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The Jetsons is a prime-time animated sitcom that was produced by Hanna-Barbera for Screen Gems (and later Worldvision Enterprises). The original incarnation of the series aired Sunday nights on ABC from 23 September 1962 to 3 March 1963. It was Hanna-Barbera’s space age counterpart to The Flintstones. [1]. While the Flintstones live in a world with machines powered by birds and dinosaurs, the Jetsons live in a world with elaborate robotic contraptions, aliens, holograms, and whimsical inventions.$ Insert formula here $.[2]

The original series, comprising 24 episodes, was produced between 1962 and 1963 and was re-run on Saturday morning for decades. Its continuing popularity led to further episodes being produced for syndication between 1985 and 1987. The series was extensively merchandised and followed by two made-for-TV movies and two theatrical feature films. The Japanese dub is associated with Toei Animation.

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Summary

George Jetson works three hours a day and three days a week for his short, tyrannical boss named Cosmo G. Spacely, owner of the company Spacely Space Sprockets. Typical episodes involve Mr. Spacely firing and rehiring George Jetson, or promoting and demoting him.

Mr. Spacely has a competitor, H. G. Cogswell, owner of the rival company Cogswell Cogs. The Jetson family live in Orbit City. George commutes to work in an aerocar that resembles a flying saucer with a transparent bubble top. Daily life is characterized as being comically leisurely because of the incredible sophistication and number of labor-saving devices, which occasionally break down with humorous results. George's work day consists of pressing a single computer button. Despite this, characters often complain of exhausting hard labor and difficulties of living with the remaining inconveniences.

Other Jetson family members include Jane Jetson, the wife and homemaker, teenage daughter, Judy, and genius preteen son Elroy. Housekeeping is seen to by a robot maid, Rosey; she only appears in two episodes of the original 1960s show, excluding her appearance in the closing credits, but makes many appearances on the 1980s show.

The family dog Astro can mumble and say his words beginning with Rs. Astro's catch phrases are "Ruh-roh!" and "Right, Reorge!" or "Rats Rall Right Reorge!" Later Hanna-Barbera cartoon dogs, including Scooby-Doo and Muttley, would have the same speech impediment; voice actor Don Messick played all three. In the first episode of the 1980s show, an alien named Orbitty joined the family.

Names of locations, events and devices are often puns or derivatives of contemporary analogs with explicit space-age twists. The same technique was used in The Flintstones with archaic or stone-age twists.

Characters

[3] George Jetson: age 40, is a loving family man who always seems to make the wrong decision. He works full time, 15 hours a week at Spaceley's Sprockets as a computer engineer. He is married to Jane and together they have two kids, Elroy and Judy. George is the protagonist of the show.

Jane Jetson: age 33, is George's spouse, mother of their two children, and homemaker. Jane is obsessed with fashion and new gadgetry and her favorite store is Mooning Dales. She is also a dutiful wife who always tries to make life as pleasant as possible for her family. Outside the home, she is a member of the Galaxy Women Historical Society and is a fan of Leonardo de Venus and Picasso Pia.

Elroy Jetson: age 6½, is the younger of two children in the Jetson family. He is highly intelligent and an expert in all space sciences. Elroy attends Little Dipper School where he studies space history, astrophysics and star geometry. He is a mild mannered and good child.

Judy Jetson: age 16, is the older child in the Jetson family. She is a stereotypical teenage girl whose prime interests include: boys, clothes, dating, going out, and revealing secrets to her digital diary.

Rosey: age unknown, is the Jetsons' household robot. She's an outdated model but the Jetsons love her and would never trade her for a newer model. Rosey does all the household chores and some of the parenting. She is a strong disciplinarian and occasionally dispenses advice to the family.

Astro: age unknown, is the Jetsons' family dog. Before being a Jetson, Astro was known as Tralfaz and belonged to the fabulously rich Mr. Gottrocket. Astro is George's best friend, and is able to speak. [4]

Orbitty: age unknown, is the family pet who also happens to be an alien. He is a furry animal, resembling a monkey, but with a built in slinky/spring. Elroy found Orbity on a field trip to Mars and brought it home. Orbity is a friendly pet, incredibly smart and always in a good mood. This character was Introduced in the 1980s version of the series.

Cosmo Spaceley: age unknown, is George's boss and owner of Spacely Sprockets. He is a "little person" with brown hair and a bad temper. Cosmo is the antagonist in the series.

