| Jackson 5ive | |
|---|---|
 Title card | |
| Written by | Romeo Muller William J. Keenan Hal Hackady Lou Silverstone Susan Milburn |
| Directed by | Arthur Rankin, Jr. Jules Bass |
| Starring | Cast |
| Theme music composer | The Jackson 5 |
| Composer | Maury Laws |
| Country of origin | United States United Kingdom |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 23 |
| Production | |
| Producers | Arthur Rankin, Jr. Jules Bass |
| Production companies | Rankin/Bass (copyrighted as Videocraft International) Motown Productions Animation Services Halas & Batchelor Animation Topcraft Estudios Moro |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | September 11, 1971 (1971-09-11) – October 14, 1972 (1972-10-14) |
Jackson 5ive is aSaturday morning cartoonseries that aired for two seasons onABC from September 11, 1971 to October 14, 1972. Produced byRankin/Bass andMotown Productions, it is a fictionalized portrayal of the careers ofMotown recording groupthe Jackson 5.[1] The series was rebroadcast insyndication in 1984–85, during a period whenMichael Jackson was riding a major wave of popularity as a solo artist. It also briefly re-aired in 1999 onTV Land as part of their "Super Retrovision Saturdaze" lineup. The series was animated mainly inLondon at the studios ofHalas andBatchelor, and some animation done at Estudios Moro (Barcelona, Spain) andTopcraft (Tokyo, Japan).
Due to high demands on the group, the roles ofJackie,Tito,Jermaine,Marlon, andMichael were played by voice actors, with records of the group's songs being used for the musical tracks of the show.[2] The group did make some contribution to the cartoon in the form of live photographs of each member morphing into a cartoon which was shown in the title screen medley. Although the musical scenes of the cartoon were chiefly animation, an occasional live-action footage of a concert or music video of The Jackson 5 would be spliced into the cartoon series. The actual Jackson 5 also contributed to the show by posing for pictures prior to the cartoon's debut which were used as posters, newspaper clips andTV Guide spots advertising the forthcoming TV series.
ThoughBerry Gordy did not provide the original voice (his character was voiced byPaul Frees) nor advertised his name, his character was frequently involved as the "adult figure" to the group.R&B/Pop singerDiana Ross contributed to voice her fictionalized self in the debut episode. The premise of the show is that the Jackson Five would have adventures similar toJosie and the Pussycats,Alvin and the Chipmunks orThe Partridge Family, with the unique addition being that Berry Gordy, the manager of the band in the show's universe, would come up with an idea forpublicity for the band, such as having to do farm work or play a concert for thePresident of the United States. The series was followed byThe Jacksons, a live action variety show, in 1976.
A specially recorded medley of four of the group's biggest hits at the time ("I Want You Back", "The Love You Save", "ABC" and "Mama's Pearl") served as the show's theme song. Each episode would feature two songs by The Jackson 5. The songs were derived from their albumsDiana Ross Presents The Jackson 5 (1969),ABC,Third Album (both 1970) andMaybe Tomorrow (1971). For the Season 2 episodes, eight songs were derived from Michael Jackson's albumGot to Be There (1971) and two songs from The Jackson 5 albumLookin' Through the Windows (1972).
Because Michael Jackson owned many pets in real life, a few pets were added as extra characters to the cartoon. They included Michael's petmice, Ray and Charles (alluding to singerRay Charles, one of his idols), and his petsnake Rosey the Crusher. Other than the mice squeaking, the pets never spoke, but usually contributed either assistance or mischief, or joined the Jackson brothers in their performances.
Like most 1970s-era Saturday morning cartoon series,The Jackson 5ive contained an adultlaugh track. Rankin-Bass experimented with creating their own laugh track, a practiceHanna-Barbera had implemented, in 1971. This was done to avoid paying large fees toCharley Douglass, who edited laugh tracks onto the majority of network television shows at the time. Like Hanna-Barbera, Rankin/Bass isolated several snippets of canned chuckles from Douglass’ library, and inserted them onto the soundtrack. The laughs initially consisted of only loud eruptions; mild jokes received unnatural bouts of laughter, while other times, the laughter would erupt mid-sentence.
