The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour (partially found NBC comedy variety show; 1978): Difference between revisions

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[[File:Hbhh.jpg|thumb|300px|A behind-the-scene photo from a magazine.]]
{{InfoboxLost
'''The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour''' was an hour-long weekly variety TV series that was hosted by two female puppets called Honey and Sis, who are meant to be sisters and teenage star characters.
|title=<center>The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour</center>
|image=Hbhh hs.jpg
|imagecaption=A promotional behind-the-scene photo from a newspaper.
|status=<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>
}}
'''''The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour''''' was an hour-long weekly variety TV series that was hosted by two female puppets called Honey and Sis, who are meant to be sisters and teenage star characters.


It aired on NBC in 1978, and was produced by Ken and Mitzi Welch. Only four episodes were shown; The first episode aired on April 14 and the last on May 11th.
It aired on NBC in 1978 and was produced by Ken and Mitzi Welch. Only five episodes were shown; The first episode aired on April 14 and the last on May 11th.


It was possibly cancelled due to low ratings as it competed with NBC's ''Welcome Back, Kotter'' and ABC's ''What's Happening'', and variety shows becoming an aged formula. It was replaced in its timeslot with reruns of the ''CHiPs'' series.
It was possibly cancelled due to low ratings as it competed with NBC's ''Welcome Back, Kotter'' and ABC's ''What's Happening'', and variety shows becoming an aged formula. It was replaced in its timeslot with reruns of the ''CHiPs'' series.


Honey (voiced by Udana Power) is the the tall blonde one, age 19, who would think of herself as highly talented, while Sis (voiced by Wendy McKenzie - her only listed role), her younger redheaded sister, 17, would be the one who actually is gifted. They got into a musical career after being convinced by their voice teacher (played by Betty White), who was drunk due to too much alcohol-laced candy. They first audition for a musical, whose director (played by Melissa Sue Anderson) is being condescendant.
==Plot and Production==
Honey (voiced by Udana Power)<ref>[http://www.udanapower.com/archives/350 Interview of Udana Power.] Retrieved 22 Aug '14</ref> is the tall blonde one, age 19, who would think of herself as highly talented, while Sis (voiced by Wendy McKenzie - her only listed role), her younger redheaded sister, 17, would be the one who actually is gifted. They got into a musical career after being convinced by their voice teacher (played by Betty White), who was drunk due to too much alcohol-laced candy. They first audition for a musical, whose director (played by Melissa Sue Anderson) is being condescending.


Honey and Sis would sing, do regular sketches such as "The Disco of Life" - where they'd meet people in a disco club - or "The Truth Tub" - where they relax in a hot tub and do parodies of popular TV shows at the time, such as ''Laverne and Shirley ''and ''Three's Company''.
Honey and Sis would sing, do regular sketches such as "The Disco of Life" - where they'd meet people in a disco club - or "The Truth Tub" - where they relax in a hot tub and do parodies of popular TV shows at the time, such as ''Laverne and Shirley ''and ''Three's Company''.


There were guest stars such as Abe Vigoda, Anson Williams, Tony Randall, Dan Haggerty, Melissa Gilbert, Linda Lavin, Connie Stevens, and Twiggy. They would introduce themselves instead of an announcer.
There were guest stars such as Abe Vigoda, Anson Williams, Tony Randall, Dan Haggerty, Melissa Gilbert, Linda Lavin, Connie Stevens, and Twiggy. They would introduce themselves instead of an announcer.
Line 14: Line 20:
Actors in costume impersonating famous Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters would cameo, such as Yogi Bear, Snagglepuss or Huckleberry Hound, being voiced as usual by Daws Butler.
Actors in costume impersonating famous Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters would cameo, such as Yogi Bear, Snagglepuss or Huckleberry Hound, being voiced as usual by Daws Butler.


Honey and Sis were designed by Iwao Takamoto and their costumes were created by fashion designer Bob Mackie. They were manipulated by a team of six pupeteers who would wear full-body blue leotards in front of a blue screen, so that the two characters would be chroma-keyed on a different background. Takamoto remembered that the puppeteer's extent of movements was "very impressive".
Honey and Sis were designed by Iwao Takamoto and their costumes were created by fashion designer Bob Mackie. They were manipulated by a team of six puppeteers who would wear full-body blue leotards in front of a blue screen so that the two characters would be chroma-keyed on a different background. Takamoto remembered that the puppeteer's extent of movements was "very impressive".<ref> [http://tinyurl.com/lsr7qgh Recalling of Iwao Takamoto in his memoirs.] Retrieved 22 Aug '14</ref>


The episodes have never resurfaced anywhere, and no copies are known to exist. All that remain now are witnessings from crew and viewers, some pictures and ads that would describe the premises.
==Availability==
The episodes have never resurfaced anywhere, and no copies are known to exist. All that remains now are stories from crew and viewers, some pictures, and ads that would describe the premises.  
 
