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| first_aired = [[27 September]], [[1961 in television|1961]]
| first_aired = [[27 September]], [[1961 in television|1961]]
| last_aired = [[18 April]], [[1962 in television|1962]]
| last_aired = [[18 April]], [[1962 in television|1962]]
| num_episodes = 30
| num_episodes = 31
| list_episodes =
| list_episodes =
| chronology =
| chronology =

Revision as of 15:05, 7 January 2008

Top Cat
Top Cat and the gang
StarringArnold Stang
Paul Frees
Maurice Gosfield
Leo DeLyon
Marvin Kaplan
John Stephenson
Allen Jenkins
Jean Vander Pyl
Country of origin United States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes31
Production
Running time24 (?) minutes
Original release
NetworkABC
Release27 September, 1961 –
18 April, 1962

Top Cat was a Hanna-Barbera prime time animated television series which ran from September 27, 1961 to April 18, 1962 for a run of 30 episodes on the ABC network on Wednesdays.

History and treatment

The central character, Top Cat — called T.C. by close friends — is the leader of a gang of Manhattan alley cats: Fancy-Fancy, Spook, Benny the Ball, The Brain, and Choo Choo. Top Cat and his gang were inspired by characters from the popular situation comedy The Phil Silvers Show. It has also been said that the Bowery Boys influenced the show. Maurice Gosfield, who played Private Duane Doberman on The Phil Silvers Show, also provided the voice for Benny the Ball in Top Cat (Benny's rotund appearance was based on Gosfield too). Arnold Stang's voicing of Top Cat strongly resembled Phil Silvers' voice as well.

A frequent plotline revolved around the local policeman, Officer Charlie Dibble, and his ineffective attempts to evict the gang from the city. The only reason that he wanted to be rid of them was that Top Cat and his gang were constantly attempting to earn a quick dollar—usually through an illegal scam. Dibble's appearance was modelled on Allen Jenkins who did his voice. The name Dibble has passed into the vernacular as slang for police officers.

In 1985, Top Cat appeared on Yogi's Treasure Hunt with all the other Hanna-Barbera characters and then in 1987, Hanna-Barbera Studios created and produced a feature-length telefilm based on the show titled Top Cat and the Beverly Hills Cats (part of the Hanna-Barbera Superstars 10 film series), in which the gang helps a young girl claim her inheritance. In 1991 he became a teenage cat (but he still lived in a trash can) on NBC's Yo Yogi!.

Top Cat appears in the Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law episode "Mindless" where Harvey takes Top Cat home with him. He also appeared in the final episode, "The Death of Harvey" as well, and he is shown on the Volume 3 DVD Menu. The main cast also makes a cameo appearance in an episode of The Powerpuff Girls. He also appeared in a non-speaking role in Duck Dodgers, where he was frozen solid aboard an alien spaceship.

Cast and characters

File:The cast of Top Cat.JPG
The voice cast of Top Cat

Top Cat

Top Cat, a yellow cat with violet hat and vest, is the protagonist of the series and leader of the gang of cats around which the series revolves. Top Cat is laid-back and persuasive, a leader who can also be a friend. Top Cat's leadership is sometimes challenged by the rest of the gang, particularly when he has done something particularly shameful. Resolution of the revolt usually comes as capitulation by Top Cat to the will of the gang. One such incident features in "Dibble's Birthday" where Top Cat plans to give away all of Dibble's birthday gifts. Many episodes naturally focus on Top Cat as the main protagonist of the series.

Benny the Ball

File:Benny and his mother.jpg
Benny and his mother from the episode "A visit from Mother"

Benny is one of Top Cat's right-hand men. He is short, chubby, naive, and cute, an indigo-colored cat with a white sweater that fastens with a single button at his neck. Benny may appear to be simple-minded, but he manages to ask the most logical questions during the gang's erratic endeavors. He is slow, not stupid. The gang relationship between Benny and Top Cat is based on a devoted friendship between them. An example of the lengths to which Top Cat will go to help Benny is illustrated by the episode "A visit from Mother" in which Top Cat arranges for Benny to appear to be the mayor of New York City. A number of episodes have focused on Benny, including "The Violin Player", "The Unscratchables" and "The Missing Heir".

Choo Choo

Choo Choo is the second of Top Cat's right-hand men. He is a pink cat with a white long-sleeve polo-neck shirt, is the tallest of the alley gang cats, and often is depicted with the eyes of a Siamese cat. A couple of episodes have focused on Choo Choo.

Brain

Brain appears to be a common henchman to Top Cat. Brain is the dim-witted member of the alley gang, an orange cat with a purple shirt. Brain is notorious for being unable to keep a secret.

Fancy-Fancy

Fancy-Fancy appears to be a common henchman to Top Cat. He is laid-back, sweet-talking and is regularly seen chatting up the ladies before leaving them when hearing the 'dustbin lid call', a dark orange cat with a white scarf. He resembles Spook in appearance.

