Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines |
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DVD box set
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| Genre | Comedy |
| Created by | |
| Written by | Larz Bourne, Dalton Sandifer, Michael Maltese |
| Directed by | |
| Voices of | |
| Narrated by | Don Messick |
| Composer(s) | Ted Nichols |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 17 (34 Dastardly and Muttley segments, 17 Magnificent Muttley segments, 34 brief Wing Dings segments) |
| Production | |
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| Running time | 22 minutes (excluding network breaks) |
| Production company(s) | Hanna-Barbera Productions |
| Distributor | Taft Broadcasting |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBS |
| Original release | September 13, 1969 – January 3, 1970 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | Wacky Races |
Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines is a fun cartoon show from Hanna-Barbera Productions. It's a spin-off from the popular Wacky Races series. This show first aired on CBS on Saturday mornings, from September 13, 1969, to January 3, 1970.
The cartoon follows the silly adventures of Dick Dastardly and his loyal dog, Muttley. Their main goal is to catch Yankee Doodle Pigeon, a carrier pigeon who delivers secret messages. The show's catchy theme song, "Stop the Pigeon," even repeats this goal many times! The show's title is a playful nod to the movie Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines.
The original name planned for the show was Stop That Pigeon. The theme song, created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, is based on the jazz song "Tiger Rag".
Only two main voice actors brought the characters to life. Paul Winchell voiced Dick Dastardly and the General. Don Messick was the voice of Muttley, Klunk, Zilly, and many other characters. Each episode was about 22 minutes long. It included two main Dastardly & Muttley stories, one Magnificent Muttley story, and a few short "Wing Dings" jokes.
Contents
The Main Story: Stopping the Pigeon
Dick Dastardly and Muttley, who were the villains in Wacky Races, are now pilots in old-fashioned airplanes. They are part of the Vulture Squadron. Their mission is to stop Yankee Doodle Pigeon from delivering important secret messages to the other side.
Vulture Squadron's Crazy Plans
In every story, the Vulture Squadron tries to catch Yankee Doodle Pigeon. They use planes with all sorts of crazy inventions made by Klunk. But something always goes wrong! Their planes usually crash, bump into each other, or even explode.
As they fall from the sky, Dick Dastardly always shouts for help. Muttley only helps if Dastardly promises him medals. Even when Muttley saves him, Dastardly rarely lands softly.
The General often calls Dastardly to ask why they haven't caught the pigeon yet. Dastardly promises they will, but the General usually gets angry. He sometimes even reaches through the phone to grab Dastardly's nose or mustache! In the end, Yankee Doodle Pigeon always gets away, and the Vulture Squadron is left in a mess.
Wing Dings and Magnificent Muttley
Besides the main stories, the show also had two other types of segments:
- Wing Dings: These were short, funny clips with quick jokes.
- Magnificent Muttley: In these segments, Muttley would have daydreams, like the character Walter Mitty.
Magnificent Muttley: Daydreams of Glory
There was one "Magnificent Muttley" episode in each of the 17 main episodes. These shorts were about three minutes long. Muttley was the main character in his daydreams, often imagining himself as a hero. Dastardly would usually play the villain in these dream sequences. Sometimes, Dastardly's car from Wacky Races would even make a quick appearance!
Meet the Voice Actors
The talented voice actors who brought these characters to life were:
- Paul Winchell: He voiced the sneaky Dick Dastardly and the always-angry General.
- Don Messick: He was the voice of the lovable dog Muttley, the inventor Klunk, and the nervous Zilly. Don Messick also narrated the show and voiced almost all the other characters.
Where to Watch: Home Video Releases
After its first run on CBS, Dastardly and Muttley was shown again on local TV stations between 1976 and 1982. Some episodes were also released on VHS tapes.
Later, on May 10, 2005, Warner Home Video released the complete series on DVD in Region 1 (North America). A DVD set was also released in the United Kingdom on July 31, 2006.
| DVD name | Episode # | Release date | Additional information |
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| Dastardly & Muttley in Their Flying Machines: The Complete Series | 17 | May 10, 2005 |
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Images for kids
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DVD box set
See also
In Spanish: El escuadrón diabólico para niños
