The Biskitts

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The Biskitts
The Biskitts.jpg
Title screen
Genre
Written by
  • Duane Poole
  • Tom Swale
Directed by
Voices of
Composer Hoyt Curtin
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes13 (26 segments)
Production
Executive producers William Hanna
Joseph Barbera
Producers
EditorGil Iverson
Running time20 minutes (whole)
10 minutes (separate)
Production company Hanna-Barbera Productions
Original release
Network CBS
ReleaseSeptember 17, 1983 (1983-09-17) –
September 8, 1984 (1984-09-08)

The Biskitts is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions from 1983 to 1984 and aired on CBS. [1] The series lasted for only one season; only 13 episodes were produced. [2] Shirt Tales replaced the show in its time slot the following year. The Biskitts returned to that same time slot in March 1985 but only aired reruns in the remainder of that season. [3] Following the series' retirement from CBS, like many other cartoons, it was acquired by the Armed Forces Network and shown throughout much of the 1980s, mainly as entertainment for children of deployed American servicemen in Asia and Europe.

Contents

Plot

The Biskitts are a group of tiny anthropomorphic dogs who live on Biskitt Island and are committed to guarding the crown jewels of Biskitt Castle. [4] Modeled after Robin Hood, the Biskitts still serve their recently deceased king while performing good deeds for the underprivileged inhabitants of their tiny island. [5] It is explained in the opening narration that due to their good reputation for responsibility and security, other kings have entrusted their treasures to be safeguarded by the Biskitts.

The villain of the series is the king's mean-spirited, wasteful, younger brother King Max who rules the neighboring Lower Suburbia. In lieu of a proper coronation, Max constantly schemes to steal the royal treasure with the help of his hench-hounds Fang and Snarl and his jester Shecky. The Biskitts are also in danger of being captured and eaten by a large wildcat named Scratch.

Characters

Biskitts

Minor Biskitts

  • Rover (voiced by Peter Cullen) – Rover is a pirate-like Biskitt who has been away from Biskitt island for a long time.
  • Flip – A laid-back Biskitt.
  • Fetch (voiced by Kenneth Mars) – A silly-looking Biskitt.
  • Princess Biskitt – The Princess Biskitt gets kidnapped by King Max to capture the Biskitts. The male Biskitts fall into the trap and was about to boiled alive with her. Sweets, Wiggle and Lady thought she was not real at first but found out that she is and saved the male Biskitts and Princess Biskitt from their hot watery doom.

Villains

Other characters

List of episodes

No. in
season		TitleWritten byOriginal air date
1"As the Worm Turns" Len Janson, Chuck Menville and Gene AyresSeptember 17, 1983 (1983-09-17)
"Trouble in the Tunnel"Duane Poole and Tom Swale

As the Worm Turns: Sweets befriends a worm.

Trouble in the Tunnel: Shiner gives Scat a job for cleaning treasure and a mole comes on Biskitt Island. The ring gets stuck on the mole's nose, causing Scat to follow the mole. Can Scat save the day and stop King Max?
2"The Moonpond" Michael Reaves September 24, 1983 (1983-09-24)
"Fly Me to the Goon" David Wise

The Moonpond: Shiner want to be brave and legendary like The Moonpond, so he decides to battle Scratch. This results in the Biskitts helping him.

Fly Me to the Goon: Bump lands on King Max's castle. Waggs, Sweets, Scat and Shiner must save him.
3"Dogfoot"Michael ReavesOctober 1, 1983 (1983-10-01)
"Up to His Old Tricks"Duane Poole and Tom Swale

Dogfoot: Downer is sick and Biskitts meets Dogfoot.

Up to His Old Tricks: King Max is using the Trick Book and he finally gets treasure. Unfortunately, Sweets and Downer are in the treasure box. So Wags and the other Biskitts must get the treasure back and save Sweets and Downer.
4"Spinner's Surprise"Michael Reaves and Marc Scott Zicree October 8, 1983 (1983-10-08)
"Two Leagues Under the Pond"Dan DiStefano

Spinner's Surprise: It's Spinner's birthday.

Two Leagues Under the Pond: King Max and Shecky use a submarine in the shape of a crocodile to get King John's treasure on Biskitts Island.
5"Turnaround Hound" Diane Duane October 15, 1983 (1983-10-15)
"A Dark and Stormy Knight"Michael Reaves and Marc Scott Zicree

Turnaround Hound: Snarl get hurt and Biskitts take care of him. Shiner help him to get better.

A Dark and Stormy Knight: A Black Knight appears and he wants the Biskitts treasure as he kidnaps Scat. Now the Biskitts and King Max have to work together to thwart the Black Knight.
6"Belling the Wild Cat"Michael ReavesOctober 22, 1983 (1983-10-22)
"King Max's War"

Belling the Wild Cat: The Biskitts plot to bell Scratch to keep him from sneaking up on them. Meanwhile, Scratch is visited by his cousin Itch.

