Cartoon Network’s Dive-In Theater: A Floating Cinema

Animation
World Magazine, Issue 2.7, October 1997

How do you introduce new television shows and
cartoon characters in a way that will excite and entertain kids? Throw
a party, of course. And for the past three summers, Cartoon Network has
done just that by traveling to several cities across the United States
to host Dive-In Theater, the ultimate pool party for kids.

©1997 The Cartoon Network, Inc. All
characters
and related elements depicted herein are trademarks
of and copyrighted by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc.

Cartoon Network’s marketing department came up with the
concept of Dive-In Theater in 1995 to showcase the 48 cartoon shorts from
its World Premiere Toons project. This year, the tour focused on
the World Premiere Toons graduating class: three cartoons that have
been upgraded to half-hour series on the network Johnny Bravo, Cow
and Chicken and Dexter’s Laboratory. Dive-In Theater premiered
the series at water parks and large municipal swimming pools, treating
kids and their parents to exclusive poolside screenings on 9′ x 12′ movie
screens.

New Shows Debut
The first of the three new series featured at the Dive-In Theater,
Johnny Bravo, tells the story of a free-spirit with bulging biceps
who believes he is a gift from God to the women of earth. The second show
to debut, Cow & Chicken, follows a bizarre storyline that spotlights
the misadventures of a surreal pair of siblings, whose relationship is
underscored by their identity little sister is a Cow and big brother is
a Chicken. The senior representative of the trio is Dexter’s Laboratory,
which was Cartoon Network’s highest rated show in 1996. Dexter’s Laboratory
chronicles the life of a boy genius who creates world-changing inventions
in his beloved, but off-limits, bedroom laboratory despite the pesky interference
of his sister Dee Dee. All three break out stars from the World Premiere
Toons project debuted as series on Cartoon Network in mid-July and
are currently playing on Cartoon Network channels worldwide.

©1997 The Cartoon Network,
Inc. All characters
and related elements depicted herein are trademarks
of and copyrighted by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc.

This year’s U.S. Dive-In Theater tour visited eleven markets,
including Arlington, Texas, Los Angeles, California, Arlington Heights,
Illinois, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Riverhead, New York, and Atlanta,
Georgia. In each market, Cartoon Network partnered with a local radio station
and a local cable operator to give away an estimated 2,000 tickets per
venue.

Those in attendance enjoyed the show while floating in a “Cow raft,”
“Dexter submarine” or by treading water in a “Johnny Bravo
inner tube” that is complete with an inflated blond pompadour. In
addition, costumed characters were on hand for photo opportunities, including
Dexter, his sister Dee Dee, Johnny Bravo, and Cow & Chicken. Other
poolside activities included two prize wheels that rewarded winners with
Cartoon Network merchandise and other sponsored prizes. After the show,
Cartoon Network surprised the kids by inviting them to take home the inflatable
rafts.

Free Stuff!
If your town was not one of the 11 cities scheduled on this year’s
tour, or if you missed your chance to win tickets to the event, there is
still a chance to win one of the tour’s colorful rafts. Cartoon Network
and AWN are giving away 60 rafts absolutely free! All you have to do is
answer 4 trivia questions correctly. To
enter, just follow this link…

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