Shirt Tales
Encyclopedia
Shirt Tales are characters that were created in 1980 by greeting card designer Janet Elizabeth Manco and were featured on Hallmark Cards
greeting cards. The characters were adapted into an animated series for TV by Hanna-Barbera
, which first aired in 1982 on NBC
.
released the Shirt Tale line of greeting card
s with animal characters wearing T-shirts upon which was a message. The Shirt Tale cards were among Hallmark's best sellers at that time, which led the company to team with Hanna-Barbera Productions
to adapt the Shirt Tales into a Saturday morning cartoon
, which premiered on NBC
on September 18, 1982. The card line remained, but faded shortly after the show left broadcast television in 1985.
-style voice). They lived in Oak Tree Park and wore shirts which flashed various brightly lit messages reflecting the characters' thoughts. They spent their time teasing the park ranger, Mr. Dinkle, and battling crime in and out of their hometown of Mid City. They zipped around the world in a vehicle known as the STSST (Shirt Tales' SuperSonic Transport
) which could operate as a car, jet, boat, submarine, and other forms of transportation. Though most law enforcement agencies knew of the Shirt Tales as crime fighters by reputation, few people seemed aware that they were talking animals—including, Mr. Dinkle, whom the group often had to trick to keep their secret safe.
Each episode was divided into two 11–minute segments. After the success of the 13 episodes in season one, ten episodes were created for season two. However, the show was semi-rebooted and Kip Kangaroo (in yellow) was added to the cast of characters without context for her joining the Shirt Tales. There is a difference in leadership among the Shirt Tales. In the first season Rick appeared to be the de facto leader. In the second season Tyg appeared to be the leader. Also several stories in season two either omit Rick altogether or give him a minor role in the story. The second season also added some superhero elements to the dyanmic of the group as well; most notably the color of all their T-Shirts changing to a Bright Red Color when "Shirt Tale Time" is called for.
Following the initial run on NBC, Shirt Tales aired on CBS
during the 1984-1985 Saturday morning
season, replacing The Biskitts
in their time slot. CBS aired selected episodes from its 2 season run on NBC until March 23, 1985, when The Biskitts were returned to the time slot for the rest of the 84-85 season.
On March 23, 1985, Shirt Tales was pulled from broadcast television for good ("Shirt Tales" was airing on CBS at the time), and the Hallmark franchise faded not long after as well. The show continued for a number of years as part of the USA Network's "Cartoon Express
" and on Cartoon Network
. Shirt Tales continues to be broadcast in selected countries around the world, including Boomerang
.
Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards is a privately owned American company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1910 by Joyce C. Hall, Hallmark is the largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the United States. In 1985, the company was awarded the National Medal of Arts....
greeting cards. The characters were adapted into an animated series for TV by Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
, which first aired in 1982 on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
.
Cards
Hallmark CardsHallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards is a privately owned American company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1910 by Joyce C. Hall, Hallmark is the largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the United States. In 1985, the company was awarded the National Medal of Arts....
released the Shirt Tale line of greeting card
Greeting card
A greeting card is an illustrated, folded card featuring an expression of friendship or other sentiment. Although greeting cards are usually given on special occasions such as birthdays, Christmas or other holidays, they are also sent to convey thanks or express other feeling. Greeting cards,...
s with animal characters wearing T-shirts upon which was a message. The Shirt Tale cards were among Hallmark's best sellers at that time, which led the company to team with Hanna-Barbera Productions
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
to adapt the Shirt Tales into a Saturday morning cartoon
Saturday morning cartoon
A Saturday morning cartoon is the colloquial term for the animated television programming that has typically been scheduled on Saturday mornings on the major American television networks from the 1960s to the present; the genre's peak in popularity mostly ended in the 1990s while the popularity of...
, which premiered on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
on September 18, 1982. The card line remained, but faded shortly after the show left broadcast television in 1985.
TV series
The animated Shirt Tales cartoon featured Tyg Tiger (in orange), Pammy Panda (in pink), Digger Mole (in light blue), Rick Raccoon (in red), and Bogey Orangutan (in green) (so called because he spoke using a Humphrey BogartHumphrey Bogart
Humphrey DeForest Bogart was an American actor. He is widely regarded as a cultural icon.The American Film Institute ranked Bogart as the greatest male star in the history of American cinema....
