About this season
Famous Classic Tales is a series that airs cartoons from production companies such as Filmation, Rankin-Bass, Ruby-Spears, Air Programs International, Hanna-Barbera, Hanna Barbera Australia, and Southern Star Group. Famous Classic Tales was shown on CBS, and distributed by Kids Klassics Home Video and Storybook World. It had cartoons from API's Family Classic Tales. Featured cartoons included adaptions of classic literature such as Gulliver's Travels, Treasure Island, Black Beauty, Moby-Dick, and many others. The creation of a series of animated features based on classic children's stories was conceived by Jack Thinnes, Media Director at Sive Advertising in Cincinnati, Ohio. The series was created for a Sive client, Kenner Products, and each program was fully sponsored by Kenner on CBS Television Network on Sunday, late afternoon or early evening, during the prime toy selling season before Christmas. The idea to use classic children's books sprang from Thinnes' viewing of a two minute demo of Dickens' A Christmas Carol, which was produced by Walter Hucker's studio, API, of Sydney, Australia. API was purchased later by Hanna-Barbera Studios after Thinnes introduced the owners of the studios to one another. After the series ran on CBS for nearly ten years, it was moved into local syndication by Sive's syndication department. However, their adaptation of A Christmas Carol was such a favorite that it continued to run on the network for fifteen years.
Episodes (31)
1. Tales Of Washington Irving
Aired 1 November 1970 • 46 min
Based on "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and "Rip Van Winkle" by Washington Irving
2. A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court
Aired 29 November 1970 • 73 min
This animated version updates this classic story to a modern day Connecticut factory worker who is transported back in time to the year 528 and the days of the court of King Arthur.
3. A Christmas Carol
Aired 13 December 1970 • 53 min
An old bitter miser is given a chance for redemption when spirits visit him on Christmas Eve.
4. The Legend Of Robin Hood
Aired 14 November 1971 • 46 min
5. Treasure Island
Aired 28 November 1971 • 45 min
6. Travels of Marco Polo
Aired 2 January 1972 • 47 min
7. Robinson Crusoe
Aired 19 November 1972 • 47 min
Based on the original novel by Daniel Defoe.
8. The Prince and the Pauper
Aired 26 November 1972 • 46 min
Based on the original story by Mark Twain.
9. The Count Of Monte Cristo
Aired 23 September 1973 • 46 min
10. Kidnapped
Aired 21 October 1973 • 48 min
11. The Swiss Family Robinson
Aired 28 October 1973 • 46 min
12. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea
Aired 22 November 1973 • 44 min
Based on the novel by Jules Verne and produced by Hanna-Barbera Australia.
13. The Three Musketeers
Aired 23 November 1973 • 46 min
14. The Black Arrow
Aired 2 December 1973 • 48 min
15. The Gentlemen Of Titipu
Aired 13 January 1974 • 47 min
16. Moby Dick
Aired 1 January 1975 • 50 min
17. The Mysterious Island
Aired 15 November 1975 • 48 min
18. The Last Of The Mohicians
Aired 27 November 1975 • 45 min
19. Ivanhoe
Aired 27 November 1975 • 48 min
20. From The Earth To The Moon
Aired 1 January 1976 • 45 min
21. Off On A Comet
Aired 1 January 1976 • 56 min
Based on the original novel by Jules Verne.
22. Master Of The World
Aired 23 October 1976 • 48 min
23. Davy Crockett On The Mississippi
Aired 20 November 1976 • 45 min
24. A Journey To The Center Of The Earth
Aired 13 November 1977 • 46 min
25. Five Weeks In A Balloon
Aired 24 November 1977 • 47 min
26. Black Beauty
Aired 28 October 1978 • 45 min
27. Gulliver's Travels
Aired 18 November 1979 • 48 min
28. The Adventures Of Sinbad
Aired 23 November 1979 • 47 min
29. Daniel Boone
Aired 27 November 1981 • 48 min
30. The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn
Aired 24 November 1983 • 44 min
31. Beauty And The Beast
Aired 25 November 1983 • 48 min