Danger Mouse (1981 TV series): Difference between revisions
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By 1983, Danger Mouse viewing figures hit all-time high of 21.59 million viewers.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/image_galleries/cosgrove_hall_30_years_gallery.shtml?3|title=Cosgrove Hall: 30 years |work=BBC Manchester|publisher=BBC|date=|accessdate=1 June 2012}}</ref> ''Danger Mouse'' was the first British cartoon to break into the [[United States|American]] TV market (since the animated shorts ''[[Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings]]'', ''[[Ludwig (cartoon)|Ludwig]]'', and ''[[Paddington Bear]]'' being shown in the 1970s) following [[TV syndication|syndication]] on 4 June 1984, where, it garnered a tremendous fan following that still exists.{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} Since it went off air, it has been periodically repeated and been released on [[DVD]]. In the United States, it was broadcast on [[Nickelodeon (TV channel)|Nickelodeon]] in the 1980s in the late afternoons and in the early evenings as a segue into prime-time hours (as the [[A&E Network]] and later [[Nick-At-Nite|Nick-at-Nite]]) as the series appealed to both pre-teens and adults with its quick-witted English humour.<ref name="FNTVF">{{cite book|last1=Hannah|first1=Warner|title=Fascinating TV Facts|edition=1|year=2004|publisher=Ted Smart|location=[[London]]|isbn=0-7535-0919-9|page=99}}</ref> |
By 1983, Danger Mouse viewing figures hit all-time high of 21.59 million viewers.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/image_galleries/cosgrove_hall_30_years_gallery.shtml?3|title=Cosgrove Hall: 30 years |work=BBC Manchester|publisher=BBC|date=|accessdate=1 June 2012}}</ref> ''Danger Mouse'' was the first British cartoon to break into the [[United States|American]] TV market (since the animated shorts ''[[Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings]]'', ''[[Ludwig (cartoon)|Ludwig]]'', and ''[[Paddington Bear]]'' being shown in the 1970s) following [[TV syndication|syndication]] on 4 June 1984, where, it garnered a tremendous fan following that still exists.{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} Since it went off air, it has been periodically repeated and been released on [[DVD]]. In the United States, it was broadcast on [[Nickelodeon (TV channel)|Nickelodeon]] in the 1980s in the late afternoons and in the early evenings as a segue into prime-time hours (as the [[A&E Network]] and later [[Nick-At-Nite|Nick-at-Nite]]) as the series appealed to both pre-teens and adults with its quick-witted English humour.<ref name="FNTVF">{{cite book|last1=Hannah|first1=Warner|title=Fascinating TV Facts|edition=1|year=2004|publisher=Ted Smart|location=[[London]]|isbn=0-7535-0919-9|page=99}}</ref> |
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Although all the characters in the series are animals, the adventures of ''Danger Mouse'' appear to be taking place ''alongside'' the human world; there are various examples of a mouse-sized Danger Mouse walking through human-scale sets, standing on table-football tables and, not least, living inside a normal size [[pillar box]]. This becomes less consistent as the series goes on, as many later episodes show the characters as being human size. There are also times when the cast attempts to deliberately interact with humans (such as Duckula mind-controlling human [[Members of Parliament]] to be as showbiz-mad as he is, as well as the episode |
Although all the characters in the series are animals, the adventures of ''Danger Mouse'' appear to be taking place ''alongside'' the human world; there are various examples of a mouse-sized Danger Mouse walking through human-scale sets, standing on table-football tables and, not least, living inside a normal size [[pillar box]]. This becomes less consistent as the series goes on, as many later episodes show the characters as being human size. There are also times when the cast attempts to deliberately interact with humans (such as Duckula mind-controlling human [[Members of Parliament]] to be as showbiz-mad as he is, as well as the episode "Trip to America," where Danger Mouse and Penfold are seen to interact with a Texan). |
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In [[Australia]], it was first broadcast on [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC TV]], then |
In [[Australia]], it was first broadcast on [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC TV]], then moved to [[Network Ten]] in 1996. It is still best remembered as a [[Classic ABC]] programme. It was also the first British cartoon to break into [[Cheez TV]], being shown on the weekdays. In Britain's Channel 4's [[100 Greatest (UK TV series)|100 Greatest Kids' TV Shows]], Danger Mouse came third, beaten only by [[The Muppet Show]] and [[The Simpsons]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/kidstv/results.html |title=100 Greatest Kids' TV Shows |publisher=channel4.com |date= |accessdate=2010-08-26}}</ref> |
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Because a ten-minute episode needed 2,000 drawings |
Because a ten-minute episode needed 2,000 drawings, the cartoons made frequent use of repeated footage and "in the dark" sequences (black with eyeballs visible only, or, in Danger Mouse's case, simply one eyeball) as a cost-cutting measure. A recurring setting for episodes was "The North Pole" - so chosen because the white, snow-covered backgrounds would require minimal painting and colouring. |
