Herman and Katnip: Difference between revisions

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
Content added Content deleted
VisualWikitext
m (Mass update links)
(added link)
 
(9 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 2: Line 2:
[[File:herman_katnip.jpg|frame]]
[[File:herman_katnip.jpg|frame]]


{{quote|''"Herman and Katnip are scaled down versions of [[Tom and Jerry (Animation)|Tom and Jerry]], minus the wit, the pace and the inventiveness."''|[[Famous Studios]] animator Maurice Horn's [[Creator Backlash|harsh assessment of the series.]]}}
{{quote|''"Herman and Katnip are scaled down versions of [[Tom and Jerry]], minus the wit, the pace and the inventiveness."''|[[Famous Studios]] animator Maurice Horn's [[Creator Backlash|harsh assessment of the series.]]}}


If imitation, as they say, is the sincerest form of flattery, then [[Famous Studios]]' '''''Herman and Katnip''''' certainly flattered MGM's [[Tom and Jerry (Animation)|Tom and Jerry]].
If imitation, as they say, is the sincerest form of flattery, then [[Famous Studios]]' '''''Herman and Katnip''''' certainly flattered MGM's [[Tom and Jerry]].


Given that any mouse and cat cartoon is going to have some similarities with any other cat and mouse cartoon, the resemblances of the characters is still quite striking.
Given that any mouse and cat cartoon is going to have some similarities with any other cat and mouse cartoon, the resemblances of the characters is still quite striking.
Line 12: Line 12:
Herman and Katnip did diverge from Tom and Jerry in two respects. The characters spoke: Katnip in a dopey [[Simpleton Voice]], Herman in a Brooklyn twang. The standard episode setup was different, too: Herman's cousins Reuben, Dubin, and Louie (and other, unnamed mice) would be having fun at some activity; Katnip would arrive to persecute them; then Herman would arrive (often coming "from the city") to defend them.
Herman and Katnip did diverge from Tom and Jerry in two respects. The characters spoke: Katnip in a dopey [[Simpleton Voice]], Herman in a Brooklyn twang. The standard episode setup was different, too: Herman's cousins Reuben, Dubin, and Louie (and other, unnamed mice) would be having fun at some activity; Katnip would arrive to persecute them; then Herman would arrive (often coming "from the city") to defend them.


Herman was voiced by Arnold Stang, who later supplied the voice for [[Top Cat]]. There is quite a similarity between the mouse's voice and that of Leo Gorcey of the Bowery Boys. Syd Raymond supplied the voice for Katnip. Raymond was also the voice of [[Baby Huey]].
Herman was voiced by Arnold Stang, who later supplied the voice for [[Top Cat]]. There is quite a similarity between the mouse's voice and that of Leo Gorcey of [[The Bowery Boys]]. Syd Raymond supplied the voice for Katnip. Raymond was also the voice of [[Baby Huey]].


Herman and Katnip are not remembered like MGM's cat-and-mouse pair; not only, perhaps, because they appeared on cinema screens later than their more famous rivals, but also because the personalities of the pair were possibly not quite as engaging. Also, the Famous Studios' cat-and-mouse series did not receive as many later television airings as Tom and Jerry enjoyed.
Herman and Katnip are not remembered like MGM's cat-and-mouse pair; not only, perhaps, because they appeared on cinema screens later than their more famous rivals, but also because the personalities of the pair were possibly not quite as engaging. Also, the Famous Studios' cat-and-mouse series did not receive as many later television airings as Tom and Jerry enjoyed.
Line 18: Line 18:
If Herman and Katnip lacked anything in personality, they tried to make up for it with action. For "action" read blowing Katnip up; sending Katnip off a cliff; squashing Katnip with a 100-ton weight, and so on. With so much emphasis placed on violence—almost all of it delivered to the cat—it's no surprise that Mike Reiss, a writer on ''[[The Simpsons]]'', [[Word of God|confirmed]] that Herman and Katnip, not Tom and Jerry, were the real inspiration for [[The Itchy and Scratchy Show|Itchy and Scratchy]].
If Herman and Katnip lacked anything in personality, they tried to make up for it with action. For "action" read blowing Katnip up; sending Katnip off a cliff; squashing Katnip with a 100-ton weight, and so on. With so much emphasis placed on violence—almost all of it delivered to the cat—it's no surprise that Mike Reiss, a writer on ''[[The Simpsons]]'', [[Word of God|confirmed]] that Herman and Katnip, not Tom and Jerry, were the real inspiration for [[The Itchy and Scratchy Show|Itchy and Scratchy]].


