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(→‎Music: James Lipton was not actually involved at all in the theme song. This is solely sourced from user-submitted trivia on IMDb. The DVD collection of the show has an interview with the actual composers. Lipton was never mentioned.)
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Ted Wolf had an idea about creating an animated show based on humanoid cats. During the early 1980s, he and his friend Stan Weston (then President of Leisure Concepts Inc. (LCI), presented the proposal to Rankin/Bass, who were a reputed animation company, known for their animated season television specials.
  
Ted Wolf had an idea about creating an animated show based on humanoid cats. During the early 1980s, he and his friend Stan Weston (then President of Leisure Concepts Inc. (LCI), presented the proposal to Rankin/Bass, who were a reputed animation company, known for their animated season television specials.
   
−
Impressed with Wolf's concept, Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass, the founders of Rankin/Bass Producitons, approved it and production immediately began on ''"Thundercats"''.
 +
Impressed with Wolf's concept, Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass, the founders of Rankin/Bass Productions, approved it and production immediately began on ''"Thundercats"''.
   
 
Acclaimed comic book writer Leonard Starr was hired as the head writer to develop the characters, stories and world of the ThunderCats. Mike Germakian of LCI provided the artwork as well as designing the characters and vehicles. He is the man responsible for creating the iconic Thundercats logo which consists of a black lion head inside n a red circle. Peter Lawrence served as script consultant while Lee Dannacher acted as the supervising producer.
  
Acclaimed comic book writer Leonard Starr was hired as the head writer to develop the characters, stories and world of the ThunderCats. Mike Germakian of LCI provided the artwork as well as designing the characters and vehicles. He is the man responsible for creating the iconic Thundercats logo which consists of a black lion head inside n a red circle. Peter Lawrence served as script consultant while Lee Dannacher acted as the supervising producer.
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The music for Thundercats was scored by American composer, Bernard Hoffer. He composed and recorded a number of leitmotifs for each of the main characters, vehicles and locations as well as for certain situations. These "themes" utilised a number of different but distinct musical instruments in order to make each theme as unique as possible e.g "Cheetara's Theme" is played mostly on flutes whereas "Tygra's Theme" consists of mostly trumpets.
  
The music for Thundercats was scored by American composer, Bernard Hoffer. He composed and recorded a number of leitmotifs for each of the main characters, vehicles and locations as well as for certain situations. These "themes" utilised a number of different but distinct musical instruments in order to make each theme as unique as possible e.g "Cheetara's Theme" is played mostly on flutes whereas "Tygra's Theme" consists of mostly trumpets.
   
  +
The lyrics were written by Jules Bass.
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Hoffer also composed the show's theme song in collaboration with James Lipton, who is better known as the host of the show, "Inside The Actors Studio". The lyrics were written by Jules Bass.
  
   
 
==Thundercats Theme/Title Song Lyrics==
  
==Thundercats Theme/Title Song Lyrics==
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''Thunder, Thunder, Thunder, Thundercats!''<br />
  
''Thunder, Thunder, Thunder, Thundercats!''<br />
 
''Thundercats!''
  
''Thundercats!''
  +
−
==Credits==
  
  +
==Cast and Crew==
−
*'''Executive Producers:''' Arthur Rankin Jr. & Jules Bass
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*'''Executive Producers:''' [[Arthur Rankin Jr]]. & [[Jules Bass]]
−
*'''Supervising Producer:''' Lee Dannacher
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*'''Supervising Producer:''' [[Lee Dannacher]]
−
*'''Animation by:''' Pacific Animation Corporation
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*'''Animation by:''' [[Pacific Animation Corporation]]
−
*'''In Charge of Production:''' Masaki Iizuka
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*'''In Charge of Production:''' [[Masaki Iizuka]]
 
*'''Animation Staff:'''
  
