Roland and Rattfink

Last updated

Roland and Rattfink is an American series of animated shorts produced and released from 1968 to 1971. The main characters also made several guest appearances on The Pink Panther animated series. The series was produced by David H. DePatie and Friz Freleng [1] and seventeen cartoons were produced. [2]

Contents

Plot

The cartoons concerned blond, muscular, good-looking, pacifist "good guy" Roland and the many attempts by the evil, weedy, green-skinned (in most of the cartoons), mustachioed Rattfink to defeat or dispose of him. [1]

Roland and Rattfink were both voiced by Lennie Weinrib (except in "The Deadwood Thunderball" where they were voiced by John Byner and Dave Barry). [1]

"Hurts and Flowers" (one long, running joke about Rattfink destroying flower child Roland's daisies) concludes with Rattfink getting killed and Roland leaving a daisy in a flowerpot on his grave. When Roland walks away, Rattfink's ghost rises from the grave to throw the flowerpot at him.

Filmography

TitleDirected by:Story by:Release date
1"Hawks and Doves" Hawley Pratt John W. Dunn December 18, 1968 (1968-12-18)
Rattfink, the warmongering leader of Hawkland, declares war on the peaceloving nation of Doveland, and Doveland's hero, Roland, must defend his country.
2"Hurts and Flowers"Hawley PrattJohn W. DunnFebruary 11, 1969 (1969-02-11)
Flower-power child Roland is determined to spread peace and love but no matter how much he tries, hate-loving Rattfink isn't having any of it.
3"Flying Feet" Gerry Chiniquy Irv SpectorApril 10, 1969 (1969-04-10)
Clean-living Roland represents Old P.U. against chain-smoking and cheating Rattfink from Doggone U. in the Cross Country Run finals.
4"The Deadwood Thunderball"Hawley PrattJohn W. DunnJune 6, 1969 (1969-06-06)
Engineer Roland drives his train on the inaugural run of the Dodge City-Deadwood line, but bad guy Rattfink, representing the crooked stage line, is hired to stop him.
5"Sweet and Sourdough" Art Davis John W. DunnJune 25, 1969 (1969-06-25)
In the 1897 Yukon Territory, Mountie Roland is on the trail of bank robber Rattfink.
6"A Pair of Sneakers"Art DavisJohn W. DunnSeptember 17, 1969 (1969-09-17)
Good spy Roland must deliver a top-secret message and bad spy Rattfink is determined to steal it.
7"Say Cheese, Please"Art DavisJohn W. DunnJune 7, 1970 (1970-06-07)
Rattfink is fed up with playing "villain" to Roland's "hero", so he demands to star in a film as the "hero" while Roland is made his "stand-in".
8"A Taste of Money"Art DavisUnknownJune 24, 1970 (1970-06-24)
When he reads about a widow inheriting $5,000,000, Rattfink is determined to marry her for her money, but married life doesn't turn out like he hopes. NOTE: Roland does not appear in this film.
9"The Foul Kin"Grant SimmonsSid MarcusAugust 5, 1970 (1970-08-05)
Rattfink is totally broke, so he's determined to get on his filthy-rich 100-year-old uncle Rotten Rattfink's good side in hopes of a large inheritance.
10"Bridgework"Art DavisDale HaleAugust 26, 1970 (1970-08-26)
Engineer Roland is instructed to build a bridge using only high-quality materials, so Rattfink tries to destroy it so his uncle's firm can sell the city low-quality materials at high-quality prices.
11"Robin Goodhood"Gerry ChiniquyJohn W. DunnSeptember 9, 1970 (1970-09-09)
In parody of Robin Hood Roland Hood steals the money from tax collector Rattfink to give to the poor, but Rattfink keeps stealing it back to give to the rich.
12"War and Pieces"Art DavisSid MarcusSeptember 20, 1970 (1970-09-20)
Pirate Rattfink is terrorizing the seven seas, so Captain Roland is sent to capture him.
13"Gem Dandy"Gerry ChiniquyDale HaleOctober 25, 1970 (1970-10-25)
Museum Guard Roland protects a priceless diamond while jewel thief Rattfink keeps trying to steal it.
14"Trick or Retreat"Art DavisSid MarcusMarch 3, 1971 (1971-03-03)
In the Old West, Sergeant Roland is left to guard the fort alone so Renegade Rattfink stirs up the Indians to attack.
15"The Great Continental Overland Cross-Country Race"Art DavisJohn W. DunnMay 23, 1971 (1971-05-23)
In 1901, Roland Righteous and Rattfink Rodent compete in the Annual Pettybone University's Overland Cross Country car race, but Roland's locomotive car just can't seem to make it out of the starting blocks.
16"A Fink in the Rink"Art DavisJohn W. DunnJuly 4, 1971 (1971-07-04)
At a roller-skating rink, novice skater Roland enjoys himself, but experienced skater Rattfink doesn't because Roland keeps causing him to have "accidents".
17"Cattle Battle"Art DavisJohn W. DunnAugust 4, 1971 (1971-08-04)
Singing cowboy Roland is guarding a herd of cattle and rustler Rattfink keeps trying to steal it.