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Although rumours of a [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] revival of the show have persisted in recent years, no official announcements have been made. The original ''Danger Mouse'' returned to terrestrial television after the [[BBC]] purchased episodes of the series to broadcast in its daytime schedules with its first broadcast on 12 February 2007.<ref name="BFI">[http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/737309/index.html "Dangermouse (1981-1992)"]. British Film Institute.</ref><ref name="bbc">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5316700.stm "Dangermouse back on 25th birthday!"]. BBC News. 5 September 2006.</ref> |
Although rumours of a [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] revival of the show have persisted in recent years, no official announcements have been made. The original ''Danger Mouse'' returned to terrestrial television after the [[BBC]] purchased episodes of the series to broadcast in its daytime schedules with its first broadcast on 12 February 2007.<ref name="BFI">[http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/737309/index.html "Dangermouse (1981-1992)"]. British Film Institute.</ref><ref name="bbc">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5316700.stm "Dangermouse back on 25th birthday!"]. BBC News. 5 September 2006.</ref> |
Revision as of 16:19, 21 March 2013
Danger Mouse | |
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Genre | Comedy Espionage |
Created by | Brian Cosgrove Mark Hall |
Voices of | David Jason Terry Scott Edward Kelsey Brian Trueman Jimmy Hibbert |
Narrated by | David Jason |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 10 |
No. of episodes | 161 (+2 unaired pilot episodes) (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Running time | 5-25 minutes |
Production companies | Cosgrove Hall for Thames Television |
Original release | |
Network | ITV (CITV) Nickelodeon (USA) |
Release | 28 September 1981 19 March 1992 | –
Related | |
Count Duckula (spin-off) |
Danger Mouse is a British animated television series which was produced by Cosgrove Hall Films for Thames Television. It features the eponymous Danger Mouse, an English mouse who works as a superhero/secret agent. The show is a loose parody of British spy fiction, particularly James Bond and the Danger Man series starring Patrick McGoohan. The show originally ran in the United Kingdom from 28 September 1981 to 19 March 1992. In the English-language version, the titular hero was voiced by David Jason.
Popularity
The hero wears an eyepatch and his chest is prominently emblazoned with the initials 'DM'. This causes problems for those translating the series into other languages, where a literal translation of the words 'Danger' and 'Mouse' do not have those initials; the Scots Gaelic version, for example, calls the series (and the lead) Donnie Murdo (two given names unconnected either with mice or danger). He was Dzielna Mysz (brave mouse) in Polish, Dundermusen (Thundermouse) in Swedish, and Dare Dare Motus in French, "Dare Dare" being French slang for "as fast as possible". The Slovene translation omitted the DM initials entirely, however, dubbing Danger Mouse Hrabri mišek ('Brave Mouse').
By 1983, Danger Mouse viewing figures hit all-time high of 21.59 million viewers.[1] Danger Mouse was the first British cartoon to break into the American TV market (since the animated shorts Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings, Ludwig, and Paddington Bear being shown in the 1970s) following syndication on 4 June 1984, where, it garnered a tremendous fan following that still exists.[citation needed] Since it went off air, it has been periodically repeated and been released on DVD. In the United States, it was broadcast on Nickelodeon in the 1980s in the late afternoons and in the early evenings as a segue into prime-time hours (as the A&E Network and later Nick-at-Nite) as the series appealed to both pre-teens and adults with its quick-witted English humour.[2]
Although all the characters in the series are animals, the adventures of Danger Mouse appear to be taking place alongside the human world; there are various examples of a mouse-sized Danger Mouse walking through human-scale sets, standing on table-football tables and, not least, living inside a normal size pillar box. This becomes less consistent as the series goes on, as many later episodes show the characters as being human size. There are also times when the cast attempts to deliberately interact with humans (such as Duckula mind-controlling human Members of Parliament to be as showbiz-mad as he is, as well as the episode "Trip to America," where Danger Mouse and Penfold are seen to interact with a Texan).
In Australia, it was first broadcast on ABC TV, then moved to Network Ten in 1996. It is still best remembered as a Classic ABC programme. It was also the first British cartoon to break into Cheez TV, being shown on the weekdays. In Britain's Channel 4's 100 Greatest Kids' TV Shows, Danger Mouse came third, beaten only by The Muppet Show and The Simpsons.[3]
Because a ten-minute episode needed 2,000 drawings, the cartoons made frequent use of repeated footage and "in the dark" sequences (black with eyeballs visible only, or, in Danger Mouse's case, simply one eyeball) as a cost-cutting measure. A recurring setting for episodes was "The North Pole" - so chosen because the white, snow-covered backgrounds would require minimal painting and colouring.
