The Ant and the Aardvark
Encyclopedia
The 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.
. Directors included Friz Freleng
and Hawley Pratt
. 17 theatrical shorts were produced in the original series, and were subsequently featured in various television syndication
packages, usually shown with DFE's other characters such as the Pink Panther and the Inspector
. Four of the 17 entries (The Ant and the Aardvark
, Never Bug an Ant, Scratch a Tiger and Don't Hustle an Ant with Muscle) appear in their television syndication form, complete with an audible laugh track
when released onto DVD.
When the Ant And The Aardvark first appeared on The Pink Panther Show
(1950), the cartoons gained a tremendous amount of attention; so much in fact that the Ant And Aardvark became a featured part of the NBC series. Even though the series was successful throughout the 1950s, the same 17 cartoons would continue in repeats with no new cartoons ever being produced.
named Aardvark (voiced by John Byner
, impersonating Jackie Mason
) to catch and eat a red ant named Charlie (also voiced by John Byner
but impersonating Dean Martin
), usually doing so by inhaling with a loud vacuum cleaner sound. The character goes unnamed until Rough Brunch, where he states his name is indeed Aardvark. The ant has given him names as well, always beginning with "Old" ("Old Sam," "Old Ben,"...etc.). In The Ant From Uncle, Charlie calls Aardvark "Dad" the entire episode.
The Ant and the Aardvark was also the name of the first cartoon in the series.
In the episodes I've Got Ants in My Plans and Odd Ant Out, the Aardvark tussled against a rival Green Aardvark (also voiced by Byner) with a "tough-guy" attitude, similar to the way Sylvester
fought other cats over Tweety
in a few of Freleng's earlier shorts at Warner Brothers. Because many Warner alumni worked for DFE, a lot of familiar plots were recycled in the latter studio's cartoons. In Technology, Phooey, the Aardvark utilizes a computer
to help think up ideas to catch the ant — very similar in concept to a Chuck Jones
short with Wile E. Coyote
. This cartoon also features yet another vocal impersonation from Byner, as the Paul Lynde
-esque computer. Also, the last short ever made, From Bed to Worse
, borrowed heavily from the Merrie Melodies
and Looney Tunes
short, Greedy For Tweety
.
There were many minor characters in the series. Among them was Cousin Term the Termite, the unnamed cousin ant, Aunt Minerva (one of the Gi-Ants), Tiny the Elephant (Ant's lodge brother), Tiger (voiced by Marvin Miller
), the faceless scientist with a Boris Karloff
-like voice, the unnamed nurse (voiced by Athena Lorde), the mischievous dog, the anteater-eating shark, the lifeguard who mistook Aardvark for a dog (he always said, "OFF THE BEACH!"), an unnamed bear that always hurts Aardvark and even a Tarzan
character (another lodge brother). Most of the minor characters were also voiced by John Byner
.
, one of Germany's most renowned voice actresses.
The German-dubbed versions of the cartoons have gained a huge fan community over the decades , mainly because of Wischmann's incomparable dry and matter-of-fact delivery of Elise's punch line
s, as well as the distinctive vacuum cleaner sound Elise makes with the nose. Thus, the cartoons are commonly known under the title Die blaue Elise (Blue Eliza), leaving out the mentioning of Charlie the ant completely.
/20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
in 2007.
Also on January 27, 2009 the shorts were released again as part of a DVD collection entitled Pink Panther & Friends Classic Cartoon Collection by MGM Home Entertainment
, a 9 DVD set containing 5 discs of The Pink Panther
, 1 disc of The Ant & The Aardvark, 2 discs of The Inspector
and 1 disc of Roland and Rattfink
.
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises was a Hollywood-based animation production company, active from 1963 to 1981. They produced theatrical cartoons, animated series, commercials, title sequences and television specials. Notable among these is The Pink Panther film titles and cartoon shorts and the Dr....
and released by United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
from 1969 to 1971.
Production
The cartoons were released by United ArtistsUnited Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
. Directors included Friz Freleng
Friz Freleng
Isadore "Friz" Freleng was an animator, cartoonist, director, and producer best known for his work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Bros....
and Hawley Pratt
Hawley Pratt
Hawley Pratt was an American film director, animator, and illustrator. He is best known for his work during the heyday of Warner Bros. Cartoons and as the right-hand man of director Friz Freleng as a layout artist and later as a director...
