King Koopa's Kool Kartoons
King Koopa's Kool Kartoons is a live-action children's television show created by DIC Entertainment as a spin-off of their previous show, The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! The format of the series is comparible to Bozo the Clown's show. King Koopa hosted the show and was originally played by Christopher Collins (later Pat Pinney) inside of a rubber suit as the show's emcee. Koopa's appearance and demeanor was based off his role in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!! The King Koopa appearance was changed for the cartoon to be more belivable for a live action show. At the end of the show King Koopa gave away prizes including the Power Glove, an accessory for the NES similar to the Wii Remote.
Broadcast and Run
The show's run began during the 1989/1990 holiday season. Each episode of King Koopa's Kool Kartoons lasted for thirty minutes and aired during the after-school afternoon time slot. KTTV Fox 11 broadcasted the show to the Southern California region alone, possibly to guage the title's popularity before expanding. However, the production of the series ended after its first season.
Later, the show was broadcast for European audiences through The Children's Channel.
Episode Format
Like The Super Mario Bros. Super Show before it, Kool Kartoons followed a set format for each episode. After the pre-recorded introduction, the show transitioned to the show's set, where King Koopa began hosting in front of a live audience of children called King Koopa's Troopas. The show's tech crew are dressed similarly to the Troopas when they appear.
Introduction
The pre-recorded introduction featured King Koopa, Ratso (his rat-like dog), and his Troopas struting down a Los Angeles steet towards a television studio. The king and his minions sang the theme song (see below). As they pass a crowd of stunned people, one of the older Troopas puts a Koopa mask on a child in the crowd who proceeds to follow them. When they arrived at the doorway a bewildered guard attemped to block their entry, Koopa pulls the whistle from his mouth. Entering the set of a clown's studio as an episode of his show is filming, Koopa and his children proceeded to take over the show. Bowser pushed the cameraman away and proceeded to confront the clown, who paniced. After the clown attempted to win Koopa's favor through roses and a baloon, Koopa pops the balloon with his claw, scaring him away. The previous audience having left, King Koopa's Troopas are free to fill in the seats. Koopa glares at the screen as he screams, "It's my show now!" The screen turns black as he points his septer at the screen and cries, "BAH!"
Theme Song
Words in parenthesis are sung by King Koopa's Troopas. The words outside of the parenthesis are sung by Koopa.
Creepa!
Who calls you a nincompoopa?
Koopa
I'm the pain who plays the game
And knocks you for a loopa.
I'm Koopa, Koopa
(He's Koopa, Koopa)
Koopa! Koopa!
King of the afternoons!
(He's Koopa, Koopa)
I'm Koopa, Koopa
(It's Koopa, Koopa)
Koopa! Koopa!
King of the cartoons!
I've got the show you'd better watch.
Even when you're grounded.
- "Koopa! Koopa!")-
This is one show I would love
-Baby you'll be hell-yoopa,-
King Koopa, Koopa.
King Koopa (screamed): It's my show now! HAH!
The Studio
At this point, the show focused on the studio, where Koopa sat behind a desk in front of his audience of Troopas. Behind the host was a piece of a wall upon which hung pictures of Mario, Luigi, and Princess Toadstool in the style of the animated segments of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!! As the show’s emcee, he would read fan mail and host quizzes. These quizzes were open to any child viewer, as responses were sent into the show via the mail. Prizes were awarded in the form of Throughout each episode King Koopa would play cartoons from the 1920's and 1930's which were in the public domain. The cartoons had no relation to the Mario series.
Credits
This article is a stub. Please consider expanding it to include any missing information.
At the end of the half hour, the credits would appear in front of another prerecorded segment.
Basic Info
Run Time: Approximately 30 Minutes
Originally Aired: 1989/1990
Channels:
- KTTV Fox 11 (California)
- The Children's Channel (United Kingdom)
Actors:
- King Koopa - Christopher Collins - 1989
- King Koopa - Pat Pinney - 1990
