"Rugrats" (1991) TV series 1991-2004

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Creators:

Gabor Csupo
Paul Germain
Arlene Klasky
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Release Date:

11 August 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Adventure

Plot:

Rugrats is a show about 4 babies, Tommy Pickles, Chuckie Finster, and Phil and Lil Deville. As we see their lives unravel...

Plot Keywords:

Baby | Rugrats | Talking Baby | Toddler | Cult Favorite

Awards:

Nominated for 5 Primetime Emmys. Another 18 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Melanie Chartoff	...	Diane 'Didi' Kropotkin-Pickles / ... (56 episodes, 1991-2003)
Michael Bell	...	Andrew 'Drew' Pickles / ... (54 episodes, 1991-2003)
Kath Soucie	...	Phillip 'Phil' Deville / ... (30 episodes, 1991-2002)

(more)

Series Directed by
Paul Germain		(16 episodes, 1991-1994)
Rick Bugental		(11 episodes, 1997-2001)
Howard E. Baker		(10 episodes, 1991-1994)
Jeff Scott		(10 episodes, 1999-2001)
Jim Duffy		(9 episodes, 1993-1998)
Dave Fontana		(5 episodes, 1999-2001)
Louie del Carmen		(5 episodes, 2000-2001)
Chris Hermans		(5 episodes, 2000-2001)
Bob Fuentes III		(4 episodes, 2001)
Norton Virgien		(3 episodes, 1992-1997)
Steve Socki		(3 episodes, 1993-1994)
Carol Millican		(3 episodes, 2000)
Anthony Bell		(3 episodes, 2001)
Jeff McGrath		(2 episodes, 1994)
Toni Vian		(2 episodes, 1997)
Steve Ressel		(2 episodes, 1999-2000)
Sylvia Keulen		(2 episodes, 2000)
Steven Dean Moore		(1 episode, 1992)
Igor Kovalyov		(1 episode, 1993)
Raymie Muzquiz		(1 episode, 1996)
John Holmquist		(1 episode, 1998)
Craig Bartlett		(unknown episodes)
Celia Kendrick		(unknown episodes)
Broni Likomanov		(unknown episodes)
Pete Michels		(unknown episodes)
Michael Mullen		(unknown episodes)
Ron Noble		(unknown episodes)
Barry Vodos		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Paul Germain		(30 episodes, 1991-1998)
Richard Gitelson		(10 episodes, 1997-1999)
Gabor Csupo		(8 episodes, 1992-1998)
Arlene Klasky		(8 episodes, 1992-1998)
Jonathan Greenberg		(4 episodes, 1993-1994)
Jon Cooksey		(4 episodes, 1997)
Ali Marie Matheson		(4 episodes, 1997)
Peter Gaffney		(3 episodes, 1992-1994)
Melody Fox		(3 episodes, 1997-1999)
Barbara Herndon		(3 episodes, 1998-2001)
Glenn Eichler		(2 episodes, 1992-1993)
Barbara Slade		(2 episodes, 1994)
David N. Weiss		(2 episodes, 1996-1998)
J. David Stem		(2 episodes, 1996-1997)
Kate Boutilier		(2 episodes, 1997-1998)
Mark Palmer		(2 episodes, 1997)
Jill Gorey		(2 episodes, 1998-2001)
David Maples		(2 episodes, 1998)
Vinny Montello		(2 episodes, 1998)
Steve Ochs		(2 episodes, 1998)
Steve Viksten		(1 episode, 1991-1994)
Craig Bartlett		(1 episode, 1991-1993)
David Rosenberg		(1 episode, 2001)
Joe Ansolabehere		(unknown episodes, 1991-1994)
Kat Likkel		(unknown episodes, 1996)
Peter Hunziker		(unknown episodes, 2001)
Jordana Arkin		(unknown episodes)
Adam Beechen		(unknown episodes)
Doria Biddle		(unknown episodes)
Sarah Jane Cunningham		(unknown episodes)
Bob Daily		(unknown episodes)
Peter Egan		(unknown episodes)
John Fitzpatrick		(unknown episodes)
Suzie V. Freeman		(unknown episodes)
Gary Glasberg		(unknown episodes)
Scott Gray		(unknown episodes)
Elin Hampton		(unknown episodes)
Eleah Horwitz		(unknown episodes)
David Howard		(unknown episodes)
Joan Considine Johnson		(unknown episodes)
Michael Kramer		(unknown episodes)
Scott H. Leva		(unknown episodes)
Douglas Petrie		(unknown episodes)
Deborah Raznick		(unknown episodes)
Barbara Schwartz		(unknown episodes)
Noah Taft		(unknown episodes)
Patric Verrone		(unknown episodes)
Jeffrey Wynne		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Barbara Wright	....	associate producer (46 episodes, 1993-1997)
Paul Germain	....	creative producer (29 episodes, 1991-1994)
David T. Blum	....	producer (13 episodes, 1991-1992)
Gabor Csupo	....	executive producer (9 episodes, 1991-1997)
Arlene Klasky	....	executive producer (9 episodes, 1991-1997)
Mary Harrington	....	executive producer: Nickelodeon (8 episodes, 1991-1997)
Jeff McGrath	....	creative producer (6 episodes, 1999-2000)
Paul Demeyer	....	creative producer (5 episodes, 1997-1998)
Mark Risley	....	creative producer (5 episodes, 2001-2002)
Cella Nichols Duffy	....	producer (4 episodes, 1998)
Richard Gitelson	....	producer (4 episodes, 2001-2003)
Jim Duffy	....	creative producer (3 episodes, 1998)
J. David Stem	....	co-producer (2 episodes, 1996-1997)
David N. Weiss	....	co-producer (2 episodes, 1996-1997)
Lorraine Gallacher	....	coordinating producer (unknown episodes, 2003)
Pernelle Hayes	....	producer (unknown episodes, 2003)
Kate Boutilier	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Susan Ward	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Mark Mothersbaugh		(8 episodes, 1992-1998)
Robert Mothersbaugh		(6 episodes, 1994-1998)
Denis M. Hannigan		(4 episodes, 1992-1994)
Rusty Andrews		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Peter Tomaszewicz		(1 episode, 1998)
John Bryant		(unknown episodes, 1996-1997)
Karl Garabedian		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Barbara Wright		(132 episodes, 1993-2006)

