Female cartoon characters from the 1970s were a force to be reckoned with. These female leads are more than just pretty faces. They are strong female figures that helped pave the way for female superheroes in our modern day cartoons! Here is a list of some of these iconic female cartoon characters and the shows they made their own.
Wonder Woman
Appearing on the show Super Friends, Wonder Woman was the ultimate female superhero. She traveled with other superheroes (like Batman and Robin) in the cartoon to fight villains like Lex Luthor. Wonder Woman had powers that included flight and super strength.
Velma Dinkley
Velma Dinkley, the female character on Scooby Doo, may seem like a meek and mild-mannered individual. However, she has some pretty big moments in her role as female cartoon lead of the show. Velma is often making fun of Fred for his many failed attempts to capture monsters with traps and plans that never quite work out exactly as planned. She also has a knack for solving mysteries and always finds the true culprits in the end.
Marcia Brady
Taking her famous role from (near) primetime to Saturday mornings, Maureen McCormick portrayed Marcia Brady in the second incarnation of The Brady Bunch. Like some female cartoon characters from the 70s, she is a bit of an anti-hero who often struggles with her self esteem and identity as a female child being raised by two parents.
Pebbles Flintstone
One female cartoon character from the 70s that many people immediately identify with is Pebbles Flintstone. Though she was introduced way back in 1963, Pebbles continued to babble and charm in our living rooms through the 1970s. And, when The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show debuted in 1971, the littlest Flintstone had definitely hit the big time in the world of kids.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Sabrina the Teenage Witch is one female cartoon character from the 70s that many people remember with fondness. Her show first aired in 1970, and, for those who grew up watching it during its initial run, Sabrina remains a nostalgic favorite to this day. And while she’s no longer on TV screens across North America (at least not in her original form), she still pops up from time to time.
And, of course, Sabrina inspired a live-action spinoff, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, which premiered on ABC in 1996. It quickly became one of the most popular TV shows for female audiences and is still fondly remembered today.
Rota Ree
Starring as Wheelie’s girlfriend in Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch, Rota Ree was an anthropomorphic car who resembled a Volkswagen Beetle. The show ran for just one season, in the fall of 1974, but running across a rerun of Rota, Wheelie, and friends is always a treat today, and a rare treat, at that.
Microwoman
Debuting as a segment on “Tarzan and the Super 7” in 1978, Microwoman — Christy Cross — teamed up with her husband Superstretch (yes, Chris Cross) to fight crime and take on sticky situations. As his name implies, Superstretch could stretch into just about any form, and Microwoman could shrink herself to a tiny size.
Josie and the Pussycats
This one is not just a single female cartoon character, but a full-on rock band brimming with unforgettable animated young women. Based on the comic book series of the same name that sprang from the Archie Comics universe, Josie and her bandmates lasted just one season in their original incarnation before coming back with a different formula in 1972 as Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space.
Penelope Pitstop
Coming from the old Hanna-Barbera 60s cartoon Wacky Races, Penelope Pitstop is a female race car driver who often races against Dick Dastardly and his sidekick Muttley. She’s also one of the first female cartoon characters that was not portrayed by someone with a male voice. And, though Wacky Races was technically an entirely 1960s show, most kids were introduced to Penelope and the gang during reruns in the 1970s.
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