WE RECALL THIS series as an amalgam of cartoon series that had been produced and released theatrically by Paramount Pictures' FAMOUS STUDIOS animation unit. The characters included CASPER THE FRIENDLY GHOST, HERMAN & CATNIP, LITTLE AUDREY, BUZZIE THE FUNNY CROW and BABY HUEY.
THE RIGHTS TO the character ass well as the existing cartoons were purchased by HARVEY COMICS PUBLICATIONS in 1959. Harvey Comics had been publishing the CASPER Comic Books and had designs on moving their media sphere of influence into kiddie oriented network television.
THE RESULTING SERIES on ABC TV was titled MATTY'S FUNDAY FUNNIES and featured the above mentioned characters shorts showcased on the program; which was broadcast on Sunday afternoons. The name of "MATTY" in the show's title refers to its sponsor, MATTELL TOYS; with the character of "Matty" was strictly for being a sort of Master of Ceremonies of the opening credits. nothing more, nothing less.*
NEWLY DRAWN TITLE cards and closing fade out title all read HARVEYTOONS. By utilizing a sort of Jack-in-the Box rising character displaying a sign that said so, the likes of Casper, Audrey, Baby Huey, Buzzie and Herman & Catnip all were proclaimed to the world as having been moved from the Paramount Pictures' NOVELTOONS to Harvey; both on the screen and in the pages of Harvey Comics joke-books.**
IN ADDITION TO these myriad of animation characters, the series also introduced the animated adventures of Bob Clampett's BEANY & CECIL; which eventually did crowd all else out and take over the show.***
NOTE * In much the same manner, Hanna-Barbera's HUCKLEBERRY HOUND Show had its opening centering on the animated Rooster from the Kellogg's Corn Flakes box; who introduced Huck, Yogi Bear and Pixie & Dixie and Mr. Jynx. Obviously, Kellogg's was its sponsor in syndication.
NOTE ** This was the equivalence of the custom of having a traded baseball player suiting up in the uniform of his new club.
NOTE: *** Mr. Clampett's character originated on the live action puppet show, TIME FOR BEANY (1949-54).
