CatDog
Encyclopedia
CatDog is an American
animated television series which premiered on April 4, 1998, and ended with an unaired episode on September 22, 2004. The series was created for Nickelodeon
by Peter Hannan. It was also shown as a sneak peek in theaters with The Rugrats Movie
. The series depicts the life of conjoined brothers, with one half being a cat
and the other a dog
.
Nickelodeon at first ordered 40 episodes and planned to debut it in spring 1998. Nick produced the series from Burbank
, California
, United States
.
The series had average ratings, but it managed to maintain a moderate yet loyal fan base. Towards the end of the series run, a made-for-TV film was released, titled CatDog: The Great Parent Mystery
. Reruns are played on Nicktoons.
The series is produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio and Peter Hannan Productions. Its distributor is Nickelodeon.
and dog
with two heads (one at either end of its single body) and no tail or hind legs. Because of their strange condition, CatDog are seen as outcasts in the city of Nearburg and are often harassed by their neighbor, Winslow, a devious blue mouse
, and the Greaser Dogs, a gang of tough dogs. However, this is not so uncommon, as everyone else in their family are conjoined hybrids as well.
The series depicts them as being as different as cats and dogs - Dog loves rock n' roll, Cat does not. Dog loves to chase garbage trucks, Cat does not. However, they are best friends.
The series, created by Peter Hannan, was developed as the next Nicktoons production and produced from Nickelodeon animation studio in Burbank, California. Hannan served as executive producer. This was part of Nickelodeon's $350 million investment in original animation over the next five years after the series' inception.
Albie Hecht, Nickelodeon's senior vice president of worldwide productions, said that the creators planned for the series to "really play off of kids' sympathies" by portraying the characters as experiencing "the worst of both worlds".
Hannan said he was inspired by CatDog by watching neighborhood cats and dogs occasionally fight each other, and thought that it would be great to make conjoined twinned Cat and Dog to see how both of the animals would fare against other things. The idea of them being conjoined twins came from Hannan watching several news stories on TV about conjoined twins living a normal life conjoined together. Both aspects he claimed, initially developed the idea of CatDog.
The series revolves around Cat and Dog, who share the same body, and although they are best friends and brothers, they have very different personalities, similar to The Odd Couple
mixed with elements of Laurel and Hardy
and Abbott and Costello
. Cat is very cultured while Dog is very fun-loving and enjoys chasing garbage trucks, chasing cars, and exploring many things in which Cat does not want to take part. Dog enjoys eating at fast food restaurants (such as Taco Depot),where as cat does not.
The series was followed by the television film "The Great Parent Mystery," which premiered in 2001.
The series premiered in the United States on April 4, 1998. CatDog is known as "Gatoskylo" in Greece and "Kattehund" in Norway.
United States
Canada
Australia
Dog
Winslow
Rancid Rabbit
Eddie the Squirrel
Randolph
Tallulah
Mean Bob
Lola
The Ingrid Twins
Mervis & Dunglap
Mr. Sunshine
's Create Space DVDs are no longer available for sale with the announcement that Shout Factory will begin releasing their own DVD sets, the episodes are still available for Amazon's Instant Video downloading service though
Shout Factory recently acquired the rights to CatDog. It was revealed in the packaging for The Wild Thornberrys
DVD release. Part 1 of Season 1 was released on October 18, 2011.
At the Kids' Choice Awards, USA, the show was nominated for a Blimp Award for Favorite Cartoon in 1999 and 2000.
CatDog was reviewed at commonsensemedia. It was advised for children aged 7 and up, and was given a score of 2/5 stars. It was described as "iffy", one of the reasons cited as being due to "some bad role models". The review continues; "Parents need to know that kids will probably laugh their heads off at the silliness of a creature with a cat at one end of its body and a dog at the other. But parents may find they're not in on the joke. While there's no harm done here, the amount of cartoon mayhem and absurdity leaves little reason for parents to have kids tune in regularly...The series makes some attempts at injecting a moral here or there, but they fall flat. The focus is on looniness, silliness, and out-of-control antics, with very little in the way of redeeming qualities. This can be just the ticket for some kids, although the bizarreness of the concept is enough to leave most parents shaking their heads."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
animated television series which premiered on April 4, 1998, and ended with an unaired episode on September 22, 2004. The series was created for Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
by Peter Hannan. It was also shown as a sneak peek in theaters with The Rugrats Movie
The Rugrats Movie
The Rugrats Movie is a 1998 American animated film, produced by Klasky Csupo and Nickelodeon Movies. The film was distributed by Paramount Pictures and first released in theaters in the United States on November 20, 1998....
