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Milton the Monster

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Milton the Monster
Milton, although he's a monster, he's just a big kid.
Also known asThe Milton the Monster Show
Created byHal Seeger
Directed byHal Seeger
Voices ofBob McFadden
Beverly Arnold (uncredited)
Dayton Allen
Herb Duncan
Larry Best
ComposerWinston Sharples
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes26
Production
ProducerHal Seeger
Running time30 min.
Production companiesHal Seeger Productions, in association with the ABC Television Network
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseOctober 9, 1965 (1965-10-09) –
September 8, 1968 (1968-09-08)

Milton the Monster, also called The Milton the Monster Show, is an American Saturday morning animated cartoon television series that ran on ABC from October 9, 1965, to September 8, 1968.[1] It was produced and directed by Hal Seeger.[2]

Overview

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The series starred Milton the Monster, a Frankenstein-looking monster with a flat-topped, seemingly hollow head which emitted various quantities of white steam or smoke based on his mood or situation.[3] He was created by mad scientist Professor Montgomery Weirdo and his assistant Count Kook, who lived in a haunted house on Horror Hill.[4] Milton is a smiling, good-natured fellow, thanks to the Professor having used too much "tincture of tenderness" as explained in the opening theme of each individual Milton the Monster segment. Milton was created not of individual body parts, but rather in a mold from such liquids as "essence of terror" and "sinister sauce." Out of fear of his creation destroying him, Professor Weirdo intended to add just a touch of the aforementioned tincture of tenderness to the mold, but Count Kook bumped the Professor's elbow, resulting in too much of the tincture being added to the mix. Milton's voice, which was based on the southern accent used by Jim Nabors in his television role as Gomer Pyle,[5] was provided by Bob McFadden who also provided voices for Professor Weirdo's resident monsters:

  • Jeebie - a slow-witted, cyclopian, hairy green creature with a single sharp tooth that was often used to open soda cans.
  • Mechanical Mike - A blue robot who only appears in one episode and some episodes of Fearless Fly. Milton accidentally destroys Mike while helping him with indigestion. But Milton manages to put him back together as a computer.

Professor Weirdo's nemesis was Professor Fruitcake, another mad scientist who lived in a castle on an opposite hill. Professor Fruitcake's major creation was Zelda the Zombie (who only appears in one episode). Other characters in the series included Fangenstein, a biker monster apparently inspired by Marlon Brando, his sidekick Abercrombie the Zombie (who is sometimes Milton's friend), and Professor Weirdo's aunt, the witchy Aunt Hagatha.

Other features

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Other features on the show included:

  • Fearless Fly, starring an insect superhero similar to Hanna-Barbera's Atom Ant. One of the most popular segments of the Milton the Monster Show, Fearless Fly was, in reality, Hiram, an ordinary housefly. When danger threatens, he ducks into a nearby matchbox, dons a red sweater and changes into the superhero Fearless Fly by, in a reversal of Clark Kent, putting on a pair of super high-powered glasses. Fearless Fly, according to the opening, is more powerful than a speeding rocket and faster than a beam of light. No flyswatter can harm him, no flypaper can hold him and no insecticide can stop him. Fearless Fly's sole weakness is losing his glasses, which happens in most of the episodes. His chief nemesis is the 900-year-old Dr. Fu Manchu-inspired Dr. Goo Fee and his assistant, Gung Ho.[6] Occasionally, Milton the Monster's Professor Weirdo makes an appearance to threaten Fearless Fly. Usually, Bob McFadden does the voices, such as the seductive Lady Deflyah.
  • Flukey Luke, with a cowboy detective, his Irish-accented Native American companion, Two Feathers and his horse, Pronto. Flukey Luke was so named because of his dumb luck that allowed him to get the upper hand, despite being incredibly inept.
  • Stuffy Durma the Millionaire Hobo, starring a nouveau-riche hobo who resisted the attempts of valet Bradley Brinkley to get some culture and breeding.
  • Muggy-Doo Boy Fox, featuring a sly boy fox who often gets into trouble with his get-rich-quick schemes.
  • Penny Penguin, starring a bratty penguin girl and her parents.

Voice cast

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Principal characters and voices:[7]

  • Bob McFadden: Milton the Monster, Heebie, Jeebie, Fearless Fly, Horsey the Fly, Additional Voices, Narrator (Milton the Monster and Fearless Fly segments)
  • Dayton Allen: Professor Weirdo, Dr. Goo Fee, Flukey Luke, Stuffy Durma, Bradley Brinkley, Chester Penguin
  • Larry Best: Count Kook, Professor Fruitcake, Two Feathers, Gung Ho, Additional Voices, Narrator (Flukey Luke segments)
  • Herb Duncan: Muggy Doo, Additional Voices
  • Beverly Arnold: Penny Penguin, Flora Fly
  • Hettie Galen: Beulah Penguin

Episode list

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Episode 1

  • Fearless Fly: Trick or Treatment
  • Flukey Luke: Loot Pursuit
  • Milton the Monster: Zelda the Zombie

Episode 2

  • Fearless Fly: Horse Shoo Fly
  • Muggy Doo: Gogh Van Gogh
  • Milton the Monster: Boy Meets Ghoul

Episode 3

  • Fearless Fly: Fatty Karate
  • Muggy Doo: You Auto Be in Pictures
  • Milton the Monster: Monsters for Hire

Episode 4

  • Fearless Fly: Captain Fligh
  • Muggy Doo: Muggy Doo or Die
  • Milton the Monster: Who Do Voodoo?

