The popularity of TV's Wonder Woman and The Six Million Dollar Man spurred network interest in reviving the Super Friends program, which had run in the 1973/1974 season.[2] When it was again unveiled in 1977, more young children and teenagers than before tuned in, making The All-New Super Friends Hour a huge ratings success. The success prompted the ABC television network to plan a new and even more innovative series for the fall of 1978.
Characters
In this particular incarnation of the Super Friends, the DC Comic book characters Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman and Aquaman return to fight for justice. However, this time, they get help from the shape-shifting super-teens The Wonder Twins, along with their space-monkey Gleek.
Format
The All-New Super Friends Hour featured 15 episodes of 60 minutes each, which followed a basic format each week. The first segment of every show featured two of the heroes (for the purposes of the team-ups in the first and fourth segments, Batman and Robin were considered one hero) teaming up in a separate mini story. The second segment featured a story with the Wonder Twins. The typical plot is that teenagers engage in a specific discouraged activity like vandalism or hitchhiking, and the Twins are summoned to deal with it. Inevitably, the misbehaving teenagers find themselves in danger as a consequence of their misbehavior and the Twins rescue them.
The third segment was considered the "primary" adventure of the week which featured the entire Super Friends roster (including the Wonder Twins) in a longer adventure. The fourth and final segment featured a story with one of the primary lineup along with a special guest star. The fourth segment typically featured a problem which was solved using the guest star's unique abilities. In addition, there were additional short spots between segments with members of the Super Friends giving basic safety lessons, basic health and first aid advice, magic tricks, craft projects, and a two-part riddle featuring the week's primary plot line.
Syndication/cable
The 15 hour-long shows were later cut into half-hour installments for local syndication in the early 1980s. Episodes from the 1977 series were included in The Superman/Batman Adventures, which aired on the USA Network in 1996 and later on the Cartoon Network and Boomerang, which would air the original hour-long shows from 1977 in their entirety (save for the next week's previews) in July 2004 and again in June 2008.
Black Manta appeared on the episodes "The Whirlpool" and "The Water Beast", where he was referred to simply as "Manta" and his suit color was now olive brown.
Gentleman Ghost appears in the episode titled "Ghost". In this show, he is referred to only as "Gentleman Jim Craddock" instead of "Gentleman Ghost". A man casts a spell to bring Gentleman Ghost to the living so that he can take revenge on Superman and Wonder Woman for imprisoning his spirit. He uses his powers to turn U.N. representatives into ghosts and later turns Superman and Wonder Woman into ghosts. The curse is eventually broken, after which the Super Friends used the mystical Rods of Merlin to send Gentleman Ghost back to his grave, never to return.
Cast
Norman Alden - Aquaman, Caller, Professor Rogers (in "Will the World Collide?"), Gruth (in "The Ghost")
Jack Angel - Hawkman, Samurai, Dr. Lau (in "Time Rescue"), Professor Price (in "Forbidden Power")
Michael Bell - Zan, Gleek, Mechanic (in "The Brain Machine"), Jeff (in "Joy Ride"), Kalmo (in "The Mysterious Time Creatures"), Sully (in "Runaways"), Gary
Wally Burr - Atom, The Enforcer (in "The Enforcer"), Peterson (in "The Invisible Menace"), Dr. Pisces (in "Attack of the Giant Squid"), Newton's son (in "The Collector"), Zeno Leader (in "Exploration Earth"), Lionex (in "The Lion Men"), Bus Depot Master (in "Runaways")
Ted Cassidy - Crag the Earthor (in "Invasion of the Earthors")
Henry Corden - Vika (in "Tibetan Raiders"), Rudolph Korloff (in "The Mummy of Nazca")
Regis Cordic - Manta, Apache Chief (first appearance), Nemus (in "The Invisible Menace"), Professor Martinez (in "The Water Beast"), Jules (in "The Marsh Monster")
Shannon Farnon - Wonder Woman, Rima, Hawkgirl, Drowning Boy, Susan (in "Tiger on the Loose"), Newton's daughter (in "The Collector"), Medula (in "The Mind Maidens"), Dr. Taylor (in "The Fifty Foot Woman")
Casey Kasem - Robin, Police Officer (in "The Brain Machine"), Tour Guide (in "Invasion of the Earthors"), Mr. Brown, Guest, Justice League Computer, Secret Four Member #3 (in "The Secret Four"), Dictor (in "The Mysterious Time Creatures"), Insecta (in "Coming of the Antropods"), Brunette Scientist (in "The Marsh Monster"), Mr. Thompson (in "Doctor Fright"), Professor Larvey (in "Will the World Collide?)