-style voice). They lived in Oak Tree Park and wore shirts which flashed various brightly lit messages reflecting the characters' thoughts. They spent their time teasing the park ranger, Mr. Dinkle, and battling crime in and out of their hometown of Mid City. They zipped around the world in a vehicle known as the STSST (Shirt Tales' SuperSonic Transport
Supersonic transport
A supersonic transport is a civilian supersonic aircraft designed to transport passengers at speeds greater than the speed of sound. The only SSTs to see regular service to date have been Concorde and the Tupolev Tu-144. The last passenger flight of the Tu-144 was in June 1978 with its last ever...
) which could operate as a car, jet, boat, submarine, and other forms of transportation. Though most law enforcement agencies knew of the Shirt Tales as crime fighters by reputation, few people seemed aware that they were talking animals—including, Mr. Dinkle, whom the group often had to trick to keep their secret safe.
Each episode was divided into two 11–minute segments. After the success of the 13 episodes in season one, ten episodes were created for season two. However, the show was semi-rebooted and Kip Kangaroo (in yellow) was added to the cast of characters without context for her joining the Shirt Tales. There is a difference in leadership among the Shirt Tales. In the first season Rick appeared to be the de facto leader. In the second season Tyg appeared to be the leader. Also several stories in season two either omit Rick altogether or give him a minor role in the story. The second season also added some superhero elements to the dyanmic of the group as well; most notably the color of all their T-Shirts changing to a Bright Red Color when "Shirt Tale Time" is called for.
Following the initial run on NBC, Shirt Tales aired on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
during the 1984-1985 Saturday morning
Saturday morning cartoon
A Saturday morning cartoon is the colloquial term for the animated television programming that has typically been scheduled on Saturday mornings on the major American television networks from the 1960s to the present; the genre's peak in popularity mostly ended in the 1990s while the popularity of...
season, replacing The Biskitts
The Biskitts
The Biskitts is an animated cartoon TV series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions from 1983 to 1984 and aired on CBS. The series lasted for only one season, Shirt Tales replaced the show in its time slot on the following 1984-85 Saturday Morning season...
in their time slot. CBS aired selected episodes from its 2 season run on NBC until March 23, 1985, when The Biskitts were returned to the time slot for the rest of the 84-85 season.
On March 23, 1985, Shirt Tales was pulled from broadcast television for good ("Shirt Tales" was airing on CBS at the time), and the Hallmark franchise faded not long after as well. The show continued for a number of years as part of the USA Network's "Cartoon Express
USA Cartoon Express
The USA Cartoon Express was a programming block of animated productions which aired on cable television's USA Network from late 1982 to September 15, 1996...
" and on Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
. Shirt Tales continues to be broadcast in selected countries around the world, including Boomerang
Boomerang (TV channel)
Boomerang is a 24-hour American cable television channel owned by Turner Broadcasting System, a division of Time Warner. Boomerang specializes in reruns of animated programming from Time Warner's extensive archives, including pre-1986 MGM, Hanna-Barbera, Cartoon Network, DePatie-Freleng Enterprises...
.
Season 1
- The Case of the Golden Armor/Crumpling's Circus Caper
- Shirt Napped/Game Masters
- Elephant on the Loose/The Big Foot Incident
- Horsin' Around/The Humbolt Ghost
- Mission Mutt/Vacation for Dinkel
- Digger Runs Away/Wingman
- Figby the Spoiled Cat/The Commissioner is Missing
- The Terrible Termites/Raiders of the Lost Shark
- Moving Time/Back to Nature
- Save the Park/Pam-Dora's Box
- Hapless Hound/The Nearsighted Bear
- The Magical Musical Caper/The Very Buried Treasure
- Dinkel's Ark/The Duke of Dinkel
Season 2
- Bogey Goes Ape/Digger's Three Wishes
- The Rain, the Park and the Robot/Digger's Double
- Kip's Dragon/Taj Mahal Tyg
- Double Exposure/The Outer Space Connection
- Brass Bogey/The Forbidden Island
- T.J.'s Visit/Pleasure Valley
- Saturday Night Shirt Tales/Kip's Toy Caper
- Dinkel's Buddy/The Big Set-up
- The Ghost Out West/Dinkel's Gift
- Mayhem on the Orient Express/The Cuckoo Count Caper
Cast
- Nancy CartwrightNancy CartwrightNancy Campbell Cartwright is an American film and television actress, comedian and voice artist. She is best known for her long-running role as Bart Simpson on the animated television series The Simpsons...
