This one may be new to most readers, but this may be the first cartoon series I can recall watching. The words to sing along are below the video, so scroll down before playing the theme song to Ruff and Reddy.
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Get set, get ready,
Here come Ruff and Reddy.
They’re tough, but steady,
Always rough and ready.
They sometimes have their little spats,
Even fight like dogs and cats,
But when they need each other,
That’s when, they’re rough and ready.
Characters
Ruff, a straight and smart cat; Reddy, a dumb and stupid dog
Villains: “Scary” Harry Safari, Captain Greedy and Salt Water Daffy; and Killer and Diller
Ruff and Reddy, plus Professor Gizmo meeting aliens from Muni-Mula (a strange planet of metal) is their most memorable episode
Muni-Mula is (“aluminum” spelled backward)
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The Show
Created by Hanna-Barbera, and their first production
Ruff, voiced by Don Messick with a similar voice he would later use for Pixie the mouse
Reddy, voiced by Daws Butler with this southern draw later becoming the voice of Huckleberry Hound
The show featured a live action host/emcee (Jimmy Blaine), and the episodes had a narrator (Don Messick)
In the show (but between cartoon episodes), Puppeteers Rufus Rose and Bobby Nicholson provided comedic relief as Rhubarb the Parrot and Jose the Toucan.
For those needing more Muni-Mula
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Production
NBC originally broadcasted Ruff and Reddy in black and white in December 1957 on NBC
3 seasons, 156 episodes
First: Planet Pirates (Dec 14 1957)
Last: Have Blop Will Travel (Feb 4, 1960)
The episodes were not much longer than four minutes, including an opening song and much repetition of preceding events.
There were 13 episodes in each of the 12 stories of the serials
The show’s episodes borrowed from the serialized storytelling format of such shows as Crusader Rabbit that used episodes with cliffhanger storylines
Although NBC cancelled the show after 1959-1960, they revived the show the spring of 1962 with Captain Bob Cottle as the host
NBC cancelled the series in September 1964
Additional FYI
Ruff and Reddy was translated into other languages: Jambo & Ruivão (Brazilian Portuguese), Pouf & Riqui (French), Ruff e Reddy (Italian), Жолтко и Лутко (Zoltko i Lutko) (Macedonian), Ruff y Reddy (Spanish), Ruff och Reddy (Swedish), つよいぞラフティ (Japanese), Ralofo le Rali (Tswana)
Dell Comics published 12 issues of Ruff & Reddy (1958-1962)
Here’s another episode, but without Muni-Mula, enjoy The Long Gone Leprechaun
Thanks Frank! I have vague memories of this show, but I was little.
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Patti,
Vague memories count for me … I’m on a roll!
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Now this one I do remember… many years ago, but I do remember…
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Bulldog,
You have an amazing memory … plus the number I anticipating knowing this one has at least quadrupled.
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I remember it!
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Debra,
Hooray … another one! I’m getting more remembering this week than I anticipated.
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Never heard of them Frank!
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GFB,
That’s OK because I actually have a couple of people this time who have.
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I remember seeing them but must have been in reruns. Fun Frank, thank you.
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Val,
Knowing them through reruns is good enough for me!
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He he he…. I love them so much. Thank you dear Frank, have a nice weekend, love, nia
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Nia,
Welcome to Muli-Mula! 🙂
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Missed this series. Before my time.
Hugs from Ecuador,
Kathy
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Kathy,
Before your time is a good excuse. 😉
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I remember. 🙂
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Georgette,
Yippee! Always refreshing to get at least one! 🙂
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A new characters to me again … but I bit like me at time, rough and ready. *laughing
Very cute – a lot cuter than me … is wasn’t before my time, but it was before our first TV time. Have a great weekend now and let those feet fly over the dance floor. *smile
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Viveka,
Although many are new to you, I appreciated you faithfully checking them. Did you notice their title in Swedish, which I found in a source?
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No, I missed out the title in Swedish, didn’t even know it has been shown in Sweden, but I don’t know everything. *smile – have to check it out. You’re like a living newstand; Frank …
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🙂
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Mysteriously I remember the cartoon but not their names… strange huh?!
