Waynehead is an animated television series created by actor/comedian Damon Wayans and ran from 1996 to 1997 on Kids' WB, and on YTV from 1996 to 1998.[1] It was a co-production of Warner Bros. Television Animation and Nelvana, with overseas animation by Hanho Heung-Up Co., Ltd., and Philippine Animation Studio, Inc., while the opening sequence was animated by TMS-Kyokuchi Corporation in Japan.

Waynehead
Genre
Created byDamon Wayans
Written by
  • Carmenita Bravo
  • Diane Dixon
  • Tim Hightower
  • Kevin Hopps
  • Brad Kaaya
  • W. Reed Moran
  • Chris Otsuki
  • David Wyatt
Directed byPaul Riley
Voices of
Theme music composerStanley Clarke
Opening theme"The Party's Just Begun" performed by Orlando Brown, Tico Wells, Jamil Walker Smith, T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh and Shawn Wayans
Ending theme"The Party's Just Begun" (instrumental)
ComposersStanley Clarke
Todd Cochran
Kennard Ramsey
Country of origin
  • United States
  • Canada
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13
Production
Executive producers
Producers
Animators
EditorDenise Whitfield
Running time22 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network
ReleaseOctober 19, 1996 (1996-10-19) –
May 17, 1997 (1997-05-17)

Waynehead lasted for 13 episodes for one season; Wayans stated that he was told by Warner Bros. that the cartoon wasn't black enough nor funny enough, to which a WB executive replied by insisting that the show was merely low-rated.[2] It is about a young boy named Damey Wayne, of unknown child years, from a poor background and with a club foot. It was based on Wayans' own childhood in the Chelsea neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Actors who provided voices for the show included Gary Coleman, Orlando Brown, and Marlon Wayans.[3]

Voice cast

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Episodes

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Series overview

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SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
113October 19, 1996 (1996-10-19)May 17, 1997 (1997-05-17)

Season 1 (1996–1997)

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No.TitleOriginal air dateProd.
code
1"Demon of The Dozens"October 19, 1996 (1996-10-19)102
Damey digs for dirt when his battle with Byron the school bully turns into a "dozens" fight, a contest of insults.
2"No Mo' Money"October 26, 1996 (1996-10-26)101

Damey tries to earn money for the Harlem Week Festival.

Song featured: "Street Talk Rap", sung by Damey Wayne and Roz.
3"Brothers And Bros."November 2, 1996 (1996-11-02)103
Damey learns the difference between friends and family when he sneaks out of the house to run with his gang.
4"Botswana Aki And The Hydrant of Doom"November 9, 1996 (1996-11-09)104

Damey's angry when he's forced to spend the day with the nerdy new kid, but when Aki is endangered by a run-in with the Hydrant of Doom, Damey sets out to rescue his unlikely friend. Guest Star: Heavy D

Note: The song "Nuttin' but Love" by Heavy D is featured.
5"3 Hats And You're Out"November 16, 1996 (1996-11-16)105
Damey's gang catapults to coolness when his L.A. cousin, Three Hats, starts hanging with them. But the gang's loyalty is tested when their new leader demands an old member be cut.
6"Dad's A Spaz"November 23, 1996 (1996-11-23)106

Damey asks his father to coach the gang for a basketball game against the tough St. Mary's team, and soon realizes his father's a disaster on the court.

Song featured: "We Got Chocolate on The Wall", sung by Toof.
7"Be Mine...Or Else"December 31, 1996 (1996-12-31)108

Roz accidentally falls in love with Damey when he rescues her from junkyard dogs.

Note: The song "I'll Be Good to You" by Brothers Johnson is featured.
8"To Be Cool Or Not To Be"February 1, 1997 (1997-02-01)107
Damey's desperate to keep his opera role a secret from the guys, but circumstances conspire against him.
9"Special Delivery"February 15, 1997 (1997-02-15)110

Damey and his friends struggle to get his mother to the hospital when she goes into labor at the library.

Song featured: "NBA Finals Montage (Instrumental)"
10"Quest For Fireworks"April 19, 1997 (1997-04-19)109

When Toof and Damey happen to find a firecracker the night before the 4th of July, the gang thinks they've got a secret course for illegal fireworks.

Song featured: "I Got The Firecracker", sung by Toof.
11"A Friend In Greed"April 26, 1997 (1997-04-26)113
Damey's broke when Marvin gives him a Ken Griffey, Jr. autographed glove with the money he stole from the gang.
12"Bummed Out"May 3, 1997 (1997-05-03)111
Damey helps a homeless DJ who works on his guilt over a prank they'd pulled just before the man was fired.
13"Rebel Without A Paw"May 17, 1997 (1997-05-17)112

Damey tries to help Tripod find a new owner after he is accused of mischief in a convenience store, which proves difficult because of his missing paw.

Song featured: "It's Called the Blues", sung by The Blues Man.

Production

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The series was first announced in 1991 as The Wayneheads. It was originally going to be a claymation series and was going to air in primetime on Fox.[4] The concept was shelved and was retooled as a traditionally-animated, Saturday morning series that took influence off of the 1992 movie Bebe's Kids, the show ran on Kids' WB from 1996 to 1997.

Broadcast

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The show was aired on Kids' WB from 1996 to 1997,[5] and eventually aired reruns on Cartoon Network from 1998 to 2000.

International

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In Canada, Waynehead aired on YTV from 1996 to 1998.

In Germany, Waynehead aired on ProSieben, Junior, and K-Toon under the name of Waynehead - Echt cool, Mann!.

In Austria, the series aired on ORF 1.

In the United Kingdom, the series aired on CITV in 1998.

In Israel, Waynehead aired on Arutz HaYeladim.

In Ireland, Waynehead aired on RTÉ2.

In Netherlands, Waynehead aired on Cartoon Network.

Home media

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Since April 20, 2021, Waynehead was released on iTunes, Amazon Video and Vudu.[6][7][8]

References in other media

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References

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  1. ^ Perlmutter, David (4 May 2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781538103746. Retrieved 8 September 2018 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ "The Call On Saturday Is Show Me The Wayans". Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  3. ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. p. 898. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  4. ^ Lev, Michael (22 March 1991). "ABC and Fox Announce Fall Plans". The New York Times.
  5. ^ Hendershot, Heather (1 February 2004). Nickelodeon Nation: The History, Politics, and Economics of America's Only TV Channel for Kids. NYU Press. ISBN 9780814736517. Retrieved 5 September 2018 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ Waynehead at iTunes.
  7. ^ Waynehead at Amazon Video.
  8. ^ Waynehead at Vudu.
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