The studio had improved the process by the second season, using more modulated laughs culled from Douglass's 1971–1972 library. Laughs did not erupt mid-sentence like the first season and were better timed by Rankin/Bass sound engineers. The improved technique was also utilized for the sister seriesThe Osmonds.[3] Unlike Hanna-Barbera's laugh track, Rankin/Bass provided a larger variety of laughs.[3]
Rankin/Bass ceased using laugh tracks afterThe Jackson 5ive andThe Osmonds both ended their original runs.[3]
| No. | Title | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "It All Started With..." | September 11, 1971 (1971-09-11) | |
Thepilot episode, introducing the five brothers, their pets, their producer (Berry Gordy) and the apocryphal origin story of the Jacksons depictingDiana Ross as theirmentor who discovered them when they saved her from their pet snake, Rosey, then their struggle to get discovered inMotown. Songs: "ABC", "Goin' Back to Indiana" | |||
| 2 | "Pinestock U.S.A." | September 18, 1971 (1971-09-18) | |
The Jackson brothers agree to play an outdoorconcert similar toWoodstock, but learn that the concert is endorsed by a logging camp where a bunch of lumberjacks will level the forests right after the concert concludes. Songs: "I'll Be There", "The Young Folks" | |||
| 3 | "Drafted" | September 25, 1971 (1971-09-25) | |
The Jackson 5 are scheduled to give aUSO concert at Fort Paratrooper, but due to a mixup Marlon and Michael have been mistaken for recruits. The other brothers do jobs such as kitchen patrol and running the obstacle course in order to rescue Michael and Marlon. Songs: "I Want You Back", "2-4-6-8" | |||
| 4 | "Mistaken Identity" | October 2, 1971 (1971-10-02) | |
The Jacksons, out west driving to a tour date inLas Vegas, get sidetracked in anOld West town where they are mistaken for five ornerybandit brothers. Songs: "I'll Bet You", "Sixteen Candles" | |||
| 5 | "Bongo, Baby, Bongo" | October 9, 1971 (1971-10-09) | |
| 6 | "The Winners' Circle" | October 16, 1971 (1971-10-16) | |
Visiting arace track, Michael is tricked by a somewhat shifty horse racer into accidentally buying an unmotivatedhorse who can race real fast when their music is being played; the horse racer comes up with a plan to make sure they lose everything. Songs: "The Love You Save", "How Funky is Your Chicken" | |||
| 7 | "CinderJackson" | October 23, 1971 (1971-10-23) | |
The brothers hear at apress conference that Mr. Leo F. King, a show business entrepreneur, is holding a lavish birthday party for Samantha Christie, the Princess of Pop, but Michael is sick and is unable to attend her party. But while sleeping upside down, he dreams of getting a package fromGary, Indiana, which he thinks is chicken soup, but is soon greeted by an Afro-crowned "Hairy Godfather"fairy who grants him a wish to see the star. Songs: "Reach In", "Can I See You in the Morning?" | |||
| 8 | "The Wizard of Soul" | October 30, 1971 (1971-10-30) | |
Michael dreams of wandering into anoasis called the Land ofSoul, in which he sees each of his brothers play a familiarWizard of Oz character. Together they journey to find the "Wizard of Soul", who, if located, can help him get back to his (real) brothers and get to the show on time. Michael would later play the Scarecrow in the 1978 film adaptation ofThe Wiz. Songs: "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage", "Oh How Happy" | |||
| 9 | "The Tiny Five" | November 6, 1971 (1971-11-06) | |
The Jacksons are shrunk to miniature size by a mad scientist and have to avoid large household perils to reverse the mishap that miniaturized them. Songs: "The Wall", "I Will Find a Way" | |||
| 10 | "The Groovatron" | November 13, 1971 (1971-11-13) | |
The Jacksons tour themselves to exhaustion and long to take a break. Marlon, depicted as a gear-headgenius, builds an Afro-wearing musicalrobot titled "The Groovatron" to stand in for them for future performance dates. However, a shiftysalesman named Sam Sham witnesses the successful maiden performance of the robot, kidnaps it, and sends it on tour on its own, replacing The Jacksons and having it sell out instead of them. The brothers scheme at once to kidnap their robot back before their careers are destroyed. Songs: "Maybe Tomorrow", "Nobody" | |||
| 11 | "Ray & Charles: Superstars" | November 20, 1971 (1971-11-20) | |
Ray and Charles become envious of the success of their owners and decide to become stars on their own. Discovered byHollywood, the two mice become superstars overnight and as soon as they do, the brothers fear that success will go to their heads. Songs: "(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need", "(We've Got) Blue Skies" | |||
| 12 | "Farmer Jacksons" | November 27, 1971 (1971-11-27) | |
Jackie decides that his family should have a break from superstardom and places a bet with a crook to run a farm, which leads to disasters with the animals, the food and the farm itself. Songs: "My Cherie Amour", "Honey Chile" | |||
| 13 | "Jackson Island" | December 4, 1971 (1971-12-04) | |
On a flight toHawaii, the five brothers crash onto an island, where acoconut hits Michael's head, making him fall asleep, and he dreams of meeting the most fictional and evil pirates in history. Songs: "Ready or Not (Here I Come)", "La-La (Means I Love You)" | |||
