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''The Houndcats'' is an American
Saturday morning cartoon "Saturday-morning cartoon" is a colloquial term for the original animated series programming that was typically scheduled on Saturday and Sunday mornings in the United States on the "Big Three" television networks. The genre's popularity had a br ...
series produced by
DePatie–Freleng Enterprises DePatie–Freleng Enterprises (also known as Mirisch-Geoffrey-DePatie-Freleng Productions when involved with the Mirisch brothers and Geoffrey Productions; and DFE Films) was an American animation production company that was active from 1963 to 1 ...
. The series was broadcast by
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
from September 9 to December 2, 1972, with reruns continuing until September 1, 1973. Thirteen episodes were produced.


Plot

Loosely based on the CBS adventure series '' Mission: Impossible'' and the short-lived 1971 series ''
Bearcats! ''Bearcats!'' is an American Western television series broadcast on the CBS television network during the fall 1971 television season. It starred Rod Taylor and Dennis Cole as troubleshooters in the period before the American entry into World Wa ...
'', it was headed by a combined team of (three) dogs and (two) cats, hence the name, as they go on spy missions in 1914 America. Each episode begins with the Houndcats receiving their orders from their unseen "Chief", whose message is played on an old-fashioned gramophone, player-piano or other device, parodying the tape recorder scene at the start of most episodes of ''Mission: Impossible''. However, the words "this message will self-destruct in five seconds", always takes the Houndcats by surprise, causing them to run away from the explosion.


Members

* The "Houndcats" were led by cool and confident cat Stutz. * Dingdog was Stutz' right-hand man. He wore a blue
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...
uniform. He was known for bad timing and bad judgment. He is a Briard. * Mussel Mutt was the muscle – large, bulky and ever-hungry, his eyes were almost always hidden under his hat. He is an Old English Sheepdog. * Putty Puss was a tiny cat and a disguise expert. * Rhubarb was a dog and a scientist. He wore a long coat and a large sombrero usually revealing only his nose. His coat was full of gadgets.


Cast

* Michael Bell as Stutz, the Raven *
Joe Besser Joe Besser (August 12, 1907 – March 1, 1988) was an American actor, comedian and musician, known for his impish humor and wimpy characters. He is best known for his brief stint as a member of The Three Stooges in movie short subjects of 1957� ...
as Putty Puss *
Daws Butler Charles Dawson Butler (November 16, 1916May 18, 1988) was an American voice actor. He worked mostly for the Hanna-Barbera animation production company where he originated the voices of many familiar characters, including Yogi Bear, Huckleberry H ...
as Rhubarb (three episodes), Dr. Strangeless, Grogan * Stu Gilliam as Dingdog *
Arte Johnson Arthur Stanton Eric Johnson (January 20, 1929 – July 3, 2019) was an American comic actor who was best known for his work as a regular on television's '' Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In''. Biography Early life Johnson was born January 20, 1929, i ...
as Rhubarb, Captain Blight *
Aldo Ray Aldo Ray (born Aldo Da Re; September 25, 1926 – March 27, 1991) was an American actor of film and television. He began his career as a contract player for Columbia Studios before achieving stardom through his roles in ''The Marrying Kind ...
as Mussel Mutt *
Joan Gerber Joan Gerber (July 29, 1935 – August 22, 2011) was an American voice actress who provided voices for a variety of cartoons. Her most challenging voice role was "all the children in a Japanese train wreck" for a '' Godzilla'' television episode ...
as Madame X * Bob Holt * John Stephenson as Doctor Doll


Production

13 half-hour episodes of the series were produced. An adult
laugh track A laugh track (or laughter track) is a separate soundtrack for a recorded comedy show containing the sound of audience laughter. In some productions, the laughter is a live audience response instead; in the United States, where it is most common ...
was added, as was common practice for cartoon series at the time.


Incarnations

*''The Houndcats'' (1972–1973) *''The Houndcats and The Barkleys'' (1972–1973)


Episodes


Home media

On October 20, 2015, Film Chest Media Group released ''The Barkleys and The Houndcats - 2 DVD Classic Animation Set'' on DVD in Region 1. This collection features all 13 episodes of the series on DVD.


Syndication

The show was previously syndicated by Viacom International, which is now
CBS Television Distribution CBS Media Ventures, Inc. (formerly CBS Television Distribution, Inc. and CBS Paramount Domestic Television, Inc.) is an American television distribution company owned by CBS Studios, part of CBS Entertainment Group, a division of Paramount G ...
.


