Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales |
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Stanley Livingston, Tennessee Tuxedo, and Chumley.
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
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| Executive producer(s) | Peter M. Piech |
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| Running time | 30 minutes |
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| Distributor | DFS Program Exchange (former) NBCUniversal Television Distribution (on behalf of DreamWorks Classics) (Current) |
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| Original network | CBS |
| Original release | September 28, 1963 – January 29, 1966 |
Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales is a fun animated TV show that first aired on CBS from 1963 to 1966. It was made by Total Television, the same company that created King Leonardo and Underdog. The show was mainly supported by General Mills and also by Pillsbury's Funny Face Drinks. The name "Tennessee Tuxedo" is a clever play on the word "tuxedo", which is a fancy suit.
New, short episodes of the show were made for YouTube in 2014. These new cartoons were created by Chuck Gammage Animation in Toronto and Cartoon Lagoon Studios in New York. They were sponsored by Trix cereal and could be found on sillychannel.com. The new episodes featured the voices of Chris Phillips, Robb Pruitt, and Ashley Albert.
Meet the Characters
The series is all about a clever penguin named Tennessee Tuxedo and his best friend, Chumley, a walrus. They live at the Megapolis Zoo. Other friends at the zoo include Yakkety Yak and Baldy the Eagle. The zoo is managed by the often grumpy director, Stanley Livingston, and his assistant, Flunky. Stanley sometimes gets very frustrated with Tennessee and Chumley's antics!
Who are Tennessee and Chumley's Rivals?
In some episodes, Tennessee has a rival named Jerboa Jump. Later, Jerboa is joined by his sidekick, Tiger Tornado. There's also a dog named Howler, who Tennessee gets from his Uncle Admiration, featured in a few stories.
What Kind of Trouble Do They Get Into?
Tennessee and Chumley often sneak out of the zoo and quickly find themselves in tricky situations. Sometimes, they encounter a troublemaker named Rocky Maninoff, who tries to make them do things for him. Rocky also has a not-so-smart helper named Pretzel.
Whenever Tennessee comes up with a wild idea, Chumley usually doubts it. But Tennessee always tells Chumley that his "superior intelligence" will win the day, often saying, "Tennessee Tuxedo will not fail!" (Even though he often does!). Chumley's funny reply is always, "Duh, okay Tennessee!"
Who Helps Them Learn?
When Tennessee and Chumley are in too much trouble, they go to their wise friend, Phineas J. Whoopee. He's known as the "Man with All the Answers" because he knows about everything! Phineas teaches them about many different topics, from how physics makes a hot air balloon fly to how musicians become famous.
Phineas uses his special Three-Dimensional Blackboard to show and explain things. This blackboard appears from a huge pile of stuff that falls out of his messy hallway closet when he opens the door! After a lesson from Mr. Whoopee, Tennessee always praises him by saying, “Phineas J. Whoopee, you’re the greatest!” Sometimes, they have to go back to Mr. Whoopee if their first try doesn't work, and he'll remind them, "But I've tried to warn you..."
In a few episodes, Mr. Whoopee even warns Tennessee and Chumley not to mess around with electricity and television, explaining how they can be dangerous. The show often features problems that kids can understand, like learning to use a camera or dealing with a toothache and being scared of the dentist.
What Happens After They Learn?
Tennessee and Chumley try to use their new knowledge to fix the problems they created. However, they often end up in more trouble with Stanley Livingston, usually because Chumley makes a mistake. Stanley punishes them in different ways, like having them arrested or making them scrub pots for months! Episodes sometimes end with Stanley chasing them around the zoo. But sometimes, they don't cause any trouble at all, like when they perform in a music show, stop Tiger Tornado from bothering other animals, win the Zoolympics, or successfully decorate the Christmas tree.
How the Show Was Made
Joe Harris, who created Underdog, once explained that the show was made to include educational material. This was because a government official named Newton N. Minow said that television needed more educational content. Harris mentioned that Tennessee and Chumley were shown as the ones learning, so kids watching wouldn't feel like they were being lectured.
Other Cartoon Segments
The show also included other short cartoon segments. These included "The World of Commander McBragg", "Klondike Kat", "Tooter Turtle", "The Hunter", and "The King and Odie". The last three were actually reruns from an earlier show called King Leonardo and His Short Subjects.
Voice Actors and Inspirations
Don Adams used his unique, fast-talking voice for Tennessee Tuxedo. He said it was an exaggerated version of actor William Powell’s voice. Bradley Bolke's voice for Chumley was similar to a character named Clifton Finnegan from an old radio show called Duffy's Tavern. Clifton Finnegan was also a bit of a dim-witted sidekick. Larry Storch based Professor Whoopee's voice on Frank Morgan from The Wizard of Oz.
