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Gravedale High
Gravedale High
Gravedale High
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Gravedale High
Also known asRick Moranis in Gravedale High
GenreComedy horror
Created byDavid Kirschner
Developed by
Written by
  • Ernie Contreras
  • Ted Himmel
  • Glenn Leopold
  • Bruce Reid Shaifer
StarringRick Moranis as Max Schneider
Voices of
Theme music composerTyrell Music Group
ComposersThomas Chase
Steve Rucker
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13
Production
Executive producers
Running time30 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 8 (1990-09-08) –
December 1, 1990 (1990-12-01)

Gravedale High (also known as Rick Moranis in Gravedale High) is an American animated series produced by H-B Productions Co. for NBC Productions (the latter company owns all rights to the series). The series premiered in the fall of 1990 on NBC as part of its Saturday morning children's lineup and lasted thirteen episodes.[1]

The show was developed as an animated vehicle for Moranis, building on his star appearances in the series of Ghostbusters and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids film franchises.

Premise

[edit]

The show revolves around the misadventures of human teacher Max Schneider who has unwittingly taken a job at Gravedale High, a school for monsters, near the city of Midtown. Schneider, the only human in the school, presides over a group of ghoulish teenagers that are latest-generation versions of classic movie monsters.[2]

Most of Schneider's students are either disruptive, uninterested, and/or unduly self-preoccupied in school, and the class is generally considered disreputable if not uncontrollable (not unlike "the Sweathogs" in Welcome Back, Kotter), the implication being Schneider was hired to teach the class because no monster teacher would take the job.

The actual "town" of Gravedale is occasionally seen and consists primarily of various cemeteries including the Eastside Cemetery and the Midtown Mausoleum. It can thus arguably be considered a "suburb" of Midtown, although few humans seem to know of its existence. In addition to the students' homes, it is known to include a doctor's office (which is run by a medical version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as seen in "Fear of Flying") and a literal body shop where people can purchase parts to assemble monsters. The existence of a charitable organization known as the United Monster Fund (dedicated to helping schools like Gravedale High "around the world") indicates Gravedale is part of an entire monster subculture.

Characters

[edit]

Main characters

[edit]
  • Maxwell Schneider (voiced by Rick Moranis) - A human teacher with a very thin physique. Very much the grown up nerd and very proud of being a teacher who can make a difference. Dresses in a plain preppy business suit attire. He always wears a polka-dotted bow tie and thick dark horn-rimmed glasses, and he has wavy auburn hair and warm brown eyes. His personality is quirky but very steady (it has to be, given his being in charge of his motley young crew); he is friendly, fun, open-minded, and one of the hardest-working teachers on the Gravedale High staff. He often wears hats or wigs related to his lesson of the day (i.e. an Albert Einstein wig during a science lecture). He would be just like one of the monsters if he was not human. A dedicated instructor who truly cares for each of his students.
  • Vinnie Stoker (voiced by Roger Rose) - A Fonz-esque version of Count Dracula. His name is an homage to Bram Stoker and the commonality in fiction of giving vampires names that begin with V. He dresses like a 1950s greaser and often arrives late to class, which stems more from his lack of interest in academia than nocturnal habits. This is source of much debate between Schneider and Vinnie, who spends a lot of his time keeping Vinnie's boots off his desk. Vinnie is lazy by nature, but will do "studious things" or hard work if it serves his best interest.
  • Frankentyke (voiced by Frank Welker) - A short Frankenstein teenager. His short stature is the antithesis of the classic image of a hulking, frightening monster. As seen in Night of the Living Dad, his father is a human scientist who evidently created him; he apparently has no mother.
  • Reggie Moonshroud (voiced by Barry Gordon) - A red-haired werewolf, Reggie is prone to shedding a great deal when nervous, and may sometimes howl, but generally has his emotions under control (contrasting the image of werewolves having carnal instincts). As a nod to Richie Cunningham from Happy Days, he and the Fonz-like Vinnie are best friends, which also embodies the antithesis of the classic monster movie genre, which often depicts werewolves and vampires as mortal enemies.
  • J.P. Ghastly III (voiced by Frank Welker impersonating Peter Lorre) - A wealthy blue-skinned ghoul. Sid once referred to him as a "quirk," which, if taken literally, implies that he is one of a kind and, indeed, his monster classification is unidentified. There is a bit of rivalry between him and Vinnie.
  • Gill Waterman (voiced by Jackie Earle Haley) - A lagoon monster surfer. His name is a pun on both terms, and he overuses surfer lingo. Best friends with Frankentyke, Gill likes to surf, idolizes famed surfer Kahuna Bob (who is aware of the existence of Gravedale), and has a voracious appetite. As seen in Night of the Living Dad, Gil's parents dress in attire associated with the aristocracy of the Southern United States (perhaps as a nod to the Black Lagoon's location in South America), but Mr. Waterman shares his son's fondness for surfer lingo.
  • Cleofatra (voiced by Ricki Lake) - An overweight teenage mummy in contrast to the emaciated appearance generally associated with mummies; she is best friends with Duzer. Her name is usually abbreviated as "Cleo." Best friends with Duzer. Cleofatra has a crush on TV monster celebrity Billy Headstone who is the star of the daytime soap opera "Trudy and the Beast" (which is a parody of the 1980s show Beauty and the Beast).
  • Sid (voiced by Maurice LaMarche) - A Invisible teenager. Sid is the class clown and does various impersonations (implying that perhaps his creation and name were inspired by Sid Caesar). He draws attention to himself with his antics as opposed to going unnoticed. Oddly, like many cartoon anthropomorphic animals, Sid apparently does not wear pants, unless his pants are invisible, as the rest of his wardrobe is not. Sid's parents are also talented impersonators as seen in the episode "Night of the Living Dad."
  • Blanche (voiced by Shari Belafonte) - A French-accented zombie girl who loves to shop, a literal "mall zombie." Her name and personality comprise a pun on the verb form of "blanche" as a synonym for turning pale, 'carte blanche', and Blanche DuBois (in the episode "Monster Gumbo", she comments that she has "always depended on the kindness of monsters" parodying a line from A Streetcar Named Desire). Blanche frequently dates J.P., although it is implied she finds his money to be his most attractive asset. Blanche is a shopaholic who is frequently teased by her classmates about how many credit cards she has maxed out. She is a bit of a clothes horse. She does sew her own clothes and can cook, though she does not like domestic duties; her ambition being to marry the richest monster in the world. J.P.'s ambition, in turn, is to be the richest monster in the world.
  • Duzer (voiced by Kimmy Robertson) - A medusa Valley girl minus the petrifying gaze; her hair includes three snakes who can act of their own accord, much to her irritation since, when in motion, they are strong enough to drag her along with them. She is best friends with Cleo, whom she often drags into various schemes, against Cleo's better judgment. Her response to anyone who annoys her is "Get a life!" which is ironic in that many Gravedale students and staff members are in fact already dead. She is pretty, vain, competitive, bossy, and likes to be the boys' center of attention, particularly that of Vinnie, who she seems to have an unrequited crush on. In the first episode, Duzer replies that she cannot do anything with her snake hair and Cleo offers to help her "get her hair ready for Vinnie." Duzer states that she does not have a crush on Vinnie Stoker. Frankentyke swipes her diary off her desk and reads out loud a passage about that reveals otherwise. Schneider enters the classroom just as Duzer gives chase and states that Frankentyke took her diary. Tyke throws the evidence out the window. Vinnie flies into the window with said diary and tries to read it before Duzer yells at him "If you read that, you're dead." Beyond this, there was no mention of Duzer and Vinnie's relationship in the series.