When the series ended, it wasn't so much because the cartoons ran out of steam, as because the studio sold all its ongoing characters to Harvey Comics, which had licensed them for several years. But Herman and Katnip didn't go on to very great success at Harvey. They appeared in the back pages of a lot of comics during the 1950s and early 1960s, and were featured in an occasional issue of ''Harvey Hits'' (a later Harvey title with rotating stars), but never had their own comic book. When other Harvey characters were re-adapted into animated form—even some who, like [[Richie Rich]] and Wendy the Good Little Witch, had never been animated before—''Herman & Katnip'' weren't. Eventually, they faded from view, and are now scarcely remembered.
When the series ended, it wasn't so much because the cartoons ran out of steam, as because the studio sold all its ongoing characters to Harvey Comics, which had licensed them for several years. But Herman and Katnip didn't go on to very great success at Harvey. They appeared in the back pages of a lot of comics during the 1950s and early 1960s, and were featured in an occasional issue of ''Harvey Hits'' (a later Harvey title with rotating stars), but never had their own comic book. When other Harvey characters were re-adapted into animated form—even some who, like [[Richie Rich (comics)|Richie Rich]] and Wendy the Good Little Witch, had never been animated before—''Herman & Katnip'' weren't. Eventually, they faded from view, and are now scarcely remembered.


With that said, in October 2011, a complete DVD set of all their adventures was released.
With that said, in October 2011, a complete DVD set of all their adventures was released.
----
----
=== ''Herman and Katnip'' and ''Herman and Henry'' provides examples of the following tropes: ===
{{tropelist|''Herman and Katnip'' and ''Herman and Henry'' provides examples of the following tropes:}}
* [[Amusing Injuries]]
* [[Amusing Injuries]]
* [[Anvil On Head]]
* [[Anvil on Head]]
* [[Bloodier and Gorier]]: of ''[[Tom and Jerry (Animation)|Tom and Jerry]]'', not much bloodier but even more violent.
* [[Bloodier and Gorier]]: of ''[[Tom and Jerry]]'', not much bloodier but even more violent.
* [[Bloodless Carnage]]
* [[Bloodless Carnage]]
* [[Catch Phrase]]: Katnip's, "Hmmmm, that sounds logical."
* [[Catch Phrase]]: Katnip's, "Hmmmm, that sounds logical."
Line 33: Line 33:
* [[Designated Victim]]: Katnip
* [[Designated Victim]]: Katnip
* [[Determinator]]: Katnip
* [[Determinator]]: Katnip
* [[Early Bird Cameo]]: A prototype of Herman briefly appears in the first [[Casper the Friendly Ghost]] short "The Friendly Ghost".
* [[Early-Bird Cameo]]: A prototype of Herman briefly appears in the first [[Casper the Friendly Ghost]] short "The Friendly Ghost".
* [[Eye Pop]]: Played with at the end of ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg_v16kIcVc&t=0m38s Mouseum].''
* [[Eye Pop]]: Played with at the end of ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg_v16kIcVc&t=0m38s Mouseum].''
* [[Family-Unfriendly Violence]]: These cartoons are mean and they ''hurt''.
* [[Family-Unfriendly Violence]]: These cartoons are mean and they ''hurt''.
Line 41: Line 41:
* [[Name and Name]]
* [[Name and Name]]
* [[Name's the Same]]: "Naughty But Mice" is a title that is shared with a [[Chuck Jones]] [[Looney Tunes|Sniffles the Mouse]] cartoon.
* [[Name's the Same]]: "Naughty But Mice" is a title that is shared with a [[Chuck Jones]] [[Looney Tunes|Sniffles the Mouse]] cartoon.
* [[Off With His Head]]: Herman decapitates Katnip with a pair of scissors in "Herman The Catoonist" ([[Bloodless Carnage|there was no blood though]]).
* [[Off with His Head]]: Herman decapitates Katnip with a pair of scissors in "Herman The Catoonist" ([[Bloodless Carnage|there was no blood though]]).
* [[Panty Shot]]: From Henry's wife Bertha in "The Henpecked Rooster".
* [[Panty Shot]]: From Henry's wife Bertha in "The Henpecked Rooster".
* [[Sadist Show]]
* [[Sadist Show]]
* [[Stay in The Kitchen]]: Henry says this to his wife Bertha (aka "Chicken Pie") after Herman was took away by his own wife in "The Henpecked Rooster".
* [[Stay in the Kitchen]]: Henry says this to his wife Bertha (aka "Chicken Pie") after Herman was took away by his own wife in "The Henpecked Rooster".
* [[Talking Animal]]: Herman and Katnip.
* [[Talking Animal]]: Herman and Katnip.
* [[The Golden Age of Animation]]
* [[The Golden Age of Animation]]
Line 55: Line 55:
[[Category:The Forties]]
[[Category:The Forties]]
[[Category:Western Animation]]
[[Category:Western Animation]]
[[Category:Herman And Katnip]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Western Animation of the 1940s]]
[[Category:Western Animation of the 1950s]]
[[Category:Films of the 1940s]]
[[Category:Films of the 1950s]]
[[Category:Short Film]]
[[Category:Film]]