Series Production Management
Cella Nichols Duffy	....	production manager (1 episode, 1994)
Christine Ferriter	....	production manager (unknown episodes)
Sherry Gunther	....	executive in charge of production (unknown episodes)
Tami Sloan Tsark	....	post-production supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Samuel S. Williams	....	supervising assistant director / assistant director (4 episodes, 1994-1998)
Jud Kilgore	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 1998)
Enrique Morales	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1998)
Jeffrey Perlmutter	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1998)
Lee Harting	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)
Jean-Guy Jacques	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)
Harry McLaughlin	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)
Pete Michels	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)
Wesley Smith	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)
Steve Socki	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
David L. Allen	....	design supervisor / prop designer (18 episodes, 1991-1997)
Alex Dilts	....	design supervisor (17 episodes, 1997-1999)
Antoine Guilbaud	....	background designer (14 episodes, 1991-1994)
Li René Harmon	....	color supervisor (12 episodes, 1991-1992)
Ira Sherak	....	storyboard artist (11 episodes, 1996-1999)
Narina Sokolova	....	set designer (6 episodes, 1998-2002)
Monika Tomova	....	storyboard artist (4 episodes, 1997-1998)
Renan Tolon	....	color designer (3 episodes, 1994-1998)
Barry Vodos	....	storyboard artist (3 episodes, 1997-1998)
John Dilworth	....	storyboard artist (3 episodes, 1998)
Chris Hermans	....	storyboard artist (3 episodes, 1998)
Norman Quebedeau	....	storyboard artist (3 episodes, 1998)
Gordon Swan	....	color designer (3 episodes, 1998)
Jeff Scott	....	storyboard artist (2 episodes, 1994-1998)
Shannon Bergman	....	color designer (2 episodes, 1998)
Christofer Graham	....	storyboard artist (2 episodes, 1998)
James Peters	....	color designer (2 episodes, 1998)
Mark Risley	....	storyboard artist (unknown episodes, 1997)
Frank Jen	....	storyboard artist (unknown episodes)
Edgar Larrazábal	....	storyboard artist (unknown episodes)
Sean Pendergrass	....	storyboard artist (unknown episodes)
Joseph Scott	....	storyboard artist (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Daniel Ben-Shimon	....	sound editor / dialogue editor (46 episodes, 1991-2003)
Dan Cubert	....	recording engineer / sound recording engineer / ... (4 episodes, 1997-1998)
Mike Myles	....	dialogue editor (4 episodes, 1997-1998)
Derek Pippert	....	foley mixer / dialogue editor (4 episodes, 1997-1998)
Michelle Rochester	....	dialogue editor / background sound editor / ... (3 episodes, 1997-1998)
Maretta Stiles-Cole	....	foley recordist (3 episodes, 1998)
Kurt Vanzo	....	sound consultant / sound re-recording mix engineer (2 episodes, 1997)
Gregg Barbanell	....	foley artist (2 episodes, 1998)
Anita Cannella	....	foley artist (2 episodes, 1998)
Peter S. Carlstedt	....	sound re-recording mixer (2 episodes, 1998)
Derek Vanderhorst	....	sound effects editor (2 episodes, 1998)
Damon Anderson	....	foley recordist (unknown episodes)
Krandal Crews	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
David Eccles	....	sound effects editor (unknown episodes)
Arthur Farkas	....	sound effects editor (unknown episodes)
Michael Ferris	....	post-production dialogue (unknown episodes)
Hilary Goldberg	....	foley recordist (unknown episodes)
Marina Kalantarova	....	dialogue editor (unknown episodes)
Laura Macias	....	foley artist (unknown episodes)
Sharon Michaels	....	foley artist (unknown episodes)

