Tom Terrific

UTILIZING LIVING BLACK & White, limited TV style of animation and stick man-like transparent drawings, the Terrytoons production of the TOM TERRIFIC Series nonetheless scored high marks in its heyday (circa 1957). The series provided just the right sort of comedy mix with some parody of standard action characters and their adventures.

TO BEGIN WITH, we have small, young Tom (himself). Being a sort of caricature of the young kids that were the main juvenile target group, instant identification with the hero/main character was a lock. Small in stature, curly topped and crowned with his "Thinking Cap" (an inverted funnel), young and highly loquacious, Tom always thought problems out loud. He also tipped us to the coming action; even before it transpired.

THIS NOT ONLY kept us abreast of the battle plan, but also eliminated any need for a narrator. That, no doubt, was beneficial for the eternal bottom line.

WHENEVER TOM WOUILD transform himself, he would always be recognizable for his face, curly top and funnel were always still visible.

THE THREE MAIN characters that we recall are Tom Terrific (himself), his faithful helper-"Mighty Manfred The Wonder Dog" and the villainous antagonist, grouchy old Crabby Appleton. it is interesting to note that in this on going mock struggle of Good vs. Evil, it is youthful kid, Tom, with his allied faithful dog, Mighty Manfred the Wonder Dog, pitting their best efforts against the bad-guy Adult, Crabby Appleton.

SOMEHOW, WE DON'T think that this arrangement of combatants was haphazard or accidental in conception.

IN ADDITION TO being able to trace its roots to all o f the cartoon characters and series that preceded it, the TOM TERRIFIC Cartoons had another ancestor on its family tree. Owing to its having Tom a sort of prodigious exponent of brain power over brawn. Added to that, he could transform his appearance into just about anything at will.

THIS PREMISE AND practical function would seem to place him in the very same class of characters as the Comic Book Super Heroes. In TOM's case, he would appear to be related to Quality Comics' PLASTIC MAN of the 1940's 7 '50s and to DC Comics METAMORPHO of the 1960's-. Both of these features were done in a light, humorous manner and were essentially themselves lampoons of the Super Hero genre.

AND THIS PARTICULAR assertion does not only refer to the powers of transformation; but also to all three series use of the comic situations and to the fine art of parody.

......Captain Kangaroo memories, 30 years ago at least. There was Tom, his dog, the baddie, simple as all get-out line drawings and animation, etc. It doesn't surprise me that Gene Deitch is the guy who did them, his Tom and Jerry's are kinda similar.

Saw Lionel Wilson just died too. Well.

*** for the memories.

Tom Terrific was created by Gene Deitch, an American illustrator, animator, and comics artist. In 1955, Deitch created and drew a comic strip called "The Real-Great Adventures of Terr'ble Thompson," the main character being a brave little boy who has many imaginative adventures. Beginning in 1957, working for Terrytoons (owned by CBS), the animated series "Tom Terrific" was broadcast on the Captain Kangaroo Show (also owned by CBS). The cartoons were divided into twenty-six stories, each one condensed into five episodes, with one five-minute episode broadcast per day. Though it only ran for 2 seasons, it was immensely popular with children, and Captain Kangaroo continued to rerun the episodes for many years.

CBS had provided Deitch a very small budget which didn't allow for much graphic innovation. But what the almost rudimentary drawings lacked, the inventive stories shined. Drawn in a very plain black-and white style reminiscent of children's drawings, it is simple yet charming. Tom lives in a treehouse and can transform himself into anything he wants using his magical funnel-shaped "thinking cap." Tom also has a comical lazy sidekick, Mighty Manfred the Wonder Dog. Together they face arch-foes like Crabby Appleton, Mr. Instant, Captain Kidney Bean, Sweet Tooth Sam the Candy Bandit, and Isotope Feeney the Meany.

I remember Captain Kangaroo and the Tom Terrific cast of characters: There was, of course, Tom and his "thinking cap" (with a wild series of sound effects when Tom was thinking) as well as "Mighty Manfred--The Wonder Dog" (Tom's ever-faithful companion) who spent most of his time eating and sleeping. The villains of the series were various--but the one I remember was Crabby Appleton (who was "rotten to the core"). The theme song lyrics included: "I'm Tom Terrific--the greatest hero ever. Terrific is the name for me 'cause I'm so clever"..."When there is trouble--I'm there on the double. T-E-R-R-if-ic! My name's Tom Terrific". Gee........now I feel REALLY old!