Univision to debut primetime animated series ‘El Chavo del 8’.

The Univision Television Network announced it will debut the first ever Spanish-language animated series in primetime based on one of the most popular and beloved classic TV shows in all of Latin America, “El Chavo del 8” (The Kid from #8), with a one-hour special featuring El Chavo himself, Roberto Gómez Bolaños, and many of the original live-action cast members on Sunday, January 20th, 2008 at 7pm ET/PT (6pm Central). Regular 30-minute episodes are scheduled to run thereafter on Sundays from 7:30pm – 8pm ET/PT (6:30 – 7pm Central).

This Simpson-like animated series is an innovative and creative approach to the wildly popular international TV classic of the mid-1970s that was the most-watched show on Mexican television, and a following of 350 million viewers worldwide. As in the original, this new animated version focuses around the adventures and tribulations of the title character, El Chavo, an orphan (played by the series’ creator, Roberto Gómez Bolaños of “Chespirito” fame) and other inhabitants of a fictional Mexico City neighborhood or vecindad.

The show’s comedic style is a mixture of slap-stick physical humor; adorable characters, and a heavy dose of clever and thought-provoking dialogue. Although first and foremost a comedy, the show explores the problems many homeless children face on a daily basis, such as hunger, sadness, and not having someone responsible to watch over them. Fans of the original series will be delighted to see the familiar characters that populate the neighborhood including: Quico, El Chavo’s best friend and frequent co-conspirator; Popis, the stuck-up little girl; Don Ramon, El Chavo’s perennial target of mischief and part-time father-figure; Doña Florinda, Quico’s mother; Professor Jirafales, her erstwhile suitor; Doña Clotilde, the neighborhood spinster; and Señor Barriga, the neighborhood landlord, among others.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to bring our viewers this marvelous updating of one of their favorite television series of all time,” said Otto Padron, Sr. Vice President, Programming & Promotions, Univision Television Network. “The animation is superb and has captured the charm and humor of the original show’s characters in a way that will ensure Hispanic audiences can enjoy them for generations to come.”