Underdog

Underdog was an animated superhero TV show that debuted on October 3, 1964 on the NBC network, and ran until 1973. Joe Harris created the character. Approximately 120 episodes were made.

Related Topics:
Animated - Superhero - TV show - October 3 - 1964 - NBC - 1973 - Joe Harris

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Produced by Leonardo/Total Television, "Underdog" was an anthropomorphic parody of Superman and similar heroes with secret identities. The premise was that "humble and lovable" Shoeshine Boy, a cartoon dog, was in truth the superhero Underdog. When villains theatened, Shoeshine Boy ducked into a telephone booth in which he transformed into the caped and costumed hero, destroying the booth in the process when his super powers sprung into being. Underdog, unlike Shoeshine Boy, almost always spoke in rhyme.

Related Topics:
Anthropomorphic - Parody - Superman - Heroes - Secret identities - Dog - Villains - Telephone booth - Rhyme

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:When Polly's in trouble, I am not slow,

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:So it's hip! hip! hip! and away I go.

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The villains almost always managed to menace "Sweet Polly Purebred," an anthropomorphic canine TV reporter as part of their nefarious schemes; she was a helpless damsel in distress most of the time, and had a habit of singing in a somewhat whining tone of voice, "Oh where, oh where has my Underdog gone?" when in jeopardy. Recurring villains included "Simon Bar Sinister," a mad scientist, his assistant "Cad" and "Riff Raff," an anthropomorphic wolf gangster.

Related Topics:
Damsel in distress - Mad scientist - Wolf - Gangster

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Unlike Superman, Underdog's super powers are not a natural part of his physical makeup. When he is not Underdog, he is incognito as a shoeshine boy and hurriedly dresses in a phone booth like Superman when trouble calls. More than a costume change, Shoeshine Boy must take an "Underdog Super Energy Vitamin Pill" to ignite his powers. He keeps one of these pills inside a special ring he wears at all times. Several episodes show Underdog losing the ring and being powerless until he gets it back since he must take another pill as his super powers begin to fail. When the series was syndicated in the 1980s and 1990s, the scenes of him actually taking his energy pill were edited out. Animation fans lambast this as a form of political correctness, as they believe the scenes were removed in order to prevent any glorification of drug use.

Related Topics:
1980s - 1990s - Political correctness

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Actor and comedian Wally Cox was the voice of Underdog and Shoeshine Boy. Norma McMillan played Sweet Polly Purebred.

Related Topics:
Wally Cox - Norma McMillan

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The show ran in two- or four-part serial episodes. Usually two brief episodes were shown in a single show along with various cartoon shorts like Go Go Gophers, King Leonardo and his Short Subjects, Klondike Kat, Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales and The World of Commander McBragg. With the possible exception of Tennessee Tuxedo who was voiced by Don Adams of Get Smart (and later Inspector Gadget) fame, none of these cartoons or characters ever reached Underdog's popularity. The show is also remembered for its clever and dramatic theme song.

Related Topics:
Serial - King Leonardo and his Short Subjects - Klondike Kat - Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales - The World of Commander McBragg - Don Adams - Get Smart - Inspector Gadget - Theme song

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Underdog was also on the ABC in Australia in February 18, 1966, and he appeared on some comic books and one Little Golden Book called Underdog and the Disappearing Ice Cream.

Related Topics:
Little Golden Book - Ice Cream

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Today, Underdog's balloon continues to be a recurring feature of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Underdog also recently appeared in a credit card commercial for the Visa Check Card.

Related Topics:
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - Visa - Check Card

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In 2005, Variety reported that a live action Underdog motion picture was in development by Disney and Spyglass Entertainment, with a script by Joe Piscatella and Craig A. Williams. Reportedly the film would center around "a diminutive hound named Shoeshine gets superpowers after a lab accident. When he's adopted by a 12-year-old boy, the two form a bond around the shared knowledge that Shoeshine is really Underdog." The movie is scheduled to start filming in Rhode Island in March of 2006.

Related Topics:
Variety - Disney - Spyglass Entertainment - Joe Piscatella - Craig A. Williams - Rhode Island

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