Mr. Cogswell: age unknown, is Spacely's big competitor. He owns the Cogswell's Cogs company and causes a lot of trouble for Cosmo and George.

R.U.D.I.: is George's work computer. His name is an acronym for Referential Universal Differential Index. He has a human personality and is a member of the Society Preventing Cruelty to Humans.

Henry Orbit: age unknown, is the Jetsons' apartment repairman. He is always helpful and always in a good mood. His robot, Mack, has a crush on Rosey.

Music

The 1962 episode "A Date with Jet Screamer", in which daughter Judy Jetson wins a date with a rock star, provided the song "Eep Opp Ork Ah-Ah (Means I Love You)" written by Hoyt Curtin, William Hanna and Joseph Barbara. The episode was a surrealistic Busby Berkeley-in-space affair which prefigured conceptual MTV videos by decades.[5]

A cover of "Eep Opp Ork Ah-Ah (Means I Love You)", mistitled "Eep Opp Ork (Uh, Uh)", performed by The Dickies, is included on the 1988 album Killer Klowns from Outer Space, produced by Leonard Graves Phillips and Sir Ronald Powell Hitchcock for Enigma Records.[6]

A cover of "Eep Opp Ork Ah-Ah (Means I Love You)", performed by Violent Femmes, is included on the 1995 tribute album Saturday Morning: Cartoons' Greatest Hits, produced by Ralph Sall for MCA Records.[7]

Differences Between Versions

Besides the increased presence of Rosey and the addition of Orbitty, further differences between the 1960s version and 1980s version include the following:

Although the 1960s episodes were retrofitted with title cards (as was standard for 1980s-era H-B cartoons), as both the 1960s/1980s episodes were syndicated in the 1980s as a complete package, the original 1960s episodes are distinguished by 1960s style animation, music, and references (similar to The Flintstones and other Hanna-Barbera shows of that period).

and other Hanna-Barbera shows of that period). The cast members have a slightly softer vocal tone in their 1960s performances, since they were about twenty years younger when originally working on the series.

Whereas the 1960s stories were basically 1950s sitcom plots in a futuristic setting, the 1980s stories delved into fantastic, sci-fi cartoon territory.

The opening credits of the 1980s version featured a re-recorded version of the original Jetsons theme song, which features the use of synthesized drums to create percussion typical of 1980s music.

theme song, which features the use of synthesized drums to create percussion typical of 1980s music. The closing credits are static drawings (like most of Hanna-Barbera's shows of the time). This format replaced the original credit sequence described above when the 1960s episodes were rebroadcast.

The 1980s version has a smoother look and clear sound, primarily due to Hanna-Barbera's switch to computer aided animation techniques at the time.

While episodes made in the 1960s referenced rockets and other "space age" theme devices, reflective of the real-life U.S. space program which fascinated America, the 1980s episodes leaned more towards how computers would influence life in outer space.

Jane's lipstick in 1980s version is darker red.

Episodes

Main article: List of The Jetsons episodes

Television Specials

Television Films

Theatrical Releases

Jetsons: The Movie (1990)

(1990) The Jetsons (2020)

Live-Action Feature Film

In May 2007, director Robert Rodriguez entered talks with Universal Studios and Warner Bros. to film a live action film adaptation of The Jetsons for a potential 2009 theatrical release. He had also met with Universal Studios to direct a film adaptation of Land of the Lost. Rodriguez was uncertain which project he would pursue next, though the latest script draft for The Jetsons by assigned writer Adam Goldberg was further along in development.[8] Denise Di Novi and Donald De Line have signed on to produce the film, with Hanna-Barbera Productions financing it. In January 2009, the film was pushed back to 2012.

Further Appearances

Comics

Games

The Jetsons' Ways with Words (Intellivision) (1984)

(Intellivision) (1984) The Jetsons and the Legend of Robotopia (Amiga, 1990)

(Amiga, 1990) The Jetsons: By George, in Trouble Again (MS-DOS, 1990)

(MS-DOS, 1990) The Jetsons: Cogswell's Caper (Nintendo Entertainment System, 1992)

(Nintendo Entertainment System, 1992) The Jetsons: Robot Panic (Game Boy, 1992)

(Game Boy, 1992) The Jetsons: Invasion of the Planet Pirates (Super NES, 1994)

(Super NES, 1994) Jetsons: The Computer Game (Amiga) (1992)

(Amiga) (1992) The Jetsons: Mealtime Malfunction (Apple)

(Apple) The Jetsons: Space Race

Flintstones Jetsons Time Warp (CD-i) (1994)

Availability

Warner Home Video released season 1 of The Jetsons on DVD in Region 1 on May 11, 2004, and also released it in Region 4 on July 6, 2006. Season 2, Vol. 1 was finally released, almost five years since season 1, on June 2, 2009, in Region 1.[9].