Although rumours of a CGI revival of the show have persisted in recent years, no official announcements have been made. The original Danger Mouse returned to terrestrial television after the BBC purchased episodes of the series to broadcast in its daytime schedules with its first broadcast on 12 February 2007.[4][5]
Other adaptations
A long-running comic strip adaptation, written by Angus P. Allan and illustrated by Arthur Ranson, ran in Look-In magazine and was syndicated in various other magazines. Ranson also provided some backdrops for the TV series. Allan and Ranson's work was highly appreciated by Cosgrove Hall, and the pair were awarded an "Oh Goodness!, Oh Crikey!" award in appreciation of their services. Some of Allan's stories were adapted for the television series, although Allan's name was misspelled "Angus Allen". Artist Ranson later went on to illustrate Judge Anderson in the UK comic 2000 AD.
A series of video games based on the character also appeared. The first was Danger Mouse in Double Trouble and Danger Mouse in the Black Forest Chateau (both in 1984) followed by Danger Mouse in Making Whoopee! in 1985.[6][7][8]
Some stories were also available as read-a-long cassettes with accompanying books. These were re-read by the cast for audio.
Merchandise
During its run, the series spawned a wide-range of merchandise, including story books, hardback annuals, jigsaw puzzles, a Panini sticker album, View-Master disks and of course, VHS releases. In the years since, Danger Mouse products have continued to sell, often aimed at the now-adult audience which grew up with it, such as t-shirts, mugs, keyrings, fridge magnets and posters. To conicide with the 25th anniversary, Cosgrove Hall also licensed rights to a number of companies to produce a range of new anniversary merchandise including Blues Clothing (women’s and girls’ underwear and sleepwear) and Concept 2 Creation (collectible figurines).
Characters
Heroes
- Danger Mouse (voiced by David Jason): The world's greatest secret agent, so secret in fact, that his codename has a codename. He speaks 34 languages fluently, including some extraterrestrial ones. He regularly balances himself on his index finger and bounces up and down on it (something that Remo Williams has also been known to do); he refers to this as "going into a 7th level Yoga-Hopping Trance". Referred to as the "White Wonder" and "Wretched Rodent" by Baron Greenback. Catchphrases: "Good grief!", "Penfold, shush!", "Blast!" He is also a practitioner of the ancient martial art of kung moggy. He was originally going to be brown, however, the creators thought they needed a different colour to that of Penfold's.
- Ernest Penfold (voiced by Terry Scott): Penfold is a timid, bespectacled hamster, basically Danger Mouse's reluctant assistant. (Penfold is often mistaken for a mole; however, Brian Cosgrave has stated Penfold is supposed to be a hamster).[9] Penfold stands just over half the height of Danger Mouse, and always wears thick round glasses and a crumpled blue suit with a white shirt and a yellow and black striped tie. He is the sidekick of Danger Mouse, whom he calls "Chief". He is a coward (codenamed "The Jigsaw," as he goes to pieces when a problem occurs), becoming terrified at any sign of danger. He appears in every episode accompanying Danger Mouse, and he is often captured or getting himself into other dangerous situations before needing to be rescued by Danger Mouse. His main catchphrase is "Crumbs, DM!" and others include "Ooh-eck!", "Ooh-Fiddle!" and "Ooh-Carrots!", all said when things go wrong. He also says "Coming, Chief!" when Danger Mouse wants to speak with him. Nevertheless, he appears to have some moral fibre, and is willing to resist Evil when things begin to go wrong—at least temporarily. He is a self-proclaimed expert in the martial art referred to in the cartoon as "kung moggy", though his skills do not do him much good in practice. He almost always makes ridiculous responses, whether by misunderstanding or mistaking as a joke, to which DM tells him to "shush".
- Colonel K (voiced by Edward Kelsey): Danger Mouse's boss; often mistaken for a walrus, it was revealed in an issue of "Look-In" magazine that he is, in fact, a chinchilla. He previously worked for Special Branch, where, he was known as Special K. He is a champion piano-thrower, decorated judo expert, the first to climb Mount Everest on a pogo stick, was once an Eskimo, took up tap-dancing, was a former kleptomaniac, and cheats at croquet. During the last two seasons, he became more absent-minded, tending to frustrate both DM and Penfold with his tendency to ramble nonsense. Often when it is time for the Colonel to say "over and out", he'll forget what the phrase is in a temporary case of memory loss. Other times, he will become frustrated when DM does not immediately respond, such as if DM is in the middle of a yoga exercise.
- Professor Heinrich Von Squawkencluck: Mad scientist/inventor/boffin. Inventor of the Mark III, DM's flying car, and the Space Hopper, DM's personal spacecraft. A mole, despite his avian name (which comes from his first appearance on the show, in which, he was engaged in hormone experiments to grow chickens to enormous sizes). Speaks in a broken German accent. Penfold is naturally leery of the professor, as he often winds up on the wrong side of his experiments.
- Agent 57: Initially, a master of disguise, Agent 57 later gained the ability to alter his own molecular structure to transform into any appearance he wished. This ability went temporarily out of control in one episode when he contracted a cold, causing him to involuntarily change shape whenever he sneezed. His original appearance was never shown, and as a result of changing his appearance so many times, he eventually forgot what it was. Although, his name derives principally from Heinz 57, it is an interesting coincidence that Nayland Smith in the Fu Manchu books was "Agent 56". An eerily parallel character is shown as the invisible agent in the recent The Avengers movie, where, the invisible agent talks about how his transformation results from ramming his tea-trolley into a sensitive piece of equipment.