Other students

[edit]

Other recurring students include:

  • Alpha-Mae Centauri - A centaur.
  • Blobby - A student reminiscent of The Blob.
  • Busby - A human fly.
  • Elephant Boy (voiced by Frank Welker) - An elephantine parody of the Elephant Man. He speaks with Received Pronunciation. One of two students who campaigned vigorously for Class President (although Vinnie campaigned just for kicks and won).
  • Iggy - A hunchbacked student that resembles the archetypical "Igor" type of mad scientist assistant. Iggy has a zipper along the length of his scalp implying he is both hunchback and a Frankenstein-type monster. He tends to forget his brain and is often scolded by Headmistress Crone for this.
  • Moorehead - A Metaluna Mutant who is a student in Coach Cadaver's class.
  • Nardo - A gargoyle jock who is Vinnie's rival in sports. He is also a student in Coach Cadaver's class.
  • Natasha Neckinski - A vampire girl with a Russian accent, contrasting to the thoroughly Americanized Vinnie.
  • Rover (voiced by Frank Welker) - A werewolf who speaks in a manner similar to Scooby-Doo.
  • Seymour (voiced by Barry Gordon) - A cyclops.
  • Suey - A porcine girl. Like Elephant Boy, she vigorously campaigned for Class President. The two performed a Romeo and Juliet-like recital at a talent show, suggesting they are dating.

There are also some unidentified students resembling the monsters from The Brain from Planet Arous, The Crawling Eye, and other films.

Teachers

[edit]

The bespectacled Mr. Schneider has his hands full with his new students, but he has Gravedale's spooky staff (where some of them initially do not trust Schneider due to his human status but develop a camaraderie with him as the overall story arc develops) to help him out. Like Schneider, each teacher oversees a specific class of students. Gravedale High's staff include:

