Herman and Katnip
Encyclopedia
Herman and Katnip are a duo of cartoon
characters (Herman the mouse
and Katnip the cat
). From 1944 to September 1950, Herman appeared without Katnip, who made his first appearance in November 1950 with Mice Meeting You. The two characters continued to star in animated cartoons by Famous Studios
until 1959. Their cartoon series, which was distributed by Paramount Pictures
, together is essentially a clone of MGM
's Tom and Jerry
. The key difference is that, regardless of who personified good or evil (with Katnip being the latter on almost all occasions), Herman always came out on top against Katnip, while Tom won his fair share of comic battles against Jerry. However, Katnip rarely had trouble forcing Herman to pay in some manner for his victories. Arnold Stang
voiced Herman while Sid Raymond
voiced Katnip.
Leonard Maltin
's published history of Hollywood cartoons Of Mice and Magic described the Herman and Katnip series as a prime stereotype of the "violent cat versus mouse" battles that were commonplace among Hollywood cartoons of the 1920s through the 1960s. The violence in this series, while intended for comedic effect, often reached a level of brutality that surpassed both Tom and Jerry, Mighty Mouse
, and Warner Bros.' Sylvester the Cat. Herman's battles with Katnip always ended with Herman victorious over Katnip, and frequently Herman and his mouse companions would sing a victory song as they observed Katnip being brutally punished or even tortured (e.g. being eaten by sharks, killed in a rockslide while mountain climbing, strung up with Christmas lights and plugged into an electric socket, or even dying and his ghost being sent to "the fiery furnace
".)
Herman and Katnip and the other original Famous characters were purchased by Harvey Comics
in 1958, who continued to promote the characters under the name Harveytoons. The 1944-50 Herman and Katnip cartoons (originally released as part of the Noveltoon series) were sold by Paramount in 1955 to U.M.&M. T.V. Corp.
for television distribution.
in a flat straw hat, who spoke in stereotypical "black dialect" and had a voice reminiscent of Eddie Anderson
, who played Rochester the valet on Jack Benny
's program. Katnip's battle with Buzzy was usually based on Katnip trying to kick an ailment. He would read a rhyming verse that suggested crow meat as the sure cure. Once confronted by Katnip, however, Buzzy would propose another solution, to which the cat usually replied, "Hmmmm, that sounds logical."
Buzzy the Crow was introduced in the 1947 Paramount
cartoon, produced by Famous Studios
, The Stupidstitious Cat. Buzzy's mannerisms and voice were based on what are now considered the offensive stereotypes of African-Americans of the time.
There were censorship issues related to Buzzy as a black stereotype with the same idea as Dumbo
's Jim Crow
.
videocassettes and DVD
s. Some prints have the U.M.&.M or NTA
logo at the start and end, masking the old Paramount
titles. However the UCLA Film and TV archive restored these shorts to their original Paramount titles.
In 2011, Classic Media issued Herman and Katnip: The Complete Series, a DVD collecting all of Herman and Katnip's appearances together. Also included were two Katnip solo shorts, Feast and Furious and City Kitty. The cartoons were presented in shortened TV prints, with abbreviated opening titles, no end titles, and (in the case of Drinks in the Mouse) some censorship.
after being exploded in such shorts as Better Bait Then Never, Of Mice and Menace, and Sky Skrappers but is left alone on TV.
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
characters (Herman the 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 Katnip the 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...
). From 1944 to September 1950, Herman appeared without Katnip, who made his first appearance in November 1950 with Mice Meeting You. The two characters continued to star in animated cartoons by Famous Studios
Famous Studios
Famous Studios was the animation division of the film studio Paramount Pictures from 1942 to 1967. Famous was founded as a successor company to Fleischer Studios, after Paramount acquired the aforementioned studio and ousted its founders, Max and Dave Fleischer, in 1941...
until 1959. Their cartoon series, which was distributed by Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, together is essentially a clone of MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
's Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry are the cat and mouse cartoon characters that were evolved starting in 1939.Tom and Jerry also may refer to:Cartoon works featuring the cat and mouse so named:* The Tom and Jerry Show...
