Re: A question for us old-timers

Posted by Michaelson from em12-686.utsi.edu on February 25, 1999 at 10:20:52:

In Reply to: A question for us old-timers posted by graml on February 25, 1999 at 09:37:29:

: Greetings fellow Indy-backers (makes us sound like MPs),
: I have a question for those of you who,like me, were alive and somewhat
: coherent in the early 1980s. I don't remember an Indy Saturday
: morning cartoon, and I am inclined to believe that there never was
: one. My question is why not? If you remember the glut of Saturday
: morning cartoons (which is now a lost art) in the 1980s, it seems
: logical that one of the most successful movies of that time would have
: a cartoon counterpart. Just like Star Wars and countless other movies
: (some of them REAL bad, if my memory serves me correctly), Indy should
: have had a poorly animated cartoon version churned out of some major
: studio's Korean art department. I feel some pointy-headed goober over
: at old Hanna-Barbara dropped the ball back in 1981-82. Any comments?
: If no comments are received, I'll take that as a sign that I should
: probably keep my posts shorter. Just my two cents.(Back in my day,
: you could get THREE packs of Pac-Man cards for two cents!)
: -graml

Hate to reply to and "old timer" post, but heck, I am one, so here I go....if you'll recall, Indy was originally released right smack dab in the middle of the Star Wars movie entries, falling right in the middle or so of the trilogy releases. I'm sure Lucas didn't want to pull marketing interest away from his Star Wars enterprise, as almost all of his eggs were in that basket at the time. If my memory serves me today (or at least hopefully that brain cell hasn't died yet) he was still working on Sky Walker Ranch, and Star Wars was his bread and butter at the time. The Indy franchise was sort of a side item at the time for him. He really didn't get heavily into the marketing until TofD in 1984. If you don't believe that, just check out eBay any day of the week. The lions share of the items are TofD items. Raiders came second in terms of different types of merchandising, with Last Crusade markets mainly aimed at the adult markets (fedora, jackets, high end items). The cartoon idea probably was something that unless he was involved in the actual production of, he would not license it for any other studio to make. That's been pretty much his stock and trade, his product, his control. Seems hard, but you'll have to admit it sure has worked to date! Also, I don't remember kids being THAT aware of Indiana Jones at the time. We adults were the ones he targeted, as all the write ups for Raiders were in Newsweek, Rolling Stone, etc. The Kenner toys pretty much appeared at Christmas time in '81, and that's when the younger set started climbing on board. Anyway, that's how THIS old timer remembers it. Regards. Michaelson

Follow Ups:

there wasn't but there should be walker 12:49:22 2/25/99 (2)
- Re: there wasn't but there should be Michaelson 13:41:09 2/25/99 (1)
  - Disney's Indiana Jones Musical Extravaganza! graml 13:49:52 2/25/99 (0)

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: : Greetings fellow Indy-backers (makes us sound like MPs),
: : I have a question for those of you who,like me, were alive and somewhat
: : coherent in the early 1980s.  I don't remember an Indy Saturday
: : morning cartoon, and I am inclined to believe that there never was
: : one.  My question is why not?  If you remember the glut of Saturday
: : morning cartoons (which is now a lost art) in the 1980s, it seems
: : logical that one of the most successful movies of that time would have
: : a cartoon counterpart.  Just like Star Wars and countless other movies
: : (some of them REAL bad, if my memory serves me correctly), Indy should
: : have had a poorly animated cartoon version churned out of some major
: : studio's Korean art department.  I feel some pointy-headed goober over
: : at old Hanna-Barbara dropped the ball back in 1981-82.  Any comments?
: : If no comments are received, I'll take that as a sign that I should
: : probably keep my posts shorter.  Just my two cents.(Back in my day,
: : you could get THREE packs of Pac-Man cards for two cents!)
: : -graml

: Hate to reply to and "old timer" post, but heck, I am one, so here I go....if you'll recall, Indy was originally released right smack dab in the middle of the Star Wars movie entries, falling right in the middle or so of the trilogy releases. I'm sure Lucas didn't want to pull marketing interest away from his Star Wars enterprise, as almost all of his eggs were in that basket at the time. If my memory serves me today (or at least hopefully that brain cell hasn't died yet) he was still working on Sky Walker Ranch, and Star Wars was his bread and butter at the time. The Indy franchise was sort of a side item at the time for him. He really didn't get heavily into the marketing until TofD in 1984. If you don't believe that, just check out eBay any day of the week. The lions share of the items are TofD items. Raiders came second in terms of different types of merchandising, with Last Crusade markets mainly aimed at the adult markets (fedora, jackets, high end items). The cartoon idea probably was something that unless he was involved in the actual production of, he would not license it for any other studio to make. That's been pretty much his stock and trade, his product, his control. Seems hard, but you'll have to admit it sure has worked to date! Also, I don't remember kids being THAT aware of Indiana Jones at the time. We adults were the ones he targeted, as all the write ups for Raiders were in Newsweek, Rolling Stone, etc.  The Kenner toys pretty much appeared at Christmas time in '81, and that's when the younger set started climbing on board. Anyway, that's how THIS old timer remembers it. Regards. Michaelson

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