Wally Gator: The Complete Series (Blu-ray Review)
Director
William Hanna, Joseph BarberaRelease Date(s)
1962-1963 (December 16, 2025)Studio(s)
Hanna-Barbera Productions (Warner Archive Collection)- Film/Program Grade: B-
- Video Grade: B-
- Audio Grade: B-
- Extras Grade: F
Review
Segments from what was produced collectively as The New Hanna-Barbera Cartoon Series originally aired in syndication from September of 1962 to August of 1963, comprised of 52 segments for the characters Wally Gator, Touché Turtle and Dum Dum, and Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har. These cartoons were eventually shown in different markets and in various forms throughout the 1980s and beyond. Though all of the segments with Wally Gator and Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har were released on DVD, Touché Turtle and Dum Dum remained absent from home video, outside of a VHS release featuring a couple of random episodes, but much later was finally released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive Collection.
Since all three cartoons began airing with new remasters as part of the MeTV Toons programming line-up, it was only a matter of time before Warner Archive would give Wally Gator the same kind of treatment as Touché Turtle and Dum Dum. Wally Gator: The Complete Series is not an entirely accurate title since the other cartoons aren’t included with it. In truth, it would be a little more logical and less confusing for consumers to call it The Complete “Collection” since Wally never had his own show. Nevertheless, seeing these cartoons on Blu-ray for the first time with newly-minted transfers is a dream come true for Hanna-Barbera fans. Each cartoon is a little over five minutes long, with a combined total of well over four hours of content.
For the uninitiated, the ever-irrepressible Wally Gator lives in the Bronx City Zoo, but he’s always trying to find a way out without the zookeeper Mr. Twiddle catching wise, not unlike Yogi Bear always attempting to escape Jellystone Park without incurring the wrath of Ranger Smith. Inevitably, Wally gets himself into trouble and returns home, with the always watchful Mr. Twiddle keeping a close eye on him. Daws Butler portrays Wally, also voicing some of Hanna-Barbera’s most famous characters, including Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Quick Draw McGraw, and Snagglepuss. Don Messick portrays Mr. Twiddle, who also voiced Muttley, Boo-Boo Bear, and Ranger Smith. Others throughout the show include Mel Blanc, Doug Young, Jean Vander Pyl, Hal Smith, and Gerry Johnson. Like Touché Turtle and Lippy the Lion, they’re simple but enjoyable cartoons. Even if they’re not top tier Hanna-Barbera, they’re still worthy of a Blu-ray release.
Wally Gator was produced using traditional cel animation on 16mm film, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The Warner Archive Collection brings all 52 segments of the show to Blu-ray for the first time, restored in 4K using a combination of the original camera negatives and release prints, and presented on two dual-layered BD-50 discs. Unfortunately, some of the original camera negatives no longer survive, but the majority of the show appears to be from the OCN. It’s not quite as sharp as 35mm-sourced material, with heavy grain and bitrates that sit mostly in the upper range of 30 and 40Mbps. Outside of the obviously print-sourced cartoons, which are few, the color palette is bursting with greens, reds, and blues of all sorts, with deep blacks and excellent contrast. There’s some telecine wobble and very mild color breathing in specific segments, but with over two hours of programming encoded to each disc, and given the limits of the source material, these cartoons look wonderful.
Audio is included in English 2.0 mono DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. It can sometimes be uneven in terms of quality, but volume is never an issues. Some episodes are more limited than others when it comes to treble, and there’s some minor hiss and crackle. However, dialogue discernment is never an issue.
The Warner Archive Collection’s 2-Disc Blu-ray release of Wally Gator: The Complete Series is housed in a blue Amaray case with artwork taken from the 2019 Hanna-Barbera Classic Collection DVD release. There are no extras, but the following segments are included:
DISC ONE (SEGMENTS 1-26)
- Droopy Dragon (5:10)
- Gator-Napper (5:09)
- Swamp Fever (5:09)
- White Tie and Frails (5:10)
- Escape Artist (5:09)
- California or Bust (5:09)
- Frame and Fortune (5:09)
- Tantalizin’ Turnips (5:09)
- Over the Fence Is Out (5:09)
- Bear with Me (5:09)
- Outside Looking In (5:09)
- Bachelor Buttons (5:09)
- Which Is Which Witch (5:09)
- Pen-Striped Suit (5:07)
- Ship Shape Escape (5:07)
- Semi Seminole (5:09)
- Little Red Riding-Gator (5:09)
- Ice Cube Boob (5:09)
- The Forest’s Prime Evil (5:09)
- Snooper Snowzer (5:09)
- Unconscious Conscience (5:09)
- Gator-Baiter (5:08)
- False Alarm (5:09)
- Phantom Alligator (5:09)
- Puddle Hopper (5:09)
- Baby Chase (5:09)
DISC TWO (SEGMENTS 27-52)
- Gosh Zilla (5:09)
- Camera Shy Guy (5:09)
- Rebel Rabble (5:09)
- No More Mower (5:09)
- Knight Nut (5:08)
- Ape Scrape (5:09)
- Gator-Imitator (5:09)
- Safe at Home (5:08)
- Balloon Buffoon (5:09)
- Rassle Dazzle (5:09)
- Sea Sick Pals (5:08)
- Accidentally on Purpose (5:09)
- Whistle Stopper (5:09)
- Birthday Grievings (5:09)
- Medicine Avenue (5:09)
- Marshall Wally (5:09)
- One Round Trip (5:09)
- Gopher Broke (5:09)
- Gladiator Gator (5:09)
- Bubble Trouble (5:09)
- Ice Charades (5:07)
- Creature Feature (5:09)
- Squatter’s Rights (5:09)
- The Big Drip (5:09)
- Gourmet Gator (5:09)
- Carpet Bragger (5:09)
While some of the Hanna-Barbera comics could have been included as extras, Warner Archive’s release of Wally Gator: The Complete Series is a more than welcome release. For Hanna-Barbera fans, this is a highly recommended purchase.
- Tim Salmons
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