Dennis the Menace (1986 TV series) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dennis the Menace
Title card used from 1986
Based on	Dennis the Menace, by Hank Ketcham
Directed by	Michael Maliani
Voices of	Brennan Thicke Phil Hartman Marilyn Lightstone Jeannie Elias Donna Christie Louise Vallance Brian George
Theme music composer	Shuki Levy Haim Saban
Composer(s)	Shuki Levy Haim Saban
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	78 (234 segments)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Jean Chalopin Andy Heyward Tetsuo Katayama Christopher Hallowell (for DFS-Dorland/Program Exchange)
Producer(s)	Jean Chalopin Andy Heyward Tetsuo Katayama JoEllyn Marlow (associate producer)
Running time	22 minutes
Production company(s)	DIC Animation City Crawleys Animation (Season 2 only)
Distributor	DFS-Dorland/Program Exchange
Release
Original network	Syndication (1986-1987) CBS (1988)
Original release	September 22, 1986 (1986-09-22) – March 26, 1988 (1988-03-26)
Chronology
Followed by	All-New Dennis the Menace (1993)

Dennis the Menace is an American animated TV show that aired from 1986 to 1988. It was made by DIC Animation City and is based on the popular comic strip by Hank Ketcham.

The show first appeared in the United States through different TV stations. Later, the second season was shown on Saturday mornings on CBS. Each half-hour episode actually had three shorter stories, each about six or seven minutes long. The show was supported by General Mills, a company that makes food.

Meet the Characters: Who's Who in Dennis's World?

The main characters from the show.

Get to know the fun characters from Dennis the Menace:

• Dennis Mitchell: He's a kid who means well but often gets into trouble. Brennan Thicke voiced him.
• Henry Mitchell: Dennis's dad and Alice's husband. Phil Hartman was his voice in Season 1, and Maurice LaMarche took over in Season 2.
• Alice Mitchell: Dennis's mom and Henry's wife. Louise Vallance voiced her in Season 1, and Marilyn Lightstone in Season 2.
• Mr. George Wilson: The Mitchells' next-door neighbor. He often gets annoyed by Dennis's playful tricks. Phil Hartman voiced him in Season 1, and Maurice LaMarche in Season 2.
• Mrs. Martha Wilson: George Wilson's wife. She's a kind, older lady who really likes Dennis. Marilyn Lightstone or Louise Vallance voiced her.
• Joey McDonald: Dennis's best friend. He's younger and can't read yet. Jeannie Elias voiced him.
• Tommy Anderson: Another one of Dennis's best friends. Jeannie Elias also voiced him.
• Margaret Wade: Dennis's "frenemy." She's a very proper girl in the neighborhood. Jeannie Elias voiced her too.
• Gina Gillotti: Dennis's friend who is a bit of a tomboy but also kind. Donna Christie and later Sharon Noble voiced her.
• PeeBee Kappa: Dennis's smart friend who loves technology. His name sounds like "Phi Beta Kappa," a smart student group. Marilyn Lightstone voiced him.
• Jay Weldon: Dennis's tall friend who loves basketball. Riva Spier voiced him.
• Ruff: The Mitchell family's dog. Phil Hartman voiced him in Season 1, and Maurice LaMarche in Season 2.
• Willy: Dennis's pet frog.
• Hot Dog: The Mitchell family's cat.

Voice Actors: The Talented People Behind the Voices

Many talented actors brought the characters to life. Here are some of the main voice actors:

Season 1 Voice Cast

• Jeannie Elias voiced Joey McDonald, Tommy Anderson, and Margaret Wade.
• Phil Hartman voiced Henry Mitchell, Mr. George Wilson, and Ruff.
• Marilyn Lightstone voiced PeeBee Kappa.
• Louise Valance voiced Alice Mitchell and Mrs. Martha Wilson.
• Brennan Thicke voiced Dennis Mitchell.

Season 2 Voice Cast

• Jeannie Elias continued to voice Joey McDonald, Tommy Anderson, and Margaret Wade.
• Maurice LaMarche took over as the voice for Henry Mitchell, Mr. George Wilson, and Ruff.
• Marilyn Lightstone voiced Alice Mitchell, Mrs. Martha Wilson, and PeeBee Kappa.
• Sharon Noble voiced Gina Gillotti.
• Brennan Thicke continued to voice Dennis Mitchell.

Episode Adventures: What Did Dennis Get Up To?

The show had a total of 78 episodes, each with three short stories! Dennis and his friends went on many adventures. Here are just a few examples of the fun and mischief they got into:

Season 1 Highlights (1986–1987)

• So Long, Old Paint/Trembly Assembly/Private I: Dennis gets into all sorts of funny situations.
• Shark Treatment/Jungle Bungle/Racetrack Menace: Adventures often involved animals or exciting places.
• All the President's Menace/The Love Rowboat/Wilson the Menace: Dennis sometimes caused trouble for important people, or even for Mr. Wilson!
• The Price of Stardom/Space Menace/The Magic Flute: Dennis might try to be famous or explore space.
• Snowman Madness/The Invisible Kid/Home Destruction: Sometimes things got a little wild at home or in the snow.

Season 2 Highlights (1988)

• Frankenstymied/Space Race/The Incredible Shrinking Dennis: More crazy adventures, like shrinking down in size!
• It's Magic Time/Dennis in Wonderland/Water on the Brain: Dennis might find himself in magical or dream-like worlds.
• Snow Wars/The Moroccan Pigeon/Dennis of the Jungle: From snowy battles to jungle explorations, Dennis was always busy.
• A Froggy Day/Loch Ness Mess/Box Office Smash: Dennis might meet strange creatures or try to make a hit movie.

Home Video Releases: Watch Dennis Anytime!

You can still watch Dennis the Menace today! The show has been released on both VHS tapes and DVDs.

VHS Tapes

In the early 1990s, several VHS tapes were released. These tapes had collections of episodes, like:

• Dennis' Great Adventure: This tape included episodes like All the President's Menace and The Abominable Snow Menace.
• Animal Antics: Featured episodes with animals, such as Shark Treatment and Dinosaur Doozy.
• Boys Will Be Boys: Focused on sports-themed episodes like Baseball's Best Ballplayer.

DVD Collections

Later, the show came out on DVD, making it easier to watch.

• In 2008, a DVD called Dennis the Menace: Trouble, Trouble Everywhere was released with seven episodes.
• In 2014, Dennis the Menace – Volume One and Dennis the Menace - Lights! Camera! Menace! were released. These DVDs included all the episodes from the first season.
• Finally, in 2016, a big 9-disc set called Dennis the Menace - The Complete Series 1&2 came out. This set has all 78 episodes of the show!