What-a-Mess facts for kids

What-a-Mess is a fun series of children's books. They were written by a British comedy writer named Frank Muir. The pictures in the books were drawn by Joseph Wright.

The main character is a puppy named What-a-Mess. He is a fluffy Afghan Hound who is a bit clumsy. His real name is Prince Amir of Kinjan. The books were so popular that they were made into two different animated TV shows. Frank Muir himself told the stories in both shows!

Meet the Characters!

• What-a-Mess – This scruffy Afghan puppy is the star of all the stories. His real name is Prince Amir of Kinjan. He often has a yellow duck sitting on his head. In the American TV show, the duck was blue. This blue duck was also given the name Baldwin by What-a-Mess. Ryan O'Donohue was the voice of What-a-Mess in the US show.

• What-a-Mess's Mother – She is also known as The Duchess of Kinjan. She is a beautiful and very proper Afghan Hound. She is What-a-Mess's mom. Charity James voiced her in the US version.

• The Family – These are the people who own What-a-Mess and his mother. The family includes a father, a mother, a son, and a daughter. You usually only see them from the neck down. Their faces are often hidden. In the US version, Michael Bell voiced the father. Miriam Flynn was the mother, Adam Hendershott was the son, and Debi Derryberry was the daughter.

• Poppet – Poppet is a very cute and clean dog. She belongs to the father's aunt. But don't let her looks fool you! Poppet is a troublemaker. What-a-Mess and his friends really don't like her. She first appeared in the book Super What-a-Mess.

• Archbishop of Canterbury – This is a scruffy dark blue dog with brown spots. What-a-Mess met him in the book What-A-Mess Goes to the Seaside. What-a-Mess thought this was his real name. This happened because when What-a-Mess introduced himself, the dog joked, "Wotcher, cock, I'm the Archbishop of Canterbury!" In the US TV show, his name was changed to Norton. Dana Hill voiced him.

• President of the United States – In one US TV episode, What-a-Mess got lost. A dog helped him. This dog was voiced by Jim Cummings. When What-a-Mess introduced himself, the dog joked, "Oh really? And I'm the President of the United States!" What-a-Mess, being a bit silly, thought this was his real name.

• The Cat Next Door – In the US TV show, she is called Felicia. She is a brown Siamese Cat. She loves to tease What-a-Mess sometimes. In the US show, she was blue. Jo Ann Harris voiced her.

• Cynthia – Cynthia is a Hedgehog. What-a-Mess became friends with her in What-A-Mess Goes to School. In the US TV show, her character was changed. She became a mole named Ramona. This was because hedgehogs are not from America. Candi Milo voiced Ramona in the US version.

• Ryvita – Ryvita only appears in the books. She is a Ladybird. What-a-Mess and his friends became friends with her. She first showed up in What-a-Mess Goes on Television. She speaks so quietly that only Cynthia can understand her.

• Esmeralda – This is a white mouse. She belongs to the girl of the house. Esmeralda appeared in the book What-a-Mess and the Hairy Monster. She was also in an episode of the US TV show with the same name. Russi Taylor voiced her in the US version.

• Trash – Trash only appears in the US animated show. He is a Bull Terrier. He causes a lot of trouble for What-a-Mess. His real name is Francis. Joe Nipote voiced him.

• Frank – Frank is an Old English Sheepdog. He tells the stories in the US animated version of What-a-Mess. He is voiced by Frank Muir himself.

What-a-Mess Books

Frank Muir wrote many books about What-a-Mess. They are divided into different groups.