. 17 theatrical shorts were produced in the original series, and were subsequently featured in various television syndication
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
packages, usually shown with DFE's other characters such as the Pink Panther and the Inspector
The Inspector
The Inspector is a series of 1960s theatrical cartoons produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises and released through United Artists. The titular character is based on Jacques Clouseau, a comical French police officer who is the main character in the Pink Panther series of films.-Plot:Although the...
. Four of the 17 entries (The Ant and the Aardvark
The Ant and the Aardvark (film)
The Ant and the Aardvark is the first of the 17 cartoons in the series of the same name. It is also one of the last few cartoons to be directed by Friz Freleng.-Plot:...
, Never Bug an Ant, Scratch a Tiger and Don't Hustle an Ant with Muscle) appear in their television syndication form, complete with an audible laugh track
Laugh track
A laugh track is a separate soundtrack invented by Charles "Charley" Douglass, with the artificial sound of audience laughter, made to be inserted into television programming of comedy shows and sitcoms.The term "laugh track" does not apply to the genuine audience laughter on shows that shoot in...
when released onto DVD.
When the Ant And The Aardvark first appeared on The Pink Panther Show
The Pink Panther Show
The Pink Panther Show is a showcase of cartoon shorts produced by David H. DePatie and Friz Freleng between 1969 and 1979. The television series was produced by Mirisch Films and DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, and was broadcast on two American TV networks:...
(1950), the cartoons gained a tremendous amount of attention; so much in fact that the Ant And Aardvark became a featured part of the NBC series. Even though the series was successful throughout the 1950s, the same 17 cartoons would continue in repeats with no new cartoons ever being produced.
Plot
The cartoon follows attempts of a blue aardvarkAardvark
The aardvark is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa...
named Aardvark (voiced by John Byner
John Byner
John Byner is an American actor, comedian, and impressionist who has had a lengthy television and movie career. His voice work includes the cartoon series The Ant and the Aardvark, in which the title characters are voiced by Byner's impressions of Dean Martin and Jackie Mason,...
, impersonating Jackie Mason
Jackie Mason
Jackie Mason is an American stand-up comedian and movie actor.-Early life:Born Yacov Moshe Maza in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, he grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York City....
) to catch and eat a red ant named Charlie (also voiced by John Byner
John Byner
John Byner is an American actor, comedian, and impressionist who has had a lengthy television and movie career. His voice work includes the cartoon series The Ant and the Aardvark, in which the title characters are voiced by Byner's impressions of Dean Martin and Jackie Mason,...
but impersonating Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
), usually doing so by inhaling with a loud vacuum cleaner sound. The character goes unnamed until Rough Brunch, where he states his name is indeed Aardvark. The ant has given him names as well, always beginning with "Old" ("Old Sam," "Old Ben,"...etc.). In The Ant From Uncle, Charlie calls Aardvark "Dad" the entire episode.
The Ant and the Aardvark was also the name of the first cartoon in the series.
In the episodes I've Got Ants in My Plans and Odd Ant Out, the Aardvark tussled against a rival Green Aardvark (also voiced by Byner) with a "tough-guy" attitude, similar to the way Sylvester
Sylvester (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...
fought other cats over Tweety
Tweety
Tweety Bird is a fictional Yellow Canary in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of animated cartoons. The name "Tweety" is a play on words, as it originally meant "sweetie", along with "tweet" being a typical English onomatopoeia for the sounds of birds...
in a few of Freleng's earlier shorts at Warner Brothers. Because many Warner alumni worked for DFE, a lot of familiar plots were recycled in the latter studio's cartoons. In Technology, Phooey, the Aardvark utilizes a computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
to help think up ideas to catch the ant — very similar in concept to a Chuck Jones
Chuck Jones
Charles Martin "Chuck" Jones was an American animator, cartoon artist, screenwriter, producer, and director of animated films, most memorably of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts for the Warner Bros. Cartoons studio...
short with Wile E. Coyote
Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner
Wile E. Coyote and The Road Runner are a duo of cartoon characters from a series of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons. The characters were created by animation director Chuck Jones in 1948 for Warner Bros., while the template for their adventures was the work of writer Michael Maltese...
