G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1989 TV series)

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a half-hour American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

animated television series based on the successful toyline from Hasbro

Hasbro

Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...

and the comic book

Comic book

A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...

series from Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics

Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...

. The series was produced by DIC Entertainment

DiC Entertainment

DIC Entertainment was an international film and television production company. In addition to animated television shows such as Ulysses 31 , Inspector Gadget , The Littles , The Real Ghostbusters , Captain Planet and the Planeteers , and the first two seasons of the English adaptation of...

and ran from 1989

1989 in television

For the American TV schedule, see: 1989–90 United States network television schedule.The year 1989 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1989.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...

to 1991

1991 in television

For the American TV schedule, see: 1991-92 United States network television schedule.The year 1991 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1991.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...

.

The series debuted in 1989

1989 in television

, with a five-part mini-series titled Operation: Dragonfire. The regular series began in 1990

1990 in television

For the American TV schedule, see: 1990-91 United States network television schedule.The year 1990 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1990.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...

, lasting for two seasons and 44 episodes. The series continued the original G.I. Joe animated series produced by Sunbow Productions

Sunbow Productions

Sunbow Entertainment was an animation studio, founded in 1980 and owned up until 1998 by Griffin-Bacal Advertising in New York. The first animation efforts by Griffin-Bacal were producing the animated commercials for Hasbro's G.I...

and Marvel Productions

Marvel Productions

Marvel Productions Ltd. , last called New World Animation, was a television and film studio subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment Group , based in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, then New World Entertainment and News Corporation/Fox...

that ran in syndication from 1985

1985 in television

The year 1985 involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1985.For the American TV schedule, see: 1985-86 United States network television schedule.-Events:*January 1 – VH1 launches in the United States....

to 1986

1986 in television

The year 1986 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1986.For the American network television schedule, please see 1986-87 American network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:*September 6 –...

Background

In order to cut production costs for the animated series, Hasbro dropped Sunbow and contracted DiC to continue the series. Story editor Buzz Dixon explained in an interview: "Hasbro had been funding G.I. Joe out of their own pocket; they got a ridiculous deal from DiC to take over the series and they pretty much let them." The DiC series is a continuation of the Sunbow show, though there were some minor inconsistencies.

The series

The DiC stories, due to budgetary issues, chose to focus primarily on new characters of the period. Hawk

Hawk (G.I. Joe)

Hawk is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys. He appears in the animated series, comic books, toyline, and movie.-Profile:...

was retained as G.I. Joe commander and at times shared his duties with Sgt. Slaughter (who in this series, appeared in live-action wraparounds) as head of G.I. Joe. Captain Grid-Iron was given field commander duties in Season 1, with Duke regaining his old position in Season 2. Storm Shadow was also now a member of G.I. Joe, as he had been sold as a Joe rather than a Cobra since 1988, keeping in line with the story of the comics, where he had abandoned Cobra in 1986-87.

The first season centered almost exclusively on the 1990 Joes; meanwhile, Cobra, having a less extensive cast, was augmented by select characters from 1989 and the yet-to-be-released 1991 figures. This new ensemble had a much wider variety of Cobra Officers as we were introduced to the Night Creepers

Night Creepers

The Night Creepers are a syndicate of hi-tech ninjas/corporate mercenaries hired by Cobra as spies and assassins.-Profile:The Night Creepers are Swiss bankers who have been highly trained in martial arts, and equipped with cutting-edge technology. These "corporate ninja" mercenaries handles Cobra's...

and their leader, and many different forms of VIPERS.

The first season of the DiC series was mainly standalone episodes that focused on establishing new team members and plots. The second season of the DiC show lowered the animation budget but began a series of two part episodes, which often told a deeper story involving more dramatic life and death situations for the Joes. Theme song and underscore by Stephen James Taylor.

Cast

Jackson Beck
Jackson Beck
Jackson Beck was an American actor best known as the announcer on radio's The Adventures of Superman and the voice of Bluto in the Famous era Popeye theatrical shorts.-Career:...

