1. Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse (1962 to 1963)
Batman creator Bob Kane came up with this idea about a crime-fighting cat and mouse that in many ways managed to capture the campy feel that would make up the Adam West Batman series four years later. Their rogues gallery includes The Frog, Harry Gorilla, Professor Shaggy Dog, Rodney Rodent, The Fox, The Great Hambone and Outrageous Cat (Courageous’ cousin).
2-6. Tobor: 8th Man (1963 to 1964) and Other Anime Shows (-1969)
Throughout the sixties, we were given a number of sci-fi shows imported from Japan as well as one that was such an obvious influence on The Lion King many years later. Those shows — a number of which include robots — are Tobor the 8th Man (produced between 1963 and 1964), Gigantor (1963 to 1966), Astro Boy (1965 to 1971), Kimba the White Lion (1965 to 1966) and Marine Boy (1969).
7. Underdog (1964 to 1967)
There’s no need to fear, Underdog is here! A popular cartoon series that’s a parody of Superman with Wally Cox voicing both the title character and his alter-ego, Shoeshine Boy. Underdog battled villains like Simon Bar Sinister and Riff Raff, and was constantly having to save this show’s Lois Lane, Sweet Polly Purebread. To do so, as he would announce in each episode, “In the secret compartment of my ring I fill, with an Underdog super energy pill.” Yes, that’s right. Underdog popped pills. But, you know, it was the 60’s.
8. The Atom Ant/Secret Squirrel Show (1965 to 1967)
We are very quickly moving into the era of the Saturday morning superhero explosion. This hour-long show was split in two, dealing with the ultra-powerful ant of the title and the superspy squirrel. Atom’s back up cartoons were Precious Pupp and The Hillbilly Bears, while Secret’s were Squiddly Diddly and Winsome Witch.
9. Sinbad, Jr. and His Magic Belt (1965 to 1966)
Sinbad the Sailor had a son (apparently) and he’s the star of this show, sailing the sea with his parrot, Salty (voiced by Mel Blanc) in search of those who need help. To provide it, he tightens his belt, which gives him the strength of 50 men. Yeah, it sounds odd to us, too.
10. Batfink (1966)
Given the success of the Batman TV series that premiered the same year, this take-off was quickly produced with 100 five-minute episodes airing between 1966 and 1967. Accompanied by his sidekick, Karate, Batfink takes on many villains, usually responding to their firing guns at him, “Your bullets cannot harm me. My wings are like a shield of steel” (though one time one of the bad guys responded, “Yeah, but your head is like a marshmallow,” before hitting him in the skull with a large mallet).
11. Frankenstein, Jr. and The Impossibles (1966 to 1967)
In the Frankenstein Jr. portion of things, Frankie is now a giant robot (voiced by The Addams Family‘s Ted Cassidy) along with his young creator, Buzz Conroy. And with The Impossibles, on the outside they seem like a Beatles-like trio, but in reality they’re superheroes Multi Man, Fluid Man and Coil Man.
12. The Lone Ranger (1966 to 1969)
In a nutshell, it’s the Lone Ranger (voiced by Michael Rye) and Tonto (Shepard Menken) making the Old West safe, only this time in animated form.
13. The Mighty Heroes (1966 to 1967)
Animator Ralph Bakshi had the bright idea to spoof the whole superhero thing and did it with this somewhat subversive series that takes on something like the Justice League. His heroes are Strong Man, Rope Man, Tornado Man, Cuckoo Man and Diaper Man. Quite the motley group.
15-17. The New Adventures of Superman (1966 to 1970) and Other Filmation Shows
The Man of Steel was brought back to television for the first time since George Reeves had played him in The Adventures of Superman. Here he’s voiced by Bud Collyer, who had previously brought the character to vocal life in the Max Fleischer animated theatrical shorts of the 1940s and on the radio show. These shorts would later become part of The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure and The Batman/Superman Hour.
18. Space Ghost (1966)
Space Ghost is kind of like Batman in space, armed with weapons and flying around in a cool ship. He’s accompanied by Jan and Jace as his sidekicks, along with their pet monkey, Blip. Years later, he would become the host of his own animated/live action hybrid talk show, Space Ghost Coast to Coast.
19. Birdman and the Galaxy Trio (1967 to 1969)
Birdman is a winged superhero who gets his powers from the sun, while interstellar heroes the Galaxy Trio consists of Vapor Man, Meteor Man and Gravity Girl. Honestly, these shows were very quickly becoming interchangeable.
20. Fantastic Four (1967 to 1970)
Marvel’s first family of their superhero universe are brought to animated life with stories that feel like they’ve come right out of the comic book. Characters are Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic, who can stretch his body), Sue Richards (the Invisible Girl), Johnny Storm (the Human Torch) and Ben Grimm (the rock-covered Thing).
21. Moby Dick and The Mighty Mightor (1967 to 1969)
After a while, you’re really got to wonder who came up with these pairings. In the Moby Dick portion of things, following a shipwreck a pair of teens are rescued by the great white whale (which is not known for its kindness in the Herman Melville novel) and together take on underwater dangers. And then there’s The Mighty Mightor, a teenage caveman who finds a mysterious club that endows him with powers. Uh, okay.
22. Samson and Goliath (1967 to 1968)
Taking a motorbike around the country, teen Samson and his dog, Goliath, do their best to right wrongs. Making it easier to do so is the fact that when his golden wristbands are brought together, he becomes the oh-so-powerful Samson and his dog becomes a lion. Together they take on all sorts of villains.
23. Shazzan! (1967 to 1969)
A genie named Shazzan helps brother and sister Chuck and Nancy as they make their way through a mystical Arabian world while riding the flying camel Kaboobie. When in danger, they bring two halves of a ring together to summon Shazzan.
24. Spider-Man (1967 to 1970)
Spidey’s had a long history of adaptations, but this was his very first appearance and it’s pretty loyal to the comic (despite some really limited animation at times). It also gave us the famous “Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can” theme song, which is gift enough.
For a look at many more Saturday morning cartoons of the 1960s, please head over to Toonado.