King Koopa's Kool Kartoons

The 1980's was a magical time. Stallone and Arnold were in their prime, you could watch Mr. Rogers tell a story. But what about things that are hard t

The 1980’s were a magical time. Stallone and Arnold were in their prime, Nintendo came to America with its 8-bit glory, and you could watch Mr. Rogers tell a story...

Now I want you to think long and hard about all of your favorite 80's cartoons and TV shows. How about Mr. Belvedere? Small Wonder? Count Duckla? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? The Super Mario Brothers Super Show? Do any of these classic shows ring a bell? But what about things that are hard to remember?

Once upon a time in 1989, there was a show called King Koopa's Kool Kartoons. For those not familiar, King Koopa's Kool Kartoons was a Krusty the Clown type show…

A man dressed in a King Koopa costume played cartoons for a live audience of children and gave away prizes like gift certificates, power gloves and other NES gear.

When I was a wee lad, I would religiously park myself in front of the TV after school and watch the best hour of TV my young self had yet to experience. First was the Super Mario Brother Super Show, I will always have a warm place in my heart for Capt. Lou Albano. Next was King Koopa’s Kool Kartoons. Sometimes I would use my VCR and tape such occasions.

More recently, I tried "Googling" King Koopa's Kool Kartoons and found nothing. I tried "Googling" The King Koopa Show and alas, found nothing. Then I found RetroJunk.com and spent hours reminiscing about fond memories and old TV shows and cartoons. I searched for my beloved show on RetroJunk and still found nothing!

I then decided to take it upon myself to enlighten all of you RetroJunk junkies. I added the show to Retrojunk's database and decide to write this article.

Then I remembered my old video tapes... I know I used to tape these shows! So the search began. Looking through mounds of old tapes with blank labels, fast forwarding through hours of tape looking for the lost show. Nothing... I was about to give up hope but then I found it! An old tape labeled Super Mario Bros Cartoons.

"Could it be?" I thought to myself, racing to my VCR. I felt like a young Indiana Jones about to discover the Arc's final resting place. I put the tape in, pressed play and there he was. A tear formed in my eye. This tape not only included 2 full episodes of King Koopas Kool Kartoons, it also included an episode of Small Wonder, 2 Episodes of The Super Mario Super Show as well as various, priceless, 80’s commercials. Like one for the Powerglove. What memories! It was like going back in time. My young life flashed before my eyes... A feeling that's indescribable over took me… I quickly transferred the videotape to my computer, forever preserving this lost treasure.

When I re-watched King Koopa's Kool Kartoons some 16 years later, I realized that I must have been a lonely, lonely, sad child... Like most fond childhood cartoons, re-watching them when you are grown up just isn’t the same.

The King would play very old cartoons from the early 1920's and 1930's none of which were very good. Even the live action part of the show with the King wasn't as funny as I remembered and it was a bit cheesy. The funniest part was realizing how unrehearsed the show seemed to be. It’s almost like the show’s writers wrote the script and material a day before it aired, like procrastinating on a school paper. I guess that is what happens when you are 16 years more mature...

When most kids would dream about flying or super heroes, I would dream about being one of King Koopa's Troopas. Although it was short lived this show must have made a major impact on my young brain. Long Live King Koopa!!

I have come up with a simple hypothesis. This show may have only been aired in Southern California. I watched it on Fox 11. Until now, history or information on this show was nowhere to be found online! Perhaps it's because of the shows limited broadcasting range....

I recommend that you search RetroJunk.com now for King Koopa's Kool Kartoons. I wrote the summary and I also donated the show's intro. Enjoy!

I would love to hear you, the readers. Comments and feed back are welcome and wanted. My user name is MIaconoSP and my Email address is [email protected]

Best wishes my fellow RetroJunk.com Junkies, and I bid you farewell.

Sincerely,
Mike “The Koopa Troopa” Iacono

Comments

Such a show never aired here in PA. Pretty much every variation of the mario bros shows did, but not this koopa kartoons one.

yeh u shold upload those episodes i relllllllllllly want to see theam

I'm a SoCal kid who remembers this show fondly, mostly because of the grouchy, gruff talking King Koopa. A friend of mine was even in the audience one day while I was watching (apparently not a good enough friend to invite me along though-JERK!). Of course I confronted him about it the next day as he proudly wore his "Koopa Troopa" T-shirt.

I always expected a cross-over with the Super Mario Bros. Super Show, but I guess that would have led to an all out riot from the "Peanut Gallery" and a barrage of empty turtle shells.

could you upload the 2 episodes or upload the 2 episodes to youtube i really want to see them

i watched the intro of this show and its seriously creepy

Never heard of it, but it looks weird because there is a man who dresses up like Kin Koopa

I remember watching it, wich is kinda fun since I live in Sweden.
It was brodcasted on The Childrens Channel, a British channel.

I wish I still had my old VHS recordings of TV shows and such from the 80s...

if i remeber right this was onlay a Southern California local show never got realse in all of the usa

I live in So-Cal and I remember watching this show all the time when I was a young lad. I remember specifically Koopa once held a contest to have kids write in and name Mario's father. I wrote in with "Mari-old"... which is a horrible name, and I didn't win whatever the prize was. But I did get a consolation prize which was a subscription to Fox Kids Magazine (which was a free magazine anyway)

Koopa!! I remember this show....I'm not from Cali. though. Of course it's not the same now, what is? We're all "grown up".It's nice to have an old archive...memories.

We may grow up - but we will never forget!

Cricket crimony, that Koopa Kostume is frightening!

It sounded like a cool show, though.

Whoa this must be a forgotten show, I am a huge Nintendo Fan and I have never heard of this show. I'm glad you posted it on there.