The New Shmoo

The New Shmoo is an American animated television series based on the character from the Li'l Abner comic strip created by Al Capp, produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and broadcast on NBC from September 22 to December 15, 1979.

The New Shmoo was broadcast as a stand-alone half-hour series from September 22 to December 1, 1979. Beginning December 8, 1979, the remaining five episodes of The New Shmoo were now incorporated into the 90-minute package show Fred and Barney Meet the Shmoo which also featured combined reruns of Fred and Barney Meet the Thing. Despite the show's title, Fred, Barney, the Thing, and Shmoo only met each other in brief bumpers between their individual segments.

Plot
Similar to Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! on CBS and later ABC, the show follows a group of teenagers—Mickey, Nita, and Billy Joe—who solve mysteries and crimes with their friend, Shmoo, a friendly bulbous creature who can stretch and shape his body into any form he wants. The teens worked for Mighty Mysteries Comics.

Production
During the original NBC run, the program included a short segment called "Sing Along With The Shmoo". In a manner reminiscent of Screen Songs, Shmoo became a bouncing ball, providing visual guidance to song lyrics so that viewers could sing along with the cartoon.

Cast

 * Frank Welker as Shmoo
 * Dolores Cantu-Primo as Nita
 * Bill Idelson as Mickey
 * Chuck McCann as Billy Joe
 * Additional voices: Joe Baker, Daws Butler, Bob Hastings, Jim MacGeorge, Margaret McIntyre, Ginny McSwain, Don Messick, Hal Smith, John Stephenson, Janet Waldo, Bill Woodson

Episodes

 * 1 These episodes were incorporated into the 90-minute package show Fred and Barney Meet the Shmoo.

Broadcast history
The New Shmoo originally aired in these following formats on NBC:


 * The New Shmoo (September 22, 1979 – December 15, 1979)
 * Fred and Barney Meet the Shmoo (September 22, 1979 – November 15, 1980)