"The Littles" (1983) TV series 1983-

Writer:

John Peterson (books)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

10 September 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure

Tagline:

Here Come The Littles

Plot:

Animated series about a 13-year-old boy named Henry Bigg who goes on vacation and finds mouse-like creatures in his suitcase called Littles...

Plot Keywords:

Cult TV | Little Person | Friendship | House

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Jimmy Keegan	...	Henry Bigg (29 episodes, 1983-1985)
Bettina Bush	...	Lucy Little (29 episodes, 1983-1985)
Alvy Moore	...	Grandpa Little (29 episodes, 1983-1985)
Robert David Hall	...	Dinky Little / ... (29 episodes, 1983-1985)
Jacques Marin	...	Grand'Pa (29 episodes, 1983-1985)
Amélie Morin	...	Lucie (29 episodes, 1983-1985)
Odile Schmitt	...	Tom (29 episodes, 1983-1985)
Donavan Freberg	...	Tom Little (21 episodes, 1983-1984)
Patricia Parris	...	Helen Little (21 episodes, 1983-1984)
Gregg Berger	...	Frank Little (21 episodes, 1983-1984)
Paul Eiding		(21 episodes, 1983-1984)
Ken Sansom	...	Dr. Hunter / ... (21 episodes, 1983-1984)
Laurel Page	...	Mrs. Bigg (21 episodes, 1983-1984)
Erv Immeman		(21 episodes, 1983-1984)
Chris Benard	...	Charlie (19 episodes, 1983-1985)
Pat Fraley	...	Slick the Turtle (16 episodes, 1984-1985)
B.J. Ward	...	Ashley Little (16 episodes, 1984-1986)
Hal Smith	...	Mr. Finnigan (14 episodes, 1983-1985)
Mona Marshall		(13 episodes, 1983)
John Stephenson		(13 episodes, 1983)
Candace Craig		(13 episodes, 1983)
Jonathan Goldsmith		(13 episodes, 1983)
Marilyn Schreffler		(13 episodes, 1983)
Russi Taylor		(13 episodes, 1983)
Frank Welker	...	Slick the Turtle (13 episodes, 1983)
David Hollander		(13 episodes, 1983)
Damien Boisseau	...	Eric Legrand (13 episodes, 1983-1984)

Series Directed by
Bernard Deyriès		(29 episodes, 1983-1985)

Series Writing credits
Heywood Kling		(29 episodes, 1983-1985)
Jeffrey Scott		(15 episodes, 1983-1984)
Jack Olesker		(5 episodes, 1984-1985)
Marc Scott Zicree		(3 episodes, 1984-1985)
Michael Reaves		(2 episodes, 1984-1985)
John Peterson		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Jean Chalopin	....	executive producer / producer (29 episodes, 1983-1985)
Andy Heyward	....	executive producer / producer (29 episodes, 1983-1985)
Tetsuo Katayama	....	producer (29 episodes, 1983-1985)
Shigeru Akagawa	....	assistant supervising producer (13 episodes, 1983)
Valerie Gifford	....	associate producer (8 episodes, 1984)
JoEllyn Marlow	....	associate producer (8 episodes, 1985)

Series Original Music by
Shuki Levy		(29 episodes, 1983-1985)
Haim Saban		(29 episodes, 1983-1985)

Series Cinematography by
Hajime Hasegawa		(13 episodes, 1983)
Akio Saitô		(8 episodes, 1984)

Series Film Editing by
Shûichi Kakesu		(16 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Art Direction by
Masazumi Matsumiya		(8 episodes, 1984)
Shichirô Kobayashi		(8 episodes, 1985)

