FANTASTIC VOYAGE (1968) Complete Opening & Closing Themes

✰ FANTASTIC VOYAGE debut September 17, 1968 on ABC-TV and ran for seventeen color 30 minute episodes. ✰ Inspired by the 1966 movie "Fantastic Voyage" produced by 20th Century Fox, this further exploratory concept was originally intended as a live-action series to be produced at the studios of 20th Century Fox (in the same vein as the Irwin Allen productions such as "Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea" and "The Time Tunnel"), but was dropped and the series proposals for both "Fantastic Voyage" and "Journey To The Center Of The Earth" were contracted to Filmation Associates. ✰ This new C.M.D.F. team is commanded by an ex-Navy S.E.A.L. named Jonathan Kidd (whom bares more than a striking similarity to Marvel's "Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." complete with eyepatch!), and consists of biologist Erica Lane, scientist Busby Birdwell (whom built the 'Voyager'), and a "master of mysterious powers" known as Guru. ✰ Starring Ted Knight, Marvin Miller, Jane Webb ✰ Much of the layouts for this series (the line-drawn images used to create animation cels before ink & paint are applied over acetate) were drafted by Don Bluth. ✰ The series was directed by Hal Sutherland, and produced by Lou Scheimer and Norm Prescott for Filmation Associates, whom also produced "Journey To The Center Of The Earth", as well as the "Star Trek" animated series. ✰ Merchandising at the time included a comic-book series published by Gold Key Comics, a model kit of the Voyager flying submarine by Aurora, a game by Milton Bradley, and a View Master packet (containing 3 reels of 3D images) by Sawyers/GAF.