Bucky and Pepito is a 1958 Western-themed animated television series produced by Sam Singer.[1][2][3]
| Bucky and Pepito | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Created by | Sam Singer |
| Directed by |
|
| Voices of | Dal McKennon |
| Theme music composer | Johnny Holiday |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 52 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Sam Singer |
| Production company | Trans-Artists Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | Syndication |
| Release | 1958 – March 22, 1960 |
The series is about two young boys. Bucky is an imaginative American child who wears a cowboy hat, and his Mexican friend Pepito is an inventor. Pepito's depiction has been criticized as conforming to racist stereotypes.[4]
The series is partially found. All episodes of the series have entered the public domain due to failure to renew the copyright.
Premise
editThe series centers around the escapades of two adventurous boys: Bucky, an imaginative American child sporting a cowboy hat, dreams of becoming a legendary cowboy, and Pepito, his clever Mexican friend and inventor, is always ready with a new gadget to help them on their quests. Each episode focuses on their slapstick-filled attempts to outsmart and get rid of the villian of the week (usually a pesky character), using Pepito's gadgets and their wild schemes, leading to different chaotic situations. The show is full of splapstick gags and adventurous mishaps as they deal with the troublemaker in their Western world.
Cast
edit- Dal McKennon as Bucky and Pepito[5]
Episodes
editThis section needs a plot summary. (July 2019) |
| No. | Title | Original air date [5] |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Cal's Mis' Steak" | September 8, 1959 |
| 2 | "The Coyote Catcher" | September 15, 1959 |
| 3 | "Crazy Car Capers" | September 22, 1959 |
| 4 | "Dog Catcher Daze" | September 29, 1959 |
| 5 | "Cal Coyote Flies Again" | October 6, 1959 |
| 6 | "Flippin' Over Flapjacks" | October 13, 1959 |
| 7 | "Flyin' High" | October 20, 1959 |
| 8 | "Hi-Flyin' Goat" | October 27, 1959 |
| 9 | "Hot Diggity Dog" | November 3, 1959 |
| 10 | "The Howlin' Coyote" | November 10, 1959 |
| 11 | "Hunters Dilemma" | November 17, 1959 |
| 12 | "Jumpin' Frijoles" | November 24, 1959 |
| 13 | "A Kingfishy Tale" | December 8, 1959 |
| 14 | "The Magic Penny" | December 15, 1959 |
| 15 | "Mambo Rhythm" | December 22, 1959 |
| 16 | "No Luck Duck" | December 29, 1959 |
| 17 | "Cat Nappin Around" | December 29, 1959 |
| 18 | "Dinosaur Daze" | December 29, 1959 |
| 19 | "Out Of This World" | December 29, 1959 |
| 20 | "Pony Pal" | December 29, 1959 |
| 21 | "The Fastest Bird Alive" | December 29, 1959 |
| 22 | "The Sheepish Coyote" | December 29, 1959 |
| 23 | "Them's My Boys" | December 29, 1959 |
| 24 | "Unlucky Horseshoes" | December 29, 1959 |
| 25 | "Fresh Fish" | December 29, 1959 |
| 26 | "The Lion Tamer" | January 5, 1960 |
| 27 | "The Pancake Taking Cure" | January 12, 1960 |
| 28 | "Pet Duck" | January 19, 1960 |
| 29 | "Rustlin' Coyote" | January 26, 1960 |
| 30 | "Sailor's Story" | February 2, 1960 |
| 31 | "Stooges" | February 9, 1960 |
| 32 | "Texas Jack And The Bean Patch" | February 16, 1960 |
| 33 | "Time Machine" | February 23, 1960 |
| 34 | "The Vexin' Texan" | March 8, 1960 |
| 35 | "Watch Dog For Hire" | March 15, 1960 |
| 36 | "The Wandering Elephant" | March 22, 1960 |
| 37 | TBA | |
| 38 | TBA | |
| 39 | TBA | |
| 40 | TBA | |
| 41 | TBA | |
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| 43 | TBA | |
| 44 | TBA | |
| 45 | TBA | |
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| 47 | TBA | |
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| 50 | TBA | |
| 51 | TBA | |
| 52 | TBA |
Production
editProduction took place in a tight timeframe, with animators working long hours to meet episode deadlines. The team employed limited animation techniques, reusing backgrounds and character models to save both time and resources. Sound effects and music were sourced from existing and free-use libraries, enhancing the series' supposed energetic tone without incurring additional costs.
Release
editBucky and Pepito premiered on television in 1958, launching as part of a Saturday morning cartoon lineup aimed at entertaining young audiences. From what little is known, the series struggled to find a dedicated audience and it found itself overshadowed by other animated programs that offered higher production values and more relatable characters. The network's support dwindled as ratings dropped, leading to reduced marketing efforts and less promotion. Ultimately, Bucky and Pepito was canceled after a single season due to its lackluster performance and ongoing criticism.
Reception
editTwo episodes appeared on a compilation DVD of the worst cartoons ever made,[6] and it was described by Harry McCracken as setting "a standard for awfulness that no contemporary TV cartoon has managed to surpass".[7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Bucky and Pepito at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on March 20, 2015.
- ^ Cohen, Karl F. (2004). Forbidden Animation. McFarland & Company. p. 129. ISBN 978-0-7864-2032-2. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
- ^ Beck, Jerry (2005). The Animated Movie Guide. Chicago Review Press. p. 295. ISBN 978-1-55652-591-9. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
Bucky and Pepito.
- ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. p. 161. ISBN 978-1476665993.
- ^ a b "Bucky and Pepito". Big Cartoon Database. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
- ^ The Worst Cartoons Ever!. Rembrandt Films. Archived from the original on May 30, 2014. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
- ^ "Bucky & Pepito take a Cartoon Dump". CartoonBrew.com. September 27, 2007. Archived from the original on 2014-09-12. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
External links
edit
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