Batfink
Batfink is a 60’s children’s TV cartoon created by Hal
Seeger Productions. 100 five minute episodes of Batfink
were made. As you can probably tell it was loosely based
on Batman (the cave, the hot line, the chief etc), but it had
its own dry sense of humour, which is one of the reasons it
is still loved today (it reminds me of the humour in Roger
Ramjet).
Hal Seeger hired a number of animators for the show
(mostly friends), but they made use of a technique that a lot
of animation studios employed. This was to reuse frames of
animation to cut costs (eg. the Battleac leaving the cave,
The Chief on
the Hot Line
etc).
Batfink and
Hugo A Go-Go was voiced by a former game show
host Frank Buxton. Karate and the Chief was voiced by
Len Maxwell, but both of them played other characters
throughout the show.
Each episode was split into two chunks, with a
cliffhanger two thirds of the way through, which was
great as you would have an American voice shout out
something like - 'Oh No!, how will Batfink escape from this, surely its the end for him'. Does he
escape? Of course he does!
Batfink stayed on the air until the early 80's, when it disappeared totally from our TV schedules.
But in 2004, he has returned with avengeance and has appeared on a number of shows around
the world, which have included the UK series 'Dick and Dom in Da Bungalow. At least this means
that a new generation of children have been introduced to the show and the grown up kids can
reminisce about it.
Several of Hal's other sons and daughters carry on the
family legacy with credits as writers or actors.
Production Supervisor: Len Bird
Animation: Myron Waldman / Bill Ackerman / John
Gentilella / James Tyer / I. Klien / Graham Place +
others
Scenics: Bob Owen
Voices: Len Maxwell and Frank Buxton
Story: Heywood Kling / Dennis Marks
Produced and Directed by Hal Seeger
Story
Batfink is a super hero bat.
He used to live in an abandoned plutonium mine with
his mother, as a result of exposure to the plutonium, he
gained superpowers. Two greedy prospectors
dynamited the mine in search for riches. Batfink had to
use his superpowers to save his mother, but in the act
his wings were crushed.
Luckily a young Japanese boy called Karate had
spotted what had happened. He took him to see his
father, who was a blacksmith, who crafted him a set of
new wings made out of steel. Because of this bullets
cannot harm him, because his wings are like a shield of steel. Batfink and Karate (a karate
champ) made a promise to Batfink's Mother that they would use their combined power and skills
to fight crime.
Batfink's main Nemesis's is Hugo A Go Go, who tries to defeat Batfink at every opportunity.
Batfink Characters
Batfink
He's a crime fighter, with wings of steel, which is a surprise really as he
can still fly using them. I thought he'd never get off the ground with
those babies!
He lives in his split level cave with his capable assistant Karate and
hangs upside down from the ceiling when he sleeps.
Batfink uses his Super Sonic Sonar Radar, which are literally a couple
of words (Beep) that come out of his mouth.
They would:
- seek out things and return to Batfink to tell him what they had found out!
- confuse people
- move objects
He also has retro rockets built in to his wings of steel. These help him to land safely if he is
knocked unconscious. Also he has a Thunder Gun and an inflatable Batfink suit (which he always
carries two of).
Batfink likes to say a number of phrases:
- 'I'll be there before you can say...'
- 'Your Bullets cannot harm me, my wings are like a shield of steel'
Karate
He is Batfink's buck toothed sidekick and drives him around in the Bat-
el-ac Car, which looks like a converted VW Beetle with a sun roof (its
pink too). Not only that, but from the outside it looks like Karate is really
cramped up in the car, but inside it looks massive. It must be magic!
He's of Japanese origin and if he wants to get maximum power with his
karate chops, then he puts on his brass knuckles to do the job.
He uses his hands to chop anything, chopping up food, cutting cards (into two pieces) etc.
He has a nasty habit of smashing down doors to save Batfink, only to find out that he has
smashed the door on top of Batfink (I suppose he's his flat mate).
The Chief
He calls Batfink on the Hot Line to ask him for his help.
Hugo A GoGo
He's a mad Scientist and he lives in an Observatory and Batfink's
number one nemesis.
He worked out Batfink's weakness straight away and used a giant
magnate to pin him down (Clever Eh?). His main goal is to rob banks of
all their money.
Hugo A GoGo has created Robot Knights.
Ebenezer the Freezer
He likes going around freezing people with his Freezing Gas.
The Sonic Boomer
He flies his plane really low and the Sonic Boom of the plane breaks
everyones windows. Does he do it for fun? Yes...and for money, as he
runs the local Glass company. Business hasn't been better.
