Top Cat and his gang were inspired by the East Side Kids, roguish, street-smart characters from a series of 1940s B movies, but their more immediate roots lay in The Phil Silvers Show (1955–59), a successful military comedy whose lead character (Sergeant Bilko, played by Silvers) was a fast-talking con artist. voiced by Arnold Stang impersonating Phil Silvers) is the leader of a gang of Manhattan alley cats living in Hoagy's Alley: Fancy-Fancy, Spook, Benny the Ball, Brain, and Choo-Choo. This was only the second cartoon series to premiere on prime time network television in the United States. Hanna-Barbera sold the cartoon to ABC based on a drawing of the main character. Top Cat was created as a parody of The Phil Silvers Show with Arnold Stang imitating Sgt Bilko's voice for the titular character. The show also became very popular in Latin American countries (especially Mexico), and the United Kingdom. The show was a ratings failure in prime time, but became successful upon its time on Saturday morning television. It aired in a weekly evening time slot from September 27, 1961, to April 18, 1962, for a single season of 30 episodes. Top Cat is an American animated sitcom produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and originally broadcast in prime time on the ABC network. Left to right: Benny the Ball (foreground) Brain Officer Dibble (behind fence) Fancy-Fancy Top Cat Spook (foreground) Choo-ChooĬolor (initially telecast in black and white)
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |