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Underdog

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Underdog
Underdog.jpg
Premiere October 3, 1964
Finale March 22, 1965
Creator Treadwell Covington, Buck Biggers, Chet Stovers
Network/Provider NBC
Style 30-minute animated adventure
Company Total Television
Seasons 2
Episodes 26
Origin USA

Underdog was an animated adventure airing on NBC Saturday mornings.

Underdog was a rhyming canine superhero whose secret identity was Shoeshine Boy, a humble and lovable citizen. Upon listening out for trouble, Shoeshine Boy would dash into a phone booth and become Underdog. He was always protecting TV reporter Sweet Polly Purebred against the evil likes of Simon Barsinister, Riff Raff, Tap Tap (Underdog's criminal doppelganger) and Overcat. Many times as it seems that Underdog can no longer fight, he takes an energy pill encased in a compartment in his ring. (In syndication, many stations had the scene of Underdog taking his energy pill edited out as they feared it would influence kids to imitate the act and take any pills.) Many stories were four-parters.

The middle features were The Go-Go Gophers, two Native American squatters who matched wits with Ft. Frazzle commander Col. Kit Coyote, and The Hunter, previously a feature on King Leonardo and His Short Subjects.

Two years later, Underdog moved to CBS. A new feature was added, Klondike Kat, a feline mountie trying to stop the robbing of outlaw rodent Savoire Faire. Underdog ran two years on CBS then returned to NBC in 1972.

In the syndicated Underdog package, two failed pilots were added to the mix, The Champion (a cabbie hero) and Gene Hattree (a Quick Draw McGraw ripoff in that it featured a singing cowboy horse).

Cast

Actor Character Duration
Main Cast
Wally Cox Underdog/Shoeshine Boy 1 2
Norma McMillan Sweet Polly 1 2
Allen Swift Riff Raff 1 2
Simon Barsinister 1 2
Sandy Becker Tap Tap 1 2
Narrator 1 2
Running Board 1 2
Major Minor 2
George S. Irving Ruffled Feather 1 2
Kenny Delmar Col. Kit Coyote 1 2
The Hunter 1 2
Ben Stone The Fox 1 2
Mort Marshall Klondike Kat 2
Savoire Faire 2

In-Depth

DVD Releases

Title Release Date #
Complete Series
The Complete Series February 21, 2012 9

purchase

Episode Collections
Collector's Edition October 24, 2000 1


The Underdog Chronicles August 7, 2001 1


Nemesis August 6, 2002 1


Underdog Boxed Set August 6, 2002 3


Underdog, Vol. 1 July 24, 2007 1


Underdog, Vol. 2 July 24, 2007 1


Underdog, Vol. 3 July 24, 2007 1


The Ultimate Collection December 18, 2007 3

purchase