Herman and Katnip: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 17:33, 20 August 2025

Latest revision as of 20:57, 26 August 2025

Line 13:

}}

[[File:Mice-Capades_1952.ogg|thumb|''Mice-Capades'', the first episode in the series.]]

'''''Herman and Katnip''''' is a series of theatrical [[cartoons]] featuring Herman the Mouse and Katnip the Cat, produced by [[Famous Studios]] in the 1940s and 1950s.<ref name=":0">{{cite book |last1=Lenburg |first1=Jeff |title=The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons |date=1999 |publisher=Checkmark Books |isbn=0-8160-3831-7 |access-date=6 June 2020 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780816038312/page/90/mode/2up |pages=91–92}}</ref> [[Arnold Stang]] and [[Allen Swift]] were the regular voices of Herman,<ref name="Herman voice">{{cite web|title=Famous Studios 1954-55|url=https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/famous-studios-1954-55/|website=cartoonresearch.com|access-date=22 October 2020}}</ref> while [[Sid Raymond]] was the regular actor for Katnip, although one or both of the characters would occasionally be voiced by [[Jackson Beck]] and [[Jack Mercer]], respectively.

==History==

Line 38:

=== Herman’s cousins, nephews ===

Herman the mouse had several identical cousins who appeared in various shorts. These cousins include Reuben, Dubin, and Louie, three grey mice with red shorts. In addition to these, other unnamed mice also appear as Herman's cousins and relatives in earlier shorts, the mice were occasionally by various actors like [[Jack Mercer]] and [[Mae Questel]]. In every plot of the shorts, the mice are shown as victims, trying relaxing in a place, steal food, etc, when their usual nemesis Katnip shows up with intent of making certain that no mouse in the area enjoys anything, only when Herman arrives with the intent of violence against the cat, to protect his cousins. They also frequently appeared in [[Harvey Comics]]’ Herman and Katnip comic books in the 1950s to the 1970s.

Herman also had three nephews introduced in ''Of Mice and Menace'' (1954). In the shorts he takes his nephews to place like a penny arcade, a circus or a museum unaware that Katnip is on patrol. They only appeared in 3 cartoons together. One of the nephews, Murgatroyd made his final appearance in the ''Cat in the Act'' (1957).

=== Spike ===

Katnip would also have a kitten nephew named Kitnip who appeared in ''Felineous Assault'' (1959), Where he’s trying to teach Kitnip, the facts of feline life, especially the art of catching mice.

Spike is a muscular grey cat voiced by [[Jackson Beck]] who first appeared in ''A Bicep Built for Two'' (1955), another nemesis of Katnip. In the short Katnip's serenading of a girl cat is interrupted by Spike that runs him off and takes over. The love-lorn Katnip is determined to best Spike and enlists the aid of Herman.

Spike would make another appearance in the final short ''Katnip’s Big Day'' (1959).

===[[Buzzy the Crow|Buzzy]]===

Line 52 ⟶ 55:

Buzzy also frequently appeared in [[Harvey Films|Harvey Comics]]' ''[[Baby Huey]]'' comic books in the 1960s and 1970s, in a rivalry with a cat resembling Katnip but of a different color. Sometimes, this cat was named Katsy Cat.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.all-antique-books.com/book-43000-BUZZY-CROW-KATSY-CAT-1963-Wonder-Books-HARVEY-CARTOON |title=BUZZY CROW & KATSY CAT 1963 Wonder Books HARVEY CARTOON - All antique Books |access-date=2012-10-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150117234851/http://www.all-antique-books.com/book-43000-BUZZY-CROW-KATSY-CAT-1963-Wonder-Books-HARVEY-CARTOON |archive-date=2015-01-17 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Kitnip ===

Katnip would alsoKitnip haveis a kitten voiced by [[Mae Questel]] and Katnip’s nephew, namedhe Kitnipmade whohis appearedfirst appearance in ''Felineous Assault'' (1959), Wherewhere he’sKatnip is trying to teach Kitnip,him the facts of feline life, especially the art of catching mice.

Kitnip would appear in various [[Baby Huey|''Baby Huey'']] comic books from the 1960s, illustrated by [[Martin Taras|Marty Taras]].<ref name=":0" />

=== Finny ===

Katnip once had a short lived rivalry with Finny a small yellow [[goldfish]] whose vocal effects were provided by [[Jack Mercer]]. Finny was introduced in the 1952 [[Noveltoons|Noveltoon]], [[Noveltoons|''Feast and Furious'']]. Katnip is determined to make a meal out of Finny the Goldfish, when spied by the cat through the window. Katnip has various plans to catch the fish but fails. He then tries to roast him by focusing the sun's rays through a magnifying glass. Finny jumps into a bottle of [[Cooking Wine|cooking wine]]. Katnip tries to drink him out, and they both end up being intoxicated.

Finny would make appearances and cameos in other shorts like the 1952 Noveltoon, ''As the Crow Lies'' and the 1953 Herman and Katnip short, ''Of Mice and Magic.''

==Video==