Get Animated – When prime time shows became cartoons

In the 1960’s and 70’s if you were a network and you wanted to prolong the life of a TV show there was one popular and pretty inexpensive way of doing that. Yep turn into a cartoon. Its surprising how many hit American shows have had animated spin-offs. Take for instance this little lot.

STAR TREK had probably one of the best animated spin-offs with all the cast and most of the shows original writers taking part.

FONZ AND THE HAPPY DAYS GANG Time travelling adventures with all the original gang and a dog called Mr Cool.

THE DUKES Again with all the original cast this was straightforward Dukes of Hazzard exploits.

MORK AND MINDY Mork (voiced by Robin Williams) decides its time he went to school to learn proper human ways. The school was called Mt Mouont High School.

THE ODDBALL COUPLE Excellent dog and cat adaption of The Odd Couple with Spiffy the Cat teaming up with less than with it Fleabag the dog.

GILLIGAN’S PLANET oh and they said it couldn’t be done – Gilligan and his fellow hapless friends this time find themselves marooned in space.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY A well done version of the show with the family living in a fantastic and very spooky wagon travelling across the country.

Last but certainly no means least THE NEW ADVENTURES OF BATMAN Burt Ward and Adam West lent their voices to this effort to match the sixties crime caper.

This of course only scratches the surface but these can definitely be counted amongst the best of the spin offs.