Remember that one day when you could wake up without an alarm? When you would get your favorite bowl of cereal and sit between the hours of 8 and 12? This is a blog dedicated to the greatest time of our childhood: Saturday mornings. The television programs you watched, the memories attached to them, and maybe introducing you to something you didn't realize existed. Updated every weekend.
He played Josiah Wormwood in an episode of Batman: The Animated
Series; Tempest/Fritz Drizzle in The Mask: The Animated Series; Toyman/Winslow
Schott in Superman: The Animated Series and Static Shock; Flint
Northwood in an episode of The Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries; and
provided voices for Tom & Jerry Kids.
He voiced Space Marshall Vaughn in Space Ace; Felix the
Furrier, the President and Monkey #2 in “The Bollo Caper” episode of ABC
Weekend Specials; The Master Renegade, Water Walk and Psycho in Challenge
of the GoBots; Master Blaster in Kidd Video; Ebenezer Scrooge in The
Real Ghostbusters; Jack in Oggy and the Cockroaches; Frederick
Vincent, Austrain Emperor, Town Cryer and Carmine in Jem; Master Splinter,
General Traag, Vernon Fenwick, Napoleon, Myron Bimbleton, Tony “The Butcher”
Vivaldi, CY-CLOMPS, Wilbur Weazell, Mr. X, Pinky McFingers, Big Louie, Krang’s
Android Body, Bogart Flywheel, Phantom, Orange Android and various minor
characters in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987);Gratchit and
Pixling Elder in The Adventures of Raggedy Ann & Andy; Detective
Logan in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventures; Derek Blunt in Darkwing
Duck; 2nd Longshoreman in Batman: The Animated Series; Bailiff,
Judge Lupine and Abraham Lincoln in Animaniacs; Fortress I Captain, a
father and a commander in Gargoyles; Shadow Priest in Mortal Kombat:
Defenders of the Realm; an auctioneer in The New Batman Adventures;
a news anchor, clerk and captain in Superman: The Animated Series; and Louie
Z. Anna, a TV announcer and an auctioneer in The Sylvester & Tweety
Mysteries.
He also provided additional voices for Scooby-Doo and
Scrappy-Doo (1979), Alvin & the Chipmunks (1983), Snorks,
Wildfire (1986), CBS Storybreak, The Karate Kid: The Animated Series,
The Pirates of Dark Water, Aladdin and The Savage Dragon.
He got his start in animation at Gamma Productions, working on the
various Jay Ward Productions and Total TeleVision productions series that
originated from there. Later, he provided layouts for Scooby Doo, Where Are
You!, Josie and the Pussycats, Help!...It’s the Hair Bear Bunch!, The ABC
Saturday Superstar Movie, The Roman Holidays, Jeannie and Wheelie and
the Chopper Bunch. He did storyboards for Little Shop, Attack of the
Killer Tomatoes, The Addams Family (1992), Droopy: Master Detective,
Madeline, Taz-Mania, Pinky and the Brain, The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries and
101 Dalmatians: The Series. He also provided art for six issues of
Marvel Comics’ Laff-a-Lympics comic series.
For the history of Looney Tunes, check out the post here.
Created by Tom Minton and James T. Walker, and developed
by Fay Whitemountain, The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries followed
Granny (June Foray) as she traveled around the world solving various mysteries.
Keeping her company and sometimes aiding her were her pets, Sylvester
and Tweety (both Joe Alaskey). Only sometimes because Sylvester spent most of
the time trying to eat Tweety. Fortunately, he was thwarted by Tweety’s
resourcefulness and Granny’s other pet, bulldog Hector (who was redesigned to
look more like Marc
Antony, voiced by Frank Welker). Hector would often beat Sylvester up for
his attempts, typically off-camera or behind a screen.
Granny, Sylvester, Tweety and Hector in a pickle...barrel.
Three other more obscure characters also made appearances from the period
of Warner
Bros. Animation’s first return. After three years of outsourcing their
cartoon productions when they closed their in-house studio upon completion of The Bugs Bunny Show, Warner
Bros. decided to reform the studio in 1967. Because Warner Bros. was bought
by Seven Arts Associates shortly after, it was known as Warner Bros.-Seven Arts
Animation (aka W-7). During this time, a new character was introduced: Cool Cat
(Larry Storch). He was a hep
tiger who wore a beret and spoke in beatnik slang. His primary antagonist was
Colonel Rimfire (also Storch), a big game hunter. Cool Cat’s series only ran
for five short films when the studio closed again in 1969. Cool Cat (now Alaskey)
was featured in every episode in some form or other (background, picture, brief
speaking role, etc.). Colonel Rimfire (also Alaskey) and another Cool Cat
character, a ghost named Spooky (Welker), made appearances. They were the only
characters from the W-7 era to make any other major appearances in a Warner
Bros. production.
