Colonel Bleep

Synopsis of Saturday Morning Show

One of the first TV shows produced in color, Colonel Bleep also had the good fortune of airing during the height of the USA/USSR Space Race. The Colonel, an oddly-shaped life form with a helmet on, was assigned to keep the peace on the Planet Futura. Stationed at his headquarters on Zero Zero Island, Colonel Bleep traveled through space and time, protecting the universe from the likes of Dr. Destructo and Captain Patch.

To assist him in his time travels, the Colonel enlisted the help of Squeek and Scratch. Squeek was a young boy who lived in the present and helped our hero understand the modern society of the 50’s. Scratch was a caveman with impressive strength who had failed to evolve but still retained his memories of the past.

One notable aspect of the series was the interaction between animated characters (Bleep, Scratch) and puppet characters (Squeek), which helped give the cartoon its futuristic look. Colonel Bleep was first seen on syndicated stations as part of local kids shows, but due to its popularity, the show lived on under its own title far into the 70’s.

Modern audiences can catch a glimpse of Colonel Bleep in the 1993 film The Speed Racer Movie.