Review of What's New, Mr. Magoo?

Actor Jim Backus(of "I Married Joan" and also of "Gilligan's Island" fame)had been supplying the voice of crotchery,myopic,and blind-as-a-bat Mister Magoo in movie cartoon shorts since 1949(when they were released theatrically through UPA Films and Columbia Pictures during the late 1940's through the early 1960's)when the creation made a belated debut on Saturday Morning television in the late 1970's under the direction of Brad Case and Gerry Chinquy(most known for directing and producing the animated versions of The Pink Panther and other cartoons produced for Saturday Mornings). As in the theatrical version,Magoo acted as a guardian to his nephew Waldo(voiced by Frank Welker),but the new cartoons added Magoo's talking pet dog McBarker,also a squintet,to the madcap misadventures. Out of the 13 episodes produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises(which was under the supervision of producer David H.DePatie and longtime animator Friz Freleng,who served as executive producers)that ran on Saturday Mornings for CBS-TV from September 10, 1977-September 9,1979. Most stories revolved around how Magoo's notoriously awful eyesight,of which he seemed blissfully unaware,contributed to unintentional,yet sometimes hilarious,near-disasters in the lives of the trio of regulars. The series ran on Saturday Mornings for CBS from September 10,1977-November 12,1977 then moved to Sunday Mornings from November 19,1977-September 9,1979 in repeated episodes.

Because of this series,being the first for Saturday Morning television,Mister Magoo's appearances included four 60-second beer commercials in 1956;more than 100 five minute cartoons produced and syndicated in 1960 under the title "The Mister Magoo Show";and a nightime series that ran for one season in prime-time for NBC titled "The Famous Adventures of Mister Magoo",which ran from September 19,1964-August 7,1965. Jim Backus,however,voiced all versions.