. The key difference is that, regardless of who personified good or evil (with Katnip being the latter on almost all occasions), Herman always came out on top against Katnip, while Tom won his fair share of comic battles against Jerry. However, Katnip rarely had trouble forcing Herman to pay in some manner for his victories. Arnold Stang
Arnold Stang
Arnold Stang was an American comic actor who played a small and bespectacled, yet brash and knowing big-city type.-Career:...
voiced Herman while Sid Raymond
Sid Raymond
Sid Raymond was an American comedian and character actor.Born Raymond Silverstein, he appeared in many movies and commercials and was active nearly until his death. He is probably best remembered as being the voice for Baby Huey. Raymond also did the voices for Katnip the cat as well as magpies...
voiced Katnip.
Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin is an American film and animated film critic and historian, author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives.-Personal life:...
's published history of Hollywood cartoons Of Mice and Magic described the Herman and Katnip series as a prime stereotype of the "violent cat versus mouse" battles that were commonplace among Hollywood cartoons of the 1920s through the 1960s. The violence in this series, while intended for comedic effect, often reached a level of brutality that surpassed both Tom and Jerry, Mighty Mouse
Mighty Mouse
Mighty Mouse is an animated superhero mouse character created by the Terrytoons studio for 20th Century Fox.-History:The character was created by story man Izzy Klein as a super-powered housefly named Superfly. Studio head Paul Terry changed the character into a cartoon mouse instead...
, and Warner Bros.' Sylvester the Cat. Herman's battles with Katnip always ended with Herman victorious over Katnip, and frequently Herman and his mouse companions would sing a victory song as they observed Katnip being brutally punished or even tortured (e.g. being eaten by sharks, killed in a rockslide while mountain climbing, strung up with Christmas lights and plugged into an electric socket, or even dying and his ghost being sent to "the fiery furnace
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
".)
Herman and Katnip and the other original Famous characters were purchased by Harvey Comics
Harvey Comics
Harvey Comics was an American comic book publisher, founded in New York City by Alfred Harvey in 1941, after buying out the small publisher Brookwood Publications. His brothers Robert B...
in 1958, who continued to promote the characters under the name Harveytoons. The 1944-50 Herman and Katnip cartoons (originally released as part of the Noveltoon series) were sold by Paramount in 1955 to U.M.&M. T.V. Corp.
U.M.&M. T.V. Corp.
U.M.&M. T.V. Corp. is best known as the original purchaser of Paramount Pictures' pre-October 1950 shorts and cartoons...
for television distribution.
Henry
In Herman and Henry, prior to his battles with Katnip, Herman teamed up in several cartoons with the henpecked rooster Henry ("Hector" in the comics). Henry's nemesis was his domineering wife, Bertha (aka "Chicken Pie"), who made him do all the work around the house, even by saying that if she catches Henry loafing again, "I'll clip your wings and chop you down to a croquette!" Bertha was, however, deathly afraid of mice, always "bawking" in shock every time Herman scared her; with Herman's help, Henry would try to manipulate Bertha into treating him more fairly (Henry: "Hey! Listen, you old hen! From now on, I'll do no more work!"). The title cards for the teamup shorts read "Featuring Herman and Henry"; the first such short was Henpecked Rooster (1944), and the last Sudden Fried Chicken (1946), where Bertha had finally beaten up Henry.Buzzy
In Buzzy and Katnip, Katnip also had his share of running battles with Buzzy, a singing black crowCrow
Crows form the genus Corvus in the family Corvidae. Ranging in size from the relatively small pigeon-size jackdaws to the Common Raven of the Holarctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia, the 40 or so members of this genus occur on all temperate continents and several...
in a flat straw hat, who spoke in stereotypical "black dialect" and had a voice reminiscent of Eddie Anderson
Eddie Anderson (comedian)
Edmund Lincoln Anderson , also known as Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, was an American comedian and actor. His most famous role was that of Rochester van Jones, valet of Jack Benny, on his radio and television shows.-Early life:Anderson was born in Oakland, California...
, who played Rochester the valet on Jack Benny
Jack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
's program. Katnip's battle with Buzzy was usually based on Katnip trying to kick an ailment. He would read a rhyming verse that suggested crow meat as the sure cure. Once confronted by Katnip, however, Buzzy would propose another solution, to which the cat usually replied, "Hmmmm, that sounds logical."
