After the phenomenal success of "The Flintstones",and "The Jetsons", producers William Hanna and Joesph Barbera made their return to prime time in this animated comedy titled "Wait Till Your Father Gets Home". First seen as a special for the ABC-TV situation adult comedy series "Love American Style",was basically shown as a pilot and on the strength of that pilot,the show was launched into an weekly animated cartoon series for prime-time. It was shown in first-run syndication from the premiered episode on September 12,1972 and ended in March of 1974,in repeated episodes from the first season. This was an attempt to cash in on the enormous success of Norman Lear's All In The Family, and from the first episode was a instant hit,but it was aimed at adult audiences. It was the first for Hanna-Barbera Productions to do something that was beyond the usual calling---this was something totally different from the norm. This wildly funny series illustrated the generation gap and social issues reflecting the times,and this was set in the period of the early 1970's. But it was nothing like "All In The Family" at all,with one exception: Harry Boyle was not a racist at all,but he was however,highly educated and very successful as a businessman. A far cry from the radical aspects of Archie Bunker.
Father figure Harry Boyle(voiced by Tom Bosley of "Happy Days" fame) was a conservative businessman-father who was the president of the Boyle Restaurant Supply Company,who was continually exasperated by the excesses of his hippie/slacker of a son,Chet(David Hayward),and his sexually liberated daughter Alice(Kristina Holland),not to mention his obedient youngest son,Jamie(Jackie Haley). His wife Irma(Joan Gerber) was neutral but supportive with her husband in some of the topics mentioned. Their next door neighbor is the neanderthal communist hating Ralph(Jack Burns)who had a thing against people who were on the opposite side of American values. Harry's own modern-day children had their own side to certain issues but going through the difficulties of accepting their father's old-fashioned methods and the philosophies of life itself.
This was show that may have been quite controversial when it premiered,but it was extremely funny in parts along with some of the topics that were the brink of discussion but with mixed results. Since this was an adult-oriented show and a cartoon that was seen only in prime-time. The scripts that were written by some of the best in the business,especially for an animated cartoon with a social message in between the segment were done by the team of R.S. Allen and Harvey Bullock(writers for several Hanna-Barbera shows including "The Flintstones",and "The Jetsons")and also from Jack Elinson and Norman Paul. Elinson was one of the writers for the shows "Good Times", "One Day At A Time",not to mention several episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show". Paul on the other hand was a writer and as well as one of the producers for "The Doris Day Show".
Broadcast between 1972 and 1974,the 48-episode series appeared in prime-time only,and the first show since 1970's "Where's Huddles?" and the first in six years since "The Flintstones". The executive producers for this series were William Hanna and Joesph Barbera,with the animation produced in Canada to cut production costs. The show was seen in several major markets,including five-owned and operated NBC and ABC affiliates stations across the United States. The series was rebroadcast again on cable's Cartoon Network and again in 2002 for Cartoon Network's sister station Boomerang on a limited basis.
FYI: A good many celebrities appeared on the show,sometimes voicing cartoon representations of themselves. Among the special guest lists were Don Knotts(of The Andy Griffith Show),Phyllis Diller(of Laugh-In),Don Adams(of Get Smart),game show host Monty Hall(of Let's Make A Deal),along with Rich Little and Jonathan Winters.
