Super Friends

Format and episode formula

Each episode would begin with the heroes responding to an emergency detected by the massive TroubAlert computer that was situated within the Hall of Justice which served as the headquarters of the team. The Super Friends were called in by Colonel Wilcox.

As such conflicts are often ultimately resolved with the antagonists persuaded to adapt more reasonable methods to achieve their aims with the assistance of the heroes. Natural disasters triggered by the actions of humans or aliens were often shown, and environmental themes featured strongly in the program.

Main characters

Super Friends first aired on ABC on September 8, 1973, featuring DC superheroes Superman, Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman. Superman, Batman and Aquaman had each previously appeared in their own animated series produced by Filmation, and voice talent from these prior programs was brought over to work on the new show. Shortly before the Super Friends series was developed, Superman and Wonder Woman also guest-starred in two episodes of The Brady Kids, while Batman and Robin appeared in two episodes of The New Scooby-Doo Movies.

In addition to the superheroes, a trio of sidekicks was introduced, each being new characters not drawn from the comic books: Wendy Harris (voiced by Sherri Alberoni), Marvin White (voiced by Frank Welker), and Wonder Dog, none of whom had any special abilities (save Wonder Dog's unexplained intelligence and ability to talk). Wendy and Marvin were depicted as detectives or superheroes in training.

Colonel Wilcox, a U.S. Army official, was a recurring character who would work as a government liaison to the Super Friends during emergencies.

Guest stars

Some guest stars from the broader Justice League were featured during this season including the Flash, Plastic Man, and Green Arrow. The latter two characters are both voiced by Norman Alden.

Cast

Sherry Alberoni – Wendy Harris, Agatha Prentiss Caraway (in "Dr. Pelagian's War"), Polly Lean (in "The Fantastic Frerps"), Museum Patron (in "The Planet-Splitter")

Norman Alden – Aquaman, Green Arrow (in "Gulliver's Gigantic Goof"), Plastic Man (in "Professor Goodfellow's G.E.E.C"), Astronaut (in "Gulliver's Gigantic Goof"), Pilot (in "Gulliver's Gigantic Goof"), J. Mortimer Hutchinson (in "Dr. Pelagian's War"), Guard (in "The Planet-Splitter"), Joe (in "The Power Pirate"), Grunk (in "The Balloon People"), King Plasto (in "The Fantastic Frerps")

Danny Dark – Superman, Android Superman (in "The Androids"), Train Engineer (in "The Power Pirate"), Speaker (in "The Power Pirate")

Shannon Farnon – Wonder Woman, Amanda Hutchinson (in "Dr. Pelagian's War"), Martha Kent (in "The Planet-Splitter"), Lara (in "The Planet-Splitter"), Mrs. Caldwalader (in "The Planet-Splitter"), Woman (in "The Baffles Puzzle")

Casey Kasem – Robin, Jor-El (in "The Planet-Splitter"), Professor Goodfellow (in "Professor Goodfellow's G.E.E.C."), Colonel (in "Professor Goodfellow's G.E.E.C."), Professor Von Noalot (in "Too Hot to Handle"), Twisty (in "The Balloon People"), Mike Rosecope (in "The Fantastic Frerps"), Mac M (in "Menace of the White Dwarf"), Dr. Hiram Gulliver (in "Gulliver's Gigantic Goof"), Pvt. Smith (in "Gulliver's Gigantic Goof"), Wilbur (in "The Planet-Splitter"), Guard (in "The Planet-Splitter"), Young Alien, Amanda Hutchinson's fiancé (in "Dr. Pelagian's War"), (in "The Watermen"), Jack (in "The Power Pirate"), TV News Reporter (in "The Power Pirate"), Professor Baffles/ Mr. Mergen (in "The Baffles Puzzle"), Von Knowalot (in "Too Hot to Handle")

Ted Knight – Narrator, The Flash (in "Too Hot to Handle"), Power Pirate/Anthro (in "The Power Pirate"), Captain (in "The Power Pirate"), Kolbar (in "Too Hot to Handle"), Mr. Singh (in "Too Hot to Handle")

Olan Soule – Batman, Luther Fenwick (in "Dr. Pelagian's War"), Jonathan Kent (in "The Planet-Splitter"), Dave (in "The Power Pirate"), First Mate (in "The Power Pirate"), Farmer (in "Too Hot to Handle"), Man (in "Too Hot to Handle")

Cancellation

This first run of Super Friends, consisting of sixteen one-hour episodes that were rerun several times, concluded on August 24, 1974. At this point, the series was cancelled and only aired in reruns during the Fall of 1974, and continued to air as re-runs until the Fall of 1977.

Home media

Warner Home Video (via Hanna-Barbera Productions, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Family Entertainment) released Super Friends! - Season One, Volume One on DVD in Region 1 on January 5, 2010. Volume One was a 2 disc set of the first eight episodes of the series at a retail price of $26.99. Season One, Volume One set of the original 1973 series of Super Friends was presented in its original, uncut hour-long version, just as they originally aired on ABC. The same year on July 20, they released Volume Two which was also a 2 disc set and contained the remaining eight episodes of the series.