MOTOR MOUSE

 

MOTOR MOUSE
(ABC, September 12, 1970-January 9, 1971)
 
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Thames International

 

MAIN CAST:
Marty Ingels – Autocat
Dick Curtis – Motormouse
Daws Butler – Lambsy Divey
Allan Melvin – Bristlehound
Paul Lynde – Mildew Wolf
Bill Callaway – Country (archive)
Julie Bennett – Kitty Jo, Chessie (archive)
Jim Begg – Scoots (archive)
Casey Kasem – Groove (archive)

  

Hanna-Barbera attempted to duplicate the success they found with The Banana Splits Adventure Hour by creating a new variety series headlined by a new fictional band of anthropomorphic animals, the Cattanooga Cats. Cattanooga Cats ultimately wasn’t received as well as they hoped; however, two of its segments, Motormouse and Autocat and It’s the Wolf! ended up standing out with audiences. For the next season, the hour-long program was broken up into two separate shows: Cattanooga Cats moved to Sundays, while Motor Mouse took over the Saturday timeslot with all-new episodes.

Autocat chasing Motormouse in one of his wacky vehicles.

The titular segment, Motormouse and Autocat, was essentially a Tom and Jerry clone. Autocat (Marty Ingles) was a fast-talking race car-driving cat that was hired to get rid of the motorcycle-riding Motormouse (Dick Curtis, using an over-enunciation of various words) from a garage. His tools of choice: bizarre vehicles he concocted designed to either trap or outrace Motormouse. Of course, those vehicles would often fail on Autocat or Motormouse would simply outsmart his opponent. Once Autocat clocked out, animosities would cease and the pair would be friendly with each other. Hanna-Barbera would also utilize strange vehicle chases as a central theme of Dastardly and Muttley in their Flying Machines, which debuted the same year.

Mildew attempts to trick Lambsy into thinking he's one of his kind.

Despite the show’s title, the first segment aired was It’s the Wolf! It centered on hungry wolf, Mildew (Paul Lynde, who was uncredited), attempting to make a dinner out of sure-footed lamb, Lambsy Divey (inspired by the lyrics of the 1943 novelty song “Mairzy Doats” composed by Milton Drake, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston, voiced by Daws Butler), utilizing various schemes and disguises. A recurring gag would have Lambsy easily see through Mildew’s disguises and give several incorrect rhyming guesses as to his true identity before crying out “It’s the wool-uff!” and summoning his protector, sheepdog Bristlehound (Allan Melvin). Bristelhound would appear, snag Mildew with his cane, pound him and send him flying off into the horizon. This segment was largely inspired by the Warner Bros. theatrical shorts featuring Ralph Wolf and Sam Sheepdog, running from 1953-63. For Japanese airings, It’s the Wolf! was renamed Ramji-chan, giving Lambsy top billing due to their love of cute characters.

Motormouse tries to earn some extra dough as a taxi driver.

Motor Mouse debuted on ABC on September 12, 1970. Despite not having a starring feature in the show, the Cattanooga Cats shorts were rerun between story segments. The series was written by Larz Bourne, Eddie Brandt, Tom Dagenais, Len Janson, Earl Klein, Michael Maltese, Chuck Menville, Bill Perez, and Dalton Sandifer. Mike Curb served as musical director for the Cats shorts, while Ted Nichols did the rest of the show. Both series left the network at the start of the 1971 season, and wouldn’t be seen again until the various segments aired intermittently on Cartoon Network beginning in 1995 until 2000 and on sister channel Boomerang beginning in 2000 until 2012.

Bristlehound flattens Mildew, disguised as a horse.

The two segments would be featured strips in the anthology series Hanna-Barbera Fun-In from Gold Key Comics, Heroes de la Tele from Ediciones Recreativas in Spain, and in Wacky Races Annual Featuring Motormouse and Autocat and The Funky Phantom Annual Featuring Motormouse and Autocat by Brown Watson Ltd. in the United Kingdom. Motormouse and Autocat would headline their own German comic series published by Bastei-Verlag (now Bastei Lübbe), Auto Katz und Motor Maus, for 7 issues; a French series by Editions Williams, Autochat et Mimimoto, for 13 issues; a Spanish series, Troquelados Teledibujos. Serie Motormouse y Autocat, for four issues; and their own UK annual, Motormouse and Autocat with “It’s the Wolf!”, all in 1973. They would then headline their own German anthology series, Motor Maus, from 1977-79 for 56 issues. An episode was included as one of the reels for use in Kenner’s Easy-Show Movie Projector.

