What a Cartoon!

What a Cartoon!
File:WhatACartoonTitle.jpg Logo
Created by	Fred Seibert
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	63
Production
Running time	22 minutes
Original release
Network	Cartoon Network
Release	February 20, 1995 (1995-02-20) – August 25, 2000 (2000-08-25)

World Premiere Toons (later known as What a Cartoon! Show, now known as The Cartoon Cartoon Show), is the mid-1990s animation showcase that appeared on Cartoon Network. It served as the launching point for multiple animated shows including Dexter's Laboratory, Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken, The Powerpuff Girls, Courage the Cowardly Dog, and Mike, Lu & Og.

Overview

World Premiere Toons was an animation project conceived and produced by Fred Seibert, the original creative director of MTV and Nickelodeon who served as the president of Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc., prior to founding Frederator Studios. Its mission was to return creative power to animators and artists, by recreating the atmospheres that spawned the great cartoon characters of the mid-20th century. Each of 48 short cartoons mirrored the structure of a theatrical cartoon, with each film being based on an original storyboard drawn and written by its artist/creator.

Each of the shows' creators worked with the internal Hanna-Barbera "Creative Corps" Art Director Jesse Stagg and designer Kelly Wheeler to craft a series of high quality, limited edition, fluorescent art posters. The Corps launched a prolonged Guerrilla mailing campaign, targeting animation heavyweights and critics leading up to the launch of World Premiere Toons. The first poster campaign of its kind introduced the world to the groundbreaking new stable of characters.

Shorts

The first World Premiere Toon broadcast in its entirety was The Powerpuff Girls in Meat Fuzzy Lumpkins, which made its world premiere on February 20, 1995 during a television special called the World Premiere Toon-In (termed "President's Day Nightmare" by its producers, Williams Street). The special was hosted by Space Ghost and the cast of Space Ghost: Coast to Coast, and featured comic interviews and a mock contest with the creators of the various cartoons. The Toon-In was simulcast on Cartoon Network, TBS Superstation, and TNT. The special, without the Powerpuff Girls cartoon or any of the clips from the other WPT cartoons featured in the special, was later included in the Space Ghost: Coast to Coast Volume 3 DVD. The version with the other WPT cartoons was eariler included on Cartoon Network Video videotapes. Most of the WAC shorts that were voted into shows had more than 1 short. In fact, Cow and Chicken and Courage the Cowardly Dog were the only exceptions. Shake & Flick (a WAC short set in Rome about a conceited poodle and a ferocious flea) was nominated for a run by Cartoon Network, but it was Johnny Bravo that won the contract. Shake & Flick, however, still received popular reception even though it never went past being a one-shot, and Cartoon Network never found the proper way to continue it past its WAC pilot.

File:WhatACartoon.JPG

The most recent What A Cartoon! logo.

The What a Cartoon! experiment introduced many of today's top animation talent and was repeated several times. The Big Cartoon DataBase cites What a Cartoon!/World Premiere Toons as a "venture combining classic 1940s production methods with the originality, enthusiasm and comedy of the 1990s." A similar program, also created by Fred Seibert, was introduced on Nickelodeon in 1998, titled Oh Yeah! Cartoons. Two years before in 1996, another Nickelodeon show premiered similar to the show known as KaBlam!.

The What a Cartoon! shorts ended with silent clips of the cartoons squeezed in with the credits and sometimes the cartoon's full title would show up along with the clips above the credits. A vast majority of the shorts have never received their own runs as series on the Cartoon Network schedule (especially if the short only had one original What a Cartoon! pilot). In fact, some shorts were even created as the type that were better off as one shots and would never perform well beyond stand alone status (like Awfully Lucky which centered around a pearl that granted good luck, and bad luck following each moment of good luck it brought). However, Cartoon Network launched I Am Weasel in 1997 and Ed, Edd n Eddy in 1999 with no What a Cartoon! short making them, the 2 only all original Cartoon Network programs during the 90s not to be introduced through an original short. More recently, the pilot shorts appearing on Cartoon Network's viewer's poll, which lost votes (excluding Whatever Happened to Robot Jones?) were retconned into The Cartoon Cartoon Show anthology.