I loved it then as I do now! Brilliant.
Happy weekend, Frank.
🙂
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Marina,
Now that is interesting! … but hey … the mind does it’s own thing. Enjoy your weekend!
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You’re right Frank, I don’t remember this one at all. But I love the Mastermind of Muni-Mula! Thanks for the introduction, and have a great weekend!
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Alex,
Here’s a scientific experiment for you … does Muni-Mula go better with coffee or Shiner Bock? Meanwhile, rain is on the way for a few hours … and its chilly outside too!
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In the case of this morning, it definitely goes better with coffee, more testing may be needed later though. 🙂
Also meanwhile – a little front came through very early this morning and we’re enjoying a chilly, for San Antonio, and gusty 55 degree morning.
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I’m confident in your ability and dedication toward more research! Meanwhile, 55 is scheduled to be our high today … which is fine, but not in the rain.
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Saturday smiles…
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Jots,
Good morning Portland … an early Portland at that!
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Yes…awake and moving even before the birds!
Too embarrassed to admit that I, too, remember Ruff & Ready even though I think we had just purchased our first television in the late 1950’s. Geez…just remembering when you DIDN’T have television is telling…*snort*
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Hooray … another one remembering these two. But the two of us recall the originals. … which (to me) is a positive.
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There was absolutely no mistaking the voice of Ruff for Huckleberry Hound….don’t imagine many would “hear” that. Another side: I never realized, until you so infamously post them, there were so many cartoons back in the day….any guesses to why that was?
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Cartoons grew in popularity from the 1930s forward. Many of those during our youth were made before our birth … but new ones kept arriving … but the Golden Age of Cartoons began to fade (in my opinion) in the early to mid 60s.
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Fading in the 60’s…in agreement there. It is a joy to traipse back and revisit a time when things weren’t so sophisticated. However, I find a lot of the dialogue written for the “oldies” was adult humour-ed and witty…much like the Brits who take pride in being able to laugh at themselves. Well done, as always, FrankA.
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After all, do you recall going to a theater with a cartoon before the movie?
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Oh my…I remember the Sat. Aftrn. Matinees (25cents) where you stood and sang the Star Spangled Banner BEFORE the cartoon! I was pre-kindergarden then, couldn’t read the song words and cried because I just KNEW I was the only one in the theatre who didn’t know the words!! Older Sister would *smack* me for crying….every time! So…how old am I really? Don’t tell,
she begged smiling….
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Ah ha … you get the connection. Cartoons were originally for the theater – and a big hit at to boot! When TV came along, it broadcasted the popular theater shorts before developing their own characters. ….. As for your older sister, I’ll never tell!
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That’s a very early series. I do remember it a little. Tho, I wasn’t a fan. My youngest brother probably was. He would have been about 6 or 7.
You said the cat was ‘straight’. Do you mean as opposed to gay? And the southern drawl of the dog I’ve heard in later cartoon shows.
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Jim,
Ha ha … straight in this case was none trouble making … followed the rules, etc .. and that southern drawl became Huckleberry Hound.
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Yep…sounds just like him.
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Another new one to me. Well done.
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Fasab,
Probably due to AD …. age differential.
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That’s one I didn’t watch …back in the day.
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Hansi,
Oh well … but did you know them?
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This one seemed familiar to me! I can’t say if I’ve watched it or not, maybe I’m just remembering the voices that were later used for other characters.
A cool 51 in the Rock this morning with rain..brrr… I love it. (celebrating my mom’s 80th birthday today!) Have a great weekend, Frank.
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Hood,
Well … at least Ruff and Reddy sparked some sort of memory. 🙂 Seems like we have similar weather today. YUK … and Happy Birthday to Mama Hood!
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Thank You!!
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🙂
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I also have vague memories of Ruff and Ready. I was little when they were on the T.V. but I so appreciate your Saturday cartoon posts. Always fun! Thank you.
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Cathy,
Thanks for the kind words …. and cheers to having a vague memory!
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Cheers!
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Clink!
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Hmmmm, I was seven and you did bring back a memory for me. I did watch this and, I have to admit, almost all cartoons at that time.