  • Headmistress Crone (voiced by Georgia Brown) - The strict principal who runs the school with an iron albeit easily-detachable left hand. As her name implies, she is a witch-like monster. Her grandfather Cretin Crone founded the school and later passed it on to his son Addlepate. She can be ruthless to trouble-making monsters and faculty who do not toe the line, but is generally an able administrator. Although Headmistress Crone considered herself taking a risk hiring a human teacher, she knows she made the right decision when Schneider disciplines the unruly "misfit" class and now works to give him support.
    • Clawford (vocal effects provided by Frank Welker) - Headmistress' Crone's undead cat who is periodically seen hunting and being outwitted by a hunchbacked rat called Bella.
  • Boneyard (voiced by Brock Peters) - A lanky white-haired staff member dressed like an undertaker. He fills various roles at Gravedale High including bus driver, driver's ed teacher, and Gravedale Gazette printing press operator. He somewhat resembles the Tall Man from the Phantasm films and is a little reminiscent of Digby O'Dell from The Life of Riley.
  • Coach Cadaver (voiced by Jonathan Winters) - A strict hot-headed zombie (his head is stitched together at the top, so his brain is removable) who works as a gym teacher. He is categorized by Crone as a "human-hater." Coach Cadaver dislikes Schneider's students (calling them "misfits") as well as Schneider himself (whose hiring he opposed). His nasty attitude is generally disliked, making him a pariah among the Gravedale faculty as opposed to Schenider's easygoing demeanor.
  • Miss Dirge (voiced by Eileen Brennan) - A teacher that resembles the Bride of Frankenstein. She shows mild romantic interest in Schneider, as she admits some monster women find human men attractive. Her name is a play on dirge or mournful funeral song.
  • Chef Sal Monella (voiced by Maurice LaMarche) - A monster of unspecified variety who works as a chef in the school cafeteria. Sal takes pride in his filthy kitchen. His name is an obvious pun on salmonella.
  • Mr. Tutner (voiced by Tim Curry) - A mummy history teacher with bad breath who wears sunglasses, a coat, and a tie. Like Cleofatra, Mr. Tutner is pudgy, contrasting the typical association of mummies with sickliness and emaciation. He gets along well with Schneider and tries to compete for a charity fundraising award by attributing his long life to pyramid power as seen in "Monster Gumbo." He notes that, thanks to pyramid power, he "[doesn't] look a day over five thousand," implying he is significantly older than that.
  • Miss Webner (voiced by Sandra Gould) - As the presence of the word "web" in her name suggests, she is a spider-woman, having six arms and two legs.

Episodes

[edit]
No.TitleWritten byOriginal release date
1"Long Day's Gurney Into Night"Ernie Contreras & Glenn LeopoldSeptember 8, 1990 (1990-09-08)
When Sid comes down with a sickness, Max ends up having to take him to the Community Hospital since Gravedale High no longer has a doctor or a school nurse (they ran off together). Sid ends up being chased by the doctors when he does not want his tonsils removed. The other Gravedale students do not want to venture into the human world to visit Sid until Max slips into the moat and the class begs Boneyard to drive the bus to get him to the hospital.
2"Do the Rad Thing"Christian Schoon and Ernie Contreras & Glenn LeopoldSeptember 15, 1990 (1990-09-15)
While teaching Frankentyke how to surf, Gill ends up meeting a professional surfer named Kahuna Bob. He starts training to become a professional surfer under Bob, but both his schoolwork and friendship with Frakentyke start suffering as a result. Things come to a head when Gil decides to drop out of school and become a professional surfer.
3"Cleo's Pen Pal"Bruce Reid Schaefer and Ernie Contreras & Glenn LeopoldSeptember 22, 1990 (1990-09-22)
Cleofatra sends fan-mail to monster actor Billy Headstone who is the star of "Trudy and the Beast", who gets a response that he is in Midtown and would like to have a date with her. Cleo admits that due to her low-self esteem, she has sent Billy a picture of Duzer as herself.
4"Monster Gumbo"Glenn Leopold & Ernie ContrerasSeptember 29, 1990 (1990-09-29)
Blanche's secret family recipe for Monster Gumbo proves to be necessary for Max Schneider's class to win a competition for raising charity money against Coach Cadaver's class in a competition to earn money for the United Monster Fund. It is soon targeted by a gumbo chef named Big Daddy.
5"The Dress-Up Mess-Up"Chis Schoon and Ernie Contreras & Glenn LeopoldOctober 6, 1990 (1990-10-06)
The students all chip in to buy Mr. Schneider a reservation at an expensive restaurant as part of a birthday present, but Duzer persuades Cleofatra to lend her the money in a plot to buy an expensive dress, win the Gravedale Fashion Show, and return the dress to get the money back. When Natasha Neckinski's "mongoose stole" is revealed as instead a living "stolen mongoose," the snakes in Duzer's hair are frightened into fleeing dragging Duzer with them and ruining the dress. Duzer is forced to get a job to cover her embezzlement, and is hired at a western-themed burger joint, where her snake attire is a hit.
6"The Grave Intruder"Ted Himmel and Ernie Contreras & Glenn LeopoldOctober 13, 1990 (1990-10-13)
Duzer takes over the Gravedale Gazette turning it into the Gravedale Intruder where she makes up false stories about the students and staff.
7"Fear of Flying"Paul Dell & Steven Weiss and Glenn Leopold & Ernie ContrerasOctober 20, 1990 (1990-10-20)
After Reggie's science project ruins Nardo's play in Footbomb, Nardo ends up challenging Vinnie to "Fly or Splat" (an aerial version of "Chicken" played by flying monsters). When Vinnie ends up struck by lightning and loses his flight ability, the other students help him recover it before his showdown with Nardo.
8"He Ain't Scary, He's My Brother"Glenn Leopold & Ernie ContrerasOctober 27, 1990 (1990-10-27)
Frankentyke's older brother Big Frank, an alumnus of Gravedale, takes time off from his job at the funeral parlor to spend some time with his "little 'bro". Unfortunately for Frankentyke, Blanche, Cleofatra, and Duzer each end up developing a crush on Big Frankie, and their dates are cutting into fun events Frankentyke has planned. However, when Frankentyke and Mr. Schneider run afoul of human thugs, maybe help is on the way.
9"Frankenjockey"Bruce Schaefer and Glenn Leopold & Ernie ContrerasNovember 3, 1990 (1990-11-03)
A horse named Hoover that has never won a horse-race escapes from his owners Colonel Saddlesoar and Liverpool. He has a run-in with Frankentyke during his class' hike and develops a liking for him. Colonel Saddlesoar hires Frankentyke as a jockey for Hoover (upon Max's insistence that Hoover enjoy a peaceful retirement in a nice pasture), but there are other forces at work as Liverpool and a fellow worker plan to see to it that the upcoming horse race gets fixed.
10"Save Our School"Ernie Contreras & Glenn LeopoldNovember 10, 1990 (1990-11-10)
Vinnie, who is flunking civics, is ordered by Schneider to run for student body president in order to learn for himself the importance of government. At the same time, hotel tycoon Belle Gardens plans to have Gravedale High demolished so that she can place one of her Empress Hotels there. Vinnie wins the election, then learns the hard way that leadership is more than a popularity contest when he must first oversee Gravedale High becoming inspection-ready, then appeal to the Midtown selectmen about Belle's targeting of Gravedale's land.
11"Night of the Living Dad"Bill MathenyNovember 17, 1990 (1990-11-17)
Gravedale High's talent show is coming up and every student's parent will be attending. With help from Gill, Frankentyke builds a phony father for himself in order to hide that his father is human. When Frankentyke and Gill accidentally break the genius brain, they end up getting the brain of a Hollywood agent.
12"Goodbye Gravedale"Ernie Contreras & Glenn LeopoldNovember 24, 1990 (1990-11-24)
As Schneider's class produces a class movie, Mr. Schneider receives an acceptance letter for a Midtown Prep School teaching position which he applied for prior to becoming a Gravedale High teacher. Happy in his current position, he discards the letter, but his students find it. Thinking he is leaving and will use the class movie so that human students can make fun of them, the students turn against him, alienating him so that he does in fact leave Gravedale High to teach at Midtown Prep School. This causes Headmistress Crone to call in substitute teacher after substitute teacher until she can get a replacement. Eventually, the students miss Schneider and he misses them as well. He poses as a substitute teacher named Mr. Creepers. Upon learning the cause of discord, Max Schneider unmasks and everything returns to normal....for Gravedale High.
13"Monster on Trial"Story by: Ernie Contreras & Glenn Leopold and Robert Tartow
Teleplay by: Glenn Leopold & Ernie Contreras		December 1, 1990 (1990-12-01)
Reggie Moonshroud's bad driving in Driver's Ed causes Boneyard to give up teaching it, so Max Schneider takes over. His recent bad driving leads to Mr. Schneider getting sued for $1,000,000 when Reggie lightly rear-ends an old lady named Ms. Fresno who claimed that Reggie and Max fiercely rear-ended her. When Ms. Fresno wins the case with her side of the story causing Judge Killjoy to sentence Max and his students to prison, Reggie and Frankentyke must find a way to get Max and the others out of jail and expose Ms. Fresno for fraud.

