DEFENDERS OF THE EARTH
ORIGINAL AIRDATES: Sep 8, 1986-Sep 1987 in syndicationRERUNS: 1993-1996 on Sci-Fi Channel
EPISODES: 65
ANIMATION BY: Marvel Productions, Ltd.
DISTRIBUTED and OWNED BY: King Features Syndicate/Hearst Entertainment and DreamWorks Classics/NBC Universal
SUMMARY:
In 2015, Flash Gordon, the Phantom, Lothar, Mandrake the Magician and their children face off against Ming the Merciless. Originally produced in 1985, the TV schedules were full so it was held back until the fall of 1986.FACTS:
Flash Gordon and Ming the Merciless were created by Alex Raymond and first appeared in comic strips in 1934.
The Phantom, Mandrake the Magician and Lothar were all created by Lee Falk and first appeared in comic strips in 1936.
Lothar was Mandrake's assistant/sidekick and was promoted up to a full-fledged character in the show.
Diane Pershing voiced Dale Arden in both the 1979-81 Filmation Flash Gordon cartoon and in Defenders of the Earth.
Although Rick's mother/Flash's wife is not named in the first episode, she is presumed to be Dale Arden. In the Marvel comic book adaption of the show, she is named as such.
The 6th produced episode, 'Root of Evil', features some of the characters in totally different character designs. For instance, Ming is blue-skinned and has a Roman-style headdress. Lothar is wearing his original African costume and Jedda and Rick have different hairstyles/colors.
The series was produced when the rights to Flash Gordon, the Phantom and Mandrake all fell under King Features Syndicate at the same time.
Originally, the Phantom was going to have a son and Flash Gordon a daughter, but the sexes of the children were switched in the final product.
A toyline was produced by Galoob in 1986, and included Flash Gordon, Mandrake, Lothar, the Phantom, Ming and Garax action figures.
A four-issue mini-series was published from Jan-July 1987 by Star Comics, an imprint of Marvel Comics.
EPISODE GUIDE (in production & continuity order)
#01-101 Escape From Mongo#02-102 The Creation of Monitor
#03-103 A Demon In His Pocket
#04-104 A House Divided (Part 1)
#05-120 Family Reunion (Part 2)
#06-105 Bits 'N' Chips
#07-106 Root of Evil
#08-107 Cold War
#09-108 The Sleeper Awakers
#10-109 The Revenge of Astra
#11-110 Hall of Wisdom
#12-111 The Mind Warriors
#13-113 The Mind Warriors II
#14-112 The Lost Jewels of Tibet
#15-114 The Evil of Doctor Dark
#16-115 Diamonds Are Ming's Best Friends
#17-116 The Men of Frost
#18-117 Battleground
#19-118 The Panther Peril
#20-119 Fury of the Deep
#21-121 The Defense Never Rests
#22-122 Like Father, Like Daughter?
#23-123 The Would-Be Defender
#24-124 Doorways Into Darkness
#25-125 Deal With the Devil
#26-126 Terror In Time
#27-127 Ming's Household Helpers
#28-128 The Starboy
#29-131 The Book of Mysteries
#30-132 The Future Comes But Once
#31-133 Kshin and the Ghost Ship
#32-134 The Carnival of Doctor Kalihari
#33-135 The Mystery of the Book
#34-129 The Gods Awake
#35-130 The Ghost Walks Again
#36-136 Flash Times Four
#37-137 The Frozen Heart
#38-138 Rick Gordon, One-Man Army
#39-139 The Rites of Zesnan
#40-140 Audie and Tweak
#41-141 Return of the Sky Band
#42-142 Dracula's Potion
#43-143 One of the Guys
#44-144 100 Proof Highway
#45-145 The Time Freezer
#46-146 The Prince Makes His Move (Part 1)
#47-147 The Prince Triumphant (Part 2)
#48-148 The Prince Weds (Part 3)
#49-149 The Prince's Royal Hunt (Part 4)
#50-150 The Prince Is Dethroned (Part 5)
#51-151 Lothar's Homecoming
#52-152 Suspended Sabotage
#53-153 Call of the Eternals
#54-154 The Return of Doctor Dark
#55-155 The Deadliest Battle
#56-156 The Necklace of Oros (Part 1)
#57-157 Torn Space (Part 2)
#58-158 Ming Winter (Part 3)
#59-159 The Golden Queen (Part 4)
#60-160 The Gravity of Ming (Part 5)
#61-161 Flesh and Blood
#62-162 The Drowning World
#63-163 The Adoption of Kshin
#64-164 Street Smarts
#65-165 Ming's Thunder Lizards
VOICE ACTORS
William Callaway as Ming the Merciless and Kurt WalkerAdam Carl (1971) as Kshin and Young Kit Walker
Buster Jones (1943-2014) as Lothar
Loren Lester (1960) as Rick Gordon
Diane Pershing as Dale Arden/Dynak X
Sarah Partirdge as Jedda Walker
Hal Rayle (1955) as Prince Kro-Tan
Ron Feinberg (1932-2005) as Ming the Merciless (only 6 episodes)
Peter Renaday (1935) as Mandrake the Magician
Lou Richards (1951) as Flash Gordon
Peter Mark Richman (1927) as the Phantom/Kit Walker
Dion Williams as L.J. 'Lothar Jr.'
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