- Narrator ("Operation Dragonfire" mini-series)
Michael Benyaer
Michael Benyaer
Michael Benyaer is a Canadian actor and cartoon and video game voice actor.Benyaer was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. He enjoyed playing Hadji in The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, stating, "[he] is one of the few roles for an ethnic actor that is not a bad guy...

- Scoop, Airwave
Don Brown - Sub-Zero, Dropzone
Jim Byrnes
Jim Byrnes (actor)
James Thomas Kevin "Jim" Byrnes is a blues musician, guitarist, and actor.-Life and career:Byrnes was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to a homemaker mother and a municipal accountant father. He has lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, since the mid-1970s...

- Alley Viper
Alley Viper
Alley Vipers are part of the G.I. Joe action figure line produced by Hasbro. They have appeared in the related comic books produced by Marvel Comics and Devil's Due. Alley Vipers are fictional soldiers in the Cobra Organization. They specialize in urban combat and SWAT tactics.- Action Figure :The...
Gary Chalk
Gary Chalk (actor)
Gary Chalk is an English-born Canadian actor, tri-national US-Canadian-UK citizen and voice artist. He has lend hit voice in over 30 animated television series and has been in films such as The Fly II and Freddy vs. Jason....

- Gristle, Metal-Head
Metal-Head
Metal-Head is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series where he is a member of the Iron Grenadiers. He first appeared in the 1990 edition of the toyline. He is not to be mistaken for another character with a similar name Metalhead from G.I...

, Pathfinder, Shockwave
Shockwave (G.I. Joe)
Shockwave is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is the G.I. Joe team's S.W.A.T. specialist and debuted in 1988.-Profile:...

, Cesspool, BIOK
Brent Chapman - Red Star
Red Star (G.I. Joe)
Red Star is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of toys, cartoons and comics. He is the leader of the Oktober Guard, the Soviet equivalent of the G.I. Joe Team, and successor to Col. Brekhov, the previous leader who died in action....

, Salvo
Lisa Corps - Zarana
Zarana
Zarana is the sister of Zartan and Zandar in the fiction setting of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. She has short naturally auburn hair that has been dyed pink and is usually depicted with a tattered hot pink T-shirt and blue pants. Zarana is a master of disguise who can fool even the best...
Kevin Conway - Rock 'n Roll
Rock 'n Roll (G.I. Joe)
Rock 'n Roll is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toy line, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is the G.I. Joe team's original machine gunner and debuted in 1982.-Profile:...
Ian James Corlett
Ian James Corlett
Ian James Corlett is a Canadian animation voice artist, writer, and musician. He is the creator of Studio B Productions' animated series Being Ian and Yvon of the Yukon....

- Gnawgahyde
Gnawgahyde
Gnawgahyde is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is affiliated with Cobra as the Dreadnoks' poacher and debuted in 1989.-Profile:...

, Rampart
Michael Donovan
Michael Donovan
Michael David Donovan is a voice actor for many TV shows and anime. He is most known for his voice on the series ReBoot for his voices of Phong, Mike the TV, Cecil, and Al. He has also provided the voice of Sabretooth for X-Men: Evolution and Carnage for Spider-Man Unlimited. He played the lead...

- Flint
Flint (G.I. Joe)
Flint is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series. He was originally created as a character for the Sunbow cartoon series in 1984, and later introduced into the comic book and produced as an action figure in 1985.-Profile:...

, Night-Viper
Suzanne Errett-Balcom - Scarlett
Scarlett (G.I. Joe)
Scarlett is a fictional character from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, a line of military-themed toys created by Hasbro. The character is one of the original members of the fictional team and toy line. She is a major character of the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic book series and the...

, Lady Jaye
Ed Gilbert - General Hawk
Hawk (G.I. Joe)
Hawk is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys. He appears in the animated series, comic books, toyline, and movie.-Profile:...

(Season 1)
Ted Harrison
Ted Harrison
Edward Hardy "Ted" Harrison, CM is a Canadian artist notable for his paintings of the Yukon.-Life and work:Ted Harrison was born in Wingate, County Durham, England and currently lives in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada....