Cast

[edit]
  • Rick Moranis as Max Schneider
  • Shari Belafonte as Blanche
  • Eileen Brennan as Miss Dirge
  • Georgia Brown as Headmistress Crone
  • Tim Curry as Mr. Tutner
  • Barry Gordon as Reggie Moonshroud, Seymour, City Council Member (in "Save Our School")
  • Sandra Gould as Miss Webner
  • Jackie Earle Haley as Gill Waterman
  • Ricki Lake as Cleofatra
  • Maurice LaMarche as Sid, Chef Sal Monella, Bouncer (in "Cleo's Pen Pal"), Big Frankie (in "He Ain't Scary, He's My Brother"), Marty (in "Night of the Living Dad"), Mr. Creepers (in "Goodbye Gravedale")
  • Brock Peters as Boneyard
  • Kimmy Robertson as Duzer
  • Roger Rose as Vinnie Stoker
  • Frank Welker as Frankentyke, J.P. Ghastly, Clawford, Elephant Boy, Rover, Roadkill (in "He Ain't Scary, He's My Brother"), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (in "Fear of Flying"), Beaver (in "Frankenjocky"), Crow (in "Frankenjocky"), Hoover (in "Frankenjocky"), Porcupine (in "Frankenjocky"), Race Announcer (in "Frankenjocky"), Squirrels (in "Frankenjocky"), Mr. Gross (in "Goodbye Gravedale"), Police Officer (in "Monster on Trial"), Bailiff (in "Monster on Trial"), Prison Officer (in "Monster on Trial")
  • Jonathan Winters as Coach Cadaver

Additional voices

[edit]