. The series depicts the life of conjoined brothers, with one half being a cat
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
and the other a dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
.
Nickelodeon at first ordered 40 episodes and planned to debut it in spring 1998. Nick produced the series from Burbank
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The series had average ratings, but it managed to maintain a moderate yet loyal fan base. Towards the end of the series run, a made-for-TV film was released, titled CatDog: The Great Parent Mystery
CatDog: The Great Parent Mystery
CatDog: The Great Parent Mystery is a 2001 animated television movie based on the Nickelodeon animated television series CatDog.-Storyline:...
. Reruns are played on Nicktoons.
The series is produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio and Peter Hannan Productions. Its distributor is Nickelodeon.
Premise
The series follows the adventures of CatDog, a conjoined twin hybrid of a catCat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
and dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
with two heads (one at either end of its single body) and no tail or hind legs. Because of their strange condition, CatDog are seen as outcasts in the city of Nearburg and are often harassed by their neighbor, Winslow, a devious blue mouse
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
, and the Greaser Dogs, a gang of tough dogs. However, this is not so uncommon, as everyone else in their family are conjoined hybrids as well.
The series depicts them as being as different as cats and dogs - Dog loves rock n' roll, Cat does not. Dog loves to chase garbage trucks, Cat does not. However, they are best friends.
The series, created by Peter Hannan, was developed as the next Nicktoons production and produced from Nickelodeon animation studio in Burbank, California. Hannan served as executive producer. This was part of Nickelodeon's $350 million investment in original animation over the next five years after the series' inception.
Albie Hecht, Nickelodeon's senior vice president of worldwide productions, said that the creators planned for the series to "really play off of kids' sympathies" by portraying the characters as experiencing "the worst of both worlds".
Hannan said he was inspired by CatDog by watching neighborhood cats and dogs occasionally fight each other, and thought that it would be great to make conjoined twinned Cat and Dog to see how both of the animals would fare against other things. The idea of them being conjoined twins came from Hannan watching several news stories on TV about conjoined twins living a normal life conjoined together. Both aspects he claimed, initially developed the idea of CatDog.
The series revolves around Cat and Dog, who share the same body, and although they are best friends and brothers, they have very different personalities, similar to The Odd Couple
The Odd Couple
The Odd Couple is a 1965 Broadway play by Neil Simon, followed by a successful film and television series, as well as other derivative works and spin offs, many featuring one or more of the same actors. The plot concerns two mismatched roommates, one neat and uptight, the other more easygoing and...
mixed with elements of Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comedy double acts of the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema...
and Abbott and Costello
Abbott and Costello
William "Bud" Abbott and Lou Costello performed together as Abbott and Costello, an American comedy duo whose work on stage, radio, film and television made them the most popular comedy team during the 1940s and 1950s...
. Cat is very cultured while Dog is very fun-loving and enjoys chasing garbage trucks, chasing cars, and exploring many things in which Cat does not want to take part. Dog enjoys eating at fast food restaurants (such as Taco Depot),where as cat does not.
The series was followed by the television film "The Great Parent Mystery," which premiered in 2001.
The series premiered in the United States on April 4, 1998. CatDog is known as "Gatoskylo" in Greece and "Kattehund" in Norway.
Broadcast History
United States
- NickelodeonNickelodeonNickelodeon is a US cable TV channel.Nickelodeon may also refer to:-In television:*Spinoffs of the Nickelodeon channel:** Nickelodeon Magazine, a children's magazine.** Nickelodeon Universe, an amusement park....
(1998–2007) - Nicktoons (2002–present)
- TeenNickTeenNickTeenNick, formerly The N, is an American television network aimed at the teenage market. TeenNick is owned by the MTV Networks subsidiary, Viacom. The channel was originally known as The N from its April 1, 2002 launch until September 28, 2009....
