m WP:EVADE - Agustin Sepulveda Venegas 2004 Fan
|
No edit summary
|
||
(27 intermediate revisions by 23 users not shown) | |||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{short description|British |
{{short description|British animated television series}} |
||
{{About|the original 1981 Danger Mouse television series|the 2015 series|Danger Mouse (2015 TV series)}} |
{{About|the original 1981 Danger Mouse television series|the 2015 series|Danger Mouse (2015 TV series)}} |
||
{{Distinguish|Danger Mouse (musician)}} |
|||
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}} |
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}} |
||
{{Use British English|date=September 2015}} |
{{Use British English|date=September 2015}} |
||
Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
| caption = Title card |
| caption = Title card |
||
| genre = {{unbulleted list|[[Action fiction|Action]]|[[Adventure]]|[[Comedy]]|[[Spy-Fi (subgenre)|Spy-Fi]]}} |
| genre = {{unbulleted list|[[Action fiction|Action]]|[[Adventure]]|[[Comedy]]|[[Spy-Fi (subgenre)|Spy-Fi]]}} |
||
| runtime = |
| runtime = 5–22 minutes |
||
| creator = {{unbulleted list|[[Brian Cosgrove]]|[[Mark Hall (animator)|Mark Hall]]}} |
| creator = {{unbulleted list|[[Brian Cosgrove]]|[[Mark Hall (animator)|Mark Hall]]}} |
||
| voices = {{Plainlist| |
| voices = {{Plainlist| |
||
Line 22: | Line 22: | ||
| endtheme = "Danger Mouse" by Mike Harding |
| endtheme = "Danger Mouse" by Mike Harding |
||
| composer = Mike Harding |
| composer = Mike Harding |
||
| company = {{ubl|[[Cosgrove Hall Films]]|[[Thames Television]]}} |
| company = {{ubl|[[Cosgrove Hall Films|Cosgrove Hall Productions]]|[[Thames Television]]}} |
||
| language = English |
| language = English |
||
| network = [[ITV1|ITV]] |
| network = [[ITV1|ITV]] |
||
Line 34: | Line 34: | ||
}} |
}} |
||
'''''Danger Mouse''''' is a British [[animated television series]] produced by [[Cosgrove Hall Films]] for [[Thames Television]].<ref name="AWNSecondSeason" /> It features the [[eponym]]ous Danger Mouse who worked as a [[secret agent]] and is a [[parody]] of British [[spy fiction]], particularly the ''[[Danger Man]]'' series and [[James Bond]]. It originally ran from 28 September 1981 to 19 March 1992 on the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] network. |
'''''Danger Mouse''''' is a British [[animated television series]] produced by [[Cosgrove Hall Films|Cosgrove Hall Productions]] for [[Thames Television]].<ref name="AWNSecondSeason" /> It features the [[eponym]]ous Danger Mouse who worked as a [[secret agent]] and is a [[parody]] of British [[spy fiction]], particularly the ''[[Danger Man]]'' series and [[James Bond]]. It originally ran from 28 September 1981 to 19 March 1992 on the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] network. |
||
The series spawned a spin-off show, ''[[Count Duckula]]'', which aired between 1988 and 1993, and an updated |
The series spawned a spin-off show, ''[[Count Duckula]]'', which aired between 1988 and 1993, and an updated [[Danger Mouse (2015 TV series)|under the same name]], began airing in September 2015 on [[CBBC]].<ref name="theguardian.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/jul/13/lena-headey-john-oliver-danger-mouse|title=Crumbs! Lena Headey and John Oliver join Danger Mouse remake|last=Beaumont-Thomas|first=Ben|work=the Guardian|date=13 July 2015}}</ref><ref name="licensing.biz">{{cite web|url=https://www.licensing.biz/jazwares-penguin-and-dc-thomson-sign-with-danger-mouse/|title=Jazwares, Penguin and DC Thomson sign with Danger Mouse|work=licensing.biz|access-date=30 May 2021|archive-date=2 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602213151/https://www.licensing.biz/jazwares-penguin-and-dc-thomson-sign-with-danger-mouse/|url-status=dead}}</ref> |
||
== Plot == |
== Plot == |
||
Line 43: | Line 43: | ||
They work underneath [[Scotland Yard]] on [[Baker Street]] in London, hidden inside a red [[pillar box]]. Their arch-enemies are Baron Silas Greenback and his criminal organization, who try to achieve world domination by unconventional means such as stealing all famous buildings, or creating giant robots, etc. |
