DangerMouse

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This article is about the cartoon series and character. For the DJ and producer, see Danger Mouse.
DangerMouse

DangerMouse cast. (L to R) Stiletto, LeatherHead, Baron Greenback, Nero, DangerMouse, Penfold and Colonel K.
Format Animated Sitcom
Created by Brian Cosgrove and
Mark Hall
Starring David Jason
Terry Scott
Edward Kelsey
and Brian Trueman
Country of origin Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
Language(s) English
No. of episodes 89 (List of episodes)
Production
Running time 5-25 mins
Broadcast
Original channel ITV
Original run September 28, 1981 – March 19, 1992
Chronology
Related shows Count Duckula (spin-off)
External links
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

DangerMouse is a British animated television series which was produced by Cosgrove Hall Films for Thames Television. It features the eponymous DangerMouse, a British mouse who works as a secret agent. The show is a loose parody of British spy fiction, particularly James Bond and the Danger Man series starring Patrick McGoohan. It originally ran in the United Kingdom from 1981 to 1992.

The 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 DangerMouse Hrabri mišek ("brave mouse"). In French, trying to keep with the initials, the mouse was named "Dare Dare Motus", "Dare Dare" being French slang for "as fast as possible".

DangerMouse was the first British cartoon to break into the American TV market, being shown in syndication on June 4, 1984, 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 the United States it was broadcast on Nickelodeon in the 1980s in the late afternoons and in the early evenings as a segue into prime-time hours (as the A&E Network and later Nick-At-Nite) as the series appealed to both pre-teens and adults with its quick-witted British humour.

In Australia, it was first broadcast on ABC TV, then in 1996 it was on Network Ten. It is still best remembered as a Classic ABC program. It was also the first British cartoon to break into Cheez TV, being shown on the weekdays. In Britain's Channel 4's 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows DangerMouse came third, beaten only by The Muppet Show and The Simpsons.[1]

Although rumours of a CGI revival of the show have persisted in recent years, no official announcements have been made.[2] The original DangerMouse has returned to terrestrial television after the BBC purchased episodes of the series to broadcast in its daytime schedules with its first broadcast on 12th February 2007.[3]

Contents

[edit] 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. Allan 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. Some of Allan's stories were adapted for the television series, although Allan's name was mis-spelled "Angus Allen". 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.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Heroes

