I remember watching The Hair Bear Bunch on Saturday mornings in the early 70s and to me it was one of the funniest cartoons at that time. It reminded me a little of Sgt. Bilko as Hair, the leader concocted schemes so that he, Square and Bubi tried to escape from the Wonderland Zoo. Frequently trying to foil the bear's plans was zoo keeper Mr. Peevely and his sidekick Botch. The show was part of CBS' outstanding Saturday morning lineup but it only lasted one season before being exiled to Sunday morning reruns. One aspect that stood out was the voice work of Bill Callaway, Paul Winchell, Joe E. (Ooh Ooh!) Ross, John Stephenson and Hanna-Barbera stalwart Daws Butler. Let's split.

Bearing a certain resemblance to the venerable Hanna-Barbera characters Yogi Bear and friends,the Hair Bear Bunch were three cousins who lived in Cave Block #9 at the Wonderland Zoo but regularly made their escape to the outside world,usually at night when nobody is looking,to see what action they were missing or to find out what's happening. The series "Help! It's The Hair Bear Bunch",was one of CBS-TV's colossal line-up of successful Saturday Morning cartoons that impact the schedule during the 1971-1972 season. From the premiere episode on September 11,1971(it premiere on the same day as another CBS Saturday Morning venture as well...the spin-off to The Flintstones' Hanna-Barbera produced show "Peebles And Bamm-Bamm",as well as others that premiered the same day like "Sabrina The Teenage Witch","The Groovie Ghoulies",and "Chan and the Amazing Chan Clan") to the final episode on August 31,1974 in repeated episodes from the first season. Only 17 episodes were produced for the series under the production company of Hanna-Barbera Productions."Help! It's The Hair Bear Bunch",was basically a revitalization of their own classic early 1960's show "Top Cat" with a constructed remaking of Hanna-Barbera's own Yogi Bear who at the time needed a constant change over and this time around took the characters of Yogi Bear,his sidekick Boo-Boo,and even the character of Ranger Smith and completely gave them a 1970's makeover. The leader of the squad was Hair Bear(voiced by Daws Butler),who sported a soulful fuzzy Afro style head of hair and the brains of the outfit. Square Bear(Bill Callaway)was the Southern spoken Bear,who was a tall goony bear in a cap,while Bubi Bear(Paul Winchell)was the rough equivalent of Boo-Boo in all mannerisms. Chasing them constantly on their excursions were the zoo's curator and head of the Wonderland Zoo,Mr. Peevely(in the pilot episode it was Joe Flynn of McHale's Navy fame and during the rest of the series' run was Hanna-Barbera stock player John Stephenson) and his chubby right-hand man Botch(Joe E. Ross),who catch phrase was "Ooo,ooo!" This was a combination of several shows which made it hilarious...one it was part "McHale's Navy",part "F-Troop",and it was part "Phil Silvers",and part of "Hogan's Heroes" in the zoo,with a cast of crafty conning animals that wheel and deals for either meals or favorites from their human counterparts. Funny show. The first season ran from September 11,1971 until September 2,1972,and moved from Saturday Mornings to Sunday Mornings from September 9, 1973 until August 31,1974 in repeated episodes. Only 12 episodes were produced for this series.

The Hair Bears were hippies / beat nicks and swingers (as much as a kids cartoon character can swing) They would have gotten along very well with Shaggy Norville, Austin Powers, and The Beach Boys. If the bears where the hipsters, then the zookeepers were the establishment, and the bears did a fine job of taking on "the man". As a kid of the late 60's / early 70's (with very square parents) I remember this as very funny at the time. In 1971 their "batachlor pad" cave was cool, and to me, The Hair Bears sneaking out of the park to go on some groovy adventure was a lot like us sneaking out of the house or cutting school. I don't know if 30 + years later the jokes, hair and clothing will have aged well or not. You might have had to have been there. Then again it might get that much funnier.

When I was younger, I only actually saw one episode of Help! It's the Hair Bear Bunch. It was about three bears, Hair, Square and the little one, with lots of hair, trying to escape from a zoo to have freedom in the National Forest. Mr. Peevley and Botch were the two zoo keepers stopping them from doing this. Mr. Peevley obviously wasn't watching, but Botch, the fat stupid one let them out and they escaped pretty easily. When the bears explore the National Forest they find a ranch house which they enter to try and get food. After eating they find out the ranch is being used by Bank Robbers. When Mr. Peevley and Botch catch up with the bears they are all tied up by the crooks until they decide what to do. They manage to escape and at the end the crooks are captured and the Super Intendant gives the reward to the bears. Quite a good cartoon episode!