*'''Animation Staff:'''
−
**Tsugu Kubo
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**[[Tsugu Kubo]]
−
**Minoru Nishida
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**[[Minoru Nishida]]
−
**Katsuhito Akiyama
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**[[Katsuhito Akiyama]]
−
**Akihiko Takahashi
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**[[Akihiko Takahashi]]
−
**Yukimatsu Ito
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**[[Yukimatsu Ito]]
−
**Yuji Yatabe
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**[[Yuji Yatabe]]
−
**Toshihiko Sato
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**[[Toshihiko Sato]]
−
**Kazufumi Nomura
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**[[Kazufumi Nomura]]
−
**Ryu Yasumura
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**[[Ryo Yasumura]]
−
**Tambo Kohanawa
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**[[Tameo Kohanawa]]
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**Seok Ki Kim
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**[[Seok Ki Kim]]
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*'''Based on Characters Created by:''' Ted Wolf
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*'''Based on Characters Created by:''' [[Ted Wolf]]
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*'''Project Development:''' Leisure Concepts Inc.
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*'''Project Development:''' [[Leisure Concepts Inc.]]
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*'''Head Writer:''' Leonard Starr
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*'''Head Writer:''' [[Leonard Starr]]
−
*'''Music:''' Bernard Hoffer
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*'''Music:''' [[Bernard Hoffer]]
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*'''Script Consultant''': Peter Lawrence
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*'''Script Consultant''': [[Peter Lawrence]]
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*'''Psychological Consultant:''' Robert Kuisis PhD
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*'''Psychological Consultant:''' [[Robert Kuisis]] PhD
 
*'''Voice Characterizations:'''
  
*'''Voice Characterizations:'''
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**Earl Hammond
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**[[Earl Hammond]]
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**Larry Kenney
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**[[Larry Kenney]]
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**Lynne Lipton
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**[[Lynne Lipton]]
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**Earle Hyman
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**[[Earle Hyman]]
−
**Peter Newman
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**[[Peter Newman]]
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**Gerrianne Raphael
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**[[Gerrianne Raphael]]
−
**Doug Preis
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**[[Doug Preis]]
 
*'''​Recording Staff:'''
  
*'''​Recording Staff:'''
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**John Curcio - Dialogue
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**[[John Curcio]] - Dialogue
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**Michael Farrow - Music
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**[[Michael Farrow]] - Music
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**Tom Perkins - Editorial
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**[[Tom Perkins]] - Editorial
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**Larry Franke - Editorial
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**[[Larry Franke]] - Editorial
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**Michael Ungar - Editorial
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**[[Michael Ungar]] - Editorial
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**John Crenshaw - Editorial
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**[[John Crenshaw]] - Editorial
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**Pete Cannarozzi - Effects
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**[[Pete Cannarozzi]] - Effects
 
*'''Secondary Character Designs: '''
  
*'''Secondary Character Designs: '''
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**Jim Meskimen
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**[[Jim Meskimen]]
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**Michael Germakian
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**[[Michael Germakian]]
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**Bob Camp
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**[[Bob Camp]]
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**Pepe Moreno
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**[[Pepe Moreno]]
 
*'''Production Staff:'''
  
*'''Production Staff:'''
−
**Tony Giovanniello
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**[[Tony Giovanniello]]
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**Matthew Malach
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**[[Matthew Malach]]
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**Connie Long
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**[[Connie Long]]
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**Heather Winters
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**[[Heather Winters]]
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**Peter Bakalian
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**[[Peter Bakalian]]
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**Dennis J. Woodyard
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**[[Dennis J. Woodyard]]
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**Karen Seigel
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**[[Karen Seigel]]
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**Charles Hasegawa
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**[[Charles Hasegawa]]
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**Eleanor Musiol
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**[[Eleanor Musiol]]
  +
*'''Writers:'''
  +
**[[Leonard Starr]]
  +
**[[Peter Lawrence]]
  +
**[[Ron Goulart]]
  +
**[[Julian P. Gardner]]
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**[[Barney Cohen]]
  +
**[[William Overgard]]
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**[[Stephen Perry]]
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**[[Bob Haney]]
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**[[Howard Post]]
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**[[C.H. Trengove]]
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**[[Kimberly B. Morris]]
  +
**[[J. Larry Carroll]]
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**[[Bill Ratter]]
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**[[Lee Schneider]]
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**[[Matthew Malach]]
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**[[Sandy Fries]]
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**[[George Hampton]]
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**[[Mike Moore]]
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**[[Bruce Smith]]
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**[[Herb Englehardt]]
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**[[Dennis J. Woodyard]]
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**[[Beth Bornstein]]
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**[[Douglas Bernstein]]
  +
**[[Denis Markell]]
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**[[Danny Peary]]
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**[[Kenneth E. Vose]]
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**[[Jeri Craden]]
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**[[Lawrence DuKore]]
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**[[Annabelle Gurwitch]]
  +
**[[Heather M. Winters]]
  +
**[[Romeo Muller]]
  +
**[[James Rose]]
  +
**[[Becky Hartman]]
  +
**[[David Carren]]
   
