Fantomcat was an animated series produced by Cosgrove Hall Films

Cosgrove Hall Films

Cosgrove Hall Films was a British animation studio based in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, that once was a major producer of children's television programmes. Cosgrove Hall's programmes are still seen in over eighty countries...

, it was first broadcast in 1995 and was animated after Avenger Penguins

Avenger Penguins

Avenger Penguins was an animated series produced by Cosgrove Hall Films in 1993, it was animated by Alfonso Productions, a Spanish based animation studio also responsible for bringing Cosgrove's previous show Fantomcat to life. It aired largely on Children's ITV and was originally to be called...

in 1994 by Alfonso Productions, a Spanish based animation studio. It aired largely on Children's ITV. The show also had a brief run on Pop. It was produced and directed by Ben Turner
Fantomcat centres on the character Phillipe Lentheric Guerlain de Givenchy, the Duke of Fantom, a masked swashbuckling hero who thrived in 1699, in mortal combat with his arch nemesis Baron Von Skeltar (basically a sword-wielding caped Skeletoid alchemist) De Fantom was treacherously cast into a painting within the halls of his house Castle De Fantom, and became trapped for centuries. As time passed, the area around Castle De Fantom became a bustling metropolis called Metro City, a city submerged in crime rings led by the fiendish arachnid Marmagora.

Plot summary

Whilst pursuing Marmagora, a stern female detective known as Tabitha Wildcat (Tabs) and her two friends Macduff (a mouse) and Lindbergh (a carrier pigeon who can only speak in garbled blubbering pidgin English) take a wrong turn and arrive within the halls of Castle Fantom and accidentally free the Duke. After explaining who he is, Macduff nicknames the Duke "Fantom Cat" for easier reference, and together unite to first aid Fantomcat in his revenge on the Baron, and then to continue to fight Marmagora and rid Metro City of her influence.

Fantomcat is naturally completely oblivious to the modern world and its various new technologies

Technology

Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...

, which can hinder him and the detective team if not careful. This also leads to comedic scenes of Fantomcat trying to operate microwaves and basks in awe at the television set. Fantomcat has a sword called "Touché" which can respond to his beck and call, he can also turn invisible

Invisibility

Invisibility is the state of an object that cannot be seen. An object in this state is said to be invisible . The term is usually used as a fantasy/science fiction term, where objects are literally made unseeable by magical or technological means; however, its effects can also be seen in the real...

, hence his namesake to act like a "Phantom" when needed.

Influences

Fantomcat was influenced heavily by Zorro

Zorro

Zorro is a fictional character created in 1919 by New York-based pulp writer Johnston McCulley. The character has been featured in numerous books, films, television series, and other media....

, Errol Flynn

Errol Flynn

Errol Leslie Flynn was an Australian-born actor. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films, being a legend and his flamboyant lifestyle.-Early life:...

, and the time-lost approach of Adam Adamant Lives.

Voice Talents

Voices: Robert Powell

Robert Powell

Robert Powell is an English television and film actor, probably most famous for his title role in Jesus of Nazareth and as the fictional secret agent Richard Hannay...

 (Fantomcat), Lorelei King

Lorelei King

Lorelei King is a United States-born actress who has been based in the United Kingdom since 1981. She has narrated audiobooks, acted in radio plays for BBC Radio 4 and appeared on television.- Early life :...

 (Tabs Wildcat / Marmagora), Jimmy Hibbert

Jimmy Hibbert

James "Jimmy" Hibbert is an English television writer and voice actor best known for his work for Cosgrove Hall.He was brought up and educated at Leighton Park School and in Henley-on-Thames and later studied at the University of Manchester achieving a BA in drama...

 (Lindbergh the pigeon / Vile the bluebottle), Rob Rackstraw

Rob Rackstraw

Robert "Rob" Rackstraw is a British voice actor. He is perhaps best known for his various voices in the television series Bob the Builder, mainly the scarecrow Spud. He has an extensive voice over career over 15 years long and is considered to be one of the UK's leading male voice actors...

 (MacDuff the mouse).

Episode list

Season One:

1. 1 The Hero Returns - First broadcast: 9/7/1995
2. 2 The Preying Mantis - First broadcast: 9/14/1995
3. 3 The Swords of the Scorpion - First broadcast: 9/21/1995
4. 4 The Aeroship - First broadcast: 9/28/1995
5. 5 Asteroid Adventure - First broadcast: 10/5/1995
6. 6 The Mind Leech - First broadcast: 10/12/1995
7. 7 Lady Gobling’s Gems - First broadcast: 10/26/1995
8. 8 Great Balls of Fire - First broadcast: 11/2/1995
9. 9 The Chameleons of Death - First Broadcast: 11/9/1995
10. 10 The Crystal of Nemesis - First broadcast: 11/16/1995
11. 11 The Eye of Harakti - First broadcast: 11/23/1995
12. 12 Where the Heart Is - First broadcast: 11/30/1995
13. 13 The Web of Doom - First broadcast: 12/7/1995

Season Two: (transmission dates include 10/23/1996, 11/13/1996 and 12/18/1996)

1. 14 Once Upon a Time Machine
2. 15 The Manhattan Incident
3. 16 Cinema Purradiso
4. 21 The Lonely Hearts Club
5. 23 The Incredible Shrinking Fantomcat
6. 26 The Mirror Monster

