History WesternAnimation / TalesOfTheWizardOfOz

What else was notable about this adaptation was [[AdaptationExpansion giving certain characters names and new personalities]]. The scarecrow was named "Creator/{{Socrates}}", which was an IronicName due to him being TheDitz (since he lacked a brain), the tinman was named "Rusty" and was typically a bully and a jerk to others (due to him not having any heart), and the cowardly lion was named [[PunnyName Dandy Lion]], but remained his usual cowardly self. Usually, they would try to get what they desire from the Wizard, who could actually perform magic (with his specialty being card tricks), or Dorothy and Toto would help them out of a jam, while trying to avoid (and thwart) the Wicked Witch of the West. The animation production was done in Canada by Crawley Films.

An AnimatedAdaptation TV series of ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz'' books and the [[Film/TheWizardOfOz 1939 MGM film]], notable as being the first traditionally animated TV series produced by Creator/RankinBassProductions (formerly known as Videocraft International). A total of 125 shorts were produced in 1961 and aired in syndication, often with its sister series, the stop-motion ''New Adventures of Pinocchio''.

* DemotedToExtra: Dorothy is more of a secondary character in this show. She still gets several DayInTheLimelight moments, but she's absent from a large number of episodes (she doesn't even appear until the end of the second one), and her attempts to get back to Kansas is more a RunningGag than anything else.

* SuddenlyVoiced: The Wizard has concocted a drink to make Munchkins, whom normally [[The Unintelligible babble high-speed gibberish]], talk eligibly, as seen in "The Sound of Munchkins" and "Be a Card." But each time it's happened, things go awry, and so [[StatusQuoIsGod the Wizard reverses it]].

* VoicesAreMental: An interesting version occurs in "Free Trade." Rusty Tinman decides to trade his brain to Socrates in exchange for his heart. Once Socrates has Rusty's brain, he speaks in Rusty's voice (as expected), but when Rusty has Socrates's heart, he has Socrates's voice. They eventually find they do not like acting like each other (i.e Socrates being a bully and Rusty being a gullible cloudcuckoolander), so they trade back, and their voices return to normal.

* {{Lemotif}}: In addition to the music cues that normally start and end each episode, a few characters have their own music cues, such as Dandy Lion and the Wicked Witch of the West (the latter theme is also used for the end credits music, which unusually just features the Wizard and a few Munchkins.)

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: The Wizard's voice is clearly based off Creator/WCFields; most likely a reference to when the real Fields turned down the role of the Wizard for the MGM film.
** The Wicked Witch of the West's voice is an imitation of Creator/JonathanWinters as Maude Frickert. It helps that [[CrossdressingVoices a man voiced the Witch]] in this series.

* StoryArc: In addition to the two-part pilot episode (done in a serialized fashion similar to Rankin/Bass's other show of the time, ''The New Adventures of Pinocchio''), there are four episodes that are linked together involving characters trying to get Dorothy back to Kansas: "The Big Shot" (where Rusty tries firing Dorothy out of a cannon), "On the Wing" (where Socrates and Dorothy attempt to fly in a pelican to Kansas), "To Stretch a Point" (where Socrates and Dandy try again), and "The Flipped Lid" (where Dandy Lion tries growing a very tall tree to take her there, but it then becomes an AmnesiaEpisode).

* AnimationBump: Some episodes have a more "lively" look to their animation and is more detailed, including episodes like "The Fountain of Youth," "The Sound of Munchkins," "The Gusher," "The Hillies and the Billies," "The Rubber Doll," "Monkey Air Lift," "The Raffle," "The Fire Chief" and "The Poet."

* TheUnintelligible: The Munchkins, in many cases. Though some characters are able to understand them, depending on the plot, and if said Munchkin's voice is slowed down in an audio editor, the audience can then understand him.
* VocalEvolution: The Wicked Witch of the West had a higher-pitched voice in the earlier episodes. Beginning with "The Movie Maid", her voice was lower and breathy, but her high-pitched laugh is still used.

