Sony Pictures Family Entertainment's ROUGHNECKS: STARSHIP TROOPERS has
fallen behind schedule. Although the show is currently in syndication by
BKN (Bohbot Kids Network), only nine out of forty episodes have been
completed and several episodes have already been repeated with many more
repeats expected. Burbank, California-based Flat Earth Productions opted
out of its fifteen episode production contract after completing only three
episodes because they felt the schedule with the budget was overly

Studio City, California-based Phil Roman Entertainment Company has
announced that it is co-producing THE GAUDINS: A CHRISTMAS SPECIAL with
Barcelona, Spain-based ABCN Concept. S.L. The 22-minute animated special
will use designs inspired by early twentieth century Spanish architect
Antonio Gaudi. According to Phil Roman, the show will create a whimsical,
fantasy world for family audiences. The show will be available Christmas
2000, but has yet to be picked up. As previously reported, Phil Roman

Montreal, Canada-based Motion International has started production on
MARSUPILAMI, a 26 episode, half-hour animated television series based on a
comic strip by Belgium artist Andrè Franquin. French producer Marathon is
co-producing, and the series will be aired by Tele-Quebec, as well as
other, as yet undetermined, international broadcasters. Marsupilami is a
funny animal-type character with yellow fur, black spots and many talents.
He first appeared in 1952 in SPIROU MAGAZINE, a Belgian comic book. A

Channel Four has bought the broadcast rights to London, UK-based Link Entertainment's GRABBIT THE RABBIT, a clay-animated series of thirteen eight-minute episodes. The episodes are based on fables from around the world including those of Jean de la Fontaine and Joel Chandler Harris. (Disney adapted some of Harris' Brer Rabbit stories in SONG OF THE SOUTH.)

UPN has ordered thirteen episodes of DOOMSDAY from Film Roman for the 2000-01 season. As previously announced [Flash 8/17/99], DOOMSDAY is an animated sci-fi/comedy series. While the concept was created by writer/producer Tracy Torme, Howard Stern will play an integral role in the development of the script and in the production of the series, as well as provide the voice for the family dog. Several of Stern's celebrity friends will appear as special guest voices.

Fox Family Channel, which was launched on August 15, 1998 when Fox took over the Family Channel, has
announced its fall schedule. The schedule includes four new animated
series: WEIRD-OHS is about three kids uncovering the mysteries of life;
KIDS FROM ROOM 402, based on the book, GRACIE GRAVES AND THE KIDS FROM ROOM
402 by Betty Paraskevas, is about a classroom of ten year old eccentrics;
ANGELA ANACONDA, a cut-out style animated series, is about an eight year
old girl and her elementary school problems; and MEGA BABIES, revolves

John Kricfalusi, creator
of Nickelodeon's THE REN AND STIMPY SHOW, returns to television with two
long-awaited half-hour specials featuring Yogi Bear, Boo Boo, and their
nemesis, Ranger Smith. In BOO BOO RUNS WILD, Yogi's pal Boo Boo transforms
from a law-abiding cave dweller to Jellystone Park's greatest menace. Yogi
must save his buddy before Ranger Smith stops Boo Boo for good. A DAY IN
THE LIFE OF RANGER SMITH follows Ranger Smith on his daily routine as he
attempts to enforce ridiculous rules and regulations on Mother Nature.

San Francisco-based Wild Brain, Inc. has joined with Munich-based EM.TV &
Merchandising to co-produce POOCHINI'S YARD, a 26-episode series based on
Wild Brain's short, A DOG CARTOON. Wild Brain will manage all creative
aspects of the series which begins production this summer. Distribution
rights are planned to be split between domestic for Wild Brain, and
international for EM.TV. Wild Brain's credits include FERNGULLY 2: THE
MAGICAL RESCUE, and current productions THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY &

Disney's Whomptastic, the previously announced two hour cartoon programming
block which is set to air daily on UPN beginning September 6, has been
changed to DISNEY'S ONE TWO so that viewers will associate it with Disney's
other cartoon block, the ABC Saturday morning DISNEY'S ONE SATURDAY
MORNING. DISNEY'S ONE TWO will present the premiere of SABRINA THE ANIMATED
SERIES, as well as include the already established shows DISNEY'S RECESS,
DISNEY'S DOUG and DISNEY'S HERCULES.

