Tomfoolery

[S1587915G]

I recall watching this when young. Couldn't really understand what was going on then but liked the crazy silliness anyway.

Add some dirty jokes and this cartoon series oughta be perfect. :P

[newfagscanttrif0rce]

So was this show targeted at kids? I used to watch it as a kid but most of the time I had no idea what I was watching.

[Spameggssausage]

awesome! more please! I loved this cartoon when I was a kid. they should have this show on DVD, Edward Lear and Lewis Carroll are public domain anyway.

[BadNews88]

All together, repeat after me:

We want Tomfoolery DVDs!

We want Tomfoolery DVDs!

We want Tomfoolery DVDs!

We want Tomfoolery DVDs!

[narwaaa]

Omg! BINGO!!!!! I wasn't imagining this cartoon after all!!! This cartoon was shown in Australia as well!!.....I think it was on early Saturday Mornings on Channel 7 (Sydney) in the early 80's and sometimes it would be on in the afternoon too.

PETE12NICE, everyone I asked (too) thought I was a nutter!!! I"m a NUTTER no more,YAY!!!

This cartoon rocks!!!

[Cool2BCeltic]

I can remember seeing this as a kid. Does anyone else think Tomfoolery was ever so slightly Pythonesque?

[professortheremin]

@Cool2BCeltic I'll go further than that. The voice of the fish is identical to that of the famous Eccles (Spike Milligan) from the pre-python, Goon Show.

[frkaz911]

If I remember right, it was on pretty early on Saturday morning, something like 7 am, at least here in the NY area. I loved the nonsensical humor...there was nothing else like it on American television until Monty Python began to be carried by PBS.

[monstersjumper]

At Last! Glad to now have proof this show exists. My favourite bit for some reason was 2 sparrows jumping up and down on a branch singing 'nicky nacky noo' ..etc Anyone got that?? Drove my parents crazy singing it aparantly.

[ozzymandi]

PETE121NICE

I think it was in the early 70's .

I remember watching it as a kid , I loved it!

[ozzymandi]

PETE121NICE

I think it was in the eary 70.s about 72 if I remember right.

I thought it was brilliant.

[PETE121NICE]

I have been looking for this cartoon show for years, everyone I asked thought I was mad when I sang the title tune. I found it by mistake today! Does any one know what year it ran in UK?

[robt135utube]

My guess would be 1976/77 or 78... only just remember bits of it... I watched it because cartoons ruled - but have to be honest and admit to having got a bit confused and frightened by the fish on stilts MF

[gazoontight]

I used to get up early to watch this show. Crazy.

[capitalsoul]

Hey Guys is it me or does anybody remember Lobo singing "Me and you and a dog named boo" on this show to a cartoon . Anyway thanks for putting this on it really takes me back.

[jokerman569]

BRILLIANT- I remember this! SO glad someone's posted it!

[nmlt5398]

Isn't it it funny that only a few people caught on to this show? I remember a sketch about the elephant asking where Flugel Street was, which involved in everyone he asked destroying the straw boater hats he was selling. I also remember the song "Bibbledy Bobbeldy / That makes good sense/ Good old nonsense/ Bibbledy Bobbeldy /Ladies and Gents /Pennies are pence to me" being played afetr some limericks in the show sometimes too. I loved it all.

[zq9m3xh8]

Oh my God!! I sqaw this EXACT episode some 38 years ago, and never again until tonight! The part I remembered was in the middle of this clip, where the big-headed character was holding up images of himself that went on and on, and the narrator says, This could go on forever! I always wondered what the hell that memory was from! Man, it blows your mind to see something after a lifetime!

[etraig]

I remember this! never knew what it was called.

I must have been 6 or 7 when this ran. Thank you!

[zapkvr]

It seems to be trying very hard.

[bhcandaswp]

Loved this when i was a kid..ironic that all the guys who worked on this "kids" programme must have been high as a kite.

[Madcash67]

It must be over 30 years since I last saw this; I always asked if anyone remembered Tomfoolery. No one had. Nice to know a few of us on this planet did not forget. I enjoyed this show Sunday Morning around 9am to 11am UK time. Them good ol' days :-)

[villasotc82]

i am the same age as you and have had the same experience as none of my friends remember this.

got to be the mid 70s when i last saw this.

"the sky is falling :)

[pawnsacrifice1]

This one of my very first memories, the fish on stilts

[matelot95]

Halas and Batchelor -British of course...

[musedyr]

I loved this show! Was on at the time when I started learning English. :-)

[Chiggs58th]

Oh my frakking God! I thought I had imagined seeing this show when I was a kid! Thanks Toontracker!