Staff

* Created for Television by
David H. DePatie David Hudson DePatie (December 24, 1929 – September 23, 2021) was an American film and television producer who was the last executive in charge of the original Warner Bros. Cartoons studio and the longest-living until his death. He also formed ...
,
Friz Freleng Isadore "Friz" Freleng (August 21, 1905May 26, 1995), credited as I. Freleng early in his career, was an American animator, cartoonist, director, producer, and composer known for his work at Warner Bros. Cartoons on the ''Looney Tunes'' and ...
* In Association with
Ken Spears Charles Kenneth Spears (March 12, 1938 – November 6, 2020) was an American animator, writer, television producer and sound editor. He was best known as a co-creator of the ''Scooby-Doo'' franchise, together with Joe Ruby. In 1977, they co-found ...
,
Joe Ruby Joseph Clemens Ruby (March 30, 1933 – August 26, 2020) was an American animator, writer, television producer, and music editor. He was best known as the creator of the animated ''Scooby-Doo'' franchise, together with Ken Spears. In 1977, they c ...
* Writers: Woody Kling, Tom Dagenais, Don Christensen * Animation Director: Bob McKimson * Storyboard Directors:
Gerry Chiniquy Germain Adolph Chiniquy (pronounced "chin-a-KEE"; June 23, 1912 – November 22, 1989) was an American animator known for his work with Friz Freleng, at both Warner Bros. and DePatie-Freleng Enterprises. Chiniquy joined Freleng's animation t ...
, Arthur Leonardi, Cullen Houghtaling, Paul Sommer * Layout Supervisor and Design: Robert Taylor * Layouts: Martin Strudler, Marty Murphy,
Bob Givens Robert Herman Givens (March 2, 1918 – December 14, 2017) was an American animator and character designer, responsible for the creation of Bugs Bunny. He was the leading character designer for Leon Schlesinger, creating over 25 successful c ...
, Tony Rivera, Pete Alvarado * Animation: Don Williams, Manny Gould, Ken Muse, Norm McCabe, Bob Richardson,
Warren Batchelder Warren Batchelder (April 18, 1917 – February 12, 2007) was an animator on many Warner Bros. and DePatie-Freleng cartoons. He also worked as animation director on the '' Dungeons and Dragons'' cartoon show., He also did the animation for the ...
, John Gibbs, Jim Davis, Bob Matz, Bob Bransford, Reuben Timmins, Bob Bemiller * Background Supervised by Richard H. Thomas, Mary O'Loughlin * Film Editing Supervised by Lee Gunther * Film Editors: Joe Siracusa, Roger Donley, Allan R. Potter, Rick Steward * Voice Talents of Michael Bell,
Joe Besser Joe Besser (August 12, 1907 – March 1, 1988) was an American actor, comedian and musician, known for his impish humor and wimpy characters. He is best known for his brief stint as a member of The Three Stooges in movie short subjects of 1957� ...
,
Daws Butler Charles Dawson Butler (November 16, 1916May 18, 1988) was an American voice actor. He worked mostly for the Hanna-Barbera animation production company where he originated the voices of many familiar characters, including Yogi Bear, Huckleberry H ...
, Stu Gilliam,
Arte Johnson Arthur Stanton Eric Johnson (January 20, 1929 – July 3, 2019) was an American comic actor who was best known for his work as a regular on television's '' Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In''. Biography Early life Johnson was born January 20, 1929, i ...
,
Aldo Ray Aldo Ray (born Aldo Da Re; September 25, 1926 – March 27, 1991) was an American actor of film and television. He began his career as a contract player for Columbia Studios before achieving stardom through his roles in ''The Marrying Kind ...
and
Joan Gerber Joan Gerber (July 29, 1935 – August 22, 2011) was an American voice actress who provided voices for a variety of cartoons. Her most challenging voice role was "all the children in a Japanese train wreck" for a '' Godzilla'' television episode ...
, Bob Holt, John Stephenson * Title Designs by Arthur Leonardi * Music by Doug Goodwin * Music Score Conducted by Eric Rogers * Music Recording Engineer: Eric A. Tomlinson * Executive in Charge of Production: Stan Paperny * Production Supervisor: Harry Love * Camera: Ray Lee, Larry Hogan, John Burton, Jr. * Production Mixer: Steve Orr * Sound by Producer's Sound Service, Inc. * Associate Producers: Joe Ruby, Ken Spears * Produced by
David H. DePatie David Hudson DePatie (December 24, 1929 – September 23, 2021) was an American film and television producer who was the last executive in charge of the original Warner Bros. Cartoons studio and the longest-living until his death. He also formed ...
,
Friz Freleng Isadore "Friz" Freleng (August 21, 1905May 26, 1995), credited as I. Freleng early in his career, was an American animator, cartoonist, director, producer, and composer known for his work at Warner Bros. Cartoons on the ''Looney Tunes'' and ...


In other languages

* ar, فرقة المطاردة * eu, Ehizakatuak * french: Les Chacabots * he, הכלבתולים * it, Gli investigatti, La valle dei gatti * ja, それゆけ珍探偵ハウンドキャッツ * ko, 골목대장 똘이 * pl, Gończe koty * pt, Missão Quase Impossível * russian: Ищейки


References


External links

* *
''The Houndcats''
at
Don Markstein's Toonopedia Don Markstein's Toonopedia (subtitled A Vast Repository of Toonological Knowledge) is an online encyclopedia of print cartoons, comic strips and animation, initiated February 13, 2001. Donald D. Markstein, the sole writer and editor of Toonopedi ...

Archived
from the original on February 5, 2016. {{DEFAULTSORT:Houndcats, The 1970s American animated television series 1972 American television series debuts Fiction set in 1914 Television series set in the 1910s Television series by CBS Studios 1973 American television series endings NBC original programming Television series by DePatie–Freleng Enterprises Animated television series about dogs Animated television series about cats American children's animated action television series American children's animated adventure television series Television series created by Joe Ruby Television series created by Ken Spears