Tim Mathieson Movies

In a typical Jonny Quest plot device, a well-meaning scientist's experiments go horribly awry. This time around, Dr. Isaiah Norman has created an invisible monster made of pure energy. The Quests try to exert a large measure of damage control as the monster goes on a rampage, absorbing everything -- and everyone -- in its path. John Stephenson, the original voice of Dr. Benton Quest, is here heard as the benighted Dr. Norman. "The Invisible Monster" originally aired on January 28, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Quests are dispatched to the forests of Canada, there to search for a rare form of petrified wood. Exploring on their own, Jonny Quest and his friend, Hadji, stumble across the lumber-mill headquarters of a gold-smuggling gang -- which is apparently guarded by huge and surly werewolf. As usual, the background art in this episode is markedly superior to the animation. "Werewolf of the Timberland" was originally networkcast on January 7, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the Java Sea, the Quest team -- Jonny, Dr. Benton, Race, and Hadji -- come across the "Star of Borneo," a disabled freighter carrying a mysterious cargo. Investigating, the party comes to the conclusion that the crew was killed by some sort of sea monster. The truth, however, turns out to be even more frightening. Keye Luke, the inimitable "Number One Son" of the Charlie Chan movies, provides the voice of a Chinese cook -- named Charlie. "The Sea Haunt" originally aired on March 11, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Quests head to the fjords of Norway, where something very strange is happening at Raklev Castle. According to the locals, the castle's gargoyles have come to life to terrorize the territory. Jonny and his friends soon discover, however, that the "monsters" are actually human spies, who dearly covet a new anti-gravity device being developed by a Norwegian scientist. The background art in this episode has been singled out by many reviewers as some of the finest graphic renderings ever to emerge from the Hanna-Barbera cartoon factory. "The House of the Seven Gargoyles" originally aired on February 18, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Manning his new experimental submarine, Dr. Quest embarks upon an underwater expedition. Back on the surface, Jonny Quest and Race are kidnapped by pirate chieftain Svedri and his not-so-merry crew. The two good guys are held for ransom, with the high-tech submarine as the "payoff." Making good use of the familiar Hanna-Barbera underwater "blur" effect, "Pirates from Below" was initially broadcast on January 14, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This time, the Quest team is forced to make an emergency landing high in the Andes mountains of South America. Here, our heroes find themselves at the mercy of Baron Heinrich Von Froelich, a former German fighter pilot. The Baron intends to kill everyone, but not before engaging Jonny Quest's bodyguard, Race Bannon, in a duel-to-the-death aerial dogfight. Originally telecast on November 20, 1964, "Shadow of the Condor" boasts some excellent background art, and better-than-average animation in the climactic air battle -- where the thrill quotient is intensified by the timely arrival of the titular condor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Master villain Dr. Zin makes his first Jonny Quest appearance in "The Robot Spy" (it would have been his second appearance, had the episode titled "Riddle of the Gold" not been held back from release until later in the season). The titular creation is used by Zin to extract information about the new para-power ray gun developed by Jonny's father, Dr. Benton Quest. Naturally, once this information is obtained, the Quest party is expendable -- but the heroes aren't about to be knocked off that easily. "Robot Spy" was first seen on November 6, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Zoologist Dr. Ashida, an old friend and colleague of Dr. Benton Quest, has been conducting experiments on the lizards of a remote island. Alas, Ashida has gone a bit off his trolley, and has developed a herd of deadly dragons. The final scenes, in which the Quest team squares off against the slithery monsters, boasts some of Hanna-Barbera's finest animation and detail work of the 1960s. "Dragons of Ashida" was originally telecast on December 18, 1964, holding its own even opposite a rebroadcast of Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A young girl named Denise Lor is targeted for terror when she falls under a deadly voodoo spell. The cause of it all is a seemingly harmless doll, which the villains need to complete their diabolical ceremonies. The Quest team comes a-riding to the rescue, though before long they may need rescuing themselves from a gang of blowgun-wielding baddies. Henry Corden, future voice of Fred Flintstone, is heard as Philipe Lor, the father of the unfortunate heroine. "The Dreadful Doll" made its network broadcast debut on December 4, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The fourth of Hanna-Barbera's prime time network series, Jonny Quest was also the company's most expensive and ambitious project to date. Eschewing the cartoony comedy of their earlier Flintstones, Top Cat, and Jetsons, Hanna-Barbera served up a blood-and-thunder adventure yarn reminiscent of the best pulp-fiction and Saturday-serial offerings of yore. Jonny Quest was the young, tousel-haired son of widowed research scientist Dr. Benton Quest, whose work required him to journey all over the world. Accompanying Quest on these expeditions were son Jonny; the boy's muscular tutor-bodyguard, Roger "Race" Bannon; his mystical East Indian friend, Hadji; and his pet bulldog, Bandit. Designed and developed by comic artist Doug Wildey, the series offered an exhausting array of perils and antagonists: mutated giant lizards, hideous sea monsters, powerful death rays, atomic-powered volcanoes, slavering ex-Nazis, and master criminals bearing names like "Dr. Zin". Though the animation left much to be desired, the characters, background design, and musical accompaniment (by Hoyt Curtin) was all first-rate throughout. Fourteen-year-old Tim Mathieson (who as Tim Matheson enjoyed a lengthy adult career on such TV series as The West Wing) provided the voice of Jonny, while the other cast members included Mike Road as Race, John Stephenson as Dr. Quest, Danny Bravo as Hadji, and Don Messick as Bandit (Messick took over from Stephenson as Dr. Quest after the first eight episodes). After its inital ABC prime time run, which began September 18, 1964, and ended September 9, 1965, Jonny Quest was rerun on Saturday-morning television -- over all three major networks -- from 1970 through 1981. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The title character in this Jonny Quest episode is a huge, voracious bird. While in the midst of a jungle expedition in search of a rare alloy called trinauxite, the Quest team is forced to do battle against the monstrous Turu. Veteran character actor Everett Sloane is heard as the villainous Deen, who is using Turu for his own sinister purposes. "Turu the Terrible" originally aired on December 25, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jonny Quest accompanies his father to the jungle, where Emil Harman, a friend of Dr. Quest's, has disappeared. It turns out that Harman is in the clutches of the infamous Po-Ho tribe. Not unexpectedly, Dr. Quest is also captured and slated to be "guest of honor" at a human sacrifice. It is up to Jonny, Race Bannon, and Hadji to come to the rescue. "Pursuit of the Po-Ho" originally aired on October 9, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jonny accompanies his dad, Dr. Quest, to the mountains India, where several sheepherders have succumbed to a mysterious illness. The bad guys responsible for this epidemic -- caused by a deadly nerve gas -- subsequently target the Quests for extinction, leading to a pulse-pounding climax wherein Dr. Quest's new Ultra High Frequency Sonic Amplifier is deployed to save the day. As an added bonus, the story of how Hadji became part of the Quest team is told by way of flashbacks. Written by future movie-of-the-week stalwart Jo Anna Lee, "Calcutta Adventure" was originally scheduled to air on October 16, 1964, but was moved forward to October 30. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide