Magilla first bounded onto the boob tube in 1964. Breaking from the usual pattern, the series premiered in syndication before moving to network TV two year later. Although the gorilla appears in the title cartoon of each episode, the other segments are dedicated to Ricochet Rabbit and Droop-a-long and Punkin' Puss and Mushmouse. Ricochet (Don Messick, Scooby-Doo) is "the fastest sheriff in the west," Droop-a-long coyote (Mel Blanc, Bugs Bunny) is his foot-dragging deputy, and Punkin' (Melvin) and Mushmouse (Morris) are a hillbilly Tom and Jerry, locked in a rambunctious Hatfield and McCoy-type feud.

This Classic Collection includes 23 episodes plus eight shorts. Throughout, the gorilla is drafted by the army ("Private Magilla"), cast in a movie ("Groovey Movie"), and abducted by aliens ("Planet Zero"). After moving to ABC, the secondary toons would eventually be replaced by Breezly and Sneezly and Peter Potamus and His Magic Flying Balloon, featuring much of the same voice talent. In both cases, the suspender-sporting primate was the top star of the show. As the theme song, introduced in episode 14 ("Motorcycle Magilla"), would have it, "A gorilla like Magilla is nice at any price!" --Kathleen C. Fennessy