Could be 17, 18, 19, 20, 22 or 25:

MacFlash: Warrior of the Skies - MacDuff becomes a superhero when his inventor brother Bunty builds him a suit

The Treasure of the Belleraphon - Marmagora sets out to steal the treasure of the Belleraphon, a sunken ocean craft

Monitor - Possibly not the correct title. Monitor from the previous season returns to exact revenge on Fantomcat with a sidekick called 'Lurk'

The Judgement Chamber - Definitely not the correct title, but one in which Fantomcat 'dies' and goes to a chamber in his castle where his worthiness to continue living is judged by the ghosts of his ancestors. This test involves a battle, but since FC is too weak, he chooses MacDuff to battle an opponent for him

Credits

• A Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall film
• Executive Producers: Brian Cosgrove, Mark Hall
• Producer and Director: Ben Turner, Andy Roper
• Writers: Roger Stennett, Jimmy Hibbert
  Jimmy Hibbert
  James "Jimmy" Hibbert is an English television writer and voice actor best known for his work for Cosgrove Hall.He was brought up and educated at Leighton Park School and in Henley-on-Thames and later studied at the University of Manchester achieving a BA in drama...
  
  , Keith Smith
  Keith Smith
  Keith Smith was a former English rugby player; he excelled in playing centre. He first played with Yorkshire Colts rugby then advanced to Roundhay. It was from that side that he was selected to play in the English international ranks....
  
  , Maggie Fox, Sue Ryding, Stefan Redfern
• Music: Phil Bush
• Design: Andy Roper, Jon Doyle, Mike Whaite, Maggie Riley, Michael Rose, Leslie Eaves, John Millington
• Storyboard: Keith Scoble, Wayne Thomas, Andy Janes, Ricardo Machuca, Francisco Alaminos, Eduardo Valero, Neil Graham, John Martin
• Layout: Teresa Valero, Angel Martinez, Alfonso Segovia, Manuel Trujillo, Roberto Benito, Eduardo Valero. Richardo Machuca
• Animators: Luis L. Varela, Valentin Domenech, Juan Jose Bravo, Alberto Conejo, Juan Antonio Serrano, Mariano Rueda,

Angel Gallego, Pedro Molina, Bujor Stefanescu, Roberto Garcia, Roberto Fernandez, Vittorio Pirajno, Yolanda Jaraquemada,
Miquel H. Pujol, Joaquim Sola, Luis J. Huerga, Jose Sanchez, Javier Gutierrez, Alberto Iglesias, J. Carlos Huerga, Miguel
Angel Romero, Miguel Laurin, Francisco Alaminos, Marivi, Pedro A. Hernandez, Jordi Muray, Roberto Chamorro, Eloy
Espejo, Carlos Campo, German Michelena

• Assistants: Luis Amor, Sanda Sasu, Maria Luisa Rutz, Jose Carlos Rueda, Jose Antonio Garcia, Felix Garrido, Raul

Fernandez, Oscar Rutz, Cristina Gabriel, Asier Azkarraga, Monica Buesa, Rosana, Llave, Andres Fernandez, Maritxell
Massana, Lluisa Munoz, Marina Marlasca, Nuria Riba, Mar Alberic, Jesus Parada, Kdio Osuna, Xavier Felip, Heather
Olivella, Marga Sanchez, Victor Rodriguez

• Inbetweeners: Belen Mota, Juan Armijo, Jose Martin, Elena Arnais, Yolanda Valasco, Sacramento Martinez, Henrietta Ramlau, Maria Costa, Antonio Fernandez, Monica Diaz,

Yolanda Sanz, Ismael Arrais, Lola Alberdi, Isabel Fernandez, Angel Marcano, Julio Alrozona

• Backgrounds: Higashi Taruma, Andres Harnandez, David Jaraiz, George Popov, Cristina Ray, Rafael Parrilla, Javier Mota, Arantxa Sestayo, Concepcion Echave, Carlos Fernandez
• Line-Test: Eva Montero, Mayte Alonso, Victor Gonzalez, J. Manuel Guerrero, Ana Alvarez, Fatiha Bouhmarez
• Checking: Alex Alfonso, Carmen G. Sangrador, Maribel Lopez
• Scanner Operators: Jackie Mitchell, Wendy Senior, Gloria Vassiliou
• Digital Colourists: Carla Abraham, Althea Deane, Joyce Flowers, Marie Dembinski
• Digital Compositior: Peter Kidd
• Directors: Angel Izquierdo, Antonio Zurera,
• Head of Production:Elena Gomez
• Supervising Production: Lucia Gomez
• Animation Director (Alfonso Production) Carlos Alfonso, Chris Doyle
• Production Manager: (Alfonso Productions) Julio Diez
• Business & Finance Manager: Phil Slattery
• Technical Co-Ordinator: Phil Atack
• Production Co-Ordinator: Laura Cosgrove, Belen Ramirez
• Head of Storyboard: Antonio Zurera
• Supervising Production:
• Colour Design: Joan Jones
• Animation Director: Carlos Alfonso (Alfonso Productions)
• Production Manager: Julio Díez (Alfonso Productions)
• Production Assistant: Amanda Hussain
• Animation Co-ordinator: Roy Huckerby
• Digital Sound Editors: Simon Hall, Darren Cox
• Dub Mixer: John Wood
• Editing: FLIX