Series Production Management
Tetsuo Katayama	....	production supervisor (29 episodes, 1983-1985)
William R. Kowalchuk Jr.	....	executive in charge of post-production (16 episodes, 1984-1985)
Jaimie Bennett	....	production manager (13 episodes, 1983)
Marsha Goodman	....	post-production supervisor (13 episodes, 1983)
Yoichi Ikeda	....	production manager (13 episodes, 1983)
Nobuo Inada	....	production manager (13 episodes, 1983)
Marilyn Kowalchuk	....	production manager (13 episodes, 1983)
Laurent Omont	....	production manager (13 episodes, 1983)
Nicole Pascal	....	production manager (13 episodes, 1983)
Suzanne Remiot	....	production manager (13 episodes, 1983)
Max Saldinger	....	production manager (13 episodes, 1983)
Thierry P. Laurin	....	executive in charge of production (8 episodes, 1984)
Shigeru Akagawa	....	assistant production supervisor (8 episodes, 1985)
Masanori Miura	....	assistant production supervisor (8 episodes, 1985)
Kevin O'Donnell	....	executive in charge of production (8 episodes, 1985)
Lida Saskova	....	post-production supervisor (8 episodes, 1985)
Hiroshi Toita	....	assistant production supervisor (8 episodes, 1985)
Bonnie Sehenuk	....	post-production supervisor (6 episodes, 1985)
Phil R. Defibaugh	....	post-production supervisor (2 episodes, 1985)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Keiji Hayakawa	....	unit director (8 episodes, 1985)
Takaya Mizutani	....	unit director (8 episodes, 1985)
Yoshihiro Takamoto	....	unit director (8 episodes, 1985)
Takashi Watanabe	....	unit director (8 episodes, 1985)

Series Art Department
Christian Choquet	....	storyboard artist (21 episodes, 1983-1984)
Keiichi Koike	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1983)
Rafaella Lombardi	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1983)
Mike Reyna	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1983)
Rhoydon Shishido	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1983)
Hideo Takayashiki	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1983)
Ulf Thelander	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1983)
Douglas Vandegrift	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1983)
Jack White	....	storyboard artist (13 episodes, 1983)
Maija Aperans	....	storyboard artist (8 episodes, 1984)
Kelly Asbury	....	storyboard artist (8 episodes, 1984)
Robert Dranko	....	storyboard artist (8 episodes, 1984)
Chuck Harvey	....	storyboard artist (8 episodes, 1984)
Mauro Maressa	....	storyboard artist (8 episodes, 1984)
Roy Wilson	....	storyboard artist (8 episodes, 1984)
Douglas McCarthy	....	storyboard artist (8 episodes, 1985)
Brad Rader	....	storyboard artist (8 episodes, 1985)

Series Sound Department
Gary Lewis	....	exposure sheets / sound editor (21 episodes, 1983-1985)
Michael J. Cowan	....	sound engineer (16 episodes, 1984-1985)
Craig S. Jaeger	....	sound effects editor (8 episodes, 1984)
Charlie King	....	sound effects editor (8 episodes, 1984)
Linda Davies	....	dialogue editor (8 episodes, 1985)
Joanne Fink	....	recording assistant (8 episodes, 1985)
Kelly Hall	....	dialogue editor (8 episodes, 1985)
Armetta Jackson-Hamlett	....	sound editor (8 episodes, 1985)
Woody Yocum	....	dialogue editor (8 episodes, 1985)
Robert S. Birchard	....	sound effects editor (6 episodes, 1983)
Jeffrey J. Haboush	....	sound re-recording mixer (6 episodes, 1983)
William R. Kowalchuk Jr.	....	sound editor (6 episodes, 1983)
Theresa Gilroy-Nielsen	....	sound editor (6 episodes, 1985)
Irwin Cadden	....	sound editor (2 episodes, 1985)
Walt Sturgeon	....	sound engineer (2 episodes, 1985)
Paul J. Diller	....	sound recordist (unknown episodes)