Joyce Mancini - Mary Nelson (in "Tiny World of Terror")
Ross Martin - Secret Four Member #1 (in "The Secret Four"), Professor Strickland (in "Tiny World of Terror")
Chuck McClennan - Earthor #1 (in "Invasion of the Earthors")
Alan Oppenheimer - Dr. Cranum (in "The Brain Machine"), (in "The Secret Four"), Hydronoid #2 (in "Invasion of the Hydronoids"), Doctor Fright (in "Doctor Fright"), Wolfman (in "The Man Beasts of Xra"), The Marsh Monster (in "The Marsh Monster"), Captain Shark (in "The Protector"), Gentleman Ghost (in "The Ghost"), Scientist (in "The Ghost")
Olan Soule - Batman, Police Officer (in "The Brain Machine"), Secret Four Member #4 (in "The Secret Four") Professor Wong (in "Tiny World of Terror"), Professor Fearo (in "Will the World Collide?")
John Stephenson - Hydronoid Captain (in "Invasion of the Hydronoids"), Police Officer (in "Doctor Fright"), Dr. Droid (in "The Monster of Dr. Droid"), Pantherman (in "The Man Beasts of Xra"), Sculpin (in "Frozen Peril"), Freighter Captain (in "Frozen Peril")
Jean Vander Pyl - Dr. Xra (in "The Man Beasts of Xra"), Magda Duval (in "The Marsh Monster")
Bill Woodson - Narrator, Captain Croner (in "The Whirlpool"), Dr. Scat (in "The Brain Machine"), Police Chief (in "The Brain Machine"), Earthor #2 (in "Invasion of the Earthors"), Secret Four Member #2 (in "The Secret Four"), Professor (in "Doctor Fright"), Boris (in "The Monster of Dr. Droid"), Professor Fairweather (in "The Invisible Menace"), Newton Domehead (in "The Collector"), Professor Dalton (in "Alaska Peril"), Professor Zarkoff (in "Forbidden Power"), Mutant (in "Forbidden Power"), Dr. Markham (in "The Man Beasts of Xra"), Jay's Pop (in "Runaways"), Cleazor (in "Will the World Collide?"), Professor Comstock (in "Time Rescue")
Wonder Woman, Batman and Robin meet up with a misguided genius, Dr. Cranum, and his Brain Machine.
Cameos: Superman and Aquaman
17b
1b
"The Joy Ride"
September 10, 1977 (1977-09-10)
The Wonder Twins and space monkey Gleek have to teach some youngsters a lesson about the dangers of joyriding in an airplane.
17c
1c
"Invasion of the Earthors"
September 10, 1977 (1977-09-10)
The Super Friends match wits and skills in an underground adventure against the mysterious mining monsters known as the Earthors.
17d
1d
"The Whirlpool"
September 10, 1977 (1977-09-10)
Aquaman and special guest Black Vulcan find themselves facing the force of a shipwrecking
whirlpool.
Cameos: Batman, Robin, and Wonder Woman
Absent: Superman
Note: This is the first time that Superman did not appear.
18a
2a
"The Secret Four"
September 17, 1977 (1977-09-17)
Superman, Batman and Robin are outnumbered but not outsmarted when they change the plans of the mysterious Secret Four.
Cameos: Wonder Woman and Aquaman
18b
2b
"Tiger on the Loose"
September 17, 1977 (1977-09-17)
The outer-space Wonder Twins and Gleek point out the error of jumping to conclusions as they tackle an escaped tiger and try to end the confusion on how the tiger got out in the first place.
18c
2c
"The Mysterious Time Creatures"
September 17, 1977 (1977-09-17)
The Super Friends defeat Dictor, who uses an aging/reverse aging technology as a weapon to depose the peaceful elected president of their planet with his totalitarian rule of fear and keep him from conquering the universe.
18d
2d
"The Antidote"
September 17, 1977 (1977-09-17)
An earthquake occurs in India, where the tremors force many cobras out into the open where they bite villagers, exhausting India's antivenom supply. The Red Cross appeals to the Super Friends for help, who deploy Wonder Woman and Apache Chief to India. The pair learn a gigantic cobra called Kataru lives in a jungle temple, whom they must milk for its venom in order to make antivenom, or else hundreds of people will soon die of envenomation.
Cameos: Superman, Batman, Robin, and Aquaman
19a
3a
"Invasion of the Hydronoids"
September 24, 1977 (1977-09-24)
Aquaman, Batman and Robin meet the menacing Hydronoids in a struggle to save the world from their evil invasion.
