The Funky Phantom

Hanna-Barbara decided to try to ply their own Scooby Doo waters yet again with this teen-aged cast mystery romp. You don't actually get to see the story of how they met "the Phantom" as an episode, only as the intro sequence to each cartoon.

The Phantom is voiced by Daws Butler, who, if you watched early 60s cartoon shows, you'll immediately recognize as the voice of Snagglepuss ... among many others, such as BooBoo the bear.

Kristina Holland, voicing the pretty blond April, is one of the few voice actors in cartoons who also had a decently active on-screen career, appearing as a guest star on many popular TV series.

Mike Road, the voice of Race Bannon on Johnny Quest, voiced some weekly bad guys, and Mickey Dolense of The Monkees even got in on the act.

Now, I'm one who tired of Scooby Doo after just a couple of years, so this show, a pale reflection of Scooby Doo, doesn't do much for me. But I do like a good ghost story. You'll find that "Mudsy" reminds you of The Canterville Ghost ... he's even drawn like Charles Laughton in the 1944 version, which is my favorite treatment of that story.

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...

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.

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

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.