Season 1 of DuckTales 1987 aired from September 18, 1987 to January 1, 1988 and includes 65 episodes, one of which features two stories in one, and nine of which formed the serials, "The Treasure of the Golden Suns" and "Catch as Cash Can".
Production[]
Walt Disney Television Animation began production on DuckTales in 1986, and the first season includes 65 episodes, the requirement needed for a show to have a weekday syndication (five days a week for thirteen weeks). Much of the season was inspired by Carl Barks' comic book stories, with ten episodes being full fledged adaptions, and Barks given credit for eight of them. Supervising producer of the first season was Fred Wolf, while Tom Ruzicka served as associate producer.
One of the show's developer, Jymn Magon, co-wrote the five-part pilot "The Treasure of the Golden Suns" with Bruce Talkington and Mark Zaslove, as well as the four-part serial "Catch as Cash Can", and some standalone episodes, while the duo David Wiemers & Ken Koonce were the most frequent additional writers. The duo Tedd Anasti & Patsy Cameron wrote the first episode that was produced, "Back to the Klondike", and served as story editors through out the season. Other writers of the season include Anthony Adams, Sharman DiVono, Evelyn Gabai, Michael Keyes, Richard Merwin, Bruce Reid Schaefer, and Len Uhley, as well as several contributors who were credited in one sole episode each: Eleanor Burian-Mohr, Diane Duane, Jack Enyart, Richard Esckilsen, Don Glut, Dale Hale, Jack Hanrahan, Pamela Hickey, Sam Joseph, Earl Kress, Randy Lofficier, James A. Markovich, Dennys McCoy, Francis Moss, Tom Naugle, Michael O'Mahony, Margaret Osborne, John Pirillo, Frank Ridgeway, Manette Beth Rosen, Astrid Ryterband, David Schwartz, John Semper, Chris Weber, Cherie Dee Wilkerson, Karen Willson, Mark Young, and Judy Zook.
David Block, Steve Clark, Terence Harrison and Alan Zaslove took turns directing the episodes, with timing director Vincent Davis serving as one-off director of the episode-segment "Take Me Out of the Ballgame".
For budget reasons, Disney outsourced the animation, mainly to two studios – TMS Entertainment in Japan and Wang Film Productions in Taiwan. TMS did the animation for the first 45 episodes to be produced (production numbers 101-145), while Wang did 19 of the remaining 20 – Australian studio Burbank Films produced the animation for "Down & Out in Duckburg". Four supervisors oversaw the overseas animation: Bill Wolf, Mike Reyna, Dale Schott and Sean Newton.
Broadcasting[]
The five-part series premiere "The Treasure of the Golden Suns" originally aired in syndication as a two-hour TV movie during the weekend of September 18–20, 1987 (the airdate varied by market – for instance, WSYT aired it on September 18, while WSBK-TV aired it on September 20).
Starting on the Monday of September 21, 1987 new episodes aired daily, until the season finale on New Year's Day of 1988. "The Treasure of the Golden Suns" first appeared in its serialized form from November 9–13, 1987.
Cast and characters[]
- Main article: DuckTales (1987 TV series)#Cast and characters
The series focus on established comic book characters Scrooge McDuck (Alan Young), "the richest duck in the world", and his grand nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie (Russi Taylor). Donald Duck (Tony Anselmo) plays a minor role, but makes regular guest appearance throughout the season.
Much of the supporting cast is original DuckTales characters, including Duckworth the Butler (Chuck McCann), daring pilot Launchpad McQuack (Terry McGovern), nanny Mrs. Beakley (Joan Gerber) and her granddaughter Webby Vanderquack (Russi Taylor), and the friendly but clumsy Doofus Drake (Brian Cummings). Also appearing frequently is inventor Gyro Gearloose (Hal Smith), adapted from the comic books alongside his sidekick robot, Lil Bulb (non-speaking).
Recurring villains, all based on existing comic book characters, include the "second richest duck in the world" Flintheart Glomgold (Hal Smith); menacing witch Magica De Spell (June Foray); and the dreaded Beagle Boys, foremost including Big Time (Frank Welker), Burger (Chuck McCann), Bouncer (Chuck McCann), Baggy (Frank Welker), Bankjob (Peter Cullen), Babyface (Terry McGovern) and Bugle (Brian Cummings), and led by Ma Beagle (June Foray).
Additional characters include Scrooge's secretary, Mrs. Featherby (various actors); his long time love interest, Glittering Goldie (Joan Gerber); Donald's lucky cousin, Gladstone Gander (Rob Paulsen); his commanding officer in the navy, Admiral Grimitz (Peter Cullen); and Magica's brother-turned-raven, Poe (Frank Welker).
Minor recurring characters debuting during the first season include Webra Walters (Joan Gerber), Vacation Van Honk (various actors), Benzino Gassolini (Gino Conforti), Lord Battmountain (Chuck McCann), Quacky McSlant (non-speaking), Farley Foghorn (Frank Welker), Gloria Swansong (Joan Gerber), John D. Rockefeather (Hal Smith), Lady de Lardo (Joan Gerber) and Mrs. Quackenbush (various actors). The Mayor of Duckburg makes one non-speaking appearance but will return in a speaking capacity in Season 2.
The characters Admiral Grimitz, Poe, Gladstone Gander, Benzino Gassolini, Gloria Swansong, Farley Foghorn, and Quacky McSlant do not appear past the first season, while Vacation Van Honk and Lord Battmountain, did return, but only as non-speaking characters. Donald Duck, while not appearing physically past the first season, continued to make photographic cameos up until the third season.