 
==Premise==
  
==Premise==
−
The show centers around the Thundercats, a group of heroic humanoid cats who, after the destruction of their home planet Thundera, are forced to look for a new home, which they find on Third Earth. However, they are closely pursued by their arch enemies, the Mutants, who seek to obtain the Eye of Thundera, the source of the Thundercats' powers. In order to achieve their goal, the Mutants ally with an evil entitiy known as Mumm-Ra. The rest of the show focuses on the battle between the good Thundercats and the evil Mutants and Mumm-Ra.
 +
The show centers around the ThunderCats, a group of heroic humanoid cats who, after the destruction of their home planet [[Thundera]], are forced to look for a new home, which they find on [[Third Earth]]. However, they are closely pursued by their arch enemies, the [[Mutants]], who seek to obtain the [[Eye of Thundera]], the source of the ThunderCats' powers. In order to achieve their goal, the Mutants ally with an evil entity known as [[Mumm-Ra]]. The rest of the show focuses on the battle between the good ThunderCats and the evil Mutants and Mumm-Ra.
   
 
==Characters==
  
==Characters==
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==Episodes==
  
==Episodes==
 
{{main|Thundercats (1980s) Episode Guide}}
  
{{main|Thundercats (1980s) Episode Guide}}
  +
  +
==External Links==
  +
*[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088631/ ThunderCats] on [http://www.imdb.com IMDb]
  +
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ThunderCats ThunderCats] on [http://www.wikipedia.org Wikipedia]
  +
*[https://www.facebook.com/thundercats ThunderCats] official page on [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]
  +
*[http://www.rankinbass.com Official site of Rankin/Bass]
  +
[[Category:ThunderCats (1980s)]]

Revision as of 15:21, 28 April 2020

Thundercats Title

ThunderCats is an American animated series that ran from 1985 to 1989. It was produced by Rankin/Bass Productions based on characters created by Ted Wolf. The show consisted of a total of 130 episodes which were split into four seasons.

Production

Ted Wolf had an idea about creating an animated show based on humanoid cats. During the early 1980s, he and his friend Stan Weston (then President of Leisure Concepts Inc. (LCI), presented the proposal to Rankin/Bass, who were a reputed animation company, known for their animated season television specials.

Impressed with Wolf's concept, Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass, the founders of Rankin/Bass Productions, approved it and production immediately began on "Thundercats".

Acclaimed comic book writer Leonard Starr was hired as the head writer to develop the characters, stories and world of the ThunderCats. Mike Germakian of LCI provided the artwork as well as designing the characters and vehicles. He is the man responsible for creating the iconic Thundercats logo which consists of a black lion head inside n a red circle. Peter Lawrence served as script consultant while Lee Dannacher acted as the supervising producer.

Animation

Like most of the animated shows produced by Rankin/Bass Productions, the animation of Thundercats was done in Japan by the company Pacific Animation Corporation (PAC). The head of PAC was Masaki Iizuka, who supervised the production of Thundercats.

Thundercats was animated using the traiditional "2D cel animation" technique. Since the show was targetted at an American audience, special attention was given to make sure that the look of the show did not resemble "Anime", which was very popular in Japanese animation.

The script writing and voice recordings were done in America and these would then be sent to PAC to be animated. After the animation was done, the completed episode would be sent back to America to be broadcast.

Music

The music for Thundercats was scored by American composer, Bernard Hoffer. He composed and recorded a number of leitmotifs for each of the main characters, vehicles and locations as well as for certain situations. These "themes" utilised a number of different but distinct musical instruments in order to make each theme as unique as possible e.g "Cheetara's Theme" is played mostly on flutes whereas "Tygra's Theme" consists of mostly trumpets.

The lyrics were written by Jules Bass.

Thundercats Theme/Title Song Lyrics

Lion-O: Thunder, Thunder, Thundercats, Ho

Thundercats are on the move
Thundercats are loose
Feel the magic, hear the roar
Thundercats are loose

Thunder, Thunder, Thunder, Thundercats!
Thunder, Thunder, Thunder, Thundercats!
Thunder, Thunder, Thunder, Thundercats!
Thunder, Thunder, Thunder, Thundercats!
Thundercats!

Cast and Crew

Premise

The show centers around the ThunderCats, a group of heroic humanoid cats who, after the destruction of their home planet Thundera, are forced to look for a new home, which they find on Third Earth. However, they are closely pursued by their arch enemies, the Mutants, who seek to obtain the Eye of Thundera, the source of the ThunderCats' powers. In order to achieve their goal, the Mutants ally with an evil entity known as Mumm-Ra. The rest of the show focuses on the battle between the good ThunderCats and the evil Mutants and Mumm-Ra.

Characters

Main article: Thundercats (1980s) Characters

Episodes

Main article: Thundercats (1980s) Episode Guide

External Links

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