In the episode where "Agent 57" had sneezing fits (The Spy Who Stayed in with a Cold), Danger Mouse asked him if he could transform himself into his original appearance; Agent 57 obliged, and Danger Mouse looked down at the floorboard of the Mark III and was horrified by the sight (unseen by the audience). After gathering himself from the shock, Danger Mouse asked Agent 57 to please transform into something heavier; Agent 57 transformed into a hippo, and the excess weight dropped the Mark III.
- Flying Officer Buggles Pigeon (voiced by David Jason): Another of Colonel K's agents who came to the aid of Danger Mouse and Penfold in the episode, "Chicken Run," and appeared in several episodes afterward. His name is a reference to James Bigglesworth.
- B.L.E.E.P (Building Location and Emergency Expedition Platoon): This special squadron was called to assist Danger Mouse and Penfold to defeat Hannibal Hogartey when he and his elephants stole a stately mansion. Their leader is Mad Major Melvin, who is also an old friend of Danger Mouse.
- Texas Jack McGraw McGraw: (voiced by David Jason) This wild, loud-mouthed but loyal Texan helped Danger Mouse and Penfold when Baron Greenback stole all of the world's famous buildings, including the Statue of Liberty. His general appearance and attitude may be an homage to Yosemite Sam, the classic Warner Brothers cartoon character.
Villains
- Baron Silas Greenback (voiced by Edward Kelsey): The recurring villain and Danger Mouse's archenemy; a toad with a wheezy voice, although, sometimes, he was referred to as a frog. Known as Baron Greenteeth in the unbroadcast pilot episode. Commonly known as the "Terrible Toad". In America, "Greenback" is slang for dollar bill in many regions, adding to the sense of his commercial greed. Allegedly, he turned to a life of crime as a schoolboy when other children stole his bicycle and let all the air out of its tyres.
- Stiletto Mafiosa (voiced by Brian Trueman): Greenback's henchman; a crow. He always called Greenback "Barone", Italian for "Baron". In the original English version, he spoke with an Italian accent; to avoid offending Italian-Americans, this was changed to a Cockney accent for U.S. distribution (i.e. Nickelodeon) and all references to his surname were removed as well, although, the Italian word "Barone" was retained. In several episodes, a short silence after his first name is said and the next word is quite obvious. The original voicing has been restored on all U.S. VHS and DVD releases and during its Cheez TV run. Today, modern audiences have no difficulties with accepting his accent, as it is compared to Chico Marx of The Marx Brothers but the censors were less trustworthy of the melting-pot audience of America then. Stiletto is accepted with good humour among the majority of the American audience. One critic noticed that to scorn Stiletto's accent "makes about as much ridiculous sense as saying Boris Badinoff's accent was insulting to Russians during the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show." Indeed, Danger Mouse is often compared to American audiences as the English version of "Rocky and Bullwinkle" for its gentle satire of politics and outrageous plots. Catchphrase: "Sì, Barone!", or "Roight, Baroni!" in the American dub.
- Nero: Greenback's pet. A fluffy white caterpillar (equivalent to the stereotypical white cat frequently associated with arch villains, particularly Ernst Stavro Blofeld). He is a non-speaking character although, his noises and laugh are supplied by David Jason's voice sped up. Readily understood by Greenback and, less frequently, by Stiletto. At one time, he is shown to have a form of telekinesis after falling into one of Greenback's inventions, proving to be just as much a match to DM and Penfold as his master. Of course, he lost this power when he was drenched in water. In the special features of Danger Mouse cartoons, audiences were informed that Nero is actually the mastermind of Greenback's schemes.
- Leatherhead (voiced by Terry Scott): Greenback's other crow henchman. Even less intelligent than Stiletto, he only appeared in several of the early episodes, where he spent most of his time reading comic books.
- Doctor Augustus P. Crumhorn III (voiced by Jimmy Hibbert): A mad scientist wolf, he recurred as Danger Mouse's adversary less frequently than Baron Greenback (in four episodes in total). In one episode, he attempted to undermine Danger Mouse by metamorphosing into a Shirley Temple lookalike. In only one episode, "Penfold Transformed", as opposed to his stage name "Augustus P. Crumhorn III", he lists his full name as, "Aloisius Julian Philibert Elphinstone Eugene Dionysis Barry Manilow Crumhorn", omitting both Augustus and the III. Crumhorn was rarely if ever seen among American audiences, who had to purchase the original version aired on ITV to experience his ridiculousness. Crumhorn and Greenback were at odds; once Crumhorn kidnapped Penfold and Penfold managed to escape simply because, the two villains were too busy quarreling to notice his absence.
