The Further Adventures of SuperTed is an American/Welsh animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera and Siriol Animation in association with S4C, and continues the adventures of SuperTed. There was only one series consisting of thirteen episodes and originally broadcast on The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera in the United States on January 31, 1989.
The further adventures of superted intro american version
Production
The original SuperTed, created by Mike Young became the first British cartoon series to be aired on The Disney Channel in the United States in 1984. Young moved to the United States to work on more animated series and in 1988 he made a SuperTed-sequel-type cartoon called Fantastic Max produced by Hanna-Barbera, who decided to create a new series of SuperTed. This new version takes on a more epic Americanized format, with Texas Pete, Bulk and Skeleton also joined by new villains, the theme song was replaced with a more American overture, and the show poked fun at all aspects of American culture, from the Grand Ol' Opry to Star Wars.
Changes by the BBC
Only two of the original cast were used for this new series Victor Spinetti and Melvyn Hayes returning to voice Texas Pete and Skeleton. In the UK, Mike Young and the BBC decided to rerecord the series to use the original voices of Derek Griffiths for SuperTed and Jon Pertwee for Spotty, which also resulted in some minor script changes. The episodes were also split into two parts, thus creating 26 10-minute stories, which resulted in the series not being broadcast until January 1990 on the BBC. It was repeated again twice in 1992 and 1993.
Heroes
SuperTed (voiced by Danny Cooksey in the US version, Derek Griffiths in the UK version) - A teddy bear who was thrown aside of the rejects and brought to life by Spotty's cosmic dust, a be given special powers by Mother Nature. the main hero of the series who rescues all people who need help like Billy (who loses his father), Kiki (who had her pet Whale kidnapped by Texas Pete), Blotch (Spotty's sister who needed both his and Spotty's help find Speckle the Haproo), the boy of the 'Sheepless Nights', The Oklahoma kids in Texas (Slim, Hoppy and Kitty who Texas Pete ruined their rodeo and then took their pet animals and the entire state of Texas) and Prince Rajesh (whose uncle villain is making a mess of being a Raja).
Spotty Man (voiced by Pat Fraley in the US version, Jon Pertwee in the UK version) - SuperTed's loyal friend who is a yellow alien in a yellow jump-suit with green spots all around him and came from the Planet Spot that bought SuperTed to life with his cosmic dust and flies with SuperTed on every mission, he likes a few things to be covered with spots, a number of things he hated were being tied up by Superted (aka Terrible Ted), his travelling bag being carried away by biting ants, being locked up at Fort Knox by Texas Pete, being knocked in the Texas snake pit by Texas Pete and a haybail, having a couple being ice-danced by Pengy and Dr Frost, looking good in stripes with a white tiger disguise over him and having his Spots taken away by Texas Pete. He is the second main hero of the series.
Friends
Slim, Hoppy and Kitty (voiced by Danny Cooksey and Tress MacNeille) - The kids of Oklahoma whose animals won first pride in the rodeo prairie, but needed SuperTed's help when Texas Pete was ruin their bull riding competition with a radio controlled bull and took them and the entire state of Texas, their only appearances were in "Texas Is Mine."
Major Billy Bob (voiced by Danny Mann) - The owner of the Grand Ol Opry who makes SuperTed a singing star by signing a contract after saving country music (after watching him sing with Texas Pete with his pal Coral) at the end of "Phantom of the Grand Ol' Opry" (the only episode he features in).
Billy the Kid (voiced by Robbie Lee) - The boy that needed SuperTed's help when his father Dr. Livings had been kidnapped by the Polka Dot tribe after a discovery in a cave of paintings at the primitive Brazilian Rainforest, his only appearance was in "Dot's Entertainment."
The Space Beavers (voiced by Frank Welker and Charlie Adler) - The Space Beavers get very naughty and they are invited to Dr. Frost and Pengy. They are greedy munching trees. Formally, they do not like SuperTed and Spotty. But they become good friends with them.
Kiki (voiced by Georgi Irene) - The child with the pet whale (who she gave a good scrubbing) that got kidnapped by Texas Pete, Bulk and Skeleton to find sunken treasure and needed SuperTed's help to save it, after she has been rescued she rewards SuperTed and Spotty Man with a couple of Spotty shells. Her only appearance (with her pet whale for that matter) was in "The Mysticetae Mystery."
Blotch (voiced by Billie Hayes) - Spotty's little sister.
Prince Rajeash (voiced by Danny Cooksey) - An Indian prince who can't make decisions. He has an uncle, Prince Pyjamarama with his helper, Mufti the fool. Prince Pyjamarama is not happy with Rajeash. Soon, Rajeash is betrayed by Prince Pyjamarama and nasty Mufti. But luckily, Rajeash's new friends SuperTed and Spotty help him and In the end, Rajeash now becomes a new raja after Prince Pyjamarama and Mufti flew to the water.
Villains
Texas Pete (voiced by Victor Spinetti) - The principal antagonist of the series.
Bulk (voiced by Frank Welker) - Texas Pete's henchman.
Skeleton (voiced by Melvyn Hayes) - Texas Pete's henchman.
Polka Face (voiced by Howard Morris) - The Polka Dot Tribe leader. He turns into a nice character in the end of "Dot's Entertainment."
Bubbles the Clown (voiced by Frank Welker) -
Sleepless Knight (voiced by Kenneth Mars) - A knight who gives people nightmares.
The Hairmongers and their leaders, Julius Scissors and Marcilia
The two spies from the enemy Striped Army
Prince Pyjamarama (voiced by Frank Welker) - Prince Pyjamarama is Prince Rajeash's uncle and the main antagonist of the episode "Ruse of the Raja." He and his helper Mufti become traitors to Prince Rajeash.
Mufti (voiced by Bob Arbogast) - Prince Pyjamarama's henchman.
British homemedia releases
Between 1990 and 1991 three videos were released by the BBC, whereas the two episodes of the British dub on each of the VHS tapes were made into 20 minute stories. No DVD releases have been made to date, in either the United Kingdom or the United States.
American home media releases
Hanna-Barbera Home Video released a VHS of The Further Adventures of SuperTed: 'Leave it to Space Beavers' (UPC: 017951751035) featuring the episodes Knox Knox! who's There?, Phantom of the Grand Ole Opry, Leave it to Space Beavers and Ruse of the Raja. There has yet to be a complete series DVD of the show from Warner Archive.
International screenings
In Ireland the BBC version of the series was screened on RTÉ.
In Wales the series was dubbed into Welsh and broadcast on S4C, retaining its original name.
The UK version of the series was dubbed into Finnish and debuted on a Finnish VHS release, retaining the title The Further Adventures of SuperTed.
The series was screened on ABC in Australia. It first aired at 5:00pm on The Afternoon Show on 18 June 1991, and was later broadcast several times in the mornings at 8:20am and 10:30am during February, April and early July in 1992.
British main cast
Derek Griffiths - SuperTed, Narrator
Jon Pertwee - Spotty Man
British and American main cast
Melvyn Hayes - Skeleton
Victor Spinetti - Texas Pete
Frank Welker - Bulk, Prince Pyjamarama (in "Ruse of the Raja"), Bubbles the Clown (in "Bubbles, Bubbles Everywhere"), Pengy (in "Space Beavers"), Pingu (in "Bubbles, Bubbles Everywhere")
American main cast
Danny Cooksey - SuperTed, Slim and Hoppy (in "Texas is Mine"), Kids town boy (in "Ben-Fur"), Prince Rajeesh (in "Ruse of the Raja")