Lost Vegas

Lost Vegas

February 27, 1961 TV Episode Mister Magoo (Television)

Studio
UPA Productions
Animation studio
Jack Kinney Productions, Larry Harmon Studios
Distributor
Columbia Pictures Television

Synopsis

Magoo's nephew Waldo and his slick friend Presley get stuck in "Lost Vegas" when their car gets four flats, but they have no money to get them repaired. Presley suggests capturing Mexican bandit "El Pauncho" for a big reward, but "El Pauncho" doesn't go willingly.

Characters

Mr. Magoo, Waldo, Presley, El Pauncho

Credits

Directing

Director
Steve Clark, Paul Fennell, John Walker

Producing

Producer
Henry G. Saperstein

Writing

Writer
Tony Benedict, Al Bertino, David Detiege (as Dave Detiege), Dick Kinney, Dick Shaw
Script
Nick George

Voices

Voice
Jim Backus (Mr. Magoo), Mel Blanc (El Pauncho), Jerry Hausner (Waldo)

Art Department

Production Design
Lew Keller
Art Director
Vic Haboush
Backgrounds
Jack Heiter, Bob McIntosh, Bob Abrams, Tony Rizzo
Color Styling
Barbara Begg, Thelma Witmer

Editing

Editor
Ted Baker

Casting

Dialogue Director
Jerry Hausner

Production Management

Production Manager
Earl Jonas

Crew

Production Planning
Bill Perez, Marty Murphy

Production notes

This series was a low-budget version of the Magoo theatrical cartoons, made specifically for television.

UPA and Kellogg's Cereals had signed a distribution agreement for the televised Mister Magoo series, with Kellogg's thinking it would have the last word on program content. At the last minute, however, UPA decided against any sponsor's veto and backed out of the deal.

UPA managed to sell the series by itself to 150 markets, some of which scheduled episodes in prime time. The popularity of Mister Magoo enabled UPA to sell Dick Tracy, its next series, without making a pilot episode.

UPA ending up setting up a production agreement with Henry Saperstein. Saperstein discarded UPA's reputation for quality and actively entered the made-for-TV cartoon market. Saperstein produced 130 cheaply made Mr. Magoo cartoons which premiered in syndication on November 7, 1960.

From September 18, 1989 to September 16, 1990, episodes from this series and DePatie-Freleng's "What's New, Mr. Magoo?" were rebroadcast (along with UPA cartoons from "The Gerald McBoing Boing Show") on the USA Network under the title of "Mr. Magoo & Friends" as part of "Cartoon Express."

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