Josie and the Pussycats

Josie and the Pussycats

Josie and the Pussycats (formatted as Josie and the Pussy Cats in the opening titles) is an American animated television series, based upon the Archie Comics comic book series of the same name created by Dan DeCarlo. Produced for Saturday morning television by Hanna-Barbera Productions, sixteen episodes of Josie and the Pussycats aired on CBS during the 1970-71 television season, and were rerun during the 1971-72 season. In 1972, the show was re-conceptualized as Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space, sixteen episodes of which aired on CBS during the 1972-73 season and were rerun the following season. Reruns of the original series alternated between CBS, ABC, and NBC from 1974 through 1976.This brought its national Saturday morning TV run on three networks to six years.

Josie and the Pussycats featured an all-girl pop music band that toured the world with their entourage, getting mixed up in strange adventures, spy capers, and mysteries. On the small-screen, the group consisted of level-headed lead singer and guitarist Josie, intelligent tambourinist Valerie, and air-headed blonde drummer Melody. Other characters included their cowardly manager Alexander Cabot III, his conniving sister Alexandra, her cat Sebastian, and muscular roadie Alan.

The show, more similar to Hanna-Barbera's successful Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! than the original Josie comic book, is famous for its music, the girls' leopard print leotards (replete with "long tails and ears for hats," as the theme song states), and for featuring Valerie as the first regularly appearing female black character in a Saturday morning cartoon show. Each episode featured a Josie and the Pussycats song played over a chase scene, which, in a similar fashion to The Monkees, featured the group running after and from a selection of haplessly villainous characters.

Characteres

Josie - The red-haired guitarist and leader of the band. Josie shares an attraction with Alan, the road manager.

Valerie - An African American girl who plays the tambourines. The voice of reason in the group, Valerie is highly intelligent and a mechanical wizard.

Melody - The band's drummer. Blonde and slightly airheaded, what Melody lacks in intellect she makes up for in heart; to wit, her perpetual sweetness and optimism.

Alan - The group's muscular roadie and Josie's love interest.

Alexandra Cabot - The ongoing antagonist of the series, identified by her long black pony-tailed hair with a white streak through the center of it, suggesting a pole-cat, or skunk. Selfish and bullying, Alexandra bills herself as "the real star of the band", though she does little more than stand around scowling with her arms folded, always jealous of the attention the others get, especially Josie. Her sole "talent" is her constant plotting to steal the spotlight and Alan's affections from Josie, only to have every scheme fail in humiliating fashion.

Alexander Cabot III - Alexandra's brother and the group's manager, highly identifiable by his colorful, wacky wardrobe including his green rimmed sunglasses, orange shirt collar, violet-red ascot, green shirt, purple pinstriped pants, yellow shoes, and green socks. Alexander is an admitted coward but, in sharp contrast to Alexandra, is good-hearted. Alexander and Valerie have a slight attraction to one another at times. He also seems to be attracted to Melody.

Sebastian - Alexandra's pet cat, whose black and white fur resembles Alexandra's hair. He enjoys being mean and sometimes appears to go to the enemy's side, but usually only to trick the villain so he can have a chance to help the group escape. He sometimes uses his claws to pick locks. Alexandra sometimes asks Sebastian to do things to Josie, but her tricks usually backfire.

Bleep - Melody's fluffy pet alien with pink extremities. He makes a "bleep" sound (thus his name) which only Melody can understand. (appears only in Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space)

By : Victoria Cutrim