Out now on DVD, the complete series of the classic Saturday Morning TV show The Archie Show, featuring The Archies, the cartoon band behind the hit “Sugar, Sugar.”
When Mike Nesmith of The Monkees lambasted Don Kirshner and his company for how they controlled the music of The Monkees on record and in their appearances, and didn’t allow them any chance to play on their albums (except for some guitar work by Nesmith on the songs he wrote), Kirshner vowed that he wouldn’t have that problem with musicians on his next television musical project.
How to do that? Simple — instead of hiring actors, you create a cartoon series. And since Archie and the gang already had storylines of them having a band (The Archies) that was almost a pre-arranged marriage made in TV land.
In 1968, the Archie Show (based on the classic Archie comic book) debuted on Saturday Morning TV, and soon it became a sensation. The red-headed all-American teen with the tic-tac-toe board somehow etched in his head became a celebrity, and soon The Archies also controlled the airwaves.
The Archies were actually a group of studio musicians led by singers Ron Dante and Toni Wine, also featuring Andy Kim and Elle Greenwich with songs written by Kim, Jeff Barry and Bobby Bloom. They had five charting albums and six charting singles in 1969 and 1970, including “Sugar, Sugar,” the #1 song in 1969. Noted artists such as Bob Marley, Wilson Pickett, Gladys Knight, and Tom Jones all covered the infectious pop tune.
For almost a decade, some form of the Archie Show was on TV, and of course, the highlight of the show was the rockin’ tunes that Archie and the band played every week.
Now, the complete 17-episode season of the Archie Show is available on DVD. (Read the press release for the DVD at TV Shows on DVD. Sure the animation is simple, and the jokes are corny, but face it, every man dreams of what Archie has going for him: A band of his own, an arch-nemesis he defeats constantly, a best friend that is his comic relief, and two babes who fight for his affection. What more does a 17-year-old need besides some Clearasil?
So if you have fond memories of the Pop’s Choklit Shop, Mr. Weatherbee, Miss Grundy, and Archie’s old jalopy, be sure to check out this DVD collection.
Pour a little sugar on me baby!