Episode list

Animator	Episode title	Characters introduced	Plot synopsis	Cast	Additional information and/or release date	Success/Flop
Joe Orrantia & Elizabeth Stonecypher	Podunk Possum - One Step Beyond	Podunk Possum, Major Portions	A possum named Podunk acquires an abandoned farm with 3 chickens to lay eggs for him, and has to defend them from a fried chicken titan, Major Portions. However, he is unaware of a major alien conspiracy.	Denver Pyle as Podunk Possum	July 1, 1997	Flop
Genndy Tartakovsky	Dexter's Laboratory	Dexter, Dee-Dee, and Mom	Dee-Dee and Dexter battle turning each other into animals, using Dexter's latest invention.	Christine Cavanaugh as Dexter Allison Moore as Dee Dee Kath Soucie as Mom	February 26, 1995	Success
	The Big Sister		Dexter prevents giant Dee-Dee from attacking the city.	Christine Cavanaugh as Dexter Allison Moore as Dee Dee Kath Soucie as Mom Jeff Bennett as Professor Frank Welker as President and Albert Einstein	Marked First appearance of Dexo-Robo. Released on March 10, 1996. It was also shown on the VHS release of Cats Don't Dance.
	Old Man Dexter	Dad	Dexter wants to be older so he can stay up late watching TV with his family.	Christine Cavanaugh as Dexter Allison Moore as Dee Dee Kath Soucie as Mom Jeff Bennett as Dad	March 17, 1996
	Dimwit Dexter		Dexter has a mental lapse due to brain exhaustion and acts like a baby.	Christine Cavanaugh as Dexter Allison Moore as Dee Dee	April 14, 1996
David Feiss	No Smoking	Cow, Chicken and the Red Guy (originally known as the Devil).	When Chicken is tricked into smoking by the Devil and is dragged to his lair, his sister Cow must save him as Super Cow.	Charlie Adler as Cow, Chicken, Red Guy Candi Milo as Mom Dee Bradley Baker as Dad Jess Harnell as Cerberus	Released in November 12, 1995. This episode was nominated for an Emmy.
	Lost Cat		A crazy talking purple cat is reeking havoc in town.	Phil LaMarr as Lost Cat Mary Gross as Nancy Mouse Dee Bradley Baker as George Lieberman, Seymour Tom Kenny as Man Candi Milo as Additional Voices	May 18, 2000, David Feiss' final cartoon for Cartoon Network.	Flop
Tom Warburton	Diseasy Does It!	Kenny, Chimpy	Kenny and Chimpy are hired by Professor XXXL to do chores in his horrible disease storage laboratory, and everyone knows that chimps just aren't careful.	Tom Kenny as Kenny Gregg Berger as Phone Voice Eddie Deezen as Ice Cream Man Candi Milo as Salmonella Fitzgerald Frank Welker as Professor XXXL Dee Bradley Baker as Chimpy (uncredited)	Was the prototype for Codename: Kids Next Door. Professor XXXL would then reappear as a recurring character in that show. May 5, 1996	Success
Van Partible	Johnny Bravo	Johnny Bravo.	Johnny Bravo tries to score with a zookeeper girl by capturing a runaway gorilla.	Jeff Bennett as Johnny Bravo Soleil Moon Frye as Mary Maurice LaMarche as Fat Mugger Pat Musick as Grandma Roger Rose as Gorilla Mae Whitman as Little Girl	March 26, 1995
	Johnny Bravo and the Amazon Women		Johnny Bravo is left stranded in an island filled with beautiful tall women, and their bodyguard elephant.	Jeff Bennett as Johnny Bravo Roger Rose as Christopher the Elephant	January 1, 1997
	Mr. Monkeyman	Jungle Boy, King Raymond.	Jealous King Raymond stains the hero Jungle Boy's reputation by impersonating him and causing mayhem.	Mark Hamill as King Raymond, Rhino Maurice LaMarche as Narrator Candi Milo as News Reporter Michael McKean as Rupert	October 9, 1996
Craig McCracken	Meat Fuzzy Lumpkins	The Powerpuff Girls, Fuzzy Lumpkins.	The Powerpuff Girls fight to stop Fuzzy Lumkins' plot to turn everything into meat.	Cathy Cavadini as Blossom Tara Strong as Bubbles Elizabeth Daily as Buttercup Jim Cummings as Mayor of Townsville, Fuzzy Lumpkins Jennifer Hale as Miss Keane	February 20, 1995
