Ruff and Reddy
Ruff = Smart cat. Reddy = Dumb dog. Professor Gizmo = Kindly
scientist.
Mission: To foil the plans of do-badders Killer & Diller,
the Terrible Texas Twins, Captain Greedy, Salt Water Daffy,
Chickasaurus, and the Goon of Glocca Morra.
This show was the first for the newly formed H-B Enterprises
(the future Hanna-Barbera), a company started by William Hanna and
Joseph Barbera when MGM shut down its animation department.
The move had its financial drawbacks. MGM's Tom & Jerry
had been budgeted at upwards of $40,000 per episode, but H and B
were allotted a paltry $2,800 for Ruff and Reddy.
Luckily, the show made up for its skimpy animation with
voiceovers by Daws Butler and Don Messick, two voice kings who
went on to become Hanna-Barbera essentials.
The show was initially hosted by Jimmy Blaine and his puppet
birds, Rhubarb the Parrot and Jose the Toucan. When the show began
rerunning in 1962, Captain Bob Cottle and his band of puppets -
Jasper, Gramps, and Mr. Answer - became the new hosts.
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