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The Jackson 5ive (TV series)
Encyclopedia
The Jackson 5ive was a Saturday morning cartoon
series produced by Rankin/Bass
and Motown Productions
on ABC
from September 11, 1971 until 14 October 1972; a fictionalized portrayal of the careers of Motown
recording group The Jackson 5
. The series was rebroadcast in syndication
through Worldvision Enterprises during the 1984-1985 Saturday morning season, during a period when Michael Jackson was riding a major wave of popularity as a solo artist. The series was animated mainly in London at the studios of Halas
and Batchelor
, and some animation done at Estudios Moro, Barcelona
, Spain
. The director was Spanish-American Robert Balser.
, Tito
, Jermaine
, Marlon
, and Michael
—were unable to contribute to the show in any way due to scheduling conflicts, although the group did pose for some posters prior to the show's release to advertise the forthcoming Saturday morning cartoon. Only their music was used; however, during the music montages, a clipping of the Jackson 5 appearing in concert would air occasionally to blend in with the cartoon. Though Berry Gordy
/The J5's producer did not provide the original voice (his character was voiced by Paul Frees
) nor advertised his name, his character was frequently involved as the "adult figure" to the group. R&B/Pop singer
Diana Ross
contributed to voice her fictionalized self in the debut episode. The premise of the show is that the Jackson Five would have adventures similar to Josie and the Pussycats
, Alvin & the Chipmunks or The Partridge Family
, with the unique addition being that Berry Gordy, the manager of the band in the show's universe, would come up with an idea for publicity
for the band, such as having to do farm work or play a concert for the President of the United States
. The series was followed by The Jacksons
, a live action show, in 1976.
", "The Love You Save
", "ABC
", and "Mama's Pearl
"—served as the show's theme song. Each episode would feature 2 songs by the Jackson 5. The songs were derived from their albums Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5
, ABC
, Maybe Tomorrow
, and Third Album
. In the newer episodes, from 1972–73, songs were derived from Michael Jackson's album Got to Be There and two songs from the Jackson 5 album Lookin' Through the Windows
.
), and his pet snake Rosie 'The Crusher'. Other than the mice chirping, the pets never spoke, but usually either attributed to assistance, mischief or joining the Jackson Brothers in performances on the show.
. Rankin-Bass experimented with creating their own laugh track, a practice Hanna-Barbera
had implemented in 1971. This was done to avoid paying large fees to Charley Douglass, who edited laugh tracks onto the majority of network television shows at the time. Like Hanna-Barbera, Rankin/Bass isolated several snippets of canned chuckles from Douglass’ library, and inserted them onto the soundtrack. Unlike Hanna-Barbera, though, the chuckles were nothing but loud eruptions of laughter; mild jokes received unnatural bouts of laughter, while other times, the laughter would erupt mid-sentence. As a result, Rankin/Bass ceased using laugh tracks after The Jackson 5ive mishap.
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...
series produced by Rankin/Bass
Rankin/Bass
Rankin/Bass Productions, Inc. , also known as Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment, was an American production company, known for its seasonal television specials, particularly its work in stop-motion animation. The pre-1974 library is currently owned by Classic Media,while the post-1974 library is...
and Motown Productions
De Passe Entertainment
de Passe Entertainment is an American film and television production company run by entertainment executive Suzanne de Passe. The company was originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr., in 1968, as Motown Productions, the film and television arm of Gordy's Motown Records label.-History:Motown...
on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
from September 11, 1971 until 14 October 1972; a fictionalized portrayal of the careers of Motown
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
recording group The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...
. The series was rebroadcast in syndication
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
through Worldvision Enterprises during the 1984-1985 Saturday morning season, during a period when Michael Jackson was riding a major wave of popularity as a solo artist. The series was animated mainly in London at the studios of Halas
John Halas
John Halas was a Hungarian animator. . He learned his craft under George Pal, but launched his own career in 1934, and two years later moved to England where he and his wife Joy Batchelor founded Halas and Batchelor.Over the years they made over 70 short subjects during the war, using propaganda...
and Batchelor
Joy Batchelor
Joy Batchelor was an English director, producer, writer, art director and animator. As a director, she primarily worked in television, directing series, including variety shows like The Jackson 5ive , and in animated films...
, and some animation done at Estudios Moro, Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The director was Spanish-American Robert Balser.
Overview
Other than appearing in the introduction where actual photographs are shown morphing into animated cartoons, the actual Jackson brothers themselves—JackieJackie Jackson
Sigmund Esco "Jackie" Jackson is an American singer and musician, a member of The Jackson 5, and the second child in the Jackson family.-Life and career:...
, Tito
Tito Jackson
Toriano Adaryll "Tito" Jackson is an American singer and lead guitarist and original member of The Jackson 5. He is the older brother of American pop stars Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson.-Early life and rise to stardom:...
, Jermaine
Jermaine Jackson
Jermaine La Jaune Jackson is an American singer, bassist, composer, a member of The Jackson 5, older brother of American pop stars Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson and occasional film director...
, Marlon
Marlon Jackson
Marlon David Jackson is an American entertainer singer, dancer, former member of The Jackson 5, and elder brother of American pop stars Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson.-Personal life:...
, and Michael
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
—were unable to contribute to the show in any way due to scheduling conflicts, although the group did pose for some posters prior to the show's release to advertise the forthcoming Saturday morning cartoon. Only their music was used; however, during the music montages, a clipping of the Jackson 5 appearing in concert would air occasionally to blend in with the cartoon. Though Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...
/The J5's producer did not provide the original voice (his character was voiced by Paul Frees
Paul Frees
Paul Frees was an American voice actor and character actor.-Biography:He was born Solomon Hersh Frees in Chicago...
