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Courage the Cowardly Dog

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Courage the Cowardly Dog
Genre
Created byJohn R. Dilworth
Directed byJohn R. Dilworth
Voices of
Composers
  • Jody Gray
  • Andy Ezrin
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes52 (102 segments) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerJohn R. Dilworth
Producers
  • Robert Winthrop (season 1)
  • Winnie Chaffee (seasons 2–4)
Running time22 minutes[a]
Production companies
Original release
NetworkCartoon Network
ReleaseNovember 12, 1999 (1999-11-12) –
November 22, 2002 (2002-11-22)
Related
What a Cartoon!

Courage the Cowardly Dog is an American animated comedy horror television series created by John R. Dilworth for Cartoon Network. It was produced by Dilworth's animation studio, Stretch Films. The eponymous character is an anxious dog who lives with an elderly couple, Muriel and Eustace Bagge, in a farmhouse in the middle of Nowhere, a fictional town in Kansas. In each episode, the Bagges are repeatedly thrown into bizarre, frequently disturbing, and often paranormal or supernatural adventures, with Courage often having to rescue his owners. The series is known for its dark, surreal humor and atmosphere.[1]

Dilworth pitched the series to Hanna-Barbera's animated shorts showcase What a Cartoon! and a pilot titled "The Chicken from Outer Space" aired on Cartoon Network on February 18, 1996.[2] The segment was nominated for an Academy Award but lost to Wallace and Gromit: A Close Shave. The short was greenlit to become a series, which premiered on November 12, 1999, and ended on November 22, 2002, with four seasons consisting of 13 episodes each. It was nominated for three Golden Reel Awards and won one Annie Award.

Premise

[edit]
See also: List of Courage the Cowardly Dog characters

Courage the Cowardly Dog follows Courage (Marty Grabstein), a kind but easily frightened dog. He was abandoned as a puppy after his parents were sent into outer space by a crazy veterinarian.[3] Soon after, he was found in an alleyway by Muriel Bagge (Thea White), a caring woman who decided to take Courage in as her own; the nature of this first meeting inspired her to give him his name. In the present, Courage lives in an isolated farmhouse in Kansas with Muriel and her husband Eustace Bagge (Lionel Wilson in episodes 1–33, Arthur Anderson in episodes 34–52), a cranky and greedy man who is jealous of Courage, refers to him as "stupid dog", and periodically uses the "Ooga Booga" mask to frighten him. The nearest town to the farmhouse is called Nowhere.

Courage and his owners frequently encounter monsters, aliens, zombies, and other paranormal or supernatural creatures that are attracted to Nowhere. Plots generally use conventions common to horror films. Although most of the creatures the three face are hostile, others suffer from distress, anger, and/or desperation, and sometimes are friendly. On occasion, some are even false antagonists.

The task of protecting Muriel and Eustace from such dangers falls on Courage, who endeavors to thwart or reconcile with the monster of the week and remedy or repair any damages done. Although Courage is occasionally aided with that task, the full extent of his efforts is usually performed unbeknownst to Muriel and Eustace. Ironically, given his name, Courage may be considered a genuine hero who often goes to great lengths to protect his owners, and a genuine coward who still expresses much of his distress with over-the-top, piercing shrieks.

Although episodic in nature, there are a handful of recurring characters in the show's cast, including Courage's sarcastic, sentient computer (Simon Prebble); the family physician Dr. Vindaloo (Paul Schoeffler); a fortune-telling chihuahua named Shirley the Medium (Mary Testa); Eustace's mother "Ma" (Billie Lou Watt); some of the villains including Katz, Le Quack, Snowman (all three also voiced by Schoeffler), and the antagonistic Di Lung (Tim Chi Ly).

Production

[edit]

Creation

[edit]
Series creator John R. Dilworth in 2014.

Originally, Courage the Cowardly Dog was created as a seven-minute animated short, "The Chicken from Outer Space". Dilworth started the animated short with Hanna-Barbera, sponsored by Cartoon Network and introduced Courage.[4] Dilworth graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts in New York in 1985. He became an art director and founded his own animation studio, Stretch Films in 1991, and incorporated in 1994.[4] The character of Courage grew out of an earlier character of Dilworth's called Hamilton, who appeared in Smart Talk with Raisin, a pilot Dilworth created for MTV.

