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 comparable to Bozo the Clown's television 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 such as the Power Glove.
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 gauge the title's popularity before expanding. However, the production of the series ended after its first season.
Later, the show was broadcast for English 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 terrier, and his Troopas strutting 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 attempted 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 panicked. After the clown attempted to win Koopa's favor through roses and a balloon, 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 parentheses 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! BAH!
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. Throughout each episode, King Koopa would play cartoons from the 1920s and 1930s which were in the public domain. The cartoons had no relation to the Mario franchise.
Credits
At the end of the half hour, the credits would appear in front of another prerecorded segment.
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Known cartoons
Muppet Babies
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