[villasotc82]

Chiggs58th -i used to think the same thing

[jfab64]

I got into Edward Lear's Book of Nonsense because of this show. It was one of the best Saturday morning kids shows ever made, and it was done by those masters of the holiday special, Rankin/Bass! I also second the motion that this should be released on DVD!

[SmileyCrossbones]

classic nonsense, excellent

[madmax200769]

This show was amazing. They should rerun it :)

[kenjn60]

Wow! Incredible! You Tube and its contributors are fantastic! Never thought this would ever appear again. Glad to know I wasn't the only one who remembers this show. Thank You!

[lytrigian]

Holy shit. I thought I was the only one in the world who remembered this show.

[Hypnotoad27]

Yea... I was looking for the Tom Lehrer musical... O_o

[TServo2049]

Oh never mind; I think I heard it recycled by Maury Laws in "The Mad, Mad, Mad Monsters"...

[TServo2049]

The music in the Words of Wisdom segment sounds so familiar...was it stock music? I swear I've heard it somewhere else...

[sailorlunatic]

i remember it from "The Festival of Family Classics"' (a syndicated series of specials that Rankin-Bass did from about 1972 to 1973 based on classic literature) episode of "Cinderella", that I have a video of.

[Sigridmort]

I'm glad to see this! My sister and I loved this show, but whenever I've mentioned it to anyone else, no one knows what I'm talking about!

I'm confused, though. Were there short segments on this show with Jonathan Winters and Joanne Worley? Or am I confusing it with another NBC show that came on later? (I saw from a google search that the two of them were on something called "Hot Dog" later in the morning, but I so clearly remembered them on Tom Foolery.)

[lytrigian]

That was Hot Dog you were thinking of.

[mexchico17]

It's like the animaniacs of thier time. I wish cartoons were this funny now days. I missed out cus i wasn't even born bak then.

[MattTaylor1981]

tomfoolery is the best word EVAR

[dmaxlp]

the series would make a great DVD set for us 40 somethings to buy up. I was 7 years old when it was on Saturday morning and loved it. Thanks to toontracker...I can recapture a bit of that pure magic. What a show what a show!

[Garramedia]

This was done at Halas and Batchelor in London and two of the notable animators were Tony Guy and Harold Whitaker. Great people, terrific animators.

[tah64angel]

toontracker you star!

I can finally prove to my workmates that i'm not insane! THANK YOU!

[Malestrome]

What a wonderful thing the internet is. I never thought I would ever see this again in life. LET'S HAVE SOME LIMERICKS!!

[qpr60]

A blast from the past if ever there was one. It's like Sesame Street on acid!

[rnigma]

I watched this in my childhood... my earliest exposure to the "good old nonsense" of Edward Lear, and Lewis Carroll too!

[bigg3469]

This was the only time that Rankin-Bass broke ranks from both their Canadian & Japanese animation companies & used the British animation company Halas & Batchelor (Animal Farm) to animate "Tomfoolery".

[toontracker]

Halas & Batchelor also animated The Osmonds cartoon for Rankin-Bass.

[sailorlunatic]

Not to mention this was the only Saturday-morning program they did for a network other than ABC (it was on NBC).

[monstersjumper]

Finally I found Tomfoolery! Does anyone have the episode with the sparrow song in ? Used to ride around on my bike singing 'nicky nacky nocky noo etc' Family think I'm insane!

[elmerahaha]

mikee Silly  Mixtures

joy

[JTPolo101]

God does this bring back memories. I had a sticker or the Umbrella man on my bike for the longest time. Must have been a prize in some cereal back in the day.

[merhabene]

haha!you have just made a 45 year old feel not 45!

[wildenfree]

Ahh yes - memories of youth

[khrysserx]

o thanks so much for posting this - i haven't seen it since i was young. i lived in california and it was the first show on saturday morning, at 6:30 or 7:00 am as i remember, and i would get up before everyone and watch it. it was vaguely scary, i remember, especially that fish! i hope that sooner or later we can get DVD's of this, i mean how many lidsville DVD's are there already? whoever owns the rights should note how many people remember 'tomfoolery' and how many want to buy it!

[vrikey]

Remember when the Enthusiastic Elephant was being slowly dragged down death row? All because his lawyer, the Yongibongibo, refused to give in, maintaining Enthusiastic's innoncence up to the very end - and wouldn't pay a measely fine of just TWO PENNIES!

[vrikey]

Remember when the Enthusiastic Elephant was being slowly dragged down death row? All because his lawyer, the Yongibongibo, refused to give in, maintaining Enthusiastic's innoncence up to the very end - and wouldn't pay a measely fine of just TWO PENNIES!

