Wonder Wheels was a five-minute cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions which was originally broadcast as a segment on the CBS Saturday morning package program The Skatebirds.
Wonder Wheels (Season 1)
The Animals (Episode 1)
Air date: 1977-01-21
Runtime: 6 min
Overview: Willie and Dooley are on their way to interview a fire chief for their newspaper. They witness a gorilla escaping from a nearby zoo. Willie changes to Wonder Wheels to investigate. The gorilla is helping other animals escape too. Wonder Wheels lures the gorilla back to his cage with a banana and corrals the other animals as well.
The UFO (Episode 2)
Runtime: 6 min
Overview: Two alien scouts, Starnok and Orbito, are determining if Earth is fit for their people’s inhabitation. They see Willie drive by and want to capture a typical human specimen for their investigation. Willie changes to Wonder Wheels and causes the aliens much grief. The aliens judge earthlings too dangerous for conquest and leave.
County Fair (Episode 3)
Runtime: 6 min
Overview: Willie and Dooley go to a county fair to see a motocross race. Two crooks plan to steal money from a county fair and get away in motorcycles after blowing up the bridge behind them. Willie and Dooley witness the caper and Dooley gets captured. Wonder Wheels makes a miraculous jump across the blown out bridge. Dooley is saved and the crooks are behind bars.
Race Horse (Episode 4)
Runtime: 6 min
Overview: Willie and Dooley are on their way to see Gray Ghost, the fastest race horse in the world. The horse is being stolen and Willie pursues the thief on Wonder Wheels. Wonder Wheels finally catches up to the crooks and Gray Ghost is saved.
Idol's Eye (Episode 5)
Air date: 1977-12-03
Runtime: 6 min
Overview: Willie and Dooley are on their way to interview an archaeologist about an ancient city he discovered. Two crooks scare off the scientist using a mummy disguise so that they can steal the Emerald Eye. Willie sees the fleeing scientist and changes to Wonder Wheels to investigate. Wonder Wheels chases the criminals, who are finally stopped when Wonder Wheels empties a large hidden cache of emeralds onto the criminals.
Double Trouble (Episode 6)
Runtime: 6 min
Overview: Willie and Dooley are covering a pie baking contest for their newspaper. They witness an apparent Wonder Wheels robbing a bank. The real Wonder Wheels chases the robber but crashes in the pursuit. The fake Wonder Wheels then robs a jewelry store. This time the crook is caught when his bike is stopped and he is thrown into a barnyard.
Vanishing Prince (Episode 7)
Runtime: 6 min
Overview: Willie and Dooley are to interview Prince Raji, a motorcycle enthusiast, for their school newspaper. The prince is kidnapped by crooks on a boat. Wonder Wheels chases the criminals to a ship, where it is revealed that the prince’s cousin is behind the kidnapping plot. Wonder Wheels gets the prince back but is chased by the crooks on a boat. The boat crashes and the crooks are caught. To show his gratitude, the prince awards Wonder Wheels a medal.
The Rustlers (Episode 8)
Runtime: 6 min
Overview: A rancher donates the use of his land for a Teenage Rally. The rancher reports that 10,000 cattle were stolen in the previous month. Willie and Dooley stake out a herd of cattle. They discover the cattle are being stolen by men in helicopters. They shoot balloon canisters at the cows and herd the cows away in the air. Willie intentionally attaches a misfired balloon to Wonder Wheels and foils the criminals.
Ghost Town (Episode 9)
Runtime: 6 min
Overview: Willie and Dooley go to a ghost town to get a story for their newspaper. An old ghost named the Pecos Kid tries to scare them away. Wonder Wheels chases the elusive ghost around the town. The ghost is cornered and it is discovered that it is Mr. Simmons, who chases campers and bikers away to help protect the desert ecology. Dooley will help by writing about the environmental problem in the newspaper.
Studio Steal (Episode 10)
Runtime: 6 min
Overview: Willie and Dooley are covering a story about a movie director who is using real money as a prop in a bank robbery movie. They spot two suspicious characters trying to rob the armored car where the money is being stored. Wonder Wheels gives chase to the crooks and finally captures the villains when a giant snowball falls on their getaway vehicle.
The Skyscraper (Episode 11)
Runtime: 6 min
Gold Train Robbery (Episode 12)
Runtime: 6 min
Hermit's Horde (Episode 13)
Runtime: 6 min
Air Race (Episode 14)
Runtime: 6 min
Snowmen (Episode 15)
Runtime: 6 min
Golden Globe (Episode 16)
Runtime: 6 min