Crew

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Gravedale High

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Gravedale High, also known as Rick Moranis in Gravedale High, is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that premiered on NBC on September 8, 1990, and ran for one season of 13 episodes until December 1, 1990. The series centers on the misadventures of human teacher Max Schneider, who unwittingly accepts a position at Gravedale High, a school populated entirely by monster students inspired by classic horror archetypes. The show's premise revolves around Schneider, voiced by Rick Moranis, attempting to maintain order and educate his diverse class of monstrous teenagers, including characters such as the invisible Sid, the mummy Cleofatra, the Frankenstein's monster-like Frankentyke, the Vinnie Stoker, the gill-man , the Duzer, the Blanche, the Reggie Moonshroud, and the gnome-like J.P. Ghastly III. These students embody high school reimagined as monsters, leading to comedic situations involving antics and typical adolescent challenges like dating, elections, and parental visits. Supporting characters include the principal, Headmistress Crone, and Schneider's fellow teachers, adding to the chaotic environment. Created by , the series was developed as part of NBC's Saturday morning children's programming block and featured voice acting from notable performers including Moranis, as Blanche, as Frankentyke and J.P. Ghastly III, as Sid, as Gill Waterman, and in guest roles. Despite its short run, Gravedale High has garnered a for its humorous take on monster tropes and is noted for influencing later properties in the monster school genre.

Overview

Premise

Gravedale High is an animated television series centered on the premise of a teacher navigating life at a unique populated exclusively by teenage monsters. The protagonist, , unwittingly accepts a position at Gravedale High, a designed for monstrous students who embody parodies of classic horror archetypes, creating a central conflict rooted in cultural and species-based differences. This setup explores the challenges of integrating a human educator into an environment where beings grapple with and learning. The narrative highlights a fish-out-of-water dynamic, with Schneider serving as the sole amid unruly pupils, emphasizing themes of tolerance between humans and monsters, the value of education in diverse settings, and the universal aspects of amplified by elements. Episodes often depict Schneider's efforts to instill and while contending with the students' innate monstrous behaviors, fostering humorous yet insightful interactions that bridge the gap between worlds. This dynamic underscores the show's focus on mutual understanding and in an otherworldly academic . The series employs an episodic structure, with each installment revolving around school-related misadventures that showcase the interplay between human oversight and monster traits, such as chaotic classroom antics or extracurricular escapades gone awry. These stories typically resolve with lessons learned about coexistence, reinforcing the educational and tolerant undertones without overarching . A distinctive feature is the school's location within the town of Gravedale, a sprawling graveyard area comprising various cemeteries, which ties into the monster theme and inspires the institution's name—a pun combining "" and "cradle" to evoke both and youthful beginnings.

Format and style

Gravedale High was produced using traditional 2D cel animation by Productions, in collaboration with for the animation work, resulting in exaggerated, cartoonish character designs that paid homage to the iconic monsters from and 1950s Universal films. The series' visual aesthetic featured gothic elements such as cobweb-draped hallways, coffin-shaped lockers, and a resembling a , all rendered in vibrant colors that contrasted the dark, monstrous themes to maintain a playful tone. Episodes followed a standard 22-minute runtime, typical of Saturday morning programming, structured as self-contained sitcom-style stories with an A-plot focused on classroom hijinks and a B-plot tied to broader school events, often culminating in humorous resolutions accompanied by moral lessons about friendship or responsibility. This format parodied teen sitcoms like Head of the Class while subverting horror tropes through light-hearted comedy, avoiding any graphic violence to suit its young audience. The show's tonal style emphasized whimsical , blending the monster premise with pop culture references and pun-filled humor to create a atmosphere. Unique elements included realistic voice performances by an ensemble cast of live-action actors, which added a layer of grounded humor to the fantastical world.

Characters

Main characters

Max Schneider serves as the protagonist and central figure of Gravedale High, a well-meaning but frequently overwhelmed in his late 30s who becomes the only faculty member at the all-monster institution. Unemployed after applying to a prestigious prep school, he unwittingly accepts a position at Gravedale High without realizing its student body, leading him to oversee a remedial class known as the Misfits—nine unruly teenage monsters at risk of expulsion. As the amid the chaos, Schneider employs unorthodox, patient teaching methods to instill normalcy and discipline, often clashing with the students' inherent traits, such as accidental from their powers during lessons. His fearless demeanor and ability to earn respect from both students and skeptical monster colleagues underscore the theme of isolation, as he navigates the school as the sole , highlighting cultural divides between society and the monster world. The Misfits class features archetypal monster teenagers whose designs and personalities pay direct homage to classic horror icons, amplifying comedic conflicts with Schneider's human-centric approach and emphasizing the absence of any human students to intensify the protagonist's outsider status. Frankentyke, a diminutive version of , is an athletic prankster with a slight attitude problem and dim-witted enthusiasm, often calling peers "Man" while his superhuman strength leads to unintended mishaps like breaking furniture or equipment during class activities. Cleofatra, a plump wrapped in bandages with Egyptian motifs, subverts the traditional emaciated trope as a somewhat nerdy and sarcastic diva who frequently complains or schemes for attention, her unwrapping antics disrupting lessons and forcing Schneider to improvise containment strategies. J.P. Ghastly III, a wealthy blue-skinned gnome-like creature of unidentified monster type, embodies privilege and quirkiness, often using his resources for elaborate pranks or showing off gadgets that backfire spectacularly, challenging Schneider's efforts to promote equality in the classroom. Reggie Moonshroud, the geeky red-haired werewolf inspired by the Wolf Man, acts as the class intellectual and nerd, burying himself in books or gadgets while his transformations during full moons cause chaotic interruptions to Schneider's structured curriculum, such as howling disruptions or accidental chases around the school. Gill Waterman, a scaly gill-man homage to the Creature from the Black Lagoon, is a laid-back surfer dude with a shy, water-obsessed demeanor, whose need to stay hydrated leads to flooded classrooms or aquatic escapes, prompting Schneider to adapt lessons with improvised swimming aids to maintain focus. Vinnie Stoker, a cool vampire with a greaser style reminiscent of the Fonz, often displays lethargy from his nocturnal habits and uses his fangs or bat transformations for pranks, complicating Schneider's attempts to enforce daytime routines and punctuality. Sid, the invisible class clown based on the Invisible Man, specializes in unseen impressions and disruptions, such as mimicking voices or hiding objects, which forces Schneider to develop creative detection methods to restore order in lessons. Blanche, a zombie Southern belle and shopaholic, brings a ditzy charm to the group with her decaying appearance and reattachment gags, her undead resilience leading to humorous accidents that test Schneider's patience during group activities. Duzer, a gorgon with snake hair styled as a Valley girl, uses her petrifying gaze sparingly while gossiping and turning heads (literally), adding to the classroom chaos as Schneider navigates her sassy disruptions and beauty-related schemes. These interactions collectively drive the series' humor, as Schneider's attempts to enforce human norms—like punctuality or homework—inevitably collide with the students' monstrous biology, reinforcing the isolation of blending worlds without any human peers for the monsters to relate to.