(TBA)
- NicklodeonNickelodeon (UK & Ireland)Nickelodeon is a children's television channel available on Sky, Virgin Media, Smallworld Cable, TalkTalk TV and UPC Ireland in the United Kingdom and Ireland, including on demand on BT Vision. The channel was launched on 1 September 1993...
*(1998–2008) - Nicktoons* (2002–2011)
- Nicktoons Replay* (2010–2011)
Canada
- YTV (1998–2004)
- Nickelodeon (2009–present)
Australia
- NickelodeonNickelodeon AustraliaNickelodeon is the Australian counterpart of the Nickelodeon network in the United States. It is operated by a joint venture of XYZnetworks and MTV Networks Australia.-History:...
(1998–present)
Voice Cast
| Voice actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Jim Cummings Jim Cummings James Jonah "Jim" Cummings is an American voice actor who has appeared in almost 100 roles. He has appeared in classic animated movies such as Aladdin and The Lion King, as well as taking on roles in more current films, such as Bee Movie, Princess and the Frog, and Winnie the Pooh.-Personal... |
Cat |
| Tom Kenny Tom Kenny Thomas James "Tom" Kenny is an American actor, voice actor and comedian. He is especially known for his long-running-role as SpongeBob SquarePants in the television series of the same name, as well as the live-action character Patchy the Pirate, Gary the Snail and the French narrator based on... |
Dog Cliff |
| Carlos Alazraqui Carlos Alazraqui Carlos Jaime Alazraqui is an American actor, comedian, impressionist and voice actor. He is best known for his role as Deputy James Garcia on the Comedy Central series Reno 911!. His voice-over work includes the role of Bobbi Fabulous on Phineas and Ferb, the Taco Bell chihuahua, Denzel Q... |
Winslow Lube |
| Billy West | Rancid Rabbit Mr. Sunshine Randolph |
| Maria Bamford Maria Bamford Maria Bamford is an American stand-up comedian and voice actor. She is best known for her portrayal of her dysfunctional family and self-deprecating comedy involving jokes about depression. Her comedy style draws upon surrealism and incorporates voice impressions that good-naturedly mock various... |
Shriek |
| John Kassir John Kassir John Kassir is an American actor, voice artist, and comedian who is best known as the voice of the Crypt Keeper in HBO's, Tales from the Crypt franchise... |
Mervis Dunglap |
| Dwight Schultz Dwight Schultz William Dwight Schultz is an American stage, television, film actor, and voice artist. He is best known for his roles as Captain "Howling Mad" Murdock on the 1980s action show The A-Team, and as Reginald Barclay in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, and the film Star Trek: First... |
Eddie the Squirrel |
Main characters
Cat- Cat (voiced by Jim CummingsJim CummingsJames Jonah "Jim" Cummings is an American voice actor who has appeared in almost 100 roles. He has appeared in classic animated movies such as Aladdin and The Lion King, as well as taking on roles in more current films, such as Bee Movie, Princess and the Frog, and Winnie the Pooh.-Personal...
) is the smarter, more clever and more cunning of the two. He's an American BobtailAmerican BobtailThe American Bobtail is a relatively new and uncommon breed of cat which appeared in the late 1960s. It is most notable for its stubby "bobbed" tail about one-third to one-half the length of a normal cat's tail. This is the result of a cat body type genetic mutation affecting the tail development,...
. He often devises plans to trick Dog into getting what he wants, such as making Dog smarter in an attempt to have more in common with him, or having him win a dog sledding contest by training him in a very hard and militaristic manner, and usually, as a result of his greediness and selfishness, these schemes all blow up in his face. He is the "underdogUnderdog (competition)An underdog is a person or group in a competition, frequently in electoral politics, sports and creative works, who is popularly expected to lose. The party, team or individual expected to win is called the favorite or top dog. In the rare case where an underdog wins, the outcome is an upset. These...