Series Animation Department
Christian Choquet	....	character designer (29 episodes, 1983-1985)
Edouard David	....	character designer (29 episodes, 1983-1985)
Michel Simon	....	character designer / background director (29 episodes, 1983-1985)
Kazumi Fukushima	....	animation director (21 episodes, 1983-1984)
Vincent Gassies	....	character designer (21 episodes, 1983-1984)
Olivier Pillard	....	character designer (21 episodes, 1983-1984)
Michiko Ikeuchi	....	painting director (13 episodes, 1983)
Shinichi Ishida	....	animation director (13 episodes, 1983)
Tsutomu Ishigaki	....	background director (13 episodes, 1983)
Kazuo Terada	....	animation director (13 episodes, 1983)
Shunji Ôga	....	animation director (13 episodes, 1983)
Gensho Kiyoyama	....	layout artist (8 episodes, 1984)
Chûji Nakajima	....	layout artist (8 episodes, 1984)
Hidemi Nakama	....	color key artist (8 episodes, 1984)
Keizo Shimizu	....	layout artist (8 episodes, 1984)
Junzaburo Takahata	....	layout artist (8 episodes, 1984)
Ed Wexler	....	character designer (8 episodes, 1984)
Kathy Altieri	....	key background designer (8 episodes, 1985)
Ted Blackman	....	character designer (8 episodes, 1985)
Noboru Furuse	....	layout artist (8 episodes, 1985)
Kit Harper	....	color stylist (8 episodes, 1985)
Douglas McCarthy	....	character designer (8 episodes, 1985)
Kyosuke Mikuriya	....	animation director (8 episodes, 1985)
Joe Pearson	....	key background designer (8 episodes, 1985)
Valerie Reed	....	color stylist (8 episodes, 1985)
Masami Suda	....	layout artist (8 episodes, 1985)
Tsukasa Tannai	....	layout artist (8 episodes, 1985)
Hatsuki Tsuji	....	layout artist (8 episodes, 1985)
Takashi Watanabe	....	unit director (8 episodes, 1985)
Shôjurô Yamauchi	....	layout artist (8 episodes, 1985)

Series Editorial Department
James Briley	....	show editor / format editor (27 episodes, 1983-1985)
Dana Binder	....	videotape supervisor (13 episodes, 1983)
Philippe Kotlarski	....	editing director (13 episodes, 1983)
Masatoshi Tsurubuchi	....	editing director (13 episodes, 1983)
Robert S. Birchard	....	editorial supervisor (8 episodes, 1984)
Shelley Brown	....	assistant editor (8 episodes, 1984)
Ric Eisman	....	videotape supervisor (8 episodes, 1984)
Elvida Abella	....	videotape supervisor (8 episodes, 1985)
Phil R. Defibaugh	....	videotape supervisor (8 episodes, 1985)
Lars Floden	....	format editor / post-production coordinator (8 episodes, 1985)
Robert Hudson	....	assistant editor (8 episodes, 1985)
Rob Rule	....	assistant editor (6 episodes, 1985)
Lida Saskova	....	editorial supervisor (2 episodes, 1985)

Series Music Department
Marty Wereski	....	music supervisor / music editor (16 episodes, 1984-1985)
Sam Horta	....	music editor (13 episodes, 1983)

Series Other crew
Jean Chalopin	....	creative supervisor (29 episodes, 1983-1985)
Lori Crawford	....	assistant: Jean Chalopin / script coordinator (16 episodes, 1984-1985)
Marsha Goodman	....	production assistant / talent coordinator / ... (16 episodes, 1984-1985)
Jeffrey Scott	....	story editor (13 episodes, 1983)
Eva Maria Hesse	....	production assistant (8 episodes, 1984)
Ginny McSwain	....	voice director (8 episodes, 1984)
Victor Villegas	....	production assistant (8 episodes, 1984)
Hatsue Abe	....	production assistant (8 episodes, 1985)
Gail Forest	....	production assistant (8 episodes, 1985)
Shûkichi Kanda	....	production assistant (8 episodes, 1985)
Kengo Kimura	....	production assistant (8 episodes, 1985)
Tricia Piascik-Getz	....	production assistant (8 episodes, 1985)
Ikuro Sato	....	production assistant (8 episodes, 1985)
Donald P. Zappala	....	production coordinator (8 episodes, 1985)
Rita Rokisky	....	assistant to director (6 episodes, 1984)