They work underneath [[Scotland Yard]] on [[Baker Street]] in London, hidden inside a red [[pillar box]]. Their arch-enemies are Baron Silas Greenback and his criminal organization, who try to achieve world domination by unconventional means such as stealing all famous buildings, or creating giant robots, etc. |
||
A special role is played by the off-screen narrator |
A special role is played by the off-screen narrator, Isambard Sinclair, who accompanies the action by commenting on it sarcastically, talking to the characters or musing about his private life. |
||
==Characters== |
==Characters== |
||
{{Split portions|portion=this section |List of Danger Mouse characters |discuss={{TALKPAGENAME}}#Split proposed |date=September 2023}} |
|||
===Main=== |
===Main=== |
||
[[File:Danger-mouse-fair-use.jpg|thumb|upright|Danger Mouse, as seen in the title sequence]] |
[[File:Danger-mouse-fair-use.jpg|thumb|upright|Danger Mouse, as seen in the title sequence]] |
||
Line 74: | Line 72: | ||
The show was created by Mark Hall<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15792282|title=Danger Mouse co-creator Mark Hall dies|work=BBC News|date=18 November 2011}}</ref> and [[Brian Cosgrove]] for their production company, [[Cosgrove Hall Films]]. Danger Mouse was based on [[Patrick McGoohan|Patrick McGoohan's]] lead role in ''[[Danger Man]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://danger-mouse.net/cosgrove.html|title=Club DM|work=danger-mouse.net|access-date=7 December 2012|archive-date=3 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003214234/http://danger-mouse.net/cosgrove.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="guardian"/> The show was intended to have a more serious tone as seen in the pilot episode but [[Mike Harding]] (who wrote the music for the show) gave Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall the idea to make the series silly. "The characters had got stuck in reality and were doing James Bond type things rooted in the solid real world," said Harding, "I argued that once you invented a Mouse Secret Agent then all of creation and a good chunk of not creation was his oyster. In other words we could be as barmy (crazy) as we wanted."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mikeharding.co.uk/tvradio/cosgrove-hall/|title=Cosgrove Hall|work=mikeharding.co.uk}}</ref> In an interview with ''[[The Guardian]]'', Cosgrove said "We reckoned a secret service mouse foiling the plans of an evil toad – Baron Silas Greenback – was suitably ridiculous."<ref name="guardian"/> |
The show was created by Mark Hall<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15792282|title=Danger Mouse co-creator Mark Hall dies|work=BBC News|date=18 November 2011}}</ref> and [[Brian Cosgrove]] for their production company, [[Cosgrove Hall Films]]. Danger Mouse was based on [[Patrick McGoohan|Patrick McGoohan's]] lead role in ''[[Danger Man]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://danger-mouse.net/cosgrove.html|title=Club DM|work=danger-mouse.net|access-date=7 December 2012|archive-date=3 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003214234/http://danger-mouse.net/cosgrove.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="guardian"/> The show was intended to have a more serious tone as seen in the pilot episode but [[Mike Harding]] (who wrote the music for the show) gave Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall the idea to make the series silly. "The characters had got stuck in reality and were doing James Bond type things rooted in the solid real world," said Harding, "I argued that once you invented a Mouse Secret Agent then all of creation and a good chunk of not creation was his oyster. In other words we could be as barmy (crazy) as we wanted."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mikeharding.co.uk/tvradio/cosgrove-hall/|title=Cosgrove Hall|work=mikeharding.co.uk}}</ref> In an interview with ''[[The Guardian]]'', Cosgrove said "We reckoned a secret service mouse foiling the plans of an evil toad – Baron Silas Greenback – was suitably ridiculous."<ref name="guardian"/> |
||
