Tom Terrific

Drawn in a simple style, it features a gee-whiz boy hero, Tom Terrific, who lives in a treehouse and can transform himself into anything he wants thanks to his magic, funnel-shaped "thinking cap," which also enhances his intelligence. He has a comic lazybones of a sidekick, Mighty Manfred the Wonder Dog, and an arch-foe named Crabby Appleton, whose motto is, "I'm rotten to the core!" Other foes include Mr. Instant, the Instant Thing King, Captain Kidney Bean, Sweet Tooth Sam, the Candy Bandit and Isotope Feaney, The Meany.

Directed by Gene Deitch, Tom Terrific leans on a strong ensemble — Lionel G. Wilson — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The series landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about animation titles of 1957.