Taz-Mania

Taz-Mania
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	Art Vitello
No. of seasons	Four
No. of episodes	65
Running time	22 minutes
Original run	7 September 1991 – 22 May 1995
Networks	Fox Kids (US)

Title Card 1

Title Card 2

Taz-Mania is an early 1990s cartoon show produced and directed by Art Vitello. It was broadcast on Fox Kids in the United States. Unlike Tiny Toon Adventures and Animaniacs, the show was not a Spielberg/WB collaboration.

Plot

Taz is a teenager living in the fictional land of Tazmania (based on the Australian island and province of Tasmania). Taz could actually speak perfectly normally when he wanted to.

He is a young slacker who is living with his family, working as a bellhop at a local hotel, and having adventures with his friends.

Intros

The show had two intros: one with fast, flickering lights, which aired in the United States. International versions, mostly in Canada and the United Kingdom, aired a modified version that replaced the fast, flickering lights with still shots of the title card. This was done due to concerns over viewers with epilepsy and those who are sensitive to strobe-light effects.

Episodes

A total of 65 episodes were produced, most having two separate story segments.

Main article: Taz-Mania Episode Guide and List

Cast

• Jim Cummings - Taz, Bushwhacker Bob, Wendal T. Wolf, Buddy Boar
• Rob Paulsen - Timothy Platypus, Axl Gator, Francis X. Bushlad, Digeri Dingo, Marvin the Martian
• Maurice LaMarche - Hugh, Daniel Platypus, Willie Wombat, Daffy Duck, Yosemite Sam
• Miriam Flynn - Jean
• Kellie Martin - Molly
• Debi Derryberry - Jake
• Dan Castellaneta - Mr. Thickley
• John Astin - Bull Gator
• Rosalyn Landor - Constance Koala, Mum
• Phil Proctor - Chief Bushrat
• Greg Burson - Bugs Bunny, Foghorn Leghorn

Looney Appearances

Besides Taz, other classic Looney Tunes characters make relatively minor roles or cameo appearances in certain episodes of the show;

1. Bugs Bunny appears in "A Devil of a Job" as a deus ex machina, driving a souped-up jeep out of a quicksand pit, saving Bushwhacker Bob and Mr. Thickley. In Willie Wombat's debut episode, Willie phones Bugs for advice about how to handle Taz.
   1. Daffy Duck rides along with Bugs in the jeep in "A Devil of a Job". He tells him, "I told you this was the left at Albuquerque".
2. In one episode, Taz calls Yosemite Sam after Willie phones Bugs for advice. He expresses surprise that Taz has his own show by asking "Ain't you retired yet?"
3. In one episode, Sam Sheepdog works as a sheepdog. Taz, working as a temporary agent for carnivorous predators, substitutes for Ralph Wolf and attempts to steal sheep from Sam's pen. Sam suggests, "I thought I was a bit too hard on that coyote last week."
4. In one episode, Foghorn Leghorn, because of his name, was mistaken for a hotel critic by Bushwhacker Bob.
5. Beaky Buzzard makes a cameo in the show, relaxing in his nest.
6. In one episode, Marvin the Martian comes to Earth on vacation, glad his plans to destroy it failed. His attempts at relaxation are thwarted by Taz's noisy behavior, cajoling him into wanting to destroy Earth again, and his actions indeed cause Earth to explode due to a temporal anomaly.
7. In one episode, Road Runner makes a cameo appearance and is caught by Taz. Taz is about to eat him, but lets the bird go after Axl and Bull try to kidnap Taz.
8. In one episode, Wile E. Coyote makes a cameo appearance at the Boulder Museum.

Notes

• Produced by Warner Bros. Animation from 1991 to 1993, it ran on Fox Kids from 1991-1995.
  • Reruns aired on Cartoon Network.
• Just as the theme song says... the sky is always colored yellow.
• This was the first time that Taz was voiced by Jim Cummings.
• In Australia, the show premiered on the Nine Network. In the UK, the show premiered on CBBC.
• This is the only show where Daffy and Marvin are not voiced by Joe Alaksey or Jeff Bergman. Instead, Maurice LaMarche voices Daffy and Rob Paulsen voices Marvin.