Six new children's series based on popular titles from noted authors such
as Maurice Sendak, Rosemary Wells, Don Freeman and William Joyce will be
produced by Toronto-based Nelvana for distribution by the Public
Broadcasting Service (PBS) as a weekend block beginning in fall 2000. The
six book titles upon which the new series will be based are: Maurice
Sendak's SEVEN LITTLE MONSTERS, William Joyce's GEORGE SHRINKS, Don
Freeman's CORDUROY BEAR, Rosemary Wells' TIMOTHY GOES TO SCHOOL, Michael

Cartoon Network will offer two premieres on Saturday, August 21 and Sunday,
August 22 at 9 pm. On both days at that time, one can see the premiere of
COURAGE, THE COWARDLY DOG, created by John R. Dilworth, about a timid dog
who defends an elderly couple from paranormal threats. Immediately
following at 9:30 pm on both days is the premiere of Bill Wray's short
film, KING CRAB SPACE CRUSTACEAN, a parody of television science fiction
series. In the film the youngest crewmember of King Crab's intergalactic

Klasky-Csupo's latest TV series, ROCKET POWER, will premiere on Nickelodeon
on Monday, August 16 at 8:30 pm (ET/PT). Set in the fictional Southern
California beach community of Ocean Shores, ROCKET POWER features the
adventures of four extreme-sports loving friends who chase the ultimate
wave, ramp, or slope in quest of an adrenaline rush. ROCKET POWER is
co-created and executive produced by Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo,
co-founders of Klasky Csupo, Inc. which also produces the extremely

Nickelodeon's PHRED ON YOUR HEAD is a show in which Phred, an original
animated character who appears on the forehead of a different real kid
every day, and the kid whose forehead Phred appears on, introduce an
irreverent collection of classic segments from such educational shows as
SESAME STREET and THE ELECTRIC COMPANY, in addition to new material that is
educational and entertaining. Working from sketches provided by New
York-based Data Motion Arts (DMA), Possible Worlds and MTV Animation

J.J. Sedelmaier Productions has completed a third season of SATURDAY NIGHT
LIVE's TV FUNHOUSE. Segments included THE AMBIGUOUSLY GAY DUO in "Letters,"
in which the duo answered questions about their crime fighting techniques
and costumes, and "Boys," in which the duo's interest in crime fighting is
traced to their high school days.

Vancouver, Canada-based Mainframe Entertainment, Inc. has announced an
option agreement with Sirius Entertainment to develop a computer animated
television and direct-to-video series based on comic book artist/writer
Jill Thompson's SCARY GODMOTHER comic books. SCARY GODMOTHER was first
published by Sirius Entertainment for Hallowe'en, 1997 as a hardcover
graphic novel. Since then Sirius has published a new graphic novel every
Hallowe'en in addition to black and white one-shot comic books at other

Cartoon Network, the 24 hour all-cartoon cable service, has announced
several highlights on its fall schedule. These include: a TINY TOON
MARATHON on Sunday, September 19, 12-8 pm; the premiere of new series MIKE,
LU & OG, created by Chuck Swenson, Mikhail Aldashin, and Mikhail Shindel,
on November 12; the premiere of new series COURAGE, THE COWARDLY DOG,
created by John R. Dilworth, on November 12; the television premiere of the
feature-length SCOOBY-DOO AND THE WITCH'S GHOST on November 27 at 8 pm.

MTV: Music Television will premiere its newest animated series, MTV
DOWNTOWN, which was created by New York-based School of Visual Arts alumnus
Chris Prynoski, on Tuesday, August 3, 1999 at 10:30 pm ET/PT, 9:30 pm CT.
The 13-episode series will air regularly on Tuesday nights. MTV DOWNTOWN
focuses on the shy and thoughtful Alex, and his wild and crazy sister,
Chaka. Many of the characters and situations are based on interviews with
people around Manhattan.

In 1992, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS) first launched its 24 hour
all-cartoon cable service, Cartoon Network. Next spring, Turner will launch
a second all-toon service, Boomerang. When Cartoon Network debuted seven
years ago, it could have been called the Hanna-Barbera Network because its
programming consisted almost exclusively of the classic Hanna-Barbera
library, which was also owned by Turner. But recently new shows such as THE
POWERPUFF GIRLS and DEXTER'S LABORATORY, produced by Cartoon Network

BKN (Bohbot Kids Network) Bulldog Network, a programming block which debuts
in the US on August 29, 1999, has acquired the programming and licensing
rights for many worldwide territories for MONSTER RANCHER. The show will
debut as a lead entry on BKN as a daily Monday - Friday half-hour series.
MONSTER RANCHER was originally developed in Japan as a Sony PlayStation
video game by Tecmo, and the series is currently in production at TMS,
Japan's largest animation house. The series is about an 11 year old boy who

Children's BBC has commissioned newly formed London-based Silver Fox Films
to produce ANGELMOUSE, a 26-part series for the BBC. The series is about a
little mouse who has been sent down from heaven to help out. He's not very
good at his job, however, and whenever a good deed backfires, as often
happens, his halo dims or disappears. Graham Ralph is directing the series
which is slated to debut later this year. Graham Ralph recently formed
Sliver Fox after relinquishing his stake in London-based Hibbert Ralph