On September 17th, 2019, YouTube user Kevin Day uploaded episode 5 of the series onto his channel. The episode features guest stars Tom Bosley, Connie Stevens, and The Sylvers.
 
==Gallery==
===Video===
{{Video|perrow  =1
  |service1    =youtube
  |id1          =oPirOx5IFFY
  |description1 =Episode 5 of the show.
}}
===Images===
<gallery mode=packed heights=150px>
<gallery mode=packed heights=150px>
File:Hbhh hs.jpg|A promotional behind-the-scene photo from a newspaper.
Hbhh.jpg|Another behind-the-scene photo.
File:hbhh prime.jpg|Descriptive article from newspaper.
File:hbhh prime.jpg|Descriptive article from a newspaper.
File:hbhh pp.jpg|Honey and Sis conversing with British model Twiggy (picture dated from April 20th 1978)
File:hbhh pp.jpg|Honey and Sis conversing with British model Twiggy (picture dated from April 20th, 1978)
File:hbhh t.jpg|Description of the Twiggy photo: she argues with Honey and Sis about the Bicentennial.
File:hbhh t.jpg|Description of the Twiggy photo: she argues with Honey and Sis about the Bicentennial.
File:hbhh c.jpg|Newspaper promo.
File:hbhh c.jpg|Newspaper promo.
Line 29: Line 47:
File:hbhh melissa.JPG|A photo of Honey with guest Melissa Gilbert.
File:hbhh melissa.JPG|A photo of Honey with guest Melissa Gilbert.
</gallery>
</gallery>
==External Links==
*[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0467378/ IMDb page for ''The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour''.]
*[http://yowpyowp.blogspot.com/2014/04/check-your-local-listings.html Blog about old Hanna-Barbera shows.]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0467378/ IMDb page
[[Category:Lost puppetry|Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour]]
 
[[Category:Lost TV|Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour]]
http://tinyurl.com/lsr7qgh Recalling of Iwao Takamoto in his memoirs
[[Category:Partially found media|Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour]]
 
http://www.udanapower.com/archives/350 Interview of Udana Power
 
http://yowpyowp.blogspot.com/2014/04/check-your-local-listings.html Blog about old Hanna-Barbera shows

Revision as of 22:02, 4 June 2021

Hbhh hs.jpg

A promotional behind-the-scene photo from a newspaper.

Status: Partially Found

The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour was an hour-long weekly variety TV series that was hosted by two female puppets called Honey and Sis, who are meant to be sisters and teenage star characters.

It aired on NBC in 1978 and was produced by Ken and Mitzi Welch. Only five episodes were shown; The first episode aired on April 14 and the last on May 11th.

It was possibly cancelled due to low ratings as it competed with NBC's Welcome Back, Kotter and ABC's What's Happening, and variety shows becoming an aged formula. It was replaced in its timeslot with reruns of the CHiPs series.

Plot and Production

Honey (voiced by Udana Power)[1] is the tall blonde one, age 19, who would think of herself as highly talented, while Sis (voiced by Wendy McKenzie - her only listed role), her younger redheaded sister, 17, would be the one who actually is gifted. They got into a musical career after being convinced by their voice teacher (played by Betty White), who was drunk due to too much alcohol-laced candy. They first audition for a musical, whose director (played by Melissa Sue Anderson) is being condescending.

Honey and Sis would sing, do regular sketches such as "The Disco of Life" - where they'd meet people in a disco club - or "The Truth Tub" - where they relax in a hot tub and do parodies of popular TV shows at the time, such as Laverne and Shirley and Three's Company.

There were guest stars such as Abe Vigoda, Anson Williams, Tony Randall, Dan Haggerty, Melissa Gilbert, Linda Lavin, Connie Stevens, and Twiggy. They would introduce themselves instead of an announcer.

Actors in costume impersonating famous Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters would cameo, such as Yogi Bear, Snagglepuss or Huckleberry Hound, being voiced as usual by Daws Butler.

Honey and Sis were designed by Iwao Takamoto and their costumes were created by fashion designer Bob Mackie. They were manipulated by a team of six puppeteers who would wear full-body blue leotards in front of a blue screen so that the two characters would be chroma-keyed on a different background. Takamoto remembered that the puppeteer's extent of movements was "very impressive".[2]

Availability

The episodes have never resurfaced anywhere, and no copies are known to exist. All that remains now are stories from crew and viewers, some pictures, and ads that would describe the premises.

On September 17th, 2019, YouTube user Kevin Day uploaded episode 5 of the series onto his channel. The episode features guest stars Tom Bosley, Connie Stevens, and The Sylvers.

Gallery

Video

Episode 5 of the show.

Images

External Links

References