The
Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries ran for five seasons and was later
integrated as part of the omnibus program, The Cat & Bridie Warneroonie Pinky
Brainie Big Cartoonie Show. For the first season, each episode was a
single half-hour mystery. It was also dedicated to the memory of Sylvester and
Tweety creator Friz Freleng,
who had died months prior from natural causes at the age of 88. Starting with
season two and lasting until the show’s end, each episode was split into two
mysteries. The final episode, “The Tail End / This is the End”, never aired on
Kids’ WB after the series’ cancellation. It was finally aired during the show’s
run on Cartoon Network two years
later on December 13, 2002.
Ad for the DVD.
During the show’s run, it was
nominated for several Daytime
Emmy and Annie Awards, with June
Foray winning two consecutive Annies for her portrayal of Granny. For years,
the only release of the show on home media were two
VHS tapes in Germany. In 2008,
exactly 13 years after the first episode’s debut, Warner
Home Video released the complete
first season to DVD. No further releases have been planned or announced,
however five episodes were later released in the 2016 compilation Sylvester and Friends vol. 1.
EPISODE GUIDE:
Season 1:
“The Cat Who Knew Too Much” (9/9/95) – In New Orleans for a canary
crooning contest, Tweety ends up birdnapped by Rocky and Mugsy.
“Platinum Wheel of Fortune” (9/16/95) – Clearing Granny of a theft
becomes difficult when Sylvester ends up pursued by Pepe’s cousin, Pitu Le Pew.
“Double Take” (9/23/95) – Sylvester and Tweety hunt down the culprit
of a crimewave in Denmark to clear Granny’s name.
“A Chip Off the Old Castle” (9/30/95) – Granny investigates the theft
of Ireland’s Blarney Stone.
“Something Fishy Around Here” (10/7/95) – Investigating the theft of
the world’s largest tuna in Japan has Sylvester and Tweety run across some Triad
assassins.
“B2 or Not B2” (11/4/95) – Granny investigates who’s targeting Bingo
winners on her cruise.
“Bull Running on Empty” (11/11/95) – Granny heads to Spain to
investigate the theft of the Pamplona Periscope.
“A Ticket to Crime” (11/18/95) – Granny tries to solve the death of
the host of a gathering of detectives.
“The Maltese Canary” (11/25/95) – While Granny runs Sam Spade’s office
in San Francisco, a cast of characters believe Tweety is the Maltese Canary.
“It Happened One Night Before Christmas” (12/16/95) – Granny tries to
figure out what happened to the $8000 from her brother’s company.
“Outback Down Under” (1/27/96) – Granny investigates the
disappearances of Australian sheep.
“It’s a Plaid, Plaid, Plaid, Plaid World” (2/3/96) – Granny investigates
the theft of a family tartan in Scotland.
“Go Fig” (2/17/96) – Granny investigates the theft of a rancher’s fig crops.
Season 2:
“Spaced Out / Autumn’s Leaving” (9/7/96) – Granny uncovers an alien
invasion. / Granny and company encounter Witch Hazel in a New England forest.
“Catch as Catch Cannes / Yodel Recall” (9/14/96) – Granny investigate
the theft of film prizes while Sylvester disguises himself as a film producer
to pursue Tweety. / Granny investigates the kidnapping of the Von Trump singers
as Sylvester meets the Abominable Snowman.
“Don’t Polka Me / The Granny Vanishes” (9/28/96) – Someone replaces
accordion reeds with duck calls at a dance festival while two other cats try to
get Tweety. / Granny disappears on the Orient Express.
“The Scare Up There / If It’s Wednesday, This Must Be Holland!”
(11/2/96) – Sylvester is plagued by gnomes on a plane. / Granny pursues a smuggler
who stole rare flowers from Holland.
“Curse of De Nile / Hawaii 33 1/3” (11/9/96) – Granny investigates the
disappearance of an archaeologist in Egypt. / Granny investigates the
disappearance of Hawaiian Tiki statues.
“Keep Your Pantheon / London Broiled” (11/16/96) – Sylvester chases
Tweety into Pandora’s Box and ends up back in time. / The Shropshire Slasher
makes Granny his next target while exposure to a formula causes Tweety to
change repeatedly into a monster.
“They Call Me Mr. Lincoln / Froggone It” (2/15/97) – Accidentally using
Abraham Lincoln’s toothpick gets Sylvester kicked out of the state. / Granny
investigates the kidnapping of Michigan J. Frog.
“One Froggy Throat / Mush Ado About Nothing” (2/22/97) – Sylvester can’t
get away from Michigan J. Frog. / Hector and Sylvester become Granny’s sled
dogs.
Season 3:
“The Star of Bombay / Happy Pranksgiving” (9/13/97) – Granny investigates
a missing Indian film star. / Granny is on the hunt for the Squeegee the Clown parade
balloon.