	Crime 101	The Amoeba Boys	The girls aid bumbling Amoeba Boys in becoming able criminals.	Cathy Cavadini as Blossom Tara Strong as Bubbles Elizabeth Daily as Buttercup Chuck McCann as Amoeba Boys Jeff Bennett as Judge, Police Chief	January 28, 1996
Butch Hartman	Short Pfuse	Pfish and Chip.	A carefree shark named Pfish and a short tempered lynx named Chip attempt to stop their foe, The squeaky laughing Mad Bomber. The only problem is their chief needs to take his nap and demands quiet.	Robert Picardo as Pfish Butch Hartman as Chip Jeff Bennett as Police Chief Pat Fraley as Mad Bomber	July 9, 1995	Flop
	Blammo, the Clown		The bomb squad face a clown bomber with several gag bombs. They also find themselves taking care of the chief's teddy bear while he's at the circus with his mother.	Robert Picardo as Pfish Butch Hartman as Chip Jeff Bennett as Police Chief	March 19, 1997
	Hillbilly Blue	Eustace and Mordechai.	Crawdad Eustace is fed-up with being treated as food and goes with possum pal Mordechai on a cross-country trip to New Orleans and being "served" in royal fashion.	Jeff Bennett as Crawdad Eustace Elvis Presley Charlie Adler as Mordechai, Waiter, Man #2 Jim Cummings as Trucker, French Chef, Fat Guy, Colonel Rob Paulsen as Cook, Cop, Health Inspector, Woman	Features several appearances by Elvis, a notable trademark in Hartman's The Fairly OddParents. Released on August 21, 1996.
	Gramps	Gramps, his grandchildren.	Gramps tells his grandchildren about his battle against invading aliens, and gets corrected by the children repeatedly.	Rob Paulsen as Gramps, Alien Co-Pilot, Mule Charlie Adler as Alien Dad, Alien Grandfather, Terrified Man, Wimpy Alien Christine Cavanaugh as Alien Kid #2 Julianne Davis as Female President Neil Dickson as Alien Leader, Sphinx Kath Soucie as Alien Kid #1	September 1, 1996
Seth MacFarlane	Larry and Steve	Larry and Steve.	Steve, a homeless dog, is adopted by dimwit Larry (the only man to understand what he's saying), and lives disaster after disaster when Larry takes him shopping.	Seth MacFarlane as Larry, Steve, Old Man, Pilot, Ricky, Redneck, Scotsman, Kid in Pound Lori Alan as Cindy, Loudspeaker Voice	Style developed into MacFarlane's Family Guy. Released on April 20, 1997.	Success, later became Family Guy two years later.
John R. Dilworth	The Chicken From Outer Space	Courage the Cowardly Dog, Muriel Bagge and Eustace Bagge (Courage's owners)	A fearful dog tries to stop an alien chicken's plans to invade Earth while in his owners' farm.	Howard Hoffman as Courage, Muriel Bagg, Eustace Bagg, Chicken	Nominated for Oscar. Released on December 31, 1995.	Success
Zac Moncrief	Lost Control	Godfrey and Zeek.	A giraffe and a pig leave their zoo home and visit a residual water treatment plant to retrieve the remote control they accidentally flushed down the toilet.	Tom Kenny as Godfrey, Lab Geek Rob Paulsen as Zeek, Plunger Boy, Executive Candi Milo as Poopsie	October 16, 1996	Flop
Paul Parducci, James Giordano & R.J. Reiley	Home Sweet Home	Zoonatiks, Mr. Hackensack.	A bear named Bill, a monkey named Knuckles and a turtle named Shelby try to enter the all-star Hackensack Zoo and fit their accommodations.	Paul Parducci as Bill the Bear, Circus Barber, Shamulz, Lilé Shamulz, Bystander #1 James Giordano as Shelby Turtle, Lothar Fan, Mr. Buzzy Prescott, Hot Dog Vendor, Bystander #2 R.J. Reiley as Knuckles J. Monkey, Lothar, Siberian Postal Worker, Kid, Bystander #3	This short is animated in style of the 1990s Nick at Nite bumpers. Released on February 15, 1997.
