Agro's Cartoon Connection

{{Infobox television

| image = Agro's Cartoon Connection.png

| caption =

| genre = Children's
Variety

| creator =

| developer =

| presenter = {{ubl|Agro|Ann-Maree Biggar (1990–1995)|Terasa Livingstone (1995–1997)}}

| director =

| starring =

| voices =

| narrated =

| theme_music_composer =

| opentheme =

| endtheme =

| country = Australia

| language = English

| num_seasons = 9

| num_episodes =

| list_episodes =

| producer =

| executive_producer =

| location = {{ubl|Brisbane, Queensland (1990–1996)|Sydney, New South Wales (1997)}}

| runtime = 180 minutes (1990–1993)
150 minutes (1994–1996)
90 minutes (1996-1997)

| network = Seven Network

| first_aired = {{Start date|1990|1|22|df=y}}

| last_aired = {{End date|1997|12|19|df=y}}

}}

Agro's Cartoon Connection is an Australian children's television show that aired on the Seven Network from 1990 to 1997. Shown on weekday mornings, it was primarily hosted by Agro, a puppet played by comedian Jamie Dunn. It was originally filmed at BTQ7 from 1990 to 1996, after which it moved to ATN7 in 1997.

History

Over the years the show had a number of co-hosts including Ann-Maree Biggar,{{Cite news |last=Sadlier |first=Kevin |date=1992-05-03 |title=Ann-Maree's double secret |work=The Sun-Herald |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=AUNB&req_dat=2FC64405CDC9450D8CE0F660AE4E730F&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F11BC5679B4620CA8 |access-date=2021-10-29}} Terasa Livingstone,{{Cite news |last=Kibble |first=Emma |date=1998-06-28 |title=Thrill a minute life for traveller Terasa; I'd even fly to – the moon if they asked me! |page=A10 |work=Sunday Mail |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=AUNB&req_dat=2FC64405CDC9450D8CE0F660AE4E730F&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F0FD5791542B538E5 |access-date=2021-10-29}} Holly Brisley,{{Cite news |last=Melloy |first=N |date=1999-05-31 |title=Agro's mate in living colour |page=24 |work=The Courier-Mail |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=AUNB&req_dat=2FC64405CDC9450D8CE0F660AE4E730F&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F0FD86FDD87841338 |access-date=2021-10-29}} Michael R Gibson (who was known to the audience by the nickname "Gibbo") and guest hosts Ian Calder and Stacey Thomson.

Its origins can be traced back to Seven's Super Saturday, later becoming The Super Saturday Show in 1989, which only aired on Saturday mornings and was originally only broadcast in Brisbane.

It followed on from a show called The Cartoon Connection which had been hosted for many years previously by Michael Horrocks and Alex Wileman, Wileman went on to do New South Wales lottery broadcasts.

The show consisted of playing a variety of cartoons including Samurai Pizza Cats and Magic Knight Rayearth while including small editorials presented between the cartoons in a variety of segments. One such example included Ian Calder appearing in a regular segment acting as a character, one of his more popular being Crikey the Clown where he would walk around the streets of Brisbane in an aggressive manner asking questions to anyone he met.

