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Ruby-Spears Enterprises

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Ruby-Spears Enterprises
Ruby-Spears.jpg
Founded 1977
President
Notable Works The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy,
Alvin and the Chipmunks,
Heathcliff

Ruby-Spears Enterprises is a production company founded by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears, both of whom previously worked with Hanna-Barbera Productions. Their work consists mostly of animated TV specials and series. Some of their best-known work include The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy and its subsequent specials and series as well as the Alvin and the Chipmunks series and a couple related specials.

The company started in 1977, when Joe Ruby and Ken Spears decided to start their own production company after working with Hanna-Barbera. Some of their work there included writing for shows like Space Ghost and Dino Boy and The Herculoids before going on to create Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!. Their work as their own studio began immediately, when they got a commitment from ABC for a special and a series before they even opened their doors, a first for an animation company. They went on to produce many specials and series over the next few decades for ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX as well as in syndication.

Ruby-Spears, which was originally owned by Filmways Television, was purchased in 1981 by Taft Broadcasting and became a sister company to Hanna-Barbera. Both companies were purchased by Turner Broadcasting in 1990, which in turn was purchased by Time Warner in 1996. Most shows in the Ruby-Spears library are now distributed by Warner Bros. Television.

List of Shows

Title Format Buyer Year(s)
Fangface Animated action ABC 1978
Plastic Man Animated action ABC 1979–1980
Rickety Rocket Animated action ABC 1979–1980
Mighty Man and Yukk Animated action ABC 1979–1980
Fangface and Fangpuss Animated action ABC 1979–1980
Thundarr the Barbarian Animated action ABC 1980–1982
Heathcliff Animated comedy ABC 1980–1982
Goldie Gold and Action Jack Animated comedy ABC 1981–1982
The Scooby and Scrappy-Doo/Puppy Hour Animated comedy ABC 1982
Mork & Mindy Animated comedy ABC 1982–1983
The Puppy's Further Adventures Animated comedy ABC 1983–1984
Rubik, the Amazing Cube Animated action ABC 1983–1984
Saturday Supercade Animated action CBS 1983–1985
Alvin and the Chipmunks Animated comedy NBC 1983–1987
Mister T Animated action NBC 1983
Turbo Teen Animated action ABC 1984–1985
Dragon's Lair Animated action ABC 1984–1985
It's Punky Brewster Animated comedy NBC 1985–1988
Centurions Animated action First-run syndication 1986–1987
Rambo Animated action First-run syndication 1986–1987
Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos Animated action First-run syndication 1986
Sectaurs Animated action First-run syndication 1986
Lazer Tag Academy Animated action NBC 1987–1988
Superman Animated action CBS 1988
Dink, the Little Dinosaur Animated children's CBS 1989–1991
Police Academy Animated action First-run syndication 1989
Piggsburg Pigs Animated comedy FOX 1990
C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa Animated children's ABC 1993–1994
Mega Man Animated action First-run syndication 1994–1995
Skysurfer Strike Force Animated action First-run syndication 1995–1996