Chumley would often ask Tennessee a riddle before and during the show's segments. Mr. Whoopee would then give a funny answer on his Three-Dimensional Blackboard, usually ending with laughter. Sometimes, Tennessee would ask Mr. Whoopee a riddle, and Whoopee would come up with the humorous answer.
Episodes Guide
Series Overview
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | |||
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| 1 | 26 | September 28, 1963 | March 21, 1964 | CBS | |
| 2 | 24 | September 12, 1964 | February 20, 1965 | ||
| 3 | 20 | October 2, 1965 | February 12, 1966 | ||
| 4 | 5 | 2014 | August 18, 2014 | YouTube | |
Season 1 (1963–64)
| No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Original air date | |
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| 1 | 1 | "Mixed-Up Mechanics" | September 28, 1963 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley become mechanics after Stanley Livingston brings them to the zoo. Their first customer is Rocky Maninoff, who warns them to fix his car. Tennessee gets advice from Phineas J. Whoopee on how cars work.
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| 2 | 2 | "Rainmakers" | October 5, 1963 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley get jobs as weathermen. A farmer demands they make rain for his crops. They ask Phineas J. Whoopee how to make rain.
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| 3 | 3 | "The Lamplighters" | October 12, 1963 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley learn how lights work when it's too dark for Tennessee to read his book.
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| 4 | 4 | "Telephone Terrors or Dial 'M' for Mayhem" | October 19, 1963 | |
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Tennessee wants telephones for all the animals after carrying a message about Stanley's piano recital. Tennessee and Chumley ask Phineas J. Whoopee how a telephone works.
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| 5 | 5 | "Giant Clam" | October 26, 1963 | |
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Stanley Livingston wants a giant clam for the zoo. Tennessee and Chumley sneak out to find one. They visit Phineas J. Whoopee to learn where to find a giant clam and how diving gear works.
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| 6 | 6 | "Tic Toc" | November 2, 1963 | |
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The zoo gets a clock tower. Chumley accidentally shoots an arrow at it, and Stanley orders them to remove it. Tennessee and Chumley learn how clocks work from Phineas J. Whoopee.
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| 7 | 7 | "Scuttled Sculpture" | November 9, 1963 | |
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The zoo receives a statue of Stanley Livingston. When Chumley accidentally breaks it, Tennessee and Chumley ask Phineas J. Whoopee how to make a statue.
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| 8 | 8 | "Snap That Picture" | November 16, 1963 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley become photographers. Their first job is to take a picture of the Mayor of Megapolis. They ask Phineas J. Whoopee how cameras work.
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| 9 | 9 | "Zoo's News" | November 23, 1963 | |
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Stanley Livingston orders Tennessee and Chumley to spread news to the animals about an upcoming event. They ask Phineas J. Whoopee for ways to do this, and he tells them about newspapers.
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| 10 | 10 | "Aztec Antics" | November 30, 1963 | |
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When Jerboa Jump arrives, Stanley arranges a trip to Mexico for archaeologists to find artifacts. Tennessee and Chumley learn about the Aztecs from Phineas J. Whoopee.
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| 11 | 11 | "Coal Minors" | December 7, 1963 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley build a stovepipe oven to heat their quarters, annoying Stanley. They learn how coal is obtained from Phineas J. Whoopee.
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| 12 | 12 | "Hot Air Heroes" | December 14, 1963 | |
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Stanley Livingston orders Tennessee and Chumley to spread news of a town picnic. They ask Phineas J. Whoopee for ideas, and he tells them about hot-air balloons.
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| 13 | 13 | "Irrigation Irritation" | December 21, 1963 | |
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During a drought, Tennessee tries to get water to his watermelon crops. Phineas tells them about different ways of irrigation.
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| 14 | 14 | "TV Testers" | December 28, 1963 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley get jobs as TV repairmen. Their first customer is Rocky Maninoff, who wants his TV fixed. They ask Phineas how a television works.
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| 15 | 15 | "By the Plight of the Moon" | January 4, 1964 | |
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Hearing Jerboa has been to the Moon, Tennessee dreams he is the first penguin astronaut. Phineas guides him on operating a rocket to the moon.
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| 16 | 16 | "Lever Levity" | January 11, 1964 | |
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Tunneling for coal causes Stanley's office to tilt. Tennessee tries to fix it. He and Chumley go to Phineas J. Whoopee, who teaches them about levers.
