Cartoon
Paw Paws
The story
Paw Paws (also known as Paw Paw Bears) is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that first aired in 1985 and 1986. It debuted as part of the weekday/weekend morning programming block The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera.
The series name is a play on the paw paw, a fruit cultivated by Native Americans and indigenous to North America, and a play on words with a bear's paw. Reruns of the show formerly aired on Cartoon Network and later Boomerang.
Plot
Deep in a forest, a group of Native American bear cubs defend themselves from their enemies The Meanos, led by the evil sorcerer Dark Paw. He and his henchmen are after the Paw Paws' three large wooden totems, Totem Bear, Totem Tortoise, and Totem Eagle. The totems also serve as the tribe's protectors, coming to life when needed through means of Princess Paw Paw's Mystic Moonstone, which she wears around her neck, to defend the village.
Much like other Hanna-Barbera programs, such as The Smurfs, The Biskitts, Shirt Tales, Snorks and the Pound Puppies, the bears had names that denoted their personalities—Laughing Paw, Medicine Paw, Bumble Paw, etc. Brave Paw and Princess Paw Paw tended to be the leads, riding into adventures on their magical flying ponies, while aging Wise Paw served as tribal advisor. The mascot of the group was a tiny dog by the name of PaPooch.
Paw Paws
Wise Paw (voiced by John Ingle) is the chief leader of the Paw Paws, and is the oldest and wisest of the tribe.
Princess Paw Paw (voiced by Susan Blu) is Wise Paw's daughter. She is beautiful and cares for everyone and the village. She carries around the Mystic Moonstone which has the power to bring Totem Bear, Turtle and Eagle to life. When she blows on her whistle, she can summon her flying horse Flying Cloud.
Flying Cloud is Princess Paw Paw's flying horse. Later in the series, she falls in love with the Black Stallion, with whom she has two foals.
Brave Paw (voiced by Thom Pinto) is the Princess's closest friend. He is courageous and willing to rescue his fellow Paw Paws from danger and fight the forces of evil. Aside from the Princess, he is the only other Paw Paw who rides a flying horse.
Golden Thunder is Brave Paw's flying horse. Brave Paw can summon Golden Thunder from Thunder Mountain simply by calling his name.
Mighty Paw (voiced by Robert Ridgely) is the biggest and strongest of the Paw Paws, although a bit slow.
Laughing Paw (voiced by Alexandra Stoddart) is younger than the Princess and is known for her sense of humor.
PaPooch (vocal effects provided by Don Messick) is Laughing Paw's pet puppy. He is loyal and brave, but always gets into trouble. His name is play on the Narragansett term papoose.
Trembly Paw (voiced by Howard Morris) is the coward of the tribe and would rather run from danger, although occasionally he would do heroic deeds.
Medicine Paw (voiced by Jerry Dexter impersonating W. C. Fields) is the shaman of the tribe, but he is a bit of a quack.
Totem Animals are the main protectors of the village. The Totem Animals can be awakened by the Mystic Moonstone wielded by Princess Paw Paw to fight off the Meanos.
Totem Eagle is a top Totem Animal and serves as the air transportation.
Totem Bear (vocal effects provided by Frank Welker) is the middle Totem Animal.
Totem Turtle is the bottom Totem Animal and its main function is water transportation.
Villains
Meanos are the main antagonists of the series.
Dark Paw (voiced by Stanley Ralph Ross) is the chief of the Meanos. He carries around a magic staff which he typically uses to zap his enemies, as well as other Meanos when they get on his bad side.
Slippery Paw is better known for his greasy long hair than for his intelligence, but he is still smarter than Bumble Paw.
Bumble Paw (voiced by Frank Welker) is the shortest and dumbest of the group.
Aunt Pruney (voiced by Ruth Buzzi) is Dark Paw's aunt and a witch who rides a vacuum cleaner instead of a broom. She complains to her nephew that he never calls or writes. Aunt Pruney is often disappointed at his constant failures and even helps him out. Aunt Pruney and Wise Paw knew each other personally.
The Greedy Greenies are green slimy monsters seen in a few episodes. They are mostly featureless, except for a pair of eyes, and have voracious appetites. The Greenies live in a hidden underground complex near the Paw Paw village. Intruders are lowered into a pool of slime that will cover the victim and eventually assimilate it, transforming them into a Greenie. Even Dark Paw is afraid of them.
Great Greenie is the leader of the Greedy Greenies.
Other characters
Eugene the Genie (voiced by Scatman Crothers) is a cat-like genie who is a friend of the Paw Paws. He has magic powers and a sassy attitude, especially towards Dark Paw.
Nice Paw is a former Meano who used to be called Nasty Paw. He was abducted by aliens, who reprogrammed his mind and forced him into reforming. Nice Paw has since traveled with the aliens and often returns to Earth.
Cast
Susan Blu – Princess Paw Paw
Ruth Buzzi – Aunt Pruney
Scatman Crothers – Eugene the Genie
Leo De Lyon –
Jerry Dexter – Medicine Paw
Laurie Faso –
Pat Fraley –
Billie Hayes –
John Ingle – Wise Paw
Tom Kratochvil –
Mitzi McCall –
Don Messick – PaPooch, additional voices
Howard Morris – Trembly Paw
Rob Paulsen –
Thom Pinto – Brave Paw
Robert Ridgely – Mighty Paw
Neil Ross –
Stanley Ralph Ross – Dark Paw
Marilyn Schreffler –
Alexandra Stoddart – Laughing Paw
Frank Welker – Bumble Paw, Totem Bear, additional voices
Merchandise
A line of Paw Paws toys were produced by Applause in 1985. Princess Paw Paw, Brave Paw, Mighty Paw, Pupooch, Medicine Paw, the Meanos and other characters were produced as PVC figurines ranging from 2" to 3" tall. The figurines had accessories, like a canoe or a cart. Pupooch was also produced as a plush toy. These were only produced for a short time and are rare today.
Home media
In 2019, Warner Archive released Paw Paws: The Complete Series on DVD in region 1 as part of their Hanna-Barbera Classic Collection.
Reception
In 2014, listing Paw Paws among twelve 1980s cartoons that did not deserve remembrance, io9 characterized it as "kind of racist", due to the characters' stereotypes of Native Americans.