" of the two. Life has been hard for the both of them, as they have been shunned by societySocietyA society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
due to their awkward appearance, but Cat always seems to get the short end of the stick in the situations, especially faced with the Greaser Dogs. With his brains and constant ridiculing from the rest of the characters, he is the more defensive and short tempered of the two. Despite his quirks and spats with Dog, he loves his brother with his whole heart. He cares so deeply that he ends up helping Dog in the end once his guilty conscienceConscienceConscience is an aptitude, faculty, intuition or judgment of the intellect that distinguishes right from wrong. Moral judgement may derive from values or norms...
gets to him. Cat has a "Crush" on Shriek. In one episode, Cat admits his love for Shriek and kisses her after Shriek kisses Dog and tells him she loves him (Only to wind up getting pounded by the aggressive poodle). Cat desires fame and fortune and tends to go to excessive lengths in order to gain them. He is intelligent and enjoys reading, gardening, and listening to classical music. Cat is somewhat uptight and believes strongly in being polite and neat. He is a stickler for cleanliness and, like most cats, is aquaphobicAquaphobiaAquaphobia is an abnormal and persistent fear of water. Aquaphobia is a specific phobia that involves a level of fear that is beyond the patient's control or that may interfere with daily life. People suffer aquaphobia in many ways and may experience it even though they realize the water in an...
. He is also obsessed with jet skiJet skiJet Ski is the brand name of a personal watercraft manufactured by Kawasaki Heavy Industries. The name is sometimes mistakenly used by those unfamiliar with the personal watercraft industry to refer to any type of personal watercraft; however, the name is a valid trademark registered with the...
s, once stating that he would sell his soul for one. Cat is 26 years old. Despite his sophisticated personality, Cat also has a dark side. Whenever he snaps, Cat becomes a ruthless, psychopathic maniac who even the Greasers are scared of once they see what he is capable of doing (especially his stress-induced, superhuman strength, evident when he destroy the Greasers' monster truck with a single punch). Cat's catchphrase is "TERRIFIC," said in a negative tone. He usually says this when something bad happens.
Dog
- Dog (voiced by Tom KennyTom KennyThomas James "Tom" Kenny is an American actor, voice actor and comedian. He is especially known for his long-running-role as SpongeBob SquarePants in the television series of the same name, as well as the live-action character Patchy the Pirate, Gary the Snail and the French narrator based on...
) is the more happy-go-lucky and more naïve of the two. He is also the source of clumsiness. He is a American FoxhoundAmerican FoxhoundThe American Foxhound is a breed of dog that is cousin to the English Foxhound. They are scent hounds, bred to hunt foxes by scent.-History:...
. He is extremely ambitious when Cat or any other character convinces him to take on a task, diving right into it with full force and energy. Dog is the typical loyal dog and is easily convinced. He will believe everything he is told. His attention span is very short and he is easily distracted by balls, garbage trucks, bones, food, and his overactive imaginationImaginationImagination, also called the faculty of imagining, is the ability of forming mental images, sensations and concepts, in a moment when they are not perceived through sight, hearing or other senses...
. Because of his dysfunctional brain, Dog usually is the one who gets the pair into trouble. Not paying attention to Cat's warnings, his actions almost always end up with some severe consequences. Despite this, in many of the episodes, it is shown that Dog is usually the one that is more popular and athletic of the two, such as the episode when Cat and Dog both went back to school to complete Cat's last day of High School. Like Cat, Dog adores his brother and looks up to him no matter how many times Cat steers him into danger. Dog is the typical animal. He is often distracted with chasing shadows and chasing after tennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
balls, and loves eating garbageWasteWaste is unwanted or useless materials. In biology, waste is any of the many unwanted substances or toxins that are expelled from living organisms, metabolic waste; such as urea, sweat or feces. Litter is waste which has been disposed of improperly...
. Much to Cat's dismay, he leaves a mess everywhere he goes. According to the series finale, Dog remembers what their parents were like (ex.: "Mom's four eyes; Dad's slimy green skin.") He is also 26. Dog's catchphrase is "HI HO DIGGETY," and he usually says this when he is excited about something.
Winslow
- Winslow (voiced by Carlos AlazraquiCarlos AlazraquiCarlos Jaime Alazraqui is an American actor, comedian, impressionist and voice actor. He is best known for his role as Deputy James Garcia on the Comedy Central series Reno 911!. His voice-over work includes the role of Bobbi Fabulous on Phineas and Ferb, the Taco Bell chihuahua, Denzel Q...