  • DangerMouse (voiced by David Jason): The greatest secret agent in the world. He speaks 34 languages fluently, including some extraterrestrial ones. He regularly balances himself on his index finger and bounces up and down on it (something that Remo Williams has also been known to do); he refers to this as "going into a 7th level Yoga-Hopping Trance". His eyepatch is not actually needed and, as he points out, is worn 'because it's part of the suit.' This is shown in one episode when DangerMouse wears the eye patch on the wrong eye, and swaps it over part way through the episode. Referred to as the "White Wonder" and "Wretched Rodent" by Baron Greenback. Catchphrases: "Good grief!", "Penfold, shush!"
Penfold in "The Odd Ball Runaround"
Penfold in "The Odd Ball Runaround"
  • Ernest Penfold (voiced by Terry Scott): A timid, bespectacled hamster, and sidekick to DangerMouse. Once, he won third place in a Penfold lookalike contest (possibly a reference to the legend that Charlie Chaplin once came third in a Charlie Chaplin lookalike contest). He is of a cowardly nature and becomes terrified at any sign of danger. Penfold often asks Dangermouse "can we go home now?" in his reluctance to take part in missions. Penfold complains about going down in the chair lift to go down to the Mark III "I think I'll take the stairs" though he always ends up going in the lift. In the first episode, it is mentioned that his codename is "Jigsaw" because he often "goes to pieces". Sometimes referred to as the "Hopeless Hamster" by the enemy. Catchphrases: "Ooh crumbs!", "Ooh-eck!", "Ooh, fiddle!", "Ooh, carrots!" and sometimes "Cor, chief!".
  • Colonel K (voiced by Edward Kelsey): DangerMouse's boss; often mistaken for a walrus, it was revealed in an issue of "Look-In" magazine that he is, in fact, a chinchilla. He 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. During the last two seasons, he became more absent-minded, tending to frustrate both DM and Penfold with his tendency to ramble nonsense.
  • Professor Heinrich Von Squawkencluck: 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 (which comes from his first appearance on the show, in which he was engaged in hormone experiments to grow chickens to enormous sizes). Speaks in a broken German accent.
  • 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. His original appearance was never shown, and as a result of changing his appearance so many times, he eventually forgot what it was. Although his name derives principally from Heinz 57, it is an interesting coincidence that Nayland Smith in the Fu Manchu books was "Agent 56".
In the episode where Agent 57 had sneezing fits, DangerMouse asked him if he could transform himself into his original appearance; Agent 57 obliged, and DangerMouse looked down at the floorboard of the Mark III and was horrified by the sight (it was kept off-camera). After gathering himself from the shock, DangerMouse asked Agent 57 to please transform into something heavier; Agent 57 transformed into a hippo, and the excess weight dropped the Mark III like a stone.
  • 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. His name is a reference to James Bigglesworth.
  • B.L.E.E.P: (Building Location and Emergency Expedition Platoon) This special squadron was called to assist DangerMouse and Penfold to defeat Hannibal Hogatey when he and his elephants stole a stately mansion. Their leader is Mad Major Melvin, who is also an old friend of DangerMouse.
  • Texas Jack McGraw McGraw: (voiced by David Jason) This wild, loud-mouthed but loyal Texan helped DangerMouse and Penfold when Baron Greenback stole all of the world's famous buildings, including the Statue of Liberty. At the end of the episode comments that the characters are far fetched in the episode.

