Defenders of the Earth

Defenders of the Earth is a 80’s Children’s TV cartoon that was created by Marvel Productions using characters owned by the ‘King Features Syndicate’.

Some of the characters of the show have a long history. Flash Gordon and Ming the Merciless were created by Alex Raymond, in 1934, for the Hurst Corporation’s Sunday Papers. The Phantom (1936), Mandrake and Lothar (both 1934) were created by Lee Falk for various comic strips.

The characters were brought into the same time period (the future) and the children of the superheroes were introduced to attract a younger audience. This in turn would ensure they became acquainted with the previously established superheroes, and thus exploit their past history.

Defenders of the Earth was directed by Bill Hutton and produced by David J. Corbett. The Music & Theme were created by Rob Welsh and Tony Pastor, with the lyrics written by Stan Lee (Spiderman creator). It’s one of those songs that will get in your head, but never leave!

Loren Lester, who voiced Rick Gordon, was the same age as Lou Richards, who played his father, Flash, in the series. Loren went on in real life to marry Peter Mark Richman’s (The Phantom) daughter, after Peter introduced him to his her (he was doing a bit of matchmaking). Loren has voiced numerous  characters over the years, including Dick Grayson in ‘Batman the Animated Series’, and Barbecue from ‘G.I. Joe’.

Peter Mark Richman (The Phantom) is a well known actor, and has even starred in the hit 80’s soap, Dynasty, where he played Andrew Laird. The voice he created at the auditions for Defenders of the Earth was the one they used. As Peter’s career progressed he was typecast as a villain, but remembers fondly the time he was the hero, The Phantom.

The show was recorded like a radio show, where the cast met in a studio to record their lines together and interact as the story progressed. Unlike today where most lines are recorded separately.

A total of 65 episodes were made.