The animated short was shown as one of the episodes of Cartoon Network's World Premiere Toons in 1996, a Hanna-Barbera Cartoons innovation by then-president Fred Seibert. The short served as a de facto pilot for the future series.[5] The original animated short had no dialogue except for one line spoken by Courage, who had a more authoritative voice akin to Jackie Mason than in the series. It was uttered by voice actor Howard Hoffman who also provided all the other vocal sounds and effects for the short.[4] An alien chicken was the villain in this short, who later reappears in the series to seek revenge. His sons also attempt to seek revenge in an even later episode.[6] The short was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 68th Academy Awards, but lost to the Wallace and Gromit short film A Close Shave.[7]

Sound design

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When deciding on sound effects, Dilworth tried to avoid pre-made stock sounds.[4] He contributed a substantial amount of new material to sound designer Michael Geisler[8] and only looked for sounds that made him laugh. The composition of the series' music relied on what was being portrayed: suspense, comedy, or action. The production crew worked together to come up with new music for the series that had not previously been used. There were a few sections on one particular piece that Dilworth exceptionally liked.[4] The production crew was able to isolate these sections and expand them into a usable theme.[4]

Original music featured in Courage the Cowardly Dog was composed by Jody Gray[9] and Andy Ezrin.[10][11] Classical music can be heard at times, which pays homage to classic Warner Bros. animation and the scores of Carl Stalling.[12] In several episodes, Gray arranged various famous classical pieces, such as Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries", and wrote up to 15 songs.[11]

Broadcast history

[edit]

Courage the Cowardly Dog originally was premiered as a short on February 18, 1996. The show premiered on November 12, 1999, and became the highest-rated premiere in Cartoon Network history at the time.[13] Previews for Courage the Cowardly Dog were shown in American movie theaters before Pokémon: The First Movie.[14] It ended on November 22, 2002, with 52 episodes produced in four seasons.

Episodes

[edit]
Main article: List of Courage the Cowardly Dog episodes

In total, there were 52 episodes in four seasons produced, plus a pilot episode and a special episode. The series ran from November 12, 1999, to November 22, 2002.

SeasonSegmentsEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
PilotFebruary 18, 1996 (1996-02-18)[2]
12613November 12, 1999 (1999-11-12)July 14, 2000 (2000-07-14)
22513October 31, 2000 (2000-10-31)January 11, 2002 (2002-01-11)
32613November 16, 2001 (2001-11-16)August 9, 2002 (2002-08-09)
42513September 6, 2002 (2002-09-06)November 22, 2002 (2002-11-22)
SpecialOctober 31, 2014 (2014-10-31)
Crossover filmSeptember 14, 2021 (2021-09-14)

Reception

[edit]

John G. Nettles of PopMatters reviewed the show and called it, "a fascinating and textured mixture of cartoon and horror-movie conventions, and a joy to watch."[15]

Alex Mastas of Lights Out Films reviewed the show, gave it a grade "A−" and described it: "The backgrounds are rich and imaginative—they composite a lot of the show over real photos and occasionally integrate CGI into the cartoon. The look is weird and ethereal, just like the show itself."[16]

KJ Dell Antonia of Common Sense Media gave the show three stars out of five with the summary, "Cult fave 'toon plays over-the-top violence for laughs."[17] Antonia warned parents that the series contains graphic animated violence, including "exploding organs, growing extra limbs, turning inside out, you name it".[17] Randy Miller III of DVD Talk said that shows aimed at younger audiences "usually don't go for thrills and chills, so it's good to see a genuinely surreal and slanted series develop a decent following."[18]

Jeff Swindoll of Monsters and Critics reviewed the first season DVD and praised all the episodes featured in the first season and encouraged fans to buy the season's DVD, but also noted the exclusion of the original Hanna-Barbera short The Chicken from Outer Space on the DVD.[19] In 2023, Indian Entertainment Journal Pinkvilla ranked the show no. 1 of their list of top 10 1990s Cartoons and gave special praise to the critically acclaimed Season 2 episode "Courage in the Big Stinkin' City" and stated that the show remains enjoyable till present times.[20]

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Nominee / work Award Result
Academy Awards
1995 John R. Dilworth
For short film "The Chicken from Outer Space" 		Best Animated Short Film Nominated
Annie Awards
2000 John R. Dilworth
For episode "A Night at the Katz Motel" 		Outstanding Individual Achievement for Production Design in an Animated Television Production[21][22] Won
Golden Reel Awards
2000 For episode "The Duck Brothers" Best Sound Editing—Television Animated Series—Sound[22] Nominated
2001 For episode "Courage in the Big Stinkin' City" Best Sound Editing—Television Animated Series—Sound[22] Won
2003 For episode "The Tower of Dr. Zalost" Best Sound Editing—Television Animated Series—Sound[22] Nominated

Merchandise

[edit]

Home media

[edit]

VHS editions of Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost and Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders each include an episode of Courage the Cowardly Dog as a bonus.