) lives in CatDog's house in the hole in the wall. Despite his ratRatRats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
-like appearance and behavior, he is actually a (very humanoid) mouseMouseA mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
. Winslow speaks with a typical BrooklynBrooklynBrooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
accent. Winslow is always full of wisecracks about anything and everything. He's very sneaky and underhanded with CatDog, especially with Cat. Winslow and Cat do not get along at all, because he's always getting Cat in trouble. However, it was eventually revealed that Winslow may be afraid of Cat, because of Cat trying to eat him once. Dog, however, does not mind Winslow and is friendly with him. Deep down, he has a very big heart and loves CatDog and at some point act as CatDog's conscience and guidance of living in society, but acts out against them because he is jealous of how close they are. When he laughs, he goes "Heh Heh". His catchphrase is "Whatta you, nuts?"
Recurring characters
The Greaser Dogs- The Greaser Dogs are a street gang consisting of three tough dogs named Cliff, Shriek, and Lube. They serve as the main antagonists of the series, next to Rancid Rabbit. They act no differently than school playground bullies, picking on anyone either weaker or different than them. They pick on CatDog (mostly Cat), and their only reason seems to be "CatDog's a FREAK!" Their usual nickname for them is "Catbutt," because Dog has Cat for a butt. Dog sometimes gets along with them because he's a canine, as well. They initiated him in the gang in "Full Moon Fever", after he had proven his worth as a "real" dog. The Greaser Dogs also have a fear of tickTickTicks are small arachnids in the order Ixodida, along with mites, constitute the subclass Acarina. Ticks are ectoparasites , living by hematophagy on the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles and amphibians...
s, which usually renders them helpless in almost any situation. The name Greasers is a slight reference to the novel The OutsidersThe Outsiders (novel)The Outsiders is a coming-of-age novel based in 1965 by S. E. Hinton, first published in 1967 by Viking Press. Hinton was 15 when she started writing the novel, but did most of the work when she was sixteen and a junior in high school. Hinton was 18 when the book was published...
.- Cliff
- : Cliff (voiced by Tom KennyTom KennyThomas James "Tom" Kenny is an American actor, voice actor and comedian. He is especially known for his long-running-role as SpongeBob SquarePants in the television series of the same name, as well as the live-action character Patchy the Pirate, Gary the Snail and the French narrator based on...
) The leader of the Greasers. He wears a black leather jacket with a picture of a dead cat on it. He is very short tempered and speaks similarly to Winslow with a Brooklyn accent only not as high. In "Squirrel Dog," he got a taste of his own medicine when Eddie was accidentally glued to his jacket, which turned them into "SquirrelDog". Once this happened, Shriek and Lube kicked him out of the Greasers because now he was a "two-headed freak". Cliff learned the pain of being an outcast and what CatDog go through. However, once he was free of Eddie, he returned to his old bullying ways and rejoined the Greasers. In another episode, when he is trapped under a massive weight for several days, he made a solemn vow to never bully anyone (especially CatDog) again should he escape this fate, though it did not last very long. Later episodes reveal softer sides of Cliff, such as his love for ballet and cashmere. One episode says that he was not an only child; the proof is a niece - Shriek
- : Shriek (voiced by Maria BamfordMaria BamfordMaria Bamford is an American stand-up comedian and voice actor. She is best known for her portrayal of her dysfunctional family and self-deprecating comedy involving jokes about depression. Her comedy style draws upon surrealism and incorporates voice impressions that good-naturedly mock various...
) The only girl in the Greasers. She is a tiny white PoodlePoodleThe Poodle is a breed of dog. The poodle breed is found officially in toy, miniature, and standard sizes, with many coat colors. Originally bred as a type of water dog, the poodle is highly intelligent and skillful in many dog sports, including agility, obedience, tracking, and even herding...