In 1964, a TV special loosely based on the series was produced: "Return to Oz" (no relation to the [[Film/ReturnToOz Disney live-action film of the 1980s]]), with refined character designs and a few recast voices.

'''Wizard:''' ''(totally unfazed, turns to Socates with the cards)'' Pick a card, any card!\\

An AnimatedAdaptation TV series of ''Literature/TheWizardOfOz'' books and the [[Film/TheWizardOfOz 1939 MGM film]], notable as being the first traditionally animated TV series produced by Creator/RankinBassProductions (formerly known as Videocraft International). A total of 125 shorts were produced in 1961 and aired in syndication, often with its sister series, the stop-motion ''New Adventures of Pinocchio''.

* EstablishingCharacterMoment: The first scene in the first episode pretty efficiently introduces the characters of the Wizard, Socrates, Rusty and Dandy:

* WorkOffTheDebt: Seen in "The Poet", when Rusty and Socrates don't have any money to pay for their drinks at a beatnik coffee shop, the Munchkin waiter forces them to wash dishes to pay off the debt. (When her babbling at this part is slowed down, she is saying "What do you mean you don't have any money, you're gonna wash dishes!")

'''Dandy:''' Oh, no, sir, I'm dreadfully sorry, but it's the Black Jack. ''(cowers as the izard frowns)'' Oh, I do hope you won't be angry! I'll try to do better next time! Really I will!\\

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Rusty, the trope name a little ironic twist since he actually ''lacks'' a heart. But he perfecty fits the charater type: while bad-tempered, quarrelsome and bossy, he really isn't a bad person; he tries to do right by his friends even if he spends a lot of time shouting at and insulting them.

-->*Rusty enters, stage right, the Wizard turns to him with his pack of cards.*''

-->*Socrates falls in from the sky, landing on his back with a BOING! sound, scattering straw everywhere*

* NightmareRetardant: The Wicked Witch of the West in this series is more comical and funny, compared to the terrifying MGM version.

This was an AnimatedAdaptation TV series of ''Literature/TheWizardOfOz'' books and the [[Film/TheWizardOfOz 1939 MGM film]], and was notable as being the first traditionally animated TV series produced by RankinBassProductions (formerly known as Videocraft International). A total of 125 shorts were produced in 1961 and aired in syndication, often with its sister series, the stop-motion ''New Adventures of Pinocchio''.

* TheUnintelligible: The Munchkins, in many cases. Though some characters are able to understand them, depending on the plot, and if said Munchkin's voice is slowed down in an audio editor, the audience can then understand him.

What else was notable about this adaptation was [[AdaptationExpansion giving certain characters names and new personalities]]. The scarecrow was named "Socrates", which was an IronicName due to him being TheDitz (since he lacked a brain), the tinman was named "Rusty" and was typically a bully and a jerk to others (due to him not having any heart), and the cowardly lion was named [[PunnyName Dandy Lion]], but remained his usual cowardly self. Usually, they would try to get what they desire from the Wizard, who could actually perform magic (with his specialty being card tricks), or Dorothy and Toto would help them out of a jam, while trying to avoid (and thwart) the Wicked Witch of the West. The animation production was done in Canada by Crawley Films.

* MissingEpisode: "Chowy Mein", which has rarely been seen for a long time due to its un-PC stereotyping. It can be found [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YXA0K1w1Jw on YouTube.]]

* CrossDressingVoices: The Wicked Witch of the West is voiced by Larry Mann, who also voiced Rusty Tinman and others.
** In "Chowy Mein", the title detective's son One Ton is voiced by Billie Mae Richards.

