Hey, I Remember The Show: Here Comes the Grump

This short-lived show is the first made-for-TV cartoon show from DePatie-Freleng Enterprises that I actually remember watching as a child. It only lasted one season (1969-1970) but its odd-even-by-Saturday-morning-standards animation definitely made an impression in my young mind.

Oddly enough, it wasn't until I was much, much older that I realized that the red-haired Grump character was really a thinly disguised version of Bugs Bunny's old nemesis, Yosemite Sam. Of course, Freleng directed his share of Yosemite Sam cartoons when he was working for Warner Brothers so this should not have been entirely unexpected. But for some reason, I never realized it when the show was in its original run. (Apparently I was so young back then I wasn't yet all that familiar with Bugs Bunny.)

Even more surprising was the fact that Terry Dexter was voiced by Jay North of Dennis the Menace fame and Princess Dawn was voiced by Stefanianna Christopherson, the same actress who originally voiced Daphne Blake on Scooby Doo, Where Are You!. Rip Taylor, the voice of the Grump, was ironically the one person I don't really associate with any other show -- though I do seem to remember his making frequent appearances on The Tonight Show and various game shows.