Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch


Wheelie and the chopper Bunch is the only cartoon I know of starring a VW beetle
Hanna-Barbera's Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch revolved around a friendly Volkswagen bug named Wheelie and his girlfriend, Rota Ree. The two vehicles were constantly being antagonized by a rebel gang of evil motorcycles called the Chopper Bunch. Wheelie could not talk. He expressed himself through his horn and his windshield, which displayed his inner wishes and feelings (a beating heart, an “idea” lightbulb, the word “CHARGE,” etc.) Rota Ree could talk, as could all other cars in the town and the Chopper Bunch

The pilot for the television show, Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch, took over two years to produce and cost over two hundred thousand dollars. Publicly, the delay was blamed on extensive casting troubles for the voice of the lead character, Wheelie. Finally Donald B. Jones II opted to have Wheelie express himself only through sound effects and images displayed on his windshield. But behind the scenes production was also slowed by constant and furious battles between Jones and the background artist, Fernando "Monte" Montealegre.

Branding Montealegre's work on The Flintstones as "a direct affront to the principles of Futurism", Jones attempted to have him fired and then failing that, murdered, which landed him back in prison for six months where he continued to oversee production of Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch through daily half hour phone calls to the production staff.

He was released from prison on September 7th, 1974, ironically the very day that Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch premiered. After watching it through a department store window -- his TV having long been stolen by his former heroin dealer -- he resigned from the television show and committed suicide, citing creative differences. Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch aired for only one season from 9/7/74 - 8/30/75 on NBC.


Wheelie & the Chopper Bunch Episodes


Get A Doctor A Day at The Beach Ghost Riders Double Cross Country
The Stunt Show Razzle Dazzle Paint Job The Autolympics The Delivery Service
The Infiltrator The Big Bumper Surprise Party On The Town
Black Belt Fuji Our Hero Wheelie Goes Hawaiian The Inspection
The Old Timer The Copter Caper Dr. Crankenstein Bulldozer Buddy
Happy Birthday Wheelie Wheelie, The Super Star Down on The Farm Roadeo
Carfucios Says Mighty Wheelie Camping With a Go Go Lenny Van Limousine
Snow Foolin Wheelie In Paris Dragster Net Dragula
Boot Camp Dr Cykll And Mr. Ryde Johnny Crash Wheelie and The Smoke Eater
Friday The Thirteenth Wings Of Wheelie Wheelie's Clean Sweep



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I have searched far and wide and Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch stuff can only be found on ebay
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