despite this, the two have never shared the same screen together, even as Hanna-Barbera began to mash more and more characters together in later years. 

There was one time they did, however, and that was in 1995. In a VHS commercial promoting a line of Jonny Quest tapes, Quest was interviewed by Space Ghost, in a style not unlike an episode of Coast to Coast. It's a pretty fun interview, but it's unfortunately a small part of the advertisement. Most of it is focused on the tapes, as well as promotions for everything from Little Debbie to Green Giant. Still, you can't go wrong with more Space Ghost: Coast to Coast.

Jonny Quest, Brought to You By Kellogg's!

 Kellogg's sponsored several Hanna-Barbera cartoons in their early years, but one show they skipped over was the action-adventure series Jonny Quest. That's not to say there wasn't an attempt, though. Below are two production cels used for test commercials Hanna-Barbera pitched to the folks at Kellogg's. They declined, however, leaving cels like these as the only remnants of this proposed partnership. Hanna-Barbera would also talk with another cereal company about sponsoring the show, General Mills, and would get a similar response. You can learn a little bit more about them at this Heritage Auctions listing. 

Jonny Quest Newspaper Ads

 Tomorrow marks sixty years since Jonny Quest premiered, so why not celebrate that occasion by looking at how the show was advertised? In September of 1964, ABC released a set of sample promo advertisements for their affiliates. You can give them a look below. There were a few variations on these, but as far as I'm aware, it was only these two pieces of art that were used. I think it's interesting and a little funny that both show Jonny with a particularly shocked expression on his face. It's also curious that the descriptions only make mention of Jonny and his father, omitting Race, Hadji, and Bandit. I guess there's only so much info you can cram into a short newspaper advert.

June Foray: Woman of Many Voices

 There's a lot one could say about June Foray, the legendary voice actress who would have turned 107 this coming Wednesday. For over five decades, she voiced countless cartoon characters and worked for practically every animation house in the business. However, Chuck Jones put it best when he said, "June Foray is not the female Mel Blanc. Mel Blanc was the male June Foray."

As amazing as Foray was, unfortunately, I've seldom spoken about her on this blog. I think it's long past time that changes, and what better time to do it than now? From the Patriot-News on May 18th, 1969, here's a great little retrospective on June's career to that point. The article focuses on her voice work and even looks at some of her weaknesses. Yes, even someone as talented as June Foray had 'em.

Vocals Without Music

By Stan Maays

   

     If June Foray had grown a few inches taller, she might not have become the queen of female voices for the past 20 years.
    "Because I am short—not even five feet—I had no dignity to command on a stage," declared Miss Foray. "I couldn't play leading ladies, so I had to concentrate on character roles. I began playing old ladies because it didn't matter how I looked."
    Miss Foray reluctantly allowed as how maybe "it's God's gift" that she has the ability to do so many things with her voice. This realization first came to her when she was a 12-year-old drama student. A teacher admitted, "I can't teach you anything more."
    "Now that I'm older it doesn't matter any more," she shrugs. I'll be working a lot longer than some because I can do a very young voice (she slipped into a breathless ingenue) or an old voice like Marjorie Main (a perfect impression) and not be concerned how I look on or off camera."

    

    Miss Foray's remarkable talents will be displayed in The Pogo Birthday Special, the first animated musical special to be based on Walt Kelly's comic strip. NBC-TV airs the half-hour show May 18.
    Miss Foray does Pogo, Miss Mam'selle Hepzibah and a "half dozen other voices that have one-liners." The voices of Pogo's other Okefenokee Swamp pals—Porky Pine, Basil, Howland Owl and Churchly La Femme are supplied by Walt Kelly, Chuck Jones and Les Tremayne.
    With her old friend Stan Freberg, she has worked on a number of albums and radio commercials. In cartoons she has done Bullwinkle, Tom and Jerry, Woody Woodpecker; she has worked for Walt Disney, Jay Ward and Hanna and Barbera; the credits are endless. She's the sexy voice in Bandini commercials, plus voices in Uniroyal, United Air Lines, Kellogg's, Cheerios, Mustang and Dodge plugs on radio and TV.
    When the late Ann Sheridan gallantly tried to finish the season of Pistols and Petticoats but just couldn't carry on anymore, it was June Foray the producers turned to for help. She rerecorded dialogue Miss Sheridan's weakened voice couldn't sustain. Her lip-sync of Miss Sheridan's voice was perfect.

   

     If there's a chink in Miss Foray's talented armor it's a minor one.
    "I'm a lousy singer," she announced, unabashed. "I have a good ear, except when it comes to singing. Bobbie Gentry asked me to sing as a character voice in her new album and it took some doing on my part."
    Miss Foray, who lives in a nearby suburb with her husband, writer Hobart Donavan, has joined the growing list of nonsmokers. Her keen ear began detecting a loss of range in her voice control four years ago.
    "I figured it wasn't worth it if it affected my voice," she reports. I'm very fortunate to be the master of my vocal chords, but I wasn't when I was smoking."

