Cattanooga Cats, The (ABC 1969, Julie Bennett, Casey Kasem)

The Cattanooga Cats were a feline rock ‘n’ roll combo that included lead singer and dancer Kitty Jo, drummer Groovey, guitarist Country, and cellist Scoots. The group served as a lynchpin for the show by connecting several various segments with their musical fillers.

One such segment was Around the World in 79 Days, a loose, modernized adaptation of the Jules Verne classic. Teenagers Phileas Fogg Jr., Jenny, and Happy traveled the globe, hoping to win a million pounds if they completed the tour. Standing in their way was Crumden, his buffoonish sidekick Bumbler, and their pet monkey, Smirky.

The first season of Cattanooga Cats also included the characters Motor Mouse and Auto Cat, who were spun off into their own show in 1970. This segment featured the oversized Auto Cat competing against Motor Mouse in a series of car races. As with Tom and Jerry, the rodent always managed to beat the feline.

When Motor Mouse and Auto Cat bolted, they took with them another Cattanooga Cats segment, It’s the Wolf. In it, the vain and idiotic Mildew Wolf would endlessly chase cute little Lambsy, hoping to “have him over for dinner.” Lambsy, determined that winding up the wolf’s bill of faire would be entirely unfair, would yelp his famous tag-line: “It’s the wool-uff! It’s the wool-uff!”

The Cattanooga Cats ran for one more season after the departure of its component cartoons, airing only reruns.

production details
USA / ABC – Hanna Barbera / 17×25 minute episodes / Broadcast 6 September 1969 – 5 September 1971

Executive Producers: William Hanna, Joseph Barbera

cast
Julie Bennett as Chessie, Kitty Jo
Casey Kasem as Groovey
Jim Begg as Scootz
Bill Calloway as Country
Paul Lynde as Mildew Wolf
Daws Butler as Lambsey
Allan Melvin as Bristol Hound
Bruce Watson as Phineas Fogg, Jr.
Janet Waldo as Jenny Trent
Don Messick as Happy
Daws Butler as Crumdon
Allan Melvin as Bumbler
Dick Curtis as Motor Mouse
Marty Ingels as Auto Cat