- Channel Umptee-3
-
Channel Umptee-3 Genre Cartoon series Created by Chris Headrick
Don JurwichDirected by Chris Headrick
Don Jurwich
Michael Peraza Jr.
David Schwartz
Bob SeeleyVoices of (See article) Theme music composer Walter Murphy Country of origin 
United StatesNo. of seasons 1 No. of episodes 13 Production Executive producer(s) John Baskin
Norman LearProducer(s) Jim George
Peggy George
Jeff Kline
Robert Seeley
Ping WarnerEditor(s) Bruce Cathcart Running time 30 minutes (with commercials) Broadcast Original channel The WB (Kids' WB) Original run October 25, 1997 – February 20, 1998 Channel Umptee-3 (also known simply as Umptee-3) was a Saturday morning animated television series created by Jim George and produced by Norman Lear that aired on The WB in 1997.[1][2] Ogden Ostrich, Sheldon S. Cargo (a snail), and Holey Moley (a mole, of course) drive around the world in a van with their own underground television station, while fleeing the wrath of corporate-villain Stickley Rickets (Stickley and his henchmen are often called “The Frumps” by Ogden). This one-season cartoon show was designed to teach kids to appreciate the wonders of everyday things, such as sleep and water. The title is derived from the fictitious number “umpteen.”
Contents
Format
Channel Umptee-3, which exists between other channels and is broadcast from a mobile station, tries to focus on a specific topic in each episode, but is usually diverted from it and shifted onto another topic; e.g., one episode started out discussing cats, but quickly segued into the subject of ownership (which was the real topic of that show). Meanwhile, “The Frumps” (i.e., Stickley Rickets and his henchmen) would try to shut the station down or increase their own power, but whatever plan they came up with would fail.
The show made great use of stock footage, as did the earlier WB show Freakazoid! Also, the show sometimes made references to well-known movies and TV shows; e.g., the episode “Yours, Mine, and Ours” included references to Cats, Harvey, Star Wars, Dragnet, and The People’s Court, and the title was that of a classic movie.
Characters and voices
The Umptees
- Ogden O. Ostrich (Rob Paulsen) is an excitable yellow ostrich who first came up with the idea for a television program to show everyone that “the world is a magical place” after pulling his head out of the ground one day and looking at the world around him. At the start of every episode he comes running up the camera yelling “Hey!” over and over.
- Sheldon S. Cargo (David Paymer) is a large pink snail whose shell is fitted with a unicycle-like wheel to help him get around. Sheldon is the serious, professional member of the team; he tries his best to hold the show together, despite Ogden’s almost hyperactive behavior. His name is derived from “escargot.”
- Holey Moley (no voice) is a pantomime character, a large mole who carries a number of portable holes that allow him and his friends to go anywhere.
- Professor Edwin I. Relevant (Greg Burson) is the station’s resident expert on everything; Ogden and the others turn to him for information on the day’s topic in almost every episode.
- Polly (Susan Silo) is one of two newscasters who work for Channel Umptee-3.
The Frumps
- Stickley Rickets (Jonathan Harris) is the president of a corporation that produces boxes; because the “Umptee-doodies” (as he calls them) encourage people to take things out of boxes and look at them in a new way, he sees them as a threat to his business, so he constantly plots to shut them down and “put them in a box, where they belong.”
- Pandora Rickets (Alice Ghostly), Stickley’s wife, isn’t nearly as obsessed as her husband where the Umptees are concerned; she even likes to watch some of the shows, although she doesn’t want Stickley to find out. Her name is derived from “Pandora’s box.”
- Ed and Bud are two black-suited henchmen who carry out Stickley’s orders, and are almost never successful. Ed is the taller one, and Bud is the shorter, balding one.