Buzzy the Crow was introduced in the 1947 Paramount
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
cartoon, produced by Famous Studios
Famous Studios
Famous Studios was the animation division of the film studio Paramount Pictures from 1942 to 1967. Famous was founded as a successor company to Fleischer Studios, after Paramount acquired the aforementioned studio and ousted its founders, Max and Dave Fleischer, in 1941...
, The Stupidstitious Cat. Buzzy's mannerisms and voice were based on what are now considered the offensive stereotypes of African-Americans of the time.
There were censorship issues related to Buzzy as a black stereotype with the same idea as Dumbo
Dumbo
Dumbo is a 1941 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released on October 23, 1941, by RKO Radio Pictures.The fourth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, Dumbo is based upon the storyline written by Helen Aberson and illustrated by Harold Pearl for the prototype of a...
's Jim Crow
Jim Crow laws
The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws in the United States enacted between 1876 and 1965. They mandated de jure racial segregation in all public facilities, with a supposedly "separate but equal" status for black Americans...
.
Video
Many "Herman and Henry" and Herman solo shorts are released on public domainPublic domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
videocassettes and DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
s. Some prints have the U.M.&.M or NTA
NTA
NTA is a three-letter abbreviation which can mean several things:* Net Tangible Assets Calculated as the total assets of a company, minus any intangible assets such as goodwill, patents and trademarks, less all liabilities and the par value of preferred stock...
logo at the start and end, masking the old Paramount
Paramount
-Companies:*Paramount Motion Pictures Group, a motion picture holding company owned by Viacom*Paramount Pictures, a motion picture studio*Paramount Vantage, specialty film division of Paramount Pictures*CBS Paramount Television, a television studio and library...
titles. However the UCLA Film and TV archive restored these shorts to their original Paramount titles.
In 2011, Classic Media issued Herman and Katnip: The Complete Series, a DVD collecting all of Herman and Katnip's appearances together. Also included were two Katnip solo shorts, Feast and Furious and City Kitty. The cartoons were presented in shortened TV prints, with abbreviated opening titles, no end titles, and (in the case of Drinks in the Mouse) some censorship.
Censors
Herman and Katnip received bad criticism because of violence and racism. Sometimes Katnip is in blackfaceBlackface
Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used in minstrel shows, and later vaudeville, in which performers create a stereotyped caricature of a black person. The practice gained popularity during the 19th century and contributed to the proliferation of stereotypes such as the "happy-go-lucky darky...
after being exploded in such shorts as Better Bait Then Never, Of Mice and Menace, and Sky Skrappers but is left alone on TV.
See also
- List of Herman and Katnip cartoons
- Tom and JerryTom and JerryTom and Jerry are the cat and mouse cartoon characters that were evolved starting in 1939.Tom and Jerry also may refer to:Cartoon works featuring the cat and mouse so named:* The Tom and Jerry Show...
- List of Tom and Jerry cartoons
- Itchy and Scratchy
- Harveytoons
- Sylvester the CatSylvester (Looney Tunes)Sylvester J. Pussycat, Sr., Sylvester the Cat or simply Sylvester, is a fictional character, a three-time Academy Award-winning anthropomorphic Tuxedo cat in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies repertory, often chasing Tweety Bird, Speedy Gonzales, or Hippety Hopper...
- The Ant and the AardvarkThe Ant and the AardvarkThe Ant and the Aardvark is a series of 17 theatrical short cartoons produced at DePatie-Freleng Enterprises and released by United Artists from 1969 to 1971.-Production:...
- Pixie and Dixie and Mr. JinksPixie and Dixie and Mr. JinksPixie & Dixie and Mr. Jinks is a Hanna-Barbera cartoon that featured as a regular segment of the television series The Huckleberry Hound Show from 1958 to 1962.-History:...
- Motormouse and Autocat
- Mighty Mouse/SupermouseMighty MouseMighty Mouse is an animated superhero mouse character created by the Terrytoons studio for 20th Century Fox.-History:The character was created by story man Izzy Klein as a super-powered housefly named Superfly. Studio head Paul Terry changed the character into a cartoon mouse instead...
- Punkin' Puss and Mushmouse