Invisibility

Invisibility is a common plot used in many Hanna-Barbera cartoon series. Such ability was commonly used for the purpose of thwarting a villain's schemes, secretly foiling criminal activity, and at times, mischief. When a character becomes invisible, his or her clothing usually vanishes with him or her.

There is speculation that invisibility plots may have occurred because the artists who designed the characters may have needed a break from drawing, or due to financial and time constraints, thus making an invisibility plot very useful to fill the episode order by a set deadline.

Characters with Invisibility as a Power

• Space Ghost and his allies have "inviso power". They also made the Teen Force invisible at the end of the Space Stars short "The Cosmic Mousetrap".
• In Shazzan, Chuck and Nancy frequently use the cloak of invisibility to dodge enemies.
• Susan Storm Richards aka the Invisible Girl of The Fantastic Four has this power, as well as the ability to generate force fields.
• Goober becomes involuntarily invisible when he is scared, and at seemingly random times.
• In The All-New Popeye Hour, Eugene the Jeep can become invisible.
• Samurai in SuperFriends counts invisibility among his powers.
• In The Gary Coleman Show, the main character, Andy LeBeau, makes himself invisible using his halo on some episodes.
• Monster in My Pocket features an invisible man named Henry Davenport.

Invisibility Plots

Breezly and Sneezly

• "Unseen Trouble" (1963): Breezly Bruin encounters a machine that makes him briefly invisible. He uses his newfound power to play pranks on Colonel Fusby.

The Flintstones

• "Barney the Invisible" (1962): Fred's home remedy designed to cure Barney's hiccups apparently makes Barney invisible.

The Great Grape Ape

• "The Invisible Ape" (1975): Grape Ape is doing a soap commercial when the soap suds make him invisible, except for his head and feet. Later, two criminals steal the soap formula, in hope of using it to commit robberies.

The Herculoids

• "The Time Creatures" (1967): The villains of the future have the ability to become invisible.
• "The Invisibles" (1981): The heroes fight Zelos, who depended on magnalite to become invisible for the purpose of causing trouble.

Hong Kong Phooey

• "The Little Man Who Wasn't There" (1974): Hong Kong Phooey pursues Dr. Nowhere, a diamond thief who uses a special invisibility formula, along with an antidote.

Inch High Private Eye

• In one episode, the title detective comes in contact with invisible ink and it briefly makes him invisible.

The Jetsons

• "Invisibly Yours, George" (1987): George becomes invisible while testing one of Mr. Spacely's inventions. George's clothing isn't affected, and his invisibility wears off while he is totally nude.

Josie and the Pussycats

• "X Marks the Spot" (1970): While on tour in London, Josie and her friends encounter Mr. X, who became invisible after drinking an experimental formula he had stolen. Alexander, Melody and Alexandra create another batch of the formula, but it makes them only partly invisible.
• "Now You See Them, Now You Don't" (1972): The Pussycats are brought to a planet whose inhabitants have a machine that endows them with invisibility. Melody also turns invisible while chewing bubble gum, but there's only enough gum to turn Josie and Valerie partly invisible.

Mork & Mindy

• "The Invisible Mork" (1982): Mork drinks a beverage containing strawberries, which he is allergic to, and made him invisible when consumed. He used his invisibility to secretly fight a bully in order to win back Mindy.

Partridge Family: 2200 A.D.

• "Danny the Invisible Man" (1974): Danny Partridge buys a Molex, a device that can turn him invisible. Unfortunately, he disregards a warning about side effects of using it.

Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks

• "Jinks' Mice Device" (1958): Mr. Jinks creates a device that made Pixie and Dixie invisible by mistake, and the mice take full advantage by causing mischief.

Posse Impossible

• "The Invisible Kid" (1977): The sheriff and his deputies pursue an invisible outlaw whose horse is also invisible. Their attempts to make the outlaw visible are quickly undone.

Richie Rich

• "One of Our Aircraft Carriers Is Missing" (1980): While Richie and Gloria Glad are looking for gadgets to help find missing carriers, Dollar the Dog discovers a special ball-point pen that sprays an invisibility formula. Professor Keenbean accidentally makes his head invisible, but mentions the effects last only one hour.
• "Villains Incorporated" (1981): Richie uses invisible paint he borrowed from Professor Keenbean in an effort to foil organized crime.

Scooby-Doo

• "The Exterminator" (1972): In this episode of The New Scooby-Doo Movies, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo encounter an invisible man who operates the elevator. After exiting the elevator, they encounter an invisible couple in Victorian costume.

• "Doom Service" (1984): Aired during The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries. Max, the dog owned by a crooked couple staying at a haunted hotel, is always invisible.
• "A Halloween Hassle at Dracula's Castle, Parts One and Two(!984): The Invisible Man is one of the monsters at Dracula's castle.

Smurfs

• "The Clockwork Smurf" (1981): In an attempt to get Prince Gerard to his coronation safely without harm, all of the Smurfs and Prince Gerard become invisible using a special glowberry formula, which the effects last for only two hours. Prince Gerard becomes visible prematurely while running past his enemies and Smurfette brought it to the Smurfs' attention while they remain invisible.
• "St. Smurf and the Dragon" (1981): Papa Smurf requires glowberries to turn the whole village invisible in order to prevent Gargamel from finding it.
• "The Chief Recordsmurf" (1983): Papa Smurf accidentally creates an invisibility formula, and later makes good use of the formula by turning himself and a few other Smurfs invisible in an attempt to rescue some Smurfs abducted by Gargamel.
• "Jokey's Cloak" (1986): Jokey borrowed an invisibility cloak to play pranks on the Smurfs. When a bucket of water fell on Jokey while wearing the cloak, he became invisible even without the cloak.

Speed Buggy

• "Out of Sight" (1973): In Egypt, Professor Rishna discovers an invisibility solution, which he uses to kidnap Debbie and Mark while Tinker and Speed Buggy come to their rescue. Debbie, Tinker and Mark eventually make themselves invisible as a last ditch attempt to foil Rishna's schemes.

Snooper and Blabber

• "Disappearing Inc." (1959): Snooper and Blabber pursue a criminal who has stolen an experimental invisibility formula called "No Can C".

Tom & Jerry

• "The Invisible Mouse" (1947)
• "The Vanishing Duck" (1958)

Yogi Bear

• "Bear for Punishment" (1959): Yogi asks a traveling magician to make him and Boo Boo invisible so they can steal picnic baskets without being seen by Ranger Smith.