Billy the Cat (TV series)

Billy the Cat
Genre Adventure
Fantasy
Directed by
Voices of
Opening theme "Billy the Cat", performed by John Mitchell and Tanya Hancheroff
Ending theme "Billy the Cat" (Instrumental)
Composer(s)
Country of origin France
Belgium
Original language(s) English
French
No. of seasons 2
No. of episodes 52
Production
Executive producer(s)
  • Pierre Levie
  • Hervé Bédard
  • Steve Walsh
  • Patrick Moine
  • Dale A. Andrews
Producer(s)
  • Robin Lyons (Season 1)
  • Patrick Moine (Season 2)
  • Sophie Levie (Season 2)
  • Hervé Bédard (Season 2)
Running time 25 minutes approx.
Production company(s) EVA Entertainment
WIC Entertainment (Season 2 only)
Broadcast
Original run 1996 – 2001

Billy the Cat is a French/Belgian animated series based on the comic strip of the same name, created by cartoonists Stéphane Colman and Stephen Desberg. It was aired from 1996 to 2001 for two seasons, plus also two TV movies (respectively dated 1998 and 2001).
Animated at La Fabrique, Siriol Productions and Cologne Cartoon (the latter only the Season 1), the series was produced by EVA Entertainment with the companies: Les Films du Triangle, Dupuis, NOA Network of Animation, and Sofidoc S.A.; all in association with the channels ZDF and France 3.

Production

The cartoon takes a different approach to the scenario: Here, Billy's transformation to a cat is caused by an angry magician who decides to teach the boy a lesson after seeing Billy bullying a cat. In order to keep his family from worrying, the magician also uses his magic to make his cat, Dandelion, assume Billy's own form and live with his family.

The cartoon takes on a much lighter tone than the comic, largely thanks to the differing set-up, and is also much more episodic. When the series ends, Billy the Cat remains a cat and shows little to no interest to becoming human again, although this is not said explicitly by any character.

List of characters

Voice cast

Additional voices

Episodes

Season 1

No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Written by Original air date
11"Billy Becomes a Cat"Barry Whittaker and Judy Valyi
22"The Cat That Couldn't Miaow"Robin Lyons and Andrew Offiler
33"Microchips with Everything"Dennis O'Flaherty
44"Pigeon Pie"Robin Lyons and Andrew Offiler
55"Sewer Cats"Robin Lyons and Andrew Offiler
66"The Rescue"Barry Whittaker and Judy Valyi
77"The Big Meow"Dennis O'Flaherty
88"The Jolly Mouser"John Gatehouse
99"Hubert and the Siamese Siren"Dennis O'Flaherty
1010"A Star Is Born"Stan Hey
1111"A Clockwork Bone"Doug Molitor
1212"Catz’n the Hood"Dennis O'Flaherty
1313"Cat Burglar"Dennis O'Flaherty
1414"Cool Cat"S.M. Molitor
1515"One of Our Tail Is Missing"Michael Benyaer
1616"Romeo & Juliet"Malcom McGookin
1717"Wok on the Wild Side"Jono Howard
1818"The Great Purple Nothing"Jono Howard
1919"Born to Be a Wildcat"Lee Tockar
2020"Monkey Business"Dennis O'Flaherty
2121"Snowbound"John Gatehouse
2222"Gutbucket"
2323"The Pigeon That Fell on the Earth"
2424"Curse of Catopatra"
2525"I’m Not an Animal"
2626"Billy’s Last Chance"Barry Whittaker and Judy Valyi

Season 2

No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Written by Original air date
271"Home Sweet Haunted Home"
282"Airborne Hijinks"Judy Valyi and Barry Whittaker
293"A Cat Named Rex"Fabrice Ziolkowski and Luli Barzman
304"For Art’s Sake"Peter Hynes
315"Lights, Camera, Action"
326"Derby Billy"
337"King of the Rats"Terry Klassen
348"The Show Must Go On"Peter Hynes
359"Tuneless"Michael Benyaer
3610"Queenie’s New Bow"
3711"Happy Starday!"
3812"Running Wild"
3913"Eau de Junkyard"
4014"Paws, Jaws and Claws"
4115"From Whom the Bell Tolls"
4216"Jumbo Flyer"
4317"Pride and Prejudice"
4418"The Amulet of Cerberus"
4519"The Trouble with Bob"
4620"The Invasion of the Cat Nappers"Fabrice Ziolkwski
4721"Fish Food"
4822"Brotherly Love"
4923"The Kitten That Roared"
5024"Robodog"
5125"Double Billy"
5226"Speak No Evil"Fabrice Ziolkowski

TV movies

Title Directed by Written by Original air date
"One of the Guys"Les OrtonJono Howard, Terry Klassen, Robin Lyons, Malcom McGookin, Andrew Offiler, Judy Valyi, and Barry Whittaker1998
"Cats Can Talk"Jean Pierre JacquetFabrice Ziolkowski, Luli Barzman, and Stephen Desberg2001

International broadcasts

External links