, with a high pitched, squeaky voice with a slight raspy quality to it. Though she's as tough and loyal as the other two, she's very emotional romantically and has a secret crush on Dog—though he never appears to notice. Shriek will not hit Dog, she'll only hit Cat. She came from a rich family, but she did not like the posh life, and so she left home and became a Greaser. Shriek is the only Greaser with a visible tail - Lube
- : Lube (voiced by Carlos AlazraquiCarlos AlazraquiCarlos Jaime Alazraqui is an American actor, comedian, impressionist and voice actor. He is best known for his role as Deputy James Garcia on the Comedy Central series Reno 911!. His voice-over work includes the role of Bobbi Fabulous on Phineas and Ferb, the Taco Bell chihuahua, Denzel Q...
) A Hound dogHoundA hound is a type of dog that assists hunters by tracking or chasing the animal being hunted. It can be contrasted with the gun dog, which assists hunters by identifying the location of prey, and with the retriever, which recovers shot quarry...
, and the slowest and sweetest one of the group. He'll forget what he's saying and slur his speech. He's the most loyal of the three Greasers. Despite his dull wit, like his parents, Lube has lots of musical talent and can sing very well. It is important to note a character design modification that occurred after the first episode; in "Dog Gone," Lube appeared with black dot eyes and long brown hair that extended down to his nose. In subsequent episodes, his appearance was changed and remained that way until the end of the series. In one episode he rolls up his right trouser and takes off a wooden leg. He also works part-time as a mechanic. His parents, a cat mother and a dog father, appeared in the series finale and said that Lube got separated from them a long time ago. Also in the series finale, Lube is shown to have had a sister, who tries to marry Cat. When the Greaser Dogs usually agree on something lube usually says "Yeah, what they said!
Rancid Rabbit
- Rancid Rabbit (voiced by Billy WestBilly WestWilliam Richard "Billy" West is an American voice actor. Born in Detroit but raised in the Roslindale neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, Billy launched his career in the early 1980s performing daily comedic routines on Boston's WBCN. He left the radio station to work on the short-lived revival...
) is the stereotypical authority figure and one of the series' primary antagonists. He had his job titles like police officer, life guard, prison guard, Firefighter, boss of various businesses, principal, president, mayor, Egyptian PharaohPharaohPharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
, doctor, TV host, contest judge, store and TacoTacoA taco is a traditional Mexican dish composed of a corn or wheat tortilla folded or rolled around a filling. A taco can be made with a variety of fillings, including beef, chicken, seafood, vegetables and cheese, allowing for great versatility and variety...
Depot manager, etc; in one episode, he appears as a principal at a school and, at the end, as a police officer. When Cat asks him about this, he never receives an answer. Rancid hates CatDog and will go out of his way to punish them or force them to work for him, abusing his power to the fullest degree. Rancid takes advantage of CatDog as much as he can by deceiving them into buying his products or pushing them to do his bidding in a job. He does whatever it takes to take their money or benefit himself in any way. He constantly says "Leaping Lumbago" and "What, What, What." Rancid owns a mall called the Mall of Malls (a parody of the Mall Of AmericaMall of AmericaThe Mall of America, also called MOA and the Megamall, is a shopping mall located in Bloomington, Minnesota, a suburb of the Twin Cities, in the United States. It is located southeast of the junction of Interstate 494 and Minnesota State Highway 77, north of the Minnesota River and is across the...
), and has a spoiled niece named Rancy. Rancid also has a cousin named Rotten, who lives in Farburg.
Eddie the Squirrel
- Eddie the Squirrel (voiced by Dwight SchultzDwight SchultzWilliam Dwight Schultz is an American stage, television, film actor, and voice artist. He is best known for his roles as Captain "Howling Mad" Murdock on the 1980s action show The A-Team, and as Reginald Barclay in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, and the film Star Trek: First...
) is a Greaser wannabe with little red pieces of paper taped to the side of his head to look like red sideburns in hopes to be more like Cliff. He is always bruised up from getting punched, and from being used as a birdie in badmintonBadmintonBadminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
, or a football. He wants to be an official Greaser very badly, but sadly lacks their number one requirement: being a dog. In "New Cat in Town," he became the main antagonistAntagonistAn antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
. The same episode shows that he is talented at impersonating voices (or at least Cliff's).
