"Blackstar" (1981) TV series 1981-1982

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

12 September 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Family | Sci-Fi

Plot:

An astronaut, stranded on a primitive planet in a distant universe, fights against the tyranny of the Overlord.

Plot Keywords:

Sword | Astronaut | Dragon | Magic Sword | Sorceress

Cast

George DiCenzo	...	John Blackstar (13 episodes, 1981)
Linda Gary	...	Mara / ... (13 episodes, 1981)
Patrick Pinney	...	Balkar / ... (13 episodes, 1981)
Alan Oppenheimer	...	Carpo / ... (13 episodes, 1981)
Frank Welker	...	Burble / ... (13 episodes, 1981)
Lou Scheimer	...	Vizier / ... (9 episodes, 1981)

Series Writing credits
Michael Reaves		(5 episodes, 1981)
Marc Scott Zicree		(5 episodes, 1981)
Tom Ruegger		(4 episodes, 1981)

Series Produced by
Norm Prescott	....	producer (13 episodes, 1981)
Lou Scheimer	....	producer (13 episodes, 1981)

Series Original Music by
Ray Ellis		(13 episodes, 1981)
Norm Prescott		(13 episodes, 1981)

Series Cinematography by
R.W. Pope		(13 episodes, 1981)

Series Film Editing by
Ron Fedele		(13 episodes, 1981)
Joe Gall		(13 episodes, 1981)
Hector C. Gika		(13 episodes, 1981)

Series Production Management
Joe Mazzuca	....	vice president in charge of production (13 episodes, 1981)
Joseph Simon	....	production manager (13 episodes, 1981)

Series Art Department
Bob Arkwright	....	storyboard supervisor (13 episodes, 1981)
Sylvia Brinkkord	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Barry Caldwell	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Victor Dal Chele	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Carl Dorese	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Paul Fennell	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Eddie Fitzgerald	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Rich Fogel	....	storyboard supervisor (13 episodes, 1981)
Bob Forward	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Sharon Forward	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Karl Geurs	....	storyboard director (13 episodes, 1981)
Warren Greenwood	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Mike Hazy	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Steve Hickner	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Charles M. Howell IV	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Mike Joens	....	storyboard supervisor (13 episodes, 1981)
Robert Lamb	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Lonnie Lloyd	....	storyboard supervisor (13 episodes, 1981)
Don Manuel	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Michael Randall	....	graphics (13 episodes, 1981)
David Russell	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Ernie Schmidt	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Bruce Strock	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Michael Swanigan	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
George Turner	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Byron Vaughns	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Wendell Washer	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1981)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Gary Gunther	....	camera operator (13 episodes, 1981)
Roncie Hantke	....	camera operator (13 episodes, 1981)
Robert Jacobs	....	camera operator (13 episodes, 1981)
Dan Larsen	....	camera operator (13 episodes, 1981)
David J. Link	....	camera operator (13 episodes, 1981)
Craig Littell-Herrick	....	camera operator (13 episodes, 1981)
Jeffery Mellquist	....	camera operator (13 episodes, 1981)
Lin-Z Rogers	....	camera operator (13 episodes, 1981)
Warren Taylor	....	camera operator (13 episodes, 1981)
Dean G. Teves	....	camera operator (13 episodes, 1981)
Steven Wilzbach	....	camera operator (13 episodes, 1981)
F.T. Ziegler	....	camera operator (13 episodes, 1981)

