Based on the comic strip Wee Pals by Morrie Turner, this half-hour animated ABC series from Rankin/Bass attempted to instil (or indoctrinate) kids with a pride in being a kid rather than an adult.
Episodes followed the Peanuts-like adventures of “the Rainbow Club” – a group of multi-racial kids surrounded by peace symbols and hip talk.
The cast included Oliver, a portly protagonist with glasses who was often threatened by meanie Ralph; Sybil, a black fortune teller; Connie, a tomboy; Wellington, a shaggy-haired lad with a pet parrot named Polly; Jerry, a Jewish boy; and George, a Chinese chum.
Each show featured a song by The Curbstones, including gag-inducing snippets like “We’ve got the whole world in our hands”.
The whole affair was unabashed propaganda, a “Consciousness III” Greening of the Playground fantasy.
Oliver
Jay Silverheels Jr. Ralph
Gary Shapiro Wellington
Charles Kennedy Jr. Nipper
John Gardiner Jerry
Allan Melvin Connie
Carey Wong Sybil
Michele Johnson Diz
Jeff Thomas Albert
Greg Thomas
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