Randolph
- Randolph (voiced by Billy WestBilly WestWilliam Richard "Billy" West is an American voice actor. Born in Detroit but raised in the Roslindale neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, Billy launched his career in the early 1980s performing daily comedic routines on Boston's WBCN. He left the radio station to work on the short-lived revival...
impersonating Cary GrantCary GrantArchibald Alexander Leach , better known by his stage name Cary Grant, was an English actor who later took U.S. citizenship...
) is a trendy, suave cat who has an accent like Cary Grant. He first appears in "CatDog's End." He'll try anything once, as long as it's terribly exciting and attention-getting. Randolph appears to be like a celebrity in his lifestyle. In "All About Cat," Randolph was hosting the musical awards banquet. In "The Lady is a Shriek," Randolph is the proud owner of "Randolph's Charm School and House of Beauty," to help turn girls into beautiful women with poise and etiquette. That's Randolph; a trend setting, rich and famous cat. He constantly says, "And I LOVE it!"
Tallulah
- Tallulah (voiced by Maria BamfordMaria BamfordMaria Bamford is an American stand-up comedian and voice actor. She is best known for her portrayal of her dysfunctional family and self-deprecating comedy involving jokes about depression. Her comedy style draws upon surrealism and incorporates voice impressions that good-naturedly mock various...
) is an actress on whom Cat has an enormous crush. CatDog first met Tallulah during the musical "Abe Lincoln Superstar". Since then, she has become a major celebrity and good friend of Randolph's. Tallulah is forever searching for her soul mate that's "as loyal as a dog and as clever as a cat, who will take [her] in his arms and say 'Baby, you're the one!'"
Mean Bob
- Mean Bob (voiced by Billy WestBilly WestWilliam Richard "Billy" West is an American voice actor. Born in Detroit but raised in the Roslindale neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, Billy launched his career in the early 1980s performing daily comedic routines on Boston's WBCN. He left the radio station to work on the short-lived revival...
) is a fictional super hero and is Dog's ultimate hero. Having watched Mean Bob movies, playing the video games and with the toys, Dog is quite an expert on Mean Bob and how to do certain things like dodge meteors, fly and shoot at enemy ships, and battle "Salivians". Mean Bob has made appearances as an action figure, or actor, in "The Collector," "Spaced Out," "Dog Show," the Golden Hydrant Game, and Saving Mean Bob game.
Lola
- Lola (voiced by Nika Frost) is a female MexicanMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
Yellow-Bellied Whip-poor-willWhip-poor-willThe Eastern Whip-poor-will, Caprimulgus vociferus, is a medium-sized nightjar from North and Central America. The whip-poor-will is commonly heard within its range, but less often seen because of its superior camouflage...
introduced in the third season. She is a zoologistZoologyZoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
, and CatDog's next-door neighbor. She gained a love of zoologyZoologyZoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
while wrangling bulls on her family's ranch. CatDog found her annoying until they saw her drive off the Greaser Dogs single-handedly (although Cat is still upset when she eats his doughnuts). Her catchphrase is "Unbelievable!," said in her Mexican accent whenever observing something she finds fascinating (often CatDog during private moments).
The Ingrid Twins
- The Ingrid Twins (voiced by Laraine NewmanLaraine NewmanLaraine Newman is an American comedienne, actress, and writer, and was part of the original Saturday Night Live cast.-Personal life:...
) are two female swedish twin cat sisters whom Cat also has a crush. Light blue is the color of one of the twins fur and grey is the color of the other. In "Armed and Dangerous", one of the twins was Cat's pen pals. Cat tries to impress the twins so that they can go on a date with him but they seem more interested in Dog (to cats dismay). The light blue fured twin seems to be more optimistic then the grey one. They also have a interest in dating TV stars and movie stars. They have been shown in only "Armed and Dangerous," "Dead Weight," and "Dog Ate It."
Mervis & Dunglap
- Mervis (a pig) and Dunglap (a weasel) (voiced by John KassirJohn KassirJohn Kassir is an American actor, voice artist, and comedian who is best known as the voice of the Crypt Keeper in HBO's, Tales from the Crypt franchise...