Video of the Week: Don Messick at the 50th Golden Awards

You all know I love getting an opportunity to talk about all things Don Messick, and seeing as this past weekend marked what would've been his 98th birthday, now seemed like a fine chance to do so. For this week's video segment, I've got an interview Messick did during the 50th Golden Awards event in 1989, where Messick acted as the master of ceremonies. This interview was conducted by Paul Maher, an individual who interviewed many great names in classic animation, and this was one of several talks he had with Don. Some of the topics covered in this interview are his voices for Hanna-Barbera, his relationship with Daws Butler, and his more recent work in animation. 

Doug Wildey Draws on Reality

 What's the first thing that pops into your head when you think of Jonny Quest? Most likely, it's the artwork of Doug Wildey. Born on May 2nd, 1922, Wildey may have been the most influential member of the original Jonny Quest crew. Not only did he design many of the characters (save for Bandit, who was designed by Dick Bickenbach), but he also worked on designing the technology and look of the Quest world. You really can't think of Jonny Quest without thinking of his characters and vehicles, accompanied by the show's iconic shadows. 

Wildey had a colorful career that spanned over around fifty years. He worked for virtually every major comic book publisher, from DC Comics to Atlas (you may know them better by their later name, Marvel Comics). He also had a long career in animation, starting with Space Angel in 1962 and continuing into the eighties with titles like Mister T and Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos. Wildey would pass away at the age of 72 on October 4th, 1994. The TV movie Jonny Quest vs. The Cyber Insects, released a year later, was dedicated to his memory.

Seeing as this is Questember, it would feel wrong if I didn't feature something on Wildey, and I've got something that does that and more. On January 9th, 1973, the Thousand Oaks Star sat down and had an incredible discussion with Wildey. The piece is primarily focused on his then-currently-running newspaper strip Ambler, but it also includes some great insight into Wildey's life and artistic sensibilities. Enjoy!

In a youth-oriented world, He illustrates reality

    "Youth today are the smartest, brightest, sharpest people to come along. They know where their heads are at concerning politics, morality, and the general state of the world as a whole—not just their own backyard."
    Believe it or not, the person making the above statement is well over 30 years of age. Born and raised in Yonkers, N.Y, Doug Wildey is a professional illustrator-writer-cartoonist and he's pretty positive when it comes to how great the youth of today really are.
    "What people really don't understand, they figure has to be bad," Wildey said. He feels that today's young people are misunderstood.
    This type of thinking prompted Wildey to create the first realistic comic strip taken on by a major syndicate in five or six years. "Ambler," syndicated by the Chicago Tribune - N.Y. News Snyidcatye, Inc. is the new adventure panel beginning today in the News-Chronicle.
    "There seemed a long time between new story strips, and there was seemingly a gap in subject matter," Wildey observed.
    He added "It's not only the kids, but people interested in the youth movement generally," that prompted him to action. 

    Ambler is a 29-year-old folk-rock singer who travels the expanse of America in search of the songs of the people at their source. He knows no roots and in his travels, he meets real people—explores a real world.
    Though "Ambler" is not a complete personal reflection of the cartoonist's life, several things about the young man mirror Wildey's life. Several times, like Ambler, Wildey has pulled up stakes and ventured into a world of varying jobs. Before becoming a professional illustrator, he was a mailboy, chauffeur, warehouseman, and oil salesman.
    The Woodland Hills resident portrays "Ambler" as the ideal of what many of today's youths are searching for. Seeking to be in line with the world and themselves, "something the older generation never had the freedom or the desire to do," is the quest which Wildey unfolds.
    In a way, he draws upon his own personal experience in traveling around the country. In doing so he can expand upon areas not covered before in American comics.
    In doing so, Wildey explains, he follows the theme of a real world—not a fantasy world—a world that young people today can associate with. Ambler is not a super hero, but a real guy in the real world.
    Picking the characters for his comic panel has evolved in several ways. For the main character -- the name Grayson Ambler just seemed to fit the character he wanted. In some cases characters mirror people that Wildey has known. 
    Above all, Wildey is attempting to get away from stereotyped individuals. An example is the panel character "Jock" Black, Negro, pro-football player.
    "Most things on television or in novels portray the Negro as being downtrodden, from the ghetto. But there are plenty of blacks in this country who have not had a tough time. Jock Black is one of them," Wildey said.
    Prior to Ambler WIldey's one previous experience in newspaper comics was as illustrator of Leslie Charteris's "The Saint."
    Moving to Los Angeles in 1962 from Tucson, Ariz., Wildey was staff art director at the Hanna-Barbera studio in Hollywood. During this time he created the Jonny Quest cartoon series for television.
    His enthusiasm for cartooning-illustrating came "because it seemed the best way to write, direct, and cast a show all myself," Wildey grins.
    Always working at home, he considers himself the "reverse of the traveling salesman—I'm always around and underfoot."
    Well-known in the field, Wildey is often recognized at conventions and serves on cartoonist panels. He feels the Ambler strip is "a reasonably big one" and hopes it is a little bit more on the "cerebral side" than others of today.
    The adventure strip created purely "for entertainment," is currently being run in some 50 nationwide newspapers, including: Costa Mesa; Houston and San Antonio, Tex; Buffalo, N.Y.; Montreal, and Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Unreleased Jonny Quest Action Figures From Playing Mantis