DVD Name Ep # Region 1 Additional Information The Complete First Season 24 October 15, 2004 Commentary on 2 episodes by Janet Waldo

The Jetsons: The Family of the space age

Space Age Gadgets

Rosey the Robotic Maid

Nuclear Family Album Season 2, Volume 1 21 June 2, 2009 The Jetsons: Return to the space age

Today

Boomerang is currently airing only the 1960s episodes regularly, while some of the 1980s episodes are available for viewing on In2TV. However, Boomerang does air the 1980s episodes occasionally in Boomeroyalty marathons. Also the first 2 seasons of the Jetsons are available to download on Apple's iTunes Store and at the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Forbes magazine valued Spacely Sprockets at $1.3 billion, on their "The 25 Largest Fictional Companies" list. [10]

magazine valued Spacely Sprockets at $1.3 billion, on their "The 25 Largest Fictional Companies" list. In January 2009, IGN listed The Jetsons as the 46th best animated television series. [11]

The music video for the Kanye West song "Heartless" features Judy, Elroy, Astro, George, Jane and Rosey done as portraits.

Voice Cast

Minor Characters

Montague Jetson, the kindly but eccentric grandfather of George Jetson

Arthur Spaceley, Mr. Spaceley's son — Dick Beals

Credits

Season 1 Produced and Directed by: William Hanna and Joseph Barbera

Associate Producer: Alex Lovy

Story Direction: Dan Gordon, Alex Lovy, Lewis Marshall, Paul Sommers

Featuring the Voices of: George O'Hanlon, Penny Singleton, Janet Waldo, Daws Butler, Don Messick, Mel Blanc, Jean Vander Pyl, Howard Morris, Dick Beals, Shepard Menken, Joan Gardner, Hal Smith

Jane Jetson Vocal by: B.J. Baker

Story Supervision: Arthur Pierson

Musical Director: Hoyt Curtin

Music Composed, Arranged and Orchestrations by: Milt Franklyn

Animation Director: Charles A. Nichols

Animators: Grant Simmons, Irvin Spence, Ray Patterson, Donald Lusk, George Goepper, Carlo Vinci, Harry Holt, Dick Lundy, Gerard Baldwin, Hugh Fraser, Bill Keil, Edwin Aardal, George Nicholas, Gerry Chiniquy, Ken Harris, Kenneth Muse, Don Patterson, Jerry Hathcock, George Kreisl, Robert Cannon

Layout: Dan Norman, Jack Huber, Iwao Takamoto, Lance Nolley, Willie Ito, Irv Spector, Al Wilson, Dick Bickenbach, Bill Perez, Jerry Eisenberg, Walter Clinton, Jacques W. Rupp, Tony Sordi, Tony Sgroi, Dan Noonan

Backgrounds: Art Lozzie, Neenan Maxwell, F. Montealegre, Rene Garcia, Richard H. Thomas, Bob Abrams, Fernando Arce, Lee Branscome, Robert Gentle

Cel Painter: Marilyn Pierson

Supervising Film Editor: Larry C. Cowan

Dubbing Supervisor: Pat Foley

Film Editors: Joseph Ruby, Greg Watson, Warner Leighton, Donald A. Douglas, Ken Spears, Tony Milch

Production Supervisor: Howard Hanson

Graphics: Iraj Paran, Tom Wogatzke

Titles: Lawrence Goble

Technical Supervisor: Jerry Mills

Camera: Vic Shank, Wayne Smith, Jerry Smith, Joe Nasta, Frank Paiker, Roy Wade, Charles Flekal, Dick Blundell, Norman Stainback, John Pratt, Frank Parrish

A Hanna-Barbera Production

This Picture Made Under the Jurisdiction of IATSE-IA Affiliated with A.F.L.-C.I.O.

