Genre Comedy
Variety show Original language(s) English First episode date 13 April 1978 Network NBC Number of episodes 5 | Country of origin United States No. of seasons 1 Final episode date 11 May 1978 Number of seasons 1 | |
Directed by Jim Washburn
Joe Layton
Bob Mackie Voices of Udana Power
Wendy McKenzie
Daws Butler
Don Messick Directors Jim Washburn, Joe Layton, Bob Mackie Similar Hanna‑Barbera's All‑Star Comedy I, Galaxy Goof‑Ups, Hanna‑Barbera's 50th: A Yabba D, Yogi and the Invasion, Casper's First Christmas | ||
The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour is an American television comedy-variety show produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions which aired for five consecutive weeks on NBC from April 13 to May 11, 1978.
Contents
Overview
The show was hosted by two life-size female puppets named Honey and Sis: Honey (voiced by Udana Power) is a 19-year-old willowy tall blond who thinks of herself as a gifted performer, while her 17-year-old red-headed sister Sis (voiced by Wendy McKenzie) is actually the talented one. On each episode, Honey and Sis sang, danced and participated in comedy sketches as "The Disco of Life" where they interacted with people at a disco club and "The Truth Tub" where they relaxed in a hot tub and parodied TV shows such as Laverne & Shirley and Three's Company.
The guest stars during the five-week period included Melissa Sue Anderson, Tom Bosley, Gary Burghoff, Charo, Leif Garrett, Melissa Gilbert, Dan Haggerty, Linda Lavin, Peter Lupus, Gavin MacLeod, Tony Randall, Connie Stevens, The Sylvers, Twiggy, Abe Vigoda, Betty White and Anson Williams. The stars introduced themselves rather than by an announcer. Costumed actors impersonating Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters such as Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound and Snagglepuss (all voiced by Daws Butler) made cameo appearances.
Honey and Sis were designed by Hanna-Barbera animator Iwao Takamoto and their costumes 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.
Production credits
Reception
Although only scheduled for a five-week test run, The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour failed in the ratings as it competed with ABC's Welcome Back, Kotter and What's Happening!! and was replaced in its timeslot with reruns of CHiPs.
Home Media releases
The show has never been officially released yet on DVD by Warner Home Video or Warner Archive.