“Is Paris Stinking? / Fangs for the Memories” (9/20/97) – French authorities
task Granny with discovering the origin of a foul smell in the city. / Granny
and the pets are forced to take shelter in a spooky castle belonging to a
vampire.
“Moscow Side Story / Fair’s Fair” (10/11/97) – Granny is hired to find
the Borscht Belt that turns its wearer into a comedian. / As the others try to
win a pie eating contest, Tweety investigates suspicious activity in the
bake-off.
“El Dia de Los Pussygatos / 3 Days & 2 Nights of the Condor”
(11/1/97) – Granny has to help rescue a Mexican mayor being held for ransom. / Sylvester
finds competition with Beaky Buzzard for Tweety.
“Yelp / Jeepers Creepers” (11/15/97) – Granny enters Hector into a dog
show to find a stolen diamond collar. / Granny investigates missing jewels at a
party while Sylvester’s former partner appears to cause trouble.
“Fleas Release Me / Niagara’s Fallen” (2/7/98) – Granny investigates
the disappearance of the performers of a flea circus. / Granny investigates the
diversion of the water at Niagara Falls.
“Spooker of the House / Furgo” (2/14/98) – Sylvester is haunted by
Howard Taft at the White House. / The pets try to get Granny’s Nash back from
Rocky and Mugsy.
“The Fountain of Funk / Yes, We Have No Canaries” (2/21/98) – A technology
nerd didn’t pay attention to the 70s growing up and wants Granny to find it for
him. / Granny is hired to find stolen canaries from Kanary Island.
“The Shell Game / Rasslin’ Rhapsody” (2/28/98) – Sylvester and Tweety
end up stranded in the Galapagos Islands and meet Cecil Turtle. / A night of
wrestling gets interrupted when someone steals the championship belt.
“Ice Cat-Pades / To Catch a Puddy” (4/25/98) – Granny solves an ice hockey
mystery with Babbit and Catsello. / Sylvester is believed to be a cat burglar.
“Family Circles / Sea You Later” (5/2/98) – Granny investigates crop
circles while chasing Tweety leads Sylvester to encounter Foghorn Leghorn. /
Manatees rampage against Lake Placid sea creatures.
“A Case of Red Herring / Roswell that Ends Well” (5/9/98) – Granny helps
a famous Swedish lawyer. / Granny searches for a missing alien in the New
Mexico desert.
“A Good Nephew is Hard to Find / Mirage Sale” (5/16/98) – Granny visits
her nephew in Tokyo. / Granny investigates a playboy who was drafted into the
Foreign Legion and vanished.
Season 4:
“The Stilted Perch / A Game of Cat and Monster!” (9/19/98) – A criminal
magician Granny put away turns up at the bed and breakfast they stay at. /
Granny and the pets head to the Black Forest to rescue Colonel Rimfire.
“You’re Thor?! / I Gopher You” (9/26/98) – Granny is hired to find the
golden statue of Thor. / Granny searches for a cattle rustler.
“Hold the Lyin’ King, Please / Suite Mystery of Wife – At Last I Found
You…” (10/3/98) – Sylvester trades places with a lion. / Granny believes a
mild-mannered scientist may have bumped off his nagging wife.
“The San Francisco Beat / The Triangle of Terror” (10/10/98) – Granny investigates
the disappearance of a Beatnik’s magic flute. / While searching for a musical
triangle for a conductor, Sylvester ends up lost at sea.
“Casino Evil / Happy Bathday to You” (11/7/98) – Sylvester replaces an
albino monkey in Vegas while Granny searches for it. / Granny and the pets
explore a bath factory in England while Tweety celebrates his birthday.
“The Rotha-Khan / Good Bird Hunting” (11/21/98) – Sylvester accidentally
breaks the cement footprints of a town founder and Granny is put in jail as a
result. / Sylvester finds an idol Granny searches for and it makes him all-powerful.
“Feather Christmas / A Fist Full of Lutefisk” (12/12/98) – Granny helps
a little girl retrieve the bird her parents got rid of. / Granny investigates a
giant’s theft of a Norway town’s lutefisk.
“Venice, Anyone? / The Fifty Karat Furball” (1/16/99) – Granny investigates
the disappearance of the water in Venice. / Sylvester accidentally swallows the
I of Istanbul, which Rocky and Mugsy planned to steal.
“Son of Roswell That Ends Well / A Mynah Problem” (1/30/99) – Granny
and the pets go to space to retrieve a general. / Granny investigates a missing
Mynah Bird which Sylvester plans to eat.
“Whatever Happened to Shorty Twang / A Big Knight Out” (2/13/99) – Granny
investigates the disappearance of a country singer. / Granny attends a medieval
festival where someone stole King Arthur’s stone and sword.