- Kip Kangaroo (Season Two Only) - Bob OgleBob Ogle (actor)Bob Ogle was a voice actor and a writer. Most characters he voiced are performed in the style of Bill Thompson's character Wallace Wimple from Fibber McGee and Molly....
- Digger Mole - Pat ParrisPatricia ParrisPatricia Parris is an American voice actress, who provided the voice of Daisy Duck in Mickey's Christmas Carol and Shelly on Jabberjaw ....
- Pammy Panda - Steve SchatzbergSteve SchatzbergSteve Schatzberg is an American voice actor who is also known as Steven Schatzberg.He was probably best known for doing the singing voice of Piglet in two films of Winnie the Pooh which included Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving.He also...
- Tyg Tiger - Ronnie SchellRonnie SchellRonald Ralph "Ronnie" Schell is an American actor, stand-up comedian and cartoon voice actor . Early in his career he appeared as himself as a contestant on You Bet Your Life opposite Groucho Marx, demonstrating a comic barrage of jive talk.-Life and career:Schell was born in Richmond, California...
- Rick Raccoon - Fred TravalenaFred TravalenaFrederick Albert "Fred" Travalena III was an American entertainer, specializing in comedy and impersonations.-Early life:...
- Bogey Orangutan - Herb VigranHerb VigranHerbert "Herb" Vigran was a well-known American character actor in Hollywood from the 1930s to the 1980s. Over his 50-year career, he made over 350 television and film appearances.-Career:...
- Mr. Dinkle - William WoodsonBill WoodsonWilliam "Bill" T. Woodson is a retired American voice artist. He has a small onscreen appearance in the 1950s sci-fi film "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" as a newscaster. He can be heard in the opening narrative of the 1970s television series The Odd Couple, explaining how it is that Felix and...
- Commissioner (Season One Only)
Additional voices
- Richard Balin -
- Joe BesserJoe BesserJoe Besser was an American comedian, known for his impish humor and wimpy characters, and is now best remembered for his brief stint as a member of the Three Stooges in movie short subjects of 1957-59...
- - Joey CamenJoey Camen- Anime Roles :* Dinozaurs - Dino Tricera* Eureka Seven - Dr. Greg "Bear" Egan- Non-Anime Roles :* Darkwing Duck - Stegmutt* Little Dracula - Werebunny* The Smurfs - Additional Voices- Movie Roles :...
- - Victoria CarrollVictoria CarrollVictoria Carroll, or Victoria Carrol-Bell is an American film and voice actress.-Career Biography:Ms. Carroll has made appearances on TV shows from 1960s-present...
- - Brian CummingsBrian CummingsBrian Cummings is an American voice actor.-Biography:He is known for his work in radio and television commercials, television and motion picture promos, cartoons and as the announcer on The All-New Let's Make a Deal from 1984 to 1985...
- - Walker EdmistonWalker Edmiston-Career:Walker Edmiston was an American character actor and voice-over artist who was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Edmiston appeared on various television programs in character roles during the 1950s – 1970s, such as Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, Knots Landing, and The Dukes of Hazzard, all...
- - Marshall EfronMarshall EfronMarshall Efron is an American humorist originally known for his work on the listener-sponsored Pacifica radio stations WBAI New York and KPFK Los Angeles, and later for the PBS television show The Great American Dream Machine...
- - Bernard ErhardBernard ErhardBernard Erhard was an American voice actor.He worked primarily in children's cartoons. Among his roles were Cy-Kill in Challenge of the GoBots , King Morpheus in Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland, and one of the wolves in Rover Dangerfield.-External links:...
- - Laurie FasoLaurie FasoLaurie Faso is an American television actor and occasional voice actor. In his career, he has held several bit parts on various shows, in addition to doing voices for several animated series and films, such as The Snorks, Monchichis, Darkwing Duck, Transformers and The Little Troll Prince...
- - Ernest Harada -
- Bob Holt -
- Buster JonesBuster JonesEdward L. "Buster" Jones is an American voice actor.He is probably best known from his roles as Black Vulcan in Super Friends, Blaster in The Transformers, Doc in G.I...