Cosgrove and Hall brought in [[Brian Trueman]], who was working as an announcer on ''[[Granada TV]]'', as the main writer. For the voice of Danger Mouse, they picked [[David Jason]] after they saw him in the show ''[[Only Fools and Horses]]''. For the voice of Penfold, they picked [[Terry Scott]], who was known for the show ''[[Terry and June]]''<ref name="guardian"/> |
Cosgrove and Hall brought in [[Brian Trueman]], who was working as an announcer on ''[[Granada TV]]'', as the main writer. For the voice of Danger Mouse, they picked [[David Jason]] after they saw him in the show ''[[Only Fools and Horses]]''. For the voice of Penfold, they picked [[Terry Scott]], who was known for the show ''[[Terry and June]]''.<ref name="guardian"/> |
||
On 4 June 1984, the show was (along with ''[[Belle and Sebastian (Japanese TV series)|Belle and Sebastian]]'') the first animated show to appear on [[Nickelodeon]] in the United States and quickly became the second most popular show on the channel after [[You Can't Do That on Television|''You Can’t Do That on Television'']],<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/PPLPp5GgbQU Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20190825211013/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPLPp5GgbQU&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Cite web|title=Danger Mouse - Nick Knacks Episode #039 - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPLPp5GgbQU&feature=youtu.be|access-date=2020-12-31|website=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref> as it appealed to both tweens and adults with its quick-witted English humour.<ref name="FNTVF">{{cite book|last1=Hannah|first1=Warner|title=Fascinating TV Facts|edition=1|year=2004|publisher=Ted Smart|location=[[London]]|isbn=0-7535-0919-9|page=99}}</ref> It was often compared to American audiences as a British equivalent of ''[[The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show]]'', due to its gentle satire of politics and outrageous plots. |
On 4 June 1984, the show was (along with ''[[Belle and Sebastian (Japanese TV series)|Belle and Sebastian]]'') the first animated show to appear on [[Nickelodeon]] in the United States and quickly became the second most popular show on the channel after [[You Can't Do That on Television|''You Can’t Do That on Television'']],<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/PPLPp5GgbQU Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20190825211013/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPLPp5GgbQU&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Cite web|title=Danger Mouse - Nick Knacks Episode #039 - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPLPp5GgbQU&feature=youtu.be|access-date=2020-12-31|website=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref> as it appealed to both tweens and adults with its quick-witted English humour.<ref name="FNTVF">{{cite book|last1=Hannah|first1=Warner|title=Fascinating TV Facts|edition=1|year=2004|publisher=Ted Smart|location=[[London]]|isbn=0-7535-0919-9|page=99}}</ref> It was often compared to American audiences as a British equivalent of ''[[The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show]]'', due to its gentle satire of politics and outrageous plots. |
||
It returned to terrestrial television after the [[BBC]] purchased episodes of it to broadcast in its daytime schedules with its first broadcast on 12 February 2007.<ref name="BFI">[http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/737309/index.html "Dangermouse (1981-1992)"]. British Film Institute.</ref><ref name="bbc">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5316700.stm "Dangermouse back on 25th birthday!"]. BBC News. 5 September 2006.</ref> |
It returned to terrestrial television after the [[BBC]] purchased episodes of it to broadcast in its daytime schedules with its first broadcast on 12 February 2007 on [[BBC Two]].<ref name="BFI">[http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/737309/index.html "Dangermouse (1981-1992)"]. British Film Institute.</ref><ref name="bbc">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5316700.stm "Dangermouse back on 25th birthday!"]. BBC News. 5 September 2006.</ref> |
||
