Helpless Laughter
- Studio
- Rankin-Bass Productions, Pacific Animation Corporation
- Distributor
- Lorimar-Telepictures
Synopsis
A convergence of the Moons of Plun-Darr causes a drought on Thundera. Panthro and Snarf go looking for water, then Ezuka, the flying Serpent of Dreary Canal wanting to get water itself, attacks Panthro and Snarf and causes them to fall into the Swamp of the Laughing Lilypads, making them laugh out of control. Ezuka attacks the Lair, still looking for water. Lion-O uses the Sword to make some rain, then he and Ben-Gali use the Thunderstrike to melt some ice, but Mumm-Ra comes along and causes a flood. Lion-O calls for the others, which also free Panthro and Snarf from the laughter and they use some of the Swamps water to cause Mumm-Ra to laugh uncontrollably, and he falls in the floodwaters and is washed away.
Characters
Lion-O, JackalMan, Cheetara, Wilykit, Luna, Queen Luna, Tygra, Wilykat, Ben-Gali, Monkian, Panthro, Red-Eye, Hammer-Hand, Captain Cracker, Grune The Destroyer, Mongor, Mumm-Ra, Tug-mug, Amok, Snarf, Slythe, Lynx-O, Pumyra
Credits
Producing
- Producer
- Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr (Executive Producers)
- Supervising Producers
- Peter Bakalian, Lee Dannacher
Writing
- Writer
- Matthew Malach
- Head Writer
- Leonard Starr
- Script Supervisor
- Peter Lawrence
Voices
- Voice
- Larry Kenney (Lion-O, JackalMan), Lynne Lipton (Cheetara, Wilykit, Luna, Queen Luna), Peter Newman (Tygra, Wilykat, Ben-Gali, Monkian), Earl Hyman (Panthro, Red-Eye, Hammer-Hand, Captain Cracker, Grune The Destroyer, Mongor), Bob McFadden (Snarf, Slythe), Doug Preis (Lynx-O), Gerrianne Raphael (Pumyra), Earl Hammond (Mumm-Ra, Tug-mug, Amok)
Music
- Music
- Bernard Hoffer
Animation
- Animator
- Tsugu Kubo, Minoru Nishida, Katsuhito Akiyama, Akihiko Takahashi, Yukimatsu Ito, Yuji Yatabe, Kazafumi Nomura (Pacific Animation Corporation)
Crew
- Based on Characters Created By
- Ted Wolf
- Art Director
- Dennis J. Woodyard
- Project Development
- Leisure Concepts
- Psychological Consultant
- Robert Kuisis
- Recording Staff
- John Curcio (Dialogue), Michael Farrow (Music), Tom Perkins (Editorial), Larry Franke (Editorial)
- Effects
- Peter Cannarozzi
- Secondary Character Design
- Jim Meskimen
- Production Staff
- Tony Giovanniello, Matthew Malach, Connie Long, Heather Winters
- In Charge of Production
- Masaki Iizuka
Companies and other credits
- Project Development: Inc
Production notes
ThunderCats was first marketed in 1983, but the series was not released until two years later.
The services of psychologist Robert Kuisis, Ph.D. were retained to ensure that ThunderCats offered children moral guidance. Dr. Kuisis reviewed each episode throughout production; as well, he offered comments on each show in a "Synopses and Morals" booklet given to TV stations.
"The anime style was introduced into the design to allow our Japanese animators to inject some of their creativity," recalled executive producer Arthur Rankin, Jr.
The services of psychologist Robert Kuisis, Ph.D. were retained to ensure that ThunderCats offered children moral guidance. Dr. Kuisis reviewed each episode throughout production; as well, he offered comments on each show in a "Synopses and Morals" booklet given to TV stations.
"The anime style was introduced into the design to allow our Japanese animators to inject some of their creativity," recalled executive producer Arthur Rankin, Jr.