Little Clowns of Happytown the 1987 animated series

February 23 2022

Little Clowns of Happytown is an American animated television series that aired as part of ABC's Saturday morning lineup from September 26, 1987 to July 16, 1988.

History

The series is about the young clowns of Happytown, whose goal is to spread happiness and instill positive mental attitudes in the nearby town. The young clowns are Big Top (the leader), Badum-Bump (Big Top's little brother), Hiccup (Big Top's helper), Tickles (Hiccup's best friend), Pranky (Big Top's best friend) and Blooper (Hiccup's older brother), along with their pet elephant, Rover, and their mentor, Mr. Pickleherring. They are also accompanied by the clownimals, clown-like animals that only Badum-Bump can understand. The only thing standing in their way is Awful B. Bad and his minions, Geek and Whiner.

Characters

Big top - The main protagonist and leader of the Little Clowns. He loves to tell jokes. He wears a top hat in the style of a Ringmaster.

Blooper - He's a clumsy clown who does physical comedies. He is also involved in many acts by chance.

Hiccup - She is Blooper's younger sister. She loves to sing songs but often has hiccups when she speaks.

Tickles - He loves to laugh and can fix anything.

Pranky - Likes to prank people by throwing custard pies at them only sometimes if he accidentally takes them in the face.

Badum-Bump - Big Top's younger brother and speaks only by making sounds.

Rover - The domestic elephant and Badum-Bump's partner.

Clownnimals - The colorful clown animals that accompany the little clowns. Badum-Bump is the only one who understands them. There are 9. Lion, tiger, bear, seal, penguin, giraffe, rhino, zebra and a kangaroo.

Mr. Pickleherring - The enthusiastic teacher of children often teaches them how to be fun and helps with their morale.

Awful B. Bad - He's the main antagonist. He is also a man who wants the world to be gloomy just like him.

Geek - Bebad's red-haired assistant.

Whiner - Bebad's other assistant. A teenager who complains and often informs Bebad about what's going on.

Production

Marvel Productions and ABC had engaged consultancy Q5 Corporation to help develop the show alongside other series for the 1987-1988 season. Q5 consultants are made up of PhDs in psychology and advertising, marketing and research professionals. Marvel had previously used Q5 to develop its Defenders of the Earth series, so ABC hired them for the 1987-88 season to enhance its appeal to kids in its Saturday morning offerings to come out of third place on the charts. .

The former A Little Clowns story editor told the Los Angeles Times in September 1987 regarding the fifth quarter consulting on the series:

They aren't just looking for trends; they are trying to engage in social engineering. There is absolutely no passion with these people. There is no sense of honor, of anger, of deep emotion, of love. They are bland; they try to eliminate all the highs and lows of being a human being. I see we won't be doing Dostoevsky on Saturday morning, but there must be room for maneuver to create characters free to express themselves.

Fred Wolf and his Murakami Wolf Swenson were also involved to produce the series.

The show was promoted as part of the third annual ABC Family Fun Fair, which brought the characters' vocal talent to perform at highlights of their show. The show stopped in Oklahoma City from Friday August 28 to Sunday August 30, 1987

Episodes

1 "Baby Blues" September 12, 1987
2 "Big heart, sweetness" September 19, 1987
3 "Carnival Crashers" September 26, 1987
4 “Clowny Exchange” October 3, 1987
5 "Won't You Please Go Home Blooper Geek?" October 10, 1987
6 “Pet Peeve di BeBad” 17 October 1987
7 “City clown, country clown” 24 October 1987
8 “I love mom” 31 October 1987
9 “Don't be angry” May 7, 1988
10 “I can do it” May 14, 1988
11 “Lost and Not Found” May 21, 1988
12 “New Dad, No Dad” May 28, 1988
13 “Nobody is useless” June 4, 1988
14 “When you lost, STOP” 11th June 1988
15 “The chosen clown” June 18, 1988
16 “Everyone has a talent” 2 July 1988
17 “To Mr. Pickleherring with love” July 9, 1988
18 “Too Scared Too Much Laugh” July 16, 1988

Technical data

Based on A Concept by Anthony Paul Productions
Developed by Chuck Lorre
Written by Bruce Faulk, Cliff Roberts
Regia: Vincent Davis, John Kafka, Brian Ray, George Singer
Music DC Brown, Chuck Lorre, Anthony Paul Productions, Robert J. Walsh
country of origin United States
Original language English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 18
Executive producer Fred wolf
Duration 30 minutes
Production company Murakami Wolf Swenson, Marvel
Original network ABC
Original release date September 26, 1987 - July 16, 1988