Animaniacs
The Animaniacs - Yakko, Wakko and Dot Warner - are cartoon characters who were created in the 1930's, but deemed too crazy and 'ahead of their time', and locked up in the Warner Brothers water tower for 60 years. They escaped in 1993, bringing with them Pinky and the Brain, The Goodfeathers (a pigeon send up of 'The Godfather') and a host of other franchises and occasional characters. Episodes would usually (but not always) include three short cartoons starring different sets of characters.
Language: English
Country of Origin: USA
Alternate Title: Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs
| Rob Paulsen | ... Yakko Warner, Pinky, Dr. Otto Scratchensniff |
| Jess Harnell | ... Wakko Warner |
| Tress MacNeille | ... Dot Warner, Hello Nurse, Marita Hippo |
| Maurice LaMarche | ... Brain, Squit Pigeon |
| John Mariano | ... Bobby Pigeon |
| Chuck Vennera | ... Pesto Pigeon |
| Frank Welker | ... Ralph the Guard, Thaddeus Plotz, Buttons, Runt, Flavio, Hippo, Chicken Boo |
| Jeff Bennett | ... Baloney |
| Tom Bodett | ... Narrator |
| Julie Brown | ... Minerva Mink (1993-1996) |
| Nancy Cartwright | ... Mindy |
| Jim Cummings | ... Narrator |
| Laura Mooney | ... Katie Kaboom |
| Mary Gross | ... Katie's Mom |
| Arte Johnson | ... Newt |
| Bernadette Peters | ... Rita |
| Nathan Ruegger | ... Skippy Squirrel |
| Cody Ruegger | ... Little Blue Bird |
| Paul Rugg | ... Clown |
| Sherri Stoner | ... Slappy Squirrel |
| Colin Wells | ... Randy Beaman's Pal |
| Edward Asner | ... Vern |
| Valri Bromfield | ... Mary Hartless, Queenie |
| Dan Castellaneta | ... Dracula |
| Christopher Guest | ... Umlatt of Dunlikus |
| Michael McKean | ... Spink |
| Ron Perlman | ... Satan |
| Lisa Raggio | ... Kitty Litter, Helga |
| John Rhys-Davies | ... Tympannini |
| Luke Ruegger | ... The Flame, The Brave Little Trailer |
| Peter Scolari | ... Wilford B. Wolf, Driver |
The next, and most successful phase of the Amblin/Warner collaboration that started with Tiny Toons Adventures.
According to Dallas Morning News, Fox-affiliate KDAF-TV channel 33 suffered a 3-day transmitter failure during November 1993. During this period, the Neilsen ratings survey found that 11,000 homes tuned in to the blank screen during the Animaniacs timeslot. This out-rated the rival KXTX-TV children's show by almost 2-1.
Though technically it aired for six years between Fox and WB, 61 of the 99 episodes come from the very first season - the only original season at Fox. When the new WB channel began screening new episodes in 1995 they began to show a decreasing enthusiasm with the show and ordered fewer and fewer episodes (which are also generally regarded as lesser quality). The problem may well have been because WB had expected a young kid's show, and found themselves with a show that had a disconcertingly large adult fanbase.
| Nikka's Animaniacs Page -- Good compilation of info. (Warning. Lots of Animaniacs sites listed in Google are now defunct. This one isn't.) |
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