 If there was ever a Hanna-Barbera cartoon that deserved its own action figure line, it was Jonny Quest. There were no figurines of the characters during the original show's run (unsurprising, as G.I. Joe, the toy that coined the term "action figure" had only just debuted), but there have been several lines offered in the decades since. One of the more interesting ones, in my opinion, was a line that never even made it to retail. Credit goes to the Classic Jonny Quest fansite for showcasing these.

Above is a line of Jonny Quest action figures that appeared at the 2000 Toy Fair. Playing Mantis were the masterminds behind these. They went under somewhere around 2006, but they offered a wide variety of figurines, covering everything from Peanuts to the 1999 comedy flick Mystery Men (for the uninitiated, that's the movie where the music video for Smash Mouth's "All Star" comes from). These toys were developed at a time where the action figure world was booming, as dozens of companies rushed to snatch up licenses both old and new. Quest seemed like a great pick for a toyline during this time, as I'm sure collectors would've loved to pick up figures from a nostalgic favorite. Sadly, these never came out, and I have no clue as to why. Perhaps Playing Mantis were in some financial troubles? Or, maybe the failure of the Real Adventures toyline a few years earlier left a bad taste in the mouths of retailers? Whatever the reason, we didn't get them, and that's a real shame. While there have been several figures created of Quest and his comrades, these feel the most like the animated versions had jumped off the screen and into your hands.

Adding further salt into the wound, it looks like had this line taken off, we would have gotten figures of Jezebel Jade (referred to here as Jade Kenyon) and Dr. Zin. Neither of these characters have been represented in plastic before or since this attempt, so this would have been a really comprehensive line had it come to fruition. Not much more you can say other than "Oh well!"

Video of the Week: Time is Running Out For Jonny Quest

 Growing up as an avid viewer of Boomerang back in the 2000s, one of my favorite aspects of the channel was the shorts played during commercial breaks. As Boomerang was initially an ad-free network, they were able to fill this time with some great stuff you wouldn't see anywhere else. Chief among these were music videos based on some of the Hanna-Barbera classics, and if you ask me, one of the more memorable ones was "Time is Running Out", based on the original Jonny Quest.

Featuring a redo of the classic theme by the James Taylor Quartet, the video is presented through this lovely board game setting. Dr. Quest has been abducted by an octopus, and it's up to Jonny, Hadji, Race, and Bandit to save him. The song itself is a great update to the original, and the video features all kinds of references and callbacks to the series. Watch it below for the first time, or if you watched Boomerang as much as I did, your millionth. 

Meet Jonny and Hadji

While Jonny Quest had a colorful cast of heroes and villains, there were two characters in particular that the main age demographic identified with. Those were the main character Jonny Quest and his best friend, Hadji. Unlike most Hanna-Barbera kid characters like Elroy Jetson, they were both voiced by actual child actors. Quest was portrayed by Tim Matheson, while Hadji was Danny Bravo.

Nowadays, Matheson is well known for his acting and directing credits, but Jonny Quest was his first leading role. He worked with Hanna-Barbera on a few more adventure series before moving on to bigger projects, but he continues to credit Quest for kickstarting his career. Matheson still does the occasional voice role, too, and has even lent his voice to some of the later Jonny Quest projects. Today, I share a piece that ran in the September 13th, 1969 edition of the Quad-City Times focusing on Matheson and his many talents in the entertainment industry. It's not focused on his animation work, but it does contain some interesting tidbits about that period of his career along the way.

Tim Matheson Is A Double Threat

By Marilyn Lane
Entertainment Editor

    

An engaging young man—both in smile and personality—visited the Quad-Cities to introduce a new character to TV this fall. Tim Matheson will play the continuing role of 19-year-old Jim Horn beginning Wednesday on "The Virginian" on Ch. 6.
    "I play a partner of an older sidekick who likes to roam around. We stop by Shiloh Ranch and I decide to stay. I guess it's because of the good cooking," Matheson said as a grin easily engulfed his entire face creating deep "laugh creases."
    Matheson didn't exactly look like a cowboy. Light gray, wide wale corduroy slacks were topped by a brown and gold striped sweater and grey-green jacket distributed over his 6 '1 1/2' frame.
    Matheson is only 21, but his entry into what he calls a "great business" began at age 13, and then in a writing capacity. He supplied scripts to Hanna-Barbera for cartoons and also served as cartoon voice. He was involved with "Jonny Quest," "Sinbad Jr.," "Young Sampson," "Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines," and worked on "Space Ghost" with Gary Owens of "Laugh-In" fame. 

