About This Quiz
Who shot J.R.? If you were an '80s kid, you probably had to go to bed before you found out. But if you cut your teeth on PBS shows like "Sesame Street," and a whole host of other muppet-friendly shows, and didn't even mind the marketing blitzes (more action figures!), see how well your memory holds up for your childhood favorites.Initially proposed in 1966 as a show for preschoolers, "Sesame Street," one of the longest-running programs, began with a lengthy planning period and grants totaling $8 million. Since 1969, the program has taught kids basic life skills, like brushing teeth or good nutrition, as well as reading, writing and math fundamentals.
It was Fred Rogers, on PBS' "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," who took us to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe -- where Henrietta Pussycat, Daniel Striped Tiger and other puppets, including King Friday XIII and his royal family, lived.
"Schoolhouse Rock!," a collection of animated shorts that taught kids about civics, economics, grammar, history, math and science with catchy songs like, "Conjunction Junction" and "I'm Just a Bill."
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It was "3-2-1 Contact," which ran from 1980 to 1992. It not only taught kids about science and other educational programming, it had a related print magazine for kids.
LeVar Burton hosted the educational show "Reading Rainbow" from 1983 through 2004. One of the longest-running PBS children's programs, the series combined books and related adventures.
Prince Adam -- who transforms into He-Man when he holds the Sword of Power and yells, "By the power of Grayskull!" -- fights his nemesis, Skeletor, in 1983's "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe." "She-Ra: Princess of Power," the 1985 spinoff, focused on Prince Adam's twin sister, Princess Adora, who transforms into She-Ra.
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The third installment of an animated Superman series, called "Superman," premiered in 1988.
"Fraggle Rock," which starred Fraggles, Doozers, Gorgs and Silly Creatures, debuted in 1983, two years after "The Muppet Show" ended, and ran for five seasons. In 2012, six of the characters appeared in the music video for "Do It Anyway," off the Ben Folds Five album, "The Sound of the Life of the Mind."
From 1981 to 1990, American kids tuned in to watch small, blue-skinned creatures called smurfs "smurf" the whole day long in their forest village. La la la-la la la, la la-la- la la.
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Between 1984 and 1989, the Hanna-Barbera cartoon "The Snorks" ran on NBC. While it had a solid fanbase, it never gained the popularity of "The Smurfs."
"And that's One to Grow On," was the usual ending line of these problem-solving PSAs. By the close of the '80s, the "One to Grow On" campaign was renamed "The More You Know," which ran through 2015.
Meanwhile, at the Hall of Justice ... kids in the '80s watched the characters from the DC Comics universe in "Super Friends."
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Wil Wheaton and Shannen Doherty were two actors lending their voice to characters in 1982's "The Secret of NIMH."
"Pac-Man: The Animated Series," about the Pac-Man family (which included Pac-Man, his wife Pepper Pac-Man, and Pac-Baby, as well as the family dog, Chomp-Chomp, and Sour Puss the cat, aired for two seasons in the early 1980s. Most of the 44 episodes were about the family versus the Ghost Monsters (named Blinky, Inky, Pinky, Clyde and Sue).
In 1984, Hasbro introduced kids to Optimus Prime, Megatron and other soon-to-be favorites when they launched a line of toy robots that could transform into vehicles among other things. The Transformers, as they were named, were promoted in an animated series, "The Transformers," as well as in a Marvel Comics-produced comic book.
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Cowboy Curtis, along with Captain Carl, Clocky, Jambi the Genie, Miss Yvonne and Pterri the Pterodactyl, appeared with Paul Reubens, as Pee-wee Herman, in "Pee-wee's Playhouse." You remember what to do whenever anybody says the secret word, right? Scream!
It's Inspector Gadget with those, well, gadgets, up his sleeve. He, his niece Penny, and her dog Brain, work to take down Dr. Claw's evil organization, M.A.D.
The Chipettes, Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor, were introduced during the first season of "Alvin and the Chipmunks," which premiered in 1983. After 1988, the show was renamed to "The Chipmunks."
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After five animated specials were produced between 1979 and 1983, the animated series "The Berenstain Bears Show," based on the book series by Stan and Jan Berenstain, went on to air from 1985 to 1987. It was nominated in its final season for a Daytime Emmy for Oustanding Performer in Children's Programming.
"Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears," which ran in the U.S. from 1985 to 1991, is said to be the result of Disney CEO Michael Eisner's son's candy preferences.
The animated series, "The Care Bears Family," which ran for two seasons, was based on the American Greetings' characters, the Care Bears, and their mission to spread caring and good feelings around the world.
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It was "Jim Henson's Muppet Babies" (or just "Muppet Babies") that imagined what it would be like if Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Animal, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Scooter, Skeeter and Rowlf the Dog grew up together.
"Good morning, Captain!" It's "Captain Kangaroo" that had, in addition to the Captain, a variety of characters that included Mr. Green Jeans, Grandfather Clock and Rollo the Hippo. "Captain Kangaroo" is a three-time Emmy Award-winning show, all for Outstanding Children's Entertainment Series (awarded in 1979, 1983, and 1984).
Based on pressure from special interest groups, and the loss of some advertisers including Crayola, McDonald's and Nabisco, CBS pulled "Garbage Pail Kids" from its programming calendar due to "glorified violence" and claims it served as an advertisement for Topps.
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It was G.I. Joe and the good guys against the terrorist organization Cobra in the Marvel comic and this TV series,"G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero."
In "Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling," a cartoon series, it was the good guys, called "face," led by Hulk Hogan and Mean Gene Okerlund, against "Rowdy" Roddy Piper's team of bad guys, called "heels."
The show, hosted by Don Herbert, aired on Nickelodeon, from 1983 to 1990. Previously, Herbert had hosted "Watch Mr. Wizard" in the 1950s and 1960s.
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Jim Varney's "Hey Vern, It's Ernest!" TV show, which aired only for one season in 1988, won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series.
Between 1971 and 1986, kids watching CBS' Saturday morning lineup were shown one-minute education news segments, called "In the News," in between shows. It started as a CBS-Hanna Barbera Productions project called, "In the Know," which was narrated by characters from the cartoon, "Josie and the Pussycats."
The character Slim Goodbody, played by John Burstein, wore a superhero-style unitard, decorated with the inside of the body. He began on "The Today Show," "Good Morning America" and "Captain Kangaroo" before getting his own show in 1980. And in 2014, he appeared in a Super Bowl commercial for Radio Shack.
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"Square One Television," which introduced kids to basic math concepts, featured a show-within-a-show called "Mathnet." It also featured guest appearances from James Earl Jones, Weird Al Yankovic and more.
All three of these classic video arcade game characters were all debut characters on the show, which ran for two seasons. (And Donkey Kong, btw, was voiced by pie-in-the-face comedian Soupy Sales.)
It was ABC's 1985 "Saturday Sneak Peek & Fun Fit Test" that was hosted by Tony Danza and, on the heels of the 1983 movie, "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi," it featured the droids of "Star Wars".
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"Little House on the Prairie" starred Melissa Gilbert as Laura, in the TV series that first aired, with a two-hour episode, in 1974. After the series ended in 1982, "Little House: A New Beginning" premiered, minus Michael Landon (as Pa) and Karen Grassle (as Ma).
The "Polka Dot Door" was the first Canadian television programming for kids to be syndicated in the U.S., and aired from 1982 to 1988. It starred two hosts, and a polka-dot patterned marsupial -- a kangaroo.