Danger Mouse (1981 TV series)
| Danger Mouse | |
|---|---|
| File:Dangermouse cast.jpg DangerMouse cast. (L to R) Stiletto, LeatherHead, Baron Greenback, Nero, DangerMouse, Penfold and Colonel K. | |
| Created by | Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall |
| Starring | David Jason Terry Scott Edward Kelsey and Brian Trueman |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of episodes | 89 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 0:04–0:20 (per episode) |
| Original release | |
| Network | ITV |
| Release | September 28, 1981 – March 19, 1992 |
DangerMouse is a British animated television series which was produced by Cosgrove Hall.
It features the eponymous DangerMouse, a British secret agent who happens to be a mouse. The show is a loose parody of British spy fiction, particularly James Bond and the Danger Man series starring Patrick McGoohan. The eponymous hero wears a rakish 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 share 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). The Slovenian translation omitted the DM initials entirely, however, dubbing Danger Mouse Hrabri mišek ("brave mouse").
DangerMouse was the first British cartoon to break into the American TV market, being shown on Nickelodeon in the 1980s, where it garnered a tremendous fan following that still exists. Since it went off air it has been periodically repeated and been released on DVD. In Australia, it first aired on ABC TV, then in 1996 it was on Network Ten. It was also the first British cartoon to break into Cheez TV, being shown on the weekdays.
Rumours are circulating about a revival, possibly using CGI, but Cosgove Hall have denied these rumours.
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. Allen 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. 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 DangerMouse in Double Trouble [1] and Danger Mouse in the Black Forest Chateau [2] (both in 1984) followed by Danger Mouse in Making Whoopee! [3] in 1985.
Characters
Heroes
- DangerMouse (voiced by David Jason): The greatest secret agent in the world. He speaks 34 languages fluently, including some extra-terrestrial ones.
- Ernest Penfold (voiced by Terry Scott): A timid hamster, and sidekick to DangerMouse.
- Colonel K (voiced by Edward Kelsey): DangerMouse's boss; often mistaken for a walrus, it is uncertain exactly what he is although there have been rumours that he may be a guinea pig or a gopher. Previously worked for Special Branch, where he was known as Special K. He is a champion piano-thrower, decorated judo expert and the first to climb Mount Everest on a pogo stick.
- Professor Heinrich Von Squarkencluck: 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.
- 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. As a result of changing his appearance so many times, he can no longer remember what he originally looked like.
- Flying Officer Buggles Pigeon (voiced by David Jason): Another of Colonel K's agents who came to the aid of DangerMouse and Penfold in the episode, "Chicken Run," and appeared in several episodes afterward.
Villains
- Baron Silas Greenback (voiced by Edward Kelsey): The recurring villain and DangerMouse's archenemy; a toad. Known as Baron Greenteeth in the unaired pilot episode.
- Stiletto Mafiosa (voiced by Brian Trueman): Greenback's henchman; a crow. In the original British version, he spoke with an Italian accent; for reasons unknown, possibly to avoid offending Italian-Americans, this was changed to a Cockney accent for US distribution and all references to his surname were removed as well. 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 US VHS and DVD releases and during its Cheez TV run.
- LeatherHead (voiced by Terry Scott): Greenback's other crow henchman. He is even less intelligent than Stiletto. He does not appear in nearly as many episodes as Stiletto. He spends most of his time reading comic books.
- Nero: Greenback's pet. A fluffy white caterpillar (equivalent to the stereotypical white cat frequently associated with arch villains). Non-speaking character, but readily understood by Greenback and Stiletto.
- Doctor Augustus P. Crumhorn III: A mad scientist, he recurred as DangerMouse's adversary less frequently than Baron Greenback. In one episode he attempted to undermine DangerMouse by metamorphosing into a Shirley Temple lookalike.
- Count Duckula (voiced by David Jason): A showbiz-obsessed vampire duck who inspired a later Cosgrove Hall spin-off series, titled Count Duckula.
- Copper-Conk Cassidy: A memorable one-shot villain who had the distinctive characteristic of causing everyone who encountered him to literally fall to pieces in sheer terror.
- Doctor Frankenstoat: 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.
Other
- Isambard Sinclair (voiced by David Jason): The unseen narrator, but occasionally interacts with the characters (in one episode he accidentally sends DM back in time). Often voices his disdain for the show and his job.
Episodes
Demise
The demise started in 1989 when a reduction on series runs and writer Brian Trueman was replaced with new unknown writer Jimmy Hibbert which meant the humor was less hard hitting then Brian's and then Danger mouse began to lose viewers.
Then Danger Mouse's end was nigh in 1992 after Thames Television lost its franchise. Terry Scott who voiced Penfold sadly died by cancer two years later.
DVD releases
United Kingdom
FremantleMedia is licensed to release DangerMouse in the United Kingdom. They released six Region 2 DVDs in 2001-02, featuring 6-8 episodes in each set.
InSeptember 2006 to celebrate 25 years of Danger Mouse Fremantle Media are releasing a further 6 DVDs and a 12 DVD Boxset with Special Features.
United States
A&E Home Video is licensed by FremantleMedia to release DangerMouse in the United States.
