The Dudley Do-Right Show

Dudley Do-Right first appeared on "Rocky and Bullwinkle" back in the early 1960's (timeless TV), and just like all of the other sketches on that show, it was a riot. and probably the 2nd best of them all (behind "moose and squirrel" which of course is Rocky and Bullwinkle).

For those who don't know about this show (I feel bad for those who don't) the show stars Dudley Do-Right an inept Canadian mounty who protected his Canadian province back around the turn of the century (circa 1900's that is). He had a boss Inspector Fenwick who was as idiotic as Dudley. Fenwick also had a daughter Nell whom Dudley without a doubt had a crush on (If you think about it), but however, Nell had a crush for Dudley's horse who was simply named "Horse". And of course there was Snidley Whiplash who was the villian.

This show also had a few other sketches as well. There was "The Adventures of King Leonardo" which was about a lion king named Leonardo, and his assistant named Odie Kaloney (yes that's his name) who lived in Bongo Congo. The sketch followed the 2 as they foiled the plans of Biggie Rat, and Itchy Brother (whom was King Leonardo's brother, which is why he's named Itchy Brother!). Another sketch was "The Hunter" which was about a master detective canine who could be the Foghorn Leghorn of animated dogs. And last but not least, the best out of the three: "Commander McBragg". This short skectch featured the title character who would tell stories of how he discovered the extrodinary, as well as new lands. Sometimes his stories were made up, but some of them were true.

Overall, a very great spinoff show (and the ONLY ONE) off "Rocky and Bullwinkle". Cartoon Network used to air it a while back, but they don't anymore (last time I saw it was last year). They should bring this back!!

I don't really remember Dudley Do-Right as a show in itself. I only recall this show as part of the Rocky & Bullwinkle series. In any case, I came to really appreciate this show when I was older.

I do think that it was REALLY neat the way the Dudley Do-Right show seemed to have "vestiges" of the Silent Movie Era, despite the fact that it was a "talkie". Every now and then, they would pull up a frame, with a caption, describing what was going on in the scene (with a decorative background).

Another great touch, along those lines, was the piano, that played in the background, during the entire episode. The pianist, with his/her tunes, so often evoked a "Gay Nineties" or "vaudeville" aura, so germane to the Silent Movie genre. I often found myself picturing the live pianists (or organists) who used to play, for audiences, in those old movie houses, dating back to the tens, the teens and the twenties, while I watched Dudley Do-Right!

I often wondered where Dudley Do-Right's voice came from. I always assumed that the actor, who read his lines, stole it, from someone who was famous (or from a character in radio or the movies who was popular). I am glad that that voice was used, however. Do-Right just would not be Do-Right without that manner of speaking!

It was neat that we got to hear that same voice again, just a few years later, when that same actor used it for Tom Slick (from George of the Jungle)......and Dudley's girlfriend, Nell, also reprised her voice (as that actress also breathed life into Tom Slick's girlfriend, Marigold).

Of all the shows, from Rocky & Bullwinkle, this show was the one in which music held the greatest importance. I especially like the show's "signature sign-off" via piano.

Nearly always, the piano keys would build to a crescendo of a few high notes, when the story was ending. Those few high notes would just kind of flutter there, in place, for a few moments. Then, abruptly, the final five LOW notes would usher in: Dun, Dun, Dun, Dun, DUNN!.........that would signal the close of the episode......Gosh, I nearly feel a chill running right through me, as I recall these last five notes now!.......It's like I'm ten years old, all over again!

Like most good cartoons, there was humor for both kids and the adults who got stuck watching with them. When I was a kid, an episode that ended with Inspector Fenwick going to jail for sinking the Lusitania (as a bathtub toy) sent my grandparents into hysterics. But the best was the series-long joke that had Nell in a secret love relationship with Dudley Do-Right's horse, named Horse, I believe. They could never wait to for Dudley to leave town so they could be alone. They made goo-goo eyes at each other and the cartoonists used red love hearts busting out of their chests to underline what had to be the longest running bestiality joke ever inserted into a children's cartoon. One more reason to love Jay Ward.

. . . SNIDELY WHIPLASH OF THE MOUNTED POLICE, as many of its episodes feature the sometimes-villain reversing roles with the Dud Wrong alleged title character. Take the animated short titled SNIDELY MOUNTED POLICE, for example. During this five-minute film, Mr. Whiplash proves himself to be a far more efficient organizer of a law enforcement squad than the so-called "Inspecter" Fen-wick ever is. Street crime virtually evaporates when Snide-Lee is running the show. The sometimes-bad guy proves himself to be the bane of lawless crooks, as it takes one to know one. This is why sleuths such as Mr. Holmes and Mr. Tracy often achieve overnight success when their minds turn to crime.

"The Dudley Do-Right Show" traveled a lot. First it was its own show, then it became a side-track on "Rocky & Bullwinkle", and now it has its own show again. I wish Hans Conreid was still alive. I would loved to have met him. If you like funny cartoons, watch "Dudley Do-Right".