Partridge Family 2200 A.D.

Partridge Family 2200 A.D.
Also known asThe Partridge Family in Outer Space
GenreScience fiction
Based onThe Partridge Family by Bernard Slade
Directed byCharles A. Nichols
Voices ofJoan Gerber
Danny Bonaduce
Sherry Alberoni
Chuck McLendon
Suzanne Crough
Brian Forster
John Stephenson
Susan Dey (2 episodes)
Frank Welker
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes16
Production
Executive producersWilliam Hanna
Joseph Barbera (based on characters created by Bernard Slade)
Running time30 minutes
Production companiesHanna-Barbera Productions
Columbia Pictures Television
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseSeptember 7 (1974-09-07) –
December 21, 1974 (1974-12-21)
Related
The Partridge Family
The Jetsons
Fred Flintstone and Friends

Partridge Family 2200 A.D. is an American science fiction Saturday-morning animated series and a spin-off of the 1970–1974 ABC live-action sitcom The Partridge Family produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and Columbia Pictures Television and broadcast on CBS from September 7 to December 21, 1974, though, it would air in reruns until March 8, 1975.[1] The band performed one of their pop hits in each episode.[2]

Production

While in pre-production, Hanna-Barbera originally proposed an updated version of The Jetsons, in which Elroy would be a teenager and Judy would have a steady job as an ace reporter. CBS, under the leadership of Fred Silverman, discarded the idea and decided to make an animated version of The Partridge Family instead.[3] The Partridge Family had already been recurring characters on a previous Hanna-Barbera production, Goober and the Ghost Chasers.[4]

In this new iteration of the series, The Partridge Family is—without any explanation—living in a Jetsons-like futuristic environment in 2200 A.D. The family's "galaxy-famous" musical act is notably more successful than in the live-action show, and they appear to manage themselves: the character of Ruben Kincaid is not a regular. Danny has a robotic dog named Orbit, and Keith and Laurie have two good friends that travel with the family (though they are not part of the musical act): Marion, a two-toned green and blue Martian who can fly, and Veenie, a purple-haired Venusian with a distinct buzzing vocal tic.

Danny Bonaduce, Suzanne Crough, and Brian Forster voiced their respective characters from the live action series.[5] Susan Dey provided Laurie's voice for only two episodes before she was replaced by former Mouseketeer Sherry Alberoni, who had voiced Alexandra for Hanna-Barbera's Josie and the Pussycats. Chuck McLenan served as both the speaking and singing voice of Keith Partridge instead of David Cassidy; Joan Gerber voiced Shirley Partridge in place of Shirley Jones, while John Stephenson took over the role of Reuben Kincaid from Dave Madden in the few episodes in which he appears.

Micky Dolenz, a member of a previous made-for-television band The Monkees, had various recurring roles in the series, one of his first voice-over roles.

Sixteen half-hour episodes were produced for Partridge Family 2200 A.D., which lasted half a season on CBS Saturday morning (September 7, 1974 – March 8, 1975). In 1977–78, it was retitled The Partridge Family in Outer Space when episodes were serialized on the syndicated weekday series Fred Flintstone and Friends.[6] Like many animated series created by Hanna-Barbera in the 1970s, the series contained a laugh track created by the studio.

Due to its ties to The Partridge Family, Partridge Family 2200 A.D. is one of only two Hanna-Barbera produced series since H-B's 1967 sale to Taft Broadcasting that are owned outright by Sony Pictures Television (whose predecessor, Screen Gems, produced the live-action series); Jeannie (an animated spin-off of I Dream of Jeannie) is the other (the copyrights to both animated series are currently held by CPT Holdings).

Cast

Chuck McLenan also was the singing voice for musical numbers.

Episodes

No.TitleOriginal air dateProd.
code
1"Danny, the Invisible Man"September 7, 1974 (1974-09-07)77-2
2"If This Is Texas — It Must Be Doomsday"September 14, 1974 (1974-09-14)77-4
3"The Incredible Shrinking Keith"September 21, 1974 (1974-09-21)77-3
4"Cousin Sunspot"September 28, 1974 (1974-09-28)77-5
5"The Wax Museum"October 5, 1974 (1974-10-05)77-7
6"The Dog Catcher"October 12, 1974 (1974-10-12)77-6
7"Cupcake Caper"October 19, 1974 (1974-10-19)77-11
8"Laurie's Computer Date"October 26, 1974 (1974-10-26)77-8
9"Movie Madness"November 2, 1974 (1974-11-02)77-9
10"The Pink Letter"November 9, 1974 (1974-11-09)77-10
11"Orbit the Genius"November 16, 1974 (1974-11-16)77-12
12"The Switch"November 23, 1974 (1974-11-23)77-13
13"My Son, the Spaceball Star"November 30, 1974 (1974-11-30)77-1
14"Car Trouble"December 7, 1974 (1974-12-07)77-14
15"The Roobits"December 14, 1974 (1974-12-14)77-15
16"Let's All Stick Together"December 21, 1974 (1974-12-21)77-16

Home media

In October 2005, two restored episodes of Partridge Family 2200 A.D., "My Son, The Spaceball Star" and "Car Trouble", were included as bonuses on The Partridge Family: The Complete First Season DVD set.

See also

References

  1. ^ Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 444–445. ISBN 978-1538103739.
  2. ^ Woolery, George W. (1983). Children's Television: The First Thirty-Five Years, 1946-1981, Part 1: Animated Cartoon Series. Scarecrow Press. pp. 211–212. ISBN 0-8108-1557-5. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  3. ^ Cronin, Brian (August 12, 2018). "TV Legends: The Bizarre Origin Behind Partridge Family 2200 A.D." Comic Book Resources. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  4. ^ Tramel, Jimmie (April 23, 2019). "Scooby-Doo is 50 and this is why your puppy love springs eternal". Tulsa World. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  5. ^ "'Partridge Family' star Suzanne Crough dead at 52". WINA. April 29, 2015. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  6. ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 603–604. ISBN 978-1476665993.