The show was expensive to make, sometimes needing 2,000 drawings<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/nostalgia/nostalgia-danger-mouse-1981-1992-224949|title=Nostalgia: Danger Mouse (1981-1992)|last=Laws|first=Roz|date=23 July 2011|work=birminghammail}}</ref> thus footage was reused while certain scenes were set in the North Pole or "in the dark" (i.e. black with eyeballs visible only, or, in Danger Mouse's case, simply one eyeball) as a cost-cutting measure. This time-and-money saving device was cheerfully admitted by both Brian Cosgrove, who conceived the character and the show, and Brian Trueman, who wrote almost all the scripts from the beginning.<ref name="den of geek"/> |
The show was expensive to make, sometimes needing 2,000 drawings<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/nostalgia/nostalgia-danger-mouse-1981-1992-224949|title=Nostalgia: Danger Mouse (1981-1992)|last=Laws|first=Roz|date=23 July 2011|work=birminghammail}}</ref> thus footage was reused while certain scenes were set in the North Pole or "in the dark" (i.e. black with eyeballs visible only, or, in Danger Mouse's case, simply one eyeball) as a cost-cutting measure. This time-and-money saving device was cheerfully admitted by both Brian Cosgrove, who conceived the character and the show, and Brian Trueman, who wrote almost all the scripts from the beginning.<ref name="den of geek"/> |
||
Line 181: | Line 179: | ||
* American musician & producer [[Danger Mouse (musician)|Danger Mouse]] chose his stage name as a reference the show, initially performing in a mouse costume.<ref>"An American musician and producer, Brian Burton, created remix CDs under the stage name Danger Mouse, which he took from the television series." [[Associated Press]], "Mark Hall, 75, 'Danger Mouse' cartoonist," ''[[The New York Times]]'', 20 November 2011.</ref> |
* American musician & producer [[Danger Mouse (musician)|Danger Mouse]] chose his stage name as a reference the show, initially performing in a mouse costume.<ref>"An American musician and producer, Brian Burton, created remix CDs under the stage name Danger Mouse, which he took from the television series." [[Associated Press]], "Mark Hall, 75, 'Danger Mouse' cartoonist," ''[[The New York Times]]'', 20 November 2011.</ref> |
||
* In the 1989 film ''[[The BFG (1989 film)|The BFG]]'', which was also produced by [[Cosgrove-Hall]], a ''Danger Mouse'' poster is shown above a boy's bed.<ref name="den of geek"/> |
* In the 1989 film ''[[The BFG (1989 film)|The BFG]]'', which was also produced by [[Cosgrove-Hall]], a ''Danger Mouse'' poster is shown above a boy's bed.<ref name="den of geek"/> |
||
* ''[[Victor and Hugo]]'' (1991): Appeared as themselves in the episode titled "French Exchange" S2E7. |
|||
* ''[[South Park]]'' (2008): In the video, Danger Mouse is in Imaginationland. {{citation needed|date=December 2016}} |
|||
==Episodes== |
==Episodes== |
||
Line 203: | Line 199: | ||
== Revival == |
== Revival == |
||
{{main|Danger Mouse (2015 TV series)}} |
{{main|Danger Mouse (2015 TV series)}} |
||
It was reported in 2013 that the series was under consideration for a revival,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a465108/danger-mouse-reboot-considered-after-citv-old-skool-weekend-success.html |title='Danger Mouse' reboot considered after CITV Old Skool weekend success | |
It was reported in 2013 that the series was under consideration for a revival,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a465108/danger-mouse-reboot-considered-after-citv-old-skool-weekend-success.html |title='Danger Mouse' reboot considered after CITV Old Skool weekend success |work=Digital Spy |date=12 March 2013}}</ref> and in June 2014 it was announced that a new series was being made for broadcast on [[CBBC (TV channel)|CBBC]] in 2015.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27876300 |title=Danger Mouse to return to TV screens |work=BBC News |date=17 June 2014 |access-date=17 June 2014}}</ref> The new series is produced by Boulder Media for FremantleMedia Kids. It is directed by Robert Cullen<ref name=cartoon>{{cite news|url=http://blog.bcdb.com/animated-series-reboots-7699/|title=Three New Animated Series, Reboots All|first=Dave|last=Koch|publisher=Big Cartoon News|date=18 June 2014|access-date=18 June 2014|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140620233051/http://blog.bcdb.com/animated-series-reboots-7699/|archive-date=20 June 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> with Brian Cosgrove, one of the original creators, acting as creative consultant.