Other shows presented during the series' run included G.I. Joe Extreme, The Bots Master, Bob in a Bottle, Mega Man: The Animated Series, Sailor Moon (TV series),{{Cite news |title=Green TV Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122885238/?match=1&terms=%22sailor%20moon%22 |work=The Age |pages=72}} Mighty Max (TV series),{{Cite news |title=Sunday Age The View |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122907659/?match=1&terms=%22mighty%20max%22 |work=The Age |pages=97}} ThunderCats (1985 TV series),{{Cite news |title=Green Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120742664/?match=1&terms=%22thundercats%22 |work=The Age |pages=52}} The Jetsons,{{Cite news |date=18 December 1994 |title=View TV Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122905454/?match=1&terms=%22jetsons%22%20%22agro%22 |work=The Age |pages=102}} Toxic Crusaders,{{Cite news |date=15 June 1992 |title=The Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120259426/?match=1&terms=%22toxic%20crusaders%22%20%22agro%22 |archive-url= |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |pages=58}} James Bond Jr., The Magical Adventures of Quasimodo{{Cite news |date=3 February 1997 |title=The Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/829110382/ |work=The Age |pages=74}} The New Pink Panther Show Ring Raiders,{{Cite news |date=30 April 1995 |title=The View |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122845512 |work=The Age |pages=100}} Hello Kitty's Furry Tale Theater,Scooby-Doo,{{Cite news |date=3 February 1992 |title=The Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120744117 |url-status= |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |pages=55}} Magilla Gorilla, Speed Buggy, Space Ghost (TV series), The Smurfs (1981 TV series), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series),{{Cite news |date=14 February 1995 |title=Home Entertainment Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120360731 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |pages=64}} Robotech (TV series), A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, ALF Tales,{{Cite news |date=4 January 1991 |title=Television |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120277746/ |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |pages=16}} Power Rangers Zeo,{{Cite news |date=4 May 1997 |title=View TV Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/123052182 |work=The Age |pages=128}} The New Yogi Bear Show,{{Cite news |date=27 November 1995 |title=The Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120343055 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |pages=68}} Journey to the Heart of the World, Snorks,{{Cite news |date=1 January 1991 |title=Television |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120277412 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |pages=16}} She-Ra: Princess of Power, Secret Squirrel, The Little Rascals (animated TV series), Huckleberry Hound,{{Cite news |date=15 June 1992 |title=The Guide Television |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120259426 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |pages=15}} The Legend of Prince Valiant, The Brave Frog,{{Cite news |date=29 January 1995 |title=The View |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122986685 |work=The Age |pages=102}} Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space,{{Cite news |date=30 October 1992 |title=Arts and Entertainment |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/828722392 |work=The Age |pages=14}} Gargoyles (TV series),{{Cite news |date=21 December 1997 |title=TV Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/123057643 |work=The Age |pages=140}} Yogi's Gang,{{Cite news |date=20 September 1995 |title=Television |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122908709 |work=The Age |pages=24}} The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers, Quick Draw McGraw, The Scooby-Doo Show,{{Cite news |date=17 April 1995 |title=TV Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120374102 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |pages=71}} Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo (1979 TV series),{{Cite news |date=3 January 1991 |title=TV Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/121064820 |work=The Age |pages=40}} The Little Rascals (animated TV series),{{Cite news |date=3 January 1991 |title=Television |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120277647 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |pages=20}} The New Fred and Barney Show,{{Cite news |date=31 July 1994 |title=The View |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/123022502 |work=The Age |pages=97}} The Bots Master,{{Cite news |date=18 November 1996 |title=The Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/121769205 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |pages=71}} Jin Jin and the Panda Patrol, Casper and the Angels,{{Cite news |date=29 May 1995 |title=TV Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120366551 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |pages=66}} Captain N: The Game Master, Phantom 2040,{{Cite news |date=25 May 1996 |title=Green Thursday Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/123523744 |work=The Age |pages=76}} Richie Rich (1980 TV series), Tom & Jerry Kids,{{Cite news |date=14 March 1996 |title=Green Monday Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122865202 |work=The Age |pages=70}} Tom and Jerry,{{Cite news |date=27 May 1991 |title=The Guide Television |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120216237 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |pages=61}} Bumpety Boo,{{Cite news |date=18 December 1994 |title=View TV Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122905454 |work=The Age |pages=102}} Top Cat,{{Cite news |date=24 July 1995 |title=TV Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/121103045 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |pages=70}} Galtar and the Golden Lance,{{Cite news |date=16 October 1994 |title=View TV Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122995871/ |work=The Age |pages=98}} The Thirteen Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, SilverHawks,{{Cite news |date=22 August 1991 |title=Green Guide Friday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/828517863 |work=The Age |pages=47}} Shirt Tales, The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda,{{Cite news |date=11 July 1991 |title=Green Guide Friday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120758978 |work=The Age |pages=55}} Pound Puppies (1986 TV series), The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show,{{Cite news |date=12 February 1990 |title=The Guide Television |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122709949/ |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |pages=65}} Pancho and Rancho,{{Cite news |date=25 December 1994 |title=The View December 29 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122906526/ |work=The Age |pages=70}} Robotech (TV series),{{Cite news |date=11 December 1994 |title=View |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/123068906/ |work=The Age |pages=106}} Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and The Flintstones.{{Cite news |date=14 February 1991 |title=Green Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120725884/?match=1&terms=%22flintstones%22%20%22agro%22 |url-status= |work=The Age |pages=47}}

The show also featured many children's movies including Dot Goes to Hollywood,{{Cite news |date=13 February 1995 |title=Home Entertainment Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120360743 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |pages=68}} Dennis the Menace in Mayday for Mother, The Little Troll Prince, Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown, Yogi and the Invasion of the Space Bears,{{Cite news |date=25 December 1994 |title=View December 30 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122906529 |work=The Age |pages=71}} The Adventures of the American Rabbit,{{Cite news |date=25 December 1994 |title=View December 28 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122906520 |work=The Age |pages=68}} The Good, the Bad, and Huckleberry Hound,{{Cite news |date=25 December 1994 |title=View Dec 27 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122906517/ |work=The Age |pages=67}} Yabba Dabba Doo! The Happy World of Hanna-Barbera,{{Cite news |date=25 December 1994 |title=View Monday 26th December |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122906514 |work=The Age |pages=66}} Top Cat and the Beverly Hills Cats and Scooby-Doo Meets the Boo Brothers.{{Cite news |date=27 November 1995 |title=The Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120343063 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |pages=70}}

Christmas specials included The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible,{{Cite news |date=25 December 1995 |title=Television |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122842938 |work=The Age |pages=20}}Silent Night, Holy Night, Mole's Christmas, and Silent Night, Holy Night (film). The Sunday morning edition of the program ran under the name The Super Sunday Show and included skits performed by the regulars, as well as presenting the UK animated program The Dreamstone and the science fiction program UFO.

