The Banana Splits Adventure Hour

The Banana Splits Adventure Hour (also known simply as The Banana Splits) is an American television variety show produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The series ran for 31 episodes on NBC Saturday mornings from September 7, 1968, to September 5, 1970, and in syndication from 1971 to 1982. The show features the Banana Splits band as live-action costumed characters, who host both live-action and animated segments within their program. The Banana Splits was Hanna-Barbera's first series to feature live action with animation, following a 1967 telefilm, Jack and the Beanstalk, which did the same. The costumes and sets were designed by Sid and Marty Krofft, and the series' sponsor was Kellogg's Cereals.

The Banana Splits Adventure Hour
"One banana, two banana, three banana, four. Four bananas makes a bunch and so do many more!"
Genre: Psychedelia Comedy Slapstick Adventure Running Time: 45–48 minutes Country: United States Release Date: September 7, 1968 – September 5, 1970 (original) September 2, 2008 - 2010 (revivial) Network(s): NBC Cartoon Network (2008 revival) Created by: William Hanna Joseph Barbera Distributed by: Warner Bros. Television Distribution Starring: Jeff Winkless Ginner Whitcombe Terence H. Winkless Dan Winkless James "Jimmy" Dove Paul Winchell (voice) Daws Butler (voice) Allan Melvin (voice) Seasons: 2 Episodes: 31 + shorts

Plot

The Banana Splits, a fictional rock band composed of four funny animal characters in red helmets. The costumed hosts of the show are Fleegle (guitar, vocals), Bingo (drums, vocals), Drooper (bass, vocals) and Snorky (keyboards, effects).

Why It Makes You Go Bananas

1. The theme song is catchy and one of the most well-known songs of this series.
2. The Banana Splits themselves are likable and memorable characters like Fleegle (beagle), Bingo (gorilla/orangutan), Drooper (lion), and Snorky (elephant).
3. The costume designs are well made, especially in the 2008 revival, considering that they were made by Sid and Marty Krofft, who would both later go on to create H.R. Pufnstuf the following year.
4. The puppetry and voice-acting is also very well-done, even for a 1968 television series.
5. This show had a lot of funny moments that kids and adults would enjoy.
6. The show has a bunch of great and memorable segments. (e.g. Dear Drooper, Arabian Knights, Danger Island, The Three Musketeers, and The Hillbilly Bears)
7. It got a revival in 2008, which was a nice step-up to the original series, with much better costume designs, a handful of funny moments, and decent songs such as "My Friend Sammy". It also managed to keep the charm of the original 1968 series.
8. The series got its own TV movie called, "The Banana Splits in Hocus Pocus Park" back in 1972, which was decent.
9. Some fans may consider Snorky as the cute Banana Split member, especially his looks from the later versions, and his high pitched honk from the 2008 version.
10. Very amusing slapstick humour in the veins of The Three Stooges.

Bad Qualities

1. The costumes may be creepy to some, especially Bingo and maybe Drooper.
2. Sometimes, there can be goofs and errors from here to there, especially in the original 1968 series, such as in one episode where Bingo's head falls off after hitting a pole.
3. It sadly didn't age very well when it comes to special effects.
4. Don't even get started on the infamous 2019 movie.

Trivia

• A feature-length comedy horror film adaptation called, The Banana Splits Movie, premiered at the San Diego Comic-Con on July 18, 2019, and was released worldwide on August 27, 2019. It also aired on SYFY on October 12, 2019 for the Halloween season.
• The Banana Splits makes a cameo in SCOOB!, seen in a poster at an abandoned amusement park.
• Fred Flintstone made a cameo in the series.
• Fleegle's voice actor in the 1968 series, Paul Winchell, was also the voice actor for Tigger from Winnie the Pooh, as well as Dick Dastardly and Gargamel from The Smurfs, which explains why his laughter sounds similar to the latter.

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