Mister Bogus

Synopsis of Saturday Morning Show

When Zodiac/Calico’s Widget, the World Watcher moved from weekend to daily syndication, the studio needed something to take the open weekend spot. Stepping in to fill the little guy’s shoes was another wee creature, Mister Bogus. Unlike his predecessor, Bogus offered no environmental lessons, just good old-fashioned goofy laughs.

The title character was a “truly unruly” foot-high, yellow gremlin who lived in the medicine chest of a suburbian American family. Bogus was at heart a good little gremlin, and he tried his best to help out around the house, but he just couldn’t manage to stay out of mischief. The trouble-prone imp was a master of disguise, and he could walk through mirrors and walls. Bogus also had a cousin named Brattus, who didn’t share Bogus’ nice streak.

The cel-animated show was spiffed up with claymation wraparounds, helping propel Mister Bogus into a ratings hit. Like Widget, the World Watcher, the show eventually became popular enough to move into daily syndication, and that lucky weekend spot was again left open.