The Super 6

"The Super Six" was in fact DePatie-Freleng's first ever TV cartoon venture series for Saturday Morning. This was however,a half-hour show that featured a bunch of futuristic oddball characters working for Super Services,Incorporated., a "hero for hire" operation. The "Super Services" segments,which were eight minutes in length,featured Elevator Man(Paul Stewart),Super Scuba(Arte Johnson),Magnet Man(Daws Butler), Granite Man(Lyn Johnson),and Captain Zammo(Paul Frees),not to mention Super Bwoing(Charles Smith). However,Super Bwoing was an inept singing cowboy type that was reminiscent of Hanna-Barbera's "El Kabong"(based on the character of Hanna-Barbera's Quick Draw McGraw),while the second part of the series was the ethnically jumbled "Brothers Matzoriley"(which basically these characters were also featured in the first-ever theatrical short "The Inspector",based on the Pink Panther movies starring Inspector Clouseau,that was also produced by DePatie-Freleng).

The Brothers Matzoriley was voiced by Paul Frees and Daws Butler,along with the talents of June Foray,Pat Carroll,Joan Gerber,and Diana Maddox. The theme song to the "Super Six" was done by the great Gary Lewis along with his Playboy band. Think about it,the year 1966 was also the explosion of the Superhero cartoons that were all over the place. Since this series produced 21 episodes was pleasant entertainment put together by seasoned cartoon pros(the same animators who were behind the theatrical Pink Panther shorts,were also behind this series),since the original episodes ran only during the first season for NBC during the 1966-1967 season. Seasons 2 and 3 were repeated episodes(1967-1968 and 1968-1969). The series ran from September 10,1966 until September 6,1969. Produced by DePatie-Freleng Productions in association with Mirisch/Rich Productions-United Artists Television.

Gotta bring these Super 6 guys out of the vaults and into syndication, folks! Tell me how to do it, and I'll see if I can pitch in some $$$$ to help you out (I'm not made of money, mind you, but we gotta get Super 6 back into circulation!!!). This was one of the first great-fun and more sophisticated humorous animated vehicles of my early years, much in the genre of Warner Brothers' sophistication and not the mamsy-pamsy (sp.) cartoon-glut of the unfunny, action-off-camera Hanna Barbera pabulum. I loved Captain Zammo's sarcasm, and Super Scuba + Elevator Man's debonair personas. I don't recall the Brothers Matzoriley, but they can stay in the vault for all I care. Much too derogatory toward ethnicities, in my estimation. But the Super 6 themselves??? The total ultimate!!!

This stuff seems corny now.

But in 1966 it was a kick start to the TV animation era. It wasn't the first mind you, but it was made specifically for this medium.

I wasn't alive yet when this bugger had it's say. I wish I was though. I've seen it on local TV during those "We don't know what else to fill this time block with" moments in the late 70's.

As a superhero show, it did the job. Villains attempt a dirty scheme, the gang thwarts. And the heroes (Elevator Man?) were at least trying to be original.

I agree. A DVD release is needed, NAY, demanded.

Love this cartoon series! Super Scuba, Granite Man, Elevator Man, Magneto Man, Super Boing and a Captain whose name I forget, with weird building design for a headquarters. It's stupid, yeah, but so what! It made a fan of the Freleng style of animation.

I remember this cartoon series very well. It even had a catchy theme song.

I was wondering if any remembers another cartoon. I don't remember the name of it. I think it was part of another series that showed different cartoons shorts.It was in Black & White. It was a Japanese cartoon that featured two Japanese brothers. One of the two would never speak aloud, he would always whisper to the other. And wore big thick eyeglasses. And when he was done whispering to his brother an off-camera voice would ask "What he say?" The the other brother would answer "He say............." And they would end the show the same way. The shyer of the brothers would whisper to his brother. Then the off-camera voice would ask "What he say?"And the other brother something like "That's all the time we have for today. So until next time kids Sayonara" Does anyone out there remember this cartoon at all?