Jonny Quest (often referred to, but never titled on screen, as The Adventures of Jonny Quest) is an American science fiction/adventure animated television series about a boy who accompanies his father on extraordinary adventures. It was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions for Screen Gems, and created and designed by comic book artist Doug Wildey. Inspired by radio serials and comics in the action-adventure genre, it featured more realistic art, characters, and stories than Hanna-Barbera's previous "cartoon" programs. It was the first of several Hanna-Barbera action-based adventure shows, which would later include Space Ghost, The Herculoids, and Birdman and the Galaxy Trio, and ran on ABC in prime time for one season in 1964–1965. After spending two decades in reruns, new episodes were produced for syndication in 1986. Two telefilms, a comic book series, and a more modern revival series (The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest) were produced. A live-action feature film is reportedly in development.

Original 1964–1965 show

Inspiration

The James Bond film Dr. No inspired Joseph Barbera to develop an action-adventure program. Hanna-Barbera had originally intended to produce an animated adaptation of the radio serial Jack Armstrong. Hiring noted comic book artist Doug Wildey, the company began negotiations with Jack Armstrong's copyright owners, and produced a short (approximately two-minute) Jack Armstrong test animation sequence in 1962. Negotiations fell through, and the Jack Armstrong project was retooled into Jonny Quest. Although they do not appear in any episode, scenes from the Jack Armstrong test film were incorporated into the Jonny Quest closing credits montage: they are the scenes of Jack Armstrong and Billy Fairfield escaping from the African natives using a hovercraft. The test sequence and a number of drawings and storyboards by Doug Wildey were used to sell the series to ABC and sponsors.