Series Animation Department
Francesca Allen	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Barry Anderson	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
John Allan Armstrong	....	animation director (13 episodes, 1981)
Tom Baron	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Rex Barron	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Maxwell Becraft	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Carole Beers	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Barbara Benedetto	....	background artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Michael V. Bennett	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Munir Bhatti	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Alan Bodner	....	background artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Sheila Brown	....	background artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Jim Brummett	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Kent Butterworth	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Emil Carle	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Bill Carney	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Pat Clark	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Richard Coleman	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Gary Conklin	....	background artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Tom Cook	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Franco Cristofani	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
James Davis	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
James A. Davis	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Alberto De Mello	....	character design supervisor (13 episodes, 1981)
Jeff Etter	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Todd Falk	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Ben Farish	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Rick Farmiloe	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Marcia Fertig	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Kevin Frank	....	character designer (13 episodes, 1981)
Ed Friedman	....	animation director (13 episodes, 1981)
Bob Fuentes III	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Kennetha Gaebler	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Rene Garcia	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Sergio Garcia	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Joyce Gard	....	checking supervisor (13 episodes, 1981)
Michael Gerard	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Tim Gula	....	character designer (13 episodes, 1981)
Carl Hall	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Marsha Hanes	....	background artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Ed Haney	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Karen Haus	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Herb Hazelton	....	layout supervisor (13 episodes, 1981)
Russ Heath	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Tenny Henson	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Wes Herschensohn	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Brett Hisey	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Richard Hoffman	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
David Hoover	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Alex Ignatiev	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Mary Jorgensen	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Vern Jorgensen	....	background artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Lou Kachivas	....	animation director (13 episodes, 1981)
Sam Kai	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Erna Kaluza	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Les Kaluza	....	layout supervisor (13 episodes, 1981)
Ervin L. Kaplan	....	color director (13 episodes, 1981)
Ellen Kashan	....	background artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Mel Keefer	....	character designer (13 episodes, 1981)
Diane Keener	....	key assistant animation supervisor (13 episodes, 1981)
Selby Kelly	....	animation director (13 episodes, 1981)
John Koch	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Marsh Lamore	....	animation director (13 episodes, 1981)
Romeo Lopez	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Briz Lotz	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Steve Lubin	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Carol Lundberg	....	character design supervisor (13 episodes, 1981)
Tim Maloney	....	background artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Stephen Marsh	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Alla Marshall	....	paint supervisor (13 episodes, 1981)
Lorenzo Martinez	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Linda McCall	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Burt Medall	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Marija Miletic Dail	....	animation director (13 episodes, 1981)
Larry Miller	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Gale Morgan	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Skip Morgan	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Thomas Morgan	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Frank Nakielski	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Dennis Neil	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Judith Niver	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Greg Nocon	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Jane Nordin	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Bill Nunes	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Michael O'Connor	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Tom O'Loughlin	....	background artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Stephanie O'Shaughnessy	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Rolando Oliva	....	background artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Eduardo Olivares	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Jack Ozark	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Don Peters	....	background artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Rocco Pirrone	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Doris A. Plough	....	assistant animation supervisor (13 episodes, 1981)
Virgil Raddatz	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
William Recinos	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
John Remmel	....	xerography supervisor (13 episodes, 1981)
Craig Robertson	....	background artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Irma Rosien	....	assistant layout supervisor (13 episodes, 1981)
Sonja Ruta	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Louise Sandoval	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Jesse Santos	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Don Schloat	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Ernie Schmidt	....	animation director (13 episodes, 1981)
Don Schweikert	....	background artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Bart Seitz	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Desmond Serratore	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Yung Shin	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Larry Silverman	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Karlis Smiltens	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Hank Smith	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Kamoon Song	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Alex Stefanescu	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Janice Stocks	....	character designer (13 episodes, 1981)
Mike Stribling	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Bruce W. Timm	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Michael Toth	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Bob Tyler	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Dardo Velez	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Pete von Sholly	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Curt Walstead	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Neal Warner	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Don Watson	....	background artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Sherilan Weinhart	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
David West	....	layout supervisor (13 episodes, 1981)
Gwen Wetzler	....	director in charge of animation (13 episodes, 1981)
Sherry Wheeler	....	layout artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Larry White	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Jim Willoughby	....	layout supervisor (13 episodes, 1981)
Thomas Woodington	....	background artist (13 episodes, 1981)
Woody Yocum	....	animator (13 episodes, 1981)
Lou Zukor	....	animation director (13 episodes, 1981)

Series Editorial Department
Paul Galloway	....	film transfer (13 episodes, 1981)
George Mahana	....	supervising film editor (13 episodes, 1981)
Bill Moore	....	editorial consultant (13 episodes, 1981)

Series Music Department
Jerry Cohen	....	music editor (13 episodes, 1981)

Series Other crew
Toni Christiansen	....	film coordinator (13 episodes, 1981)
June Gilham	....	film coordinator (13 episodes, 1981)
Arthur H. Nadel	....	executive vice president/creative affairs (13 episodes, 1981)
Erika Scheimer	....	assistant production coordinator (13 episodes, 1981)
Robert W. Wilson	....	production controller (13 episodes, 1981)

Production Companies

• Filmation Associates

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (original airing)

Other Companies

• Glen Glenn Sound Company  sound by (as Glen Glenn Sound)
• Shermley Music Co.  music publisher

Also Known As:

Runtime:

30 min (13 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Canada:G

Company:

Filmation Associates

Trivia:

According to Filmaton staffer Robert Lamb, "Blackstar" was commissioned by CBS because of "Thundarr' the Barbarian's" success on ABC.

Quotes:

John Blackstar:[series' intro] John Blackstar, astronaut, is swept through a black hole, into an ancient alien universe. Trapped on the planet Sagar, Blackstar is rescued by the tiny Trobbit people. In turn, he joins their fight for freedom against the cruel Overlord, who rules by the might of the Powerstar. The Powerstar is split into the Powersword and the Starsword. And so with Starsword in hand, Blackstar together with his allies, sets out to save the planet Sagar. This is his destiny. I am John Blackstar.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Found Footage Festival Volume 4: Live in Tucson (2009)

Good for kids

It is simply a bad cartoon as most of the toons are not really animated besides a single arm moving or the moth and nothing else. And there is a lot of reuse of those few animations that are made.

Story lines are quite boring classical evil conquers but is in the end defeated anyway. Somehow they use swords and stuff like that. Quite strange as everything even the swords shoots beams all the time. They should have gone for ray guns instead in my opinion.

Series is not ended. But you will not miss the end. All episodes are ended just with different opponents each time.

Good for kids most likely. If grown up find another cartoon.