Large Books

• What-a-Mess: What-a-Mess wonders if he can really be related to his neat, clean mother.
• What-a-Mess The Good: What-a-Mess tries to be good, but he doesn't always think things through.
• What-a-Mess at the Seaside
• What-a-Mess Goes to School
• Prince What-a-Mess
• Super What-a-Mess: A cute but mean dog named Poppet comes to visit. Only a super dog can fix things!
• What-a-Mess and the Cat Next Door
• What-a-Mess Goes on Television
• What-a-Mess and the Hairy Monster

Small Books: Four Seasons

• What-a-Mess in Spring
• What-a-Mess in Summer
• What-a-Mess in Autumn
• What-a-Mess in Winter

Small Books: Four Square Meals

• What-a-Mess has Breakfast
• What-a-Mess has Lunch
• What-a-Mess has Tea
• What-a-Mess has Supper

Mini Books

• What-a-Mess has a Brain Wave
• What-a-Mess and Little Poppet
• What-a-Mess and a trip to the Vet
• What-a-Mess the Beautiful
• What-a-Mess Goes to Town
• What-a-Mess Goes Camping

Animated TV Shows

Two different animated TV shows were made based on the What-a-Mess books.

The first show was made in the UK in 1979 by Smallfilms. More episodes were made in 1981 by other UK companies.

A second version was made in America in 1995 by DIC Productions L.P.. This version aired on ABC in the United States. It also aired in Canada on YTV and in the Arab world on Spacetoon. Frank Muir narrated both TV shows. Both animated series also aired in Australia on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Episodes: UK Series (Version 1)

• A Bee? / 1979.12.24
• A Hat? / 1979.12.26
• A Fish? / 1979.12.27
• A Mole? / 1979.12.28
• A Hound / 1979.12.30
• Mighty Hunter / 1980.01.01
• Enough for One Day / 1980.01.02
• A Very Good Dog Indeed / 1980.01.03
• A Prince / 1980.01.04
• What-a-Mess at the Seaside / 1981.03.26
• What-a-Mess Goes to School / 1981.04.02
• Prince What-a-Mess / 1981.04.09
• Super What-a-Mess / 1981.04.16
• What-a-Mess Keeps Cool / 1981.04.30
• What-a-Mess and Cynthia the Hedgehog / 1981.05.14
• What-a-Mess Has a Brain Wave! / 1981.05.21
• What-a-Mess and the Cat Next Door / 1981.06.04
• What-a-Mess and Little Poppet / 1981.06.18
• What-a-Mess Goes Camping / 1981.07.02
• What-a-Mess The Beautiful / 1981.07.09
• What-a-Mess Goes to Town / 1981.07.16
• What-a-Mess Goes to the Vet / 1981.07.23

Episodes: US Series (Version 2)

