Clue Club
Encyclopedia
Clue Club is a 30-minute Saturday morning animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions
from August 14, 1976 to September 3, 1977 on CBS
.
Clue Club only had one season’s worth of first-run episodes produced, which were shown on Saturday mornings on CBS (the original home of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!
, which Clue Club had replaced; Scooby-Doo
was being groomed for its move to ABC
).
In the fall of 1977, cut-down versions of the half-hour episodes of Clue Club appeared under the new title Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives to showcase the show's basset and bloodhound which aired as a segment on the CBS Saturday morning package program The Skatebirds
from September 10, 1977 to January 28, 1978.
When The Skatebirds was cancelled in early 1978, Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives re-appeared as a segment alongside The Robonic Stooges
on their half-hour show, also on CBS. The full-length versions of Clue Club returned to CBS on Sunday mornings from September 1978 to September 1979, concluding the show’s original network run.
After a mid-1980s revival on USA Cartoon Express
, it has since resurfaced on Cartoon Network
and Boomerang
.
, the show centered around four adolescent siblings who opened the title private investigation agency out of their suburban residence. The sibs were: Larry, 19; Pepper, 18; D.D., 16; and Dotty, 13. They solved mysteries with the help of their two talking hounds, Woofer and Wimper.
Clue Club mysteries usually involved investigating bizarre crimes such as a movie director vanishing or a two-ton statue disappearing into thin air. Their relationship to the police was closer than most of H-B's variations of the formula, with the local Sheriff often requesting their assistance on cases...as well as making arrests at their conclusion.
, she normally stayed at home; from there, Dotty provided case-solving information from her minicomputer
and/or results from various forensic tests. She also had access to high-tech communications equipment, including audio/video links to the Club's car...and to their wristwatches, which doubled as pager
s. (Where and how the Club built or otherwise acquired these devices was never specified; it was hinted that Dotty herself custom-made them.) Dotty's brothers and sister were highly protective of her, and resented it when she joined them in the field...which the girl frequently did, after running out of "homework."
Pepper and D.D. (voiced by Patricia Stitch and Bob Hastings
) - They typically searched for leads and/or evidence, which often led to them being chased by the culprit(s). It was never revealed what D.D.'s initials stood for.
Larry (voiced by David Jolliffe) - Normally he interviewed the suspect(s) and/or passed on the Club's findings to Dotty.
Woofer and Wimper (voiced by Paul Winchell
and Jim MacGeorge
) - Much of the comedy would come from Woofer, who would constantly accuse suspects without good reason, then later back-track while proclaiming his genius; and Wimper, a more down-to-earth, easy-going, yet intelligent dog, who would at times go along with his comrade’s schemes, and other times turn the tables on his pal. This, and Wimper's ability to find pertinent clues elevated his character to equal status. Unlike Scooby-Doo
, the dogs are only able to talk to each other and not to humans. They served in cases either as trackers, or delivering messages and/or evidence back to Dotty to analyze. Their voices sound similar to "Amos 'n Andy".
Sheriff Bagley (voiced by John Stephenson
) - The local Sheriff who frequently relies on the Clue Club for assistance and arrests suspects at their conclusion.
Broadcast schedules (all EDT):
CLUE CLUB
THE SKATEBIRDS/WOOFER & WIMPER, DOG DETECTIVES
THE THREE ROBONIC STOOGES/WOOFER & WIMPER, DOG DETECTIVES:
CLUE CLUB
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
from August 14, 1976 to September 3, 1977 on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
.
Clue Club only had one season’s worth of first-run episodes produced, which were shown on Saturday mornings on CBS (the original home of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!
Scooby-Doo, Where are You!
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! is the first incarnation of the long-running Hanna-Barbera Saturday morning cartoon Scooby-Doo. It premiered on September 13, 1969 at 10:30 a.m. EST and ran for two seasons on CBS as a half-hour long show. Twenty-five episodes were produced...
, which Clue Club had replaced; Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...
was being groomed for its move to ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
).
