U.S. of Archie
Encyclopedia
The U.S. of Archie was a Saturday morning cartoon
show on CBS
from September 7, 1974 to September 1976. A spinoff of the popular Archie
comic books and television show
, it featured Archie
, Jughead
, and the other Riverdale High student regulars re-enacting famous scenes throughout American history
, taking full advantage of the Bicentennial
in the months leading up to it. It was produced by Filmation
founders and producers Lou Scheimer
and Norm Prescott
.
The musical segments appear after the episode ends, which are songs about the covered topic. The characters were slightly re-drawn with new clothing but some of the animations were recycled.
It ran for a total of sixteen episodes, but due to its educational agenda, lacked the music and comedy elements which had made the other Archie cartoons so successful. After spending its first four months on Saturday mornings, it was moved to the less-popular Sunday morning schedule in January 1975, where it remained in repeats until September 1976.
Jackie Mills, a Hollywood producer, produced all of the music for The U.S. of Archie. Jackie had also produced Bobby Sherman
and the Brady Bunch Kids. The lead singer on The U.S. of Archie was Tom McKenzie, who earlier appeared on some of the Groovie Goolies
s songs. Tom was a member of the Doodletown Pipers
singing group, which also included Augie Johnson, Oren Waters, Mic "Michele" Bell, Teresa Graves
, and Dean Chapman.
Beginning March 29, 2010, this show will air on the Retro Television Network
.
Saturday morning cartoon
A Saturday morning cartoon is the colloquial term for the animated television programming that has typically been scheduled on Saturday mornings on the major American television networks from the 1960s to the present; the genre's peak in popularity mostly ended in the 1990s while the popularity of...
show on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
from September 7, 1974 to September 1976. A spinoff of the popular Archie
Archie Comics
Archie Comics is an American comic book publisher headquartered in the Village of Mamaroneck, Town of Mamaroneck, New York, known for its many series featuring the fictional teenagers Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle and Jughead Jones. The characters were created by...
comic books and television show
The Archie Show
The Archie Show is a Saturday morning cartoon animated series produced by Filmation. Based on the Archie comic books, created by Bob Montana in 1941, The Archie Show debuted on CBS in September 1968 and lasted for one season. A total of 17 half-hour shows, each containing two 11 minute segments,...
, it featured Archie
Archie Andrews (comics)
Archie Andrews, created in 1941 by Vic Bloom and Bob Montana, is a fictional character in an American comic book series published by Archie Comics, as well as the long-running Archie Andrews radio series, a syndicated comic strip, The Archie Show, and Archie's Weird Mysteries.-Character and...
, Jughead
Jughead Jones
Jughead Jones is a fictional character in Archie Comics who first appeared in the comic in December 1941. He is the son of Forsythe II; although in one of the early Archie newspaper comic strips, he himself is identified as Forsythe Van Jones II...
, and the other Riverdale High student regulars re-enacting famous scenes throughout American history
History of the United States
The history of the United States traditionally starts with the Declaration of Independence in the year 1776, although its territory was inhabited by Native Americans since prehistoric times and then by European colonists who followed the voyages of Christopher Columbus starting in 1492. The...
, taking full advantage of the Bicentennial
United States Bicentennial
The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to the historical events leading up to the creation of the United States as an independent republic...
in the months leading up to it. It was produced by Filmation
Filmation
Filmation Associates was an American production company that produced animation and live action programming for television during the latter half of the 20th century. Located in Reseda, California, the animation studio was founded in 1963...
founders and producers Lou Scheimer
Lou Scheimer
Louis Scheimer is an Emmy and Grammy Award–winning American producer, one of the original founders of Filmation, an animation company, and also an executive producer of many of its cartoons .-Career:Early in Filmation's history, Scheimer also contributed...
and Norm Prescott
Norm Prescott
Norman "Norm" Prescott was co-founder and executive producer at Filmation Studios. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, he began his radio career in the Hub, becoming program director at station WORL in the late 1940s. He went to work for Joseph E. Levine's Embassy Pictures Corp. in 1959, serving as...
.
The musical segments appear after the episode ends, which are songs about the covered topic. The characters were slightly re-drawn with new clothing but some of the animations were recycled.
It ran for a total of sixteen episodes, but due to its educational agenda, lacked the music and comedy elements which had made the other Archie cartoons so successful. After spending its first four months on Saturday mornings, it was moved to the less-popular Sunday morning schedule in January 1975, where it remained in repeats until September 1976.
Jackie Mills, a Hollywood producer, produced all of the music for The U.S. of Archie. Jackie had also produced Bobby Sherman
Bobby Sherman
Robert Cabot "Bobby" Sherman, Jr. , is an American singer, actor and occasional songwriter, who became a popular teen idol in the late 1960s and early 1970s.He graduated in 1961 from Birmingham High School in Van Nuys, California...
and the Brady Bunch Kids. The lead singer on The U.S. of Archie was Tom McKenzie, who earlier appeared on some of the Groovie Goolies
Groovie Goolies
Groovie Goolies is an American animated television show that had its original run on network television between 1970 and 1972. Produced by Filmation, Groovie Goolies was a spinoff of Sabrina the Teenage Witch...
s songs. Tom was a member of the Doodletown Pipers
Doodletown Pipers
The Doodletown Pipers were a 1960s and 1970s easy listening vocal group founded by Ward Ellis, George Wilkins, Bernie Brillstein and Jerry Weintraub....
singing group, which also included Augie Johnson, Oren Waters, Mic "Michele" Bell, Teresa Graves
Teresa Graves
Teresa Graves was an American actress and singer. As the star of Get Christie Love!, Graves is credited as being the first African American woman to star in her own hour long drama television series....
, and Dean Chapman.
Beginning March 29, 2010, this show will air on the Retro Television Network
Retro Television Network
The Retro Television Network is a system of television stations that airs classic television shows as well as more recently produced programs...
.
Episode list
| № | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Underground Railroad" | 7 September 1974 |
| 2 | "Gold" | 14 September 1974 |
| 3 | "The Day of the Ladies" | 21 September 1974 |
| 4 | "The Star Spangled Banner" | 28 September 1974 |
| 5 | "The Wright Brothers" | 5 October 1974 |
| 6 | "The Roughrider" | 12 October 1974 |
| 7 | "The Golden Spike" | 19 October 1974 |
| 8 | "Flame of Freedom" | 26 October 1974 |
| 9 | "There She Blows" | 2 November 1974 |
| 10 | "Stay Not These Men" | 9 November 1974 |
| 11 | "The Giver" | 16 November 1974 |
| 12 | "Mr. Watson, Come Here" | 23 November 1974 |
| 13 | "The Crime of Ignorance" | 30 November 1974 |
| 14 | "The Great Divide" | 7 December 1974 |
| 15 | "Fulton's Folly" | 14 December 1974 |
| 16 | "Wizard of Menlo Park" | 21 December 1974 |
External links
- The U.S. of Archie at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...