Chronology of Animation 1977

January
Araiguma Rascal [あらいぐまラスカル] ("Rascal the Raccoon") (tv), Nippon Animation.
(drawn animation)

Time Bokan Series Yattaman [タイムボカンシリーズヤッターマン] ("Time Adventure Series Yattaman") (tv), Tatsunoko.
(1977-1979)

February
John Hubley (director, animator, producer, writer) dies in New Haven, Connecticut.

February
The Flumps (tvss), David Yates Ltd. (Great Britain)
(puppet animation)

February
Jetter Mars [ジェッターマルス] ("Jet Mars") (tv), Mushi and Toei.
(drawn animation)

March
It's A Brand New World (tvsp), Ronald Fritz and Dan Hunn /Elias Production.
(drawn animation)

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (f), Wolfgang Reitherman and John Lounsberry /Disney.
(drawn animation)
contains: Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (1966), Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (1968), and Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, Too (1974), with some new animation

Wizards (f), Ralph Bakshi /Bakshi.
(drawn animation, some live action)

March
SuperGulp, I fumetti in TV ("SuperGulp, the Comics on TV") (tv), RAI. (Italy)
(drawn animation)
(1977-1981)

March
Gasshin Sentai Mechander Robo [合身戦隊メカンダーロボ] ("Combination Squadron Mechander Robot") (tv), Wako.
(drawn animation)

Hakucho no Oji [白鳥の王子] ("The Prince of the Swans", "The Wild Swans") (f), Yugo Serigawa /Toei.
(drawn animation)

Wakusei Robo Danguard Ace [惑星ロボダンガードA] ("Planetary Robot Dangard A"; "Force Five: Danguard Ace") (tv), Toei.
(drawn animation)

April
The Easter Bunny is Comin' to Town (tvsp), Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass /Rankin-Bass.
(puppet animation)

King of the Beasts (tvsp), Shamus Culhane /Shamus Culhane Productions.
(drawn animation)

Raggedy Ann and Andy: A Musical Adventure (f), Richard Williams.
(drawn animation, some live action)

Tubby the Tuba (f), Alexander Schure /New York Institute of Technology.
(drawn animation)

April
Ashita e Attack [あしたへアタック!] ("Attack on Tomorrow") (tv), Nippon Animation.
(drawn animation)

Chogattai Majutsu Robot Ginguiser [超合体魔術ロボギンガイザー] ("Ultra-transforming Magic Robo Ginguiser") (tv), Nippon Animation.
(drawn animation)

Hyoga Senshi Gaislugger [氷河戦士ガイスラッガー] ("Glacier Warrior Gaislugger") (tv), Toei.
(drawn animation)

Magic Bus founded in Tokyo by Satoshi Dezzaki as a production company to animate other company's productions.

Sunrise changes its name to Nippon Sunrise.

May
The Return of Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2th Century (ss), Chuck Jones /Chuck Jones Enterprises.
(drawn animation)

May
Kelly Sheridan (May 19, 1977- ) (voice actress) born in Ottawa, Ontario. (Canada)

June
The Rescuers (f), Wolfgang Reitherman /Disney.
(drawn animation)

Alan Reed (voice actor) dies in Los Angeles, California.

June
Seton Dobutsuki Kuma no Ko Jackie [シートン動物記くまの子ジャッキー] ("Seton Animal Chronicle: Bearcub Jackie") (tv), Nippon Animation.
(drawn animation)

Chodenji Machine Voltes 5 [超電磁マシーンボルテスV] ("Super Electromagnetic Machine Voltes V") (tv), Nippon Sunrise and Toei.
(drawn animation)

July
Allegro non troppo (f), Bruno Bozzetto /Bozetto. (Italy)
(drawn animation, some live action)

July
Chojin Sentai Baratack [超人戦隊バラタック] ("Superhuman Combat Team Baratack") (tv), Toei.
(drawn animation)

Wakusei Robo Danguard Ace tai Konchu Robo Gundan [惑星ロボダンガードA対昆虫ロボット軍団] ("Planetary Robot Danguard Ace Against the Army of Insect Robots") (ss), Toei.
(drawn animation)

August
Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown (f), Bill Melendez and Phil Roman /Melendez.
(drawn animation)

August
Uchu Senkan Yamato [宇宙戦艦ヤマト] ("Space Cruiser Yamato") (f), Office Academy.
(drawn animation)

September
ABC Weekend Specials (tvsp), ABC.
(live action, some drawn animation)
This was a series of specials from various producers. Most of the programs were live action but some were animated. Some of the individual programs are separately listed in this Chronology.
(1977-1997)

The C.B. Bears (tv), Hanna-Barbera.
(drawn animation)
contains: The C.B. Bears (tv), Heyyy, It's the King! (tvss), Posse Impossible (tvss), Undercover Elephant (tvss), Shake, Rattle, and Roll (tvss), and Blast Off Buzzard (tvss).

