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Video Feature Name: Cartoon All-Stars To The Rescue |
"Cartoon All-Stars To The Rescue" was an animated special that was aired on ABC, CBS, and NBC in April 1990, featuring a crossover of various cartoon characters such as those from Alf, Alvin and the Chipmunks Alvin And The Chipmunks, Disney's DuckTales, Winnie The Pooh, Muppet Babies, Garfield And Friends, The Real Ghostbusters, The Smurfs, and Looney Tunes. Since Garfield, like all the characters from the shows listed, was presented as nothing more than a cartoon character come to life, and since this adventure doesn't tie in with any known stories he has either in print or in any visual media, it is considered "non-canonical".
Plot Summary
The plot chronicles the exploits of Michael, a teenager who is using marijuana and stealing his father's beer. His younger sister, Corey, is worried about him because he's started acting differently. When her piggy bank goes missing, her cartoon tie-in toys come to life to help her find it. After discovering it in Michael's room along with his stash of drugs, the various cartoon characters proceed to band together and take Michael on a fantasy journey to teach him the risks and consequences a life of drug-use can bring.
Background Information
- Financed by McDonald's, the special was originally simulcast on April 21, 1990 on all three major American television networks: ABC, NBC, and CBS, along with syndication to most independent stations.
- McDonald's also distributed a VHS home video edition of the special, produced by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, which opened with an introduction from then-President George H. W. Bush, and First Lady Barbara Bush.
- The show was produced by Southern Star Productions for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and was animated overseas by Wang Film Productions.
Garfield Notes
- The special was able to get so many characters from various franchises because the license holders gave producers royalty-free access due to the public service aspect of the special. However, Garfield was used without consent from his creator Jim Davis.
- There has been no lawsuit between Jim Davis and this independent cartoon however, although the cartoon would have faced legal consequences if Jim Davis decided to start a lawsuit.
- Lorenzo Music, the voice actor of Garfield from 1984 to the end of Garfield and Friends, had provided Garfield's voice in this episode. However, due to so many characters in the special, Garfield did not have much lines.
- Garfield was the only character from the Garfield franchise to appear in the special. He didn't even mention Jon, Odie, or others.
- Garfield is smaller than the Chipmunks which is inaccurate. However, it should be noted that Garfield was not drawn by the same animators from Phil Roman studios that animates Garfield and Friends.
- Garfield only dialogue with another character is with ALF.
Garfield's Lines (in order)
- My luck to be stuffed by a pushy alien.
- Two thousand you can't miss. A breaking piggy and a sizzle of hot lasagna (he refers to ALF saying a piggy bank broke).
- Neither do I. No food in sight. (he said this after Simon the chipmunk says "I don't like the look of this")
- (singing) There's a practical reply
- (singing) Now you can say beat it! Get lost! Get out of my face with that stuff!
- (singing) A good excuse is something you never outgrow.
Garfield's Role
Garfield appears with Alvin, Simon, Theodore (the chipmunks) and ALF (Alien Life Form) while they are climbing a hallway inside a house They are looking around, and then they hide under Michael's bed, the protagonist. Garfield is sleeping, but ALF tells him to wake up. ALF orders him to help or he'll eat him for lunch. This is a reference to the fact that ALF eats cats, such as in his live-action sitcom. Garfield decides to just help with the anti-drug mission.
During that scene, Garfield mentions food and hot lasagna, a reference to his love for eating. He is also standing while wearing sunglasses, and when Michael's sister asks him for what happened to his eyes, Michael takes away the glasses that Garfield was wearing while standing on a drawer next to Michael's bed.
When Michael goes out, Garfield jumps out of the window along with several other characters chase him into a city.
Garfield is seen again when the Cartoon All-Stars sing (his lines in the song are above as noted). At one point he tapped Michael on his hip saying, "Now you can say beat it! Get lost! Get out of my face with that stuff!", referring to the illegal and dangerous drugs.
At the end of the episode, we see all the Cartoon All-Stars together. Garfield is at the bottom of the picture. He is to the right of Daffy Duck, under Huey, Duey, & Louie and Winnie the Pooh, to the left of Baby Gonzo and Alvin the Chipmunk.
Video Releases
- The special was mostly released as a rental-only videocassette in the early 1990s.
External Links
Cartoon All-Stars To The Rescue at Wikipedia.com