Heathcliff (1984 TV series)

Heathcliff (a.k.a. Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats) is a French-Canadian-American animated television series that debuted on September 5, 1984. It was the second series based on the Heathcliff comic strip and was produced by DiC Entertainment. It ran in syndication until 1988 with a total of 86 episodes. The first show based on the comic strip was Heathcliff and Dingbat / Heathcliff and Marmaduke, which debuted in 1980 and was produced by Ruby-Spears. The Catillacs Cats characters were created by Jean Chalopin and Bruno Bianchi. Animation was outsourced to many Japanese, Taiwanese, and Korean studios including TMS, Studio Korumi, Wang Film, Cuckoo's Nest, Mushi and others for the first season before DiC utilized their own, private Japanese studio to avoid paying other companies.

Mel Blanc provided the voice of Heathcliff.

Premise
The first season ran for 65 episodes while the second season ran for 21. Each episode included an additional segment featuring The Catillac Cats. While the series was on the air, the movie Heathcliff: The Movie, was released which was a compilation of segments.

Characters

 * Heathcliff: the title character, he is an orange street smart, comical, and trigger-happy cat who spends most of his time trying to turn a dustbin over onto people's heads. Heathcliff is a street cat who loves to fight anyone but will not fight girls. He is a trickster who will also lie, cheat and steal to get himself some food, but despite it all, he is a good guy and is always quick thinking. Heathcliff was voiced by Mel Blanc.


 * Sonja: Heathcliff's girlfriend, a fluffy white Persian cat, who wears a pink collar. Heathcliff is always trying to win Sonja over, although generally she is not usually too impressed with Heathcliff's antics as she is a far classier type of cat. Sonja would often date other male cats that Heathcliff would have to fight, but always ends hanging out and reconciling with him. Sonja was voiced by Marilyn Lightstone.


 * Knuckles: dressed in a pink hat and a red-and-black striped shirt, Knuckles and his henchman are not really Heathcliff's enemies — more like a group of cats that he constantly annoyed and/or bullied. More often than not they were after him, because he had tried to trick them in some way. Knuckles was voiced by Derek McGrath.


 * Spike: probably the closest thing to a nemesis that Heathcliff has, Spike, a bulldog, is nowhere near as clever as Heathcliff — all brawn and no brains. But despite being strong, he fears Heathcliff and was never able to overcome Heathcliff's trickery. Spike is owned by a neighborhood bully called Muggsy. Heathcliff is able to handle both of them when necessary. Spike was voiced by Derek McGrath.


 * Iggy Nutmeg: Heathcliff's owner who lives with his grandparents. Iggy sometimes takes Heathcliff to strange places and new locations for adventures. Iggy was voiced by Donna Christie.
 * Marcy: a small girl who lived in the same neighborhood as Iggy's family. Marcy always saw the best in Heathcliff and thought he was a little angel. She also loves to have Heathcliff ride in her baby doll carriage, which for the most part Heathcliff is more than happy to oblige. Marcy was voiced by Jeannie Elias.


 * Pop: Heathcliff's father, he is an orange cat, who is normally in and out of prison, as evident on the episode "Pop On Parole". Pop was voiced by Peter Cullen.


 * Grandpa Nutmeg: Iggy's grandpa. Grandpa often shows dislike to Heathcliff, but Iggy and Grandma usually come to Heathcliff's defense. Grandpa Nutmeg was voiced by Ted Zeigler.


 * Grandma Nutmeg: grandma cooks a lot and Heathcliff steals her food. Grandma, like Iggy and Marcy, thinks Heathcliff is an angel. Grandma Nutmeg was voiced by Marilyn Lightstone.


 * Ricky Peppercorn: loud mouthed restaurateur who occasionally tries to bargain with Heathcliff.

The Catillac Cats (Cats & Co.)
A gang of cats that played alongside Heathcliff. When Riff-Raff and Cleo are not around, three of the Catillac Cats are sometimes helping Heathcliff in some adventures or sometimes tease him. They drive a slick Cadillac which could transform into an RV and a boat. They live in a junkyard.


 * Riff-Raff: the boss, lives in a trashed airplane on top of a junk-pile while using a trapdoor for an exit. He is a small brown cat with a large white cap. Riff-Raff was voiced by Stanley Jones.


 * Hector: second-in-command, sometimes wanted to be leader. Insecure. His colors are brown, beige, and dark brown. Hector wears a headband, beige jumpsuit, and a neck-tie. He mainly drove the convertible Cadillac. Sometimes Wordsworth would drive. Hector was voiced by Danny Mann in a New Jersey accent.


 * Wordsworth: is a white cat on roller-skates, speaks in rhyme and always wears a yellow personal cassette player. Wordsworth is voiced by Stanley Jones.