Series Animation Department
Peter Chung	....	character designer / animator: main title sequence / ... (44 episodes, 1991-1998)
Gabor Csupo	....	character designer / character designer: main / ... (44 episodes, 1991-1998)
John Holmquist	....	character designer / character designer: main / ... (44 episodes, 1991-1998)
Arlene Klasky	....	character designer / character designer: main / ... (44 episodes, 1991-1998)
Juli Hashiguchi	....	assistant animator: main title / animation assistant: main title / ... (43 episodes, 1991-1998)
John Kafka	....	sheet timer (26 episodes, 1992-1993)
Jeff Mertz	....	background artist (19 episodes, 1997-1999)
Louis Tate	....	animation assistant: main title / assistant animator: main title / ... (15 episodes, 1991-1998)
David Allen	....	background designer (13 episodes, 1991-1992)
Maija Aperans	....	background design supervisor (13 episodes, 1991-1992)
Rick Bugental	....	animation timer (13 episodes, 1991-1992)
Gyorgyi Peluce	....	color concept (13 episodes, 1991-1992)
Alex Acayen	....	character layout artist (12 episodes, 1991-1992)
Jun Aoanan III	....	character layout artist (12 episodes, 1991-1992)
Nelson 'Rey' Bohol	....	character layout artist (12 episodes, 1991-1992)
Dulce Errazo	....	character layout artist (12 episodes, 1991-1992)
Mark Ervin	....	character layout artist (12 episodes, 1991-1992)
Dave Gonzales	....	character layout artist (12 episodes, 1991-1992)
Bert King	....	color assistant (12 episodes, 1991-1992)
Zsuzsa Lamy	....	assistant checker (12 episodes, 1991-1992)
Moises Macasinag	....	character layout artist (12 episodes, 1991-1992)
Mel Polina	....	character layout artist (12 episodes, 1991-1992)
John Rice	....	character designer (12 episodes, 1991-1992)
Merle Welton	....	supervising checker (12 episodes, 1991-1992)
Pete Michels	....	animation timer / sheet timer (11 episodes, 1991-1993)
Ross dela Vega	....	character layout artist (10 episodes, 1991-1992)
Matthew Nastuk	....	background layout artist (10 episodes, 1991-1992)
Julia Kalantarova	....	background designer (10 episodes, 2000-2003)
Kui Yong Kim	....	background layout artist (9 episodes, 1991-1992)
Howy Parkins	....	animation timer (9 episodes, 1991-1992)
Mike Girard	....	animation director: overseas (9 episodes, 1992-1993)
Dana O'Connor	....	sheet timer (9 episodes, 1992-1993)
Sam Weiss	....	animation timer / character layout artist (8 episodes, 1991-1992)
Martin Archer	....	character layout artist (7 episodes, 1991-1992)
George S. Chialtas	....	animation timer (7 episodes, 1991-1992)
Becca Ramos	....	assistant checker (7 episodes, 1991-1992)
Dexter Reed	....	character layout artist (7 episodes, 1991-1992)
Bradley J. Gake	....	background design supervisor / background designer (7 episodes, 1997-2000)
Marianna Tankelevich	....	background designer (7 episodes, 1997-2000)
Jeff McGrath	....	animation timer / sheet timer (6 episodes, 1991-1993)
Tom Yasumi	....	background layout artist / background designer / ... (6 episodes, 1992-1994)
Patrick Dene	....	character design supervisor (6 episodes, 1999-2000)