Latest revision as of 13:45, 31 August 2022
"Herman and Katnip are scaled down versions of Tom and Jerry, minus the wit, the pace and the inventiveness."
—Famous Studios animator Maurice Horn's harsh assessment of the series.

If imitation, as they say, is the sincerest form of flattery, then Famous Studios' Herman and Katnip certainly flattered MGM's Tom and Jerry.

Given that any mouse and cat cartoon is going to have some similarities with any other cat and mouse cartoon, the resemblances of the characters is still quite striking.

Herman the mouse in particular bears a strong resemblance to Jerry the mouse. Katnip the cat did not look quite so much like Tom the cat, but you would be forgiven if you thought you knew where the inspiration for the cartoon character came from.

Herman and Katnip did diverge from Tom and Jerry in two respects. The characters spoke: Katnip in a dopey Simpleton Voice, Herman in a Brooklyn twang. The standard episode setup was different, too: Herman's cousins Reuben, Dubin, and Louie (and other, unnamed mice) would be having fun at some activity; Katnip would arrive to persecute them; then Herman would arrive (often coming "from the city") to defend them.

Herman was voiced by Arnold Stang, who later supplied the voice for Top Cat. There is quite a similarity between the mouse's voice and that of Leo Gorcey of The Bowery Boys. Syd Raymond supplied the voice for Katnip. Raymond was also the voice of Baby Huey.

Herman and Katnip are not remembered like MGM's cat-and-mouse pair; not only, perhaps, because they appeared on cinema screens later than their more famous rivals, but also because the personalities of the pair were possibly not quite as engaging. Also, the Famous Studios' cat-and-mouse series did not receive as many later television airings as Tom and Jerry enjoyed.

If Herman and Katnip lacked anything in personality, they tried to make up for it with action. For "action" read blowing Katnip up; sending Katnip off a cliff; squashing Katnip with a 100-ton weight, and so on. With so much emphasis placed on violence—almost all of it delivered to the cat—it's no surprise that Mike Reiss, a writer on The Simpsons, confirmed that Herman and Katnip, not Tom and Jerry, were the real inspiration for Itchy and Scratchy.

When the series ended, it wasn't so much because the cartoons ran out of steam, as because the studio sold all its ongoing characters to Harvey Comics, which had licensed them for several years. But Herman and Katnip didn't go on to very great success at Harvey. They appeared in the back pages of a lot of comics during the 1950s and early 1960s, and were featured in an occasional issue of Harvey Hits (a later Harvey title with rotating stars), but never had their own comic book. When other Harvey characters were re-adapted into animated form—even some who, like Richie Rich and Wendy the Good Little Witch, had never been animated before—Herman & Katnip weren't. Eventually, they faded from view, and are now scarcely remembered.

With that said, in October 2011, a complete DVD set of all their adventures was released.

Herman and Katnip and Herman and Henry provides examples of the following tropes:
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Herman_and_Katnip?oldid=1976458"