''Wonderbug'' is a segment of the first and second season of the
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
''
The Krofft Supershow
''The Krofft Supershow'' was a Saturday morning children's variety show, produced by Sid and Marty Krofft. It aired for two seasons from September 11, 1976, to September 2, 1978, on ABC.
Background
The show was composed of several live-action se ...
'', from 1976 to 1978. It was shot in
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
,
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
. The show was rerun as part of ABC's Sunday morning series.
Plot
Wonderbug's alter ego "Schlepcar" (so named due to its personalized California license plate "SCHLEP") was an old, beat up, conglomeration of several junked cars that looked like a rusty
dune buggy. Like
Herbie
Herbie, the Love Bug is a fictional Sentience, sentient 1963 Volkswagen Beetle, who has been featured in several Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney motion pictures starting with the 1968 feature film ''The Love Bug''. He has a mind of his own an ...
of
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
film fame, Schlepcar was alive and could drive itself, and could also talk in a mumbling voice. It was found in a junk yard by teenagers Barry Buntrock (
David Levy), C.C. McNamara (
John Anthony Bailey) and Susan Talbot (Carol Anne Seflinger). Schlepcar transformed into the shiny metal-flake orange Wonderbug (vocal effects provided by
Frank Welker
Franklin Wendell Welker (born March 12, 1946) is an American voice actor. He began his career in the 1960s, and holds over 860 film, television, and video game credits as of 2022, making him one of the most prolific voice actors of all time. With ...
) whenever a magic horn (which played the
bugle call for "cavalry charge") was sounded. In his Wonderbug identity, Schlepcar had the power of flight and was able to help the three teens capture crooks and prevent wrongdoing.
In Wonderbug mode, the car was a
Volkswagen
Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German Automotive industry, motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a ...
-based
Meyers Manx
Meyers is a surname of English origin; many branches of the Meyers family trace their origins to Anglo-Saxon England. The name is derived from the Old French name ''Maire'', meaning "mayor", or an officer in charge of legal matters. The English s ...
-clone body. Specifically the body was a Dune Runner manufactured by Dune Buggy Enterprises of
Westminster, California
Westminster is a city in northern Orange County, California, known for its many Vietnamese refugees who immigrated to the city during the 1980s. They settled largely in Little Saigon, and the city is known as the "capital" of overseas Vietnames ...
. Dune Buggy Enterprises offered the Dune Runner with three different hood choices. Wonderbug has the ''T- Bird'' hood choice.
The car had articulated eyeball headlights, and a custom bumper that resembled a mouth; different bumpers were sometimes used to give the car different facial expressions. When the car spoke in its mumbling voice, a rubber
puppet
A puppet is an object, often resembling a human, animal or Legendary creature, mythical figure, that is animated or manipulated by a person called a puppeteer. The puppeteer uses movements of their hands, arms, or control devices such as rods ...
stand-in with a moving mouth was sometimes used.
The space that would normally contain the right rear passenger seat instead contained a box, described in dialog as "the costume/wardrobe trunk"; this box actually served to conceal a hidden driver in scenes in which the car drives itself. The car also had a long fender-mounted radio antenna that terminated with a robot-like claw or gripper. Its license plate would change to "1DERBUG".
Barry often thought he was the brains of the outfit. However, it was usually Susan who came up with the ideas that saved them. A
running gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling. Though they are similar, catchphrases are not ...
was that Barry would suggest an outrageously implausible plan, its absurdity recognized by both C.C. and Susan. Susan would then suggest a far more sensible plan (usually involving disguises), which Barry would then suggest as if it were his own, prompting C.C. to praise Barry's supposed genius. Susan accepted the situation uncomplainingly, even telling a female character who observed one such exchange, "You get used to it."
Other appearances
''Wonderbug'' shared the one-hour time slot with other ''Krofft Supershow'' titles, including ''
Magic Mongo
''The Krofft Supershow'' was a Saturday morning children's variety show, produced by Sid and Marty Krofft. It aired for two seasons from September 11, 1976, to September 2, 1978, on ABC.
Background
The show was composed of several live-action se ...
'', ''
Bigfoot and Wildboy
''Bigfoot and Wildboy'' was a live action children's television series on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. It began in 1977 as a part of ''The Krofft Supershow'' on Saturday mornings. Each episode was 15 minutes long, with cliffhanger endings ...
'', ''
Dr. Shrinker'', ''
The Lost Saucer
''The Lost Saucer'' is an ABC network television series produced by Sid and Marty Krofft, starring Ruth Buzzi and Jim Nabors as hapless aliens who take a boy and his babysitter with them on their flying saucer. It aired new episodes from Septembe ...
'', and ''
Electra Woman and Dyna Girl
''Electra Woman and Dyna Girl'' is a live action superhero children's television series from 1976 created by Sid and Marty Krofft. The series aired 16 episodes in a single season as part of the umbrella series ''The Krofft Supershow.'' During th ...
''.
Ideal Toy Company
Ideal Toy Company was an American toy company founded by Morris Michtom and his wife, Rose. During the post–World War II baby boom era, Ideal became the largest doll-making company in the United States. Their most popular dolls included Betsy ...
published a board game in 1977.
Aladdin Industries
Aladdin is a brand notable for its line of character lunchboxes including Hopalong Cassady, Superman, Mickey Mouse and The Jetsons. Today, Aladdin continues to be a food and beverage products brand and is owned by Pacific Market International, ...
produced a metal lunchbox in 1976.
Episodes
Season 1 (1976)
Season 2 (1977)
References
External links
Official Sid & Marty Krofft MySpace Page*
*
The World of Sid & Marty Krofft Fact Sheet Version 2.2Program Lead-in ''SF Signal''
{{Children's programming on the American Broadcasting Company in the 1970s
American children's action television series
American children's adventure television series
American children's fantasy television series
American Broadcasting Company original programming
1970s American children's television series
1976 American television series debuts
1978 American television series endings
Fictional cars
Television series by Sid and Marty Krofft Television Productions
The Krofft Supershow
American television shows featuring puppetry
Television series created by Joe Ruby
Television shows filmed in Los Angeles
Television series created by Ken Spears
Television series about teenagers