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2014/dangermouse|title=Danger Mouse back on TV as new series announced for CBBC - Media Centre|work=bbc.co.uk}}</ref> [[Alexander Armstrong]] and actor [[Kevin Eldon]] voice Danger Mouse and Penfold, respectively; [[Dave Lamb]] takes the role of the narrator, whilst [[Stephen Fry]] plays Colonel K and [[Ed Gaughan]] takes over as Baron Greenback.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-29239681 |title=Danger Mouse to be voiced by Alexander Armstrong |work=[[BBC News]] |date=18 September 2014 |access-date=2016-03-31}}</ref> Armstrong's ''[[Pointless]]'' co-host [[Richard Osman]] appears in the series as Professor Strontium Jellyfishowitz.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prolificnorth.co.uk/2014/12/stephen-fry-and-richard-osman-join-cast-of-cbbcs-danger-mouse/|title=Stephen Fry and Richard Osman join cast of CBBC's Danger Mouse|work=Prolific North|date=December 2014|access-date=26 February 2015|archive-date=26 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926033035/http://www.prolificnorth.co.uk/2014/12/stephen-fry-and-richard-osman-join-cast-of-cbbcs-danger-mouse/|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[John Oliver (comedian)|John Oliver]] voices the character Dr Augustus P Crumhorn III and [[Lena Headey]] voices the character Jeopardy Mouse, a character newly introduced into this series.<ref name="theguardian.com"/> This series aired on [[Netflix]] in the US.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/2/25/8107493/netflix-inspector-gadget-danger-mouse-reboots|title=Netflix picks up Inspector Gadget and Danger Mouse reboots|last=Kastrenakes|first=Jacob|publisher=Vox Media|work=The Verge|date=25 February 2015}}</ref> Kevin Eldon describes the animation style as 'much the same as the original'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wow247.co.uk/2015/05/14/kevin-eldon-interview-danger-mouse-brilliantman/|title=Kevin Eldon on Danger Mouse reboot: 'It's pretty imaginative'|work=WOW247|access-date=11 March 2016|archive-date=27 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327092051/http://www.wow247.co.uk/2015/05/14/kevin-eldon-interview-danger-mouse-brilliantman/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The first episode aired on 28 September 2015.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-34359418|title = Danger Mouse: Still 'the greatest' secret agent in the world?|work = BBC News|date = 28 September 2015}}</ref> |
||
[[Jazwares]] is the master toy partner, [[Penguin Books]] published a range of printed books, including story books, official guides, sticker books, novelty books, annuals and electronic titles and [[D.C. Thomson & Co.]] published a monthly magazine with comic strips, puzzles, fact files, poster and competitions.<ref name="licensing.biz"/> |
[[Jazwares]] is the master toy partner, [[Penguin Books]] published a range of printed books, including story books, official guides, sticker books, novelty books, annuals and electronic titles and [[D.C. Thomson & Co.]] published a monthly magazine with comic strips, puzzles, fact files, poster and competitions.<ref name="licensing.biz"/> |
||
Line 231: | Line 227: | ||
{{Danger Mouse TV}} |
{{Danger Mouse TV}} |
||
⚫ | |||
[[Category:1981 British television series debuts]] |
[[Category:1981 British television series debuts]] |
||
[[Category:1992 British television series endings]] |
[[Category:1992 British television series endings]] |
||
Line 242: | Line 239: | ||
[[Category:British children's animated comic science fiction television series]] |
[[Category:British children's animated comic science fiction television series]] |
||
[[Category:British children's animated superhero television series]] |
[[Category:British children's animated superhero television series]] |
||
[[Category: |
[[Category:British English-language television shows]] |
||
[[Category:Espionage television series]] |
[[Category:Espionage television series]] |