. This cartoon also features yet another vocal impersonation from Byner, as the Paul Lynde
Paul Lynde
Paul Edward Lynde was an American comedian and actor. A noted character actor, Lynde was well known for his roles as Uncle Arthur on Bewitched and Harry MacAfee, the befuddled father in Bye Bye Birdie...
-esque computer. Also, the last short ever made, From Bed to Worse
From Bed to Worse (The Ant And The Aardvark)
From Bed to Worse is the final cartoon of The Ant and the Aardvark. It first premiered in theaters in 1971.-Sypnosis:The cartoon begins with Charlie the Ant popping out of his hole and decides to go out and enjoy the day...
, borrowed heavily from the Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies is the name of a series of animated cartoons distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures between 1931 and 1969.Originally produced by Harman-Ising Pictures, Merrie Melodies were produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions from 1933 to 1944. Schlesinger sold his studio to Warner Bros. in 1944,...
and Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
short, Greedy For Tweety
Greedy For Tweety
Greedy for Tweety is a 1957 Looney Tunes cartoon.-Synopsis:Hector, Sylvester and Tweety are chasing each other in the street. But they get injured by passing cars. They are taken to the hospital where nurse Granny tends to them. Only Tweety tries to get rest, while Sylvester tries to get him and...
.
There were many minor characters in the series. Among them was Cousin Term the Termite, the unnamed cousin ant, Aunt Minerva (one of the Gi-Ants), Tiny the Elephant (Ant's lodge brother), Tiger (voiced by Marvin Miller
Marvin Miller (actor)
Marvin Elliott Miller was an American film and voice-over actor. Possessing a deep, baritone voice, he began his career in radio in St. Louis, Missouri before becoming a Hollywood actor...
), the faceless scientist with a Boris Karloff
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt , better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein , Bride of Frankenstein , and Son of Frankenstein...
-like voice, the unnamed nurse (voiced by Athena Lorde), the mischievous dog, the anteater-eating shark, the lifeguard who mistook Aardvark for a dog (he always said, "OFF THE BEACH!"), an unnamed bear that always hurts Aardvark and even a Tarzan
Tarzan
Tarzan is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungles by the Mangani "great apes"; he later experiences civilization only to largely reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adventurer...
character (another lodge brother). Most of the minor characters were also voiced by John Byner
John Byner
John Byner is an American actor, comedian, and impressionist who has had a lengthy television and movie career. His voice work includes the cartoon series The Ant and the Aardvark, in which the title characters are voiced by Byner's impressions of Dean Martin and Jackie Mason,...
.
The German Version
In German-dubbed versions of the cartoon, the protagonists no longer imitate well-known actors. The male aardvark is transformed into a female anteater named Elise (Eliza). Charlie (voiced by Fred Maire) remains male, but is no longer a Dean Martin parody. Elise is voiced by Marianne WischmannMarianne Wischmann
Marianne Wischmann was a German film and television actress. She was the German voice of Miss Piggy at the Muppet Show and of Mrs. Ochmonek in ALF.-Selected filmography:* Miracles Still Happen...
, one of Germany's most renowned voice actresses.
The German-dubbed versions of the cartoons have gained a huge fan community over the decades , mainly because of Wischmann's incomparable dry and matter-of-fact delivery of Elise's punch line
Punch line
A punch line is the final part of a joke, comedy sketch, or profound statement, usually the word, sentence or exchange of sentences which is intended to be funny or to provoke laughter or thought from listeners...
s, as well as the distinctive vacuum cleaner sound Elise makes with the nose. Thus, the cartoons are commonly known under the title Die blaue Elise (Blue Eliza), leaving out the mentioning of Charlie the ant completely.