Craig Elliott	....	animation timing supervisor (6 episodes, 1999-2000)
Lynda Nettleship	....	background designer (6 episodes, 1999-2000)
Kip Noschese	....	background designer (6 episodes, 1999-2000)
John Reynolds	....	background designer (6 episodes, 1999-2000)
Jack Hadley	....	animation timer (5 episodes, 1991-1992)
Steve Socki	....	animation timer (5 episodes, 1991-1992)
Kinjo Estioko	....	character layout artist (5 episodes, 1991)
Lance Wilder	....	background layout artist (5 episodes, 1991)
Debbie Baber	....	sheet timer (5 episodes, 1992-1997)
Robert King	....	color design supervisor / coloring supervisor (5 episodes, 1994-1998)
Louie del Carmen	....	character designer (5 episodes, 1997-1998)
Sharon Ross	....	character design supervisor / character designer (5 episodes, 1997-1998)
Anthony Bell	....	character layout artist (4 episodes, 1991-1992)
Susie Dietter	....	character layout artist (4 episodes, 1991-1992)
Tricia Garcia	....	background layout artist / character layout artist (4 episodes, 1991-1992)
Kelly James	....	character layout artist (4 episodes, 1991-1992)
Woody Yocum	....	animation timer / timing (4 episodes, 1991-1992)
Pete Michaels	....	background layout artist (4 episodes, 1991)
Dominic Polcino	....	animation timer (4 episodes, 1991)
Sean Edberg	....	background layout artist (4 episodes, 1992)
Antoine Guilbaud	....	background layout artist / character layout artist (4 episodes, 1992)
Jaime Diaz	....	sheet timer (4 episodes, 1998)
Hernan Henriquez	....	sheet timer (4 episodes, 1998)
Perry Kiefer	....	character layout artist (3 episodes, 1991)
Leonardo Pinero	....	sheet timer (3 episodes, 1994-1998)
Geoffrey Anderson	....	background artist / background designer (3 episodes, 1998)
Craig Armstrong	....	supervising sheet timer / animation timing supervisor (3 episodes, 1998)
Zdenko Gasparovic	....	sheet timer (3 episodes, 1998)
Jesse Gutierrez	....	animatic scanner (3 episodes, 1998)
Vladi Rubizhevsky	....	background designer / background artist (3 episodes, 1998)
Narina Sokolova	....	layout artist (3 episodes, 2001-2002)
Alan Smart	....	character layout artist / sheet timer (2 episodes, 1991-1997)
Árpád Szabó	....	character layout artist (2 episodes, 1991)
William Tucker	....	character layout artist (2 episodes, 1991)
Glenn Johnson	....	animation timer (2 episodes, 1992)
Shannon Bergman	....	animatic digitizer / animatic scanner (2 episodes, 1997)
Keith Conroy	....	background designer (2 episodes, 1998)
Nelson J. Hill	....	character designer (2 episodes, 1998)
Dave Williams	....	background designer (2 episodes, 1998)
Rudi Berden	....	background artist / character designer (unknown episodes)
Andrew Brandou	....	color design supervisor (unknown episodes)
Frederick J. Gardner III	....	character layout artist (unknown episodes)
Syd Kato	....	color design supervisor (unknown episodes)
Keith Wong	....	character designer (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Simone Raclin	....	casting assistant (2 episodes, 1998)

