Partridge Family 2200 A.D.

Partridge Family 2200 A.D. is an American science fiction Saturday-morning animated series and a spin-off of the 1970–1974 ABC live-action sitcom The Partridge Family produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and Columbia Pictures Television and broadcast on CBS from September 7 to December 21, 1974, though, it would air in reruns until March 8, 1975. The band performed one of their pop hits in each episode.

Production

While in pre-production, Hanna-Barbera originally proposed an updated version of The Jetsons, in which Elroy would be a teenager and Judy would have a steady job as an ace reporter. CBS, under the leadership of Fred Silverman, discarded the idea and decided to make an animated version of The Partridge Family instead. The Partridge Family had already been recurring characters on a previous Hanna-Barbera production, Goober and the Ghost Chasers.

In this new iteration of the series, The Partridge Family is—without any explanation—living in a Jetsons-like futuristic environment in 2200 A.D. The family's "galaxy-famous" musical act is notably more successful than in the live-action show, and they appear to manage themselves: the character of Ruben Kincaid is not a regular. Danny has a robotic dog named Orbit, and Keith and Laurie have two good friends that travel with the family (though they are not part of the musical act): Marion, a two-toned green and blue Martian who can fly, and Veenie, a purple-haired Venusian with a distinct buzzing vocal tic.

Danny Bonaduce, Suzanne Crough, and Brian Forster voiced their respective characters from the live action series. Susan Dey provided Laurie's voice for only two episodes before she was replaced by former Mouseketeer Sherry Alberoni, who had voiced Alexandra for Hanna-Barbera's Josie and the Pussycats. Chuck McLenan served as both the speaking and singing voice of Keith Partridge instead of David Cassidy; Joan Gerber voiced Shirley Partridge in place of Shirley Jones, while John Stephenson took over the role of Reuben Kincaid from Dave Madden in the few episodes in which he appears.

Micky Dolenz, a member of a previous made-for-television band The Monkees, had various recurring roles in the series, one of his first voice-over roles.

Sixteen half-hour episodes were produced for Partridge Family 2200 A.D., which lasted half a season on CBS Saturday morning (September 7, 1974 – March 8, 1975). In 1977–78, it was retitled The Partridge Family in Outer Space when episodes were serialized on the syndicated weekday series Fred Flintstone and Friends. Like many animated series created by Hanna-Barbera in the 1970s, the series contained a laugh track created by the studio.

Due to its ties to The Partridge Family, Partridge Family 2200 A.D. is one of only two Hanna-Barbera produced series since H-B's 1967 sale to Taft Broadcasting that are owned outright by Sony Pictures Television (whose predecessor, Screen Gems, produced the live-action series); Jeannie (an animated spin-off of I Dream of Jeannie) is the other (the copyrights to both animated series are currently held by CPT Holdings).

Cast

• Sherry Alberoni as Laurie Partridge
• Danny Bonaduce as Danny Partridge
• Suzanne Crough as Tracy Partridge
• Susan Dey as Laurie Partridge (in 2 episodes)
• Micky Dolenz as Wonderful Wayne, Spotless Sam
• Brian Forster as Chris Partridge
• Joan Gerber as Shirley Partridge, Energetic Emma
• Chuck McLenan as Keith Partridge, Zappy Zak
• Julie McWhirter as Marion Moonglow
• Hal Smith as Texx
• John Stephenson as Reuben Kincaid
• Lennie Weinrib as Jolly Joe
• Frank Welker as Orbit, Veenie

Chuck McLenan also was the singing voice for musical numbers.

Home media

In October 2005, two restored episodes of Partridge Family 2200 A.D., "My Son, The Spaceball Star" and "Car Trouble", were included as bonuses on The Partridge Family: The Complete First Season DVD set.

See also

• List of animated spin-offs from prime time shows

External links

• Template:IMDb title
• Partridge Family: 2200 A.D. at the Big Cartoon DataBase
• Partridge Family 2200 A.D.