The Smurfs

The Smurfs was an animated cartoon series based on the cartoon strip by Belgium artist Peyo; the series ran from September 12, 1981 to December 2, 1989 with 421 stories in  256 epsiodes.

Premise-the many stories are of the Smurfs-little blue creatures who live in the forest and have to escape from the cluthes of the Gargamel. Although there are about 100 Smurfs only about half are named in the series.


 * Azarel-Gargamel's cat who also fails at catching the smurfs. A Sidekick. Although generally nasty-it is plain that this is because Gargamel is cat's master. Two running gags are Azreal failing to catch the Smurfs-and yawning borely when Gargamel claims to come up with a new plan to catch the Smurfs. His part as a sidekick was taken over by Scruple.


 * Gargamel -an idiot wizard. A running gag is Gargamel trying to catch the Smurfs so he can melt them into gold-and always failing! He is such a dunce that he is actually not invited to Wizard's Councils!


 * Hogatha-a witch is is slightly more compent than Gargamel in using magic. Appeared from 1982 to 1989


 * Johann and Peewee-a mini story of the adventires of a Squire Johann and his idiot sidekick Peewee which appears in a number of the cartoon episodes-although ironically it was the Smurfs which began appearing in the Adventures of Johann and Peewee comics!


 * Scruple- Gargamel apprentice/servant and nephew. Ironic name since he is just as nasty as his uncle. Appeared from 1986-to 1989

Voices

 * Azarel voiced by Don Messick in the cartoon series and Frank Welker in the Smurf Movie