Cathy (TV special)

Last updated
Cathy
Created by Cathy Guisewite
Based on Cathy by Cathy Guisewite
Written byCathy Guisewite
Directed byEvert Brown
Voices of Kathleen Wilhoite
Robert F. Paulsen
Allison Argo
Shirley Mitchell
Emily Levine
Gregg Berger
Desiree Goyette
William L. Guisewite
Robert Towers
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producer Lee Mendelson
Producer Bill Melendez
EditorsChuck McCann
Julie Gustafson
Warren Taylor
Camera setupNick Vasu
Running time24 minutes
Production companiesMendelson–Melendez Productions
Universal Press Syndicate
Original release
Network CBS
ReleaseMay 15, 1987 (1987-05-15)
Related

Cathy is a 1987 animated television special based on the Cathy comic strip by Cathy Guisewite. [1] It features Kathleen Wilhoite as the voice of Cathy Andrews, and was written by Guisewite, executive-produced by Lee Mendelson, produced by Bill Melendez, and directed by Evert Brown.

Contents

The special won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program. It was followed by Cathy's Last Resort (1988) and Cathy's Valentine (1989).

Plot

Cathy Andrews is an unmarried woman who dreams of having both a career as president of a conglomerate and a relationship with "Mr. Right," a man who is sensitive, nurturing and sexy. While claiming the 1980s are a golden age to be single, she is envious seeing her friends becoming engaged in droves. She justifies her casual relationship with a man named Irving to her mother, but everyone is disappointed Irving will not be attending her workplace awards ceremony, where Cathy is nominated for employee of the year. One Saturday night, she visits Irving's apartment, to find he is entertaining another woman, Brenda. Although both women storm out on Irving, Cathy returns, and Irving attempts to explain himself. Despite momentarily thinking the affair was brief, Cathy looks into Irving's refrigerator and finds butter on a plate, lasagna and ice trays filled, and realizes it has gone on for weeks.

Cathy's friend Andrea takes her out to look for another man, despite her mother's insistence she stay in the apartment and wait for Irving to call. When Cathy returns, she is disappointed to find her answering machine blank. After a failed attempt to look through personal ads, she accepts a blind date, but Andrea drives the man away with mace when he arrives, sees them both, and jokes about having two women. When Irving calls to get his possessions back, Cathy tells him to meet her at the awards ceremony, where she wins employee of the year. They then dance.

Voices

Production

Cathy Guisewite with her Emmy Award. Cathy Guisewite (1987).jpg
Cathy Guisewite with her Emmy Award.

At the time a Cathy special was announced, the comic strip was being published in 500 newspapers. [2] Producer Lee Mendelson contacted creator Cathy Guisewite about making a television special, [3] which was ultimately produced with Bill Melendez. [4]

Guisewite acknowledged her comic was receiving complaints, saying, "The last thing that the world needs is another vulnerable woman," and expressing surprise that a woman would write such a comic. The storyline of the special was created to reflect the character's vulnerability, with Guisewite saying that, despite complaints, her readers liked it. She stated, "The strip is how I work out my anxieties," and that she felt her best comics are drawn from this. [2]

Broadcast

Cathy was initially broadcast on CBS on May 15, 1987. [5] It followed Blondie and Dagwood, another animated special based on a comic strip, Blondie , with regular series pre-empted. [4] Before the special aired, Cathy Guisewite and her mother Anne Guisewite visited Chicago in May 1987 to promote the special and Anne Guisewite's book, Motherly Advice from Cathy's Mom. [6]

Cathy's Last Resort and Cathy's Valentine followed on November 11, 1988, and February 10, 1989, respectively. [5]

Reception

John J. O'Connor, writing for The New York Times , wrote "Cathy is the animated equivalent of clever, sophisticate sitcom. It fits snugly into network prime time." [4] Cathy won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program in 1987. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>A Charlie Brown Christmas</i> 1965 animated TV special

A Charlie Brown Christmas is a 1965 animated television special. It is the first TV special based on the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz, and features the voices of Peter Robbins, Christopher Shea, Kathy Steinberg, Tracy Stratford, and Bill Melendez. Produced by Lee Mendelson and directed by Melendez, the program made its debut on the CBS television network on December 9, 1965. In the special, Charlie Brown (Robbins) finds himself depressed despite the onset of the cheerful holiday season. After Lucy van Pelt (Stratford) suggests he direct a neighborhood Christmas play, his best efforts are ignored and mocked by his peers when he chooses a puny Christmas tree as a centerpiece.

<i>Its the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown</i> 1966 animated Halloween television special

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is a 1966 American animated Halloween television special based on the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz. The third Peanuts special, and the second holiday-themed special, to be created, it was written by Schulz along with director/animator Bill Melendez and producer Lee Mendelson. The cast included Peter Robbins as Charlie Brown, Christopher Shea as Linus Van Pelt, Sally Dryer as Lucy Van Pelt, and Melendez as Snoopy. The special features music composed by jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi, whose contributions include the theme song "Linus and Lucy". It aired on broadcast television every year from its debut in 1966 until 2020 when it became an Apple TV+ exclusive.

<i>Blondie</i> (comic strip) American comic strip starting 1930

Blondie is an American comic strip created by cartoonist Chic Young. The comic strip is distributed by King Features Syndicate, and has been published in newspapers since September 8, 1930. The success of the strip, which features the eponymous blonde and her sandwich-loving husband, led to the long-running Blondie film series (1938–1950) and the popular Blondie radio program (1939–1950).