 * Mungo: big, clumsy and not the sharpest tool in the box. He is a large cat with unique purple/blue/grey fur that wears a red tank top and a matching red beanie. The name was based on the character Mongo from the 1974 Mel Brooks film Blazing Saddles. Mungo was voiced by Ted Zeigler.


 * Cleo: Riff-Raff's love interest, most episodes focused around Riff-Raff trying to woo her. She lives in a musical instrument shop with Bush. She had an 1980s hairstyle and leg warmers. Cleo was voiced by Donna Christie.


 * Leroy: guard dog who lives in the junkyard with the Catillac Cats. Leroy was voiced by Ted Zeigler.


 * Bush: a loyal sheepdog who lived with Cleo in the music shop. Bush was voiced by Danny Wells.

Voices

 * Mel Blanc — Heathcliff
 * Donna Christie — Cleo, Iggy
 * Peter Cullen — Additional Voices (Season 1)
 * Jeannie Elias — Marcy, Willie
 * Stanley Jones — Riff-Raff, Wordsworth, Milkman
 * Marilyn Lightstone - Sonja, Grandma
 * Danny Mann — Hector, Fish Market Proprietor
 * Derek McGrath — Knuckles, Muggsy, Spike
 * Marilyn Schreffler — Additional Voices (Season 1)
 * Danny Wells — Bush, Raul
 * Ted Zeigler — Leroy, Mungo, Grandpa

Season 1 (1984–86)

 * 1) The Great Pussini / Kitty Kat Kennels
 * 2) Chauncey's Great Escape / Carnival Capers
 * 3) Mad Dog Catcher / Circus Beserkus
 * 4) Rebel Without a Claws / The Farming Life Ain't For Me
 * 5) Heathcliff's Middle Name / Wishful Thinking
 * 6) King of the Beasts / Cat Can Do
 * 7) Smoke Gets in my Eyes / Much Ado about Bedding
 * 8) City Slicker Cat / House of the Future
 * 9) Spike's Cousin / For the Birds
 * 10) Heathcliff's Pet / Swamp Fever
 * 11) Teed Off / Monstro vs. the Wolf Hound
 * 12) Say Cheese / Cat's Angels
 * 13) Meow Meow Island / Iron Cats
 * 14) Family Tree / Who's Got the Chocolate?
 * 15) Be Prepared / Cruisin' for a Bruisin'
 * 16) Heathcliff Gets Canned / Whackoed Out
 * 17) Brain Sprain / Cat Balloon
 * 18) May the Best Cat Win (possibly the pilot episode)/ Comedy Cats*
 * 19) Revenge of the Kitty / Jungle Vacation
 * 20) Hospital Heathcliff / Hector's Takeover
 * 21) Going Shopping / Cat in the Fat
 * 22) Wild Cat Heathcliff / Kitten Around
 * 23) Cat Burglar Heathcliff / Lucky's Unlucky Day
 * 24) The Blizzard Bandit / Harem Cat
 * 25) Kitten Smitten / Young Cat with a Horn
 * 26) The Gang's All Here / The Meowsic Goes Round & Round
 * 27) Snow Job / Condo Fever
 * 28) Heathcliff Pumps Iron / Mungo's Dilemma
 * 29) Heathcliff's Double / Big Foot
 * 30) Terrible Tammy / The Games of Love
 * 31) Big Top Bungling / Space Cats
 * 32) Lard Times / The Merry Pranksters
 * 33) Spike's Slave / Scaredy Cats
 * 34) Gopher Broke / A Camping We Will Go
 * 35) Where There's an Ill, There's a Way / Yes Sewer That's my Baby
 * 36) Soap Box Derby / A Better Mousetrap
 * 37) Bamboo Island / Superhero Mungo
 * 38) Butter Up! / Mungo Gets No Respect
 * 39) Sonja's Nephew / Dr. Mousetus
 * 40) Cat Food for Thought / Going South
 * 41) Phantom of the Garbage / Junkyard Flood
 * 42) Trombone Terror / The Other Woman
 * 43) Pop on Parole / The Babysitters
 * 44) The Siamese Twins / The Mungo Mash
 * 45) Copa-ca-Heathcliff / Leroy's in Love
 * 46) Used Pets / Search for a Star
 * 47) An Officer and an Alley-Cat / Hector Spector
 * 48) Service with a Smile / Junk Food
 * 49) Boom Boom Pussini / Beach Blanket Mungo
 * 50) Sealand Mania / Riff Raff the Gourmet
 * 51) The Super M.A.C. Menace / Journey to the Center of the Earth
 * 52) A Piece of the Rock / Divide and Clobber
 * 53) Flying High / Debutante Ball
 * 54) Heathcliff Reforms / Prehysteric Riff Raff
 * 55) Heathcliff's Surprise / The Big Break In
 * 56) The Catfather / The Big Swipe
 * 57) Tally-Ho Heathcliff / Cleo Moves In
 * 58) Granpda vs. Grandpa / The Big Game Hunter
 * 59) The Great Tuna Caper / Peco's Treasure
 * 60) The Baby Buggy Bad Guys / Riff Raff's Mom
 * 61) Momma's Back in Town / Trash Dance
 * 62) Claws / Hector the Detector
 * 63) Raiders of the Lost Cat / Mungo Lays an Egg
 * 64) The Home Wrecker / In Search of Catlantis
 * 65) Star or Tomeow-meow / Soccer Anyone?