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| 17 | 17 | "The Bridge Builders" | January 18, 1964 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley get jobs building bridges. Rocky Maninoff wants them to build a bridge for his group.
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| 18 | 18 | "Howl, Howl, the Gang's All Here" | January 25, 1964 | |
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Tennessee gets a dog named Howler and tries to hide him from Stanley. To make a home for Howler, Tennessee and Chumley ask Phineas J. Whoopee for advice on building a house.
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| 19 | 19 | "Sail Ho!" | February 1, 1964 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley compete against Jerboa Jump in a yacht race to decide who will lead the Zoo's Yacht Club.
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| 20 | 20 | "Tell-Tale Telegraph" | February 8, 1964 | |
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Tennessee dreams he, Chumley, Yakkety, and Baldy are at a fort under Indian attacks. Phineas tells them about telegraphs to warn the fort.
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| 21 | 21 | "Rocket Ruckus" | February 15, 1964 | |
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After hearing Jerboa Jump brag about being in a rocket, Tennessee and Chumley visit Phineas J. Whoopee to learn how rockets work.
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| 22 | 22 | "All Steamed Up" | February 22, 1964 | |
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Stanley puts a steam locomotive in the zoo. Tennessee tries to operate it and wrecks it. Phineas J. Whoopee explains how locomotives work.
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| 23 | 23 | "Tale of a Tiger" | February 29, 1964 | |
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A new animal, Tiger Tornado, becomes fierce when he hears a boxing bell. Jerboa Jump teams up with Tiger to bully other animals. Tennessee and Chumley ask Phineas J. Whoopee how to defend themselves.
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| 24 | 24 | "Dog Daze" | March 7, 1964 | |
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Stanley has problems with Howler the Dog, who mistakes the Mayor for an attacker. Tennessee and Chumley consult Phineas J. Whoopee about dog training.
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| 25 | 25 | "Brushing Off a Toothache" | March 14, 1964 | |
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Chumley has a toothache, and Tennessee tries to help. When one attempt breaks Stanley Livingston's scooter, they escape and see Phineas J. Whoopee about dealing with a toothache.
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| 26 | 26 | "Funny Honey" | March 21, 1964 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley need honey from the bears. They try to get it from wild honeybees without success. Phineas tells them all about beekeeping.
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Season 2 (1964–65)
| No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Original air date | |
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| 27 | 1 | "The Treasure of Jack the Joker" | September 12, 1964 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley hear about a hidden treasure in the zoo, but Stanley Livingston doesn't allow digging. They learn about compasses from Phineas.
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| 28 | 2 | "A Wreck of a Record" | September 19, 1964 | |
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Tennessee, Chumley, and Baldy form a folk band for Stanley's music show. Stanley only wants singers with hit recordings. They ask Phineas J. Whoopee how to make a hit recording.
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| 29 | 3 | "Miner Forty-Niner" | September 26, 1964 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley find a map to a gold mine. They ask Phineas J. Whoopee how to get there and learn about gold.
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| 30 | 4 | "Helicopter Hi-Jinx" | October 3, 1964 | |
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During a heat wave, Tennessee and Chumley try to leave the zoo for fans, but Stanley stops them. They remember asking Phineas J. Whoopee how helicopters work.
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| 31 | 5 | "Oil's Well" | October 10, 1964 | |
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Tennessee's friend Freddy Cat inherits an oil field that is supposedly haunted. Jerboa Jump tries to scare Freddy into selling it cheaply. They learn about oil drilling from Phineas.
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| 32 | 6 | "Parachuting Pickle" | October 17, 1964 | |
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Rocky Maninoff causes trouble and escapes by plane, dropping money in the Lost Mountains. Tennessee and Chumley are forced to parachute to get it. They learn about parachuting from Phineas.
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| 33 | 7 | "Telescope Detectives" "Private Eye Detectives" |
October 31, 1964 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley become private detectives. A hotel manager hires them to catch Slippery Hood. They ask Phineas J. Whoopee about telescopes to get a better view.
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| 34 | 8 | "Wish Wash" | October 24, 1964 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley start a laundry service at the zoo. Phineas J. Whoopee tells them about different ways to wash clothes.
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| 35 | 9 | "The Eyes Have It" | November 7, 1964 | |
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Tennessee competes against Jerboa Jump in a bowling tournament. Jerboa tricks Tennessee with special glasses. Phineas J. Whoopee explains how eyes work.
