Synopsis of Saturday Morning Show

“Cut…It…Out!”

Standup comedian and future Full House star Dave Coulier headed up the cast of Out of Control, a zany comedy show from Nickelodeon’s formative years. Mixing live-action sketches with short animated bits, the show didn’t even pretend to have a prosocial purpose. It was all just fun and laughs, and that’s the way the kids liked it.

Dave spent much of his screen time sitting behind the anchor’s desk orchestrating the wacky proceedings, but he also traveled the country to find oddball people and places for the “It’s Probably True” segment. The multi-talented comic also provided the voice of Ha-Ha, a computer that printed out silly jokes for the kids at home.

Bespectacled inventor Waldo (creator of the “hurry-up machine”) took charge of another skit, “Great Moments in Inventions.” Ditzy blonde Angela Scoop acted as an on-the-spot reporter, while slimeball Hern Berferd oozed all the charm of a used car salesman. The cast was rounded out by Diz, an energetic screamer wearing more makeup than Tammy Faye.

Out of Control’s non-stop barrage of verbal and visual gags earned it a loyal following of young comedy junkies. Only 26 episodes were filmed, but those 13 hours of programming had the comedy goods to stay on Nick in seemingly neverending reruns. The show ran seven successful years, helping solidify Nickelodeon’s place as the kids’ network of choice and helping launch the TV career of its funnyman star.

Release History

1984 - 1991 Nickelodeon

TV Sub Categories

live-action
animated
comedy

Television Cast

Dave Dave Coulier
Diz Diz McNally
Hern Berferd Marty Schiff
Angela Scoop Jill Wakewood
Waldo David Stenstrom
Ha-Ha (voice) Dave Coulier

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