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Heathcliff cartoons were weekday afternoon or Saturday morning series
that ran throughout the 1980s.The
Heathcliff cartoon series consisted of
three different shows, the first series premiering in 1980, and
the final series premiering in 1984.
Heathcliff
and Dingbat was the first animated series of the group,
about the aggressive prank-playing orange cat as seen in the comics
by Geo Gately. Featuring main character Heathcliff [Mel Blanc] and
troublesome dog Spike [Mel Blanc], Heathcliff's keepers: Grandpa
[Ted Zeigler], Grandma [Marilyn Lightstone] and Iggy [Donna Christie],
and his crush - the prissy white cat Sonja [Marilyn Lightstone].
Additionally, the series introduced Dingbat [Frank Welker] in his
segment entitled Dingbat and the Creeps which ran in rotation. The
two characters did not appear simultaneously, except in the opening
sequence. This Heathcliff series premiered on October 4, 1980 on
ABC and was produced by Ruby-Spears Productions.
Heathcliff
and Marmaduke is the proceeding series, removing Dingbat
shorts and adding in Marmaduke [voiced by Paul Winchell] segments,
also from Sunday comic fame. This series premiered on September
12, 1981 on ABC, until 1982.
Heathcliff
and the Catillac Cats was an entirely new syndicated
series altogether, featuring a larger cast of characters and a brand
new theme song. Brand new Heathcliff segments were featured, including
a more popular rotation of Cats and Company segments. This new segment
featured the short and punchy Riff Raff [Stan Jones], headband-wearing
Hector [Danny Mann], the ever-rollerskating music fan Wordsworth
[Stan Jones] and the fat dim-witted Mongo [Ted Zeigler]. The cats
usually helped Riff Raff's main interest Cleo [Donna Christie] keep
her musical instrument shop from going out of business. This series
ran from 1984 - 1987, and was produced & distributed by DiC Entertainment,
LBS Communications and McNaught Syndicate, respectively.
Shout
Factory released seasonal episodes of "Heathcliff" on
DVD in 2005.
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