Goober and the Ghost Chasers

Infobox Television
show_name = Goober and the Ghost Chasers


caption = Title card logo from "Goober and the Ghost Chasers".
genre = Animation
camera =
picture_format =
audio_format =
runtime = 30 minutes
creator =
director = Charles A. Nichols
executive_producer = William Hanna
Joseph Barbera
starring =
voices = Paul Winchell
Jerry Dexter
Jo Ann Harris
Ronnie Schell
narrated =
theme_music_composer =
opentheme =
endtheme =
country = flagcountry|USA
location =
language = English
network = ABC
first_aired = September 8, 1973
last_aired = August 30, 1975
num_series =
num_episodes = 16
list_episodes =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
related =
website =
imdb_id = 0157227
tv_com_id = 3830

"Goober and the Ghost Chasers" was a Saturday morning cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions which aired on ABC from September 8, 1973 to August 30, 1975. Similar to Hanna-Barbera's successful "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!", "Goober and the Ghost Chasers" also features a group of teenagers solving spooky mysteries with their dog, Goober. The major differences were that the ghosts they eventually find are real, Goober had the power to become invisible when he was scared by ghosts and his closest human companion is reckless instead of cowardly. A total of 16 half-hour episodes of "Goober and the Ghost Chasers" were produced.

The show's episodes were later serialized as part of the syndicated weekday series "Fred Flintstone and Friends" in 1977. On cable, it was shown as part of USA Cartoon Express and later on Boomerang.

Premise

A group of teenagers write and publish "Ghost Chasers" Magazine. Unlike their Mystery Inc. counterparts, however, whose monsters were usually exposed as frauds and criminals, the Ghost Chasers travel to exotic places around the world searching for "actual" apparitions to be caught on tape and interviewed. Unfortunately, almost every ghost they encounter is reluctant to cooperate, because they were either fake or just plain stubborn. Along the way, the Ghost Chasers sometimes meet celebrities of the era, such as Wilt Chamberlain, and they often team up with The Partridge Family (minus Shirley Jones and David Cassidy).

Characters

The Ghost Chasers

*Goober (Voiced by Paul Winchell) - The titular character of the series is a cowardly bluish-green dog owned by Gilly. He can turn invisible leaving only his collar and yellow-striped red wool hat visible, but he tends to become visible again at the most inopportune times. His speech can only be understood by a limited group of people (including the audience, whom he regularly addresses).
*Ted (voiced by Jerry Dexter) - The self-appointed leader of the Ghost Chasers. He's always focused on getting the story. Ted is in charge of confirming the authenticity of the ghosts they meet, as he always carries gadgets like the Geiger counter-like Specter Detector.
*Tina (voiced by Jo Ann Harris) - Redheaded interviewer for the "Ghost Chasers" Magazine. Like everyone else in the staff she's eager to get information from the story (despite some of the ghosts' reluctance).
*Gilly (voiced by Ronnie Schell) - Bespectacled photographer of the mag and Goober's owner. He's quite oblivious to the fact that ghosts are scary and is anxious to photograph any trace of their existence. He often has to be literally dragged away in the face of danger.

The Partridge Kids (regular guests)

*Danny Partridge (voiced by Danny Bonaduce) - Witty, but afraid of ghosts
*Laurie Partridge (voiced by Susan Dey) - Oldest sibling, and the responsible one
*Chris & Tracey Partridge (voiced by both Brian Forster & Suzanne Crough) - Danny and Laurie's younger siblings who are usually left out of the Ghost Chasers' expeditions, but end up finding hidden clues nonetheless.

Ghosts

*Dink and Dunk - Twin brother pirates of the ship "Sea Witch." Dunk is the gruff angry captain and Dink his friendly first mate.
*Matamoa - Ghost of an ancient Hawaiian king.
*Osiris - King of the Dead from Egyptian mythology.
*Macbeth - Scottish king from Shakespeare's play.
*Spirit of Overdore

