Each episode – 104 in total, at roughly five minutes each – began with a depiction of a museum of historical artifacts, supposedly collected over a stretch of two millennia (hence the subtitle). The narrator (Bernard Cowan) announced a specific display, upon which a series of still art and lithographs were used to indicate the events that involved the display in question.
Along the way, a sentient white rodent (voiced by Paul Soles), who made his home in a little hole on the museum grounds, would provide commentary and at-best dubious claims to being at the actual event. Max’s comedic asides stood in sharp contrast to the serious narration of the timeline.
Co-created by Stephen Krantz and Ralph Bakshi. A subsidiary of Vikoa Entertainment Corp. (New York City).
Tropes:
- Accessory-Wearing Cartoon Animal: The only garment Max normally wore was an unbuttoned vest.
- Artifact Title: When an episode involved the Bible or any prehistoric times (meaning well over 2,000 years ago).
- Limited Animation: It was 1967, what did you expect?
- Minimalist Cast: One guess.
- Small Name, Big Ego: "And Max!"
- Unreliable Narrator: Cowan’s voice-over is an aversion; Max plays it straight most of the time.