| 14 | "The Michael Look" | December 11, 1971 (1971-12-11) | |
When stranded without hisstage clothing in atravel mishap atHeathrow Airport inLondon, Michael unwisely consults two enviousPearly Kings threatened by his success who use the opportunity to plot to discredit him. The two Pearlies conspire to trick Michael into dressing in shabby patches and rags for hisroyal performance, but once he is seen onCarnaby Street, his look becomes aBritishfashion sensation. Songs: "Darling Dear", "Don't Know Why I Love You" | |||
| 15 | "Jackson Street, U.S.A." | December 18, 1971 (1971-12-18) | |
TheMayor of Gary, Indiana, declares a street in town will be renamed "Jackson 5 Boulevard", and invites the Jackson brothers to perform on declaration day. The Jacksons plan to touch down in the town square by means of ahot air balloon, but a mishap sends the balloon soaring past and out of the city. (Ironically, the group's final album would be called2300 Jackson Street.) Songs: "Petals", "She's Good" | |||
| 16 | "Rasho-Jackson" | January 8, 1972 (1972-01-08) | |
In an eerieprecognition offuture events, "Rasho-Jackson" depicts the Jackson brothers becoming alienated. Intended to parody theJapanese artistic filmRashomon, the episode predicts how the Jackson phenomenon would end in twenty years. Berry Gordy is depicted bringing the brothers back together again. Songs: "One More Chance", "I Found That Girl" | |||
| 17 | "A Rare Pearl" | January 15, 1972 (1972-01-15) | |
The Jacksons swear off girls after a series of romantic mishaps, but immediately fall inlove with an attractive femaleflight attendant named Jacqueline Pearl on their next tourflight. Jacqueline shuns all interest in the brothers and recruits her muscularfootball player olderbrother to give the Jacksons the scare of their lives when they pursue her at home. Songs: "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Mama's Pearl" | |||
This season was billed asThe New Jackson 5ive Show.
| No. | Title | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | "Who's Hoozis?" | September 9, 1972 (1972-09-09) | |
The Jackson 5 are scheduled to perform at an outdoor concert, but when Michael discovers a talking "blues bird" (a play on "blues" andbluebird) and learns that thejazz-musician voiced bird and hisnest, containing an egg soon to hatch, are in danger frombulldozers scheduled to tear down the concertpark, Michael investigates. He learns a wealthymagnate named Hoozis owns thebuilding overlooking the endangered park, and at once moves in to interfere. Hoozis is patterned aftereccentric U.S.millionaireHoward Hughes. Songs: "Rockin' Robin", " Wings of My Love" | |||
| 19 | "Michael White" | September 16, 1972 (1972-09-16) | |
When he bumps his head in a bicyclingaccident, Michael dreams he is astorybookprince hiding in a tinycottage where his brothers aredwarf-sized and warn him not to eat the poisonedapple a visitingcrone soon offers (as in the story ofSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs). Naturally, Michael bites the apple and immediately collapses as though dead. Songs: "Sugar Daddy", "I Wanna Be Where You Are" | |||
| 20 | "Groove to the Chief" | September 23, 1972 (1972-09-23) | |
Michael fantasizes about what it would be like to becomeMayor ofLos Angeles. In a dream, his Hairy Godfather (back from the episode "CinderJackson") grants his wish and Michael discovers that it is a bigger job than he thought. The Hairy Godfather is the only character to play a recurring role inThe Jackson 5ive besides Berry Gordy. Songs: "I'm So Happy", "In Our Small Way" | |||
| 21 | "Michael in Wonderland" | September 30, 1972 (1972-09-30) | |
Before a show in the Wonderland theme park, Michael accidentally falls unconscious while testing a new roller coaster ride and dreams he is inWonderland, where he encounterssoul andfunk-related versions of Wonderland's famous characters. Songs: "Got to Be There", "Maria (You Were the Only One)" | |||
| 22 | "Jackson and the Beanstalk" | October 7, 1972 (1972-10-07) | |
Michael dreams of coming across magicbeans that grow a beanstalk outside his and his brothers' Indianaapartment (as in the story ofJack and the Beanstalk). When he climbs to the top, he wanders into a fabulous land and encounters thegiant. Songs: "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone", "Girl Don't Take Your Love From Me" | |||
| 23 | "The Opening Act" | October 14, 1972 (1972-10-14) | |
A promoter books the brothers on a heavy radio tour schedule, while trying to find an opening act for their upcoming concert. Songs: "Little Bitty Pretty One", "If I Have to Move a Mountain" | |||
On January 15, 2013,Classic Media releasedThe Jackson 5ive: The Complete Animated Series on DVD andBlu-ray in Region 1 for the very first time.[4] The 2-disc set features all 23 episodes of the series. For the remastered print (The Jackson 5ive: The Complete Animated Series), the mono soundtrack was replaced by the 5.1 surround soundtrack in the songs, the rest of the scenes kept the mono soundtrack. The laugh track is mute for the home video release. As of 2025, there are no more plans to reissue the series due to complications with likeness and legal music rights.[citation needed]