Jon McClenahan	Drip Dry Drips	Fat Cats.	Brothers Louie and Elmo set a laundry business, expecting to earn some cash. They get a request from the President, but accidentally destroy his suit.	Ken Hudson Campbell as Louie Hank Azaria as Elmo Doug James as President	July 16, 1995
Mikhail Shindel	Mike, Lu & Og	Mike, Lu, Og.	A cast away girl named Mike asks for native inventor Og to build a car to get across the island. He also builds a specially improved model for princess Lu, which runs too fast for her.	Nika Futterman as Mike Nancy Cartwright as Lu Dee Bradley Baker as Og	April 28, 1996
William Hanna	Wind-Up Wolf	Updated versions of the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf.	The Big Bad Wolf uses his robot minion to finally get the Three Little Pigs.	Dee Bradley Baker as Big Bad Wolf, Wind-Up Wolf, Pig #2 Jeannie Elias as Pig #1, Pig #3, Cooking Show Host	The Jetsons make a cameo in this short. Released on May 14, 1995.	Flop
	Hard Luck Duck	Hard Luck Duck, Crocodile Harley.	Hard Luck Duck, after venturing away from Crocodile Harley's watch, is a hungry fox's target to be cooked.	Russi Taylor as Hard Luck Duck Brad Garrett as Harley Crocodile Jim Cummings as Fox	Slight similarity to Yakky Doodle. Released on April 16, 1995.
Joseph Barbera	Stay Out	The Flintstones' Dino.	Dino tries to keep the house cat outside for the night.	Frank Welker as Dino Henry Corden as Fred Flintstone Jean Vander Pyl as Wilma Flintstone	March 19, 1995	Success, later became the basis to Cave Kids
	The Great Egg-Scape		Dino takes care of a baby dinosaur, and tries to prevent him for growing more.	Frank Welker as Dino, Older Baby, Siren Russi Taylor as Baby Nick Jameson as Guard Bird, Dinosaur, Scientist Rob Paulsen as Cop Gary Owens as Announcer, Commander	March 5, 1997
Robert Alvarez	No Tip	Pizza Boy.	A delivery boy must deliver a pizza to Antarctica safe and sound and before times runs up, or else, he will receive no tip. After going through no end of danger to deliver it, he gets no tip and goes insane.	Gary Imhoff as Pizza Boy Phil Hayes as Pizza Boy's Dad Gregg Berger as Bear, Dog, Priest Brian Cummings as Male Eskimo, Guard, Alligator Candi Milo as Female Eskimo, Stewardess	January 1, 1996	Flop
	School Daze	Tumbleweed Tex.	A Wild West outlaw needs to finish the fourth grade, and deal with his obnoxious class rival, little Timmy.	Phil Hayes as Tumbleweed Tex Candi Milo as Timmy, Teacher Jim Cummings as Teacher	October 23, 1996
Charlie Bean, Carey Yost, and Don Shank	Buy One, Get One Free	Fix, Reilly, Flinch, Sophie	A man named Reilly gets a cat named Flinch in order to impress a female cat lover named Sofie and threatens that the cat that if there is a scratch on anything while he's away, he will send him to the violin factory. It won't be easy when Sophie leaves Flinch a feline playmate named Fix that ends up wrecking everything.	Kevin Michael Richardson as Flinch, Humane Society Thugs Greg Eagles as Fix Roger Rose as Reilley Lala Sloatman as Sophie	October 30, 1996
John McIntyre	Kitchen Casanova	Cassanova, Doris, Pudge	A first time cook is preparing a dinner for his date, but trouble arises when the wind flips the pages from his cookbook.	Carlos Alazraqui as Casanova Mary Kay Bergman as Doris Frank Welker as Pudge	November 6, 1996
C. Miles Thompson	Boid n' Woim	Boid, Woim	A worm hitch-hikes in the middle of the California desert alongside a Bird that secretely wants to eat him.	C. Miles Thomas as Boid Tom Fahn as Woim	August 13, 1997
