Fantomcat
From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
| Fantomcat | |
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| Fantomcat
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| Developed by | Anglia Television |
| Written by | Roger Stennett Jimmy Hibbert Keith Smith Maggie Fox Sue Ryding Maggie Smith Stefan Redfern Rob Rackstraw Lorelei King |
| Directed by | Ben Turner Andy Roper |
| Starring | Robert Powell Lorelei King Rob Rackstraw Jimmy Hibbert |
| Composer(s) | Phil Bush |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 min. |
| Release | |
| Original network | ITV |
| Original release | September 7, 1995 – December 18, 1996 |
Fantomcat is an animated series produced by Cosgrove Hall Films. It was first broadcast in 1995, and was animated after Avenger Penguins in 1994, by Alfonso Productions, a Spanish animation studio. It aired largely on Children's ITV. The series also had a brief run on Pop and on Network Ten in Australia. It was produced and directed by Ben Turner.
Fantomcat centres on the character Phillipe Lentheric Guerlain de Givenchy, the Duke of Fantom, a masked swashbuckling hero who thrived in 1699, in mortal combat with his nemesis Baron Von Skeltar (a sword-wielding caped Skeletoid alchemist). De Fantom was treacherously cast into a painting within the halls of his house, Castle De Fantom, and became trapped for centuries. As time passed, the area around Castle De Fantom became a bustling metropolis called Metro City, a city submerged in crime rings led by the fiendish arachnid Marmagora.
Influences
Fantomcat was influenced heavily by Zorro, Errol Flynn, and the time-lost approach of Adam Adamant Lives.
Characters
- Duke of Fantom (voiced by Robert Powell) - A masked swashbuckling hero who joins the Detective Team after his release and is nicknamed Fantomcat. Fantomcat is naturally completely oblivious to the modern world and its various new technologies, which can hinder him and the detective team if not careful. Fantomcat has a sword called "Touché" which can respond to his beck and call, he can also turn invisible, hence his namesake to act like a "Phantom" when needed.
- Tabitha "Tabs" Wildcat (voiced by Lorelei King) - A stern female detective and leader of the Detective Team. She is known as Penelope Wildcat in some dubs.
- MacDuff the Mouse (voiced by Rob Rackstraw) - The timid companion of the Detective Team, who hates holes.
- Lindbergh the Pigeon (voiced by Jimmy Hibbert) - The garbled blubblering companion of the Detective Team, who hates heights and therefore will not fly.
- Marmagora (voiced by Lorelei King) - A hideous giant widow spider intent on dominating Metro City and leader of the evil forces below the city. She has a pet Carnivorous Plant called Gloria.
- Vile the Bluebottle (voiced by Jimmy Hibbert) - A fly. Marmagora's right-hand man, who does not help her much but only follows her instructions and agrees with everything she says.
- Baron Von Skeltar (voiced by Rob Rackstraw) - A sword-wielding caped Skeletoid alchemist who imprisoned the Duke of Fantom for 300 years and was summoned to the present day by Marmagora to finish his heinous conquest.
- Vinnie the Vole (voiced by Jimmy Hibbert) - One of Marmagora's henchemen, who is always ready to help. Unlike Vile, Vinnie is actually quite smart.
- Monitor (voiced by Rob Rackstraw) - an intergalactic space villain who talks like Shere Khan.