[edit] Villains

  • Baron Silas Greenback (voiced by Edward Kelsey): The recurring villain and DangerMouse's archenemy; a toad, although sometimes he was referred to as a frog. Known as Baron Greenteeth in the unbroadcast pilot episode. Commonly known as the "Terrible Toad".
  • Stiletto Mafiosa (voiced by Mark Wilson): Greenback's henchman; a crow. He always called Greenback "Barone", Italian for "Baron". In the original British version, he spoke with an Italian accent; to avoid offending Italian-Americans, this was changed to a Cockney accent for U.S. distribution (i.e., Nickelodeon) and all references to his surname were removed as well, although the Italian word "Barone" was retained. 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 U.S. VHS and DVD releases and during its Cheez TV run. Catchphrase: "Sì, Barone!"
  • Leatherhead (voiced by Terry Scott): Greenback's other crow henchman. Even less intelligent than Stiletto, he only appeared in several of the early episodes, where he spent 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, particularly Ernst Stavro Blofeld). Non-speaking character although his noises and laugh are voiced by Mark Wilson's voice sped up. Readily understood by Greenback and, less frequently, by Stiletto.
  • Doctor Augustus P. Crumhorn III (voiced by Jimmy Hibbert): 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. In only one episode, "Penfold Transformed", he lists his full name as, "Aloisius Julian Philibert Elphinstone Eugene Dionysis Barry Manilow Crumhorn", omitting both Augustus and the III.
  • Count Duckula (voiced by David Jason): A showbiz-obsessed vampire duck who REALLY wanted to get his own show.... Well he got it. This ongoing gag of him craving his own show and show business inspired a later Cosgrove Hall spin-off series, titled Count Duckula, starring the Count himself.
  • 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. He was done in when Penfold, missing his glasses thanks to the villain, accidentally knocked him down a wishing well and then accidentally wished the well out of existence, along with Cassidy himself..
  • 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.
  • J. J. Quark: A short, helmet-wearing, snout-nosed space alien who speaks with a Scottish accent. He plans to take over the world (what else?) with his robot flunkie Grovel (who does that very thing whenever his name is mentioned, forever frustrating Quark). Both of these characters only appeared in a few episodes.
  • The Fangboner: A one-shot character. A hideous and sharp-toothed alien beast that the aforementioned Quark unleashed on DangerMouse and Penfold in one episode. The creature relieved Penfold of some of his humbug candy and DM used what was left over to lure the monster back into Quark's spaceship, leaving it to ride back into space with him.
  • El Loco: A violent Mexican criminal who packs a few pistols. He was so named when he "went off the rails at the age of three". He only appeared in two episodes, however.
  • Mac The Fork: A sneaky, Scottish snake who is most likely a parody of Mack the Knife. He was a one shot villain who planned to build an Earth shattering device (which instead wound up shattering the building they were in, due to defective blueprints) with the help of Dudley Poyson (see below). He also has a half-witted brother named Mac the Spoon, who is far from dangerous.
  • Dudley Poyson: A mad owl scientist, who paired up with Mac the Fork (see above). Also a one shot villain.
  • Hannibal Hogatey: A one shot villain. With his herd of highly trained elephants, he stole a stately house and threatened to send it back a brick at a time unless he was paid a ransom for it. He was foiled, however, by DM and the B.L.E.E.P Squadron.
  • Wufgang Bah: Another one-shot villain, a canine with frazzeled hair who was patterned after Ludwig van Beethoven and named (apparently) after Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with his last name a joke on the name Johann Sebastian Bach. He was guilty of destroying the world's music, and DM proceeded to blow his castle up.
  • The Gremlin: Yet another one-shot villain, an anti-logical being who beamed darkness down upon the earth via a spaceship. DM defeated him by engaging him in conversation upon which he proceeded to confuse himself out of existence.
  • P.A.W.S.: A robotic cat created by Greenback, which he uses to kidnap Colonel K. He was one of DM's most difficult villains on account of his brute strength and that he was programmed to read DM's mind. He was defeated, however, when DangerMouse emptied his mind by meditation, causing the robot to malfunction and crash-land on Greenback and his cronies.
  • Mad Manuel: The Flamenco Assassin that Greenback hired to kill Danger Mouse in the episode Odd Ball Run Around. The only words he says are "Olé! Olé!" and then he breaks into fighting, but kicks up too much dust so he can not see DM and Penfold leaving.

[edit] 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. He always comments at the end of every episode when the credits roll before the end theme tune begins.
  • Miss Boathook -The colonel's secretary, only referred to by the colonel and never seen (though sometimes heard). In some versions the Colonel's secretary is referred to as Miss Prentergast or Miss Hackett. Once plays the piano that is mistaken for digectic sound.
  • Fifi: Fifi is an unseen character mentioned occasionally throughout the show, but DangerMouse is reluctant to discuss her. According to Cosgrove Hall, she was a (french) ex-girlfriend of DM's, however Penfold seems to remember her more than DM does.
  • Penfold's Aunt: Penfold's formidable aunt from Abergavenny, Wales, who sends him cookies in the episode, "The Statue of Liberty Caper". The fact that she is Welsh is stated by the piece of a witch's broom in "The Four Tasks of Dangermouse." The broom is her fifth cousin. She denies that Dangermouse is a real secret agent and says that he and Penfold are just playing silly pretend games.

[edit] Episodes

Main article: List of DangerMouse episodes

[edit] DVD releases

[edit] United Kingdom

FremantleMedia is licensed to release DangerMouse in the United Kingdom. They released six Region 0 DVDs in 2001-02, featuring 6-8 episodes in each set.

In September 2006, to celebrate 25 years of DangerMouse, Fremantle Media released a further 6 DVDs and a 12 DVD Boxset with Special Features. They have also licensed rights to a number of companies to produce a range of new anniversary merchandise including Blues Clothing (women’s and girls’ underwear and sleepwear) and Concept 2 Creation (collectible figurines).

[edit] United States

A&E Home Video is licensed by FremantleMedia to release DangerMouse in the United States.

