Roger Ramjet - Hero of Our Nation

Starring:Gary Owens, David Ketchum, Dick Beals, Bob Arbogast, Joan Gerber, Kenneth C.T. Snyder, Paul Shively, Gene Moss
Director: Fred Crippen
Studio: Image Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Roger Ramjet and the American Eagles (syndication, 1965) plays like a watered-down version of Jay Ward's Rocky and His Friends. A spoof of superheroes whose Proton Energy Pills gave him the strength of 20 atom bombs for 20 seconds, Roger protected law-abiding citizens from the machinations of Noodles Romanoff, the head of the National Association of Spies, Traitors and Yahoos (N.A.S.T.Y.) and the No-Goods. Roger Ramjet may have been the least animated series in the history of American television. The visuals consist of little more than still drawings with a few pans and movement cycles. The stories are nicely silly, but they lack the wit of the Jay Ward cartoons. Kids who grew up singing the theme song ("Roger Ramjet he's our man / Hero of our nation") will get a nostalgic kick from seeing the familiar characters, but after a few episodes, the charm cloys. Unrated; suitable of all ages: Cartoon violence. --Charles Solomon
Description
Join us for a thrilling trip to the yesteryear of animation as super patriot Roger Ramjet--"Daredevil, Flying Fool and All-Around Good Guy"--fights for truth, justice and the American way! Each volume contains 15 episodes of Ramjet and his American Eagle Squadron battling the unpatriotic Noodles Romanoff and his ruthless organization N.A.S.T.Y. (The National Association of Spies, Traitors and Yahoos), as well as the domestic problems that dog every superhero--clingy girlfriends and embarrassing mothers. With red, white and blue blood running through his veins and the strength of twenty atom bombs for 20 seconds in his Proton Energy Pill, Roger Ramjet is just the man to save the world from evil and tyranny--we'll just have to wait five seconds! What tickled you as a kid will have you howling as an adult!

Roger Ramjet - Hero of Our Nation (Deluxe Collector's Edition)
Average customer rating:

Missing a few titles, but Roger still rules

A long-forgotten TV animation gem

LEAPIN' LOMPOC! ROGER RAMJET FLIES AGAIN!

THE FUNNIEST TV CARTOON OF ALL!

Good collection-but why not ALL the episodes

Roger Ramjet - Hero of Our Nation (Deluxe Collector's Edition)
Starring: Roger Ramjet
Manufacturer: Classic Media
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006TPEAQ
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Description

For the first time ever, 120 of the greatest Roger Ramjet cartoons ever are collected on DVD. It's all here: Roger Ramjet and His American Eagle Squad - Yank, Doodle, Dan, and Dee -- taking orders from the Pentagon's General Brassbottom and fighting the unpatriotic Noodles Romanoff and the National Association of Spies, Traitors, and Yahoos (N.A.S.T.Y.). Combining the straight-faced patriotism of 1920s radio serials with the political commentary that came with the escalation of the Vietnam War, Roger Ramjet brought television cartoons to a new level. "Come back after the commercial," Roger warns in perfect deadpan, "or I'll make sure all you little kids are drafted." Simultaneously subtle, subversive, and good natured, Roger Ramjet is a lost classic of American satire.

Customer Reviews:

Missing a few titles, but Roger still rules.......2005-10-14

So from what I've been able to figure out of the 156 Roger Ramjet cartoons, 120 are featured on this set, 30 of them are on the Image collection of 2 DVDs and the remaining 6 are either lost or too damaged to put out. Judging from the quality of some of these shorts, i buy that story. This is not to be confused with the restoration job done on the Looney Tunes.

I really get a kick out of these cartoons. Gary Owens has the perfect voice for the pill popping Patriot. And I enjoy seeing the various ways they cut corners to make the limited animation work.

The only bad thing is that unlike Image, the Wonder folks didn't come up with a way to play all without the theme song. So we're talking 240 plays of the Roger Ramjet theme in a complete viewing. Kinda frightening to think I have 150 of these adventures on my shelf.