King Max's War: King Otto and his knights arrive in Biskitt Swamp in order to claim King Max's treasure even though he doesn't have any. To keep their swamp from being burned down, the Biskitts end up arranging a duel between King Max and King Otto while befriending King Otto's daughter.
7"Moving Day"Jeff Segal and Alan Burnett October 29, 1983 (1983-10-29)
"A Biskitt Halloween"Michael Reaves

Moving Day: Using the rainy weather to their advantage, King Max and Shecky search for the Biskitts and do a sneak attack on them.

A Biskitt Halloween: On Halloween, a witch that the Biskitts have outsmarted years ago returns to obtain two Biskitts in order to stay in Biskitt Swamp. Her spell ends up draining the life out of the swamp which also turns Scratch, King Max, and Shecky to stone. The witch then kidnaps Waggs and Sweets. Now the other Biskitts must save them before the witch's spell is complete.
8"Around the Swamp in a Daze"Marc Scott Zicree and Donald F. Glut November 5, 1983 (1983-11-05)
"Rogue Biskitt"Michael Reaves and Marc Scott Zicree

Around the Swamp in a Daze: King Max and Shecky use a balloon to find the Biskitts' Island.

Rogue Biskitt: A Biskitt named Rover arrives on Biskitt Island. Scat wants to join him on his journey.
9"The Golden Biskitt"Michael ReavesNovember 12, 1983 (1983-11-12)
"The Bone in the Stone"

The Golden Biskitt: Lady is turned into gold by a wizard's apprentice.

The Bone in the Stone: When Waggs' leg is hurt, Sweets takes over as leader for the other Biskitts and tries to get the treasure back from the dragon.
10"The Trojan Biskitt"Michael ReavesNovember 19, 1983 (1983-11-19)
"Snatched from Scratch"Gene Ayres

The Trojan Biskitt: King Max plot to give the Biskitts a statue of the Biskitts so he can get their treasures.

Snatched from Scratch: Shiner gets kidnapped by both Scratch and King Max. Can the Biskitts save their selfish friend?
11"The Biskitt Who Cried Woof"Michael Reaves and Marc Scott ZicreeNovember 26, 1983 (1983-11-26)
"Shecky's Last Laugh"Michael Reaves

The Biskitt Who Cried Woof: Wiggle tries to impress Waggs (who has a crush on him). But when King Max uses an eagle to capture the Biskitts, can Wiggle save them?

Shecky's Last Laugh: Bump befriends Shecky.
12"Raiders of the Lost Bark"Michael ReavesDecember 3, 1983 (1983-12-03)
"The Princess and the Plea"Dianne Dixon

Raiders of the Lost Bark: Sweets meets the Whiskers, a group of cats.

The Princess and the Plea: Princess Biskitt is kidnapped by King Max. Waggs, Bump, Shiner, Scat, Mooch and Downer go out to save her. Sweets, Wiggle and Lady must show the boys that the girls are better.
13"The Swamp Monster" David Gerrold December 10, 1983 (1983-12-10)
"May the Best Biskitt Win"Cynthia Friedlob and John Semper

The Swamp Monster: Scat tries to be brave.

May the Best Biskitt Win: Shiner challenge Waggs with a Vote. Who will win the Vote and who will be the leader for the Biskitts: Waggs or Shiner?

Music

Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 is used in theme and in parts in some of episodes. William Hanna and Joseph Barbera used the tune in their 1946 Academy Award winning Tom and Jerry cartoon The Cat Concerto .

Cast

Children's book

A children's book was created based on The Biskitts. In the book, it is discovered that King Max's jester Shecky bears a striking resemblance to King John, one of the kings who has entrusted his treasure to be safeguarded by the Biskitts. When King Max learns of this, he plots to use it to his advantage telling Shecky that they will attempt to steal King John's treasure by having Shecky impersonate King John to come and withdraw his treasure, and Max will pretend to be his slave. While Max and Shecky fool the Biskitts at first into thinking the real King John has come; Shecky seems to enjoy goofing off more and allowing Max to have to do all sorts of chores, much as King Max made him do plenty of demeaning labor.

White Castle promotion

White Castle Castle Meals featured different Biskitts-related games that could be assembled out of their boxes, such as being tossed into King Max's mouth.

Home media

The first episode of the show, as part of the DVD collection, Saturday Mornings Cartoons: 1980s, was released on May 4, 2010.

On February 20, 2018, Warner Archive released The Biskitts – The Complete Series on DVD in region 1 as part of their Hanna-Barbera Classic Collection. [6]

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References

  1. ↑ Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 83–84. ISBN   978-1538103739.
  2. ↑ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 144–145. ISBN   978-1476665993.
  3. ↑ TV Guide Guide to TV . Barnes and Noble. 2004. pp.  73. ISBN   978-0-7607-5634-8.
  4. ↑ Rovin, Jeff (1991). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cartoon Animals . Prentice Hall Press. pp.  29–30. ISBN   0-13-275561-0 . Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  5. ↑ Hyatt, Wesley (1997). The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television . Watson-Guptill Publications. p.  61. ISBN   978-0823083152 . Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  6. ↑ "The Biskitts - HB's Classic 1983 Cartoon Comes 'Complete' to DVD Next Month!". Archived from the original on 2018-01-23.
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