Notably the show's humour was sometimes provocative but always done in a way that would escape the notice of the show's primary audience of children. The program was criticised in Parliament for including product sponsorship within the program itself, rather than simply running commercial breaks.

From 1995, the show fiercely competed with Cheez TV on Network Ten. In an attempt to boost ratings against Cheez TV, Seven replaced Gibson & Thomson with Brad Hills in 1997. In December of that year, Agro and all of the show's hosts were removed, with the programme rebranded simply to Cartoon Connection and only showing cartoons. Cartoon Connection was eventually cancelled in 1999.

Following the show's cancellation, Seven attempted several experiments to revive its breakfast programming for children. Eventually in 2000 Seven shifted the timeslot's focus towards early morning news, occupied by the Sunrise programme instead.

Co-host Michael 'Gibbo' Gibson passed away on 10 June 2024.{{cite web |url=https://radioinfo.com.au/news/vale-michael-gibbo-gibson/ |website=RadioInfo |access-date=13 June 2024 |title=Vale Michael 'Gibbo' Gibson |date=2024-06-10}}

Cast

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
scope="col" \| Name ! scope="col" \| Role ! scope="col" \| Duration
Jamie Dunn{{Cite news \|last=Crawford \|first=Anne \|date=1995-03-05 \|title=Ugly Agro caught up in custody tug-of war \|page=7 \|work=The Age\|location=Melbourne \|url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=AUNB&req_dat=2FC64405CDC9450D8CE0F660AE4E730F&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F11BC4F9D78239118 \|access-date=2021-10-29}} \| Agro/Host \| 1990–1997
Ann-Maree Biggar \| Co-host \| 1990–1994
rowspan="2" \| Terasa Livingstone \| Reporter \| 1994
Co-host \| 1995–1997
Holly Brisley \| Reporter \| 1995–1997
rowspan="2" \| Ian Calder \| Various characters \| 1990–1992
Crikey The Clown \| 1991–1997
Michael R Gibson \| Gibbo \| 1990–1996
Stacey Thomson \| Ranger Stacey \| 1990–1996
Brad Hills \| Reporter \| 1997

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

scope="col" | Name

! scope="col" | Role

! scope="col" | Duration

Jamie Dunn{{Cite news |last=Crawford |first=Anne |date=1995-03-05 |title=Ugly Agro caught up in custody tug-of war |page=7 |work=The Age|location=Melbourne |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=AUNB&req_dat=2FC64405CDC9450D8CE0F660AE4E730F&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F11BC4F9D78239118 |access-date=2021-10-29}}

| Agro/Host

| 1990–1997

Ann-Maree Biggar

| Co-host

| 1990–1994

rowspan="2" | Terasa Livingstone

| Reporter

| 1994

Co-host

| 1995–1997

Holly Brisley

| Reporter

| 1995–1997

rowspan="2" | Ian Calder

| Various characters

| 1990–1992

Crikey The Clown

| 1991–1997

Michael R Gibson

| Gibbo

| 1990–1996

Stacey Thomson

| Ranger Stacey

| 1990–1996

Brad Hills

| Reporter

| 1997

Awards

{{awards table|5|caption=Awards and nominations for Agro's Cartoon Connection}}

! scope="row" | 1991

| rowspan="7" | Logie Awards

| rowspan="7" | Most Popular Children's Program

| rowspan="7" | Agro's Cartoon Connection

| {{Won}}

| {{Cite web |title=TV Week Logie Award Winners 1990 to 1999 |url=https://www.nowtolove.com.au/celebrity/tv/tv-week-logie-award-winners-1990-to-1999-39200 |url-status=live |access-date=2021-10-28 |website=Now To Love|date=31 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517065416/https://www.nowtolove.com.au/celebrity/tv/tv-week-logie-award-winners-1990-to-1999-39200 |archive-date=17 May 2021 }}

! scope="row" | 1992

| {{won}}

! scope="row" | 1993

| {{won}}

! scope="row" | 1994

| {{won}}

! scope="row" | 1995

| {{won}}

! scope="row" | 1996

| {{won}}

! scope="row" | 1997

| {{won}}