Space Ghost Coast to Coast

1 9 9 4 – 2 0 1 2 (USA)
112 x 15 minute/30 minute episodes
5 x specials

Space Ghost, the schlocky animated superhero from the 1960s, returned in 1993 on the Cartoon Network with his own talk show from outer space.

Sat behind an interviewer’s desk (a-la Johnny Carson or Dave Letterman) Space Ghost (voiced by George Lowe) chatted with live-action guests on earth who appeared on a video monitor.

His technique was unorthodox, to say the least, often beginning by asking guests such as Dr Joyce Brothers of former Partridge Family star Danny Bonaduce, “What’s your true form? Do you have a secret identity?”

Space Ghost Coast to Coast came complete with cosmic in-jokes and bizarre interludes.

More wackiness was contributed by Space Ghost’s sidekicks, who, oddly enough, were his imprisoned arch enemies.

Leading the house band (The Original Way Outs) was the locust Zorak (voiced by C Martin Croker), and at the video controls was the helmeted director, lava-man Moltar (also C Martin Croker). Both actively hated their own show.

While some celebrities were understandably wary of undergoing the Space Ghost Coast to Coast treatment – with painfully terrible interviews full of awkward pauses – the show developed such a hip cachet that an increasing number of quirky stars were actually asking to appear.

Guests included the cast of Gilligan’s Island, Bill Mumy of Lost in Space fame, Adam West, Eartha Kitt, The Bee Gees, The Ramones, Donny Osmond, Jim Carrey, Fran Drescher, Alice Cooper, Michael Stipe from REM, David Byrne of Talking Heads, Hulk Hogan, Terry Jones of Monty Python, Jonathan Richman, Elvira, Captain & Tennille, The Smithereens, Metallica, Dave Grohl, Laurie Anderson, Buzz Aldrin, Conan O’Brien, Ice-T, Erik Estrada and Charlton Heston.

The great popularity of the series led directly to the establishment of Cartoon Network’s comedy offshoot, Adult Swim, whose initial programming included The Brak Show, a sitcom based on another Space Ghost foe.

Space Ghost (Tad Ghostal)
George Lowe
Zorak
C Martin Croker
Moltar
C Martin Croker