) nor advertised his name, his character was frequently involved as the "adult figure" to the group. R&B/Pop singer
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
contributed to voice her fictionalized self in the debut episode. The premise of the show is that the Jackson Five would have adventures similar to Josie and the Pussycats
Josie and the Pussycats (TV series)
Josie and the Pussycats is an American animated television series, based upon the Archie Comics comic book series of the same name created by Dan DeCarlo....
, Alvin & the Chipmunks or The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family is an American television sitcom about a widowed mother and her five children who embark on a music career. The series originally ran from September 25, 1970 until August 31, 1974, the last new episode airing on March 23, 1974, on the ABC network, as part of a Friday-night lineup...
, with the unique addition being that Berry Gordy, the manager of the band in the show's universe, would come up with an idea for publicity
Publicity
Publicity is the deliberate attempt to manage the public's perception of a subject. The subjects of publicity include people , goods and services, organizations of all kinds, and works of art or entertainment.From a marketing perspective, publicity is one component of promotion which is one...
for the band, such as having to do farm work or play a concert for the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. The series was followed by The Jacksons
The Jacksons (TV series)
The Jacksons is an American variety show featuring the Jackson siblings . It was the first variety show where the entire cast were siblings...
, a live action show, in 1976.
Music
A specially recorded medley of four Jackson 5 #1 hits—"I Want You BackI Want You Back
"I Want You Back" was released in 1969 and in early 1970s became a number-one hit single recorded by The Jackson 5 for the Motown label. The song, along with a b-side cover of Smokey Robinson & the Miracles' "Who's Lovin' You", was the only single from the first Jackson 5 album, Diana Ross Presents...
", "The Love You Save
The Love You Save
"The Love You Save" is a 1970 number-one hit single recorded by The Jackson 5 for the Motown label. It held the number-one spot on the soul singles chart for six weeks. It held the number-one position on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for two weeks, from June 27 to July 4, 1970...
", "ABC
ABC (song)
"ABC" is a 1970 number-one hit song by The Jackson 5. "ABC" was written with the same design as "I Want You Back", and was first heard on American Bandstand in February 1970. "ABC" knocked The Beatles song "Let It Be" out of the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970...
", and "Mama's Pearl
Mama's Pearl
"Mama's Pearl" was a hit recording for The Jackson 5 in 1971.It was one of six consecutive Top 5 singles for the legendary Motown, soul and funk group, reaching #2 when it was released and was written by the Corporation, a songwriting team that had helped the group score four consecutive #1 singles...
"—served as the show's theme song. Each episode would feature 2 songs by the Jackson 5. The songs were derived from their albums Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5
Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5
Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5 is the debut album from Gary, Indiana-based soul family band The Jackson 5, released on the Motown label in December 1969...
, ABC
ABC (album)
-Recording Sessions:August 1969 - March 1970Other tracks from ABC recording sessionsI Was Made To Love HerI Hear A SymphonyYou Ain't Giving Me What I Want We Can Have FunHoney Chile...
, Maybe Tomorrow
Maybe Tomorrow (The Jackson 5 album)
Maybe Tomorrow was the fourth regular studio album released by The Jackson 5 in 1971. Released after the success of the hit ballad "I'll Be There", most of the tracks on the album are ballads, with few dance numbers. Maybe Tomorrow includes the hit singles "Never Can Say Goodbye" and "Maybe Tomorrow"...
, and Third Album
Third Album
Third Album was an album released by The Jackson 5 on Motown Records, and the group's second LP released in 1970. Third Album featured the group's fourth consecutive number-one single on the US pop charts, "I'll Be There", the Top 5 single, "Mama's Pearl", and album tracks such as the...
. In the newer episodes, from 1972–73, songs were derived from Michael Jackson's album Got to Be There and two songs from the Jackson 5 album Lookin' Through the Windows
Lookin' Through the Windows
Lookin' Through the Windows was the fifth studio album released by The Jackson 5 on the Motown label in May 1972. The album would go on to sell 3.5 million copies worldwide.-Production:...
.
Pets
Because Michael Jackson owned many pets in real life, a few pets were added as extra characters to the cartoon. They included Michael's pet mice, Ray and Charles (alluding to singer Ray CharlesRay Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
), and his pet snake Rosie 'The Crusher'. Other than the mice chirping, the pets never spoke, but usually either attributed to assistance, mischief or joining the Jackson Brothers in performances on the show.
Laugh track debacle
Like most 1970s-era Saturday morning cartoons series’, The Jackson 5ive contained an adult laugh trackLaugh track
A laugh track is a separate soundtrack invented by Charles "Charley" Douglass, with the artificial sound of audience laughter, made to be inserted into television programming of comedy shows and sitcoms.The term "laugh track" does not apply to the genuine audience laughter on shows that shoot in...
. Rankin-Bass experimented with creating their own laugh track, a practice 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...
had implemented in 1971. This was done to avoid paying large fees to Charley Douglass, who edited laugh tracks onto the majority of network television shows at the time. Like Hanna-Barbera, Rankin/Bass isolated several snippets of canned chuckles from Douglass’ library, and inserted them onto the soundtrack. Unlike Hanna-Barbera, though, the chuckles were nothing but loud eruptions of laughter; mild jokes received unnatural bouts of laughter, while other times, the laughter would erupt mid-sentence. As a result, Rankin/Bass ceased using laugh tracks after The Jackson 5ive mishap.
Season 1 (1971-1972)
| № | Title | Original airdate |
|---|
Season 2 (1972)
This season is billed as The New Jackson 5ive Show.| № | Title | Original airdate |
|---|
External links
- The Jackson 5ive at Cartoon Encyclopedia