Saturday Morning Dukes Cartoon

[RogerDuke]

38 minutes ago, Hobie Harkins said:

 

They should've made them more like the real episodes and had most of them in  Hazzard!  

I wonder if they were trying to expand their audience on a global scale since it was already popular in America. It might have been a financial decision, considering the money they made in merchandise......I'm just speculating. 

[Hobie Hartkins]

29 minutes ago, RogerDuke said:

I wonder if they were trying to expand their audience on a global scale since it was already popular in America. It might have been a financial decision, considering the money they made in merchandise......I'm just speculating. 

Well, may be...but they still should've stayed with the original formula and stayed in Hazzard! 

[RogerDuke]

2 hours ago, Hobie Harkins said:

Well, may be...but they still should've stayed with the original formula and stayed in Hazzard! 

I agree. Uncle Jesse is at the beginning and end of every episode and seeing him and the farm is always my favorite part of the cartoon. I always try to look at the bright side. International fans like Hoss probably like it, especially since Hazzard County in northern Georgia is so far from them. I mean, Hoss lived in England and now Ireland and he has 3 episodes for him 1) The Dukes of London 2) Boss O'Hogg and the Little People (Ireland) 3) A Dickens of a Christmas (I'll check tomorrow but I'm pretty sure that's in England.) It sure would have been nice if they would have done a Dukes in Erie though. They could have made it a Halloween episode and called it Eerie Dukes. 

[RogerDuke]

A Dickens of a Christmas 

Boss and Rosco are spending Christmas Eve at the Ye Olde Pigge Inn in some town in England (they never give the town name). Boss was planning on violating race rules and leave on Christmas morning to get an illegal head start on the Dukes. He fell asleep on a chair by the fireplace and was awoken by a visitor. It was Big Jake Marley, the first Boss of Hazzard County, the man who taught Boss everything he knows. Jake was in chains and warned Boss about the evils of greed and told him he would be visited by three ghosts. Boss went into the bedroom and encountered a man dressed like a farmer who was the ghost of Christmas past. He took him to his childhood where Boss saw his mother give him his first piggy bank. He then saw a scene of him losing his fiancee, Elsie McCoy because he loved money more. She ended up marrying Jesse Duke instead.  A cowboy then came in. He was the ghost of Christmas present and showed him how poor Rosco and Flash were. He then showed the Dukes preparing a big Christmas basket for Boss despite how mean he was. Rosco and Flash came in and they all had fun together. Boss went back to bed and the ghost of Christmas future came in, a traditional looking white sheeted character who had long boney fingers. He showed Jesse plowing the back 40 with Maudeen but he was working for Boss now because he finally foreclosed on the Dukes. He then took Boss to the Boar's Nest where the other Dukes were working, including Luke who was driving the General Lee that was converted into a vehicle to haul garbage. Then the ghost showed him his gravestone and when he said he was "unloved and unremembered" Boss finally saw the light. On Christmas morning Boss and Rosco came into the Dukes room with gifts and a big meal. 

[RogerDuke]

The Canadien Caper 

The big race is now near Quebec Canada where it is a winter wonderland. The General Lee went off the road when avoiding hitting a girl named Suzette and her wolf-husky named Nikky (a male). Suzette left before even talking to the Dukes and went into the St. Blanc Wildlife Refuge. Meanwhile, Boss made a deal with Pierre and Louie Bouchard to buy a bunch of furs that they had illegally trapped. Suzette and Nikky were going through the wilderness letting as many wild animals out of the box traps as they could find. Later, back in town, the Dukes meet Suzette, Nikky and Suzette's father, who was the mechanic fixing the General's broken axle. Suzette then left to free more animals and the Dukes left on skis to find her because her father knew she was in danger. She found a barn with furs in it and witnessed Boss negotiating a deal to buy them. Boss went to town to get the money and Suzette and Nikky got caught and locked up. Nikky got out and found the Dukes and led them to Suzette. Boss and Rosco came back and stole the furs and then the Dukes got there and rescued Suzette. Suzette's father showed up with the repaired General Lee. The Bouchards got on snowmobiles and caught Boss and put him, Rosco and Flaah in cages and took the furs and Boss's car and they were later freed by the Dukes. The Dukes and the General Lee caught the poachers and called the Royal Mounties. 

Edited December 3, 2020 by RogerDuke

[RogerDuke]

The Dukes in Hollywood 

A movie is being filmed in the desert of southern California and the Dukes get involved. The producer, Freddy Flenders, offered the Dukes $50,000 to be in the movie but he has conspired with Murray, the director, to steal the entire payroll. Flenders wants to scam Boss too so he offers to make him executive producer if he invests money and Boss falls for it. The star of the movie is a boy named Roddy who is putting the money he makes from acting into his college fund. The General makes a rocket assisted jump over a canyon and the filming was complete. All the actors and crew gathered to get paid but Flenders had left with all the money, even double crossing Murray. Since Boss was executive producer they demanded money from him. The local sheriff went to arrest Boss but the Dukes convinced him they could catch Flenders so they all went after him. After a long search at Mammoth Studies a chase began and they finally caught him at a Handprints of the Stars ceremony. 

-- The opening scene was much like the real Hollywood episode with the Dukes stopping a runaway vehicle.

-- Freddy Flenders? Sounds a big like Freddy Fender who got caught in Rosco's celebrity speed trap 

-- The canyon jump was very similar to Evel Kneivel's Snake River Canyon jump, complete with rocket. 

-- A wax museum in this episode featured the King, Clark Gable. That was a thrill to me since I'm related to him and his mother is buried close to me. 

-- Phil Hartman was the voice of Freddy Flenders. There's no mistaking that distinctive voice. 