Episode 5

  • Fearless Fly: The Goofy Dr. Goo Fee
  • Muggy Doo: From Riches to Rags
  • Milton the Monster: The Pot Thickens

Episode 6

  • Fearless Fly: Sly Fly
  • Stuffy Durma: From Wrecks to Riches
  • Milton the Monster: Medium Undone

Episode 7

  • Fearless Fly: Throne for a Loss
  • Flukey Luke: Missin' Masters
  • Milton the Monster: Monster Mutiny

Episode 8

  • Fearless Fly: The Bomb's Rush
  • Penny Penguin: There Auto Be a Law
  • Milton the Monster: Ghoul School

Episode 9

  • Fearless Fly: Fly Hijack
  • Flukey Luke: Tired Gun
  • Milton the Monster: Hector the Protector

Episode 10

  • Fearless Fly: Si Si Fly
  • Flukey Luke: Palace Malice
  • Milton the Monster: Horrorbaloo

Episode 11

  • Fearless Fly: The House-Fly Guest
  • Muggy Doo: Fortune Kooky
  • Milton the Monster: Goon Platoon

Episode 12

  • Fearless Fly: Invincible vs. Invisible
  • Stuffy Durma: Suit Yourself
  • Milton the Monster: The Dummy Talks

Episode 13

  • Fearless Fly: Fly by Might
  • Stuffy Durma: Hobo Hootenanny
  • Milton the Monster: A Pie in the Sky

Episode 14

  • Fearless Fly: The Sphinx Jinx
  • Penny Penguin: Penny Ante
  • Milton the Monster: Monstrous Escape

Episode 15

  • Fearless Fly: The Spider Spitter
  • Penny Penguin: Sickened Honeymoon
  • Milton the Monster: Abercrombie the Zombie

Episode 16

  • Fearless Fly: Fearless Fly Meets the Monsters (pilot)
  • Muggy Doo: Crumb-Bumming
  • Milton the Monster: V for Vampire

Episode 17

  • Milton the Monster: Monster vs. Mobster
  • Fearless Fly: Martians Meet their Match (pilot)[citation needed]
  • Milton the Monster: Witch Crafty

Episode 18

  • Milton the Monster: Camp Gitchy Gloomy
  • Fearless Fly: Let's Phase It
  • Milton the Monster: The Hearse Thief

Episode 19

  • Milton the Monster: Boo to You
  • Fearless Fly: Under Waterloo
  • Milton the Monster: Kid Stuff

Episode 20

  • Milton the Monster: Horror Scope
  • Fearless Fly: Lady Deflyah
  • Milton the Monster: The Flying Cup & Saucer

Episode 21

  • Milton the Monster: Monster-Sitter
  • Fearless Fly: Robinson Shoesole
  • Milton the Monster: The Moon Goons

Episode 22

  • Milton the Monster: Think Shrink
  • Fearless Fly: Private Fly
  • Milton the Monster: Skullgaria Forever!

Episode 23

  • Milton the Monster: Crumby Mummy
  • Fearless Fly: Stage Plight
  • Milton the Monster: Fort Fangenstein

Episode 24

  • Fearless Fly: Safari Harry
  • Stuffy Durma: Nuggets to You
  • Milton the Monster: Batnap

Episode 25

  • Milton the Monster: Dunkin' Treasure
  • Fearless Fly: Ferocious Fly
  • Milton the Monster: Monstrous Monster

Episode 26

  • Fearless Fly: Napoleon Bonafly
  • Flukey Luke: Violin Violence
  • Milton the Monster: The Mummy's Thumb

DVD release

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On March 20, 2007, Shout! Factory released the complete series on a 4-DVD set. However it has since become out of print, making copies of the DVD online fetch for high prices.

See also

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Further reading

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Kevin Scott Collier. Milton the Monster : Horror Hill Epitaph. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2018. ISBN 1984189808

References

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  1. ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 551–553. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  2. ^ Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 398. ISBN 978-1538103739.
  3. ^ Markstein, Don. "Milton the Monster". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  4. ^ Woolery, George W. (1983). Children's Television: The First Thirty-Five Years, 1946-1981, Part 1: Animated Cartoon Series. Scarecrow Press. pp. 187–188. ISBN 0-8108-1557-5. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  5. ^ Hollis, T. (2008). Ain't That a Knee-Slapper: Rural Comedy in the Twentieth Century. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi. p. 192. ISBN 9781604739534.
  6. ^ Rovin, Jeff (1987). The Encyclopedia of Supervillains. New York: Facts on File. p. 95. ISBN 0-8160-1356-X.
  7. ^ Hyatt, Wesley (1997). The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television. Watson-Guptill Publications. p. 292. ISBN 978-0823083152. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
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