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Hanna-Barbera cartoons based on fairy tales
Everyone is Little Red Riding Hood!
Once upon a time, animators had to come up with hundreds of cartoons every year to keep their shows rolling, but what happens when an animator runs out of ideas and needs a story for Huckleberry Hound or The Flintstones? They pull from the greatest collection of free intellectual property available - fairy tales! Parodying fairy tales helps fit a cartoon character, like Yogi Bear, into a story that the children of the day already recognize and now could enjoy even more with the addition of their favorite cartoon characters. Let's take a look at all the famous fairy tales that got turned into Hanna-Barbera cartoons - you'll be surprised at just how many cartoons did Little Red Riding Hood.
The Princess and the Frog
More like the Princess and the Gorilla! In the episode "Prince Charming", Magilla Gorilla tells Ogee reimagined fairy tales. Magilla's version has Princess Ogee giving every animal in the forest a kiss before she finally kisses Magilla, who turns into the prince.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Naturally, the Hanna-Barbera version of Goldilocks takes place in "The Hillbilly Bears"! But this time Goldilocks is a movie star named Goldy Looks, who gets a flat tire and invades the four bears' home.
The Three Little Pigs
Yogi and Boo-Boo get lost and stumble upon the Three Little Pigs, who are arguing about how their straw home won't last against the Big Bad Wolf. They swindle Yogi and Boo-Boo into taking the straw house, and then they do the same thing with the wood house. Eventually, they skip making the brick house and try taking Yogi and Boo-Boo's cave!
Snow White
Most fairy tales have a witch, so Winsome Witch has recreated a lot of fairy tales. In "Prince Pup", she is hired by the Queen to deliver the poisoned apple to Snow White - only she accidentally eats one too!
Hansel and Gretel
Well, it's not quite a retelling but it's close! When two kids have to show up to her house claiming to be Hansel and Gretel, Winsome Witch goes out of her way to show them that she's a nice witch and gives them anything they want...until they run off with her broom!
Aladdin
Many cartoons feature episodes surrounding genies, magic lamps, and flying carpets, but Hokey Wolf found an actual magic lamp, which he used to swindle people in "Aladdin's Lamb Chops". Touché Turtle and Dum Dum also has an Aladdin-themed episode, "Aliblabber and the Forty Thieves".
Jack and the Beanstalk
Many Hanna-Barbera cartoons have a Jack and the Beanstalk episode, including Hokey Wolf, Peter Potamus, and Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo. Sometimes the characters take the place of Jack, as in Hokey Wolf's retelling; other times, they help Jack escape the giant.
Cinderella
Three cartoons feature Cinderella stories: Winsome Witch, where Winsome Witch acts as the fairy godmother. The Flintstones also has an episode called "Cinderellastone" where Fred's fairy godmother transforms him into a distinguished gentleman for a fancy party. Also, Cinderella is one of the stories Ogee and Magilla recreate together.
Honorable mention, Robin Hood
Whether Robin Hood is a fairy tale or an urban legend is a debate for another day, we just wanted to show you Snagglepuss in his fun little Robin Hood outfit in "Arrow Error".
Little Red Riding Hood
Almost every single Hanna-Barbera cartoon has a Little Red Riding Hood moment. Huckleberry Hound, Wally Gator, Winsome Witch, Magilla Gorilla, Touché Turtle and Dum Dumm, and Ricochet Rabbit and Droop-a-Long all have episodes where the main characters help protect Little Red Riding Hood from the Big Bad Wolf. So many Little Red Riding Hoods!