- Duke
Duke (G.I. Joe)
Duke is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 lines of military-themed toys. The character is featured in both the animated series and comic books. Duke is portrayed by actor Channing Tatum in the 2009 live-action film, G.I. Joe: The Rise of...
Phil Hayes
Phil Hayes
Phillip Lee Hayes is an English cricketer. Hayes is a left-handed batsman who bowls leg break. He was born in Bolton, Greater Manchester and educated at Bury College....

- Airborne
Airborne (G.I. Joe)
Airborne is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's helicopter assault trooper and debuted in 1983.-Profile:...
Fred Henderson
Fred Henderson
Fred Henderson is a Canadian voice actor who works for Ocean Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He has played several roles in anime, most notably Ulen Hibiki in Gundam Seed and Colonel Todaka in Gundam Seed Destiny.- Anime roles :...

- Lt. Falcon
Lt. Falcon
Lt. Falcon is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is a green beret with the G.I. Joe Team and debuted in 1987.-Profile:...
Jerry Houser
Jerry Houser
Jerry Houser is an American character actor and voice actor in film and television.-Career:Houser was born in Los Angeles, California. Since 1971, he has appeared in countless films, TV series, animated series, and commercials...

- Sci-Fi
Sci-Fi (G.I. Joe)
Sci-Fi is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is the G.I. Joe team's laser trooper and debuted in 1986.-Profile:His real name is Seymour P. Fine, and his rank is that of corporal E-4...
Lee Jeffrey - Stalker
Stalker (G.I. Joe)
Stalker is the code name of Army Sergeant Lonzo R. Wilkinson, a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series. He is one of very few characters from the first line of the toys to have a distinct appearance from the other action figures, as he is African-American. Stalker was a major...
David Kaye
David Kaye
David V. Hope , known professionally as David Kaye, is a Canadian American actor who is better recognized for his work as a voice actor...

- General Hawk
Hawk (G.I. Joe)
Hawk is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys. He appears in the animated series, comic books, toyline, and movie.-Profile:...

(Season 2)
Terry Klassen
Terry Klassen
Terry Klassen is a Canadian voice actor and voice director in Vancouver, British Columbia. He co-created Yvon of the Yukon. He is the voice director for shows including Martha Speaks, "Johnny Test", "George of the Jungle", "Ed, Edd n Eddy", several "Barbie" movies, "Transformers", "CardCaptors",...

- Altitude
Josh Andrew Koenig
Josh Andrew Koenig
Joshua Andrew Koenig also known as Josh Andrew Koenig or Andrew Koenig, was an American character actor, film director, editor, writer, and human rights activist...

- Ambush, Night Creeper Leader
Night Creepers
The Night Creepers are a syndicate of hi-tech ninjas/corporate mercenaries hired by Cobra as spies and assassins.-Profile:The Night Creepers are Swiss bankers who have been highly trained in martial arts, and equipped with cutting-edge technology. These "corporate ninja" mercenaries handles Cobra's...
Maurice LaMarche
Maurice LaMarche
Maurice LaMarche is an Emmy Award winning Canadian-American voice actor and former stand up comedian. He is best known for his voicework in Futurama as Kif Kroker, as Egon Spengler in The Real Ghostbusters, Verminous Skumm and Duke Nukem in Captain Planet and the Planeteers, Big Bob Pataki in Hey...

- Big Ben, Copperhead
Copperhead (G.I. Joe)
Copperhead is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is Cobra's Water Moccasin pilot and debuted in 1984.-Profile:...

, Destro
Destro
Laird James McCullen Destro XXIV, usually referred to simply as Destro, is a fictional villain from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys from Hasbro. He is portrayed by Christopher Eccleston in the 2009 live-action film, G.I...

, Heavy Duty
Heavy Duty (G.I. Joe)
Heavy Duty is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series of toy lines, comics and cartoons. Heavy Duty is the G.I. Joe Team's heavy ordnance specialist. He is described as being unafraid of any situation despite heavy enemy fire...

, Low-Light
Low-Light (G.I. Joe)
Low-Light is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and animated series. He served as the G.I. Joe Team's Infantryman and debuted in 1986.-Profile:...