Fred Flintstone and Friends (tv), Hanna-Barbera.
(drawn animation)
collection of older Hanna-Barbera television shows hosted by Fred Flintstone

I'm the Greatest--The Adventures of Mohammed Ali (tv), Farmhouse.
(drawn animation)

The New Adventures of Batman (tv), Filmation.
(drawn animation)

Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics (tv), Hanna-Barbera.
(drawn animation)
two hours compilation show containing: the title series; new episodes of Dynomutt, Dog Wonder (tv) and Captain Caveman and His Teen Angels (tv); and old Scooby Doo episodes

The Skatebirds (tv), Hanna-Barbera.
(drawn animation, part live action)
contains: Woofer and Wimper, Dog Detectives (tvss), The Three Robonic Stooges (tvss), and Wonderwheels (tvss).

Think Pink Panther (tv), DePatie-Freleng.
(drawn animation)

What's New, Mr. Magoo? (tv)/(tvss), DePatie-Freleng.
(drawn animation)

The Young Sentinels (tv), Filmation.
(drawn animation)

Robert McKimson (Bob McKimson) (September 27, 1911-September 27, 1977) (director, animator, character designer) dies in Burbank, California.

September
Arrow Emblem: Grand Prix no Taka [アローエンブレムグランプリの鷹] ("Arrow Emblem: Hawk of the Grand Prix") (tv), Toei.
(drawn animation)

Chiisana Janbo ("Little Jumbo") (ss), Masami Hata, Toshio Hirata, and Takashi Yanase /Sanrio.
(drawn animation)

Ippatsu Kanta-kun [一発貫太くん] ("Homerun Kanta") (tv), Tatsunoko.
(drawn animation)

Ore wa Teppei [おれは鉄兵] ("My Name Is Teppei"; "I'm Teppei") (tv), Nippon Animation.
(drawn animation)

Tatsuo Yoshida (Yoshida Tatsuo) (producer, character designer, director) dies in Tokyo.

October
Dr. Seuss' Halloween Is Grinch Night (tvsp), Gerald Baldwin /DePatie-Freleng.
(drawn animation)

The Fat Albert Halloween Special (tvsp), Hal Sutherland /Filmation.
(drawn animation)

It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown (tvsp), Phil Roman /Mendelsohn-Melendez.
(drawn animation)

October
Cho Supercar Gattiger [超スーパーカーガッタイガー] ("Super Supercar Gattiger") (tv), Wako.
(drawn animation)

Fuusen Shoujo Temple-chan [風船少女テンプルちゃん] ("Balloon Girl Little Temple") (tv), Tatsunoko.
(drawn animation)

Gekisou Rubenkaiser [激走! ルーベンカイザー] ("Run Fast, Rubenkaiser") (tv), Toei.
(drawn animation)

Kyoryu Daisenso Ai-Zenborg [恐竜大戦争アイゼンボーグ] ("Dinosaur Wars Ai-Zenborg") (tv), Oka Studio.
(drawn animation, some live action)

Manga Nihon Emaki [まんが日本絵巻] ("Animated Japanese Picture Scrolls") (tv)/(edu).
(drawn animation)

Muteki Chojin Zambot 3 [無敵超人ザンボット3] ("Invincible Superman Zambot 3") (tv), Nippon Sunrise.
(drawn animation)

Ie Naki Ko [家なき子] ("Rittai Anime Ie Naki Ko Remi", "3-D Animation Homeless Child Remi", "Nobody's Child") (tv), TMS.
(drawn animation)
(The "3-D Animation" of the title is due to exceptional care in creating the backgrounds (compared to normal television animation).)

Shin Kyojin No Hoshi [新巨人の星] ("New Star of the Giants") (tv), TMS.
(drawn animation)

Shin Lupin III [新ルパン三] ("New Lupin III") (tv), TMS.
(1977-1980)
(drawn animation)

Tobidase! Machine Hiryu [とびだせ! マシーン飛竜] ("Take Flight! Machine Hiryu"; "Flying Dragon") (tv), Tatsunoko.
(drawn animation)

Wakusa no Charlotte [若草のシャルロット] ("Charlotte of the Young Grass") (tv), Nippon Animation (Trans Arts).
(drawn animation)

November
A Doonesbury Special (tvsp), John Hubley /Hubley Films.
(drawn animation)

The Hobbit (tvsp), Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass /Rankin-Bass.
(drawn animation)

November
Manga Ijin Monogatari [まんが偉人物語] ("Manga Stories of Great Men") (tv)/(edu), Group TAC.
(drawn animation)