Courage the Cowardly Dog: Season One, a two-disc DVD set featuring all 13 episodes from the show's first season, was released in Australia (Region 4) on September 12, 2007, by Madman Entertainment.[23][24] On January 13, 2010, the complete second season was also released, which as of 2023, is the only DVD release of "The Chicken from Outer Space".[23][25]

A Region 1 release of the first season was done by Warner Home Video (via Warner Archive) on July 20, 2010. The release is the second in an official release of several Cartoon Cartoons on DVD, under the "Cartoon Network Hall of Fame" name.[26] The second season was released on October 14, 2014, as the fourth in the "Hall of Fame" series.[27] The third season was originally supposed to be released on DVD in Region 1 on February 2, 2016,[28] but it was delayed to (and was released on) March 22, 2016.[29] It is the fifth title in the Cartoon Network Hall of Fame series. The fourth and final season was released on September 27, 2016. Courage is one of the few Cartoon Network shows to be available as separate season sets in its entirety on DVD.

In addition, all four seasons of the series are available for download on iTunes.[30][31][32][33] The PlayStation 2 version of the video game Cartoon Network Racing contains the episodes "Robot Randy" and "The Magic Tree of Nowhere" as unlockable extras.

As of January 1, 2021, all 52 episodes (seasons 1–4) of the series are available to stream on HBO Max.[34]

Courage the Cowardly Dog home video releases
Season Episodes Release dates
United States Australia
1 1999–2000 13 The Powerpuff Girls: Birthday Bash (VHS): November 7, 2000
Episode(s): "Journey to the Center of Nowhere"
Cartoon Network Halloween: 9 Creepy Cartoon Capers: August 10, 2004
Episode(s): "The Demon in the Mattress" - "Courage Meets Bigfoot"
Cartoon Network Halloween 2: Grossest Halloween Ever: August 9, 2005
Episode(s): "Night of the Weremole"
The Complete First Season: July 20, 2010
4 Kid Favorites: The Hall of Fame Collection: March 13, 2012
Episode(s): "A Night at the Katz Motel" – "The Gods Must Be Goosey"
4 Kid Favorites: The Hall of Fame Collection Vol. 2: March 12, 2013
Episode(s): "Queen of the Black Puddle" – "The Great Fusilli"
The Complete Series: October 2, 2018
Episode(s): Entire season featured		 September 12, 2007[23][24]
2 2000–01 Cartoon Network Halloween 2: Grossest Halloween Ever: August 9, 2005
Episode(s): "Courage Meets the Mummy"
The Complete Second Season: October 14, 2014[27]
The Complete Series: October 2, 2018
Episode(s): Entire season featured		 January 13, 2010[23][25]
3 2002 The Complete Third Season: March 22, 2016[35]
The Complete Series: October 2, 2018
Episode(s): Entire season featured		 —
4 Cartoon Network Christmas: Yuletide Follies: October 5, 2004
Episode(s): "The Nutcracker"
The Complete Fourth Season: September 27, 2016[36]
The Complete Series: October 2, 2018
Episode(s): Entire season featured		 —

Video games

[edit]

Though the series has no official video games, characters from Courage the Cowardly Dog appear in the Cartoon Network games Cartoon Network Speedway, Cartoon Network: Block Party, Cartoon Network Racing, and Cartoon Network Universe: FusionFall.

Possible revivals

[edit]

In February 2012, BuzzFeed reported that a CGI special of Courage the Cowardly Dog was in development.[37] The seven-minute special, titled The Fog of Courage, aired in 2014. Dilworth uploaded the special on his StretchFilms YouTube channel on March 14, 2024.[38]

In October 2018, Dilworth commented on a Facebook post that he was in negotiations with Boomerang for a prequel to the series under the working title Before Courage.[39] However, in May 2020, when asked about the project, Dilworth responded that it had been "transformed into another thing".[40] In June 2021, Dilworth revealed that the project was on turnaround as Cartoon Network's management is prioritizing their focus on other projects.[41] However, in January 2022, Dilworth revealed that the project has already been dropped and fell through for the same reason.[42][43] On February 1, 2024, Dilworth uploaded the animatic pilot titled Goblins of Litter on his StretchFilms YouTube channel[44] and on February 23, 2024, uploaded the same pilot with music and sound effects added.[45]

