Tom Slick (cartoon)

Tom Slick
Tom Slick in the Thunderbolt Grease-Slapper

Tom Slick is the cartoon star of a series of shorts that aired within the half-hour animated television series George of the Jungle (ABC, 1967). It was the work of Jay Ward Productions, the creators of Rocky & Bullwinkle and other satiric animated characters. Seventeen six-minute episodes were made.

Freckled, grinning, all-American racecar driver Tom Slick (voiced by Bill Scott) competes in various races with his trusty vehicle, the Thunderbolt Grease-Slapper. He is accompanied by his girlfriend Marigold (voiced by June Foray) and his elderly mechanic Gertie Growler (also voiced by Bill Scott). The two women do not always get along well. A recurring antagonist is the evil Baron Otto Matic (voiced by Paul Frees), and the Baron's stupid lackey Clutcher (voiced by Daws Butler impersonating Frank Fontaine), whom the Baron has a penchant for hitting across the head with a monkey wrench.

As the theme is sung, Tom's Thunderbolt Grease-Slapper suddenly "hops" out of control off a road and into a barnyard occupied by farm animals. Tom is knocked momentarily unconscious with a chicken sitting on top of his head as he drives straight into a brick wall. But he miraculously gets out of the sudden pandemonium as his car falls apart in mid-air, and suddenly falls back together again. The car then jumps onto (and off) a stone fixture bearing Tom Slick's name and gets back on the road as Tom waves his hand and smiles.

The theme's lyrics are as follows:

In comic books, Tom Slick appeared as a backup feature in Gold Key Comics's two-issue George of the Jungle title (1969).