- - Stanley JonesStan Jones (actor)Gordon Stan Jones , sometimes credited as G. Stanley Jones, Staley Jones or Stanley Jones, was a Canadian film and television actor.-Career:...
- - Sherry LynnSherry LynnSherry Lynn is a veteran American voice actress, known for young girl roles in animation and video games. She is represented by Arlene Thornton & Associates...
- - Tress MacNeilleTress MacNeilleTress MacNeille is an American voice actress best known for providing various voices on the animated series The Simpsons, Futurama, Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, Disney's House of Mouse, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Rugrats, All Grown Up!, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, and Dave the...
- - Sparky MarcusSparky MarcusSparky Marcus is an American actor born December 6, 1967 in Hollywood, California. He had a prolific career as a child actor.-Career:...
- T.J. Tiger: Tyg's Nephew (Season Two, Single Episode) - Kenneth MarsKenneth MarsKenneth Mars was an American television, movie, and voice actor. He may be best-remembered for his roles in several Mel Brooks films: the insane Nazi playwright Franz Liebkind in 1968's The Producers, and the relentless Police Inspector Hans Wilhelm Fredrich Kemp in 1974's Young Frankenstein...
- - Joseph Medalis -
- Howard MorrisHoward MorrisHoward Morris was an American comic actor and director who was best known for his role as Ernest T. Bass on The Andy Griffith Show.- Life and career :...
- - Henry Polic IIHenry Polic IIHenry Polic II is a stage, screen, and voice actor best known for his role as Jerry Silver in the American 1980s television series Webster, as well as his frequent game show appearances on such series as Super Password and The $100,000 Pyramid...
- - Tony PopeTony PopeAnthony Pope , also known as Anthony Mozdy, was a voice actor.He was born in Cleveland, Ohio and was known for providing the voice of Furby, as well as the voice of Newton Gimmick and other voices in the popular toy series The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin in the 1980s.-Death:He died on February 11,...
- - Robert RidgelyRobert RidgelyRobert Ridgely was an American actor and vocal artist, known for both on-camera roles and extensive voice-over work.-Career:...
- - Michael RyeMichael RyeMichael Rye is a US voice actor. He is also known as Mike Rye and sometimes used his surname at birth, Rye Billsbury...
- - Marilyn SchrefflerMarilyn SchrefflerMarilyn Schreffler was an American actress, who provided voice-overs for several animated TV programs, mostly for Hanna-Barbera Productions.-Life:Born in Concordia, Kansas, and had an affinity for cartoons since age 6...
- - R.J. Segall
- Michael Sheehan -
- Hal SmithHal Smith (actor)Harold John "Hal" Smith was an American character actor and voice actor. Smith is best known as Otis Campbell, the town drunk on The Andy Griffith Show, and was the voice of many characters on various animated cartoon shorts...
- - John StephensonJohn Stephenson (actor)John Stephenson is an American actor and voice actor. He has also been credited as John Stevenson...
- Game Master (Season One, Single Episode) - Andre StojkaAndre StojkaAndre Stojka is an American voice actor. He is best known for his role as Owl in Winnie-the-Pooh projects beginning with The New Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh, inheriting the role from Hal Smith. He was also the voice of the horse Starlite in all of the animated Rainbow Brite productions...
- - Jimmy WeldonJimmy WeldonJimmy Weldon is an American voice actor, ventriloquist, and former television host.He is best known as the voice of the Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Yakky Doodle Duck and the host and ventriloquist in the locally-produced television series, "The Webster Webfoot Show".-History:Born James Weldon...
- - Frank WelkerFrank WelkerFranklin Wendell "Frank" Welker is an American actor who specializes in voice acting and has contributed character voices and other vocal effects to American television and motion pictures.-Acting career:...
- - Ted Zeigler -
Other media
- There were also two musical book-and-record sets released by K-tel InternationalK-telK-tel International is an "As-Seen-On-TV" company, which is most noted for its compilation music albums, such as "The Super Hits" series, "The Dynamic Hits" series and "The Number One Hits" series...
under the "Castle Rock" imprint: A Song Saves the Park, and Sunrise Surprise. However, both sets use sound-alikes for the voices, and are presented differently from typical read-alongs.