, Red Star
Red Star (G.I. Joe)
Red Star is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of toys, cartoons and comics. He is the leader of the Oktober Guard, the Soviet equivalent of the G.I. Joe Team, and successor to Col. Brekhov, the previous leader who died in action....

, Serpentor
Serpentor
Serpentor is a fictional character from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, a line of military-themed toys created by Hasbro. The character was introduced in 1986 as a toy with an air chariot and included in the animated series that same year.-Toys:...

, Spirit
Spirit (G.I. Joe)
Spirit, sometimes called Spirit Iron-Knife, is a fictional character from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, a line of military-themed toys. He appears in the animated series, comic books published by Marvel Comics and Devil's Due Productions, toy line and movie....
Morgan Lofting - Baroness
Baroness (G.I. Joe)
The Baroness is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline by Hasbro, originally appearing in the first issue of the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic series by Marvel Comics in June, 1982. The Baroness is a villain, usually associated with G.I. Joe's enemy, Cobra.Baroness...
Chris Latta
Christopher Collins
Christopher Charles Collins , also known as Chris Latta, was an American actor, voice artist and comedian, perhaps best known as the voice of Cobra Commander on the G.I. Joe animated series and as the voice of Starscream in the first Transformers animated series...

- Cobra Commander
Cobra Commander
Cobra Commander is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe franchise. He appears in the toyline, animated series , comic books, video games, and movie as the usual principal antagonist. He is the supreme leader of the terrorist organization Cobra, and archnemesis of the Joes...

(Season 1)
Blu Mankuma
Blu Mankuma
Blu Mankuma is an American actor. He has appeared in numerous Canadian and American productions filmed in Canada.Mankuma was born in Seattle, Washington...

- Roadblock
Roadblock (G.I. Joe)
Roadblock is a character from Hasbro's G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series of toys, comics and cartoons. He is one of the most prominent African-Americans in the series. His primary function in G.I. Joe is as a heavy machine gunner and a secondary function as a cook.-Fictional character...
Scott McNeil
Scott McNeil
Scott McNeil is a Canadian actor and voice actor. He currently resides in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...

- Cobra Commander
Cobra Commander
Cobra Commander is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe franchise. He appears in the toyline, animated series , comic books, video games, and movie as the usual principal antagonist. He is the supreme leader of the terrorist organization Cobra, and archnemesis of the Joes...

(Season 2), Freefall, Headman, Storm Shadow
Storm Shadow (G.I. Joe)
Storm Shadow is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic book series and television shows. The character is best known for his history with fellow ninja Snake Eyes...

, Dice, Slice
Bob Remus
Sgt. Slaughter
Robert Remus , better known by his ring name Sgt. Slaughter, is an American former WWE personality and semi-retired professional wrestler. From the late 1970s to the early 1990s, Slaughter had success in the National Wrestling Alliance, American Wrestling Association, and World Wrestling...

- Sgt. Slaughter
Sgt. Slaughter (G.I. Joe)
Sgt. Slaughter is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline series based on the professional wrestler of the same name. Though the original G.I. Joe was based on the real life Sgt. Alvin York, Sgt. Slaughter was the first G.I. Joe figure accurately based on a real person...
Alvin Sanders
Alvin Sanders
Alvin Sanders is an actor, now residing in Vancouver, BC. He currently sits on the Union of BC Performers' executive board.-Anime Roles:* Darkstalkers - Jon Talbain* Dragon Ball Z - Mr Popo, Additional Voices...

- Stretcher
Robert O. Smith
Robert O. Smith
Robert O. Smith was a voice actor whose roles include Kaijinbo in InuYasha and Genma Saotome in Ranma ½.-Roles:* Hulk - soldiers and guards* InuYasha - Kaijinbo...

- Grunt
Grunt (G.I. Joe)
Grunt is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is an infantryman with the G.I. Joe Team and debuted in 1982.-Profile:...

, Wet Suit
Wet Suit (G.I. Joe)
Wet Suit is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is one of the G.I. Joe team's two Navy SEALs, the other being Torpedo. Wet Suit debuted in 1986.-Profile:...
David Willis - Bullhorn
Dale Wilson - Capt. Grid-Iron, Mutt
Mutt (G.I. Joe)
Mutt is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's dog handler , and debuted in 1984.-Profile:...