- Count Duckula (voiced by David Jason): A showbiz-obsessed vampire duck who wanted to get his own show. However, his utter lack of anything approaching talent made his attempts to "entertain" rather terrifying (he has been known to use his 'act" as a torture device). This ongoing gag of him craving his own show and show business inspired a later Cosgrove Hall spin-off series, titled Count Duckula, starring the Count himself. The two versions of the character differ, however; the Danger Mouse Count Duckula is not a vegetarian, makes far greater use of his vampiric magic, and has an accent consisting of a Daffy Duck-like lisp (instead of the stereotypical Transylvanian accent), as well as occasional stuttering and duck-like squawks and quacks. This discrepancy is explained when his DM incarnation falls to ashes and is resurrected during the Astronomical House of Asparagus. Instead of a libation of blood, the nanny puts tomato ketchup into the offering, creating the world's first vegetarian vampire duck. In the comic book series, the new incarnation makes instant friends with Danger Mouse, much to the chagrin of the ghoulish butler vulture who really wanted his master to drain DM's blood. In England, Duckula has crisp vowels and an American-type accent.
- Obadiah (voiced by Edward Kelsey (laugh only)): A villain who flies around in a flying saucer within the Earth's core, and only made his appearance in the episode Journey to the Earths Cor!
- Copper-Conk Cassidy (voiced by Brian Trueman): A memorable one-shot villain who had the distinctive characteristic of causing everyone who encountered him to literally fall to pieces in sheer terror. He is described as a robed character and has a copper beak. He was done in when Penfold, missing his glasses thanks to the villain, accidentally knocked him down a wishing well and then accidentally wished the well out of existence, along with Cassidy himself.
- Doctor Frankenstoat (voiced by Brian Trueman): Another one-shot villain who formed a temporary alliance with Count Duckula. Unlike his namesake, Frankenstoat built machines to aid a bid for world domination rather than attempting to create life. As his last name suggests, he is a stoat and wears bedroom slippers rather than shoes.
- J. J. Quark (voiced by Brian Trueman): A short, helmet-wearing, snout-nosed space alien who speaks with a Scottish accent. He plans to take over the world (of course!) because his great-great-great-great-grandfather was given a deed of ownership of it. Assisted by his robot flunkie Grovel (who does that very thing whenever his name is mentioned, forever frustrating Quark). Both of these characters only appeared in a few episodes. Colonel K referred to him as having 'a foreign accent' or talking in 'a foreign language'. His first appearance in the episode Quark! Quark! results in his plans being foiled by Penfold; after Quark ran into Penfold, Penfold scolded, "Why don't you look where you're going?!" Quark begins to scold Penfold but takes a look at him and goes into a laughing fit, resulting in him leaving the planet under the excuse of "needing to find a cure for the giggles.".
- Grovel: (voiced by David Jason): J. J. Quark's robot who is programmed to obey Quark's every command. When Quark calls his name, however, the robots falls down flat on the ground face down and says, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, master!", implying that he is obeying Quark's command to "grovel." In his first appearance, he gets destroyed three times; first when he is wrestling DM and Penfold inside their moose costume. The second time is when he comes up from the repair machine but gets hit by Quark's gun's laser intended for DM. The third is when he gets hit by Quark's laser gun again during Quark's laughing fit.
- The Fangboner: A one-shot character. A hideous and sharp-toothed alien beast that the aforementioned Quark unleashed on Danger Mouse and Penfold in one episode. The creature relieved Penfold of some of his humbug candy and DM used what was left over to lure the monster back into Quark's spaceship, leaving it to ride back into space with him.
- El Loco (voiced by Brian Trueman): A violent stereotypical Mexican "Bandito" type criminal who packs a few pistols loaded with Mexican jumping beans. He was so named when he "went off the rails at the age of three". He only appeared in two episodes.
- Mac, the Fork (voiced by Brian Trueman): A sneaky, Scottish snake who is most likely a parody of Mack, the Knife. He was a one shot villain who planned to build an Earth shattering device (which instead wound up shattering the building they were in, due to defective blueprints) with the help of Dudley Poyson (see below). He also has a half-witted brother named Mac the Spoon (voiced by Edward Kelsey), who is far from dangerous.
- Dudley Poyson (voiced by David Jason): An owl who ran a chemist shop with aspirations of being a full time scientist, who pairs up with Mac the Fork (see above). Also, a one shot villain.
- Hannibal Hoggartey (voiced by David Jason): A one shot villain who is a warthog. With his herd of highly trained elephants, he stole a stately house and threatened to send it back a brick at a time unless he was paid a ransom for it. He was foiled, however, by DM and the B.L.E.E.P Squadron. B.L.E.E.P is one parody of the Man From U.N.C.L.E. series, the other being the episode "The Man from G.A.D.G.E.T.".
