Cow and Chicken

Cow and Chicken is an American animated slapstick comedy TV series produced by Hanna-Barbera for Cartoon Network. It ran from 1997 to 1999, airing 52 episodes. When the series ended, its secondary segment, I Am Weasel, was spun off into its own full-fledged TV series in 1999.

An adolescent cow and chicken named Cow and Chicken live together as siblings with two human parents (whose upper halves are never shown). They also attend school and deal with the Red Guy, a spoof on the Devil.

Development
David Feiss brought the series to life after coming up with a bedtime story for his then six-year-old daughter. The morning after he remembered it, and drew a 25-page children's book out of it. When Hanna-Barbera called him for their 52-episode What a Cartoon! idea, he pitched them Cow and Chicken. They started off as life-long friends with a romantic interest, but they were changed to siblings. The parents and the Red Guy were also added; Feiss saw the Red Guy as the key to the show, "adding that extra element of chaos."

Casting
A hundred people were auditioned for the different parts, with Charlie Adler auditioning separately for Cow, Chicken, and the Red Guy. There was a "little pushback" from Cartoon Network who believed that each character should be played by a different actor, but Feiss reminded them of Mel Blanc.

Aftermath
"Buffalo Gals" was banned after being aired once because a female biker group implied to be lesbians using sexual innuendos. In reruns, it was replaced with "Orthodontic Police."

When the series finished, Cartoon Network tasked Feiss with writing a movie, who then did an outline with Michael Ryan, which involved them traveling and looking for something.

Segments

 * Cow and Chicken
 * I Am Weasel

Music
The theme song and score were composed by Guy Moon. The opening theme featured lyrics written by David Feiss. Bodie Chandler was the director of music production.

Theme song lyrics Chicken: Mama had a chicken. Cow: and Mama had a cow. Both: Dad was proud, he didn't care how.

Cow: Cow!

Chicken: Chicken!

Both: Cow and Chicken!

Cast

 * Charlie Adler as Cow, Chicken, and the Red Guy
 * Candi Milo as Mom
 * Dee Bradley Baker as Dad
 * Howard Morris as Flem
 * Dan Castellaneta as Earl

In popular culture

 * In "Once Upon a Toon", a segment of the MAD episode "Taking Nemo/Once Upon a Toon," Cow and Chicken have lost their memories and think they're actually animals. They join Henry Swan in restoring all the classic cartoons' memories.
 * In the Ben 10 Omniverse episode "Store 23," alien versions of Cow and Chicken can be seen waiting in line at Mr. Smoothy's. They leave after no one is at the register. Charlie Alder reprises both characters.
 * In the OK KO Let's be Heroes Crossover "Crossover Nexus," Chicken is one of Cartoon Network characters turned into stone and Cow (as Super Cow) is one of the characters Ben 10 transforms into.
 * In the 2022 Disney+ film Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers, a bootleg version of Cow is saved.