Pac-Man (TV series)
Pac-Man is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and based on the Namco video game franchise of the same title. It premiered on ABC and ran for 44 episodes over two seasons from September 25, 1982, to November 5, 1983. It was the first List of [animated series based on video games|cartoon based on a video game].
It was the highest-rated Saturday morning cartoon show in the US during late 1982. Upon its debut, it was watched by an audience of over 20 million children in the US, in addition to adults. The show also inspired the 1984 arcade game Pac-Land.
Plot
The show follows the adventures of the title character, Pac-Man, his wife Pepper Pac-Man (Ms. Pac-Man), their child Pac-Baby, their dog Chomp-Chomp and their cat Sour Puss. The family lives in Pac-Land, a place in which the geography and architecture seem to revolve primarily around sphere-like shapes. Most episodes of the series center around the ongoing battle between the Pac family and their only known enemies, the Ghost Monsters: Inky, Blinky, Pinky, Clyde, and Sue. They work for Mezmaron, whose sole mission is to locate and control the source of "Power Pellets", which serve as the primary food and power source for the city, and also is the deus ex machina in virtually every episode. The second season later introduces Super-Pac and Pac-Man's teenage cousin P.J.Production
During his time working as a theatrical agent, Marty Ingels was handling calls on behalf of his client Robert Culp. After briefly being disconnected, Ingels' attempts to re-establish contact connected him by accident to Hanna-Barbera executive Gordon Hunt who exclaimed "We got the rights to Pac-Man!" In response, Ingels was left confused as to what Pac-Man was, initially thinking it was a luggage company. After going into his pitch for Culp, Hunt interrupted Ingels to compliment him on his New York accented voice, which led to Hunt offering Ingels the voice of Pac-Man after sampling approximately 173,000 other voices.Influence
The show's initial success inspired ABC's rival CBS to create Saturday Supercade, which featured other video game characters from the golden age of video arcade games.Some of the next List of [Namco games|Namco] games were based on or influenced by the cartoon. Pac-Land and Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures are major examples. Also, the Tengen release of the original Pac-Man arcade game for the Nintendo Entertainment System features box art based on the cartoon.
The show is also seen as setting the stage for other animated series of the 1980s that would adapt not only video games, but other franchises including toys.
Controversy
As the first season aired, scenes of Pac-Man "chomping" the Ghost Monsters and being "chomped" himself were considered too "violent". These scenes were toned down in subsequent episodes to provide less direct scenes of the characters "chomping" one another.Voice cast
Main
- Marty Ingels as Pac-Man
- Barbara Minkus as Pepper (Ms. Pac-Man)
- Russi Taylor as Pac-Baby
- Allan Lurie as Mezmaron
- Neil Ross as Clyde
- Susan Silo as Sue
- Barry Gordon as Inky
- Chuck McCann as Blinky, Pinky
- Peter Cullen as Sour Puss
- Frank Welker as Chomp-Chomp, Morris, Adult Pac-Baby
- Darryl Hickman as P.J.
- Julie McWhirter as Dinky
- Lorenzo Music as Super-Pac
Additionals
- Bill Callaway
- Jodi Carlisle
- Brian Cummings
- Patrick Fraley
- Joan Gerber
- Arte Johnson
- Paul Kirby
- Chris Latta
- Kris Stevens
- Andre Stojka
- Janet Waldo
- Lennie Weinrib – Pacula
Episodes
Season 1 (1982)
Aired as part of The Pac-Man/Little Rascals/Richie Rich Show.Season 2 (1983)
Aired as part of The Pac-Man/Rubik, the Amazing Cube Hour.Specials
''Pac-Man Halloween Special'' (1982)
The Halloween special consisted of two segments from the show, "Pacula" and "Trick or Chomp". The special aired during Saturday morning programming on ABC on October 30, 1982. It has been replayed on channels like Cartoon Network and Boomerang during Halloween in later years until 2014.''[Christmas Comes to Pac-Land]'' (1982)
In this Christmas special, Pac-Man and his family help Santa Claus after he crash lands in Pac-Land. Mezmeron was the only character from the cartoon that is not in the special. It was shown every December on the Boomerang Christmas Party until 2014.Broadcast history
Pac-Man aired on ABC Saturday Morning in the following formats:- The Pac-Man/Little Rascals/Richie Rich Show
- The Pac-Man/Rubik, the Amazing Cube Hour