"The New Adventures of Zorro" (1981) TV series

User Rating:

9.0/10   

Writers:

Arthur Browne Jr. (writer) (1981)
Robby London (writer) (1981)
(more)

Release Date:

12 September 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Animation

Plot:

Zorro rides again on his brilliant black stallion Tempest in this exciting cartoon with Henry Darrow as the voice of Don Diego/Zorro...

Plot Keywords:

Superhero | Secret Identity | California | Sword Fighting | Sword Fight

Cast

Henry Darrow	...	Don Diego / Zorro (voice)
Julio Medina	...	Miguel (voice)
Eric Mason	...	Capt. Ramon (voice)
Don Diamond	...	Sgt. Gonzalez (voice)
Christine Avila	...	Maria (voice)
Socorro Valdez	...	Gov. Gen. Garcia (voice)
Carl Rivas	...	Don Alejandro de la Vega (voice)
Ismael 'East' Carlo	...	Gaspar (voice)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Arthur Browne Jr.		writer (1981)
Robby London		writer (1981)
Ron Schultz		writer (1981)
Sam Schultz		writer (1981)
Marty Warner		writer (1981)

Produced by
Don Christensen	....	producer (1981)
Norm Prescott	....	producer (1981)
Lou Scheimer	....	producer (1981)

Original Music by
Ray Ellis		(1981) (as Yvette Blais)
Norm Prescott		(1981) (as Jeff Michael)

Film Editing by
Ron Fedele		(1981)
Joe Gall		(1981)
Hector C. Gika		(1981) (as Hector Gika)

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

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

Music Department
Jerry Cohen	....	music editor (1981)

Other crew
Toni Christiansen	....	film coordinator (1981)
June Gilham	....	film coordinator (1981)
Arthur H. Nadel	....	executive vice president/creative affairs (1981)
Robert W. Wilson	....	production controller (1981) (as Bob Wilson)

Production Companies

• Filmation Associates
• Tokyo Movie Shinsha (TMS)

Other Companies

• Glen Glenn Sound  sound by
• Consolidated Film Industries (CFI)  color by (as C.F.I.)
• Shermley Music Co.  music publisher

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Filmation Associates

One of Filmation's all-time best!

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

It's a pity Filmation didn't make more of their cartoons like this one, possible exceptions being "the Lone Ranger" and (especially) "Flash Gordon" and "Fat Albert & the Cosby Kids."

One of the best things about "Zorro" is the typical ending-teaser. It's way different from those used for "Shazam," "Isis," "Masters of the Universe," "Princess of Power," "Ghostbusters" and "Bravestarr." Rather than some kind of message driven home with jackhammer-like subtlety, "Zorro" features a sort of geography/history lesson regarding California (before it joined the USA). I also enjoyed the way Zorro carves his trademark "Z" into some convenient location, then rides away on Tempest at the end.

It all makes me wish Filmation had done the same for "The Warriors": gathered all 9 original actors to lend their voices and live-action commentary; then stayed as true to that movie and its subject matter as they did with "Zorro." It would have been nice to see Cleon, Swan and Company give our kids a history/geography lesson regarding various NYC spots (Bensonhurst, the Bowery, Chinatown, Coney Island, Gramercy, Gunhill, Harlem, Hell's Kitchen, Pelham, Riverside Park, Sheep's Head Bay, Soho, Tremont, etc) and then spray-paint their trademark red "W" on a convenient location nearby, before departing.

This is one of those Filmation series that DEMANDS re-discovery and/or re-release on DVD (that is, a boxed set with audio-commentary and other special features). Another is "Manta & Moray" (A blond beauty in a sexy one-piece wetsuit; what more could anyone ask?); a third is "Kid Superpower Hour W/Shazam" (worth it just for Glorious Gal).