- Wufgang Bark (voiced by Edward Kelsey): Another one-shot villain, a canine with frazzled hair who was patterned after Ludwig van Beethoven and named (apparently) after Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with his last name a joke on the name Johann Sebastian Bach. Woof and bark - he's a dog, geddit? He was guilty of destroying the world's music, and DM proceeded to blow his castle up. Years before "ICE AGE II demonstrated the worth of music in an animation, DM showed how background sound could make or break a scene. This is perhaps, the most "Rocky and Bullwinkle Show" like episode, as the heroes had to do everything by a cassette player of canned music.
- The Gremlin (voiced by Edward Kelsey): Yet another one-shot villain, an anti-logical being who beamed darkness down upon the earth via a spaceship. DM defeated him by engaging him in conversation upon which he proceeded to confuse himself out of existence.
- P.A.W.S. (voiced by Brian Trueman): A robotic cat created by Greenback, which he uses to kidnap Colonel K. He was one of DM's most difficult villains on account of his brute strength and that he was programmed to read DM's mind. He was defeated, however, when Danger Mouse emptied his mind by meditation, causing the robot to malfunction and crash-land on Greenback and his cronies. His name is a parody of the metal-toothed villain "Jaws" who appears in two James Bond films.
- Mad Manuel (voiced by David Jason): The Flamenco Assassin that Greenback hired to kill Danger Mouse in the episode Odd Ball Run Around. The only words he says are "Olé! Olé!" and then, he breaks into fighting, but kicks up too much dust so he cannot see DM and Penfold leaving.
- General Ro-Mole (voiced by Brian Trueman): An obvious parody of German Field Marshal Rommel, who rides a cannon-armed tortoise rather than a tank. He attempted to stop Danger Mouse from escaping with a valuable super-fuel sample. The General finds Englisher humour first-rate.
Others
- Isambard Sinclair (voiced by David Jason): The unseen narrator, but occasionally interacts with the characters, sometimes to the point of halting the plot for one reason or another (in one episode he accidentally sends DM back in time). Often voices his disdain for the show and his job. He usually comments at the end of every episode when the credits roll before the end theme tune begins. These comments - along with the episode breaks - have been cut from some releases, greatly reducing the size of this character's part.
- Miss Boathook: The colonel's secretary, only referred to by the colonel and never seen (though sometimes heard). In some versions, the Colonel's secretary is referred to as Miss Prentergast or Miss Hackett. Once plays the piano that is mistaken for extra-diegetic sound.
- Fifi: Fifi is an unseen character mentioned occasionally throughout the show, but Danger Mouse is reluctant to discuss her. According to Cosgrove Hall, she was a (French) ex-girlfriend of DM's, however Penfold seems to remember her more than DM does.
- Penfold's Aunt: Penfold's formidable aunt from Abergavenny, Wales, who sends him cookies in the episode, "The Statue of Liberty Caper". The fact that she is Welsh is stated by the piece of a witch's broom in "The Four Tasks of Danger Mouse". The broom is her fifth cousin. She has also appeared in Series ten, episode eighty-five entitled, Ants, Trees and... Whoops-a-Daisy!. She denies that Danger Mouse is a real secret agent and says that he and Penfold are just playing silly pretend games.
- Egregious M. Murphy (voiced by David Jason): Annoying salesman with an Irish accent, who constantly tries to rip off DM and Penfold with items that never work, break easily and are completely unwanted. His pestering-by-peddling backfired when Danger Mouse, fed up with the junk selling tactics, threw Murphy's jumping jellybeans into his mouth, causing him to leap away and (for now) out of their hair.
Episodes
DVD releases
United Kingdom
FremantleMedia released six Region 0 in 2001-2003, featuring 6-8 random episodes in each set. In September 2006, Fremantle Media released a further six DVDs and a 12 Disc DVD box set. The 25th Anniversary DVD set has all 161 episodes but some were originally aired in five-minute segments, so these have been edited together to make a total of 89 episodes. This means much of David Jason's 'cliffhanger' narration is not present on the DVDs. Although, the box set has received mostly positive reviews some cited the lack of chronological order of the episodes as a disappointment. A 10-disc 30th Anniversary Edition box set was released on 26 September 2011 with the episodes in broadcast order.
DVD Name | No of episodes | Release Date | Additional Information |
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6 episodes:
Special features
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6 episodes:
No special features. | |||
6 episodes:
Special features:
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8 episodes:
Special features:
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8 episodes:
Special features:
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8 episodes:
Special features:
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9 episodes:
Special features:
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9 episodes:
Special features:
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7 episodes:
Special features:
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7 episodes:
Special features:
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8 episodes:
Special features:
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7 episodes:
Special features:
| |||
12 disc set in silver card packaging, containing the following DVDs:
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10 disc set:
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Also, in January 2008, a promotional DVD containing 6 episodes was distributed by The Times newspaper, for Fremantle Media. The episodes featured were: Rogue Robots; Lord of the Bungle; Once Upon a Time Slip; It's All White, White Wonder!; Quark! Quark! and Penfold B.F.