Episodes[]
- Note: On Disney+, the episodes are out of order and there are 2 episodes missing. The following list includes all the episodes in the correct order.
| # | Episode | Production | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Treasure of the Golden Suns" Part 1: "Don't Give Up the Ship" |
124 | September 18, 1987 |
| 2 | "The Treasure of the Golden Suns" "Part 2: "Wronguay in Ronguay" |
125 | |
| 3 | "The Treasure of the Golden Suns" Part 3: "Three Ducks of the Condor" |
126 | |
| 4 | "The Treasure of the Golden Suns" Part 4: "Cold Duck" |
127 | |
| 5 | "The Treasure of the Golden Suns" Part 5: "Too Much of a Gold Thing" |
128 | |
| 6 | "Send in the Clones" | 120 | September 21, 1987 |
| 7 | "Sphinx for the Memories" | 141 | September 22, 1987 |
| 8 | "Where No Duck Has Gone Before" | 133 | September 23, 1987 |
| 9 | "Armstrong" | 114 | September 24, 1987 |
| 10 | "Robot Robbers" | 134 | September 25, 1987 |
| 11 | "Magica's Shadow War" | 135 | September 28, 1987 |
| 12 | "Master of the Djinni" | 110 | September 29, 1987 |
| 13 | "Hotel Strangeduck" | 122 | September 30, 1987 |
| 14 | "Lost Crown of Genghis Khan" | 108 | October 1, 1987 |
| 15 | "Duckman of Aquatraz" | 129 | October 2, 1987 |
| 16 | "The Money Vanishes" | 107 | October 5, 1987 |
| 17 | "Sir Gyro de Gearloose" | 115 | October 6, 1987 |
| 18 | "Dinosaur Ducks" | 106 | October 7, 1987 |
| 19 | "Hero for Hire" | 113 | October 8, 1987 |
| 20 | "Superdoo!" | 121 | October 9, 1987 |
| 21 | "Maid of the Myth' | 112 | October 12, 1987 |
| 22 | "Down & Out in Duckburg" | 147 | October 13, 1987 |
| 23 | "Much Ado About Scrooge" | 131 | October 14, 1987 |
| 24 | "Top Duck" | 132 | October 15, 1987 |
| 25 | "Pearl of Wisdom" | 109 | October 16, 1987 |
| 26 | "The Curse of Castle McDuck" | 119 | October 19, 1987 |
| 27 | "Launchpad's Civil War" | 123 | October 20, 1987 |
| 28 | "Sweet Duck of Youth" | 103 | October 21, 1987 |
| 29 | "Earth Quack" | 102 | October 22, 1987 |
| 30 | "Home Sweet Homer" | 130 | October 23, 1987 |
| 31 | "Bermuda Triangle Tangle" | 117 | October 26, 1987 |
| 32 | "Micro Ducks from Outer Space" | 104 | October 27, 1987 |
| 33 | "Back to the Klondike" | 101 | October 28, 1987 |
| 34 | "Horse Scents" | 118 | October 29, 1987 |
| 35 | "Scrooge's Pet" | 105 | October 30, 1987 |
| 36 | "Catch as Cash Can" Part 1: "A Drain on the Economy" |
136 | November 2, 1987 |
| 37 | "Catch as Cash Can" Part 2: "A Whale of a Bad Time" |
137 | November 3, 1987 |
| 38 | "Catch as Cash Can" Part 3: "Aqua Ducks" |
138 | November 4, 1987 |
| 39 | "Catch as Cash Can" Part 4: "Working for Scales" |
139 | November 5, 1987 |
| 40 | "Merit-Time Adventure" | 116 | November 6, 1987 |
| 41 | "The Golden Fleecing" | 146 | November 16, 1987 |
| 42 | "Ducks of the West" | 140 | November 17, 1987 |
| 43 | "Time Teasers" | 142 | November 18, 1987 |
| 44 | "Back Out in the Outback" | 143 | November 19, 1987 |
| 45 | "Raiders of the Lost Harp" | 144 | November 20, 1987 |
| 46 | "The Right Duck" | 148 | November 23, 1987 |
| 47 | "Scroogerello" | 149 | November 24, 1987 |
| 48 | "Double-O-Duck" | 150 | November 25, 1987 |
| 49 | "Luck o' the Ducks" | 145 | November 26, 1987 |
| 50 | "Duckworth's Revolt" | 153 | November 27, 1987 |
| 51 | "Magica's Magic Mirror" | 111 | November 30, 1987 |
| "Take Me Out of the Ballgame" | |||
| 52 | "Duck to the Future" | 152 | December 1, 1987 |
| 53 | "Jungle Duck" | 151 | December 2, 1987 |
| 54 | "Launchpad's First Crash" | 155 | December 3, 1987 |
| 55 | "Dime Enough for Luck" | 157 | December 4, 1987 |
| 56 | "Duck in the Iron Mask" | 158 | December 7, 1987 |
| 57 | "The Uncrashable Hindentanic" | 156 | December 8, 1987 |
| 58 | "The Status Seekers" | 159 | December 9, 1987 |
| 59 | "Nothing to Fear" | 160 | December 14, 1987 |
| 60 | "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. McDuck" | 161 | December 23, 1987 |
| 61 | "Once Upon a Dime" | 162 | December 24, 1987 |
| 62 | "Spies in Their Eyes" | 154 | December 25, 1987 |
| 63 | "All Ducks on Deck" | 163 | December 30, 1987 |
| 64 | "Ducky Horror Picture Show" | 164 | December 31, 1987 |
| 65 | "Till Nephews Do Us Part" | 165 | January 1, 1988 |