It was not unusual back in the 70's and 80's for PBS to air a lot of independent content that had odd run times. Specials and movies could end with 10 to 20 minutes dangling to the next hour.

In 1982, I first saw a cool animated short from the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). Today that video appeared in my YT suggestion list!

Pick me up off the floor - this animated short is from 1971.

Oops!

Hey, I found another one. The Martians are watching us!

Here's an old favorite I first saw on PBS in 1987, let's hear it for Safety Dog!

Wow, those are pretty cool! I guess they must have been specific to Canada, because I never saw them. Pretty neat stuff though. 

I'm reminded of a cartoon that I had limited memory of but could not place for decades... until recently. I recalled a gang of bikers lead by a bird, and it had a gravely voice. One day, I heard the voice of Wolfman Jack on a podcast, and it hit me: that is the voice of the bird!

After searching his credits online, I found the cartoon!

Yes, that's exactly what I do. If I can only remember the voice actor, a search through IMDb narrows my selections until I find what I'm looking for!

Stanley, The Ugly Duckling is a perfect example of the animated shorts that used to be a fixture of television in the 20th century. Big shout out to the ABC Weekend/Afterschool Specials. Creators of animated shorts hrive when a broadcaster offers distribution for their work. ABC's goal was to jumpstart the production of more animated shorts and I've always given the network credit for the amazing revival of weekday/afterschool animated series that followed in the 1990's.

Did you notice how awesome the pelican attack scene is? The action flow of the individual characters was very well rendered. Fine Arts Films did an excellent job. Even the songs are well excuted, sweet without being sappy. Betcha the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen have been turned into animated cartoons far in excess to any other author.

Now it's time for my all-time favorite NFB animated short: The Big Snit - 1985.

Ya know, not all animated spiders are alike! 

It's been a long, long search - but at last I've found a computer animated short from the 1980's that used to air every Saturday Night on KBTC/PBS in Tacoma between Doctor Who, Blake's Seven and Star Cops throughout the 1990's.

"Computer Home" is a 1989 computer animated short by French animators Pierre Buffin and Henri Seydoux. The original French version is still on YouTube, as well as two English dubbed versions.

Turn up the volume and spend some time with this cartoon, the dialog is fascinating, if not always clear! The English dub version of Spider Chip 68000 is absolutely adorable. I love the voice given to the character, especially when she laughs. 

Put the burger down . . . and pick up a plate and fork.

It's a Wonderful Day for Pie!