The Blue Racer – The 1972 animated series

December 21 2023

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The Blue Racer is a series of cartoons produced from 1972 to 1974 by Friz Freleng and David H. DePatie. The character's first cartoon, Snake in the Gracias, was released theatrically on January 24, 1971. The series was directed by Art Davis, Gerry Chiniquy, Sid Marcus, Robert McKimson, David Deneen, Bob Balser and Cullen Houghtaling, and produced by David H. DePatie and Friz Freleng. Most of the cartoons were animated at the DePatie-Freleng studio, with the exception of two that were made overseas: Aches and Snakes at the Filmgraphics studio in Australia, and Little Boa Peep at Pegbar Productions in Spain.

The main character is a fast, blue-colored snake called Blue Racer, who unsuccessfully tries to catch a stereotypical Japanese beetle, who is a black belt in karate. Both characters are derived from the Tijuana Toads cartoon. Additionally, Tijuana Toads' clumsy bird, Crazylegs Crane, who failed to catch either the Blue Racer or the toads themselves, also appeared in the series.

In 1972's Support Your Local Serpent, Bob Holt voiced both the Blue Racer and the Japanese Beetle. The Japanese Beetle's last appearance was in the short-lived 1972 Blue Racer Blues. 17 cartoons were produced in the series, written by John W. Dunn.

The Blue Racer (or a snake very similar to him) also appeared in the 1978 Pink Panther cartoon “Pinktails for Two,” in which he mistook the panther's pink tail for a female snake. In this film, the Blue Racer does not speak or move at any faster speed.

All 17 shorts were made available on DVD and Blu-ray on May 30, 2017 by Kino Lorber (through their deal with MGM Home Entertainment). Extras included were audio commentaries and two featurettes.

In conclusion, the Blue Racer is an iconic theatrical cartoon character of the 70s, with a series of cartoons showing his misadventures trying to capture the Japanese beetle. The series was directed by experienced animators and also had appearances in other cartoons such as Pink Panther.

Title: The Blue Racer
Director: Art Davis, Gerry Chiniquy, Sid Marcus, Robert McKimson, David Deneen, Bob Balser, Cullen Houghtaling
Author: Friz Freleng, David H. DePatie
Production studio: DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
Number of episodes: 17
Country: United States
Genre: Cartoon
Duration: 6-7 minutes per episode
TV network: unknown
Release date: January 24, 1971
The cartoons are directed by various directors and produced by David H. DePatie and Friz Freleng. 17 episodes were made, all written by John W. Dunn. The cartoons are mainly animated at the DePatie-Freleng studio, except for two produced abroad. Various characters such as the blue snake, a Japanese insect, and other characters present in the series have been voiced. The cartoons were released on DVD and Blu-ray by publisher Kino Lorber with commentaries and featurettes as extras.

Source: wikipedia.com

70's cartoons