RCA Sound Recording

Eastman Color by Pathé

"The Jetsons" © 1962-1963 by Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved Season 2 Executive Producers: William Hanna and Joseph Barbera

Producer: Bob Hathcock

Associate Producers: Jeff Hall, Alex Lovy

Creative Supervisor: Joe Taritero

Story Editors: Arthur Alsberg, Tony Benedict, Don Nelson, Art Scott

Supervising Director: Ray Patterson

Directors: Art Davis, Oscar Dufau, Carl Urbano, Rudy Zamora, Alan Zaslove, Mark Zaslove

Animation Directors: Don Patterson, Don Lusk, Bob Goe, Rick Leon, Irv Spence

Story Direction: Alvaro Arce, Paul Terry, Tony Benedict, Tom Yakutis, Ron Campbell, Jeff Hall, Alex Lovy, Lewis Marshall, Bill Perez

Recording Director: Gordon Hunt

Animation Casting Director: Andrea Romano

Voices: Bob Arbogast, Rene Auberjonois, Gay Autterson, Jered Barclay, Dick Beals, Michael Bell, Gregg Berger, Mel Blanc, Susan Blu, Earl Boen, Foster Brooks, Daws Butler, Victoria Carroll, Didi Conn, Henry Corden, Dave Coulier, Peter Cullen, Brian Cummings, Julie Dees, Jerry Dexter, Selma Diamond, Paul Eiding, Dick Forman, June Foray, Pat Fraley, Joan Gardner, Joan Gerber, Barry Gordon, Philip Hartmann, John Ingle, Ralph James, Lauri Johnson, Stanley Jones, Zale Kessler, Lucy Lee, Peter Leeds, Allan Lurie, Jim MacGeorge, Kenneth Mars, Chuck McCann, Edie McClurg, Terry McGovern, Sonny Melendrez, Allan Melvin, Don Messick, Howard Morris, Frank Nelson, Cliff Norton, George O'Hanlon, Tony Pope, Phil Proctor, Bob Ridgely, Roger Rose, Tim Rooney, Nelson Ross, Beverly Sanders, Marilyn Schreffler, Avery Schreiber, Penny Singleton, John Stephenson, Andre Stooka, Fred Travelina, Jean Vander Pyl, Janet Waldo, B.J. Ward, Fredricka Weber, Lennie Weinrib, Frank Welker, Paul Winchell, William Windom, Bill Woodson

Character Design: Chris Otsuki, Davis Doi, Alfred Gilmeno, Lee Evans, Lynn Naylor

Graphics: Iraj Paran, Tom Wogatzke

Music Composed and Conducted by: Hoyt Curtin

Director of Music: Paul DeKorte

Design Supervisor: Bob Singer

Layout Supervisors: Charlie Grosvenor, John Kricfalusi, Jaime Diaz, Juan Pina, Carlos Alfonso

Layout: Teresa Birch, Barbara Huggins, Miguel Ángel Aisa, David Dunnet, Andrew Gentle, Terry Hudson, John Kricfalusi, Alex McCrae, Jim Mueller, Lynn Naylor, David O'Day, Michael OMara, Linda Rowley, Terry Neill Radanovich, Aaron St. John

Animation Supervisors: Jay Sabry, Ernesto Lopez, Jaime Diaz, Juan Pina, Carlos Alfonso, David Feiss

Animation: Emilio Luján Álvarez, Robert Alvarez, Frank Andrina, Mike Bennet, David Burgess, Lefty Callahan, Rudy Cataldi, Bin Chuang, Néstor Córdoba, Daniel De La Vega, Joan Drake, Bob Goe, Bill Hutten, Nick Leon, Ed Love, Tony Love, Ron Myrick, Bob Neslar, Bonita Versh, Alan Wilzbach, Tim Walker

Background Supervisor: Al Gmuer

Background: Robert Gentle, Fernando Arce, Martin Forte, Bonnie Goodnight, Mike Humphries, Phil Lewis, Phil Proctor, Jeff Richards, Jeff Riche, Ron Roesch, Gloria Wood

Assistant Animation Supervisor: Joanna Romersa

Assistant Animation: Adriana Cerrotti

Checking And Scene Planning: Paul B. Strickland.

Xerography: Star Wirth

Technical Supervisor: Jerry Mills

Camera: Steve Altman, Curtis Hall, Ray Lee, Raplh Migliori, Joe Ponitelle, David Valentine, Roy Wade.

Ink and Paint Supervisor: Alison Leopold.