Supporting characters

Headmistress Crone serves as the principal of Gravedale High, depicted as a strict, witch-like figure who maintains order through authoritative measures, including her signature detachable iron hand. Her role emphasizes the school's rigid hierarchy, often clashing with the more lenient approaches of the human teacher. Coach Cadaver functions as the instructor and athletic director, characterized by his hot-tempered and antagonistic demeanor, particularly toward human staff members. His detachable brain and militant attitude provide through futile attempts to impose discipline on the chaotic student body. Additional faculty members include Miss Webner, a teacher whose traits underscore her role in subjects like science; Mr. Tutner, a who teaches history with a wrapped, perspective; and Miss Dirge, a ghostly educator resembling the , contributing to the eerie academic environment. These teachers collectively traditional authority figures, amplifying the dysfunctional monster school dynamic through their exaggerated monstrous behaviors and failed enforcement of rules. Minor students such as Blobby, an amorphous blob girl offering humor via her shape-shifting mishaps, recur sporadically to contrast the core class's antics. These secondary pupils highlight the diverse monster population at Gravedale High, serving as foils to the main students by introducing unique traits that escalate comedic conflicts without dominating ongoing narratives.

Production

Development

Gravedale High was created by producer in late 1989, shortly after he assumed the role of president and CEO of Productions in October of that year. The concept emerged as a comedic parody of classic Universal Studios monster films, reimagining iconic creatures like and as unruly teenage students in a high school environment. Kirschner developed the series alongside writers Ernie Contreras and Glenn Leopold, aiming to blend horror tropes with lighthearted school antics inspired by 1970s and 1980s teen sitcom formats such as . The project was produced by Productions in association with NBC Productions, targeting NBC's Saturday morning programming block for family audiences. The initial pitch highlighted the involvement of comedian as the voice of the human protagonist, a teacher navigating the chaotic monster-filled school, to capitalize on his recent successes in films like (1984) and (1989). Originally titled Rick Moranis in Gravedale High, the series was positioned as a to draw in viewers with Moranis's established comedic appeal. Development faced a compressed timeline, with the series announced in November 1989 and finalizing acquisition by January , reflecting the network's emphasis on fresh, original animated content to revitalize its weekend lineup amid competition from other broadcasters. A key creative choice was centering the narrative on a human lead character to anchor the fantastical monster elements in relatable, everyday high school dynamics, ensuring accessibility for younger viewers while maintaining the parody's humorous edge. This approach allowed the series to premiere just nine months later in September , underscoring Hanna-Barbera's accelerated push under Kirschner's leadership to expand into network television.

Animation and crew

Gravedale High was animated using traditional hand-drawn cel animation techniques at Hanna-Barbera Productions facilities. The series consisted of 13 episodes produced within a single season in 1990. Key production crew included executive producers William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, alongside producers Robert Dranko, David Kirschner, and Paul Sabella. Supervising director Ray Patterson oversaw the animation, with episode directors such as Don Lusk, Robert Alvarez, and Oscar Dufau. Writers on the series featured Ernie Contreras, Glenn Leopold, Paul Dell, and Steven Weiss. The theme song was composed by the Tyrell Music Group—written by John Parker, Randy Peterson, Kevin Quinn, Stephanie Tyrell, and —with scores emphasizing a blend of spooky and playful tones throughout the series. Voice recording sessions occurred in , while the animation process incorporated Hanna-Barbera's style to manage budget constraints, including reused backgrounds for recurring school environments. This production exemplified Hanna-Barbera's approach in the late 1980s and early 1990s, elements of cel production overseas to streamline costs and timelines. The result was a distinctive visual style that parodied horror tropes through humor, setting it apart from the studio's more adventure-oriented fare.

