On NBC from 9/11/76 - 11/20/76 and 4/9/77 - 9/3/77

13 episodes

C.A.P.E.R. (Civilian Authority for the Protection of Everybody, Regardless) was a special, undercover division of the 927th Police Precinct, located in the city of NorthEast SouthWeston, under the supervision of Chief Vinton. The team consisted of four members: Doc, the suave, romantic one; Doomsday, the blond, naive one who could talk to animals; P.T., the leader of the group who was good with gadgetry and had a strong sense of smell; and Bugs, the strong one. They drove around solving crimes in the Big Baloney, a van with a large hot dog on top. Many of their adventures took place in the Krelvin Building, which was the tallest building in the world without elevators. Besides solving crimes, the guys were also a rock group and each episode featured at least one song.

Of all of the non-Krofft and Filmation shows, this is probably the show I get asked about the most; everyone seems to remember it and the theme song. One of the Executive Producers was Don Kirshner, who also helped provide music for the Monkees and the Archies. A Kids from C.A.P.E.R. album was put out (with songs written by some of the same people who wrote for the Monkees and the Archies) in 76, unforntunately it doesn't have the theme song.

(June 2008) Someone uploaded an entire episode, minus the opening and closing credits, in three parts on Youtube. I added the opening credits uploaded by another Youtube poster and made it into a playlist:

Stanley Z. Cherry passed away from cancer on September 27, 2006. Cherry was the main director, producer, and uncredited (re)writer on the Kids from C.A.P.E.R. Prior to C.A.P.E.R., Cherry directed and/or wrote episodes for a variety of series, including The Addams Family, Gilligan's Island, and the show that inspired C.A.P.E.R., The Monkees.

Variety has an obituary.

The great Mego Museum site has unearthed photos of prototypes for action figures and vehicles from Monster Squad and the Kids from C.A.P.E.R. Made by Ideal, the figures and vehicles were featured in the company's catalog. To my knowledge, none of the figures were actually available for sale.

Too Much Time on Their Hands - Kids from H.Y.D.E. - Ghost from C.A.P.E.R. - The Uncanny Nanny - Invasion of the Frankfurter Snatchers - Mummy's the Word - The Goodfather - The Post Monster General - The Pieman's Pool - The Terrible Tollman - Dunga Gin - The Phantom of the Drive-In Movie - King Kone

Opening theme
The Kids announcing who they are.
Bugs hears the word "bananas".
The secret word.
The C.A.P.E.R.code

Kids from C.A.P.E.R. at the IMDB

The Trip home page (featuring Steve Bonino on bass and vocals)

Like a lot of the non-Krofft/Filmation shows, this show vanished after one season and to my knowledge, hasn't been rerun (at least in the US) since. Although audio tapes of most/all episodes are out there, as far as I can tell there doesn't seem to be much in the way of video copies around in trading circles.

Someone contacted me a few years back offering to send a few episodes on video, but the email address expired not too long after that. I do know that there are some 16 mm prints out there. If anyone has access to episodes on tape or on 16 mm, please email me! I will make it worth your while.

Questions, Comments, Suggestions, etc...