    The Burbank native wrote two novels as a youngster but they didn't get published. He is now working on a script for the "Virginian" which he hopes will be purchased. The show is his first regular series work and has cut into his writing time so he has given up most of the cartoon work.
    Matheson thinks of series work as a great opportunity for honing his craft. "I'm pleased to be on the series. We've done 10 shows and you learn so fast. You get a couple of years training in a season."
    Matheson spent a year at San Fernando College and is now taking voice lessons. But some things have to be learned the hard way. He had riding lessons as a child, but in one scene during filming of the "Virginian" he sat on a rein.
    He didn't want to make the obvious correction on camera, but he couldn't control the direction of the horse which proceeded to knock over some fake shrubbery. Obviously, the scene had to be reshot.
    Married a year this month, the couple have just purchased an old English cottage in Hollywood. His wife is actress Jennifer Leak whom he met while both were making the movie "Yours, Mine and Ours." The 5 '7" redhead from Wales has interested her husband in antique collecting and one of their weekend leisure activities includes attending antique auctions.

With Jonny discussed, let's take a look at his best friend, Hadji, who I'd argue was the most groundbreaking character in the entire series. He was perhaps the first recurring person of color character in an animated series, and while there are elements to his character that are undoubtedly stereotypical, this is something that should not be overlooked when discussing the series. Hadji was every bit as smart and as skillful as Quest, making him a good equal to the character, rather than a mere sidekick. He was portrayed by child actor Danny Bravo. Bravo was frequently featured in Latino roles, and was great at utilizing accents, which likely led to his role as Hadji. He continued to act for a few years after Quest's cancellation, with his final role being an uncredited voice on an episode of The New Adventures of  Huckleberry Finn in 1969. He subsequently retired from the industry. 

This is where I'd share an interview with Bravo, but unfortunately, I couldn't find anything on him. Because of this, I thought I'd instead share this short clip of Bravo in an on-camera role. This is from the 1966 film For Pete's Sake, which was also Bravo's final movie role. It's a brief scene, but for many of you, it may very well be the first time you've seen Bravo. Enjoy!

Coming Fall 1964: Jonny Quest File 037

 It is 1964, and Hanna-Barbera's foray into primetime television hasn't gone as strong as planned. Though The Flintstones was a smash hit, its follow-ups, The Jetsons and Top Cat, failed to gather an audience and were canceled after one season. Perhaps, the company thought, it was time to do something a bit different. A bit more adventurous, if you will. Enter Jonny Quest, or, as it was initially titled, Jonny Quest File 037.

In Quest, there were no wacky gags or talking animal sidekicks. It was an action-adventure story that saw its title character go up against robots, lizards, and all other kinds of strange beings. Instead of the quirky and warm designs of Dick Bickenbach, Doug Wildey gave the show a distinct, comic-book-esque art style. It was choices like these and more that made Jonny Quest instantly stand out from not only other Hanna-Barbera shows, but also early TV animation in general. As it was so different from anything else at the time, there was plenty of coverage on the show in the months leading to its release. Just take a look at this piece from the July 5th, 1964 edition of The El Dorado Times previewing the series. For me, the highlight of this piece has to be what Joe Barbera says won't be in the show. No offense to him, but I'm not sure he was watching the same show as the rest of us.

Television

By Cythia Lowry
AP Television-Radio Writer

    HOLLYWOOD (AP) - It's taken quite awhile, but the comic strip is finally coming to network television.
    The creators of "Yogi Bear" and "Huckleberry Hound," have now fathered a cartoon feature called Jonny Quest," which as a new ABC entry will be a combination of humor and adventure. It will depart radically from the usual cartoon approach in that the characters will be humans and drawn with an attention to style and detail reminiscent of the wartime "Terry and the Pirates," but with overtones of "Flash Gordon," "Prince Valiant" and "Tom Swift."
    A comic strip actually was tried several seasons back when an animated "Dick Tracy" was seen on some stations, but the new venture is much more sophisticated and elaborate.

    ABC will launch the series in a 7:30-8 p.m. Friday spot, now reserved on all networks for programs attractive to small fry.
    Joe Barbera who with partner Bill Hanna dreamed up the show, says that because it is expected the children will watch it avidly, there will be no mad scientists or two-headed monsters. Nor will there be shooting and other gory disposition of villains.