Cameos: Superman and Wonder Woman
19b
3b
"Hitchhike"
September 24, 1977 (1977-09-24)
The Wonder Twins and space monkey Gleek have a serious problem on their hands when they use their Exxor powers to detour the dangers of hitchhiking when a girl doing so is kidnapped.
19c
3c
"City in a Bottle"
September 24, 1977 (1977-09-24)
The Super Friends travel to a far-off frozen planet to rescue an entire Earth city stolen by the marauding Mongor.
19d
3d
"Space Emergency"
September 24, 1977 (1977-09-24)
Wonder Woman with special guests Hawkman and Hawkgirl use their special skills in a space emergency.
Cameos: Superman, Batman, Robin, and Aquaman
20a
4a
"Doctor Fright"
October 1, 1977 (1977-10-01)
Superman and Wonder Woman show no fear when they meet up with the terrifying Doctor Fright.
Cameos: Batman, Robin, and Aquaman
20b
4b
"Drag Race"
October 1, 1977 (1977-10-01)
The Wonder Twins, Zan and Jayna, and Gleek have to teach a lesson about the dangers of street drag racing.
20c
4c
"Day of the Plant Creatures"
October 1, 1977 (1977-10-01)
The Super Friends must call on their skills to overcome the perils of monstrous plant creatures.
20d
4d
"Fire"
October 1, 1977 (1977-10-01)
Batman, Robin and special guest Rima battle a raging forest fire and find two escaped juvenile convicts who end up saving a family's lives.
Cameos: Superman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman
21a
5a
"The Monster of Dr. Droid"
October 8, 1977 (1977-10-08)
Superman and Wonder Woman go on an electrifying adventure when they meet the marauding monster of Dr. Droid.
Cameos: Batman, Robin, and Aquaman
21b
5b
"Vandals"
October 8, 1977 (1977-10-08)
The Wonder Twins and Gleek have a few special tricks up their sleeve when a couple of thoughtless students turn into school vandals.
21c
5c
"Super Friends vs. Super Friends"
October 8, 1977 (1977-10-08)
The Super Friends find themselves in critical combat against each other when they become captives of Tyrannic, the ruler of the underseas world of Oceana.
21d
5d
"Energy Mass"
October 8, 1977 (1977-10-08)
Batman and Robin with special guest the Atom are called on to save a speeding passenger train that has been taken over by a critical energy mass.
Cameos: Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and the Wonder Twins
22a
6a
"The Enforcer"
October 15, 1977 (1977-10-15)
Upon encountering a man named Garth-1 on a South Pacific Island, Wonder Woman and Aquaman head to his home Arcava (an underground city within a deserted South Pacific Island) to help free his people from an evil dictator called the Enforcer.
Cameos: Superman, Batman, and Robin
Note: The show's announcer mentioned Wonder Woman and Superman were involved in this episode's crimefighting task. It was actually Aquaman, not Superman, although Superman was seen in the Hall of Justice scenes.
22b
6b
"The Shark"
October 15, 1977 (1977-10-15)
The Wonder Twins, Zan and Jayna, must save two boys that are trapped underwater by a shark.
22c
6c
"Planet of the Neanderthals"
October 15, 1977 (1977-10-15)
An evil scientist known as Varko devolves Earth back to a prehistoric planet and brings Neanderthals under his command to the present, which will remain so unless the Super Friends can stop him and retrieve the machine responsible for this from the prehistoric times it was placed in. With the help of Skylab, they build a time tunnel and bring his device back, restoring the world.
22d
6d
"Flood of Diamonds"
October 15, 1977 (1977-10-15)
Aquaman and Green Lantern head to Africa to save trapped miners in a diamond mine that is slowly flooding.
Cameos: Superman, Batman, Robin, and Wonder Woman
23a
7a
"The Invisible Menace"
October 22, 1977 (1977-10-22)
Superman and Aquaman discover a deep down mystery of sinister submarines and sea life as they battle the Invisible Menace.
Cameos: Batman, Robin, and Wonder Woman
23b
7b
"Initiation"
October 22, 1977 (1977-10-22)
The Wonder Twins and Gleek excel with Exxorian powers when they have to bring a dangerous initiation stunt revolving around a bear's cave to a safe ending.
23c
7c
"Coming of the Arthropods"
October 22, 1977 (1977-10-22)
The Super Friends zoom off in an all out struggle against invading insects from a far off planet, for the entire Earth is threatened by the coming of the Arthropods, led by the evil Insecta.
23d
7d
"River of Doom"
October 22, 1977 (1977-10-22)
Flying over jungle rain forests, Wonder Woman and Rima search for some missing scientists who are about to become victims of the River of Doom.