Mike Milo	Bow Wow Buccaneers	Bloo's Gang (conformed by Bloo, Simon and Scully_	Bloo and his dog friends sneak out of their owner's houses at midnight to set on a pirate adventure in the city.	Mike Milo as Bloo, Scully Nick Jameson as Simon Frank Welker as Bloo's Owner, Elmo, Stinky	July 2, 1995
	Ignoramooses	Sherwood and Pomeroy	Two mooses (called Ignoramooses by a watching specialist) believe they're going to be adopted by a rich hunter, and wreak havoc in his manssion.	Tom Kenny as Sherwood Dee Bradley Baker as Pomeroy Jeff Bennett as Jimmy, Ed	November 13, 1996
Ralph Bakshi	Malcolm and Melvin	Malcolm and Melvin	Melvin is an alienated loser, until he meets Malcolm, a trumpetist cockroach.	Craig Marin as Malcom, Melvin, Singing Roach Barbara Rosenblat as Mother Jodi Daley as Singing Roach Kaz Silver as Singing Roach, Baby, West Village Girl Kathy Millar as Singing Roach Ralph Bakshi as Super Hero	November 28, 1997
	Babe, He Calls Me		Melvin's saga continues, as his partnership with Malcolm is compromised by an urban superhero's intrusion. Meanwhile, Melvin's mother aids a criminal after being unable to meet with her son.	Craig Marin as Malcom, Melvin, Singing Roach Barbara Rosenblat as Mother Jodi Daley as Wife, Girlfriend, Singing Roach Kaz Silver as Baby, West Village Girl, Singing Roach Kathy Millar as Sining Roach Ralph Bakshi as Super Hero	Bakshi disowned both shorts upon release on November 28, 1997.
Rob Renzetti	Interlude with a Vampire	Mina and the Count	The Count (presumably Count Dracula) is forced to play with a 7 year old girl in her room, after a mix-up in the schedule with his victims.	Ashley Johnson as Mina Parker Mark Hamill as Count Jeff Bennett as Igor Michael Bell as Mina's Dad	Sequels to this cartoon would be featured on season 2 of Oh Yeah! Cartoons making it the only short to appear in both cartoon variety shows. Released on November 5, 1995.	Success
Greg Miller	Whatever Happened to Robot Jones?	Robot Jones	Robot Jones collects information about students.		August 25, 2000	Success
Eddie Fitzgerald	Tales of Worm Paranoia	Johnny, the worm, and Sally, his girlfriend	Johnny is a peaceful and forgiving worm until a human steps on him repeatedly. As a result, the worm becomes paranoid and angered at the human race, seeking revenge.	Patrick Pinney as Johnny, Human Mary Gross as Johnny's Girlfriend	Style reminiscent of John Kricfalusi's The Ren and Stimpy Show. Kricfalusi is listed with a "Special Thanks" credit. Released on November 21, 1997.	Flop
Patrick A. Ventura	Short Orders	Yuckie Duck	Yuckie Duck works as a cook and waiter in a dirty restaurant, and delivers unappealing orders to the demanding customers.	Bill Kopp as Yuckie Duck Earl Kress as Diner Guy Marsha Clark as Woman Victor Love as Manager	March 5, 1995
	I'm On My Way	Yuckie Duck	Yuckie Duck works as a paramedic, but does more harm than good to his patients	Bill Kopp as Yuckie Duck T.K. Carter as Lion	August 6, 1995
	Out and About	Sledgehammer O'Possum	A troublemaking possum frustrates a dog's plans to enjoy a quiet summer day out.	T.K. Carter as Sledgehammer O'Possum Larry B. Scott as Dogg	March 19, 1995
	What's Goin' On Back There		Sledeghammer O'Possum takes shelter from the cold in a mailbox, much to the dismay of a mailman named Ethel who will stop at nothing to make him leave.	T.K. Carter as Sledgehammer O'Possum Kevyn Brackett as Ethel	February 8, 1997
	Look Out Below	George and Junior	A bird crashes a light bulb so it doesn't disturb his sleep and sits in the empty socket. George and Junior, the building's janitors/engineers, are sent to fix it.	John Rubinow as George Tony Pope as Junior Rob Paulsen as Pigeon	This short was a re-imagining of the original George and Junior cartoons. Released on April 9, 1995.