- Seasons 1 & 2 (May 31, 2005) - Contains the never-aired pilot episode, "The Mystery of the Lost Chord."
- Seasons 3 & 4 (October 25, 2005)
- Seasons 5 & 6 (March 28, 2006) - Contains the "One Stormy Night" episode of Count Duckula, chosen because Duckula can be seen wearing pajamas with a prominent 'DM' logo.
- Seasons 7-10 (September 26, 2006) - 3 DVD release, Danger Mouse: The Final Seasons
References, trivia and speculation
- Although all the characters in the series are animals, the adventures of DangerMouse appear to be taking place alongside the human world; there are various examples of a mouse-sized DangerMouse walking through human-scale sets, standing on air hockey tables, not to mention the conceit that DM & Penfold live inside a normal size pillarbox. This becomes less consistent as the series goes on, 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.)
- In two different episodes, DangerMouse and Penfold encountered a longcase clock that was capable of time travel. The reference to the cult series Doctor Who was so obvious that even Penfold noticed it. A similar reference occurs in "Custard", when the duo find themselves in what DM describes as "a time-traveller's potting shed".
- In one episode Penfold was referred to with a first name, Ernest. No "normal" name is ever given for DangerMouse himself.
- DangerMouse's headquarters is located in a Mayfair pillarbox on Baker Street in London, near the legendary home of Sherlock Holmes.
- Some fans have speculated that the re-dubbing of Stiletto's voice in the American TV release was to avoid stereotyping of Italian-Americans (this was during a period where film and TV portrayals of Mafia types were popular). The original accent was kept in one scene in one episode ("The Duel") where Stiletto was impersonating a Gypsy fortune teller.
- In its Nickelodeon run, DangerMouse was usually aired with two short episodes back-to-back in a half-hour timeslot. Even with commercials this was not enough to fill the allotted time, so episodes of the British cartoon Bananaman were aired alongside it to fill the remaining time.
- In its Network Ten run, DangerMouse was also aired with two 11 minute episodes and three 5 minute ones back-to-back in a half-hour timeslot, even though none of the episode's titles were at the beginning of each episode.
- DangerMouse was voted third in Channel 4's poll of the hundred greatest children's TV programmes.
- In early 1983 the show broke a record for the highest audience it reached a very high 21.6m viewers which beat Superman's 16.8m which was new at the time.
Credits
- Written by: Brian Trueman
- Music by: Mike Harding
- Music Production: Ritchie Close
- Storylines: Tony Garth, Angus Allen, Chris Randall
- Animators: Keith Scoble, George Jackson, Robert Newman, Clinton J. Priest, Garry Owen, Tony Garth, Stephen Thomas, Jean Flynn, Meryl Edge, Denise Heywood, Phil Morris
- Backgrounds: Malcolm Turner, Andy Roper, Diane Wren
- Painting: Bob Burrows, Phillip McMylor, Roy Huckerby, Monica McCartney, Lorraine Thomas, Andrew Wilson, Barbara Alcock, Judy Ringrose, Joan Storey, Simon White
- Special Effects: Patrick Ashcroft, Stephen Simpson, Jackie Mitchell
- Storyboard: Gary Hurst, Chris Randall, Peter See, Helen Kincaid, Ted Stephens, Johnny Zeigler, Keith Scoble, Dave Elvin
- Xerox: Ben Turner, Gregg Clarke, Irving Knight, Andy Perkins, Charles Potts, Laurent Leeman, Henry Carpenter, Jon Adams, Francis Bond, Mickey Wilson, Frank Butchchurch
- Layouts: Chris Randall, Peter See, Dave Elvin
- Checking: Ian Henderson, Phil Atack, Dennis Greencarr
- Sung by: Myfanwy Talog
- Designers: Margaret Riley, Chris Randall, Edmund Williams, Art Graham, Dave Jones, Wayne Kellers, Robert Nissan, Jeremy King, Spud Robbins
- Assistant Animators: Paul Jesper, Laurent Leeman, Andy Roper, Dan Whitworth, Tony Guy, Bev Phillips, Douglas McKeefe, Jim Lang, Mario Phillips, Gloria Vassilou, Sue Halliwell, Agnes Field, Malcolm McGookin, Yasodha Huckerby, Gavin Parsons, Clive Hamilton, Gordon Davis
- Dubbing Mix: Ted Spooner, Phil Slattery, Mark Sutton
- Edited by: Nigel Rutter, Nibs Senior, Stephen Perry
- Assistant Editors: Zyggy Markiewicz, John McManus
- Assistants: Donald Swenson, Bill Jerklins, Bill M. Warner
- Associate Producer: Annie King
- Camera: Frank Hardie, Wendy Hardie, Peter Kidd
- Production Supervisors: Eleanor Owens, Claire Bramwell, Willard Kitchen, Alastair Fell, Alan Green
- Animation Directors: Ramon Modiano, Mark Povey, Tony McAleese, Denise Heywood, Maria Wedderburn, Graham Garside, Mario T. Shively
- Assistant Director: Jean Flynn
- Produced by: Mark Hall, Brian Cosgrove
- Directed by: Brian Cosgrove
- Executive Producer: John Hambley