||
[[Category:ITV children's television shows]] |
[[Category:ITV children's television shows]] |
||
[[Category:Nickelodeon original programming]] |
[[Category:Nickelodeon original programming]] |
||
[[Category:Parody superheroes]] |
[[Category:Parody superheroes]] |
||
⚫ | |||
[[Category:Danger Mouse]] |
[[Category:Danger Mouse]] |
||
[[Category:Television series by FremantleMedia Kids & Family]] |
[[Category:Television series by FremantleMedia Kids & Family]] |
||
Line 260: | Line 256: | ||
[[Category:British spy television series]] |
[[Category:British spy television series]] |
||
[[Category:ITV animated television series]] |
[[Category:ITV animated television series]] |
||
[[Category:Fictional characters missing an eye]] |
|||
[[Category:Fictional eyepatch wearers]] |
Danger Mouse | |
---|---|
![]()
Title card
| |
Genre |
|
Created by |
|
Voices of |
|
Narrated by | David Jason |
Opening theme | "Danger Mouse" by Mike Harding |
Ending theme | "Danger Mouse" by Mike Harding |
Composer | Mike Harding |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 10 |
No. of episodes | 89(list of episodes) |
Production | |
Running time | 5–22 minutes |
Production companies |
|
Original release | |
Network | ITV |
Release | 28 September 1981 (1981-09-28) – 19 March 1992 (1992-03-19) |
Related | |
|
Danger Mouse is a British animated television series produced by Cosgrove Hall Productions for Thames Television.[1] It features the eponymous Danger Mouse who worked as a secret agent and is a parody of British spy fiction, particularly the Danger Man series and James Bond. It originally ran from 28 September 1981 to 19 March 1992 on the ITV network.
The series spawned a spin-off show, Count Duckula, which aired between 1988 and 1993, and an updated under the same name, began airing in September 2015 on CBBC.[2][3]
Danger Mouse is a secret agent with the British Secret Service, and together with his sidekick Penfold is repeatedly ordered by Colonel K, the head of the Secret Service, to save the world.
They work underneath Scotland YardonBaker Street in London, hidden inside a red pillar box. Their arch-enemies are Baron Silas Greenback and his criminal organization, who try to achieve world domination by unconventional means such as stealing all famous buildings, or creating giant robots, etc.
A special role is played by the off-screen narrator, Isambard Sinclair, who accompanies the action by commenting on it sarcastically, talking to the characters or musing about his private life.
The show was created by Mark Hall[13] and Brian Cosgrove for their production company, Cosgrove Hall Films. Danger Mouse was based on Patrick McGoohan's lead role in Danger Man.[14][4] The show was intended to have a more serious tone as seen in the pilot episode but Mike Harding (who wrote the music for the show) gave Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall the idea to make the series silly. "The characters had got stuck in reality and were doing James Bond type things rooted in the solid real world," said Harding, "I argued that once you invented a Mouse Secret Agent then all of creation and a good chunk of not creation was his oyster. In other words we could be as barmy (crazy) as we wanted."[15] In an interview with The Guardian, Cosgrove said "We reckoned a secret service mouse foiling the plans of an evil toad – Baron Silas Greenback – was suitably ridiculous."[4]
Cosgrove and Hall brought in Brian Trueman, who was working as an announcer on Granada TV, as the main writer. For the voice of Danger Mouse, they picked David Jason after they saw him in the show Only Fools and Horses. For the voice of Penfold, they picked Terry Scott, who was known for the show Terry and June.[4]
On 4 June 1984, the show was (along with Belle and Sebastian) the first animated show to appear on Nickelodeon in the United States and quickly became the second most popular show on the channel after You Can’t Do That on Television,[16] as it appealed to both tweens and adults with its quick-witted English humour.[17] It was often compared to American audiences as a British equivalent of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, due to its gentle satire of politics and outrageous plots.
