Synopsis of Saturday Morning Show

Ruff: Smart cat.

Reddy: Dumb dog.

Professor Gizmo: Kindly scientist.

Mission: To foil the plans of do-badders Killer & Diller, the Terrible Texas Twins, Captain Greedy, Salt Water Daffy, Chickasaurus, and the Goon of Glocca Morra.

This show was the first for the newly formed H-B Enterprises (the future Hanna-Barbera), a company started by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera when MGM shut down its animation department. The move had its financial drawbacks. MGM's Tom & Jerry had been budgeted at upwards of $40,000 per episode, but H and B were allotted a paltry $2,800 for Ruff and Reddy. Luckily, the show made up for its skimpy animation with voiceovers by Daws Butler and Don Messick, two voice kings who went on to become Hanna-Barbera essentials.

The show was initially hosted by Jimmy Blaine and his puppet birds, Rhubarb the Parrot and Jose the Toucan. When the show began rerunning in 1962, Captain Bob Cottle and his band of puppets—Jasper, Gramps, and Mr. Answer—became the new hosts.

 

Release History

12/14/57 - 10/8/60 NBC

TV Sub Categories

animated
comedy

TV Studio

Hanna-Barbera

Television Cast

Ruff Don Messick
Reddy Daws Butler
Jimmy Blaine Himself
Captain Bob Cottle Bob Cottle
Narrator John Stephenson

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