Production Companies

• ABC Entertainment
• DiC Enterprises

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
• DiC Enterprises
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (complete series)
• S'more Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD) (complete series)
• Saban International (2003-)
• Toon Disney (1998-2002) (USA) (TV)
• Tribune Entertainment (2003-) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• Tokyo Movie Shinsha (TMS)  animation (uncredited)
• Animation City Editorial Services  post-production
• B & B Sound Studios  re-recorded at (1983-1984)
• B & B Sound Studios  recorded at (1984-1985)
• Cinepost  sound editing (1983) (as Cinepost Inc.)
• Easy World  color styling (1985)
• L.A. Studios, The  recorded at (1985) (as LA Studios)
• Sound FX  sound effects (1983)
• Sound Trax Studios  recorded at (1983) (as Soundtraxx Studio)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

30 min (29 episodes)

Country:

USA | France | Japan

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-Y

Company:

ABC Entertainment

Trivia:

Hunter's assistant's name is Peterson, a possible reference to "The Littles" book series writer John Peterson.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Here Come the Littles (1985)

Soundtrack:

Here Come The Littles

Little People, Big Fun!

I remember watching this show when it was new--I was 8 years old at the time, about the same age as Lucy Little, and I totally identified with her. At the time I thought it was just a fun show about little (REALLY little!) kids that were just like me, in a way. Recently I found it again in syndication and I'm relieved to find out that one of my childhood favourites _has_ aged well.

"The Littles" is a very creative cartoon, and gives great attention to details. For one thing, every time they do a scene from the Littles' point of view (which is often), the animators had to draw ordinary objects blown up to many times their size, which requires a lot of detail work (i.e, every single individual strand on a piece of string, the holes on a piece of printer paper, etc.) Another detail that I like is that the Littles are mostly drawn as having a sort of late 1800's/early 1900's style to their clothes, technology, etc. For example, Tom dresses kind of like a "Newsie", Dinky's outfit is that of a WWI flying ace rather than a _modern_ pilot, and the kids' home-made bicycles (which use _bottle caps_ for wheels) have the front wheel much bigger than the back, like a 19th-century style bike. This lends a colorful little touch of...quaintness to the look of the show and adds to the Littles' "otherworldly" feel.

And then there's the characters, none of whom are one-dimensional clichés. The main one I remembered from back then (besides Lucy) has gotta be the dippy, accident-prone aviator Cousin Dinky--and watching it again, I can see why. He is just plain _hilarious_--constantly bragging about being an expert at things he's never done, insanely daring one second but cowardly the next, seemingly unfazed by crashing his plane (which happens _often_. Well, you know what they say...any crash you can walk away from...) And while he normally seems stupid or at least "out of it", he can sometimes be the only one who picks up on an important clue. Personality-wise, he _strongly_ reminds me of Launchpad McQuack, from "DuckTales"/"Darkwing Duck"...but since "The Littles" was first, I guess we gotta call Dinky the "prototype" of LP, huh? (Heck, the way Grandpa always insults Dinky even sounds like the way Scrooge McDuck always yells at LP...)

The other characters shine no less brightly. Grandpa is not a feeble old coot, but instead a tough, experienced older gentleman with a sharp sense of adventure and an even sharper tongue! Tom is a bit hot-tempered and impulsive but has a heart underneath that, and Lucy is a tomboy who manages to be _sensible_ without coming across as cowardly. She's the kind of role-model more little girls these days could stand to grow up with. Even Henry, who's fairly bland, comes across as sympathetic because the other kids at his school consider him something of a loser.

All things considered, "The Littles" may not be one of the greatest cartoons of all time, no, but it is detailed, creative, and _does_ hold up well over time. If you haven't caught this one on syndication yet, give it a look--because, like the tiny people themselves, you never know when it might disappear.