Silly Wabbits and Quests for Adventure

A few weeks ago, American voters had to decide whom they wanted to lead the country for the next four years. This Friday, they have another tough decision to make: Should they tune into Bugs Bunny or Jonny Quest?

In celebration of its new 24-hour Cartoon Network, which in Southern California is available on only Daniels cable systems in north San Diego County, Turner Entertainment is presenting the “Great American Toon-In.”

TNT’s contribution to the “Toon-In” features 14 hours of Hanna-Barbera’s cult series “Jonny Quest,” which originally aired during prime-time on ABC from 1964 to ’65.

The hero of “Jonny Quest” is an 11-year-old boy who accompanies his dad, scientist-detective Dr. Benton Quest, on various missions around the world. Their travel companions include personal bodyguard Race Bannon; a young Indian named Hadji, and Jonny’s faithful miniature bulldog Bandit. A teen-age Tim Matheson supplied the voice of Jonny.

After its prime-time run, repeats of “Jonny Quest” aired Saturday mornings on CBS from 1967-70, ABC from 1970-72 and NBC from 1979-80.

Turner’s other entertainment station TBS celebrates the day with the one gray hare everyone loves--Bugs Bunny. Fans can go Bugs-eyed with 52 classic BB shorts from the 1940s, including “Hare-Um Scareum” and “Haredevil Hare.”

But that’s not all folks. Preceding Bugs is “The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones,” a two-hour comedy in which a time machine accidentally brings the famous Space Age family together with the modern Stone Age family.

TBS concludes the fun with the delightful Dr. Seuss Yuletide story, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” featuring Boris Karloff as the voice of the Grinch.

And meanwhile, the Cartoon Network will play host to animated stars from A to Z, featuring favorites from Atom Ant to Zorak.

“The Great American Toon-In” airs Friday 3 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on TBS and 3 a.m. to 5 p.m. on TNT and the Cartoon Network.