"The Perils of Penelope Pitstop" (1969) TV series 1969-1971

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

13 September 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Family | Comedy

Plot:

The Ant Hill Mob has to protect Penelope Pitstop from a murderous lawyer who is after her inheritance.

Plot Keywords:

Attempted Murder | Spoof

Cast

Paul Lynde	...	The Hooded Claw / ... (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Janet Waldo	...	Penelope Pitstop (17 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Directed by
Joseph Barbera		(17 episodes, 1969-1970)
William Hanna		(17 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Writing credits
Michael Maltese		(1 episode, 1969)
Joe Ruby		(1 episode, 1969)
Ken Spears		(1 episode, 1969)

Series Produced by
Joseph Barbera	....	producer (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
William Hanna	....	producer (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Alex Lovy	....	associate producer (17 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Original Music by
Ted Nichols		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
David M. Horton		(unknown episodes)
Joe Sandusky		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Design by
Iwao Takamoto		(1 episode, 1969)

Series Production Management
Victor O. Schipek	....	production supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Earl Klein	....	story director (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Alex Lovy	....	story director (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Bill Perez	....	story director (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Howard Swift	....	story director (17 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Sound Department
Richard Olson	....	sound director (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
John Aardal	....	camera operator (1 episode, 1969)
George Epperson	....	camera operator (1 episode, 1969)
Charles Flekal	....	camera operator (1 episode, 1969)
Ralph Migliori	....	camera operator (1 episode, 1969)
Cliff Shirpser	....	camera operator (1 episode, 1969)
Dennis Weaver	....	camera operator (1 episode, 1969)

Series Animation Department
Walt Peregoy	....	background stylist (1 episode, 1969)
Fernando Arce	....	background artist (unknown episodes)
Ed Barge	....	animator (unknown episodes)
George Goepper	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Roberta Greutert	....	ink and paint supervisor (unknown episodes)
Jerry Hathcock	....	animator (unknown episodes)
David High	....	background artist (unknown episodes)
Jack Huber	....	layout artist (unknown episodes)
Willie Ito	....	layout artist (unknown episodes)
Volus Jones	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Dick Lundy	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Charles A. Nichols	....	animation director (unknown episodes)
Lance Nolley	....	layout artist (unknown episodes)
Ed Parks	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Cathy Patrick	....	background artist (unknown episodes)
Joel Seibel	....	layout artist (unknown episodes)
Terry Slade	....	layout artist (unknown episodes)
Grace Stanzell	....	layout artist (unknown episodes)
Takashi	....	layout artist (unknown episodes)
Robert 'Tiger' West	....	xerographer (unknown episodes)
Thelma Witmer	....	background artist (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Ted Nichols	....	musical director (1 episode, 1969)

Series Other crew
Frank Paiker	....	technical supervisor (unknown episodes)
Bill Perez	....	title designer (unknown episodes)
Robert Schaefer	....	titles (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Hanna-Barbera Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1969-1971)
• Taft H-B Program Sales (1977-1979)
• Telepictures Distribution (1996-)
• Turner Program Services (TPS) (1992-1996)
• Viacom (1970s) (non-USA) (TV)
• Warner Bros. Television (2000-) (worldwide) (all media)
• Worldvision Enterprises (1979-1992)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

30 min (17 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | USA:TV-G | Australia:G

Company:

Hanna-Barbera Productions

Trivia:

The members of the Ant Hill Mob are Clyde (the leader), Dum Dum, Pockets, Snoozy, Softy, Yak Yak, and Zippy.

Quotes:

Narrator:[Opening sequence] The Perils of Penelope Pitstop. Starring those 7 rollicking rescuers The Ant Hill Mob, their courageous car Chugaboom... and that villain of villains, The Hooded Claw. Penelope Pitstop, heiress to a vast fortune, is in perpetual peril from her fortune-seeking guardian Sylvester Sneakley, who, unknown to her, is really the Hooded Claw.
[The Hooded Claw laughs deviously]
Narrator:But foiling this fiend's foul plots are Penelope's everepresent protectors The Ant Hill Mob.
Sylvester Sneekly, a.k.a. 'The Hooded Claw':I'll get you, Penelope Pitstop!

Movie Connections:

Spin off from "Wacky Races" (1968)

So much fun!

The mark of a good show is always how much the technical staff and actors enjoy doing it. The DVD commentaries for this show prove it, as Janet Waldo (Penelope), Gary Owens (narrator) and Iwao Takamoto (designer) spend the whole time regaling us with wonderful anecdotes about Paul Lynde, Mel Blanc, Joe Barbera, and just how much fun was had during the production - fun they're still having just as much of from watching the episodes again over 35 years later.

The Wacky Races / Dastardly & Muttley / Penelope Pitstop triumvirate were also supremely blessed by the scripting elegance of Micheal Maltese, who years earlier had created the Road Runner and Coyote with Chuck Jones (and it shows in this series in particular with the Hooded Claw's ridiculously over-complicated Rude Goldberg traps).

This is the real joy of 'golden age' Hanna-Barbera (1968-1969 were the very best years, IMO); where the emphasis was in appealing character designs and the quality of the writing and voice-work, rather than what would look most sophisticated on the screen (although by 1960s TV animation standards, this is actually pretty good).

Still a classic so many years later, and a show that could really teach today's more turgid cartoons about giving your animators free reign to enjoy themselves so that everyone benefits in the end.