In the fall of 1977, cut-down versions of the half-hour episodes of Clue Club appeared under the new title Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives to showcase the show's basset and bloodhound which aired as a segment on the CBS Saturday morning package program The Skatebirds
The Skatebirds
The Skatebirds was a 60-minute show on CBS Saturday mornings from 1977-78, produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The show featured four short segments hosted by live-action wraparounds featuring "The Skatebirds", three large birds played by actors in costumes.The Skatebirds, so-called because they...
from September 10, 1977 to January 28, 1978.
When The Skatebirds was cancelled in early 1978, Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives re-appeared as a segment alongside The Robonic Stooges
The Robonic Stooges
The Robonic Stooges was a 30-minute Saturday morning animated series featuring the characters of The Three Stooges in new roles as clumsy crime-fighting bionic superheroes...
on their half-hour show, also on CBS. The full-length versions of Clue Club returned to CBS on Sunday mornings from September 1978 to September 1979, concluding the show’s original network run.
After a mid-1980s revival on USA Cartoon Express
USA Cartoon Express
The USA Cartoon Express was a programming block of animated productions which aired on cable television's USA Network from late 1982 to September 15, 1996...
, it has since resurfaced on Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
and Boomerang
Boomerang (TV channel)
Boomerang is a 24-hour American cable television channel owned by Turner Broadcasting System, a division of Time Warner. Boomerang specializes in reruns of animated programming from Time Warner's extensive archives, including pre-1986 MGM, Hanna-Barbera, Cartoon Network, DePatie-Freleng Enterprises...
.
Plot
Similar in format to Hanna-Barbera’s successful Scooby-DooScooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...
, the show centered around four adolescent siblings who opened the title private investigation agency out of their suburban residence. The sibs were: Larry, 19; Pepper, 18; D.D., 16; and Dotty, 13. They solved mysteries with the help of their two talking hounds, Woofer and Wimper.
Clue Club mysteries usually involved investigating bizarre crimes such as a movie director vanishing or a two-ton statue disappearing into thin air. Their relationship to the police was closer than most of H-B's variations of the formula, with the local Sheriff often requesting their assistance on cases...as well as making arrests at their conclusion.
Characters
Dotty (voiced by Tara Talboy) - The youngest member of the Club, endured an arsenal of deprecating nicknames from her elder sister and brothers: "half-pint," "short-stuff," and the like. A prodigyChild prodigy
A child prodigy is someone who, at an early age, masters one or more skills far beyond his or her level of maturity. One criterion for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 18 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding...
, she normally stayed at home; from there, Dotty provided case-solving information from her minicomputer
Minicomputer
A minicomputer is a class of multi-user computers that lies in the middle range of the computing spectrum, in between the largest multi-user systems and the smallest single-user systems...
and/or results from various forensic tests. She also had access to high-tech communications equipment, including audio/video links to the Club's car...and to their wristwatches, which doubled as pager
Pager
A pager is a simple personal telecommunications device for short messages. A one-way numeric pager can only receive a message consisting of a few digits, typically a phone number that the user is then requested to call...
s. (Where and how the Club built or otherwise acquired these devices was never specified; it was hinted that Dotty herself custom-made them.) Dotty's brothers and sister were highly protective of her, and resented it when she joined them in the field...which the girl frequently did, after running out of "homework."
Pepper and D.D. (voiced by Patricia Stitch and Bob Hastings
Bob Hastings
Robert "Bob" Hastings is an American film, radio, and television character actor. He has also provided voices for animated cartoons....
) - They typically searched for leads and/or evidence, which often led to them being chased by the culprit(s). It was never revealed what D.D.'s initials stood for.
Larry (voiced by David Jolliffe) - Normally he interviewed the suspect(s) and/or passed on the Club's findings to Dotty.
Woofer and Wimper (voiced by Paul Winchell
Paul Winchell
Paul Winchell was an American ventriloquist, voice actor and comedian, whose career flourished in the 1950s and 1960s...
and Jim MacGeorge
Jim MacGeorge
Jim MacGeorge is an actor and voice actor.He is probably best known for his voice roles as Beany Boy, Crowy and Uncle Captain Horatio K. Huffenpuff in Beany and Cecil, Oliver Hardy in the Laurel and Hardy cartoon series, Crazy Claws in The Kwicky Koala Show, Bort in The Mighty Orbots, Wimper in...
