1 9 9 3 – 1 9 9 4 (USA)
13 x 30 minute episodes
“In the 26th century, mankind faces an epic struggle for survival. The forces of nature have spun wildly out of control. Mighty cities have crumbled and the dinosaurs have returned to reclaim the earth. In this savage land, one man stands alone – Jack Tenrec, defending humanity in a world gone mad, a world where only the strong survive. A world of Cadillacs and dinosaurs.”
The opening narration of this CBS cartoon, based on the comic book Xenozoic Tales by Mark Schultz, gave a fairly accurate setup for each show, but the only Cadillacs driven were the 1950s models owned by mechanic-ecologist-adventurer Tenrec, a member of the Old Blood Mechanics, an ecological group whose motto was the Machinatio Vitae (“The machinery of life is a balance and we have to maintain it.”)
Thus, Jack defended the dinosaurs (known as “Shivats”) now roaming the planet with the help of scientist Hannah Dundee; Mustapha Cairo, a muscular bandana-wearing assistant who looked after Jack’s Cadillac fleet; and Hermes, Jack’s pet dinosaur (raised by Jack when poachers killed its mother).
Jack’s biggest foe was Wilhelmina Scharnhorst, an imposingly built woman who was one of the governors of the City in the Sea (New York) and did not care what would happen to the earth’s environment if the dinosaurs became extinct again.
She campaigned vigorously against all of Jack’s advice and actions and enlisted the militaristic Hammer Terhune and his brothers Wrench and Vice to put Jack and his group out of business.
Toulouse was another member of the Council of Governors who constantly weighed Scharnhorst’s and Jack’s positions in his decisions. Noc was Scharnhorst’s lackey. Grith was a wise ancient adviser seen by Jack in flashbacks.
Jack Tenrec
David Keeley
Hannah Dundee
Susan Roman
Mustapha Cairo
Bruce Tubbe
Wilhelmina Scharnhorst
Dawn Greenhalgh
Hammer Terhune
Tedd Dillon
Wrench Terhune
Colin O’Meara
Vice Terhune
Frank Pellegrino
Kirgo
David Fox
Grith
Don Francks
Dahlgren
Kristina Nicoll
Toulouse
Philip Williams
Mikla
Lenore Zann
Noe
Don Dickinson