Spook

Spook acts as a "servant" to Top Cat. He is similar to Fancy-Fancy in demeanor and appearance, a sweet talking cat whose favourite word seems to be 'like' and is a pool shark with brown fur and a black tie.

Officer Dibble

Officer Dibble is the policeman whose beat includes the alley. He is the main antagonist of the series. Though he usually resents the gang's presence in the alley, there are times when he respects and loves them. There are several episodes that focus on Officer Dibble.

Episode list

  1. "Top Cat" (first appearance Famous Cartoon in 1960)
  2. "Hawaii Here We Come" (Sep 27, 1961)
  3. "Maharajah of Pookajee" (Oct 4, 1961)
  4. "All That Jazz" (Oct 11, 1961)
  5. "The $1,000,000 Derby" (Oct 18, 1961)
  6. "The Violin Player" (Oct 25, 1961)
  7. "The Missing Heir" (Nov 1, 1961)
  8. "Top Cat Falls In Love" (Nov 8, 1961)
  9. "A Visit From Mother" (Nov 15, 1961)
  10. "Naked Town" (Nov 22, 1961)
  11. "Sergeant Top Cat" (Nov 29, 1961)
  12. "Choo-Choo's Romance" (Dec 6, 1961)
  13. "The Unscratchables" (Dec 13, 1961)
  14. "Rafeefleas" (Dec 20, 1961)
  15. "The Tycoon" (Dec 27, 1961)
  16. "The Long Hot Winter" (Jan 3, 1962)
  17. "The Case of the Absent Anteater" (Jan 10, 1962)
  18. "T.C. Minds the Baby" (Jan 17, 1962)
  19. "Farewell, Mr. Dibble" (Jan 24, 1962)
  20. "The Grand Tour" (Jan 31, 1962)
  21. "The Golden Fleecing" (Feb 7, 1962)
  22. "Space Monkey" (Feb 14, 1962)
  23. "The Late T.C." (Feb 21, 1962)
  24. "Dibble's Birthday" (Feb 28, 1962)
  25. "Choo-Choo Goes Ga-Ga" (Mar 7, 1962)
  26. "King for a Day" (Mar 14, 1962)
  27. "The Con Men" (Mar 21, 1962)
  28. "Dibble Breaks the Record" (Mar 28, 1962)
  29. "Dibble Sings Again" (Apr 4, 1962)
  30. "Griswald" (Apr 11, 1962)
  31. "Dibble's Double" (Apr 18, 1962)

Theme song

The theme song was written by Joseph R. Barbera, William Hanna and Jim Timmens. These are the lyrics as they appeared originally, as shown by subtitles and careful listening.

Top Cat!
The most effectual
Top Cat!
Who's intellectual.
Close friends get to call him T.C.
Providing it's with dignity.
Top Cat!
The indisputable leader of the gang.
He's the boss, he's a VIP, he's a championship.
He's the most tip top,
Top Cat.
Yes he's a chief, he's a king
But above everything,
He's the most tip top,
Top Cat.

DVD release

On December 7, 2004, Warner Home Video released the complete series (30 episodes) on DVD R1.

DVD Name Ep # Release Date Additional Information
Top Cat- The Complete Series 30 December 7 2004
  • Commentary on various episodes
  • Back to Hoagy's Alley: The Making of Top Cat (retrospective featurette)
  • Interviews: Cool Cats in Interview Alley
  • Top Cat sing-along
  • Production Sketches: Top Cat Collection (art, stills, sketches, backgrounds)
  • Storyboards: Storyboard Showcase
  • TV Spot: Top Cat Kellogg's commercials

International broadcasters

Canada

Top Cat was among the first programs aired on CTV. The country's first private television network commenced broadcasts in October 1961.

Mexico and Latin America

The show was a massive hit in Mexico, where it is known as Don Gato y su pandilla (Mr. Cat and his gang) and the main characters adopted accents from different regions of Mexico. Besides Top Cat, all the other characters from the show were very famous: Benny was renamed Benito Bodoque (Benito the Blob), Choo Choo was renamed Cucho and spoke with a strong Yucatan accent, Fancy-Fancy was Panza (Tummy), Spook renamed as the word's rough translation Espanto, The Brain was called Demóstenes (honouring the Greek statesman Demosthenes, with whom he shares a speech impediment) and Officer Dibble renamed as Official Carlitos Matute. Top Cat is still rerun every few years.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the show was first aired on BBC television (now called BBC One) but renamed Boss Cat shortly after it premiered in 1962 because Top Cat was also the name of a brand of cat food. The dialogue and theme tune still referred to the character by his original name but a small cut was made in the opening credits (resulting in a slight 'jump' in the film) and a title card added before the episode proper. The new name was last used for a repeat run in 1989; by the time the series was next aired in 1999 the 'Top Cat' food brand had long since disappeared, allowing the original title to be used. This continues to be the case in the showings on Boomerang and BBC Two.

In other languages

Trivia

  • In the start credits, there is an inside joke. When the car that Top Cat is riding turns the corner, on its grille is a small H-B, as in Hanna-Barbera.
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