Note: The DVD lists episode, May the Best Cat Win as first, and titles the episode Pilot.

Season 2 (1987–88)

 * 1) The Whitecliffs of Dover / Life Saver
 * 2) Nightmare in Beverly Hills / The Cat in the Iron Mask
 * 3) The Shrink / Brushing Up
 * 4) Dr. Heathcliff and Mr. Spike / Time Warped
 * 5) Spike's New Home / Mungo's Big Romance
 * 6) The Cat and the Pauper / Mungo of the Jungle
 * 7) In the Beginning / Catlympic Cats
 * 8) Rear Cat Window / Cat Days, Ninja Nights
 * 9) Something Fishy / Christmas Memories
 * 10) Heathcliff's Mom / Hockey Pucks
 * 11) Cat Day Afternoon / Hector Protector
 * 12) Feline Good / Off-Road Racer
 * 13) Spike's Coach / The Trojan Catillac
 * 14) Heathcliff Gets Framed / Repo Cat
 * 15) Missing in Action / Bag Cat Sings the Blues
 * 16) It's a Terrible Life / Leroy Gets Canned
 * 17) Hair of the Cat / Tenting Tonight
 * 18) The Fortune Teller / Cottontails, Chickens, & Colored Eggs
 * 19) Break an Egg / A Letter to Granny
 * 20) The New York City Sewer System / High Goon
 * 21) North Pole Cat / He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

Theme song
The theme was composed and written by Shuki Levy and Haim Saban and sung by Noam Kaniel.

Broadcast history
In the United States, the series was aired in national first-run syndication from September 5, 1984 until 1988, and reruns of the series were then aired on Nickelodeon from 1988 until 1993. It was rerun on Family Channel from 1993-1998 and Fox Family Channel from 1998 until 1999. From September 27, 2010 until September 23, 2011, reruns of the series were aired in the United States on the This Is for Kids block on This TV. In the U.K. the series aired on CBBC during the late 1980s and early 1990s, then it was repeated on Channel 4 until 1996, then in the early 2000s it was aired on Toon Disney in the United Kingdom. In the early 2000s, the show was aired in syndication in North American local channels in 2000, and was usually billed under the title Heathcliff Cats & Co. The series also aired in Japan. As of 2018, the series was seen weekdays on Starz Encore Family. It is currently being broadcast in Colombia through the digital channelTacho Pistacho.

According to an interview with Donna Christie, the voice for Iggy Nutmeg and Cleo, the series did not continue because of Mel Blanc's failing health.

DVD releases
On February 24, 2004, UAV Entertainment released two best-of collections with each set featuring nine select episodes from the series.

On May 25, 2004, Sterling Entertainment released Heathcliff: The Movie on DVD. However, this release is now out of print.

In the UK, there have been several volumes of Heathcliff released on DVD by Maximum Entertainment. These DVDs are now out of print.

On September 20, 2005, Shout! Factory and Sony BMG Music Entertainment released Heathcliff and The Catillac Cats in a 4-disc boxset featuring the first 24 episodes of the series in its original, complete and uncut television broadcast form. This release has been discontinued and is now out of print as Shout! Factory has lost the rights to the series.

Since 2007, NCircle Entertainment has released seven Heathcliff DVDs.

On February 21, 2012, Mill Creek Entertainment released Heathcliff- Season One, Volume 1 on DVD. This 3-disc set features the first 32 episodes from the Season 1. They also released a 10 episode best-of collection on that same day. Heathcliff- Season 1, Volume 2 was released on October 1, 2013, which contains the remaining 33 episodes from Season 1. As of 2015, these releases have been discontinued and are out of print.

On August 2, 2016, Mill Creek released Heathcliff - The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1 for the very first time. The 9-disc set contains all 86 episodes of the series, including the final 21 episodes which were previously unreleased.

The episode "Going Shopping / Cat in the Fat" was included as a bonus in the DVD release of the first half of the Beverly Hills Teens series.

In France, two more 4-disc sets were released under the French title of the series, Les Entrechats.

Movie
Heathcliff: The Movie was released to theaters on January 17, 1986, and subsequently on VHS in 1988 by Paramount Video. It includes seven segments from the original show:


 * Cat Food for Thought
 * Heathcliff's Double
 * The Siamese Twins
 * An Officer and an Alley Cat
 * The Catfather
 * Boom Boom Pussini
 * Pop on Parole