• Talkin' Trash/A Bone to Pick/Midnight Snack: What-a-Mess becomes a servant for Trash. He causes trouble at a museum. He also looks for food late at night. (September 16, 1995)
• Schoolin' Around/The Legend of Junkyard Jones/It's Raining Cats and Dogs: What-a-Mess goes to puppy school. He and Norton visit a junkyard. What-a-Mess believes cats and dogs will fall from the sky.
• Home Alone...Almost/Super What-A-Mess/The Recliner: What-a-Mess watches the house alone. He deals with Poppet's mean behavior.
• Afghan Holiday/The Bone Tree: What-a-Mess stays in a kennel. Felicia tricks him about growing bone trees.
• Just Four More Left/The Ropes/What-A-Mess Has Breakfast: What-a-Mess buys a gift for his mom. Trash teaches him how to steal food.
• Prize Puppy/The Great Escape/The Scarecrow and Prince Amir
• Shampooed/Show and Tail/I Spy, I Cry, I Try: What-a-Mess fears a groomer. He tries to get a science project to school. The mail carrier tries to deliver mail.
• What-A-Mess and the Hairy Monster/Trick Or Treat/My Teatime with Frank: What-a-Mess thinks there's a monster. He has a Halloween adventure. He has tea with Frank.
• Out With the Garbage: What-a-Mess gets lost in another city after going into a garbage truck.
• Dr. What-A-Mess: What-a-Mess and Felicia feed Trash food that makes him stiff.
• Ultimate What-A-Mess: What-a-Mess competes in a freebee catching contest.
• This Hydrant Is Mine: What-a-Mess and his friends protect their fire hydrant.
• Trash's Wonderful Life: Trash learns what life would be like without him.
• Snowbound: What-a-Mess has an adventure at a ski resort.
• The Thanksgiving Turkey: What-a-Mess, Felicia, and Trash act out the first Thanksgiving.
• Santa What-A-Mess: What-a-Mess wonders about Santa and Christmas.
• Here Comes Santa Paws
• All Around the Mallberry Bush: What-a-Mess gets lost in the mall.
• What-A-Mess at the Movies: What-a-Mess goes to a movie theater.
• His Royal Highness, Prince What-A-Mess: What-a-Mess meets his relatives in Afghanistan.
• Party at Poppet's: What-a-Mess tries to avoid Poppet at a birthday party.
• Take Me Out to the Dog Park: What-a-Mess fights a bully dog.
• The Watch Out Dog
• Molenapped!: What-a-Mess tries to save Ramona from an exterminator.
• Pound Pals: Trash and What-a-Mess are caught and taken to the pound.
• Taste Test
• Slobber on a Stick: What-a-Mess's slobbery friend Leonard visits.
• Scout's Honor: What-a-Mess goes camping with the boy.
• Seein' Double
• Luck on His Side: What-a-Mess gets wrong ideas about luck.
• What-A-Mess Keeps the Doctor Away: What-a-Mess is scared to go to the vet.
• There's No Business Like Shoe Business
• Joy Ride: What-a-Mess causes chaos driving a car.
• Baldwin's Family Reunion: Baldwin asks What-a-Mess to help with a bird family reunion.
• Do the Mess Around: What-a-Mess and Felicia sing at night.
• On Vacation
• Messy Encounters: What-a-Mess and Trash are zapped by cat-like aliens.
• Dog Days of Summer
• Fetch!
• Real Puppies Don't Meow
• Invasion of the Puppy Snatchers: What-a-Mess, Felicia, and Norton get itchy fleas.
• The Ballad of El Pero
• What-a-Mess Has Lunch: What-a-Mess hunts for food when his family forgets to feed him.
• Walking the Boy: What-a-Mess takes the boy for a walk.
• Messed Up What-A-Mess: What-a-Mess loses his memory.
• Water Mess: Felicia plays a prank on What-a-Mess at the pool.
• The Big Sleep: Trash tries to sleep, but What-a-Mess and Norton are too playful.
• High-Wire Heartthrob: What-a-Mess falls for a female Afghan hound circus performer.

Home Video Releases

You can find What-a-Mess on home video!

UK Series Releases

• What-A-Mess: 5 Hilarious Adventures – This video includes five episodes: What-a-Mess Goes to the Seaside, What-a-Mess Goes to School, Prince What-a-Mess, Super What-a-Mess, and What-a-Mess Keeps Cool. It also has bonus episodes: What-a-Mess and Cynthia the Hedgehog and What-a-Mess Has a Brain Wave!.
• What-A-Mess: Small VHS Sample – This tape has What-a-Mess and Cynthia the Hedgehog, What-a-Mess Has a Brain Wave!, and What-a-Mess and the Cat Next Door.
• What-A-Mess: Cat & Seaside (DVD) – This DVD contains all the episodes from the UK series.

US Series Releases

In October 1996, Buena Vista Home Video released two VHS tapes. They were called Monsters, Goblins, and Ghosts, Oh my! and Here Comes Santa Paws. The first tape had episodes like What-A-Mess and the Hairy Monster. The second tape had the Santa What-a-Mess special.

Later, in November 2003, Sterling Entertainment released a VHS and DVD called "Christmas Mess". This included the Santa What-a-Mess special and other holiday-themed episodes. The DVD version had extra bonus episodes too! NCircle Entertainment re-released this DVD in 2007.