Edited December 3, 2020 by RogerDuke

[RogerDuke]

A Hogg in Foggy Bog 

While the race was going on in the Phillipines, Jesse was back at the farm and found an old treasure map that once belonged to his great Unlcle Cyrus, who was the only outlaw Duke ever mentioned in either series. During the Civil War Cyrus stole 20 million dollars from an army payroll train and traveled to the Phillipines to bury it. Jesse got a ride to the Phillipines from his cousin Billy in an Air Force cargo plane. Billy did it because he appreciated the fact that Jesse was a war hero. Smokey the raccoon stowed away in the plane and joined in on the adventure. The other Dukes were sure surprised when their uncle popped up from nowhere in a remote rain forest village. The mayor helped the Dukes by helping them figure out the map and giving them a boat, but no villagers would go as guides because they were afraid of the bigfoot-like swamp monster. Boss and Rosco heard the conversation and followed them in a boat of their own and were frightened by the monster first. The Dukes then saw the beast but it took it's mask off and the man in the suit introduced himself as Dr. Richards, a biologist studying the rain forest, but he was really looking for the treasure. Boss stole the map but Jesse had it memorized anyways. Rosco and Flash dug up the treasure but Richards stole it. Boss and the Dukes got it back but it was worthless Confederate money.

-- What a great plot for the last episode! Plus, I loved that Jesse got in on an adventure. 

-- In reality, a Confederate dollar is worth way more than a real dollar because of it's collectors value....a fact also missed on The Treasure of Soggy Marsh. 

Edited December 3, 2020 by RogerDuke

[HossC]

Thanks for reviewing all of these cartoons, Roger. I've been having a quick look through them for the first time in years since you started this thread, but I'll have to sit down and watch them in full at some point.

I do feel that the cartoon was a slightly missed opportunity. It would have been good if the episodes linked together in an actual round-the-world order, and the storylines could've included a little more about the countries they visited rather than relying on national stereotypes. There's no reason that the story couldn't still be fun with a few facts scattered through the episode. It might have avoided situations like this:
 

 

[Spike]

Just when you think they'd take a left turn back to Hazzard they take a crazy right to the Philippines .

[RogerDuke]

Hobie, Hoss and Spike are all correct. They could have done so much more with the cartoon series. I guess we should look at the bright side of it. At least they did 20 episodes. That's better than none. Back then, you knew a television show was in the big time whenever they made it into a cartoon. I had fun watching them again and I'm sorry my reviews are all over.......they will be a nice thing to have around here if anybody needed to look something up. 

[Hobie Hartkins]

23 hours ago, HossC said:

Thanks for reviewing all of these cartoons, Roger. I've been having a quick look through them for the first time in years since you started this thread, but I'll have to sit down and watch them in full at some point.

I do feel that the cartoon was a slightly missed opportunity. It would have been good if the episodes linked together in an actual round-the-world order, and the storylines could've included a little more about the countries they visited rather than relying on national stereotypes. There's no reason that the story couldn't still be fun with a few facts scattered through the episode. It might have avoided situations like this:
 

 

This video is one of the reasons I dropped out of Mensa...I'm back now  though but good grief! Look at who those of us in the group are compared to! Being in the top 2...ain't no big deal anymore!

[Skipper Duke]

On 12/3/2020 at 1:22 PM, RogerDuke said:

The Dukes in Hollywood 

A movie is being filmed in the desert of southern California and the Dukes get involved. The producer, Freddy Flenders, offered the Dukes $50,000 to be in the movie but he has conspired with Murray, the director, to steal the entire payroll. Flenders wants to scam Boss too so he offers to make him executive producer if he invests money and Boss falls for it. The star of the movie is a boy named Roddy who is putting the money he makes from acting into his college fund. The General makes a rocket assisted jump over a canyon and the filming was complete. All the actors and crew gathered to get paid but Flenders had left with all the money, even double crossing Murray. Since Boss was executive producer they demanded money from him. The local sheriff went to arrest Boss but the Dukes convinced him they could catch Flenders so they all went after him. After a long search at Mammoth Studies a chase began and they finally caught him at a Handprints of the Stars ceremony. 

-- The opening scene was much like the real Hollywood episode with the Dukes stopping a runaway vehicle.

-- Freddy Flenders? Sounds a big like Freddy Fender who got caught in Rosco's celebrity speed trap 

-- The canyon jump was very similar to Evel Kneivel's Snake River Canyon jump, complete with rocket. 

-- A wax museum in this episode featured the King, Clark Gable. That was a thrill to me since I'm related to him and his mother is buried close to me. 

-- Phil Hartman was the voice of Freddy Flenders. There's no mistaking that distinctive voice. 

Cousin Roger... Didn't he play in the Christmas movie Jingle All the Way with Arnold Schwarzenegger?

[RogerDuke]

8 hours ago, Skipper Duke said:

Cousin Roger... Didn't he play in the Christmas movie Jingle All the Way with Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Good question. I didn't see that movie. I've seen all Arnold's tough guy movies though.....well, the older ones at least. 

[HossC]

11 hours ago, Skipper Duke said:

Cousin Roger... Didn't he play in the Christmas movie Jingle All the Way with Arnold Schwarzenegger?

I haven't seen the movie, but IMDb says that Phil Hartman played Ted Maltin in 'Jingle All the Way'.

What a coincidence that this thread is discussing one of Arnie's co-stars when the episode review thread is discussing Kevin Peter Hall being in 'Predator'.

[Skipper Duke]

1 minute ago, HossC said:

I haven't seen the movie, but IMDb says that Phil Hartman played Ted Maltin in 'Jingle All the Way'.

What a coincidence that this thread is discussing one of Arnie's co-stars when the episode review thread is discussing Kevin Peter Hall being in 'Predator'.

Wow very cool Cousin HossC!