This was an AnimatedAdaptation TV series of ''TheWizardOfOz'' books and the [[Film/TheWizardOfOz 1939 MGM film]], and was notable as being the first traditionally-animated TV series produced by RankinBassProductions (formerly known as Videocraft.) A total of 125 shorts were produced in 1961 and aired in syndication (often with its' sister series, the stop-motion ''New Adventures of Pinocchio''.) What else was notable about this adaptation was [[AdaptationExpansion giving certain characters names and new personalities]]. The scarecrow was named "Socrates," which was an IronicName due to him being TheDitz (since he lacked a brain), the tinman was named "Rusty" and was typically a bully and a jerk to others (due to him not having any heart), and the cowardly lion was named [[PunnyName Dandy Lion]], but remained his usual cowardly self. Usually, they would try to get what they desire from the Wizard, whom could actually perform magic (with his specialty being card tricks), or Dorothy and Toto would help them out of a jam, while trying to avoid (and thwart) the Wicked Witch of the West. The animation production was done in Canada by Crawley Films.

In 1964, a TV special loosely based on the series was produced; "Return to Oz" (no relation to the [[Film/ReturnToOz Disney live-action film of the eighties]]), with refined character designs and a few recast voices.

From 2003 to 2005, the series was available on Comcast On Demand. Several episodes can also be found on {{Youtube}}.

!!TalesOfTheWizardOfOz provides examples of:

* CloudCuckooLander: Socrates Strawman

* CrossDressingVoices: The Wicked Witch of the West is voiced by Larry Mann, whom also voiced Rusty Tinman and others.
** In "Chowy Mein," the title detective's son One Ton is voiced by Billie Mae Richards.

* FeudingFamilies: Seen in "The Hillies and the Billies."
* GravityScrew: This is the main gimmick of Topsy-Turvy Town and its' inhabitants.

* MissingEpisode: "Chowy Mein," which has rarely been seen for a long time due to its' un-PC stereotyping. It can be found [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YXA0K1w1Jw on YouTube.]]
* MotorMouth: The Munchkins, whom all speak via high-pitched babbling (achieved by speeding up their voices to an extremely high speed.)

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: The Wizard's voice is clearly based off W.C. Fields; most likely a reference to when the real Fields turned down the role of the Wizard for the MGM film.
* OfCourseISmoke: Seen in "Get Out the Vote," when Socrates enters politics to run for head of Public Works. One politician stereotype he attempts to follow is to smoke a cigar; he initially says "I can't let them know I've never smoked before," before taking a drag and violently hacking.
* OurDragonsAreDifferent: Desmond Dragon falls into this trope; he doesn't enjoy doing anything bad, and usually will reluctantly follow the Wicked Witch's commands, only to end up not carrying them out.

* PorkyPigPronunciation: Done with Robby the Rubber Man on occasion, whom has a terrible stuttering SpeechImpediment.

* SpotTheImpostor: Played straight in "Double Trouble," when the Wicked Witch transformers herself into a clone of Rusty to cause trouble. The fake Rusty can be told by a small wart on top of "his" nose.

* ThanksgivingEpisode: "Gabe the Gobbler."
* TheUnintelligible: The Munchkins, in many cases. Though some characters are able to understand them, depending on the plot, and if said Munchkin's voice is slowed down in an audio editor, the audience can then understand them.

* PorkyPigPronounciation: Done with Robby the Rubber Man on occasion, whom has a terrible stuttering SpeechImpediment.
* Shapeshifting: Both the Wizard of Oz and the Wicked Witch of the West are capable of this.

This was an AnimatedAdaptation TV series of ''TheWizardOfOz'' books and the [[Film/TheWizardOfOz 1939 MGM film]], and was notable as being the first traditionally-animated TV series produced by [[RankinBassProductions]] (formerly known as VideoCraft. A total of 125 shorts were produced in 1961 and aired in syndication (often with its' sister series, the stop-motion ''New Adventures of Pinocchio''.) What else was notable about this adaptation was [[AdaptationExpansion giving certain characters names and new personalities]]. The scarecrow was named "Socrates," which was an IronicName due to him being TheDitz (since he lacked a brain), the tinman was named "Rusty" and was typically a bully and a jerk to others (due to him not having any heart), and the cowardly lion was named [[PunnyName Dandy Lion]], but remained his usual cowardly self. Usually, they would try to get what they desire from the Wizard, whom could actually perform magic (with his specialty being card tricks), or Dorothy and Toto would help them out of a jam, while trying to avoid (and thwart) the Wicked Witch of the West.