Voice cast

Main cast

The main voice cast of Gravedale High featured Rick Moranis in the lead role as Maxwell "Max" Schneider, the human teacher navigating the chaos of a monster-filled classroom; this marked Moranis's first major starring role in an animated series following his live-action successes in films like Ghostbusters (1984) and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989). His involvement was central to the show's marketing, with the series initially titled Rick Moranis in Gravedale High to leverage his star power. The ensemble of student characters was brought to life by experienced voice talents, including Ricki Lake as the mummy Cleofatra, Kimmy Robertson as the zombie Duzer, Frank Welker as the Frankenstein's monster-inspired Frankentyke and the affluent ghoul J.P. Ghastly III, Maurice LaMarche as the invisible Sid, Roger Rose as the vampire Vinnie Stoker, Barry Gordon as the werewolf Reggie Moonshroud, Shari Belafonte as the half-vampire Blanche, and Jackie Earle Haley as the gill-man Gill Waterman. These performers provided distinct vocal characterizations that captured the quirky, monstrous personalities of the students, contributing to the series' comedic tone.
ActorCharacterRole Description
Max SchneiderThe exasperated human teacher and protagonist.
BlancheA half-vampire student.
SidAn invisible, nerdy student.
CleofatraAn obese, nerdy student.
DuzerA bubbly girl student.
FrankentykeA gentle, Frankenstein-like student.
J.P. Ghastly IIIA snobbish, wealthy student.
Vinnie StokerA laid-back student.
Reggie MoonshroudA hyperactive student.
Gill WatermanA surfer-dude monster student.

Additional voices

The additional voices for Gravedale High were contributed by a roster of experienced actors, many of whom were veterans known for their versatility in animation, often voicing multiple minor characters, family members, and creature effects to enhance the show's monstrous ensemble. , beyond his primary roles as the Frankenstein-inspired student Frankentyke and the gnome-like J.P. Ghastly III, provided additional voices and integrated monster sound effects across episodes, leveraging his expertise in creature vocalizations for authenticity. Recurring supporting roles featured performers like , who voiced the stern homeroom teacher Miss Webner in two episodes, adding a layer of comedic authority to faculty interactions. Guest appearances highlighted celebrity talent, including as the ghostly Billy Headstone in the episode "Cleo's Pen Pal," bringing his signature satirical edge to a one-off suitor. Other notable one-episode contributors included in an uncredited additional role, as the boisterous Big Daddy in "Monster Gumbo," and as Inspector Nitpicker in "Save Our School," each infusing brief but memorable monster archetypes with distinct personalities. These performances were typically recorded separately from the main cast sessions, allowing for specialized where voices blended with effects to create the eerie, humorous ambiance of monster life, a common practice in productions to optimize production efficiency and . Additional ensemble voices, such as those by , , , , , , and , filled out crowds of students, siblings, and background ghouls, often handling multiple parts per episode to support the budget-conscious animation style.

Episodes

Production and writing

The writing team for Gravedale High included key contributors such as Ernie Contreras (11 episodes) and Glenn Leopold, along with others including , Bruce Reid Schaefer, Paul Dell, Tod Himmel, Bill Matheny, Chris Schoon, and Christian Schoon, who crafted scripts that blended humorous monster-themed scenarios with educational morals designed to engage young viewers. Each episode was typically developed by multiple writers, ensuring a mix of ideas while maintaining the show's consistent tone of lighthearted adventure amid high school antics. This approach allowed for efficient production of the series' 13 episodes, which were scripted in batches to streamline the overall workflow. Stories were crafted to be largely self-contained, resolving central conflicts within each while incorporating subtle teases to ongoing school events, fostering viewer anticipation without relying on serialized plotting. Thematic elements in the scripts revolved around recurring motifs such as the power of , all tailored to resonate with audiences by promoting tolerance and camaraderie in a fantastical setting. In line with NBC's standards for Saturday morning programming, the series featured comedic resolutions that reinforced positive messages without alienating families.

