Tijuana Toads @ The Cartoon Scrapbook

Prod. Notes:

August 1969 - April 1972, theatrical

September 1976 - September 1977, NBC

February 1978 - September 1978, NBC

DePatie-Freleng, Mirisch Films

Cast:

Pancho ....................................................................................... Tom Holland

Toro ........................................................................................... Don Diamond

Crazylegs Crane .............................................. Larry D. Mann/Bob Holt

Voices ........................................................................................... John Byner

Voices ....................................................................................... Marvin Miller

Voices ....................................................................................... Athena Lorde

Voices ....................................................................................... Julie Bennett

Synopsis:

Tijuana Toads began as a series of theatrical shorts released from 1969-72. The series starred two rural Mexican toads who were usually chasing some unfortunate insect in search of a meal, or who were themselves being chased by a larger predator for the same reason. Purportedly best friends, the fat, grumpy toad named Toro and his skinny, dim-witted companion Pancho just as often feuded amongst themselves, each having his own best interests at heart when it came to procuring a meal.

In 1976 the series was selected to air on television with a handful of other DePatie-Freleng theatrical shorts as part of the 90-minute show, The Pink Panther Laugh and a Half-Hour and a Half. Unfortunately, NBC refused to air Tijuana Toads because of its blatant Mexican stereotypes. To conform to network standards, the main characters were renamed Fatso and Banjo and the title of the series was renamed Texas Toads. The characters' dialogue was also re-dubbed using Texan accents, and some scenes were reanimated to get rid of Mexican themes or to remove excessive violence. Texas Toads was also shown in 1978 on Think Pink Panther!

Two spin-off series whose main characters originated from Tijuana Toads were The Blue Racer and Crazylegs Crane.

Animated shorts:

1969:

Tijuana Toads

A Pair of Greenbacks

Go For Croak

1970:

The Froggy Froggy Duo

Hop and Chop

Never on Thirsty

A Dopey Hacienda

1971:

Snake in the Gracias

Two Jumps and a Chump

Mud Squad

The Egg and Ay-Yi-Yi!

Fastest Tongue in the West

A Leap in the Deep

Croakus Pocus

Serape Happy

1972:

Frog Jog

Flight to the Finish