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Senile,
Welcome!!!!!
Alright! I was worried that few year would know this one. As a newbee here, go to the sidebar for Catagories > Entertainment > Classic Cartoons … because it’s all about our era! Enjoy!!!!
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Frank, I think this cartoon was directly responsible for my long-lived cat snobbery! Now I have a very clever dog who sometimes is so smart that she reminds me of a cat (wait! maybe I haven’t shed that bias after all!). Poor Reddy 😦 My husband has always loved the cleverness of the Mini-mula name. Another favorite of his is Frank Baum’s Oz – apparently taken from the O-Z tab on a filing cabinet drawer.
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Lynn,
Oh my my … glad to see that this post got you to admitted your cat snobbery to the world. 😉 Love the info about Oz! … and thanks again for the personal message.
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Can’t say that I’ve seen this one, Frank – interesting to note that it’s Hanna-Barbera’s first… they’ve always been my favourites of the cartoon world!
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Tom,
More recall these two than I anticipated, so that’s OK. Hanna-Barbera had to start somewhere. I do recall they came from a studio that closed.
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You have found one of which I am unaware. Not easy to do but easily appreciated. Have you covered “the banana splits”?
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Rich,
It’s good to stump you as it keeps you on your toes. Haven’t done the Banana Splits … and sorry, I probably won’t as they just don’t my criteria.
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i forgive you, but i can sing their theme song.
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I remember them too, Frank. Even though the animation was inferior quality, you could always count on Hanna Barbera for good story telling. Even from the three episodes you posted here, I’d like to know “what happens next?” My mother liked to call me “Ruff and Reddy”. I suppose as a child on some level I was a combination of both characters — someone little and cute inclined to do dumb things. Funny how Jim in IA questioned you about referring to Ruff as straight but then we see him in bed with Reddy in “Long Gone Leprechaun”. Now, I’m not so sure … And I also remember seeing cartoons before the start of a film. I loved that.
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Lame,
As I’ve learned from you, HB is known more for their characters than their animation. Then again, most of us best recall the characters. Glad you enjoyed this one … and as always, thanks for your extra info!
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In 1957 we had just got our first TV, but the only station we could receive (by antenna) didn’t air it. I saw a few, years later in syndication, when I’d moved to the big city, and had kids. “One-station town” sounds like a blog-theme. 😉
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Archon,
A one-station town would be a post. Go for it. Growing up in the pre-cable days, I had three stations … all from a different state!
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I don’t have any memory of this cartoon! The years it aired, and of course the strength of NBC, should have made it front and center, but I don’t recall at all. When I think of how many cartoons you’ve highlighted over the years, though, clearly there were many more than I ever saw. They seem so simple compared to any of today’s animation. I miss simple!
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Debra,
Here’s the explanation for not knowing this one … you were probably watching something on another channel. Yep – some are more obscure while others are known by all … but the are connected by being from our youth.
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I don’t know where you find them, but I love ’em 🙂
(I’ve never heard of Ruff & Reddy.
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Noeleen,
I was a big cartoon watcher in my youth, so I recall many characters … plus growing up watching the ones from the Golden Age of Cartoons was wonderful!
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I didn’t particularly like this cartoon, either way the crew of Hanna-Barbera was exceptionally talented.
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Catherine,
… and that’s OK … and H-B created many memorable characters.
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Ruff and Reddy! Cartoons were so much fun ( or we were easily amused). Puns, word play – all entertaining and pure fun….some kids’ shows aren’t always into fun now
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Mouse,
Yippee to all cartoon lovers!
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Ah, you’re telling your age, Frank, and so am I when I tell you that I remember Ruff and Reddy very well! 🙂 Thanks for bringing back good times.
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E-Tom,
Yep … I’m more than half way on the way to 61, so cheers to another who remembers Ruff and Reddy!
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Ruff and Reddy – same as in US .. now you got me a bit disappointed .. was expecting a Swedish title, but you have been working well with all the information – I love you footwork with your posts.
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Oh well … as you noticed, foreign titles are what they are … allover the place! BTW …. Thanks for the video about Sweden … I watched part of it, but not all, thus why I haven’t commented.
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