A long-forgotten TV animation gem.......2005-06-22

I'm delighted to see this extremely funny show from the mid-60s back in circulation again. It's very much in the vein of the Jay Ward shows (topical references, limited [not to say sloppy] animation, mock-dramatic voice work), but I happen to think that it's even better than most of those. The fact that each cartoon is a self-contained entity imposed a certain amount of discipline on the creators, and they responded by packing as many gags as possible into each and every square inch of footage. Roger's constant use of the Proton Energy Pill to augment his physical abilities (while, it must be admitted, not improving his limited mental processes one iota) is, of course, the reason this show fell out of favor with syndicators and children's show producers not long after it was originally released in 1965, but to condemn the show for somehow promoting drug use is to preach the same sermon that has rendered so many modern "children's TV spokespeople" ridiculous. You might as well condemn The Powerpuff Girls for encouraging kids to search for a "Chemical X" that will turn them into preschool superheroes. Parents could always explain to their kids that it's just a cartoon (and, for good measure, keep the pills in the medicine cabinet out of children's reach). The pill-taking and villain-bopping was always the least interesting thing about the show, anyway (well, that and the relentlessly chipper theme song). I'd rather dwell on the droll use of Yiddish phrases, the frequent references to old-time TV and radio series, and the heroically silly figure of Roger himself.

The packaging is cute and amusing, but the set has absolutely no behind-the-scenes material or commentaries, and mine was unaccountably missing the promised "Official Log Book" and "Roger Ramjet foam glider" (personally, I hold Noodles Romanoff and his band of No-Goods responsible). Also, be aware that the set does not contain all the episodes. You may have to obtain the missing eps from other sources.

LEAPIN' LOMPOC! ROGER RAMJET FLIES AGAIN!.......2005-04-30

"Roger Ramjet" just might have been the quirkiest cartoon of the '60s. A homegrown Hollywood product, created and executed by UPA artist Fred Crippen and a gaggle of top L.A. comedy writers and radio pros, this is truly a 'toon like no other. Where else could you find the simplest sort of animation, an old-time radio feel, soap-opera organ music, and some clever MAD magazine-level scripts? Roger, that "All-American Good Guy and Devil-May-Care Flying Fool", is a scatterbrained superhero who's put into all kinds of places: period movie/TV landmarks (the Blunderosa Ranch), outer-space places (a space ship that steals beauty queens), a tennis match against a kangaroo ("Pancho Pouch")...you get the idea. I know I'd have loved this back in the day, but I don't believe it even aired here in New England.
It's never too late to discover a lost cartoon, however, and "Roger Ramjet"- whose likably-crude animation, cleaned up nicely here, made the work of Hanna-Barbera and Jay Ward look like Looney Tunes technicolor (check out the misspelled dialogue cards!)- is very enjoyable primarily due to the writing, all of which was done by a prolific comedy writer and L.A. kiddie-show host named Gene Moss, and one of the best groups of voice talent I've ever heard in the medium. First among them, of course, is one of my lifelong idols, the incomparable Gary Owens. In the mid-'60s, Gary was just making his name as a very witty drive-time deejay on local radio. His million-dollar voice and patented delivery of silly sayings with same really makes it. So does Dave Ketchum, a real sitcom warhorse with acting and writing credits longer than your arm, who took the stentorian narrator role in the tradition of "Bullwinkle"'s William Conrad and tweaked it with little winks and nods that showed he was having a great time pulling kids' legs. Gary and Dave are joined by Moss himself (as mini-mobster Noodles Romanoff), Bob Arbogast(an unsung comedy hero who created the "Question Man"/"Carnac" skits) and several others to give "Ramjet" an uncanny radio comedy sketch tone that not only would have been at home on many period AM stations, but gave these sometimes-dumb episodes a surprisingly classy feel. These were some of the best yuk-meisters in Hollywood cutting up after hours for kids of all ages.
An impressive 120 episodes (out of 156) appear on these CDs. There are no extras whatsoever, unless you count the little foam glider inside (talk about an el-cheapo bonus!) The episodes are listed by title only, and there's no way you can skip over the "Yankee Doodle"-style theme song which opened and closed each one. Fortunately, the menus- all rendered in old-time movie title-card form- neatly split the shows up into six or seven-episode clusters.
And what of Lompoc? That real-life town in central California was Roger's home base, along with his sidekick kids, the American Eagles. The kids are appealing side characters- Yank, Doodle, Dan and Dee (get it?) And, once every three episodes or so, you might catch not only some lame puns or non-PC guests (Beef and Chicken Enchilada, anyone?), but some great name-drops (Vera Hruba Ralston, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, even Rusty Warren). Like I said, these guys were pros who wrote for everyone from Bob Hope to Carol Burnett in non-'toon life.
If you're a fan of old-time radio comedy, classic TV variety/comic skits, or vintage MAD-level satire, "Roger Ramjet" is truly a lost find. Anyone who could slip the name "Rusty Warren"- a sassy singing comedienne (and classically-trained pianist) who was anything but kid stuff in the '60s- into a cartoon is OK by me. The lack of extras and bare-bones look keep this from getting a higher rating, but- OK, I'll admit it. I love Gary Owens. So ends this belated review of these 100-plus insegrevious episodes and adventures of "Roger Ramjet and the American Eagles!" (Cue Roger stumbling over a bucket).