[bose8910]

this used to be on sunday afternoon didn't it

[Janster59]

Thank you-I used to describe this cartoon to people and they thought I was makin it up...

[pontlliw1]

vic and bob have these to answer to!

[Scramble187]

Wow, I've been thinking about this show heaps lately and the name came to me just now. I remember watching this show in the mid to late 80's when I was about 4 or 5. Good stuff.

[005jonnybeez]

I wanna know where you can buy a recording of "Spots of Greece (Grease!)!! :-)

I wish this show came around in some form of video you can purchase!! LOVED it as a child and it DID NOT go over my head as the critics derided it to!!

I'd love to see the Scredungulous Pip again!! Lipetty-Kip Lippety-Kip! My only name's the Scredungulous Pip!

[rishworth66]

hehe memories...luvin tha yongy bongy bow

x

[dannidog]

Thanks for this post brings back happy schoolday memories

[west6459]

Another trip through time thanks to this website. Pity we have to look here for old tv despite the fact we have dozens of digital channels.

[droog69]

WOW! Thank you so much for uploading this! I never thought I'd see this show again - have very vague memories as a kid growing up in the UK in 70's and seeing this. fab to see it agin. Is it just me, or does this show owe a little to Rowan And Martin's Laugh-In in terms of style?

[CataTripleX]

this seems pretty retarded if you ask me

[allshallpass]

Cheers mate. Wonderful to see this again after so many years. Presumed it was of American origin but 'Made in England'. I'd like to think it might engage today's children too. Any networks willing to chance it?

[BadNews88]

A programme that was W-A-A-Y AHEAD of its time!

A bit too superbly done and eclectic for Early 1970's Saturday Morning TV...it MIGHT have fared better in Prime Time..

This just brings back a FLOOD of memories!

Is this available on DVD *ANYWHERE*??

[SmileyCrossbones]

excellent! thanks for that episode. brings back memories...

[mikeycereal]

Thanks for uploading this. The theme song brings back memories, but this show was up against the Groovie Goolies and Lancelot Link every Saturday morning so it never stood a chance. I caught the opening song a few times, then stood up and turned the dial (remember those before remotes?) to the Goolies.

[Idakeith]

Where did you get this video? Is this series available on DVD?

[revdj]

any chance of seeing another episode?

[7DARKHELLS]

THANK YOU!!!THANK YOU!!!THANK YOU!!!THANK YOU!!!CLASSIC THEY DONT MAKE CARTOONS LIKE THIS NO MORE!Why was this cancelled it was hilarious but that bird was anoying!

[Kitsuneranger]

That was enjoyable!

It's a shame we don't toon like this or stuff like The Cattanooga Cats or The Raccoons on TV anymore!

[crispy336]

Great to see it again. I started my career in animation (when animation was done in Britain) in 1970. This was the first show I worked on.

[vrikey]

Succotash has Identity Problems?

(stop the presses)

There was no other show like this, you definitely weren't considered cool if you watched this, but some of us never missed an episode, did we??

No, didn't we - ? Did we? Didn't we - oh man which one's right??

[143AC]

I remember when "The Enthusatsic

Elephant"performed "The Floogle St."/

"Bagel St.Skit from Abbott & Costello.

[Hoolamonga]

quality my bruv reminded me about when were kids,i"d forgotten,but rember it now ,ceers

[touchy2]

Thanks a lot for posting this - takes me back! "Hi, mountains!" "'Lo, plains". Amazing what stays with you...

[voodoolightning]

Thank you so so so much for showing this, i loved this as a kid (in England) and remember it so clearly, yet no-one else seems to remember it....genius!

[dnm728]

Finally, I find Tomfoolery on YouTube! I haven't seen this in 36 years. My favorite characters were the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo and Umbrageous Umbrella Maker. Thanks for uploading this!

[citizenterryk]

jeez....i remember this series quite clearly from back in the early 70's....i dug it, but i can understand how some folks could get a little lost...it was a challenge, and maybe just a little bit ahead of its time...would be interesting if one of today's production houses(Federator, et al)would take a shot at it....might have been just a little overreaching on the part of Rankin-Bass....

[CentralNervous]

Seeing this again, after so many years, has been wonderful. I last saw it as a child and have never forgotten it. Thank you.

[blastingrod]

Of the three series produced by Rankin-Bass through

H-B (Halas & Batchelor, not Hanna & Barbera). The

most arrogantly surreal of the three was TOMFOOLERY,

a lost classic I'm happy to see again!

[heine71]

This was inspired by NBC's Laugh-In TV series. And was the first of 3 Rankin-Bass produced shows with animation by British animation studio Halas and Bachelor, the other 2 were The Jackson 5ive and The Osmonds.