Aired: 1999-2004 (Nickelodeon)
DAD: Raymundo Rocket (voice of John Kassir)/ Widower
DAD’S JOB: Surfer and Owner of Shore Shack Store
KIDS: Oswald “Otto”( voice of Joseph Aston) (9), Regina “Reggie” (voice of Shanya Fox) (11)
WHERE’S MOM?: Died?
STAND-IN “MOM”: Violet Stimpleton (voice of Edie McClurg) / neighbor
Yet another TV Single Dad cartoon from the powerhouse production company of Klasky Csupo, the producers of Rugrats, Stressed Eric, and Duckman.
Raymundo runs a store/snack bar in Rocket Beach, California, raising his two hyper-sportific children Otto and Reggie. The Shore Shack’s head chef, Tito, is the Yoda-like advice giver to Ray on child-rearing, while next-door neighbor Violet acts as a mom-figure to the kids.
Interesting to note is the inclusion of another Chuckie Finster-like character of pal Sam Dullard (voiced by Sam Suletta, then Gary Leroi Gray, then Sean Marquette) who, like Chuckie has a single parent; only this time, it’s a single mom, named Paula.
Nickelodeon describes the show thusly:
“Rocket Power” is the story of four friends who are addicted to action and extreme sports. Otto Rocket, his sister Reggie, and their pals Twister and Sam excel at just about every aggressive sport you can imagine. Their hometown Rocket Beach, CA is the ultimate place for shooting the curl, skating the half-pipe or blading on the boardwalk. There are extreme sports for all seasons, however, so don’t be surprised if you catch the kids heading up to the mountains for snowboarding, ice hockey, and all manner of arctic action. All that competition can get, well, pretty competitive sometimes. So it’s a good thing folks like Otto and Reggie’s dad Raymundo are around to remind everyone that way cool friendships are more important than winning events. Extreme sports, extreme fun, and extreme friends–that’s “Rocket Power.”
Update: Alert Viewer Varakorn Ungvichian adds info on an upcoming special about the death of Raymundo’s wife…
“Actually, there will be a telefilm next year that explains this (so I’ve heard Csupo say). That same telefilm will also see Ray get remarried, BTW.”
A swing of the Treat Williams Memorial Stethescope to Varakorn Ungvichian for the info on Mrs. Rocket, Sam’s voice talent, and Sam’s mom’s name. Thanks, Varakorn!
Another Update: Alert Viewer Varakorn is following the show closely, and checks in with more info:
Ray Rocket (the single dad on Rocket Power) will be getting married soon, as KC says: “Fans of Ray Rocket can look forward to a wedding, as he ties the knot with one of Tito’s cousins he meets in Hawaii in an upcoming Rocket Power special to air next year!”
Still More Updates: Alert Viewer Varakorn comes back with the Mike Brady Clock Start for Rocket Power –
On Rocket Power, Ray Rocket married Noelani Makani in the ep “The Big Day” on July 30… however, Ray had been shown already married to her on June 16 in “After Shocked”.
And possibly the Final Update for the Series: Alert Viewer Varakorn reports the Curtain has fallen –
“The special I mentioned earlier was titled “Island of the Menehune”. Although it did indeed discuss about the Rocket sibs’ mom Dani (same voice as the daughter), they did _not_ mention how Dani died. “Guess they didn’t want to bring up her departure too much.” (Master NC, Nickdisk). Also, the marriage was not featured in the special, but in another separate ep titled “The Big Day”, and there has also been one ep with Ray and Noelani married. But don’t start that clock, since the show is already out of production.”