Tom Slick (TV series)

Background

Tom Slick (voiced by Bill Scott) competes in various races with his girlfriend Marigold (voiced by June Foray) and his elderly mechanic Gertie Growler (also voiced by Bill Scott). The two women do not always get along well. His recurring antagonist is the evil Baron Otto Matic (voiced by Paul Frees), who often hits his stupid lackey Clutcher (voiced by Daws Butler) across the head with a monkey wrench. All episodes are narrated by a pastiche of the voice of the Indianapolis 500, Sid Collins.

A running gag throughout the series is that the Thunderbolt Grease-Slapper can be converted into virtually any type of racing vehicle, including a train, stock car racer, drag racer, racing balloon, swamp buggy, submarine, and even a miniaturized skateboard. Most of the races took place between Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Gary, Indiana. The theme song was written by Stan Worth and Sheldon Allman.

In the opening sequence, Tom's car suddenly hops out of control into a barnyard, knocking him unconscious with a chicken on his head before he drives into a brick wall. The car miraculously falls apart in mid-air and falls back together, then jumps onto and off a stone monument bearing Tom Slick's name before getting back on the road.