Episodes

:GGC-1. Assignment: The Ahab Apparition (prod. #69-1, September 8, 1973)*:GGC-2. Brush Up Your Shakespeare (prod. #69-2, September 15, 1973)*:GGC-3. The Galloping Ghost (prod. #69-3, September 22, 1973)**:GGC-4. The Singing Ghost (prod. #69-4, September 29, 1973)*:GGC-5. The Ghost Ship (prod. #69-5, October 6, 1973)*:GGC-6. The Mummy Knows Best (prod. #69-7, October 13, 1973)*:GGC-7. The Haunted Wax Museum (prod. #69-8, October 20, 1973)*:GGC-8. Aloha Ghost (prod. #69-6, October 27, 1973):GGC-9. The Wicked Witch Dog (prod. #69-9, November 3, 1973)*:GGC-10. Venice Anyone? (prod. #69-10, November 10, 1973):GGC-11. Go West Young Ghost, Go West (prod. #69-13, November 17, 1973)*:GGC-12. A Hard Days Knight (prod. #69-12, November 24, 1973):GGC-13. Is Sherlock Holme? (prod. #69-11, December 1, 1973):GGC-14. That Snow Ghost (prod. #69-14, December 8, 1973):GGC-15. Inca Dinka Doo (prod. #69-15, December 15, 1973):GGC-16. Old McDonald Had a Ghost - EE II EEYOW (prod. #69-16, December 22, 1973)

*Guest-starred The Partridge Kids.
**Guest-starred Wilt Chamberlain.

Production credits

*Executive Producers: William Hanna, Joseph Barbera
*Animation Director: Charles A. Nichols
*Associate Producer: Alex Lovy
*Voices: Paul Winchell, Jerry Dexter, Jo Ann Harris, Ronnie Schell, Danny Bonaduce, Susan Dey, Suzanne Crough, Brian Forster, Alan Dinehart, Jr., Alan Oppenheimer, John Stephenson
*Animation: Jerry Hathcock, Frank Andrina, George Cannata, Izzy Ellis, Hugh Fraser, Bob Hathcock, Ron Campbell, Ed DeMattia,Jack Foster, Alan Green, Hicks Lokey, Carlo Vinci
*Story: Dick Robbins, Tom Dagenais, Warren Murray, Dick Wilson, Barry Blitzer, Jack Kaplan, Marty Roth, Steve White; Brad Case, Earl Kelin, George Singer, Gary Hoffman, Dan Mills
*Story Directon: Irv Spector
*Editor: Larry Cowan
*Creative Producer: Iwao Takamoto
*Production Design: Bob Singer
*Production Supervisor: Victor O. Schipek
*Titles: Iraj Paran
*Dialogue Director: Alan Dinehart
*Musical Director: Hoyt Curtin
*Musical Supervisor: Paul DeKorte
*Character Design: Takashi Masunaga
*Layout: Lew Ott, Pete Alvarado, Ron Campbell, Jim Fletcher, Gary Hoffman, Mike Arens, Nino Carbe, Dave High, Herb Johnson, Floyd Norman
*Background Styling: F. Montealegre, Gary Niblett
*Backgrounds: Joe Griffith, Marsha Hanes, Daphne Huntington, Phil Lewis
*Technical Supervisor: Frank Pakier
*Ink and Paint Supervisor: Billie Kerns
*Xerography: Robert "Tiger" West
*Sound Direction: Richard Olson, Bill Getty
*Music Editor: Pat Foley
*Effects Editors: Joe Reitano, Ron Sawada
*Negative Consultant: William E. DeBoer
*Post-Production Supervisor: Joed Eaton
*Camera: George Epperson, Ralph Migliori, Curtis Hall, Dennis Weaver
*A Hanna-Barbera Production:© 1973 Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc.

Home video releases

In the 1980s, two videocassette editions of the series were released:

* "Goober and the Ghost Chasers", a 45-minute cassette containing the first two episodes ("Brush Up Your Shakespeare" and "Assignment: The Ahab Apparition"), was released by Worldvision Home Video in 1986;

* "Goober and the Ghost Chasers: The Chase Is On!", an 81-minute cassette containing four episodes (all guest-starring The Partridge Kids), was released by Hanna-Barbera Home Video in 1988.

Both cassettes have since ceased circulation, and as of 2008, "Goober and the Ghost Chasers" has not been released on DVD.

External links

* [http://www.cmongethappy.com/eguide/goober.html cmongethappy.com: Goober and the Ghost Chasers]
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