Cameos: Superman, Batman, Robin, and Aquaman
24a
8a
"Attack of the Giant Squid"
October 29, 1977 (1977-10-29)
Superman and Aquaman find themselves entangled in a deep-sea mystery when they meet the tentacled attack of a giant squid.
Cameos: Batman, Robin, and Wonder Woman
24b
8b
"Game of Chicken"
October 29, 1977 (1977-10-29)
The Wonder Twins and their space monkey Gleek teach some young people the serious dangers of playing the foolish game of "Chicken".
24c
8c
"The Water Beast"
October 29, 1977 (1977-10-29)
It is the Super Friends' problem when trouble surfaces on the high seas. All are in trouble from the menace of the deep, the marauding Manta and his terrifying water beast.
24d
8d
"Volcano"
October 29, 1977 (1977-10-29)
Superman and special guest hero Samurai face the heat of a volcano in making a dangerous rescue of space aliens too paranoid of the natives to request help.
Cameos, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman and Aquaman
25a
9a
"The Collector"
November 5, 1977 (1977-11-05)
Superman and Wonder Woman save priceless treasures and monuments from the greedy grasp of the Collector, who has invented a device that turns objects into photographs and plans to do this to various monuments and artworks to protect the items from decay, destruction and vandalism.
Cameos: Batman, Robin, and Aquaman
25b
9b
"Handicap"
November 5, 1977 (1977-11-05)
The Wonder Twins and Gleek help teach a lesson in courage when they rescue a boy from the wreckage of an overturned van.
25c
9c
"The Mind Maidens"
November 5, 1977 (1977-11-05)
The Super Friends must use all of their superpowers in order to overcome the mental mischief of Medula and her power-hungry plans to eradicate all men so women led by her can rule the world.
25d
9d
"Alaska Peril"
November 5, 1977 (1977-11-05)
Batman and Robin and special guest Apache Chief head toward the Northern Lakes to save an expedition from a giant snow creature.
Cameos: Superman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman
26a
10a
"The Fifty Foot Woman"
November 12, 1977 (1977-11-12)
A woman named Professor Amy Zhan makes a super strength potion, which turns her into a 50-foot woman. Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman must look up to the incredible femme fatale and find a way to bring this 50-foot woman back to normal size. Professor Amy Zahn tries to make Batman 50 feet tall, but is stopped when her assistant sprays her with the antidote.
Absent: Superman and Aquaman
Note: This is the first episode that Aquaman did not appear.
26b
10b
"Cheating"
November 12, 1977 (1977-11-12)
The Wonder Twins and Gleek teach a lesson in honesty when a double-crossing cross-country runner has a misadventure in cheating.
Absent: Superman
26c
10c
"Exploration: Earth"
November 12, 1977 (1977-11-12)
A sinister space probe from planet Zeno visits Earth to capture people and objects for scientific study. The Super Friends must stop "Exploration Earth".
26d
10d
"Attack of the Killer Bees"
November 12, 1977 (1977-11-12)
Aquaman and special guest superhero Samurai use super teamwork to save an African village from the attack of the killer bees.
Cameos: Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, and the Wonder Twins
Absent: Superman
27a
11a
"Forbidden Power"
November 19, 1977 (1977-11-19)
Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman must save the world from the mysterious mutants of the space sphere and its forbidden power.
Cameos: Superman and Aquaman
27b
11b
"Pressure Point"
November 19, 1977 (1977-11-19)
The Wonder Twins and Gleek travel into the hot desert to cool the dangerous canyon jumping stunts of some reckless motorcyclists.
27c
11c
"The Lionmen"
November 19, 1977 (1977-11-19)
A spaceship controlled by mysterious Lionmen probes for minerals and starts an earth-shaking process that splits the planet into pieces.
27d
11d
"The Day of the Rats"
November 19, 1977 (1977-11-19)
An experimental electronic device turns sewer rats mad, forcing Batman, Robin and Black Vulcan to save Gotham from the rats.
Cameos: Superman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman
28a
12a
"The Man Beasts of Xra"
November 24, 1977 (1977-11-24)
Superman, Batman and Robin have to save society from the outrageous genetic experiments of a mixed-up scientist and her half-human, half-animal beasts.
Cameos: Aquaman and Jayna
Absent: Wonder Woman
Note: This is the first time that Wonder Woman does not appear.
28b
12b
"Prejudice"
November 24, 1977 (1977-11-24)
The Wonder Twins and Gleek have to teach a serious lesson in brotherhood when the ugliness of prejudice gets some young people into trouble.
