Really, what more could you want?
By PETER BOSCH
We lost the wonderful Loni Anderson on August 3 and it feels like now would be a good time to watch the 1-hour 1980 CBS special that she hosted, The Fantastic Funnies.
Below is a link to it and, yes, sometimes it’s way too cutesy, but it does have Anderson with how she would look in the garb of several newspaper comic strips, and there are mini-interviews with a number of creators: Charles Schulz (Peanuts), Mort Walker (Beetle Bailey), Hank Ketcham (Dennis the Menace), Johnny Hart (B.C.), Brad Anderson (Marmaduke), Walt Kelly (Pogo), Morrie Turner (Wee Pals), Garry Trudeau (Doonesbury), Mell Lazarus (Momma), Russell Myers (Broom-Hilda), Dik Browne (Hagar the Horrible), Dean Young (not the originator of Blondie, but the son of its creator, Chic Young), John Cullen Murphy (the successor to Hal Foster on Prince Valiant), and Cathy Guisewite (Cathy).
The special also includes two songs from the musical Annie. And did I mention it has Loni Anderson?
Enjoy!
By the way, Anderson provided the voice for Blondie in two animated specials, Blondie & Dagwood (1987) and Blondie & Dagwood: Second Wedding Workout (1989) — co-produced by Marvel and King Features.
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MORE
— POGO’s WALT KELLY: A Life in the Swamp. Click here.
— 13 Great PEANUTS Storylines: A CHARLES M. SCHULZ Celebration. Click here.
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13th Dimension contributor-at-large PETER BOSCH’s first book, American TV Comic Books: 1940s-1980s – From the Small Screen to the Printed Page, was published by TwoMorrows. (You can buy it here.) A sequel, American Movie Comic Books: 1930s-1970s — From the Silver Screen to the Printed Page, is out now. (Buy it here.) Peter has written articles and conducted celebrity interviews for various magazines and newspapers. He lives in Hollywood.
August 30, 2025
I don’t remember the phrase “and how!” still being used in 1980, but there it is!
August 30, 2025
I don’t remember seeing this but would be surprised if we didn’t watch it, given my interest in all things comics and my dads interest in all things Loni Anderson
August 31, 2025
Wow…that was an awesome time capsule into the past….loved it! Thanks for posting it up!
September 5, 2025
I somehow never saw this, or don’t remember it, but I was only 5 when it aired. A fun tribute to the comics, and some nice snapshots of the creators as well. I wish CBS had went more in this direction when they did their Superman 50th Anniversary Special! Thanks for sharing this!