The Magilla Gorilla Show

I remember the Magilla Gorilla Show growing up in New Jersey. It had an interesting history, starting out in syndication, then moving over to ABC's Saturday morning lineup and back in syndicated reruns.

The theme song was memorable. If you listen closely, the line "he's really ideal" is a reference to the show's original sponsor Ideal Toys. To me, that is one of the first examples of product placement in a TV show.

Poor Mr. Peebles. He desperately tries to sell Magilla but the customer usually returns him, putting a drain on his business. But wait, there's a little girl named Ogee, who sounds a lot like Pebbles from The Flintstones since it's the same voice, Jean VanderPyl. She really wants to have Magilla for a pet but her parents won't let her.

Also featured on the show were Ricochet Rabbit and Droop-a-Long, set in the Old West. It's best known for the catchphrase "Sheriff BING BING BING! Ricochet Rabbit" Also there was Mushmouse and Punkin' Puss which I vaguely remember since I primarily watched the title character's cartoons.

Even though Magilla Gorilla hasn't been on the air in years, it's one of Hanna Barbera's memorable shows of the mid 1960s. I'll close this review with Magilla's familiar phrase after a customer returns him "We'll try again next week."

It's curious how you can remember a show "better" than what it really was. That's my feeling for Magilla Gorilla. In almost every episode, Magilla makes this annoying "hew, hew" sound. I don't know why anyone thought this was funny, but it's something that I could have done without. Some of the episodes are better than others. I was also disappointed that "Ogee" made so few appearances in the series. This is another aspect of the show that I thought I remembered differently. Jean Vander Pyl was better as Ogee than Allan Melvin was as Magilla. In fact, Ogee looked like an older version of Pebbles Flintstone. It would have also been nice if the other two cartoons hadn't always been the same for every episode. Ricochet Rabbit was pretty good, but Pumpkin Puss got old very fast. These were Hanna-Barbera cartoons. Virtually all of the voice actors here also appeared on the Flintstones, a much better show.

I sure would love to see pumpkin puss n mushmouse cartoons with magilla Wally gator ricochet rabbit Peter potamus on tv

The opening scene of each Magilla Gorilla cartoon will bring back great memories to any cartoon fan without the Boomerang Network. Mr. Peebles is sure to bring a smile to your face as he stands around, plotting, hoping, and looking for ways to get rid of a gorilla (Magilla) when no one buys them anymore. Magilla is the only gorilla in the pet store. Of course, with a gorilla like Magilla, you only need one. This late 60's cartoon is out for the first time on DVD, to entertain both old and new fans as well as delight a whole new generation of children.

Hanna-Barbera was the animation powerhouse that created such greats as The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Scooby Doo, and of course, Magilla Gorilla. This is one of those shows that you cannot really forget once you've seen it. There is something about an overbearing, clumsy gorilla that is constantly mistaken for a man that makes you chuckle. Mr. Peebles is always hopeful when Magilla leaves, but let's face it, there would not have been much of a show had he found a home.

Like The Simpsons, though long before them, Magilla began his television career during primetime. Two years later the show was syndicated and appeared on network television.

Jam packed into four DVD's is 23 episodes and plenty of special features. Among the special features are the Live and Unplugged version of the Magilla Gorilla theme song, an interactive look at the Peebles Pet Shop and an interview with Allan Melvin, the voice of Magilla. There are also eight bonus cartoons included in the set.

Some personal favorites that made these DVD's worth the watch include classic episodes like Private Magilla, where Magilla is drafted into the military and Big Game, where Magilla is adopted and hunted by the same person! Of course, as you would expect he comes out okay and ends up with his very own Butler in the process. The great thing about Magilla Gorilla is the package deal quality of it all. The Complete Series carries the MG name, but includes two other cartoons for every episode Punkin' Puss and Mushmouse, the country bumpkin version of Tom and Jerry and Ricochet Rabbit.

Parents will be sure to recognize some subtle things they never caught as kids. You will hear the voice of Scooby Doo in Ricochet Rabbit and Droop-a-long should remind you somewhat of Bugs Bunny and the Mel Blanc franchise. You might even pick up on the interesting way that all the characters seem to hold small resemblances to other characters played in The Flintstones and The Jetsons.

The only negative thing I can say about Magilla Gorilla: The Complete Series is that a few of the cartoons did not hold up as well in the DVD conversion process than others. However, I have to say the overall quality is excellent. If you're a cartoon lover and you're looking for some quality cartoons for your kids, give Magilla a try. After all, it's time someone took him home and kept him for a change.

Originally Published on Thursday, August 24, 2006 Copyright 2006: Ashtyn Evans and Literary Illusions

Standard 60's fare from H/B. Obnoxious but good hearted gorilla is always trying to find someone to buy him so he can escape the clutches of Mr. Peebles and his pet shop. I never could figure out why he wanted to leave, though...he was paired with Ricochet Rabbit, a sheriff in the old west who ran so fast he bounced off of stuff, mostly cacti. Ouch. Voices were done by the usual H/B gang, Mel Blanc, Don Messick, etc. Allan Melvin, the voice of Magilla, was also the voice of Drooper from the Bannana Splits. Howard Morris, the voice of Mr. Peebles, also did Atom Ant as well as the Gopher from the Winnie the Pooh series. Jean Vander Pyl (Wilma from the Flintstones) also did some voices...