“Brussels Sprouts / The Golden Bird of Shangri-Claw” (2/27/99) – Granny
disguises Hector as Napoleon to retrieve a statue of him. / Granny tries to
find out why Mt. Everest isn’t the tallest in the world anymore while Sylvester
and Tweety end up in Shangri-Claw.
“When Granny Ruled the Earth / Dutch Tweet” (3/27/99) – Granny and the
pets watch a documentary about their ancestors. / Granny goes to Amsterdam to
bid on a figurine two thieves have their sights on.
“Bayou on the Half Shell / Seeing Double” (5/1/99) – Hector and
Sylvester are in obedience school while Granny and Tweety look to stop a giant
crawdad. / While exploring Happy Pet Village, Tweety meets his double and they
drive Sylvester crazy.
Season 5:
“This is the Kitty / Eye for an Aye Aye” (9/18/99) – Granny volunteers
at the zoo. / Granny finds Captain Kidd’s missing treasure map and goes
treasure hunting.
“When Harry Met Salleri / The Early Woim Gets the Boid” (9/25/99) –
Granny investigates ghosts stealing the sound of music in Austria. / Granny
investigates the disappearance of silk worms from a silk factory in Korea.
“Blackboard Jumble / What’s the Frequency, Kitty?” (11/20/99) –
Sylvester and Hector battle with blackboards. / Sylvester flees from a friendly
ghost.
“Dial V for Veterinarian / California’s Crusty Bronze” (2/5/00) – It’s
vet time for the pets. / Granny tries to save a restaurant’s reputation.
“The Tail End? / This is the End” (12/13/02) – Everyone thinks
Sylvester took the Manx mouse and wants his tail in payback. / Sylvester
finally eats Tweety and ends up in jail for 100 days while beset upon by an
angry mob.
The
Cat & Birdy Warneroonie Pinky Brainy Big Cartoonie Show, or The Big Cartoonie Show for short, was a
compilation program comprised of reruns of the various shows made by Warner
Bros. Animation since the inception of its television production division.
The network had ceased ordering new episodes of those shows in favor of airing
acquired programming, which would ultimately end up being cheaper. However,
they recognized the ratings those shows pulled in and wanted to continue airing
them as a means to perhaps attract their audience to their new shows.
Beginning on January 16, 1999 as
part of the Kids’ WB
programming block on The WB,
the show was initially an hour and a half in length. The first four episodes
featured classic Looney Tunes shorts
with new title cards, as well as segments culled from episodes of Animaniacs,
The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries, Pinky
and the Brain. The remaining episodes of Pinky,
Elmyra & the Brain, which was cancelled the month prior after just
six episodes aired, were broken up into individual segments and aired as part
of The Big Cartoonie Show.
Despite being mostly reruns, the
show proved popular in the ratings and earned itself a second season, expanding
to air on weekdays as well as Saturday morning. The entire line-up was changed,
removing everything except Animaniacs and
adding on segments from Tiny
Toon Adventures. The name was changed to The Cat & Bunny Warneroonie SuperLooney Big Cartoonie Show as a
result, and two new host characters were introduced: Karen (Cheryl Chase) and
Kirby (Richard Steven Horvitz).
Karen and Kirby were rendered in a computer animation style
that was markedly different from the shows they introduced. The intro was
reworked to feature Karen and Kirby setting the pinball in motion and various
characters from the removed shows were replaced with Tiny Toons characters. The song’s wording was updated with the new
title, and MacNeille and LaMarche’s characters Babs Bunny and Dizzy Devil were given
lines. The second season wasn’t as successful as the first and the show was
cancelled in August of 2000.
Joe Alaksey died on February 3, 2016. You can read the full story here.
Alaskey was Warner Bros.' permanent voice for such classic Mel Blanc characters as Daffy Duck, Yosemite Sam, Sylvester Cat, Tweety Bird and even Marvin the Martian. As such, he played Sylvester and Tweety on The Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries and provided Daffy's voice for the opening of The Bugs n' Daffy Show. He was also best known by a generation as the voice of Plucky Duck, his father, the aforementioned WB classics and other minor roles on both Tiny Toons Adventures and The Plucky Duck Show and their related media, as well as the second Grandpa Lou Pickles and other voices on Rugrats, All Grown Up and their related media.
He was also Sourpuss on Mighty Mouse, the New Adventures, the sheriff in two episodes of Back to the Future: The Animated Series, reprised his role of Stinkie from the Casper movie and played the Gorey Narrator on The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper, was the short bug and a truck driver on an episode of Men in Black: The Series, a soda and news vendbot on an episode of Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, the chief in an episode of Teamo Supremo, and Sylth Vester, the Royal Tweetums, Stoney the Stone and Melvin the Martian on Loonatics Unleashed.
He also provided voices in episodes of Where's Waldo?, Life With Louie and Timon & Pumbaa.