28c
12c
"Tiny World of Terror"
November 24, 1977 (1977-11-24)
The Super Friends have to do some big thinking when the world is endangered by a shrinking machine in the hands of a greedy inventor.
28d
12d
"Tibetan Raiders"
November 24, 1977 (1977-11-24)
The passengers of a disabled aircraft stranded in rural Tibet get instant attention as Superman and the Flash rush to save them from Tibetan raiders.
Cameos: Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman
29a
13a
"Frozen Peril"
November 26, 1977 (1977-11-26)
Superman and Aquaman turn the heat on the sinister Sculpin's plans to freeze the world's oceans so he can sell their thawed water to desert countries.
Cameos: Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Wonder Twins, and Gleek
29b
13b
"Dangerous Prank"
November 26, 1977 (1977-11-26)
The Wonder Twins and Gleek have to save a girl from the perils of a dangerous prank played by some thoughtless companions.
29c
13c
"The Mummy of Nazca"
November 26, 1977 (1977-11-26)
The Super Friends are called into action when the weird Professor Korloff brings a mysterious mummy to life to steal a cosmic power source for himself.
29d
13d
"Cable Car Rescue"
November 26, 1977 (1977-11-26)
Wonder Woman and the Atom swing into action to save a cable carload of passengers caught in a high wind over a treacherous terrain.
Cameos: Superman, Batman, Robin, Aquaman, Wonder Twins, and Gleek
30a
14a
"The Marsh Monster"
December 3, 1977 (1977-12-03)
Superman, Batman and Robin move into action when an inventor's valuable plans are put in peril by the terrorizing tactics of a mysterious Marsh Monster.
Cameos: Wonder Woman and Aquaman
30b
14b
"The Runaways"
December 3, 1977 (1977-12-03)
The far from home Wonder Twins and Gleek try to rescue some misguided teenagers who face trouble when they decide to become runaways.
30c
14c
"Will the World Collide?"
December 3, 1977 (1977-12-03)
The Super Friends exhibit all their bravery against the super sinister scheme of the vengeful Professor Fearo and the threat of a world collision.
30d
14d
"Time Rescue"
December 3, 1977 (1977-12-03)
A scientist finds trouble when a time machine puts him 2,000 years into the future and he is captured by desert slavers. Superman, Hawkman and Hawkgirl come to his rescue.
Absent: Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Wonder Twins, and Gleek.
Note 1: This is the first time that Batman and Robin do not appear.
Note 2: The design of this episode seems to be based on Tatooine from that year's Star Wars.
31a
15a
"The Protector"
December 10, 1977 (1977-12-10)
Batman, Robin and Aquaman put to sea in an effort to end the pirating and pillaging of Captain Shark and his immobilizing ray.
Cameos: Superman, Wonder Woman, Wonder Twins, and Gleek
31b
15b
"Stowaways"
December 10, 1977 (1977-12-10)
The Wonder Twins activate their special powers to save a couple of girls who try an ill-advised adventure as stowaways and almost become flotsam and jetsam.
31c
15c
"The Ghost"
December 10, 1977 (1977-12-10)
The Super Friends tackle the supernatural when the Ghost, a villain from the past, is freed from his imprisonment and wants to take revenge on Superman and Wonder Woman for imprisoning his spirit by threatening the world with his ghostly fate if they do not surrender themselves to him. Now the other Super Friends members must save Superman and Wonder Woman before it is too late.
31d
15d
"Rampage"
December 10, 1977 (1977-12-10)
In India, Superman and Green Lantern have their hands full when a huge, wild white elephant tears through jungles and villages on a rampage looking for its baby.
Cameos: Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman and Aquaman
Home media
Warner Home Video (via DC Comics Entertainment, Hanna-Barbera Cartoons and Warner Bros. Family Entertainment) released The All-New Super Friends Hour – Season 1, Volume 1 on DVD[3] on January 8, 2008, containing 7 uncut, original episodes (28 cartoon segments), restored and remastered, and presented in its original, unedited hour-long version and original broadcast presentation. However, the episodes are not in their original airdate order just as they originally aired on ABC. On January 27, 2009, Warner released The All-New Super Friends Hour – Season 1, Volume 2 featuring the remaining eight episodes.
DVD name
Ep No.
Release date
Season 1, Volume 1
7 (28 cartoons)
January 8, 2008
Season 1, Volume 2
8 (32 cartoons)
January 27, 2009
DC Super Friends
Despite using the main theme from The World's Greatest Super Friends, the 2010 DC Super Friends "The Joker's Playhouse" shares several elements of its opening sequence with The All-New Super Friends Hour including introducing several of the Super Friends by name.[4]
^Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 114–122. ISBN978-1476665993.
