The Funky Phantom

Teenagers Skip Gilroy, April Stewart and Augie Anderson ride their dune buggy Looney Duney with their dog Elmo. They find ghosts from 1776 in a clock at a spooky house. It's scared patriot Jonathan Wellington "Mudsy" Muddlemore and his cat Boo. They go off to fight for justice and unmasking mysteries.

It's a Bizarro Scooby Doo from Hanna-Barbera. With Scooby Doo's success, it's not surprising that they would try to create another one. I do remember watching the reruns way back when although all I truly remember are the ghosts and their disappearing sounds. It is paradoxical that the premise is supernatural but like the Scooby gang, the kids usually uncover hoaxes that are revealed to be non-supernatural. The characters are less appealing. Quite frankly, April looks alien with her giant almond eyes and no nose. It's all slightly off and way too similar. It lasted 17 episodes with some minor revivals in other media. It's a footnote in the story of Hanna-Barbera.

I caught this on the Saturday morning "Boomerang" show and it stirred a memory of having watched it on Saturday mornings long ago in the 70's. The bizarre thing about this (which didn't really click for me as a kid) is it's almost a carbon copy of Scooby Doo...teenage sleuths, goofy sidekicks (the phantom/his cat)...even the same music! Even more amazing is a Shaggy-like character complete with goatee! I really don't know what Hanna Barbera was thinking here....guess they were trying to capitalize on the success of Scooby...but it's nowhere near as endearing. The man who does the voice of the Phantom is, I believe the same who does Babu, Jabberjaw, ad infinitum...which really adds negative points in my book. Watch it for a slice of Hanna Barbera's "other" toons...

One of my most treasured childhood memories is this show. I have not seen it since it left the airwaves in 1971. I remember as a child I looked forward to seeing this cartoon. I loved everything about the show. The phantom was great as was the theme music. Everything was just fantastic. I always look for a DVD or video when ever I am at my local DVD store. It is not a Scooby Doo rip off at all as I couldn't stand Scooby Doo at all as a child or now. This show had mysteries that they solved, but unlike Scooby Doo they actually did it in a logical manner. It made logical sense. Even as a child I knew Scooby Doo was totally inane. I just wish they would put this into a DVD format so I can see them again. I miss my Funky Phantom so

This cartoon seems highly unoriginal but since it was before my time I can't say for sure what has been ripped off from other cartoons.I do know that Mudsy has the exact same voice as Snagglepuss, a carbon copy even.I also know that voice is an impersonation of Bert Lahr(the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz).Most people will call it a Scooby-Doo rip off but that's only because they haven't seen the countless other cartoons it "borrows" from.I noticed another review on here that said "Even more amazing is a Shaggy-like character complete with goatee!".That statement not only proves that he has never seen this show because there is never one person on screen with any facial hair, it also proves he has never seen Speed Buggy, which has an actual Shaggy clone(albeit without the facial hair).Even Jabberjaw had a "Shaggy-like character", guess he never saw that either.I just watched every episode of this today and never once thought any of the characters were "Scooby-Doo- like".I did however notice that two of characters can't pronounce "helicopter" and I found that to be extremely disturbing.If you can look past all the stuff they stole, you will see a somewhat original show.A lot of the stories center around the Revolutionary War and New England.You will never see another cartoon do that.Plus the dog doesn't talk.It doesn't get more original than that.Overall I'd say if you like cartoons you should watch this.Just watch it with an open mind and you might have a good time.I just checked and Speed Buggy came after this show so they stole the dune buggy idea from this show.This show is more original than people will admit.

The short-lived animated series "The Funky Phantom" was another example of Hanna-Barbera trying to cash in on the astounding success of "Scooby Doo,Where Are You?",and not to mention a slew of rip-off copycats that were using the same exact formula that ran throughout the entire decade of the 1970's. But this one followed the exact Scooby formula,but with an unusual twist: A trio of teenagers who solve mysteries and clues with the help of a friendly ghostlike character(voiced by Daws Butler)who acts as their companion as they go from one town to another to basically solve crimes,deal with the supernatural, and fight off evildoers as they unravel the clues and bring in the usual villains.

How did they meet this ghost? A trio of teenagers,April(Tina Holland),Skip(Mickey Dolenz of "The Monkees" fame),and Augie(Tommy Cook)take refuge from a storm one night to reset the clock to the proper time of midnight. This released the still-nervous ghost of Jonathan Muddlemore known as "Muggsey",who would join the teens in their Looney Duney buggy. Muddlemore was a cowardly New Englander hiding from the British in 1776 in his mansion's grandfather clock found the spirit of himself and his cat Boo freed almost 200 years later,thanks to an accident.

Some major difficulties were caused by Muggsey and Boo,who typically became invisible whenever any sort of fear struck them. And who reappear whenever the kids got themselves in trouble with some diabolical villain or help them to escape from certain harm. The teens had their own pet to help out with the mysteries,their bulldog named Elmo. This was a copy of the Scooby Doo formula. Hanna-Barbera stockplayer Daws Butler reprises his Snagglepuss character for this short-lived series and it shows in some of the episodes. The series premiered as part of ABC's Sunshine Saturday Morning schedule from September 11, 1971 until September 1, 1973. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. Out of the 17 episodes that were produced,the original episodes ran on ABC from September 11,1971 until September 2, 1972. Its second season consisted of repeated episodes that ran from September 9, 1972 until September 1, 1973. In 1980,the gang returned to Saturday Mornings as part of NBC's The Godzilla Super Power Show" in repeated episodes.