DVD Name Ep # Release Date Additional Information
Seasons 1 & 2 20 May 31, 2005
  • The Lost and Never-Broadcast Pilot Episode "The Mystery of the Lost Chord "
  • Character Descriptions
Seasons 3 & 4 14 October 25, 2005
  • Theme Song Sing-Along
  • Character Descriptions
Seasons 5 & 6 37 March 28, 2006
  • "One Stormy Night" Episode from Count Duckula
Seasons 7 - 10 21 September 26, 2006
  • "Town Hall Terrors" Episode of Count Duckula
  • Alternative Danger Mouse Theme Song Options
  • Danger Mouse Theme Song Karaoke
  • Character Descriptions
Danger Mouse: The Complete Series 89 August 28, 2007 [4]

[edit] Trivia

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.
  • 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 table-football tables and, not least, living inside a normal size pillar box. This becomes less consistent as the series goes on, as 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, as well as the episode "Trip To America" where DangerMouse Penfold are seen to interact with a Texan).
  • 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 Crumhorn is given the completely different name "Alloycious Julian Illibert Elfinstone Eugene Dionysus Barry-Manillow Crumhorn".
  • DangerMouse's headquarters are located in a Mayfair pillar box on Baker Street in London, near the legendary home of Sherlock Holmes, although in reality Baker Street is located in Marylebone, not Mayfair.
  • When the series was repeated on Nickelodeon, DangerMouse was usually broadcast with two short episodes back-to-back in a half-hour timeslot. Even with advertisements this was not enough to fill the allotted time, so episodes of the British cartoon Bananaman (among other animated short films) were broadcast alongside it to fill the remaining time.
  • In its Network Ten run, DangerMouse was also broadcast 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.
  • Musician John Squire was among the cartoonists that worked on DangerMouse
  • US animated series The Simpsons paid homage in an episode featuring a character called DangerDog. Instead of living in a post box the character lived in a giant fire hydrant.

[edit] Credits

[edit] Seasons 1-8

  • Music: Mike Harding
  • Music Production: Ritchie Close
  • Sung by: Myfanwy Talog
  • Written by: Brian Trueman
  • Storylines: Keith Scoble, Nigel Rutter, Angus Allen (actually Angus Allan), Brian Cosgrove, Chris Randall
  • Storyboards: Keith Scoble, Peter See, Chris Randall, Vincent James, Paul Salmon
  • Animation: Keith Scoble, George Jackson, Robert Newman, Clinton J. Priest, Brian Cosgrove, Paul Jasper, Dan Whitworth, Gary Hurst, Malcolm McGookin, Kevin Baldwin, Neil Salmon, Garry Owen, Tony Garth, Stephen Thomas, Dave Bowers, Les Brooksbank, Jean Flynn, Meryl Edge, Denise Heywood, Phil Morris, John Offord, Dave Livesey, Denise McAllister, Phillip McMylor, Kay Widdowson, Andy Wilson, Janet Nunn, Rosemary Welch, Chris Caunter, Tony Guy, Ramon Modiano
  • Backgrounds: Malcolm Turner, Andy Roper, Diane Wren, Maggie Riley, Barbara Alcock, Bev Bush, Michelle Graney, Peter Hillier, Phil Jackson
  • Special Effects: Roy Huckerby, Stephen Simpson
  • Paint and Trace: Bob Burrows, Phillip McMylor, Roy Huckerby, Monica McCartney, Lorraine Thomas, Bev Phillips, Peter Kidd, Yasodha Gopal, Ceri Matthews, Andrew Wilson, Barbara Alcock, Judy Ringrose, Joan Storey, Simon White, Jackie Mitchell, Sue Halliwell, Edmund Williams, Lynn Hardie, Andrea Hancock, Gloria Vassiliou, Andy McLaughlin, Stefania Giani, Maggie Beamer, Tony McAleese, Lesley White, Katie Nutter, Karen Brumell, Lesley Scott, Linda Mawson, Sue Robson, Robyn Shawkley
  • Dubbing: Magmasters London Ltd
  • Dubbing Mixer: Ted Spooner
  • Camera: Frank Hardie, Wendy Hardie, Peter Kidd, Phil Atack, Wendy Senior, Mark Sutton, Nic Jayne
  • Editing: Nigel Rutter, Nibs Senior, Stephen Perry, John McManus, Zyggy Markiewicz, Stuart Murray, Ivan Naisbitt
  • Production Supervisor: Bob Burrows
  • Assistant Directors: Jean Flynn, Dan Whitworth
  • Executive Producer: John Hambley
  • Produced by: Brian Cosgrove, Mark Hall
  • Directed by: Brian Cosgrove, Chris Randall

