Jabberjaw

Did You Know?

• In 1977–78, Rand McNally released two coloring books, a story book, and a read & color book featuring Jabberjaw.
• A Jabberjaw Wacky Wobbler bobblehead figure was released by Funko in 2005.
• The complete series was released on DVD by the Warner Archive Collection on February 15, 2011.

Premise

Jabberjaw, a 15-foot amphibious great white shark, serves as drummer and mascot for The Neptunes, a rock group with four human members: Biff, Shelly, Bubbles, and Clamhead. They live in an underwater civilization and travel to various underwater cities, where they confront megalomaniacs and supervillains seeking to conquer the undersea world. The format and writing resemble those of Scooby-Doo, Josie and the Pussycats, and Speed Buggy. The show uses ocean-themed puns for locations and people, such as "Aqualaska." Each episode ends with a musical chase sequence featuring a song by The Neptunes.

Characters

Jabberjaw, voiced by Frank Welker impersonating Curly Howard, is an amphibious, Brooklyn-accented anthropomorphic great white shark with mannerisms like Curly of The Three Stooges. He struggles to gain respect in a society where "shark ejectors" are common, often uttering his catchphrase "I don't get no respect!" He can change his shape to act as objects like a trampoline or parachute. Biff, voiced by Tommy Cook, is the athletic, brown-haired guitar player and level-headed leader who books gigs; his catchphrase is "Jumpin' jellyfish!" Shelly, voiced by Patricia Parris, is a dark-haired tambourine player and singer who is beautiful but haughty and vain, often calling Jabberjaw "Blubberhead." Bubbles, voiced by Julie McWhirter, is a blonde, ditzy keyboard player with a cute giggle, sometimes nicknamed "Ding-a-Ling." Clamhead, voiced by Barry Gordon, is a tall, slim, red-haired bass player and Jabberjaw's best friend, with catchphrases like "Abba-abba-abba!"

Broadcast history

Sixteen half-hour episodes of Jabberjaw originally aired on ABC Saturday mornings from September 11, 1976, to September 3, 1977, followed by a Sunday morning rerun season from September 11, 1977, to September 3, 1978. The series later appeared on USA Cartoon Express in the 1980s, Cartoon Network in the 1990s, and Boomerang in the 2000s. Like many Hanna-Barbera cartoons from that era, it featured a studio-produced laugh track.

Other appearances

Jabberjaw guest starred as an announcer or referee in five episodes of Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics (1977–1978). He appeared in the TV special Hanna-Barbera's All-Star Comedy Ice Revue (1978), voiced by Don Messick. He co-starred in Yogi's Space Race (1978) with a racing partner named Buford, both voiced by Frank Welker. In France, a comic strip adaptation ran under the name Mantalo (1978–81). He and Shelly starred in two 1979 educational filmstrips. He appeared in the TV special Night of the Living Doo (2001), voiced by Frank Welker.