Filmography
| № | Title | Directed by: | Story: | Released: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Ant and the Aardvark The Ant and the Aardvark (film) The Ant and the Aardvark is the first of the 17 cartoons in the series of the same name. It is also one of the last few cartoons to be directed by Friz Freleng.-Plot:... " |
Friz Freleng Friz Freleng Isadore "Friz" Freleng was an animator, cartoonist, director, and producer best known for his work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Bros.... |
John W. Dunn John W. Dunn John W. Dunn was a Scottish writer and animator for animated cartoons from 1955 to 1983.Dunn began his career at the Walt Disney cartoon studio, where his first story credit—Man in Space—received an Oscar nomination... |
1969 |
| 2 | "Hasty But Tasty" | Gerry Chiniquy Gerry Chiniquy Germain Adolph "Gerry" Chiniquy was an American animator. He is best known for his work with Friz Freleng, at both Warner Bros. and DePatie-Freleng Enterprises.... |
John W. Dunn | 1969 |
| 3 | "The Ant From Uncle" | George Gordon George Gordon (animator) George Gordon was a film and TV animator and director of animated productions. Starting in film in 1930, he moved to TV in its early days. He is credited with hundreds of cartoons spanning the period 1937-1983.... |
John W. Dunn | 1969 |
| 4 | "I've Got Ants in My Plans" | Gerry Chiniquy | John W. Dunn | 1969 |
| 5 | "Technology, Phooey" | Gerry Chiniquy | Irv Spector | 1969 |
| 6 | "Never Bug an Ant" | Gerry Chiniquy | David Detiege | 1969 |
| 7 | "Dune Bug" | Art Davis | John W. Dunn | 1969 |
| 8 | "Isle of Caprice" | Gerry Chiniquy | David Detiege | 1979 |
| 9 | "Scratch a Tiger" | Hawley Pratt Hawley Pratt Hawley Pratt was an American film director, animator, and illustrator. He is best known for his work during the heyday of Warner Bros. Cartoons and as the right-hand man of director Friz Freleng as a layout artist and later as a director... |
Irv Spector | 1970 |
| 10 | "Odd Ant Out" | Gerry Chiniquy | Sid Marcus | 1970 |
| 11 | "Ants in the Pantry Ants in the Pantry Ants in the Pantry is the 12th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:... " |
Hawley Pratt | John W. Dunn | 1970 |
| 12 | "Science Friction" | Gerry Chiniquy | Larz Bourne Larz Bourne Larz Bourne was an American cartoon writer for Famous Studios.-Work:* The Astronut Show* Hot Stuff the Little Devil* The Tom and Jerry Show * The All-New Popeye Hour* Casper's Halloween Special* The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show... |
1970 |
| 13 | "Mumbo Jumbo" | Art Davis | John W. Dunn | 1970 |
| 14 | "The Froze Nose Knows" | Gerry Chiniquy | Dale Hale | 1970 |
| 15 | "Don't Hustle an Ant with Muscle" | Art Davis | Dale Hale | 1970 |
| 16 | "Rough Brunch" | Art Davis | Sid Marcus | 1971 |
| 17 | "From Bed to Worse From Bed to Worse (The Ant And The Aardvark) From Bed to Worse is the final cartoon of The Ant and the Aardvark. It first premiered in theaters in 1971.-Sypnosis:The cartoon begins with Charlie the Ant popping out of his hole and decides to go out and enjoy the day... " |
Art Davis | John W. Dunn | 1971 |
Credits
- Produced by: David H. DePatie, Friz Freleng
- Directed by: Friz Freleng, Hawley Pratt, Gerry Chiniquy, Art Davis
- Story: John W. Dunn, Irv Spector, Dave Detiege, Sid Marcus, Larz Bourne, Dale Hale
- Animation: Warren Batchelder, Manny Gould, Manny Perez, Don Williams, Art Leonardi, Robert Taylor, Bob Goe, Tom Ray, Lloyd Vaughan, Bob Richardson, John Gibbs, Phil Roman, Robert Bentley, Ken Muse, Irv Spence
- Graphic Designers: Corny Cole, Dick Ung, Al Wilson, Lin Larsen
- Voices: John Byner, Marvin Miller, Athena Lorde
- Color Designer: Tom O'Laughlin, Richard H. Thomas
- Title Cards: Art Leonardi
- Musicians: Ray Brown, Billy Byers, Pete CandoliPete CandoliPete Candoli was an American swing and West Coast jazz trumpeter. He played with the big bands of Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, and many others, and worked extensively in the studios of the recording and television industries...