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| 36 | 10 | "Mad Movie Makers" | November 14, 1964 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley decide to make movies. They ask Phineas J. Whoopee for advice on filmmaking.
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| 37 | 11 | "Snow Go" | November 21, 1964 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley try different ways to turn the zoo hill into a ski slope to join the skiing craze.
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| 38 | 12 | "The Big Question" | November 28, 1964 | |
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Tennessee thinks a radio quiz show will call him for a prize. He tries to get Stanley's radio and eventually learns how to make his own from Phineas.
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| 39 | 13 | "Brain Strain" | December 5, 1964 | |
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Chumley looks like a local millionaire. Tennessee has Chumley pretend to be the millionaire when Chumley gets amnesia and thinks he is.
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| 40 | 14 | "Rocky Road to Diamonds" | December 12, 1964 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley work at a jewelry store. Rocky Maninoff causes trouble and hides on a ship. Phineas J. Whoopee tells them about diamonds.
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| 41 | 15 | "Hooray X-Ray" "X-Ray X-Perts" |
December 19, 1964 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley need to get back a rare coin they accidentally used. They trace it to a cookie Chumley ate. Phineas J. Whoopee tells them about x-rays.
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| 42 | 16 | "Food Feud" | December 26, 1964 | |
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A reporter asks Tennessee about his disagreements with Jerboa Jump. Tennessee tells him about a past feud that old Phineas Whoopee helped resolve.
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| 43 | 17 | "How Does Your Garden Grow?" | January 2, 1965 | |
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Tennessee wants to grow a vegetable garden, which Stanley Livingston doesn't like. Tennessee and Chumley ask Phineas J. Whoopee for advice on gardening.
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| 44 | 18 | "Perils of Platypus" | January 9, 1965 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley get a platypus roommate and deny him pool access. When the platypus leaves, they ask Phineas J. Whoopee for help and learn platypuses live in Australia.
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| 45 | 19 | "Hail to the Chief" | January 16, 1965 | |
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Tennessee, Chumley, Yak, and Baldy become police officers. They learn about being police officers from Phineas.
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| 46 | 20 | "Physical Fatness" | January 23, 1965 | |
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Phineas J. Whoopee advises Tennessee and Chumley on fitness when Jerboa Jump challenges Chumley to a boxing match against Tiger Tornado.
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| 47 | 21 | "Playing It Safe" | January 30, 1965 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley get involved with troublemakers trying to open a safe. They learn about locks from Phineas.
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| 48 | 22 | "House Painters" | February 6, 1965 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley try painting the Zoo, waste paint, learn about making paint, and do a good job covering a building with clay. They learn about paint from Phineas.
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| 49 | 23 | "Admiral Tuxedo" | February 13, 1965 | |
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After escaping to the docks, Tennessee dreams he is an admiral chasing pirates. They learn about navigation.
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| 50 | 24 | "Three Ring Circus" | February 20, 1965 | |
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Flunky tells Stanley that Tennessee and Chumley escaped to join the circus. Their circus jobs don't work out. They learn how a calliope works.
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Season 3 (1965–66)
| No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Original air date | |
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| 51 | 1 | "The Big Drip" | October 2, 1965 | |
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Tennessee and Chumley become plumbers. Their first customer is Rocky Maninoff, who wants a leaky pipe fixed. They ask Phineas J. Whoopee to learn about plumbing.
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| 52 | 2 | "Boning Up" | October 9, 1965 | |
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Stanley Livingston orders Tennessee and Chumley to guard the new dinosaur exhibit. Howler dismantles the skeletons. They learn about dinosaur bones from Phineas to put them back together.
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| 53 | 3 | "Smilin' Yak's Sky Service" | October 16, 1965 | |
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Tennessee, Chumley, and Yak start a flying service. Their first customer is Rocky Maninoff, who wants them to fly him to safety. They learn about flying a plane from Phineas.
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| 54 | 4 | "Teddy Bear Trouble" | October 23, 1965 | |
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When Chumley's teddy bear goes missing, Tennessee becomes a detective. They learn about fingerprints from Phineas to find who took the teddy bear.
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| 55 | 5 | "Sword Play" | October 30, 1965 | |
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Stanley Livingston orders them to clean the medieval exhibit. Tennessee dreams he is a knight fighting a dragon. Tennessee learns about steel.
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| 56 | 6 | "Phunnie Munnie" | November 6, 1965 | |
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Tennessee, Chumley, and Baldy set up a printing press. Their first customer is Rocky Maninoff, who wants them to print special money. They learn about printing from Phineas.