) - Much of the comedy would come from Woofer, who would constantly accuse suspects without good reason, then later back-track while proclaiming his genius; and Wimper, a more down-to-earth, easy-going, yet intelligent dog, who would at times go along with his comrade’s schemes, and other times turn the tables on his pal. This, and Wimper's ability to find pertinent clues elevated his character to equal status. Unlike Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo (character)
Scoobert "Scooby" Doo is the eponymous character and the protagonist in the Scooby-Doo animated television series created by the popular American animation company Hanna-Barbera...
, the dogs are only able to talk to each other and not to humans. They served in cases either as trackers, or delivering messages and/or evidence back to Dotty to analyze. Their voices sound similar to "Amos 'n Andy".
Sheriff Bagley (voiced by John Stephenson
John Stephenson
John Stephenson may refer to:*John Stephenson , American voice actor*John Stephenson , American baseball catcher*John Stephenson , 19th century Irish-American coachbuilder who created the street railway...
) - The local Sheriff who frequently relies on the Clue Club for assistance and arrests suspects at their conclusion.
Episodes
| No. | Title | Air date |
|---|
Broadcast history
- Clue Club: August 14, 1976 - September 3, 1977 (CBS)
- The Skatebirds (as Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives): September 10, 1977 - January 28, 1978 (CBS)
- The Robonic Stooges (as Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives): January 28, 1978 - September 2, 1978 (CBS)
- Clue Club (rebroadcast): September 10, 1978 - September 2, 1979 (CBS)
Broadcast schedules (all EDT):
CLUE CLUB
- Aug 1976 - Sep 1976, CBS Saturday - 9:30-10:00 am
- Sep 1976 - Nov 1976, CBS Saturday - 11:30-12:00 am
- Nov 1976 - Sep 1977, CBS Saturday - 8:30-9:00 am
THE SKATEBIRDS/WOOFER & WIMPER, DOG DETECTIVES
- Sep 1977 - Nov 1977, CBS Saturday - 9:30-10:30 am
- Nov 1977 - Jan 1978, CBS Saturday - 8:00-9:00 am
THE THREE ROBONIC STOOGES/WOOFER & WIMPER, DOG DETECTIVES:
- Jan 1978 - Sep 1978, CBS Saturday - 8:00-8:30 am
CLUE CLUB
- Sep 1978 - Sep 1979, CBS Sunday - 9:30-10:00 am
Production credits
- EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: William Hanna and Joseph Barbera
- DIRECTOR: Charles A. Nichols
- CREATIVE PRODUCER: Iwao Takamoto
- RECORDING DIRECTOR: Wally BurrWally BurrWally Burr is an American voice actor and director. He was best known as the voice director for the Generation 1 cartoon and The Transformers: The Movie. Aside from voicing some incidental characters, he has also filled in roles for regular voice actors who were unavailable for taping. He is also...
- STORY EDITOR: Sid Morse
- WRITERS: Herb Armstrong, Haskell Barkin, Dick Conway, Jack Fox, Gordon Glasco, Hampton, Duane Poole, Dick Robbins, James Scmerer, Lee Sheldon
- CREATIVE STORYBOARD DIRECTOR: Alex Lovy
- STORYBOARD DIRECTION: Jan Green, Don Sheppard, Paul Sommer
- VOICES: Joan GerberJoan GerberJoan Gerber is an American voice actress for a variety of cartoons.- Filmography :* 1959: Matty's Funday Funnies : Additional Voices...
, Virginia GreggVirginia GreggVirginia Gregg Burket was an American actress best known for her many roles in radio dramas.Born in Harrisburg, Illinois, Virginia Gregg was the daughter of musician Dewey Alphaleta and businessman Edward William Gregg.-Radio:Gregg was a prolific radio actor, heard on such programs as The...