Home video

The series was released January 27, 2009 on DVD from MGM Home Entertainment/20th Century Fox Home Entertainment as a part of The Pink Panther Classic Cartoon Collection.[ citation needed ] The individual shorts were released on DVD and Blu-Ray on June 28, 2016 by Kino Lorber,[ citation needed ] and are also available to stream on Hulu.

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Mickey Mouse Works</i> American animated television series

Mickey Mouse Works is an American animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation featuring Mickey Mouse and his friends in a series of animated shorts. The first Disney television animated series to be produced in widescreen high definition, it is formatted as a variety show, with skits starring Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pluto and Ludwig Von Drake while Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow, Morty and Ferdie Fieldmouse, Huey, Dewey and Louie, Chip 'n' Dale, Scrooge McDuck, Pete, Humphrey the Bear, J. Audubon Woodlore, Dinah the Dachshund, Butch the Bulldog, Mortimer Mouse, José Carioca, and Clara Cluck appear as supporting or minor characters. Musical themes for each character were composed by Stephen James Taylor with a live 12-piece band and extensive use of the fretless guitar to which the music of the series was nominated for an Annie Award in both 1999 and 2001. Most of the shorts from the series were later used in House of Mouse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Friz Freleng</span> American animator, cartoonist, director, and producer (1905–1995)

Isadore "Friz" Freleng, credited as I. Freleng early in his career, was an American animator, cartoonist, director, producer, and composer known for his work at Warner Bros. Cartoons on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from the 1930s to the early 1960s. In total he created more than 300 cartoons.

DePatie–Freleng Enterprises was an American animation studio founded by former Warner Bros. Cartoons employees in May 1963, before dissolving in 1981. Based in Burbank, California, DFE produced animation for film and television.

<i>The Ant and the Aardvark</i> Series of theatrical short cartoons

The Ant and the Aardvark is a series of 17 theatrical short cartoons produced at DePatie–Freleng Enterprises and released by United Artists from 1969 to 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Blue Racer</span> Series of theatrical cartoons

The Blue Racer is a series of 17 theatrical cartoons produced from 1972 to 1974 created by Friz Freleng and David H. DePatie. The character's first cartoon, Snake in the Gracias, was released theatrically on January 24, 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hoot Kloot</span> Fictional character

Hoot Kloot is an American series of 17 theatrical cartoon shorts produced by DePatie–Freleng Enterprises from 1973 to 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Dogfather</span> Fictional character

The Dogfather is an American series of 17 cartoons produced by DePatie–Freleng Enterprises and distributed by United Artists between 1974 and 1976. It is the final theatrical cartoon series made by DePatie–Freleng.

<i>The Inspector</i> American animated film series

The Inspector is an American series of 34 theatrical cartoon shorts produced between 1965 and 1969 by DePatie–Freleng Enterprises and released through United Artists. The cartoons are dedicated to an animated version of Inspector Clouseau comically battling against a rogues' gallery of internationally styled villains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Lava</span> American composer (1911–1971)

William "Bill" Benjamin Lava was a composer and arranger who composed and conducted music for feature films as well as that for the Warner Bros.' Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies animated cartoons from 1962 to 1969, replacing the deceased Milt Franklyn, making him the last composer and arranger in the classic era of Warner Bros. Cartoons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Misterjaw</span> American animated television series

Misterjaw is a 34-episode cartoon television series, produced at DePatie-Freleng Enterprises in 1976 for The Pink Panther Laugh and a Half Hour and a Half Show television series on NBC. Reruns continued on the Think Pink Panther Show on NBC through September 3, 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pink Panther (character)</span> Fictional animated character

The Pink Panther is a fictional animated character who appears in the opening and/or closing credit sequences of every film in The Pink Panther series except for A Shot in the Dark and Inspector Clouseau. In the storyline of the original film, the "Pink Panther" is the name of a valuable pink diamond named for a flaw that shows a "figure of a springing panther" when held up to the light in a certain way; in the credits this was translated to an animated pink panther. Only the first Pink Panther film and its third sequel, The Return of the Pink Panther, featured the diamond.

