Wonderbug

Wonderbug is a segment of the first and second season of the American television series The Krofft Supershow, from 1976 to 1978. It was shot in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. The show was rerun as part of ABC's Sunday morning series.[3]

Wonderbug
C.C., Susan, Barry, and Wonderbug
GenreSuperhero[1]
Created byJoe Ruby
Ken Spears[2]
StarringDavid Levy
John-Anthony Bailey
Carol Anne Seflinger
Voices ofFrank Welker
ComposerJimmie Haskell
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes22
Production
ProducerSid and Marty Krofft
Running time0:15 (per episode)
Production companiesSid and Marty Krofft Television Productions
Release
Original networkABC
Original releaseSeptember 11, 1976 (1976-09-11) –
September 2, 1978 (1978-09-02)

Plot

Wonderbug's alter ego "Schlepcar" (so named due to its personalized California license plate "SCHLEP") was an old, beat up, conglomeration of several junked cars that looked like a rusty dune buggy. Like Herbie of The Walt Disney Company film fame, Schlepcar was alive and could drive itself, and could also talk in a mumbling voice. It was found in a junk yard by teenagers Barry Buntrock (David Levy), C.C. McNamara (John Anthony Bailey) and Susan Talbot (Carol Anne Seflinger). Schlepcar transformed into the shiny metal-flake orange Wonderbug (vocal effects provided by Frank Welker) whenever a magic horn (which played the bugle call for "cavalry charge") was sounded. In his Wonderbug identity, Schlepcar had the power of flight and was able to help the three teens capture crooks and prevent wrongdoing.[4]

In Wonderbug mode, the car was a Volkswagen-based Meyers Manx-clone body. Specifically the body was a Dune Runner manufactured by Dune Buggy Enterprises of Westminster, California.[5] Dune Buggy Enterprises offered the Dune Runner with three different hood choices. Wonderbug has the T- Bird hood choice.[6]

The car had articulated eyeball headlights, and a custom bumper that resembled a mouth; different bumpers were sometimes used to give the car different facial expressions. When the car spoke in its mumbling voice, a rubber puppet stand-in with a moving mouth was sometimes used.

The space that would normally contain the right rear passenger seat instead contained a box, described in dialog as "the costume/wardrobe trunk"; this box actually served to conceal a hidden driver in scenes in which the car drives itself. The car also had a long fender-mounted radio antenna that terminated with a robot-like claw or gripper. Its license plate would change to "1DERBUG".

Barry often thought he was the brains of the outfit, but it was usually Susan who came up with the ideas that saved them.[7] A running gag was that Barry would suggest an outrageously implausible plan, its absurdity recognized by both C.C. and Susan. Susan would then suggest a far more sensible plan (usually involving disguises), which Barry would then suggest as if it were his own, prompting C.C. to praise Barry's supposed genius. Susan accepted the situation uncomplainingly, even telling a female character who observed one such exchange, "You get used to it".

Other appearances

Wonderbug shared the one-hour time slot with other Krofft Supershow titles, including Magic Mongo, Bigfoot and Wildboy, Dr. Shrinker, The Lost Saucer, and Electra Woman and Dyna Girl.

Ideal Toy Company published a board game in 1977.[8]

Aladdin Industries produced a metal lunchbox in 1976.[9]

Episodes

Season 1 (1976)
No.TitleOriginal air date
1"Go West, Young Schlepcar"September 11, 1976 (1976-09-11)
2"Schlepnapped"September 18, 1976 (1976-09-18)
3"I Kidd You Not"September 25, 1976 (1976-09-25)
4"Keep on Schleppin"October 2, 1976 (1976-10-02)
5"The Maltese Gooneybird"October 9, 1976 (1976-10-09)
6"The Big Bink Bank Bungle"October 16, 1976 (1976-10-16)
7"Wonderbug Express"October 23, 1976 (1976-10-23)
8"Schlepfoot"October 30, 1976 (1976-10-30)
9"Schlep O'Clock Rock"November 6, 1976 (1976-11-06)
10"Anderson's Android"November 13, 1976 (1976-11-13)
11"14-Karat Wonderbug"November 20, 1976 (1976-11-20)
12"Horse Switched"November 27, 1976 (1976-11-27)
13"Schleppenstein"December 4, 1976 (1976-12-04)
14"No Foe Like a UFO"December 11, 1976 (1976-12-11)
15"The Not So Great Race"December 18, 1976 (1976-12-18)
16"Lights, Camera, Wonderbug!"December 25, 1976 (1976-12-25)

Season 2 (1977)
No.TitleOriginal air date
17"The Big Game"September 10, 1977 (1977-09-10)
18"The Case of the Misfortune Cookie"September 17, 1977 (1977-09-17)
19"Dirty Larry, Crazy Barry"September 24, 1977 (1977-09-24)
20"Fish Story"October 1, 1977 (1977-10-01)
21"Incredible Shrinking Wonderbug"October 8, 1977 (1977-10-08)
22"Oil or Nothing"October 15, 1977 (1977-10-15)

References
  1. Witw, John (13 July 2022). "10 Cringeworthy Live-Action Superhero Shows". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  2. Ruby-Spears' Filmography. Received on 15 Sept. 2007.
  3. "Wonderbug". 70slivekidvid.com. Retrieved 2010-11-16.
  4. "Temple Of Schlock: View-Master: Dr. Shrinker And Wonderbug". Templeofschlock.blogspot.com. 2010-07-21. Retrieved 2010-11-16.
  5. "Dune Buggy Archives". Dune Buggy Archives. 2006-11-22. Retrieved 2010-11-16.
  6. "Dune Runner pictures by dunebuggyarchives - Photobucket". S23.photobucket.com. Retrieved 2010-11-16.
  7. Hal Erickson (2007). Sid and Marty Krofft: A Critical Study of Saturday Morning Children's Television, 1969-1993. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-3093-2.
  8. "Wonderbug Game (1977)". Retrieved 2010-11-16.
  9. "Vintage lunchpails boxes and thermos bottles". Gasolinealleyantiques.com. 2010-11-10. Retrieved 2010-11-16.
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