United States
A&E Home Video is licenced by FremantleMedia to release Danger Mouse in the United States. Although, the DVD releases are titled "The Complete Seasons", they reflect the UK broadcast order which sometimes transmitted episodes years after the rest of the series to which they theoretically belonged.
DVD Name | No of episodes | Release Date | Additional Information |
---|---|---|---|
1 & 2 |
2 disc set containing 17 episodes:
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3 & 4 |
2 disc set containing 14 episodes:
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5 & 6 |
2 disc set containing 37 episodes:
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3 disc set containg 21 episodes:
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9 disc set containing the following DVDs:
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Credits
1980s
- Music: Mike Harding
- Music Production: Ritchie Close
- Sung by: Sheila Gott
- Written by: Brian Trueman
- Storylines: Keith Scoble, Nigel Rutter, Angus Allen, Brian Cosgrove, Chris Randall and Jean Flynn
- Storyboards: Keith Scoble, Peter See, Chris Randall, Vincent James, Paul Salmon, John Geering and Jean Flynn
- Animation: Keith Scoble, George Jackson, Robert Newman, Clinton J. Priest, Brian Cosgrove, Paul Jasper, Dan Whitworth, Gary Hurst, Malcolm McGookin, Kevin Baldwin, Neil Salmon, Garry Owen, Tony Garth, Stephen Thomas, Dave Bowers, Les Brooksbank, Jean Flynn, Meryl Edge, Denise Heywood, Phil Morris, John Offord, Arthur de Cloedt, Chris Randall, Dave Livesey, Denise McAllister, Phillip McMylor, Kay Widdowson, Andy Wilson, Janet Nunn, Rosemary Welch, Chris Caunter, Peter Hale, Tony Guy, Ramon Modiano, Mark Povey, Lloyd Sutton and Malcolm Hartley
- Backgrounds: Malcolm Turner, Andy Roper, Diane Wren, Maggie Riley, Barbara Alcock, Bev Bush, Michelle Graney, Peter Hillier and Phil Jackson
- Special Effects: Roy Huckerby, Stephen Simpson, Carlos Alfonso, Malcolm Turner and Jackie Mitchell
- Paint and Trace: Bob Burrows, Phillip McMylor, Roy Huckerby, Monica McCartney, Lorraine Thomas, Bev Phillips, Peter Kidd, Yasodha Gopal, Ceri Matthews, Andrew Wilson, Barbara Alcock, Judy Ringrose, Joan Storey, Simon White, Jackie Mitchell, Sue Halliwell, Edmund Williams, Lynn Hardie, Andrea Hancock, Gloria Vassiliou, Andy McLaughlin, Stefania Giani, Maggie Beamer, Tony McAleese, Lesley White, Katie Nutter, Karen Brumell, Lesley Scott, Linda Mawson, Sue Robson and Robyn Shawkley
- Dubbing: Magmasters London Ltd
- Dubbing Mixer: Ted Spooner
- Camera: Frank Hardie, Wendy Hardie, Peter Kidd, Phil Atack, Wendy Senior, Mark Sutton and Nic Jayne
- Editing: Nigel Rutter, Nibs Senior, Stephen Perry, John McManus, Zyggy Markiewicz, Stuart Murray and Ivan Naisbitt
- Production Supervisor: Bob Burrows
- Assistant Directors: Jean Flynn and Dan Whitworth
- Executive Producer: John Hambley
- Produced by: Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall
- Directed by: Brian Cosgrove and Chris Randall
- A Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall Film
1990s
- Original Music: Mike Harding
- Music Production: Ritchie Close
- Sung by: Sheila Gott
- Story/line: Keith Scoble, Jonathan Trueman, Brian Cosgrove, Chris Randall and Brian Trueman
- Written by: Brian Trueman, Jimmy Hibbert and Trevor Hyatt
- Storyboards: Keith Scoble, Bruce McNally, Marty Murphy, Andy Roper, John Stevenson, Athol Henry, Dan Whitworth, Chris Randall, Nick Pratt, John Martin, Peter See, Jean Flynn, John Offord, Alastair Graham, Ian Whitworth, Les Eaves, Ben Turner, Andy Janes, Wayne Thomas, Vince James, Dino Athanassiou and Jez Hall
- Layouts: Dept. Head, Ben Turner, Andy Roper, Paul Salmon, Jon Doyle, Steve Simpson, Tom Bailey, Neil Graham and Jez Hall
- Animation Directors: Willard Kitchen, Jean Scott and Dan Whitworth
- Assistant Animation Director: John Offord
- Animators: Dave Livesey, Meryl Edge, Dan Whitworth, Denise Heywood, Alastair Fell, Andy Wilson, Clair Grey, Malcolm McGookin, Paul Greenall, Adrian Bell, Les Brooksbank, Mair Thomas, Judy Pilsbury, Jennie Langley, Bob Sparks, Phil Morris, Karen Heywood, Helen Michael, Craig Whittle, Helen Smith, Micheal Whaite, Bill Tapp, Steve Horrocks, Steve Pleydell Pearce, David Birkinshaw, Joe McCafferi, David Bowers, Mike Eames, Ian Whitworth, Tony Ardolino, Dino Athanassiou, Bruce McNally, Colin White, Greg Tiernan, Richard Bazley, Lloyd Sutton, Sandra Ryan, Willard Kitchen, Alan Lee Moult, Tim Window, Alan Kerswell and Mark Povey