It returned to terrestrial television after the BBC purchased episodes of it to broadcast in its daytime schedules with its first broadcast on 12 February 2007 on BBC Two.[18][19]
The show was expensive to make, sometimes needing 2,000 drawings[20] thus footage was reused while certain scenes were set in the North Pole or "in the dark" (i.e. black with eyeballs visible only, or, in Danger Mouse's case, simply one eyeball) as a cost-cutting measure. This time-and-money saving device was cheerfully admitted by both Brian Cosgrove, who conceived the character and the show, and Brian Trueman, who wrote almost all the scripts from the beginning.[11]
During the cartoon's run, it reached a peak viewing figure of 7.2 million viewers on 3 January 1983,[21] with average figures being around 3-4 million per episode.
In 2001, the show was ranked third in Channel 4's 100 Greatest Kids' TV Shows.[22] In 2008 it was named the 62nd best animated series by IGN, who considered it one of the first British cartoons to become popular with American audiences.[23]
Danger Mouse was nominated for 11 BAFTA awards during its original run, but did not win any.[11]
A listing of British Academy Film Awards.[24]
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1984 (37th) | Danger Mouse series 4 | Best Short Animation | Nominated |
1985 (38th) | Danger Mouse series 5 | Best Short Animation | Nominated |
1986 (39th) | Danger Mouse series 6 | Best Short Animation | Nominated |
1987 (40th) | Danger Mouse series 7 | Best Short Animation Film | Nominated |
A listing of British Academy Television Awards.[24]
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1983 | Danger Mouse series 2 or 3 | Children's Programme - Entertainment / Drama | Nominated |
1984 | Danger Mouse series 4 | Children's Programme - Entertainment / Drama | Nominated |
1984 | Danger Mouse series 4 | Short Animation | Nominated |
1985 | Danger Mouse series 5 | Short Animation | Nominated |
1986 | Danger Mouse series 6 | Children's Programme - Entertainment / Drama | Nominated |
1986 | Danger Mouse series 6 | Short Animation | Nominated |
1987 | Danger Mouse series 7 | Short Animation | Nominated |
In 2012, Brian Cosgrove received a Special Award from the British Academy Children's Awards.[25]
A long-running comic strip adaptation, written by Angus P. Allan and illustrated by Arthur Ranson, ran in Look-in magazine and was syndicated in various other magazines. Ranson also provided some backdrops for the show. Allan and Ranson's work was highly appreciated by Cosgrove Hall, and the pair were awarded an "Oh Goodness!, Oh Crikey!" award in appreciation of their services. Some of Allan's stories were adapted for the show, although Allan's name was misspelled "Angus Allen". Artist Ranson later went on to illustrate Judge Anderson in the UK comic 2000 AD.
A series of video games based on the character also appeared. The first were Danger Mouse in Double Trouble and Danger Mouse in the Black Forest Chateau (both in 1984) followed by Danger Mouse in Making Whoopee! in 1985.[26][27][28]
Two mobile games were published by ZED Worldwide; Danger Mouse: Quiz in 2010 and Danger Mouse in 2011.
Some stories were also available as read-along cassettes with accompanying books. They were re-read by the cast for audio.
During its run, the show spawned a wide range of merchandise, including storybooks, hardback annuals, jigsaw puzzles, a Panini sticker album, View-Master reels, and of course, VHS releases. In the years since, products have continued to sell, often aimed at the now-adult audience which grew up with it, such as T-shirts, mugs, key rings, fridge magnets and posters. To coincide with the 25th anniversary, Cosgrove Hall also licensed rights to a number of companies to produce a range of new anniversary merchandise including Blues Clothing (women's and girls' underwear and sleepwear) and Concept 2 Creation (collectible figurines).