THE FUNNIEST TV CARTOON OF ALL!.......2005-04-01

If you were to ask me (in fact, some HAVE...YOU might) what I thought was the funniest made-for-TV cartoon, you might expect...oh...a Jay Ward thing...early H-B...Beany & Cecil? All fair guesses, but as much as I LOVE those cartoons, they would not be my answer.

ROGER RAMJET would be. I really love it. It makes me--minimally---grin real big, AND (at least ONCE per episode) LAUGH OUT LOUD. I almost NEVER laugh out loud at ANYTHING.

The characterisations are great, the voice acting is really great, and the writing overall is unbelievably great.

It's been on a coupla DVD releases, but last night I bought the Deluxe Set. If you like funny cartoons, you should too.

Good collection-but why not ALL the episodes.......2005-02-24

I've been anxiously awaiting this title for months - having already purchased the 2 individual DVD's of RR that have been out for a few years. I honestly thought this would be the be all to end all for our Devil-may-care-flying-fool. What we do get is 120 episodes when there are a total of 156 5 minute shorts produced. Having a little bonus foam glider in the package is nice, but why not give us 4 discs and ALL the episodes. This set does have nice packaging-and a quick glance through the episides-they seem to be cleaned up reasonably well-though certainly not to the same quality as the Warner Bros or Hanna Barbera sets.
Still a must have for any Roger fan, but I really wish when companies think to do a package of this sort that they'd go all the way with it and give us a complete set.

Average customer rating:

Its Still funny....
SUFFERING SOLENOIDS! ROGER RAMJET RETURNS!
Memories and Discoveries
Roger Ramjet Rocks!
The Funniest

Roger Ramjet - Hero of Our Nation
Starring: Gary Owens , David Ketchum , Dick Beals , Joan Gerber , and Paul Shively
Director: Fred Crippen
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Amazon.com

Roger Ramjet and the American Eagles (syndication, 1965) plays like a watered-down version of Jay Ward's Rocky and His Friends. A spoof of superheroes whose Proton Energy Pills gave him the strength of 20 atom bombs for 20 seconds, Roger protected law-abiding citizens from the machinations of Noodles Romanoff, the head of the National Association of Spies, Traitors and Yahoos (N.A.S.T.Y.) and the No-Goods. Roger Ramjet may have been the least animated series in the history of American television. The visuals consist of little more than still drawings with a few pans and movement cycles. The stories are nicely silly, but they lack the wit of the Jay Ward cartoons. Kids who grew up singing the theme song ("Roger Ramjet he's our man / Hero of our nation") will get a nostalgic kick from seeing the familiar characters, but after a few episodes, the charm cloys. Unrated; suitable of all ages: Cartoon violence. --Charles Solomon

Description

Join us for a thrilling trip to the yesteryear of animation as super patriot Roger Ramjet--"Daredevil, Flying Fool and All-Around Good Guy"--fights for truth, justice and the American way! Each volume contains 15 episodes of Ramjet and his American Eagle Squadron battling the unpatriotic Noodles Romanoff and his ruthless organization N.A.S.T.Y. (The National Association of Spies, Traitors and Yahoos), as well as the domestic problems that dog every superhero--clingy girlfriends and embarrassing mothers. With red, white and blue blood running through his veins and the strength of twenty atom bombs for 20 seconds in his Proton Energy Pill, Roger Ramjet is just the man to save the world from evil and tyranny--we'll just have to wait five seconds! What tickled you as a kid will have you howling as an adult!

Customer Reviews:

Its Still funny...........2006-11-04

It was fun to share this cartoon with my grandchildren. they enjoy it as much as I did when I was a kid. Hurry and buy it and share a memory.