) are CatDog's best friends and are often used as background characters. They are rarely if ever seen apart, and have been shown with various jobs, such as working at Taco Depot, the Kavity Krunch cereal factory, and Mervis even had a temporary run as a mailman trying to deliver CatDog's mail (and failing, due to Dog's inability to hold himself back long enough for any mailman to deliver their mail before getting all shredded up, much to Cat's dismay). Dunglap appears to be the luckier of the two due to his fortunes, like getting a promotion at a job, in contrast to Mervis' misfortunes, such as getting into an accident because of the Greasers. A running gag throughout the series is that Mervis and Dunglap can sometimes be seen fighting. They both have nerdy personalities and often feel uncomfortable and nervous around the "cooler" characters, especially the Greasers.
Mr. Sunshine
- Mr. Sunshine (voiced by Billy WestBilly WestWilliam Richard "Billy" West is an American voice actor. Born in Detroit but raised in the Roslindale neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, Billy launched his career in the early 1980s performing daily comedic routines on Boston's WBCN. He left the radio station to work on the short-lived revival...
) is a green-skinned, shirtless humanoid creature with a thin, once-coiled tail and no apparent emotions, who has a monotone voice and demeanor very similar to the actor Ben SteinBen SteinBenjamin Jeremy "Ben" Stein is an American actor, writer, lawyer, and commentator on political and economic issues. He attained early success as a speechwriter for American presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford...
. His name is ironically the very opposite of his personality, and he often nods off and falls asleep in the middle of doing things, such as performing a (very unengaging) magic act. It's suggested that his sardonic and pessimistic personality may be Dog's fault, since that Sunshine experience stress of being hunted was a dustman by Dog since from his early years in the job. Very little is known about him and the ambiguity of his species is touched upon in one episode when Rancid Rabbit starts arresting everyone for not having licenses: Dog does not have a dog license, Lola does not have a bird license, and so on; but when Rancid captures Sunshine, he says, "You're under arrest for not having a...not having a...not having a license!" Thus it is apparent that not even the characters in the show know what he is. Mr. Sunshine's first name is Cornelius.
DVD and digital download releases
Seasons 1 - 3 are currently available in the iTunes Store. Amazon.comAmazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
's Create Space DVDs are no longer available for sale with the announcement that Shout Factory will begin releasing their own DVD sets, the episodes are still available for Amazon's Instant Video downloading service though
Shout Factory recently acquired the rights to CatDog. It was revealed in the packaging for The Wild Thornberrys
The Wild Thornberrys
The Wild Thornberrys is an American animated television series that aired on Nickelodeon. It was rerun in the USA on Nickelodeon and occasionally The N until 2009 and Nicktoons until 2007...
DVD release. Part 1 of Season 1 was released on October 18, 2011.
| CreateSpace Releases | Release date | Discs | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | June 7, 2010 | 4 | 20 |
| Season 2 | February 7, 2011 | 7 | 34 |
| Season 3 | December 1, 2010 | 3 | 13 |
| Shout Factory Releases | Release date | Discs | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1: Part 1 | October 18, 2011 | 2 | 10 |
| Season 1: Part 2 | TBA | 2 | 10 |
| Season 2 | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Season 3 | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Awards
In 1998, the show was nominated for an Annie Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement for Writing in an Animated Television Production, for "Dog Gone". The recipients would have been Derek Drymon, Robert Porter, and Peter Hannan.At the Kids' Choice Awards, USA, the show was nominated for a Blimp Award for Favorite Cartoon in 1999 and 2000.
Critical reception
On the site TV.com, CatDog was given a rating of 8.1 (Great) based on 613 votes.CatDog was reviewed at commonsensemedia. It was advised for children aged 7 and up, and was given a score of 2/5 stars. It was described as "iffy", one of the reasons cited as being due to "some bad role models". The review continues; "Parents need to know that kids will probably laugh their heads off at the silliness of a creature with a cat at one end of its body and a dog at the other. But parents may find they're not in on the joke. While there's no harm done here, the amount of cartoon mayhem and absurdity leaves little reason for parents to have kids tune in regularly...The series makes some attempts at injecting a moral here or there, but they fall flat. The focus is on looniness, silliness, and out-of-control antics, with very little in the way of redeeming qualities. This can be just the ticket for some kids, although the bizarreness of the concept is enough to leave most parents shaking their heads."
External links
- Welcome to CatDog's 1st Fan Site - Includes various interview from member of cast and crew