<i>The Pink Panther Show</i> Showcase of animated shorts

The Pink Panther Show is a showcase of animated shorts produced by David H. DePatie and Friz Freleng between 1969 and 1978, starring the animated Pink Panther character from the opening credits of the live-action films. The series was produced by Mirisch Films and DePatie–Freleng Enterprises, and was broadcast Saturday mornings on two American television networks: from September 6, 1969, to September 2, 1978, on NBC; and from September 9, 1978, to September 1, 1979, on ABC.

Hawley B. Pratt was an American film director, animator, designer and illustrator. He is best known for his work for Warner Bros. Cartoons and as the right-hand man of director Friz Freleng as a layout artist and later as a director. Pratt also worked for Walt Disney Studios, Filmation, and DePatie-Freleng Enterprises where he co-created The Pink Panther.

Crazylegs Crane is a 16-episode made-for-television cartoon series produced by DePatie–Freleng Enterprises in 1978 for The All New Pink Panther Show on ABC.

<i>The Pink Blueprint</i> 1966 American film

The Pink Blueprint is the 18th cartoon produced in the Pink Panther series. A total of 124 6-minute cartoons were produced between 1964 and 1980.

<i>The Pink Panther</i> (TV series) 1993 animated TV series

The Pink Panther is an American animated television series starring the Pink Panther and his co-stars from the original cartoon shorts in a series of brand new stories. The program was a production of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation. It was distributed by Claster Television and King World Productions and not MGM Television, despite MGM owning The Pink Panther. Unlike other animated series featuring the Pink Panther, this is the only series where he and the Little Man speak numerous lines. Prior to this series, the Panther had only briefly spoken in two cartoons in the 1960s.

<i>Donalds Dilemma</i> 1947 Donald Duck cartoon

Donald's Dilemma is a Walt Disney Studios animated cartoon directed by Jack King and starring Donald and Daisy Duck. It was originally released on July 11, 1947 in the United States. The title of this short is somewhat of a misnomer. Although Donald is the official headliner for this cartoon, Daisy is the actual protagonist. The dilemma of the title is actually offered to her, not to Donald.

<i>Popeye the Sailor</i> (film series) 1933 American film

Popeye the Sailor is an American animated series of short films based on the Popeye comic strip character created by E. C. Segar. In 1933, Max and Dave Fleischer's Fleischer Studios, based in New York City, adapted Segar's characters into a series of theatrical cartoon shorts for Paramount Pictures. The plotlines in the animated cartoons tended to be simpler than those presented in the comic strips, and the characters slightly different. A villain, usually Bluto, makes a move on Popeye's "sweetie", Olive Oyl. The villain clobbers Popeye until he eats spinach, giving him superhuman strength. Thus empowered, Popeye makes short work of the villain.

<i>Donalds Crime</i> 1945 Donald Duck cartoon

Donald's Crime is a 1945 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The cartoon, which parodies film noir crime dramas of the time, follows Donald Duck as he struggles with guilt after stealing $1.25 from his nephews. The film was directed by Jack King and features original music by Edward H. Plumb. The voice cast includes Clarence Nash as Donald, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, Ruth Clifford as Daisy Duck, and Harry E. Lang as the off-stage voice of Donald's conscience. This was Blondell's first performance as Daisy and marks the debut of the character's "normal" voice. Previously in Mr. Duck Steps Out, Daisy had been voiced by Nash using a voice similar to Donald's.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Beck, Jerry (2006). Pink Panther: The Ultimate Guide to the Coolest Cat in Town. New York, New York: Dorling Kindersley, Ltd. pp. 54–55, 102–103. ISBN   0-7566-1033-8.
  2. Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 130–131. ISBN   0-8160-3831-7 . Retrieved 6 June 2020.