Well, heck, I guess you can learn something new every day. In 1975, Filmation produced a live-action series titled Ghostbusters. The series ran on CBS for two official seasons and eventually the name "Ghostbusters" was forgotten until the box office smash with the same title hit screens in 1984.
Folks around my age probably remember The Real Ghostbusters, a cartoon spun off from the movie with the clever hook that they were the actual Ghostbusters, and the guys in the movie were just actors. At the same time, however, after having settled out of court with Columbia Pictures for using the name, Filmation decided to try and cash in on the name by making a cartoon titled The Original Ghostbusters, which featured the sons of the original CBS series taking up the business once again.
I've been too far removed from The Real Ghostbusters to say if it was as actually as good as I remember it, but I know I loved it as a kid. Still, between a fairly popular cartoon that ran for six seasons and some failed attempt by Filmation to try and catch that "ghostbuster" bandwagon it tried to board nine years too early, I'll take The Real Ghostbusters. Unfortunately, the DVD God has not answered my prayers, so look forward to seeing the first thirty-two episodes on DVD February 27.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-10-2006 @ 5:00PM
Discosis said...
According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filmation's_Ghostbusters), the Filmation cartoon series is from the 80s, following a live-action show from the 70s titled "The Ghost Busters".
That seems to fit my memory of things too, as Ghostbusters and Real Ghostbusters both aired for the first time on Australian TV around the same time.
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12-10-2006 @ 5:28PM
dwacon said...
I remember the Forrest Tucker and Larry Storch version of Ghostbusters... reuniting the duo from "F Troop." The best part was the HORRIBLE theme song, sung by Tucker and Storch in a style reminiscent of the sound of a rhinoceros being tortured.
(all) We're the Ghostbusters
(storch) I'm Spencer... He's Tracy
(tucker) I'm Kong
(all) We're the Ghostbusters...
(all) We're clever, courageous, and strong!
Ah, memories...
--
dwacon
www.dwacon.com
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12-10-2006 @ 7:45PM
Rick said...
ha! that theme, I remember that!
I loved this show. I remember once, Larry Storch trying to use that apparatus to capture a creature, and it wouldn't work. He tried and tried and finally pulled a pair of boxer shorts out from the inner workings. Ah, no wonder it wouldn't work. It has a short in it.
Aged cheese. Gotta love it.
Put Monster Squad on DVD next and I'm a happy man.
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12-10-2006 @ 9:26PM
Eric J said...
I think The Real Ghostbusters is probably as good as you remember - I watched it during college, and I had relatively high standards for cartoons.
The Real Ghostbusters was, by the way, largely the work of J. Michael Strazynski, creator of Babylon 5.
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12-11-2006 @ 9:04PM
Bitgod said...
Man, I'm old enough to remember the live action one too. But I also agree, The Real Ghostbusters may have been the best cartoon ever. Fun for the kids, and yet hidden with enough smart jokes for the older (cough) kids.
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