[edit] Season 9-10

  • Original Music: Mike Harding
  • Music Production: Ritchie Close
  • Sung by: Myfanwy Talog
  • Story/line: Keith Scoble, Jonathan Trueman, Brian Cosgrove, Chris Randall, Brian Trueman
  • Written by: Brian Trueman, Jimmy Hibbert, Trevor Hyatt
  • Storyboards: Keith Scoble, Bruce McNally, Marty Murphy, Andy Roper, John Stevenson, Athol Henry, Dan Whitworth, Chris Randall, Nick Pratt, John Martin, Peter See, Jean Flynn, John Offord, Alastair Graham
  • Layout: Dept. Head, Ben Turner, Andy Roper, Paul Salmon, Jon Doyle, Steve Simpson
  • Animation Directors: Willard Kitchen, Jean Scott
  • Assistant Animation Director: John Offord
  • Animators: Dave Livesey, Meryl Edge, Dan Whitworth, Denise Heywood, Alastair Fell, Andy Wilson, Clair Grey, Malcolm McGookin, Paul Greenall, Adrian Bell, Les Brooksbank, Mair Thomas, Judy Pilsbury, Jennie Langley, Bob Sparks, Phil Morris, Karen Heywood, Helen Michael, Craig Whittle, Helen Smith, Micheal Whaite, Bill Tapp, Steve Horrocks, Steve Pleydell Pearce, David Birkinshaw, Joe McCafferi, David Bowers, Mike Eames, Tony Ardolino, Colin White
  • Backgrounds: Dept. Head, Ben Turner, Beverly Bush, Maggie Riley, Weston Samuels, Philip Jackson, Pete Hillier, Michelle Graney
  • Special Effects: Garry Owen, Jackie Mitchell, Roy Huckerby, David Birkshaw
  • Xerox: Tony McAleese, Joan Simmons, Don Geering
  • Paint and Trace: Dept. Head, Philip McMylor, Joan Jones, Andrea Hough, Beverley James, Gloria Vassiliou, Yasodha Huckerby, Karl Scoble, Katie Nutter, Laura Cosgrove, Stefania Giani, Marie Dembinski, Lynn Hardie, Mark Fulton, Lorraine Thomas, Sue Halliwell, Joyce Flowers
  • Camera: Peter Kidd, Frank Hardie, Wendy Senior, Mark Sutton, Phil Atack
  • Video Line Test: Phil Atack, Lesley White
  • Editing: Hilary Wyatt, Jane Hicks, Eilìs Ward, Leo Casserly, Zyggy Markiewicz
  • Assistant Editor: Bob Ashton
  • Dubbing Mixer: John Wood
  • Music Coordinator: John Merrifield
  • Production Control: Simon White, Phil McMylor, Andrew Bax, Sian Thomas
  • Assistant to Director: Ed Williams
  • Post Production: Chris Phillips
  • Executive Producer: John Hambley
  • Produced by: Brian Cosgrove, Mark Hall
  • Directed by: Keith Scoble

[edit] Broadcast history

[edit] References

  1. ^ channel4.com - one hundred greatest kids tv
  2. ^ "Dangermouse (1981-92)". British Film Institute.
  3. ^ "Dangermouse back on 25th birthday". BBC News. 5 September, 2006.

[edit] External links

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Nickelodeon's 1980s animated programs