FremantleMedia launched a webshop run by Metrostar e-commerce where a wide variety of goods were for sale, including the CD Audio adaptation of two of the show's episodes using the original artists voices, released by Steve Deakin-Davies: The Ambition Company.
Series | Episodes | Originally aired | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
First aired | Last aired | Network | |||
1 | 11 | 28 September 1981 (1981-09-28) | 14 December 1981 (1981-12-14) | ITV | |
2 | 6 | 4 January 1982 (1982-01-04) | 12 February 1982 (1982-02-12) | ITV | |
3 | 5 | 4 October 1982 (1982-10-04) | 1 November 1982 (1982-11-01) | ITV | |
4 | 9 | 3 January 1983 (1983-01-03) | 23 March 1983 (1983-03-23) | CITV | |
5 | 10 | 20 February 1984 (1984-02-20) | 30 April 1984 (1984-04-30) | CITV | |
6 | 27 | 25 December 1984 (1984-12-25) | 26 December 1985 (1985-12-26) | ITV | |
7 | 6 | 13 November 1986 (1986-11-13) | 18 December 1986 (1986-12-18) | CITV | |
8 | 2 | 20 February 1987 (1987-02-20) | 27 February 1987 (1987-02-27) | CITV | |
9 | 6 | 3 January 1991 (1991-01-03) | 7 February 1991 (1991-02-07) | ITV | |
10 | 7 | 6 February 1992 (1992-02-06) | 19 March 1992 (1992-03-19) | ITV |
This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this articlebyadding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
|
The series was transmitted on ITV via the CITV brand from 1981 to 1992. The show has the initials 'DM' prominently emblazoned on his chest. This causes problems for those translating it into other languages, where a literal translation of the words 'Danger' and 'Mouse' do not have those initials; the Scots Gaelic version, for example, calls the show (and the lead) Donnie Murdo (two given names unconnected either with mice or danger).[30] which was broadcast on STV – from 1990 to 1994 and again on BBC Alba in 2015. The series has also been broadcast on numerous channels on Boomerang (2000–06) and BBC Two (2007–09).
He was Dzielna Mysz (brave mouse) in Polish, Dundermusen (Thundermouse) in Swedish, and Dare Dare MotusinFrench, "Dare Dare" being French slang for "as fast as possible". The Slovene translation omitted the DM initials entirely, however, dubbing Danger Mouse Hrabri mišek ('Brave Mouse').
InAustralia, the show was first broadcast on ABC TV in 1982 it then moved to Network Ten in 1996. It was also the first British cartoon to break into Cheez TV, being shown on the weekdays.
In the United States, the show was broadcast on Nickelodeon from 1984 to 1987, and 1991 to 1994. It would be the first fully-fledged animated show to air on the network.
It was reported in 2013 that the series was under consideration for a revival,[31] and in June 2014 it was announced that a new series was being made for broadcast on CBBC in 2015.[32] The new series is produced by Boulder Media for FremantleMedia Kids. It is directed by Robert Cullen[33] with Brian Cosgrove, one of the original creators, acting as creative consultant.[34] Alexander Armstrong and actor Kevin Eldon voice Danger Mouse and Penfold, respectively; Dave Lamb takes the role of the narrator, whilst Stephen Fry plays Colonel K and Ed Gaughan takes over as Baron Greenback.[35] Armstrong's Pointless co-host Richard Osman appears in the series as Professor Strontium Jellyfishowitz.[36] John Oliver voices the character Dr Augustus P Crumhorn III and Lena Headey voices the character Jeopardy Mouse, a character newly introduced into this series.[2] This series aired on Netflix in the US.[37] Kevin Eldon describes the animation style as 'much the same as the original'.[38] The first episode aired on 28 September 2015.[39]
Jazwares is the master toy partner, Penguin Books published a range of printed books, including story books, official guides, sticker books, novelty books, annuals and electronic titles and D.C. Thomson & Co. published a monthly magazine with comic strips, puzzles, fact files, poster and competitions.[3]