Other voices
Other voice actors who appeared on the show included:
- Charlie Adler
- Susan Blakeslee
- Gregg Berger
- Jeff Bennett
- Liz Georges
- Jason Graae
- Maurice LaMarche
- Danny Mann
Episodes and topics
№ Title Airdate Topic 1 "The Music Show" 1997.Oct.25 Music 2 "Umptee Sunrise" 1997.Nov.01 The sun 3 "The U.F.O. Show" 1997.Nov.08 UFOs and extraterrestrial life 4 "What’s So Funny" 1997.Nov.15 Laughter and humor 5 "The Now Voyagers" 1997.Nov.22 Time 6 "Just Add Water" 1997.Dec.06 Water 7 "Perchance to Dream" 1997.Dec.19 Sleep and dreams 8 "Sale of the Century" 1998.Jan.02 Money 9 "The Fear Show" 1998.Jan.09 Fear 10 "The Weather Show" 1998.Jan.16 Weather 11 "Yours, Mine, and Ours" 1998.Feb.06 Ownership 12 "The Lying Show" 1998.Feb.13 Truth and lies 13 "Words Are Weird" 1998.Feb.20 Words External links
- Channel Umptee-3 at the Internet Movie Database
- Channel Umptee-3 at TV.com
- Big Cartoon DataBase: Channel Umptee-3 index
- Toonarific Cartoons: Channel Umptee-3
References
- ^ Unknown author (September 14, 1997). "WB's "Umptee-3" has Norman Lear's signature" (in English). Variety (USA). http://variety.com/article/VR1116677702. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
- ^ James Collins; Jeanne McDowell; William Tynan (November 24, 1997). "TELEVISION: TUBE FOR TOTS" (in English). Time Magazine (USA). http://time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,987416-1,00.html. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
General programming topics List of programs • Saturday morning cartoon (preview specials) • Weekday cartoon • Modern animation in the United States • Pillow Head Hour • Toonami
Succeeding blocksThe CW4Kids (programs) • ToonzaiInternational versionsCookie Jar Group Johnny Test (2005–2008) • Magi-Nation (2007–2008) • Spider Riders (2006–2007) • Will and Dewitt (2007–2008) • World of Quest (2008)Japanese anime Astro Boy (2004) • Cardcaptor Sakura (2000–2001) • Cubix: Robots for Everyone (2001–2003) • Dragon Ball Z (2001) • MegaMan NT Warrior (2004–2005) • Pokémon (1999–2006) • Sailor Moon (2001) • Spider Riders (2006–2007) • Transformers: Cybertron (2005–2006) • Viewtiful Joe (2005–2006) • Yu-Gi-Oh! (2001–2006)Marvel The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008) • X-Men: Evolution (2000–2003)Sony Pictures Animation Television Channel Umptee-3 (1997–1998) • Generation O! (2000–2001) • Jackie Chan Adventures (2000–2005) • Max Steel (2000–2002) • Men in Black: The Series (1997–2001) • Phantom Investigators (2002) • The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008)Universal Animation Studios Earthworm Jim (1995–1997) • The Mummy: The Animated Series (2001–2003)Warner Bros. Animation/Television Animaniacs (1995–1999) • The Batman (2004–2008) • Coconut Fred's Fruit Salad Island (2005–2006) • Detention (1999–2001) • Freakazoid! (1995–1997) • Histeria! (1998–2001) • Johnny Test (2005–2008, Season 1) • Krypto the Superdog (2006–2007) • Legion of Super Heroes (2006–2008) • ¡Mucha Lucha! (2002–2005) • The Nightmare Room (2001–2002) • Ozzy & Drix (2002–2004) • Pinky and the Brain (1995–2000) • Pinky, Elmyra, & the Brain (1998–1999) • Road Rovers (1996–1997) • Teen Titans (2003–2005, 2007-2008) • Tiny Toon Adventures (1997–2000) • Waynehead (1996–1997) • Xiaolin Showdown (2003–2006)
Codename: Kids Next Door (2004) • Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (2005) • The Powerpuff Girls (2002) • Samurai JackBatman: The Animated Series (1997–2000) • Batman Beyond (1999–2001) • The New Batman Adventures (1997-1999) • The New Batman/Superman Adventures (1997–2000) • Static Shock (2000–2004) • Superman: The Animated Series (1996–2000) • The Zeta Project (2001–2002)The All-New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show • Captain Planet (1997–1998) • The New Scooby-Doo Movies • The Scooby-Doo Show • Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get a Clue! (2006–2008) • Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! • Tom and Jerry Tales (2006–2008) • What's New, Scooby Doo? (2002–2005)Bugs N' Daffy (1996–1999) • The Cat&Birdy Warneroonie PinkyBrainy Big Cartoonie Show (1999-2000) • The Daffy Duck Show (1996–1997) • Loonatics Unleashed (2005–2007) • The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries (1995-2001) • That's Warner Bros.! (1995–1996)Misc. programs Brats of the Lost Nebula (1998) • Cubix: Robots for Everyone (2001–2003) • Da Boom Crew (2004) • Eon Kid (2007–2008) • Invasion America (1998) • The Legend of Calamity Jane (1997) • Monster Allergy (2006–2007) • The Nightmare Room (2001–2002) • Rescue Heroes: Global Response Team (2001–2003) • Skunk Fu! (2007–2008)
Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (2002) • Pokémon: The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon (2006) • Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys (2005) • Wakko's Wish (2000)Categories:- 1997 American television series debuts
- 1990s American animated television series
- 1998 American television series endings
- Television programs featuring anthropomorphic characters
- WB network shows
- Kids WB original programs
- Television series by Sony Pictures Television
- Fictional television stations
- Television series about television
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