- Backgrounds: Dept. Head, Ben Turner, Beverly Bush, Maggie Riley, Weston Samuels, Philip Jackson, Pete Hillier, Michelle Graney, Jon Doyle and Steve Hanson
- Special Effects: Garry Owen, Jackie Mitchell, Roy Huckerby, David Birkshaw and Carlos Alfonso
- Xerox: Tony McAleese, Joan Simmons and Don Geering
- Paint and Trace: Dept. Head, Philip McMylor, Joan Jones, Andrea Hough, Beverley James, Gloria Vassiliou, Yasodha Huckerby, Karl Scoble, Katie Nutter, Laura Cosgrove, Stefania Giani, Marie Dembinski, Lynn Hardie, Mark Fulton, Lorraine Thomas, Sue Halliwell, Joyce Flowers, Michelle Povey and Colour Crew
- Camera: Peter Kidd, Frank Hardie, Wendy Senior, Mark Sutton and Phil Atack
- Video Line Tests: Phil Atack and Lesley White
- Editing: Hilary Wyatt, Jane Hicks, Eilìs Ward, Nigel Rutter, Stephen Perry, Leo Casserly, Zyggy Markiewicz, Nibs Senior and Thérèse Lynch
- Assistant Editors: Marcus Taylor, Bob Ashton, Karen Brumell, Lincoln Anderson and Hilary Wyatt
- Digital Dubbing Editors: Darren Cox and Simon Hall
- Dubbing Mixer: John Wood
- Music Coordinator: John Merrifield
- Business and Finance Manager: Phil Slattery
- Production Control: Simon White, Phil McMylor, Andrew Bax and Sian Thomas
- Assistant to Director: Ed Williams
- Post Production: Chris Phillips
- Executive Producer: John Hambley
- Produced by: Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall
- Directed by: Keith Scoble and Brian Cosgrove
- A Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall Film
Broadcast history
Europe
- Finland Renamed: "Voimahiiri".
- United Kingdom
- ITV/Thames (1981-1992)
- CITV (1983-1992, 2013)
- STV - Broadcast a Gaelic version called "Donnie Murdo" from 1990-1992.
- Channel 4 - as part of the 1989-1992 morning programme Channel 4 Daily and on The Big Breakfast.
- The Children's Channel
- Cartoon Network (2000-2001)
- Boomerang (2000-2006)
- BBC Two (2007-2009)
- UK Gold (1992-1994)
- The Family Channel (1995-1996)
Americas
- United States - First broadcast in June 1984.
- Syndication - 1980s.
- Nickelodeon - 1984-1993.
- Brazil
- Rede Record - 1981–1992.
Oceania
Asia
- Malaysia
- TV3 (Malaysia) - 2002.
- TV9 - 2009.
Middle East
Notes
- ^ Released just over a month after the Twin Towers terrorist attacks, this DVD was later repackaged as "The Great Bone Idol" with a yellow cover, showing Danger Mouse and Penfold about to jump out of their car. It was re-released with a third cover on 4 October 2004, this time the cover was blue, and featured DM and Penfold in similar pose to the "Volume 2" DVD.
References
- ^ "Cosgrove Hall: 30 years". BBC Manchester. BBC. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
- ^ Hannah, Warner (2004). Fascinating TV Facts (1 ed.). London: Ted Smart. p. 99. ISBN 0-7535-0919-9.
- ^ "100 Greatest Kids' TV Shows". channel4.com. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
- ^ "Dangermouse (1981-1992)". British Film Institute.
- ^ "Dangermouse back on 25th birthday!". BBC News. 5 September 2006.
- ^ "Danger Mouse in Double Trouble". World of Spectrum. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
- ^ "Danger Mouse in the Black Forest Chateau". World of Spectrum. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
- ^ "Danger Mouse in Making Whoopee!". World of Spectrum. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
- ^ "Interview with Brian Cosgrove on danger-mouse.net". Retrieved 7 December 2012.
- ^ "Danger Mouse DVD news: Announcement for Danger Mouse - The Complete Series Megaset!". tvshowsondvd.com. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
External links
- 1981 British television programme debuts
- 1992 British television programme endings
- 1980s British television series
- 1990s British television series
- 1980s Nickelodeon shows
- British animated television series
- ITV children's television programmes
- Fictional mice and rats
- Fictional secret agents and spies
- First-run syndicated television programs in the United States
- 1990s Nickelodeon shows
- Television programs featuring anthropomorphic characters
- Television series by FremantleMedia
- Parody superheroes
- Superhero comedy television series
- Espionage television series