Series Editorial Department
Alison Flynn	....	post-production coordinator (3 episodes, 1997-1998)
Erik Harp	....	post-production assistant (2 episodes, 1997)
Gayle McIntyre	....	assistant editor (2 episodes, 1998)
Peter Tomaszewicz	....	picture editor / supervising editor (2 episodes, 1998)
Fred Eldridge	....	telecine operator (unknown episodes)
Alex Gimenez	....	editor: video tape (unknown episodes)
Richard Glazerman	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)
Frank Roman	....	telecine operator (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Robert Casale	....	music engineer / music producer (3 episodes, 1998)
Mark Mothersbaugh	....	music editor / musical director (2 episodes, 1993-2001)

Series Other crew
Kristen Farlow	....	production coordinator (6 episodes, 1999-2000)
Christopher Drew Hutchison	....	production assistant (6 episodes, 1999-2000)
Maureen Iser	....	production coordinator (6 episodes, 1999-2000)
Kip Lewis	....	production assistant (6 episodes, 1999-2000)
Robin Hewitt	....	production controller (4 episodes, 1997-1998)
Robyn Templeman	....	production supporter (4 episodes, 1997-1998)
Jennifer Wegrzyn	....	assistant production accountant / accounting assistant (4 episodes, 1997-1998)
Keythe Farley	....	voice director (4 episodes, 1998)
Lin-Z Rogers	....	checker (4 episodes, 1998)
Dima Malanitchev	....	development artist (3 episodes, 1991-2001)
Susan Durante	....	production supporter (3 episodes, 1997-1998)
Sharon Altman	....	assistant checker (3 episodes, 1998)
Jon Cooksey	....	story editor (3 episodes, 1998)
Chrystian Dulac	....	production assistant (3 episodes, 1998)
Donna Ferman	....	assistant production accountant (3 episodes, 1998)
Glenn M. Higa	....	checker / checking supervisor (3 episodes, 1998)
Zsuzsa Lamy	....	checking supervisor / supervising director: overseas (3 episodes, 1998)
Ali Marie Matheson	....	story editor (3 episodes, 1998)
Juan Ros	....	assistant production accountant (3 episodes, 1998)
Anne Baker	....	script coordinator (2 episodes, 1997)
Jamie H. Huang	....	lettering (2 episodes, 1997)
Laszlo Lakits	....	computer support / computer supporter (2 episodes, 1997)
Erik Pope	....	computer supporter (2 episodes, 1997)
Tamara Varga	....	lettering (2 episodes, 1997)
Jim Holden	....	production supporter (2 episodes, 1998)
Bradley J. Gake	....	background design supervisor (1 episode, 1998)
Joan Considine Johnson	....	story editor (unknown episodes, 2000-2001)
Scott Gray	....	story editor (unknown episodes, 2001-2003)
Steve Keller	....	production executive (unknown episodes, 2003)
Eddie Michaels	....	publicist (unknown episodes, 2003)
Grant Moran	....	production executive (unknown episodes, 2003)
Zsuzsa Darmy	....	checking supervisor (unknown episodes)
Michael Ferris	....	punch-up dialogue (unknown episodes)
Peter Gaffney	....	senior story editor (unknown episodes)
Fabian Gonzalez	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Andy Houts	....	production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Glenn Kirkpatrick	....	supervising director: overseas (unknown episodes)
Mark Leiss	....	electronic graphic artist (unknown episodes)
Alexis McCombs	....	franchise development/management (unknown episodes)
Azariah Owens	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Robin Police	....	checking supervisor (unknown episodes)
Becca Ramos	....	checking supervisor (unknown episodes)
Mark Valenti	....	story editor (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Klasky-Csupo
• Nickelodeon Network

Distributors

• Nickelodeon Network
• Hasbro (2003) (USA) (video)
• Paramount Television
• YTV

Other Companies

• Broughton/Winicki  track reading

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:U | Mexico:A (re-rating) | Mexico:B (original rating) | Argentina:Atp | USA:TV-Y | Australia:G | Brazil:Livre

Company:

Klasky-Csupo

Trivia:

This was the longest running Nicktoon on Nickelodeon, lasting for 14 years.

Quotes:

[Eating animal crackers]
Tommy: That's the fun of it, Chuckie; you never know what you're going to get until you get it.
Chuckie: It's not fun for me.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Comedy Connections: Dinnerladies (#4.2)" (2006)

Part One: The Golden Years

I used to love "The Rugrats". Before they became unbearably popular. Before Dil came. Before David Doyle died. Before the movies. Before . .. you get the picture.

Why? Very simple. The initial Rugrats was a great show.

When the show premiered, in 1991, with "Tommy's First Birthday", nobody could've guess how far it would go. It had a simple premise: what life as a baby was like.

As the show began to climb, the jokes and the show itself began to become polished. The animation was horrid - but who cares? If the show's enjoyable, then I won't hate it for a single quality. Besides, the scribbles that made up the animation added to the whimisical feel of the show.

The show was, at first, intellegent, with jokes and plotlines that both kids and adults could relate to. Media references abounded. For example, in "Showdown at Teeter-Totter Gulch", a Stetson-wearing Tommy faces off against the "Junkfood Kid" (played by Nancy Cartwright), recalling "High Noon" and numerous Leone westerns. In "The Booster Shot", Chucky's doctor is named "Dr. Lecter", a reference to the flesh-eating psychiatrist from "The Silence of the Lambs". The episode with Dean (Angelica's love interest) spoofs James Dean in "Rebel Without A Cause". "The Dog Groomer" recalls "The Terminator", "The Mysterious Mr. Fiend" spoofs "Frankenstein", Dr. Lipschitz (Tony Jay) is a Sigmund Freud-esque child psychologist, and numerous others are similarly intellegent.

Also, the characters were well-developed and likeable. At this point, the dialogue was great. Not only the kids, but the adults. The adults were intellegent, had emotions, and were very realisitc. They made many of the jokes, and were interesting, rather than the no-dimensional shells they become.

The show's popularity began to grow in 1992, but it ended abruptly in 1994, when Paul Germaine left the show.

(Continued in Part Two.)