Produced during 1948-49, 'Crusader Rabbit' was the first ever made for TV cartoon series. It follows the exploits of the diminutive but aggressive and righteous bunny character. Taking his inspiration from the deeds of medieval knights, CS makes it his mission to help the oppressed, wherever they might be. In the first episode he rescues one Ragland T. Tiger from a circus cage, and he becomes his permanent sidekick, 'Rags'.
Created by: Jay Ward Productions / Creston Studios / TV Spots / Television Art
Released: 1950
Language: English
Style: 2D animation
Number of Episodes: 455
Featuring the voices of:
| Lucille Bliss | ... Crusader Rabbit (1949-1951) |
| GeGe Pearson | ... Crusader Rabbit (1957) |
| Vern Louden | ... Ragland T. Tiger |
| Russ Coughlan | ... Dudley Nightshade |
| Roy Whaley | ... Narrator (1957) |
Directed by: Bob Bemiller and Sam Nicholson
Executive Producers: Jerry Fairbanks and Ponsonby Britt
Animated by: Bob Ganon
'Crusader Rabbit' saw two incarnations. The original black and white series from 1950-51, consisting of 195 episodes, and a colour series from 1957, totalling 260 episodes. The episodes were 5 minutes long, and were meant to be linked together into large story arcs of between 75 and 100 minutes. Altogether there were 23 of these stories, some of which were released as standalone videos. There were 10 in the first series, and 13 in the second. 'Crusader Rabbit' was well ahead of its time, having been produced especially for television in 1948-49. Most of the cartoons shown on TV during the 1950's were re-packagaed collections of shorts originally shown in theatres, and despite the upsurge in made-for-TV animation that came around the time of the formation of Hanna-Barbera in the very late 50's, this practice of showing packages of theatrical shorts persisted with some studios through the 60's and even into the 70's.
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Crusader Rabbit
