Professor Balthazar

Professor Balthazar is a Croatian animated television series for children about an old inventor that was produced between 1967 and 1978. It was created by animator Zlatko Grgić.

Professor Balthazar
Professor Balthazar is able to solve all problems by using his magical machine.[1]
Also known asProfesor Baltazar
GenreAnimated television series
Created byZlatko Grgić
Directed byZlatko Grgić
Boris Kolar
Ante Zaninović
ComposerTomica Simović[1]
Country of originCroatia (Yugoslavia)
No. of series4
No. of episodes59
Production
Running time5–10 minutes
Production companiesZagreb Film
Windrose Film
Release
Original release1967 (1967) –
1978 (1978)
Professor Balthazar statue in Zagreb

The series revolves around benevolent genius Professor Balthazar. In each episode, someone in his surroundings has a problem, which he duly considers and invariably finds a solution to. He then activates a magical machine and produces an invention that will solve the problem.

The characters of the series do not speak in any intelligible language, and the plot of the episodes is instead recounted by a narrator in voice-over.

History

The series was created for television by the Croatian animator Zlatko Grgić at the Zagreb Film studio. Fifty-nine episodes of the cartoon were made between 1967 and 1978.[2]

The cartoon has been shown in subsequent years in several countries besides the former Yugoslavia, including United Kingdom, West Germany (Westdeutscher Rundfunk), Denmark, Finland, France, Israel,[3] Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Spain, Iran, Greece, Canada and Zimbabwe.

From 1971 to 1973, episodes were featured on the American ABC-TV children's program Curiosity Shop. The cartoon inventor was the basis for the show's puppet character, Baron Balthazar, and the cartoons were shown as animated sequences of the Baron's tales of his adventures and inventions back in "downtown Bosnia".

The cartoon was also shown in the United States in the 1980s on Pinwheel as well as on ABC in Australia and on CCTV in China.

The cartoon was also shown in Asia in the 1990s on STAR TV.

In 2011, all 59 episodes have been restored by DVDlab, and published on DVD.

Credits
  • Production Company: Zagreb / Windrose-Hamburg for WWF-Cologne
  • Production Supervisor: Z. Pavičić
  • Scripts: Zlatko Grgić, Boris Kolar, Ante Zaninović
  • Directors: Zlatko Grgić, Boris Kolar, Ante Zaninović
  • Animators: Zlatko Grgić, Boris Kolar, Ante Zaninović, T. Paus, L. Fabiani, N. Petrick, S. Drobnić
  • Backgrounds: Zlatko Bourek, Branko Varadin, Srdjan Matić
  • Camera: I. Hercigonja
  • Music: Tomica Simović
  • Music Supervisor: T. Brunšmid
  • Sound: M. Presil
  • Designers: Zlatko Grgić, Boris Kolar, Ante Zaninović

Episodes

Season 1

(Order and titles according to region 2 DVD)

  • The Flying Fabian
  • A Windy Story
  • Maestro Koko
  • Of Mouse And Ben
  • Starlight Serenaders
  • The Rise And Fall Of Horatio
  • Martin Makes It To The Top
  • Knitting Pretty
  • Arts And Flowers
  • Lighthouse Keeping
  • The Inventor Of Shoes
  • Victor's Egg-O-Matic
  • Happiness For Two

Season 2

(Order and titles according to region 2 DVD)

  • Doctor Don't Little
  • The Night Watchman Must Fall
  • Cloud And Clear
  • Steepless Is Fynny
  • Bald Is Beautiful
  • Stumble-Bumps
  • Snow Time For Comedy
  • Bim Bam Bum
  • The Grave Little Tailor
  • Some Like It Hop
  • For Heaven's Cake
  • Some Like It Cold
  • Somewhat Over The Rainbow

Season 3

(Order and titles according to region 2 DVD)

  • Maxol
  • Water We Doing
  • Hat-On Flier
  • Cloudy With Brawlstorms
  • Pirates And Lollipops
  • Two Bees Or Not Two Bees
  • You're Fired!
  • Big-Saw Puzzle
  • Vanilla Monster
  • Lion's Share
  • Tenderfeet Centipede
  • Peppino Cicerone
  • Mike On The Bike

Season 4

(Order and titles according to region 2 DVD)

  • Crazy Times
  • Heart On Fire
  • The Sad Little Ghost
  • Two Top Hats
  • Dancing Willy Hik
  • Playing Tag
  • The Lost Rabbit
  • Clown Daniel
  • Abraham The Busy Shoemaker
  • Opera Star
  • Axel The Penguin
  • Business Is Business
  • Bird
  • Sporting Life
  • Champion
  • Street Musicians
  • The Great Snoring
  • The Trials Of Love
  • Happiness On Wings
  • An Endless Deviltry

References
  1. Nina Ožegović (4 December 2006). "Hoćemo Baltazara za simbol grada Zagreba" [We want Balthazar as a symbol of the city]. Nacional (in Croatian). No. 577. Archived from the original on 28 June 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  2. "Professor Balthazar". zagrebfilm.hr. Zagreb Film. Archived from the original on 22 January 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  3. "TV scheduled for 17/2/1976 17:50".
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