SUFFERING SOLENOIDS! ROGER RAMJET RETURNS!.......2005-05-03

This was the first DVD of "Roger Ramjet", that quirky little cartoon of the '60s with the Hollywood/old-time radio/Jay Ward-ish pedigree. It's a great intro to this underrated series, which was really a bunch of clever little comedy skits that could have been part of period AM radio. What I love about "Roger" is its creative team: some of the best Hollywood comedy writers and radio pros of the day, all in a cutting-up mood for kids of all ages. I've discussed them elsewhere, but these were the guys who wrote bits for everyone from Bob Hope to Carol Burnett to Johnny Carson; the late Gene Moss, who wrote every episode, had a lifelong love for witty kiddie shows (his "Shrimpenstein", with a mini-monster puppet, was the best-loved such show in LA for years). The plus on this DVD is a brief but very entertaining commentary by Gary Owens, who goes over the characters and crew in his trademark booming/witty style. This not only includes a brief summary of each episode, but- if you move the menu "wings" to the kids' heads- an "outtake" reel that mixes random sequences (like Roger in a red wig as "Miss Ramjet") with some classic Owens-isms ("Love is the soy sauce on the chop suey of life"). Don't miss Gary's story about his trip to Vancouver with Tom Selleck- the payoff will positively floor you. If it sounds like I'm an unabashed Owens fan, you're right, but some of the situations Roger gets dropped into are quite funny in that '60s MAD-magazine way. If you're new to "Roger Ramjet" or love old-school, kids-of-all-ages satire, this is probably all the Roger you'd ever want. If you want more, well, "make sure you keep watching or you'll get...drafted!" (I assure you that was quite edgy for a period cartoon.)

Memories and Discoveries.......2003-06-24

Roger Ramjet...Hero of Our Nation! This was a cartoon that I would not miss for all the homework the school could thow on me back in the 60's. As a teenager in Canada, it was extremely entertaining. The punns and remarks of the Cold War between the West and the East are very evident. As well, the crime fighting against evil-doers in general, marked a vision of how we saw things as simple black and whit, right and wrong. The cartoons became a fond memory of mine until I came across this gem, as well as the others in the series. I didn't hesitate to purchase this DVD and have no regrets. The memories had remained faithful to the original cartoon and I was moved while I watched them over again. The production is fairly clean. The sound quality was never more than AM Radio sound. The story lines are simple and funny. As an adult, I picked up on more underlying jabs and jokes than I didn't seem to have an ear for back then.

One negative comment...the DVD is difficult to watch in its entirety because the opening and closing them accompanies each cartoon. One soon tires of the song and one has the urge to turn the thing off. Watch it in segments and you'll be fine. Perhaps the rpoducers will make a note of this for future releases.

Roger Ramjet Rocks!.......2002-12-02

Anyone who has watched Roger Ramjet knows he's appears to be a card carrying idiot, and its only by the fact that the criminals he faces are even more inept in their mad quests for world dominance (or failing that the general Lompoc area code) that he is able to vanquish such dastardly foes as Red dog the Pirate (and Carl Bob the Discount Parrot) And Noodles Romanoff and his band of No Goods. I would suggest not eating or drinking anything while watching this DVD unless you happen to like liquids shooting out your nose and across a crowded room. The puns are epic in quality and worthy of such a man as ROGER RAMJET, who truly is a legend in his own mind.

While General G.I Brassbottom, risks the nations fate by putting unwarranted trust in Roger Ramjet's abilities and those of his team, The American Eagle Squadron who are clearly his intellectual equal and his all powerful nuclear pharmaceuticals also known as Proton Energy Pills, those wondrous crime fighting supplements that give him the strength of 20 atom bombs for a period of 20 seconds in which time (after ingestion) he makes evil doers wish they were not so evil, (or at least had their own series).

There is something about Roger Ramjet and Bullwinkle that modern animation lacks, it is truly funny without looking or sounding forced. I can't recommend this series enough without jumping up and down and looking very silly.

The Funniest.......2002-03-16

The wittiest cartoons ever, with a voice cast second to none. Gary Owens as Roger is tops, and his new DVD commentaries are charming, enlightening, and hysterical (What else would you expect?). Fun and funny -- not only timeless, but resonant with the world in 2002.

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