2006-09-02 04:44:47 · 14 answers · asked by Runcible Cat 1 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Comics & Animation
The Phil Silvers Show
Below is a lot more information about the show.
Its central character, Top Cat – his friends call him T.C. – is the leader of a gang of Manhattan alley cats: Fancy Fancy, Spook, Benjamin T. "Benny the Ball" Ball, Jr., The Brain, and Choo Choo. Top Cat and his gang were inspired by characters from the popular US situation comedy The Phil Silvers Show. The late Maurice Gosfield, who played Private Duane Doberman on The Phil Silvers Show also provided the voice for Benny the Ball in Top Cat (Benny's rotund appearance was based on Gosfield too). Arnold Stang's voicing of Top Cat strongly resembled Phil Silvers' voice as well.
A frequent plotline revolved around the local policeman, Officer Charlie Dibble, and his ineffective attempts to evict the gang from the city. Dibble's appearance was modelled on Allen Jenkins who did his voice. The name Dibble has passed into the vernacular as slang for police officers.
In the United Kingdom, the show was renamed Boss Cat shortly after it premiered in 1962 (by means of a crudely substituted title card) when it was first aired on BBC television (now called BBC1) because Top Cat was the name of a brand of cat food. The dialogue and theme tune still referred to the character by his original name. By the 1990s the original title was used in repeats and this continues on Cartoon Network UK.
In 1985 Top Cat appeared on Yogi's Treasure Hunt with all the other Hanna-Barbera characters and then in 1991 he became a teenage cat (but he still lived in a trash can) on NBC's Yo Yogi. When he returned in 1996 there was a new closing logo with the Hanna-Barbera All-Stars featuring the comedy characters.
Top Cat appears in the Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law episode Mindless where Harvey takes Top Cat home with him. The Main cast also makes a cameo appearance in an episode of the PowerPuff Girls.
The show was a massive hit in Mexico, where it's still shown in reruns every couple of years.
During the end credits, Top Cat is shown getting ready for bed in his trashcan. He takes a toothbrush out of a cup in the cabinet over his can, then brushes his teeth about twice and returns it to the cup, apparently not using running water or toothpaste.
2006-09-02 05:12:25 · answer #1 · answered by David Y 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It was, as everybody's said, The Phil Silvers Show, however, as Top Cat's more in civvy street, it's probably based on the much less successful follow-up Bilko. Dibble's Colonel Hall, Benny the Ball's Doberman, Choo-choo's Henshaw, Spook's Paparelli and I can't remember the rest. PS, the mysterious line after 'Close friends get to calling TC...' is 'Pro-vi-ding it's with dignity'!
2006-09-05 01:58:52 · answer #2 · answered by Uncle Sid 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sgt. Bilko with Phil Silvers
2006-09-02 04:48:36 · answer #3 · answered by daisymay 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sergeant Bilko, even down to Benny The Ball being a homage to Pvt Dobermann
2006-09-05 00:12:40 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
David Y (along with many others) has already answered the best that can be done! But I best put an answer here too :)
It was actually called "The Phil Silver's Show" but it was often referred to as "Sergeant Bilko."
2006-09-02 06:48:01 · answer #5 · answered by Krynne 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Phil Silver's Show often called "Sergeant Bilko."
2006-09-02 04:52:04 · answer #6 · answered by st_john_gumby 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the show was actually called "the phil silvers show" but was commonly refered to as sgt Bilko..
and you're going to get a LOT of answers saying the same thing =0)
2006-09-02 04:51:49 · answer #7 · answered by Johnny Brigz 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Phil Silvers show.
2006-09-02 04:51:19 · answer #8 · answered by AnonyMoose_UK 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It was loosely based on Sgt. Bilko.
2006-09-02 04:50:14 · answer #9 · answered by kreevich 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with most THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW (Sergeant Bilko).
I thought BENNY THE BALL should have had his own show.
2006-09-02 22:56:00 · answer #10 · answered by ianjohnpaul 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