Big Ears Ernie
He has enormous ears that can help him decipher the clicks on a safe
and detect when a squad car is on its was for him. Even Batfink cannot
creep up on him. But he has one weakness, he can't stand the noise
that Batfink's wings make if he hits them.
Manhole Manny
He lives down in the sewers and comes up to steal items.
Mr Flick
He is a master of the moving image. He can project images in ingenious
ways to give the appearance that things are real (eg. Lions), which can
scare people, so allowing him to rob places.
Skinny Minnie and Gang
Skinny Minnie is in charge of a gang consisting of Boney Mahoney, Diet Wyatt and Scrawny Arnie.
They are all painfully thin and can fit through the tightest of gaps. Which is really useful to steal Mail and squeeze into
security trucks. Its also useful when hiding from Batfink.
Fatman
He's not really fat. He disguises himself as a fat man, to enter Fat Man only clubs and steal their valuables.
But how does he get into the clubs? That's easy, he uses an inflatable suit, to make him look fat.
He also drives a very nice sports car, that shoots around the place :)
Batfink Images (click to enlarge)
Batfink T-Shirts
T-Shirts (Europe)
- Batfink T-Shirts
Batfink DVDs
Region 2 (Europe)
- Batfink DVDs
Region 1 (USA)
- Batfink DVDs
Batfink Episodes
Series 1 (1967)
1. Pink Pearl Of Persia
2. The Short Circuit Case
3. Ebenezer The Freezer
4. The Sonic Boomer
5. Big Ears Ernie
6. Batfink On The Rocks 7. Manhole Manny
8. The Mad Movie Maker
9. Nuts Of The Round Table
10. Skinny Minnie
11. Fatman Strikes Again
12. The Kitchy-Koo Kaper
13. The Dirty Sinker
14. Gluey Louie
15. Brother Goose
16. The Chocolate Covered Diamond
17. Crime College
18. Myron The Magician
19. Brain Washday
20. M P F T B R M
21. Gloves On The Go Go
22. Sporty Morty
23. Go Fly A Bat
24. Ringading Brothers
25. Out Out Darn Spot
26. Goo-Goo A Go-Go
27. Crimes In Rhymes
28. Stupidman
29. A Living Doll
30. Bat Patrol
31. Dig That Crazy Mountain
32. Spin The Batfink
33. Greasy Gus
34. The Mark Of Zero
35. Swami Salami
36. The Human Pretzel
37. Jumping Jewelry
38. Roz The Schnozz
39. Karate's Case
40. The Wishbone Boner
41. Hugo For Mayor
42. The Indian Taker
43. The Devilish Device
44. Goldstinger
45. The Shady Shadow
46. Party Marty
47. The Beep Bopper
48. The Super Trap
49. Bride And Doom
50. Topsy Turvy
51. The Rotten Rainmaker
52. Gypsy James
53. The Kooky Chameleon
54. Beanstalk Jack
55. The Time Stopper
56. The Kangarobot
57. Presto-Chango-Hugo
58. Curly The Cannonball
59. Robber Hood
60. Slow Down! Speed Up!
61. Sandman Sam
62. Yo Yo A Go Go
63. Hugo's Hoke
64. Backwards Box
65. The Great Escapo
66. Watch My Smoke
67. Daniel Boom
68. Queenie Bee
69. The Thief From Baghdad
70. The Mean Green Midget
71. Double Double Crossers
72. The Baffling Bluffs Of Hugo A Go-Go
73. Napoleon Blownapart
74. The Atom Boom
75. Magneto The Magnificent
76. Hugo The Crimefighter
77. The Trojan Horse Thief
78. The Zap Sap
79. Unhappy Birthday
80. Buster The Ruster
81. Karate's Day Off
82. Mike The Mimic
83. Cinderobber
84. Bouncey Bouncy Batfink
85. The Bomber Bird
86. The Copycat Bat
87. Old King Cruel
88. Victor The Predictor
89. Goldyunlocks And The Three Baers
90. Jerkules
91. Hugo Here, Hugo There
92. Bowl Brummel
93. Fleiderfink
94. Blankenstein
95. Whip Van Winkle
96. Tough Macduff
97. Judy Jitsu
98. Ego A-Go-Go
99. Father Time Bomb
100. Batfink - This Is Your Life
Batfink Video Intro
Batfink Merchandise
Posters (Europe)
- Batfink Posters
Soft Toys (Europe)
- Batfink Soft Toys
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