, Overkill
Overkill (G.I. Joe)
Overkill is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline from Hasbro, which has spawned comics and cartoon series. He first appeared in the 1989 G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero incarnation of the series. He also appears in G.I...

, Skydive

Additional Voices

Mark Acheson
Mark Acheson
Mark Acheson is a Canadian actor, who works for the Ocean Group Company. He was the narrator in Transformers: Energon, and also voiced Unicron in Transformers: Armada, including the voice of Crumplezone in Transformers: Cybertron...

-
Jay Brazeau
Jay Brazeau
Jay Brazeau is a notable Canadian actor and voice actor. He was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.-Career:His credits include voicing Richard Condie's Oscar-nominated animated short La Salla. He also appeared in two of the first season episodes of Highlander: The Series in 1992...

-
Babz Chula
Babz Chula
Babz Chula was an American-born actress, permanent resident in Canada.-Life and career:Chula was born as Barbara Ellen Zuckerman in Springfield, Massachusetts. She was raised in Jamaica, New York...

-
Tom Davidson
Tom Davidson
Tom Davidson is a former Australian rules footballer who was recruited from the Geelong Falcons in the 2001 AFL Draft by the Collingwood Football Club....

-
Marcy Goldberg -
Annabel Kershaw -
Terry King
Terry King
Terry King was a World Series of Poker champion in the 1978 $200 Ladies - Limit 7 Card Stud.As of 2008, her total WSOP tournament winnings exceed $20,167 .-World Series of Poker bracelets:-References:...

-
Lalainia Lindberg -
Shane Meier
Shane Meier
Shane Meier is a Canadian actor who is probably most notable for playing the title role in The Matthew Shepard Story, a TV movie about the life and murder of Matthew Shepard....

-
Pauline Newstone
Pauline Newstone
Pauline Newstone is a voice actress.- Voice credits :*Beast Wars - Airazor *Dragon Ball Z - Frieza *Class of the Titans - Medusa*Hamtaro - Kaitlin Endo*Inuyasha - Mistress Centipede...

-
John Novak
John Novak
John Novak is an actor and anime voice actor who frequently does voice work for the Ocean Group based in Vancouver, Canada....

-
Doug Parker
Doug Parker (voice actor)
Doug Parker is a Canadian voice actor and voice director.He has been doing voices in several cartoons and anime.He is probably best known for playing Terrorsaur in Beast Wars, He also played Starscream who made a cameo appearance in the show...
Derek Peakman -
Margot Pinvidic -
Rick Poltaruk -
William Taylor -
Tomm Wright -

Crew

Madeline Bascomb - Voice Director (Season Two)
Marsha Goodman - Voice Director ("Operation Dragonfire" mini-series), Casting Director (Season One and Two)
Shirley McGregor - Talent Coordinator
Ginny McSwain
Ginny McSwain
Ginny McSwain is a voice actor, voice casting director, and animation production professional from Los Angeles, CA.McSwain graduated from Stephens College in 1974, before moving to Los Angeles...

- Voice Director ("Operation Dragonfire" mini-series)
Doug Parker
Doug Parker (voice actor)
Doug Parker is a Canadian voice actor and voice director.He has been doing voices in several cartoons and anime.He is probably best known for playing Terrorsaur in Beast Wars, He also played Starscream who made a cameo appearance in the show...

- Voice Director ("Operation Dragonfire" mini-series and Season One)
Paul Quinn - Voice Director (Season Two)
Victor Villegas - Voice Director ("Operation Dragonfire" mini-series)

VHS releases

El Dorado the Lost City of Gold
Revenge of the Pharaoh
Chunnel
Infested Island
The Sludge Factor I & II
Long Live Rock N Roll I & II

DVD release

(DiC) G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Series 2, Season 1 DVD will be available January 10, 2012.

External links

G.I. Joe (DiC's Version) at Retrojunk.com
G.I. Joe (DIC) at YOJOE.com
The Definitive Guide to DiC's GI Joe

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.