The Funky Phantom



Similar to Hanna-Barbera's successful Scooby Doo, The Funky Phantom featured three teenagers — Skip, April and Augie — and their dog, Elmo. While trying to get out of a storm, they entered an old house where the longcase clock was wrong. Upon setting the clock to midnight, they released two ghosts: Jonathan Wellington "Mudsy" Muddlemore, a ghost from The American Revolution, and his cat, Boo. The two of them allegedly hid inside the clock from the British during the Revolutionary War, but then couldn't get out and eventually died inside. Ever since being freed by their new friends, Mudsy and Boo have accompanied them on many mysteries, always giving an invisible helping hand.

The show--Hanna-Barbera's first series with animation farmed out overseas (Air Programs in Sydney, Australia)--aired on ABC in 1971. The voice of Mudsy, provided by Daws Butler, was identical to his voice work for the character Snagglepuss. Butler went so far as to include Snagglepuss' catch phrases, such as appending sentences with the word "even".

This cartoon provides examples of:

 * Ascended Extra/Stalker With a Crush: In the Gold Key comics, Mudsy had one in the form of Revolutionary War belle spirit Priscilla Atwater.
 * Comic Book Adaptation: Eleven issues by Western Publishing Company's Gold Key division (March 1972 - March 1974).
 * Expository Theme Tune
 * Expy: Mudsy is essentially Snagglepuss in the form of a human ghost from the American Revolution.
 * Headless Horseman
 * Hey Its That Voice: The Monkees' Micky Dolenz was the voice of Skip.
 * Intercontinuity Crossover: Mudsy (along with several other Hanna Barbera characters) appeared in the Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated episode "The Mystery Solvers Club State Finals".
 * Our Ghosts Are Different
 * Team Pet: Elmo and Boo.
 * Title Scream