November
Five Weeks in a Balloon (tvsp), Chris Cuddington /Hanna-Barbera Australia. (Australia)
(drawn animation)

December
The Fat Albert Christmas Special (tvsp), Hal Sutherland /Filmation.
(drawn animation)

A Flintstone Christmas (tvsp), Charles A. Nichols /Hanna-Barbera.
(drawn animation)

Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey (tvsp), Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass /Rankin-Bass.
(puppet animation)

Silent Night (tvsp), National Telefilm Associates.
(drawn animation)

December
A Cosmic Christmas (tvsp), Clive Smith /Nelvana. (Canada)
(drawn animation)

December
Jo Heika no Petite Ange [女王陛下のプティアンジェ] ("Her Royal Highness the Queen, Petite Ange") (tv), Nippon Animation.
(drawn animation)

Shin Kyojin no Hoshi [新巨人の星] ("New Star of the Giants") (f), TMS.
(drawn animation)

Yakyukyo no Uta [野球狂の詩] ("Poem of a Baseball Fan") (tvsp), Nippon Animation.
(drawn animation)

no date
Bergen Paint: Hi-Gloss (tvss)/(adv), Robert Abel.
(cgi animation)

Davey & Goliath: Halloween Who-Dun-It (tvsp), Art Clokey /Clokey.
(puppet animation)

Jimmy the C (ss), Jimmy Picker, Robert Grossman, and Craig Whitaker /Motionpicker.
(clay animation)

Joe Ruby and Ken Spears found Ruby-Spears Productions.

no date
The Bead Game (ss), Ishu Patel /NFB. (Canada)
(animated beads)

Le Chateau de sable // Sand Castle (ss), Co Hoedeman /NFB. (Canada)
(puppet animation)
Academy Award: Best Short Subjects, Animation

Le Paysagiste // Mindscape (ss), Jacques Drouin /NFB. (Canada)
(pinscreen animation)

Spinnolio (ss), John Weldon /NFB. (Canada)
(drawn animation)

no date
Adamo e l'acqua ("Adam and the Water) (tv), Pagot. (Italy)
(drawn animation)

Arkatzner Antarum ("Adventures in the Forest") (tvss), A. Margarian /Yerevan. (Soviet Union [Russia])
(drawn animation)

Farbrorn som inte vill va' stor ("The Uncle Who Didn't Want to be a Grownup") (tv), Peter Cohen and Olof Landström /POJ-Filmproduktion. (Sweden)
(drawn animation)

Gulliver's Travels (f), Peter Hunt /Valeness and Belvision. (Great Britain/Belgium)
(drawn animation, part live action)

Hellere rig og rask end syg og fattig (tvsp), Jannik Hastrup /Dansk Tegnefilm Kompagni. (Denmark)
(drawn animation)

Kuzdok ("Fight") (ss), Marcell Jankovics /Pannoniafilm. (Hungary)
(drawn animation)

Max und Moritz (tv), Halas and Batchelor. (Great Britain)
(drawn animation)

La Noiraude ("Blackie the Cow") (tvss), Telecip. (France)
(drawn animation)

Poligon [Полигон] ("Firing Range") (ss), Anatoly Petrov /Soyuzmultifilm. (Soviet Union [Russia])
(drawn animation)

Il quarto re ("The Fourth King") (tvsp), Romano Scarpa. (Italy)
(drawn animation)

Wielka podroz Bolka i Lolka ("Around the World with Bolek and Lolek") (f), Stanislaw Dülz and Wladyslaw Nehrebecki /Filmow Rysunkowych. (Poland)
(drawn animation)

Zhuravlinnye Perya [Журавлиные Перья] ("Crane Feathers") (ss), Ideya Garanina /Soyuzmultifilm. (Soviet Union [Russia])
(puppet animation)

Haim Saban and Shuki Levyfound Saban International in Paris. (France)

France Animation founded in Paris. (France)

Studios Idefix closes. (France)

no date
Dot and the Kangaroo (f), Yoram Gross /Yoram Gross. (Australia)
(drawn animation with live action backgrounds)
first Dot feature

Note: Unfortunately I lack the time or resources to help people find copies of animated films and television programs. I have put together a web List of Online Video and Book Stores that will be useful to find copies in the United States. There are other similar stores on the Internet around the world that might be able to supply the DVDs, LDs, or video tapes that are desired. Check my Animation on the World Wide Web pages for links to animation studios and other Internet resources that may have further information. I am not involved in trading materials from my own collection. I am still waiting to see most of the programs in this Chronology and would be happy to find sources for many of them.

Because of these circumstances I will not respond to requests for help to find these types of materials.

Continue to 1978

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