Crossover film

[edit]
Main article: Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby-Doo! Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog

On June 22, 2021, Warner Bros. Animation announced an animated direct-to-video crossover film with Scooby-Doo called Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby-Doo! Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog. The film follows Scooby-Doo and his friends finding a suspicious object in Nowhere, Kansas, where Courage and his owners reside.[46]

Marty Grabstein and Thea White reprise their roles as Courage and Muriel, while Eustace is voiced by Jeff Bergman because of the deaths of the character's former voice casts Lionel Wilson and Arthur Anderson in 2003 and 2016, respectively. The film was released on DVD and digital on September 14, 2021.[46] The film also serves as a posthumous role for Thea White, who died in July 2021, around two months before the film's release date.[47] Series creator John R. Dilworth did not have any involvement in the crossover.[48] According to animator and artist Tracy Mark Lee, the film's original premise was originally pitched as an episode of Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?[49]

Notes

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  1. ^ 11 minutes per segment
  2. ^ Produced under Hanna-Barbera Cartoons for pilot only.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Puri, Chhavi (June 28, 2023). "Best 90s cartoons to make you nostalgic right away". Pinkvilla. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Mendoza, N. F. (February 18, 1996). "Shows for Youngsters and Their Parents Too: Cartoon Network Stars a Hen from Outer Space; 'Human Animal' Explores Our Needs on TLC". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 15, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  3. ^ "Remembrance of Courage Past". Courage the Cowardly Dog. Season 4. Episode 13a. November 22, 2002. Cartoon Network.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Miller, Bob (November 1, 1999). "The Triumphant Independent—an interview with John R. Dilworth". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on May 7, 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2011.
  5. ^ Strike, Joe (July 15, 2003). "The Fred Seibert Interview—Part 1". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on August 6, 2010. Retrieved April 13, 2011.
  6. ^ "The Revenge of the Chicken from Outer Space". Courage the Cowardly Dog. Season 1. Episode 12. June 9, 2000. Cartoon Network.
  7. ^ "Academy Awards, USA (1996), Best Short Film, Animated". IMDb. Archived from the original on December 19, 2008. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
  8. ^ "Michael Geisler". IMDb. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  9. ^ Chan, Darlene (November 14, 2002). "Creating Successful Music For Animation". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on August 3, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  10. ^ Sporn, Michael (August 9, 2008). "Splog » Dil & Dali". MichaelSpornAnimation.com. Archived from the original on March 19, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  11. ^ a b Guerin, Ada (April 23, 2002). "Courage the Cowardly Dog—Cartoon Network". Jodygray.com. Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  12. ^ Crisafull, Chuck (August 20, 2002). "Children's Programming Is Pacing the Field of TV Music". Jodygray.com. The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 15, 2011. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
  13. ^ "Courage the Cowardly Dog Best Series Premiere in Cartoon Network History". Time Warner. November 16, 1999. Archived from the original on April 27, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2011.
  14. ^ Stanley, T. L. (November 8, 1999). "Marketers of the Next Generation; Unique On-Air Promos and Off-Air Partnerships Have Made Cartoon Network a Destination". Brandweek. Vol. 40, no. 42. Adweek. p. 28. ISSN 1064-4318.
  15. ^ Nettles, John G. (2001). "Courage the Cowardly Dog review". PopMatters. Archived from the original on October 23, 2017. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  16. ^ Mastas, Alex (March 4, 2003). "TV Review: Courage the Cowardly Dog (2003)". Lights Out Films. Archived from the original on May 12, 2003. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
  17. ^ a b Antonia, KJ Dell (December 2, 2008). "Courage the Cowardly Dog—Television Review". Common Sense Media. Archived from the original on December 14, 2010. Retrieved July 7, 2011.
  18. ^ Miller III, Randy (July 21, 2010). "Courage the Cowardly Dog: Season One : DVD Talk Review of the DVD Video". DVDTalk.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2010. Retrieved June 11, 2011.
  19. ^ Swindoll, Jeff (July 21, 2010). "Courage the Cowardly Dog: Season 1 - DVD review". Monsters and Critics. Archived from the original on December 20, 2013. Retrieved June 11, 2011.