	George and Junior's Christmas Spectacular		George and Junior are forced to deliver Santa's presents to the kids, as they fail to deliver one of Santa's letters.	John Rubinow as George Tony Pope as Junior T.K. Carter as Santa Claus, Steve	August 6, 1995
Meinert Hansen	A Clean Getaway	Captain Buzz Cheeply, Slide	Captain Buzz Cheeply and his robot sidekick, Slide, must escape a planet whose inhabitants have abnormally sized foreheads but small sized brains, while finding a place to do their laundry.	Richard Dumont as Captain Buzz Cheeply Rick Jones as Slide George Morris as Narrator Paul Zakaib as Blubnoids	Was banned from most airings due to references to beer, but was still allowed to be shown at times. Released on June 25, 1995.
Jerry Reynolds and Russ Harris of Perennial Pictures Film Corporation	Rat in a Hot Tin Can	O. Ratz, Dave D. Fly	A rat and his fly companion try to find a place to stay for the night during winter in the city.	Harvey Korman as O. Ratz, Restaurant Owner Marvin Kaplan as Dave D. Fly Nancy Dussault as Woman	July 2, 1995
Don Jurwich, Jerry Eisenberg and Jim Ryan	Yoink! of the Yukon	Yoink	The mounted police of the Yukon has its uniforms stolen by a grizzly bear planning revenge on them when they skinned his animal friends. Yoink and Sergeant Thumbsworth Tharplung is sent to retrieve them.	Rob Paulsen as Yoink, Sergeant Thumbsworth Tharplung, Noof Bear Charlie Adler as Mountee Captain, Mountee Soldier, Porcupine	July 30, 1995
Eugene Mattos	Raw Deal in Rome	Shake and Flick	A flea named Flick has a personal agenda with a local performer, a Dog named Shake, in an anachronistic Rome setting.		Art direction by Butch Hartman. Was nominated to be adapted into a series, but lost to Johnny Bravo. Released on June 19, 1995.
Mike Wellins	Strange Things		A robot finds a job as a janitor, but winds up working for an obnoxious chief of security Mel. He also must remember that if it says "Dont Touch", don't touch.	Ronnie Schell as Mel B.J. Ward as Female Computer Voice, Stanley	A CGI short, the only one in the series not to use traditional animation. The character designs and storytelling somewhat resemble those of the Disney/Pixar movie Wall-E. Released on January 22, 1997.
Jeret Ochi and Victor Ortado	Snoot's New Squat	Snoot and Al	Snoot, the flea-like extraterrestrial who can imitate pop culture, finds a new home at a pain-suffering dog named Al who drives his doctor crazy.	Jeret Ochi as Snoot Jeff Bennett as Al Glenn Shadix as Doctor Derek Webster as Commander	Art direction by Butch Hartman, hence Snoot's commander bears similarities to Jorgen Von Strangle, the boss fairy from Hartman's Fairly Oddparents. A reference to the popular movie Forrest Gump is made by Snoot when Al runs away and he morphs into a girl and shouts the same way as Jenny does to Forrest. Released on April 21, 1996.
Bruno Bozzetto	Help?	Jof	A cat that pinches his finger while sewing asks for help at the hospital, but its ruthless personnel offer only pain.	Roberto Frattini as Jof	May 6, 1997
Davis Doi	Awfully Lucky	Luther	A geeky man named Luther finds the Paradox Pearl that gives him good luck and later brings bad luck.	Jim Cummings as Luther, Chief, Explorer #1 and #2 Charlie Adler as Doctor, Fisherman, Husband Nick Jameson as Chauffer, Cook, Old Man Nancy Linari as Native Girl, Sultry Woman	March 26, 1997

See also

• Oh Yeah! Cartoons on Nick
• Random! Cartoons also on Nick

External links

• Template:Bcdb
• What a Cartoon! at IMDb
• Template:Tv.com
• What a Cartoon! at Frederator