Professor Balthazar

*Professor Balthazar*
Professor Balthazar
	Professor Balthazar is able to solve all problems by using his magical machine.
Also known as	Profesor Baltazar
Genre	Animated television series
Created by	Zlatko Grgić
Directed by	Zlatko Grgić; Boris Kolar; Ante Zaninović
Composer	Tomica Simović
Country of origin	Croatia (Yugoslavia)
Original language	Croatian
No. of series	4
No. of episodes	59
Production
Running time	5–10 minutes
Production companies	ZAGREB FILM d.d.; Windrose Film
Original release
Release	1967 –; 1978

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

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.^[2] Fifty-nine episodes of the cartoon were made between 1967 and 1978.^[3]

The cartoon has been shown in subsequent years in several countries besides the former Yugoslavia, including^[2] Denmark, Finland, Germany (Westdeutscher Rundfunk), Iran, Italy, Norway, Portugal, South Korea, Sweden and Israel.^[4] It was also shown in Canada, France, Greece, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Romania, Spain, United Kingdom and Zimbabwe.^{[citation needed]}

The likely source of the cartoon's popularity is the general absence of violence or force as a means of solving problems. The professor himself is depicted as benevolent and pacifistic, always aiming to solve problems through imagination and reason, as well as ensuring that everyone ends up better off.^[5]

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 "beautiful 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.^{[citation needed]} The cartoon was also shown in Asia in the 1990s on STAR TV.^{[citation needed]}

In 2011, all 59 episodes have been restored by DVDlab, and published on DVD.^[2] A new episode was produced in 2019, "Third time lucky", 52 years after the original show premiered.^[6]

Credits

Production company: Zagreb / Windrose-Hamburg for WWF-Cologne
Production supervisor: Zdravko Pavičić
Scripts: Zlatko Grgić, Boris Kolar, Ante Zaninović
Directors: Zlatko Grgić, Boris Kolar, Ante Zaninović
Animators: Zlatko Grgić, Boris Kolar, Ante Zaninović, Turido Pauš, Leo Fabiani, Neven Petričić, Slavko Drobnić
Backgrounds: Zlatko Bourek, Branko Varadin, Srdjan Matić
Camera: Ivan Hercigonja
Music: Tomica Simović
Music supervisor: Tea Brunšmid
Sound: Mladen Prebil
Designers: Zlatko Grgić, Boris Kolar, Ante Zaninović

Episodes

Season 1

(order and titles according to region 2 DVD)

The Inventor Of Shoes – May 15, 1967
The Flying Fabian – October 10, 1968
A Windy Story
Maestro Koko – October 10, 1968
Of Mouse And Ben – June 20, 1969
Starlight Serenaders
The Rise And Fall Of Horatio – June 20, 1969
Martin Makes It To The Top – June 20, 1969
Knitting Pretty
Arts And Flowers
Lighthouse Keeping – June 20, 1969
Victor's Egg-O-Matic
Happiness For Two

Season 2

(order and titles according to region 2 DVD)

Doctor Don't Little – December 31, 1970
The Night Watchman Must Fall – December 31, 1970
Cloud And Clear
Steepless Is Fynny
Bald Is Beautiful
Stumble-Bumps
Snow Time For Comedy – December 31, 1970
Bim Bam Bum
The Grave Little Tailor – December 31, 1970
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 – January 1, 1977
Water We Doing – January 1, 1977
Hat-On Flier – January 1, 1977
Cloudy With Brawlstorms – January 1, 1977
Pirates And Lollipops – January 1, 1977
Two Bees Or Not Two Bees – January 1, 1977
You're Fired! – January 1, 1977
Big-Saw Puzzle – January 1, 1977
Vanilla Monster – January 1, 1977
Lion's Share – January 1, 1977
Tenderfeet Centipede – January 1, 1977
Peppino Cicerone – January 1, 1977
Mike On The Bike – January 1, 1977

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

Legacy

American animator and creator Craig McCracken called Professor Balthazar 'brilliant', citing it as a significant design influence for his 2013 show Wander Over Yonder.^[7]^[8]