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| 57 | 7 | "The Romance of Plymouth Rock" | November 13, 1965 | |
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Tennessee puts on a play about the Pilgrims. Jerboa Jump and Tiger Tornado try to ruin it. Tennessee calls Phineas J. Whoopee for help on Pilgrim history.
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| 58 | 8 | "The Zoolympics" | November 20, 1965 | |
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The Zoolympics are held at the zoo. Phineas J. Whoopee advises Tennessee and Chumley on how to get in shape for the games.
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| 59 | 9 | "The Tree Trimmers" | November 27, 1965 | |
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On Christmas Eve, Stanley Livingston orders Tennessee and Chumley to guide tree trimmers. They trim the tree, but the ornaments are destroyed. They ask Phineas J. Whoopee for help making new ornaments.
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| 60 | 10 | "Goblins Will Get You" | December 4, 1965 | |
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After Halloween, Tennessee eats too much candy and dreams he's in a haunted forest with a witch and her goblin servants. They learn about maple syrup.
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| 61 | 11 | "The Cheap Skates" | December 11, 1965 | |
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Wanting ice skates, Tennessee Tuxedo, Chumley, Yak, and Baldy try to produce an ice show but need to learn how to build a rink first.
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| 62 | 12 | "Going Up" | December 18, 1965 | |
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A Washington's Birthday celebration leads the friends to put a Liberty Bell decoration on a zoo tower. They learn about elevators (cab, pulley, counterweight).
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| 63 | 13 | "Monster from Another Planet" | December 25, 1965 | |
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Tiger Tornado pretends to be an alien, making Tennessee and Chumley serve him. They learn about spacemen from Phineas.
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| 64 | 14 | "Signed and Sealed" | January 1, 1966 | |
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Tennessee's cousin Percy is visiting. Needing money, the friends rent their place with a tricky lease. They learn about leases and contracts from Phineas.
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| 65 | 15 | "The Barbers" | January 8, 1966 | |
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Tennessee buys a barber shop, and he and Chumley become barbers. Rocky Maninoff is a customer who wants a new look. They ask Phineas J. Whoopee for help with haircutting and makeup.
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| 66 | 16 | "Catch a Falling Hammock" | January 15, 1966 | |
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The guys learn about termites causing their hammock trees to fall. They learn about termites from Phineas.
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| 67 | 17 | "Peace and Quiet" | January 22, 1966 | |
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An employment agency promises jobs to Tennessee and Chumley, but they fail at all of them.
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| 68 | 18 | "Robot Revenge" | January 29, 1966 | |
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Yak and Baldy build robots to do their work. Tennessee and Chumley turn to Phineas J. Whoopee, who tells them about hearts.
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| 69 | 19 | "There Auto Be a Law" | February 5, 1966 | |
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Tennessee, Chumley, Yak, and Baldy build a car for a race and decide to sell copies to pay the fee. They learn about production line manufacturing from Phineas.
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| 70 | 20 | "Samantha" | February 12, 1966 | |
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Chumley falls in love with a female walrus named Samantha. Whoopee tries teaching him about good manners and behavior.
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Season 4 (2014)
| No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Original release date |
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| 73 | 1 | "Go South" | 2014 |
| 74 | 2 | "Be Like Baldy" | 2014 |
| 75 | 3 | "Dinner Party" | 2014 |
| 76 | 4 | "Catch the Cable Man" | 2014 |
| 77 | 5 | "Yakety Yak" | August 18, 2014 |
Home Video Releases
In 1990, UAV Corporation released a VHS tape with three episodes called Tennessee Tuxedo - It's Fun to be Healthy. They also released another VHS tape that included the Halloween special and episodes from other cartoons.
In 2006, a DVD called The Best of Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales was released by Sony Wonder and Classic Media. This DVD has 15 "sort of educational" episodes from the series. If you select "Play All," the show's introduction plays at the beginning, and the end credits appear after the last episode.
One of the cool "extras" on the DVD is a set of audio-only outtakes from when they recorded a new version of the theme song. You can hear the engineer talking to the musicians and singers. This engineer's voice was later revealed to be Howard Stern's father, Ben Stern.
Another "extra" on the DVD is a short collection of funny riddles. These riddles were originally shown as transitions between parts of the show. Chumley and Tennessee would ask Mr. Whoopee these riddles, and he would answer them on his 3DBB. For example, "What has four legs and only one foot? A bed."
On March 6, 2012, Shout! Factory released Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales: The Complete Collection on DVD. This collection was re-released on DVD by Shout! Factory on December 15, 2020.