, Bob HastingsBob HastingsRobert "Bob" Hastings is an American film, radio, and television character actor. He has also provided voices for animated cartoons....
, David Jolliffe, Julie McWhirterJulie McWhirterJulie McWhirter is an Indiana-born voice actress and impressionist best known for her work as Kanga in "Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore". Her voice acting also includes numerous Hanna-Barbera cartoons, such as Jeannie, Jabberjaw, Casper and the Angels, Drak Pack and The Smurfs...
, Jim MacGeorgeJim MacGeorgeJim MacGeorge is an actor and voice actor.He is probably best known for his voice roles as Beany Boy, Crowy and Uncle Captain Horatio K. Huffenpuff in Beany and Cecil, Oliver Hardy in the Laurel and Hardy cartoon series, Crazy Claws in The Kwicky Koala Show, Bort in The Mighty Orbots, Wimper in...
, Alan OppenheimerAlan OppenheimerAlan Oppenheimer is an American character actor and voice actor. He has performed numerous roles on live-action television since the 1960s, and has had an active career doing voice work in cartoons since the 1970s.-Early life:...
, Vic PerrinVic PerrinVic Perrin was an American actor and voice artist. He is best remembered as the "Control Voice" in the original version of the TV series The Outer Limits ....
, John StephensonJohn Stephenson (actor)John Stephenson is an American actor and voice actor. He has also been credited as John Stevenson...
, Patricia Stitch, Tara Talboy, Janet WaldoJanet WaldoJanet Waldo is an American actress and voice artist with a career encompassing radio, television, animation and live-action films. She is best known in animation for voicing Judy Jetson, Penelope Pitstop and Josie McCoy in Josie and the Pussycats...
, Paul WinchellPaul WinchellPaul Winchell was an American ventriloquist, voice actor and comedian, whose career flourished in the 1950s and 1960s... - GRAPHICS: Iraj Paran
- MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Hoyt Curtin
- MUSICAL SUPERVISOR: Paul DeKorte
- CHARACTER DESIGN SUPERVISOR: Bob Singer
- CHARACTER DESIGN: Alex Toth, Donna Zeller
- UNIT DIRECTOR: Art Scott
- LAYOUT: Bob Fosbery, Steve Lumley, Margaret Parkes, Joe Shearer
- ANIMATION DIRECTOR: Chris Cuddington
- ANIMATION: Sue Beak, John Burge, Geoff Collins, Don Ezard, Warwick Gilbert, Gerry Grabner, Sebastian Hurple, Cynthia Leech, Don MacKinnon, Paul McAdam, Henry Neville, Di Rudder, Jean Tych
- BACKGROUNDS: Milton Zahorsky, Richard Zaloudek
- ANIMATION CHECKING: Narelle Nixon, Terry Smith
- XEROX MANAGER: Ellen Bayley
- PAINTING SUPERVISOR: Lesley Blayney
- CAMERA: Jan Cregan, Mark D'Arcy-Irvine
- SOUND DIRECTION: Richard Olson, Bill Getty
- SUPERVISING FILM EDITOR: Larry Cowan
- MUSIC EDITORS: Pat Foley, James Yaras
- EFFECTS EDITORS: Tom Gleason, Milt Krear
- NEGATIVE CONSULTANT: William E. DeBoer
- POST PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR: Joed Eaton
- PRODUCTION MANAGER: Peter Addison
- A HANNA-BARBERA PRODUCTION:
- This Picture Made Under the Juridiction of IATSE-IA Affiliated with A.F.L.-C.I.O.
- RCARCARCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
Sound Recording - (c) 1976 Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc.:
External links
- Clue Club at the Big Cartoon DataBaseBig Cartoon DataBaseThe Big Cartoon DataBase is an online database of information about animated cartoons, animated feature films, animated television shows and cartoon shorts....
- Woofer & Wimper, Dog Detectives at Big Cartoon DataBaseBig Cartoon DataBaseThe Big Cartoon DataBase is an online database of information about animated cartoons, animated feature films, animated television shows and cartoon shorts....