<i>Cathy</i> American comic strip

Cathy is an American gag-a-day comic strip, drawn by Cathy Guisewite from 1976 until 2010. The comic follows Cathy, a woman who struggles through the "four basic guilt groups" of life: food, love, family, and work. The strip gently pokes fun at the lives and foibles of modern women. The strip's debut was on November 22, 1976, and it appeared in over 1,400 newspapers at its peak. The strips have been compiled into more than 20 books. Three television specials were also created. Guisewite received the National Cartoonists Society Reuben Award in 1992 for the strip.

Cathy Lee Guisewite is an American cartoonist who created the comic strip Cathy, which had a 34-year run. The strip focused on a career woman facing the issues and challenges of eating, work, relationships, and having a mother—or as the character put it in one strip, "the four basic guilt groups."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rerun Van Pelt</span> Peanuts comic strip character

Rerun Van Pelt is Linus and Lucy's younger brother in Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts. Lucy Van Pelt, his sister, disparagingly calls the situation a "rerun" of the birth of her brother Linus, so Linus nicknames the child "Rerun". Despite Lucy's disappointment, she becomes a warm and protective older sister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Melendez</span> American animator and voice actor (1916–2008)

José Cuauhtémoc "Bill" Melendez was an American animator, director, producer, and voice actor. Melendez is known for working on the Peanuts animated specials, as well as providing the voices of Snoopy and Woodstock. Before Peanuts, he previously worked as an animator for Walt Disney Productions, Warner Bros. Cartoons, and UPA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathleen Wilhoite</span> American actress and musician

Kathleen Wilhoite is an American actress and musician. She made her feature film debut in Private School (1983) before having a leading role in Murphy's Law (1986), followed by supporting parts in Witchboard, Crossing Delancey (1988), Road House (1989), and Lorenzo's Oil (1992). She also had notable guest-starring roles on several series during this time, including Twin Peaks (1990).

<i>It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown</i> 1969 television special

It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown is the sixth prime-time animated television special based on the comic strip Peanuts, created by Charles M. Schulz. It was directed by Bill Melendez and originally aired on CBS on September 27, 1969.

<i>Youre in Love, Charlie Brown</i> 1967 television special

You're in Love, Charlie Brown is the fourth prime-time animated television special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It originally aired on CBS on June 12, 1967. This was the second non-holiday-oriented Peanuts special, following Charlie Brown's All Stars!.

<i>Charlie Browns All Stars!</i> 1966 American television special

Charlie Brown's All Stars! is the second prime-time animated television special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was the second such TV special to be produced by Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez, and originally aired on CBS on June 8, 1966, with annual re-airings on CBS through 1971.

<i>Hes Your Dog, Charlie Brown</i> 1968 television special

He's Your Dog, Charlie Brown is the fifth prime-time animated TV special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was originally broadcast on the CBS network on February 14, 1968.

<i>Happy Birthday, Charlie Brown</i> 1979 animated television special

Happy Birthday, Charlie Brown is a prime-time animated TV special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was originally aired on the CBS network on January 5, 1979.

<i>A Charlie Brown Valentine</i> 2002 animated television special

A Charlie Brown Valentine is the 40th animated television special based on characters from the Charles M. Schulz comic strip Peanuts. It features the Peanuts characters during the week leading up to Valentine's Day. It is the second Valentine's Day-themed Peanuts special, following Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (1975).

<i>Youre in the Super Bowl, Charlie Brown</i> 1994 animated television special

You're in the Super Bowl, Charlie Brown is the 37th prime-time animated television special based on Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts. It premiered on January 18, 1994, on NBC. It was the last new Peanuts special to air on television until A Charlie Brown Valentine in 2002, and the last before Schulz's death in 2000.

<i>Youre a Good Man, Charlie Brown</i> (TV special) 1985 animated television musical

You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown is the 29th prime-time animated musical television special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. This adaptation of the 1967 musical You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown originally aired on the CBS network on November 6, 1985, and rebroadcast on June 14, 1988. The special was produced by Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates and Mendelson-Melendez Productions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Mendelson</span> American animation producer (1933–2019)

Leland Maurice Mendelson was an American animation producer and executive producer of many Peanuts animated specials.

Cathy's Last Resort is a 1988 animated television special based on the Cathy comic strip by Cathy Guisewite. It features Kathleen Wilhoite as the voice of Cathy Andrews, and was written by Guisewite, executive producer Lee Mendelson, produced by Bill Melendez, and directed by Evert Brown. This special premiered after the episode "The NASA Space Station" of This Is America, Charlie Brown.

Cathy's Valentine is a 1989 animated television special based on the Cathy comic strip by Cathy Guisewite. It features Kathleen Wilhoite as the voice of Cathy Andrews, and was written by Guisewite, executive-produced by Lee Mendelson, produced by Bill Melendez, and directed by Evert Brown. This special premiered after This Is America, Charlie Brown: The Building of the Transcontinental Railroad.

References

  1. ↑ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. p. 238. ISBN   0-8160-3831-7 . Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  2. 1 2 Krier, Beth Ann (7 May 1987). "Life Imitates Art for Cathy the Cartoonist". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  3. ↑ Booker, M. Keith, ed. (2014). Comics through Time: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas. ABC-CLIO. p. 937.
  4. 1 2 3 O'Connor, John J. (14 May 1987). "2 Cartoons, 'Blondie' And 'Cathy'". The New York Times . Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  5. 1 2 Terrace, Vincent (2013). Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936-2012 (second ed.). McFarland & Company Publishers. p. 83.
  6. ↑ Emmerman, Lynn (10 May 1987). "Comic Relief From 'Cathy' And Her 'mom'". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  7. ↑ "Cathy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved 5 December 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.