Mildew and Snagglepuss reliving their Laff-A-Lympics careers on Jellystone!

Mildew, arguably the most popular character, would go on to star in Laff-A-Lympics as an announcer voiced by John Stephenson, and would become a recurring character in Jellystone! voiced by Bernardo de Paula. Lambsy would also appear, voiced by Dana Snyder, after last appearing in 1972’s Yogi’s Ark Lark, as would Bristlehound as an employee of the town courthouse. All three Wolf characters would also become featured costumed characters walking around Kings Island amusement park in Cincinnati, Ohio, when it was opened in 1972 by then-Hanna-Barbera parent company, Taft Broadcasting.

  

EPISODE GUIDE:

“Lamb Scout Cook Out / Catch as Cat Can” (9/12/70) – Mildew uses Lambsy’s new membership in the Lamb Scouts as a ploy to trap him. / Autocat hires a mouse-catching expert to help him catch Motormouse.

 

“Wolf in a Sheep’s Clothing / Catnapping Mouse” (9/19/70) – Mildew dons disguises while Bristlehound and Lambsy search for Little Bo Peep’s lost sheep. / Autocat tries to catch Motormouse as he sleepwalks.

 

“To Beach His Own / Paint That Ain’t” (9/26/70) – Mildew plans to ruin Bristlehound and Lambsy’s day at the beach. / Motormouse’s new paint job gives Autocat ideas on how to snag him.

 

“Sheep Scene Stealer / I’ve Been Framed” (10/3/70) – Mildew uses Lambsy’s acting against him./ Motormouse takes up painting.

 

“Kookie Cook Book Cook / Match Making Mouse” (10/10/70) – Mildew’s recipe calls for lamb, and he wants Lambsy to be it. / Autocat interrupts Motormouse’s picnic and ends up having to deal with his girlfriend.

 

“Train Tripped / Electronic Brainstorm” (10/17/70) – Mildew follows Bristlehound and Lambsy on a train trip. / Autocat uses a computer to help him figure out a way to catch Motormouse.

 

“I Never Met a Lamb I Didn’t Like / Brute Farce” (10/24/70) – Mildew tries to cure Lambsy’s boredom as a ploy to trap him. / After Autocat gets fired, Motormouse finds himself dealing with an even rougher cat.

 

“Bouncing Buddies” (10/31/70) – Motormouse tries to get his package from the post office while evading Autocat.

 

“Channel Chasers / Ramblin’ Wreck from Texas” (11/7/70) – Mildew tricks Lambsy into thinking he’s a film director while he pretends to be on TV. / Autocat’s uncle comes to town to visit and helps pursue Motormouse.

 

“Two Car Mirage” (11/14/70) – Autocat pursues Motormouse as he goes for a ride through the desert.

 

“Alacazap” (11/21/70) – Motormouse uses his new magic kit to foil Autocat’s traps.

 

“Genie and the Meanie” (11/28/70) – Autocat finds a genie in a carburetor and uses his wishes to try and catch Motormouse.

 

“Choo Choo Cheetah” (12/5/70) – Autocat hides an escaped cheetah and in return he helps try to capture Motormouse.

 

“The Fastest Mouse in the West” (12/12/70) – Autocat follows Motormouse to his uncle’s ranch.

 

“Cat Skill School” (12/19/70) – Autocat’s nephew seems more interested in befriending Motormouse than catching him.

 

“The Cool Cat Contest” (12/26/70) – Autocat challenges another cat to capture Motormouse for a date with a female cat.

 

“Lights! Action! Catastrophe!” (1/2/71) – A producer films a movie at the garage and seems to want Motormouse to star more than Autocat.

 

“Follow That Cat” (1/9/71) – Motormouse tries to run a taxi service while evading Autocat.