Episode list

Gravedale High's sole season comprises 13 episodes that originally aired on Saturdays from September 8, 1990, to December 1, 1990, each approximately 22 minutes in length. The series follows teacher navigating challenges with his monstrous students at the titular . The episodes aired in the order listed below, with no noted discrepancies between production and broadcast sequences.
No.TitleOriginal air dateSynopsis
1Long Day's Gurney Into NightSeptember 8, 1990Sid develops and requires at a hospital, where doctors struggle to operate on his invisible form, leading Schneider and the class to intervene to ensure his safe treatment.
2Do the Rad ThingSeptember 15, 1990Gill drops out of after his idol, Bob, offers to mentor him professionally, prompting Schneider and his classmates to convince him that is essential for his future.
3Cleo's Pen PalSeptember 22, 1990Cleo exchanges letters with Billy Headstone from the show Trudy and the Beast, but deceives him by sending a photo of Duzer instead of herself, learning a lesson in when the truth emerges during his visit.
4Monster GumboSeptember 29, 1990Blanche's unique monster recipe becomes a success at the United Monster Fund's charity event, attracting the attention of restaurateur Big Daddy, who schemes to steal it for his Gumbo Emporium.
5The Dress Up Mess UpOctober 6, 1990Duzer enters a design contest hoping to impress Schneider on his birthday and attend the planned fancy dinner, but her creation fails disastrously, forcing the class to improvise a simpler celebration with burgers.
6The Grave IntruderOctober 13, 1990Duzer revamps the with sensational stories and scandals to boost readership, but her tactics backfire, causing chaos and teaching her about the ethical responsibilities of .
7October 20, 1990Vinnie suffers vertigo and a after being struck by lightning during Reggie's science project, and he must overcome it in time to compete against bully Nardo in a high-stakes aerial challenge.
8He Ain't Scary, He's My BrotherOctober 27, 1990Frankentyke's attractive older brother Frankie visits the , causing jealousy and embarrassment among the students, who ultimately learn the importance of bonds regardless of appearances.
9FrankenjockeyNovember 3, 1990A unlucky racehorse named Hoover bonds with Frankentyke during a and follows him home; Frankentyke discovers he can ride the horse to victory but must protect it from a shady owner.
10Save Our SchoolNovember 10, 1990Facing an F in , Vinnie campaigns and wins as president, then leads the students in a to prevent developers from demolishing Gravedale High for a luxury .
11Night of the Living DadNovember 17, 1990Embarrassed by his father attending the , Frankentyke constructs a monstrous substitute , which proves even more humiliating and chaotic than the original.
12Good-Bye GravedaleNovember 24, 1990Rumors spread that Schneider is leaving for a job at a , leading to misunderstandings and emotional farewells from the students until the truth is revealed.
13Monster on TrialDecember 1, 1990Schneider faces a million-dollar from a fraudulent accident scammer, and Reggie and Frankentyke step up to investigate and defend him in a makeshift .

Release and reception

Broadcast history

Gravedale High premiered on on September 8, 1990, as part of the network's Saturday morning children's animation block, which aimed to compete with similar lineups on ABC and . The series occupied a slot in the morning schedule, initially airing at 9:30 a.m. ET before swapping positions with starting November 24, 1990. All 13 episodes were broadcast over the fall of 1990, with the finale airing on December 1, 1990, marking the end of its original run after one . Following the completion of production, which allowed for the full season to air without interruption, the show did not return for repeats on until potential off-season slots, though specific summer 1991 airings remain unconfirmed in primary records. The series' short lifespan was primarily due to low ratings in a highly competitive Saturday morning market, where NBC's animation offerings struggled against hits like Fox's , leading to its cancellation and no renewal for additional seasons. This aligned with NBC's broader shift in the early 1990s away from original animated content toward live-action teen programming. Internationally, Gravedale High saw limited syndication in the 1990s, with airings on local networks in and various European countries, including on , on , and on , often under localized titles and dubs.

Critical reception

Upon its premiere in 1990, Gravedale High received mixed reviews from critics, who often praised the voice performance of as teacher while critiquing the show's formulaic storytelling and reliance on familiar monster tropes. In a September 1990 review, the described the series as featuring "an uninteresting caricature of the movie star riding herd on a standard assortment of teen-age monsters," highlighting its lack of originality within the landscape. Despite these reservations, some outlets noted the charm in its humorous take on high school life among students, aligning with the era's trend of lighthearted horror parodies for young audiences. Audience reception has been more favorable over time, reflected in an average rating of 6.5 out of 10 based on 270 user votes. User reviews frequently commend Moranis' engaging vocal work and the ensemble cast, including and , for bringing energy to the quirky monster characters, with one reviewer calling it "a short-lived treat... quirky and cool characters" that evokes the spirit of cartoons. Criticisms center on predictable plots and dated , but positives emphasize its family-friendly humor and innovative blending of teen with monster mayhem. In modern retrospectives, the series has achieved status among 1990s animation enthusiasts for its nostalgic appeal and as an early precursor to later monster-themed properties. A 2024 Bloody Disgusting article lauds it as a "fun" one-season wonder, crediting Moranis' "well-intentioned" portrayal for elevating the show's monster school premise and highlighting its diverse representations of classic creatures like vampires, werewolves, and mummies in a comedic, inclusive context. This enduring fondness underscores its place in Saturday morning trends, where it stood out for blending horror with relatable character dynamics despite its brevity.

Home media and legacy

Following the conclusion of its brief broadcast run, Gravedale High has seen limited official home media availability. No tapes, DVDs, or other physical releases were produced by or subsequent rights holders, leaving fans without authorized collections as of 2025. Episodes became accessible digitally in the through unofficial channels, including fan uploads to the and full series playlists on , where they remain viewable without official streaming options on major platforms. The series endures as a cult favorite among 1990s animation enthusiasts, often cited as an early precursor to monster school concepts in later properties like Monster High, with its blend of horror tropes and teen comedy influencing similar high school settings for supernatural characters. It is remembered as a short-lived oddity starring Rick Moranis as the voice of teacher Max Schneider, sparking nostalgia for NBC's Saturday morning lineup and discussions on overlooked Hanna-Barbera efforts. Minor merchandise accompanied its original airing, including a 1991 McDonald's Happy Meal toy set featuring key characters, which has since become collectible among retro animation fans. In the 2010s, Gravedale High developed a modest online following, driven by horror comedy enthusiasts sharing episodes and creating that celebrates its distinctive monster designs, such as the Vinnie Stoker and Cleo.

References

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