Partridge Family 2200 A.D.

Lore & Background

While in pre-production, Hanna-Barbera originally proposed an updated version of The Jetsons, but CBS discarded the idea and decided to make an animated version of The Partridge Family instead. The Partridge Family had previously appeared as guest stars on a 1973 episode of The New Scooby-Doo Movies. In this new iteration, the family is inexplicably changed from their early 1970s setting to a Jetsons-like futuristic environment in 2200 A.D. The family's musical act is 'galaxy-famous' and more successful than in the live-action show, and they appear to manage themselves: the character of Ruben Kincaid is not a regular. Danny has a robotic dog named Orbit, and Keith and Laurie have two good friends that travel with the family: Marion, a two-toned green-and-blue Martian who can fly, and Veenie, a purple-haired Venusian with a distinct buzzing vocal tic.

Reader's Guide

Partridge Family 2200 A.D. is notable as a rare animated spin-off of a prime-time live-action sitcom, produced during the 1970s Saturday-morning cartoon boom. It lasted only half a season on CBS, with sixteen half-hour episodes produced. In 1977–78, it was retitled The Partridge Family in Outer Space when episodes were serialized on the syndicated weekday series Fred Flintstone and Friends. Like many Hanna-Barbera series of the era, it contained a laugh track. Due to its ties with The Partridge Family, the animated spin-off is one of two Hanna-Barbera series owned outright by Sony Pictures Television (the other being Jeannie, an animated I Dream of Jeannie spin-off). The series is remembered for its unusual premise and for featuring voice work by several original live-action cast members, as well as Micky Dolenz of The Monkees in one of his first voice-over roles.

Did You Know?

• Danny Bonaduce, Suzanne Crough, and Brian Forster voiced their respective characters from the live-action series.
• Susan Dey provided Laurie's voice for only two episodes before she was replaced by Sherry Alberoni.
• Micky Dolenz, a member of The Monkees, had various recurring roles in the series, one of his first voice-over roles.
• In 1977–78, the series was retitled The Partridge Family in Outer Space when episodes were serialized on Fred Flintstone and Friends.

Production Origins & Creative Pivot

The animated Partridge Family did not arrive at CBS as a foregone conclusion. During pre-production, Hanna-Barbera actually pitched a reimagined Jetsons series in which Elroy would be a teenager and Judy would work as a top reporter. Network head Fred Silverman passed on that concept and instead greenlit an animated adaptation of The Partridge Family, a group that had already appeared as recurring characters in the earlier Hanna-Barbera show Goober and the Ghost Chasers. The creative leap was substantial: the family's familiar early-1970s domestic setting was swapped for a Jetsons-style futuristic world set in the year 2200 A.D. Their musical career was elevated from the modest, early-stage act of the live-action series to a galaxy-renowned touring group. Manager Reuben Kincaid was demoted from a regular role to an occasional guest, and the family appeared to handle their own affairs. New characters rounded out the world, including Danny's robotic companion Orbit, a Martian friend named Marion who could fly, and a Venusian named Veenie with a distinctive buzzing vocal quirk.

Voice Cast & Musical Performance

The voice casting blended continuity with practical necessity. Danny Bonaduce, Suzanne Crough, and Brian Forster all returned to voice the same children they had played on the ABC live-action sitcom, creating a direct link between the two productions. Several key roles, however, went to different performers. Susan Dey voiced Laurie Partridge for just two episodes before Sherry Alberoni, known for her work on Josie and the Pussycats, assumed the part. Chuck McLenan took on both the speaking and singing voice of Keith Partridge, a role David Cassidy had played on the original series. Joan Gerber stepped in for Shirley Jones as Shirley Partridge, and John Stephenson filled in for Dave Madden as Reuben Kincaid in the limited episodes where the character appeared. Frank Welker lent his voice to both Orbit and Veenie, while Micky Dolenz of The Monkees took on recurring roles such as Wonderful Wayne and Spotless Sam, marking one of his earliest voice-over assignments. McLenan also handled all the singing for the musical numbers, a central feature of every episode.

Broadcast Run & Format

Partridge Family 2200 A.D. aired as a Saturday-morning cartoon on CBS, with its initial run stretching from September 1974 through December, and reruns continuing until March 8, 1975. Sixteen half-hour episodes were produced in total, making it a half-season commitment. Each installment featured the animated band performing one of their pop hits, maintaining the musical identity that defined the live-action original. The show carried a laugh track, a standard practice for Hanna-Barbera productions of that era. The family's status was notably upgraded from the live-action version: where the 1970s show depicted them as a group still building their career, the animated iteration presented them as a galaxy-famous act managing their own affairs. In 1977–78, the series received a second life under the retitled name The Partridge Family in Outer Space when episodes were serialized on the syndicated weekday strip Fred Flintstone and Friends, extending its audience reach well beyond the original Saturday-morning slot.

Ownership & Home Media Legacy

The animated spin-off occupies a unique position in television rights history. Because of its direct tie to The Partridge Family, it became one of only two Hanna-Barbera series owned outright by Sony Pictures Television, whose predecessor Screen Gems had produced the original live-action sitcom. The other Sony-owned Hanna-Barbera title is Jeannie, an animated spin-off of I Dream of Jeannie. Copyrights to both animated series are now held by CPT Holdings. On the home media front, the series saw a modest but meaningful release: in October 2005, two restored episodes, "My Son, The Spaceball Star" and "Car Trouble," were included as bonus material on The Partridge Family: The Complete First Season DVD set. This pairing allowed fans of the live-action show to encounter the animated adaptation in a curated context, preserving a slice of 1970s Saturday-morning animation that had otherwise remained largely obscure outside its original broadcast and syndicated rerun windows.