| Mel-O-Toons | |
|---|---|
 Opening sequence | |
| Voices of | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 104 |
| Production | |
| Running time | Around 5–7 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | Syndication |
| Release | 1959 (1959) – October 1960 (1960-10) |
Mel-O-Toons (sometimes erroneously spelledMello Toons) was a series of six-minuteanimated cartoons, usinglimited animation. The cartoons were produced starting in 1959 by New World Productions, and syndicated byUnited Artists.[1]
The stories featured variousfolk tales,Greco-Roman myths,Biblical stories, classic literary adaptations, and adaptations ofclassical music andballet, as well as stories about animals written byThornton Burgess.[2]
The soundtracks were often taken from existing children's records, licensed from the original labels, includingRCA Records andCapitol Records. 104 cartoons were produced.[3]
In October 1960, United Artists bought time on a station inToledo, Ohio, to test theMel-O-Toons for audience response; they showed two of the films, "Rumplestiltskin" and "Waltz of the Flowers".Variety reported that the viewer response was entirely positive, saying, "Many parents compared theMel-O-Toons favorable to what they called the usual violence in kiddie programming."[4]
A week later, UA bought a full-page ad inVariety, announcing: "We passed the test in Toledo!" The ad described the test: "Here's what happened: Two of these new cartoons were shown in a fifteen-minute on-the-air audition overWSPD-TV. Viewers were asked to send in their opinions, with no prizes or incentives of any kind. In less than a week, over 400 replies arrived. All except five individuals were wildly enthusiastic."[5]
After many years out of circulation, public domain prints have turned up onvideotape andDVD.
Footage from theChristopher Columbus episode was used inLast Week Tonight's "How Is This Still a Thing" segment onColumbus Day, which aired on October 12, 2014.[6]
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