  20. ^ Puri, Chhavi (June 28, 2023). "Best 90s cartoons to make you nostalgic right away". Pinkvilla. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  21. ^ "28th Annual Annie Awards—Category # 15 - Outstanding Individual Achievement for Design In an Animated Television Production". Annie Awards. Archived from the original on April 24, 2008. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  22. ^ a b c d "Awards for "Courage the Cowardly Dog" (1999)". IMDb. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  23. ^ a b c d "Courage the Cowardly Dog". Madman Entertainment (Australia). Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  24. ^ a b "Courage the Cowardly Dog Season 1". Madman Entertainment (Australia). Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  25. ^ a b "Courage the Cowardly Dog Season 2". Madman Entertainment (Australia). Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  26. ^ Lacey, Gord (June 29, 2010). "Cartoon Network Hall of Fame: Season 1 Press Release". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on July 2, 2010. Retrieved July 8, 2010.
  27. ^ a b Wolfe, Jennifer (July 23, 2014). "Cartoon Network to Release Season 2 of 'Courage the Cowardly Dog'". AWN.com. Archived from the original on July 28, 2014. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  28. ^ "Courage the Cowardly Dog DVD news: Release Date for Courage the Cowardly Dog - Season 3". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on January 1, 2016.
  29. ^ "Courage the Cowardly Dog DVD news: Update about Season 3". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on January 10, 2016.
  30. ^ "Courage the Cowardly Dog, Season 1". iTunes. Archived from the original on April 16, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
  31. ^ "Courage the Cowardly Dog, Season 2". iTunes. Archived from the original on April 16, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
  32. ^ "Courage the Cowardly Dog, Season 3". iTunes. November 12, 1999. Archived from the original on April 16, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
  33. ^ "Courage the Cowardly Dog, Season 4". iTunes. November 12, 1999. Archived from the original on October 13, 2013. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
  34. ^ "HBO Max Rings in 2021 with CN Classics, New 'Looney Tunes Cartoons' & More". Animation Magazine. December 24, 2020.
  35. ^ "Courage the Cowardly Dog DVD news: Release Date for Courage the Cowardly Dog — Season 3 | TVShowsOnDVD.com". www.tvshowsondvd.com. Archived from the original on January 1, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  36. ^ "Courage the Cowardly Dog DVD news: Release Date for Courage the Cowardly Dog — Season 4 | TVShowsOnDVD.com". Archived from the original on September 21, 2016.
  37. ^ "Courage The Cowardly Dog Is Returning To TV". BuzzFeed. February 10, 2012. Archived from the original on January 16, 2016. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
  38. ^ Dilworth, John R. (March 14, 2024). The Fog of Courage – via YouTube.
  39. ^ Bishop, Rollin (October 23, 2018). "'Courage the Cowardly Dog' Prequel Series Allegedly in the Works". ComicBook.com. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  40. ^ John Dilworth [@DillyDilworth] (May 19, 2020). "@wwefnfurlife It somehow transformed..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  41. ^ John Dilworth [@DillyDilworth] (June 22, 2021). "@kalebgreen1358 @hbomax Agree!..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  42. ^ John Dilworth [@DillyDilworth] (January 14, 2022). "Already has!" (Tweet). Retrieved January 15, 2022 – via Twitter.
  43. ^ John Dilworth [@DillyDilworth] (January 14, 2022). "Nope. It's not going on... was a gorgeous idea. Courage with his birth parents, before the Farm" (Tweet). Retrieved January 15, 2022 – via Twitter.
  44. ^ Dilworth, John R. (February 1, 2024). Goblins of Litter, Directed by John R. Dilworth – via YouTube.
  45. ^ Dilworth, John R. (February 23, 2024). Goblins of Litter by John R. Dilworth. Full music and SFX – via YouTube.
  46. ^ a b Milligan, Mercedes (June 22, 2021). "'Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby-Doo Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog' Crossover Arrives Sept. 14". Animation Magazine. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  47. ^ "Courage the Cowardly Dog Star Thea White Dies at 81". ComicBook. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  48. ^ Dudok de Wit, Alex (June 24, 2021). "'Courage The Cowardly Dog' Creator John Dilworth Not Involved in 'Scooby-Doo' Crossover". Cartoon Brew. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  49. ^ Lee, Tracy Mark (September 30, 2020). "Yes, Courage was going to be one of our guest stars at one point then it blossomed into a DTV movie. Best wishes on that!". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 26, 2021.
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