Sound Direction: Alvy Dorman, Phil Flad

Supervising Film Editor: Larry C. Cowan

Dubbing Supervisor: Pat Foley

Music Editors: Joe Sandusky, Terry Moore, Cecil Broughton, Daniels McLean

Effects Editors: Michael Bradley, Kerry Williams, Catherine Mackenzie, Mary Gleason, David M. Cowan, Jerry Winicki, Carol Lewis

Show Editor: Gil Iverson

Negative Consultant: William E. DeBoer

Post-Production Supervisor: Joed Eaton

Production Coordinator: Peter Aries

Production Manager: James Wang

Computer Animation System Design: Marc Levoy, Chris Odgers, Bruce Wallace, Bennett Leeds

Computer Graphics, Technical Consultant: Dr. Don Greenburg

Computer Animation Supervisor: Anne Tucker

Assistant Supervisor: Dennis Bonnell

Produced in association with: Wang Film Productions Co., Ltd., Cuckoo's Nest Studios

Executives in Charge of Production: Jayne Barbera and Jean MacCurdy

Supervising Executive: Margaret Loesch

A Hanna-Barbera Production

This Picture Made Under the Jurisdiction of IATSE-IA Affiliated with A.F.L.-C.I.O.

"The Jetsons" © Copyright MCMLXXXIV Hanna-Barbera Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved Season 3 Executive Producers: William Hanna and Joseph Barbera

Executive in Charge of Production: Jayne Barbera

Producers: Bob Hathcock, Berny Wolf and Jeff Hall

Story Editors: Don Nelson and Arthur Alsberg

Creative Design: Iwao Takamoto

Supervising Director: Ray Patterson

Directors: Art Davis, Charlie Downs, Oscar Dufau, Paul Sommer

Animation Directors: Frank Andrina, Oliver Callahan, Joan Drake, Bob Goe, Rick Leon, Don Patterson, Joanna Romersa, Jay Sarbry, James T. Walker

Story Direction: Jeff Hall, Lew Marshall, Alex Lovy

Recording Director: Gordon Hunt

Animation Casting Director: Andrea Romano

Talent Coordinator: Kris Zimmerman

Voices: Lewis Arquette, Dick Beals, Mel Blanc, Valri Bromfield, Rodger Bumpass, Daws Butler, Brian Cummings, Jerry Dexter, Dick Erdman, Joanie Gerber, Ed Gilbert, Dan Gilvezan, Zale Kessler, Allan Lurie, Danny Mann, Wink Martindale, Gail Matthius, Chuck McCann, Terry McGovern, Don Messick, Sidney Miller, Howard Morris, Lorenzo Music, George O'Hanlon, Beverly Sanders, Michael Sheehan, Penny Singleton, John Stephenson, Mark Taylor, Rip Taylor, Brenda Vaccaro, Jean Vander Pyl, Chuck Vennera, Janet Waldo

Graphics: Iraj Paran, Tom Wogatzke

Title: Bill Perez

Music Composed and Directed by: Hoyt Curtin

Director of Music Supervision: Joanne Miller

Design Supervisor: Jack White

Unit Head: Scott Jeralds

Character Design: Mark Christiansen, Franco Cristofani, Davis Doi, Lee Evans, Kirk Hanson, Mike Kawaguchi, Jim Stenstrum

Key Layout: Drew Gentle, Mike Kawaguchi, Lorraine Marue

Key Background Supervisor: Al Gmuer

Key Backgrounds: Lorraine Marue, Patti Palmer, Bill Proctor, Gloria Wood, Fred Warter

Checking and Scene Planning: Paul B. Strickland

Color Design: Alison Leopold

Xerography: Star Wirth

Production Assistants: Mark Lesser, Sandy Benenati, Vicki Casper, Erika Grossbart, Debby Lathrop-Robbins, Ginger Robertson, Robin Strickland

Program Administrator: Barbara Simon Dierks

Computer Animation Supervisor: Paul B. Strickland

Special Effects Scene Planning: Ann Tucker

Assistant Computer Supervisor: Dennis Bonnell

Computer Graphics Technical Consultant: Dr. Don Greenberg

Computer Animation Systems Design: Marc Levoy, Chris Odgers, Bruce Wallace, Bennett Leeds, Jim Mahoney

Supervising Film Editor: Larry C. Cowan

Dubbing Supervisor: Pat Foley

Video Tape Editor: Mark Bernay

Music & Effects Editor: David West

Show Editor: Gil Iverson

Post Production Supervisor: Joed Eaton

Animation Production: Optifex Enterprises, Ltd.

Animation: Wincat Alcala, Tito Romero

Layout Director: Peter Sheehan

Produced in Association with: Toei Animation

Production Supervisor: Osamu Yoshioka

This Picture Made Under the Jurisdiction of IATSE-IA Affiliated with A.F.L.-C.I.O.

© Copyright 1987 Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved

References

Further Reading