The Perils of Penelope Pitstop
| The Perils of Penelope Pitstop | |
|---|---|
 On-screen title card. | |
| Network | CBS |
| Production company | Hanna-Barbera |
| Distributor | Taft Broadcasting |
| Original release | September 13, 1969—January 17, 1970 |
| Starring | Janet Waldo Mel Blanc Don Messick Paul Winchell Paul Lynde Gary Owens |
| Producer(s) | William Hanna Joseph Barbera Alex Lovy |
| Music composed by | Hoyt Curtin |
| Writer(s) | Joe Ruby Ken Spears Mike Maltese |
| Director(s) | William Hanna Joseph Barbera |
| Animation director(s) | Charles A. Nichols |
| Series navigation | |
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The Perils of Penelope Pitstop is an American animated comedy television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions for CBS' Saturday morning children's programming. It ran from 1969 to 1970, airing 17 episodes that spanned one season. It was the second spin-off from Wacky Races.
In the style of the silent movie era of melodrama cliffhangers, Penelope Pitstop must evade capture of the Hooded Claw and the Bully Brothers. The Hooded Claw is in fact really her guardian, Sylvester Sneekly. If Sylvester can do away with Penelope, he will receive her inheritance. She is often aided by the Ant Hill Mob, who have been converted from villainous mobsters to heroic Seven Dwarfs-types. Despite their best intentions, they end up in need of her help during their rescue of her, although despite her resourcefulness, she inevitably will always need to be the one saved.
The entire series has also been released on DVD.
Production
Development
Fred Silverman, head of children's programming for CBS, suggested the idea of spinning off the Wacky Racers based on the success of Wacky Races.[1] The Perils of Penelope Pitstop was inspired by the silent film serial The Peril of Pauline.[2]
Music
The theme song and score were composed by Hoyt Curtin, who was credited as the music director.
Episodes
| Episode | Original air date |
|---|---|
| 1x01 | September 13, 1969 |
| 1x02 | September 20, 1969 |
| 1x03 | September 27, 1969 |
| 1x04 | October 4, 1969 |
| 1x05 | October 11, 1969 |
| 1x06 | October 18, 1969 |
| 1x07 | October 25, 1969 |
| 1x08 | November 1, 1969 |
| 1x09 | November 8, 1969 |
| 1x10 | November 15, 1969 |
| 1x11 | November 22, 1969 |
| 1x12 | November 29, 1969 |
| 1x13 | December 6, 1969 |
| 1x14 | December 13, 1969 |
| 1x15 | December 20, 1969 |
| 1x16 | January 10, 1970 |
| 1x17 | January 17, 1970 |
Cast
- Janet Waldo as Penelope Pitstop
- Mel Blanc as Yak Yak, Chugga-Boom, and the Bully Brothers
- Don Messick as Dum Dum, Snoozy, Pockets, and Zippy
- Paul Winchell as Clyde and Softy
- Paul Lynde as Hooded Claw/Sylvester Sneekly
- Gary Owens as the Narrator
Legacy
The show's versions of the Ant Hill Mob would later reappear for the Yogi's Treasure Hunt episode "Yogi Bear on the Air."
In 2018, DC Comics published Scooby-Doo! Team-Up #41, which concluded the series with Penelope discovering the truth about her guardian.
In popular culture
- In the Animaniacs segment "Back in Style," Penelope Pit-A-Pat Stop is mentioned to have lost ratings by adding the Warner siblings.
- In "Episode 4" (series 2) of the BBC Radio 4 comedy sketch show Dead Ringers, Alistair Stewart presents Police Crash Bang Wallop (a parody of Police Camera Action!), in which Luke and Blubber, Professor Pat Pending, and Dick and Muttley are described as a bunch of boy racers who are flagrantly disregarding the rules of the road. They are said to be repentant, although Dick says, "Drat and double drat," followed by Muttley's snicker and laugh. As a crossover with Perils of Penelope Pitstop, Hooded Claw then joins the race to get Penelope.
References
- ^ Sennett, Ted (October 30, 1989). The Art of Hanna-Barbera, page 153. Viking Studio Books. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
- ^ Sennett, Ted (October 30, 1989). The Art of Hanna-Barbera, page 157. Viking Studio Books. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