, Shelly ManneShelly ManneShelly Manne , born Sheldon Manne in New York City, was an American jazz drummer. Most frequently associated with West Coast jazz, he was known for his versatility and also played in a number of other styles, including Dixieland, swing, bebop, avant-garde jazz and fusion, as well as contributing...
, Jimmy RowlesJimmy RowlesJimmy Rowles was an American jazz pianist who was best known as an accompanist. He also released a number of albums under his own name, and explored various idioms including swing and cool jazz. - Biography :Born in Spokane, Washington, Rowles studied at Gonzaga College in Spokane, Washington...
, Tommy Tedesco - Production Supervisor: Jim Foss
- Coordinator: Harry Love
- Camera: John Burton Jr.
- Film Editor: Lee GuntherLee GuntherLee Gunther was a film editor on more than 85 animated shorts in all.-Career:...
- Music by: Doug Goodwin
Other appearances
- John Byner reprises his roles of Charlie Ant and the Aardvark in the 1990s The Pink PantherThe Pink Panther (1993 TV series)The Pink Panther is a 1993 animated television series. It was credited as a co-production of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation, Mirisch-Geoffrey DePatie-Freleng and United Artists .-Plot:This version stars the legendary hip feline in new adventures...
TV series.
- The Ant and the Aardvark return in the Pink Panther and PalsPink Panther and PalsPink Panther and Pals was an animated television series based on the classic DePatie-Freleng Panther shorts from the 1960s, produced for Cartoon Network by Rubicon Studios in association with MGM Television. The show premiered on Cartoon Network on March 7, 2010 at 7:30am, presented in both HD and...
in their own shorts like the original cartoon. Charlie Ant has not been referred as "Charlie" in any episode and has been aged down to a young teenager, and John Byner no longer reprises their role. Instead, the Ant is voiced by Kel MitchellKel MitchellKel Johari Mitchell is an American actor, comedian, singer, rapper, screenwriter, producer, parodist, dancer and musician. He was best known for his work as a regular cast member of the Nickelodeon sketch comedy series All That, his portrayal of Kel Kimble on the Nickelodeon sitcom Kenan & Kel,...
and the Aardvark is voiced by Eddie Garvar in the style of John Byner's Jackie Mason impersonation.
DVD releases
The shorts were also digitally remastered and issued on its own single-disc DVD collection by MGM Home EntertainmentMGM Home Entertainment
MGM Home Entertainment is the home video and DVD arm of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.-History:The home video division of MGM started in 1979 as MGM Home Video, releasing all the movies and TV shows by MGM. In 1980, MGM joined forces with CBS Video Enterprises, the home video division of the CBS television...
/20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is the home video distribution arm of the 20th Century Fox film studio. It was established in 1976 as Magnetic Video Corporation, and later as 20th Century Fox Video, CBS/Fox Video and FoxVideo, Inc....
in 2007.
Also on January 27, 2009 the shorts were released again as part of a DVD collection entitled Pink Panther & Friends Classic Cartoon Collection by MGM Home Entertainment
MGM Home Entertainment
MGM Home Entertainment is the home video and DVD arm of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.-History:The home video division of MGM started in 1979 as MGM Home Video, releasing all the movies and TV shows by MGM. In 1980, MGM joined forces with CBS Video Enterprises, the home video division of the CBS television...
, a 9 DVD set containing 5 discs of The Pink Panther
The Pink Panther Show
The Pink Panther Show is a showcase of cartoon shorts produced by David H. DePatie and Friz Freleng between 1969 and 1979. The television series was produced by Mirisch Films and DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, and was broadcast on two American TV networks:...
, 1 disc of The Ant & The Aardvark, 2 discs of The Inspector
The Inspector
The Inspector is a series of 1960s theatrical cartoons produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises and released through United Artists. The titular character is based on Jacques Clouseau, a comical French police officer who is the main character in the Pink Panther series of films.-Plot:Although the...
and 1 disc of Roland and Rattfink
Roland and Rattfink
Roland and Rattfink is a series of animated shorts produced and released from 1968 to 1971. The main characters also made several guest appearances on the The Pink Panther animated series. The series was produced by David H...
.