- Scorpio
Episode list
Series 1
| # | Title | Air Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Hero Returns" | 7/9/1995 |
| The Detective Team is launched into the Castle Fantom where Fantomcat emerges, briefs them of his imprisonment and joins the team in their pursuit for Marmagora who has summoned Baron Von Skeltar, but the Detective Team strike him down. This episode was written by Cliff Ruby, Elena Lesser and Jimmy Hibbert, storyboarded by Keith Scoble and directed by Ben Turner. | ||
| 2 | "The Preying Mantis" | 14/9/1995 |
| Marmagora has recruited the Monk Mantis to deal with Fantomcat. Meanwhile the Detective Team thwart a raid by the Crab Twins. Monk kidnaps Tabs to lure Fantomcat to a trap, but with the aid of his ring, Fantomcat defeats Monk. This episode was written by Keith Smith and directed by Ben Turner. It was also storyboarded by Keith Scoble. | ||
| 3 | "The Swords of the Scorpion" | 21/9/1995 |
| A warrior called Scorio thwarts Metro City's crimes. This is just to get Fantomcat blacked out, but the Detective Team catch wind of Marmagora's plot. Fantomcat emerges from his defeat to beat Scorpio and prevent an atomic explosion. This episode was written by Jimmy Hibbert and directed by Ben Turner. | ||
| 4 | "The Aeroship" | 28/9/1995 |
| Marmagora hijacks Mr. Bucks' Aeroship, the perfect getaway vehicle for raids. The Detective Team board the Aeroship and in an ensuing fight, cause the Aeroship to self-destruct, but are able to thwart Marmagora's heist. This episode was written by Sue Ryding and Maggie Fox, storyboarded by Richardo Manchucha, Eduardo Valero and Francisco Alainmos and directed by Ben Turner. | ||
| 5 | "Asteroid Adventure" | 5/10/1995 |
| Tabs is abducted by the Monitor to his asteroid base. His interest is for Fantomcat to find a crystal shard by following cryptic clues. After finding it, Fantomcat infiltrates the asteroid base, disrupts Monitor's plan and rescues Tabs. This episode was written by Jimmy Hibbert and directed by Ben Turner. | ||
| 6 | "The Mind Leech" | 12/10/1995 |
| Professor Oliphant gets taken by Vile's beetles to reveal his secrets with a mind leech. Fantomcat follows Tabs and Lindbergh's trail and after a brief revival by the spirit of his father he rescues his friends and the professor from their captors. This episode was written by Lorelei King and directed by Ben Turner. | ||
| 7 | "Lady Gobling’s Gems" | 26/10/1995 |
| At Mrs. Gobling's castle ball, Hypnotist Heudini puts the party guests in a trance to steal their jewellery. Fantomcat gets caught by Marmagora, but he escapes, counters her goons and retrieves the stolen jewellery. This episode was written by Sue Ryding and Maggie Fox, storyboarded by Keith Scoble and directed by Ben Turner. | ||
| 8 | "Great Balls of Fire" | 2/11/1995 |
| Deep beneath Castle Fantom arises the Mina Tiger, which confronts Fantomcat and tries to kill him in a losing battle. Fantomcat manages to get the Mina Tiger destroyed by a bolt of lightning. This episode was written by Roger Stennett, storyboarded by Dagda Studios S.A. and Neil Graham and directed by Ben Turner. | ||
| 9 | "The Chameleons of Death" | 9/11/1995 |
| Marmagora sends the Chameleon Bros. to steal Fantomcat's ring, costing the life of one of them. The Detective Team track Marmagora's goons, prevent the Spectral-Vac from its test phase and Fantomcat finishes off the other Chameleon. This episode was written by Stefen Redfern and Rob Rackstraw, storyboarded by John Martin and directed by Ben Turner. | ||
| 10 | "The Crystal of Nemesis" | 16/11/1995 |
| Marmagora steals a power crystal, which may spell Fantomcat's end to come by the hand of the demon warrior Nemesis in the form of Sodium-filled giant robot. The Detective Team help Fantomcat to destroy Nemesis once and for all. This episode was written by Jimmy Hibbert, storyboarded by Dagda Studios S.A. and directed by Ben Turner. | ||
| 11 | "The Eye of Harakti" | 23/11/1995 |
| With the help of Egyptian Rah and his crystal ball "The Eye of Harakti", Marmagora tries to cause a powercut that will enable her access to the city bank. This episode was written by Peter Richard Reeves, storyboarded by Dagda Studios S.A. and John Doyle and directed by Ben Turner. | ||
| 12 | "Where the Heart Is" | 30/11/1995 |
| Fantomcat is feeling homesick and wants to return to his own time. However, Baron Von Skeltar is hiding on the ski slopes wanting revenge on both Fantomcat and Marmagora. This episode was written by Keith Smith, storyboarded by John Martin and directed by Ben Turner. | ||
| 13 | "The Web of Doom" | 7/12/1995 |
| Marmagora is at large once again, covering the city with a giant web. Tabs and Lindbergh have to navigate their way across the city to shut down the machine generating it, whilst Fantomcat and MacDuff are equally occupied fighting Marmagora's spiderbots. This episode was storyboarded by Wayne Thomas and Andy Janes, written by Roger Stennett and directed by Ben Turner. | ||
Series 2
| # | Title | Air Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Once Upon a Time Machine" | 25/9/1996 |
| Fantomcat and MacDuff have an accident with a time machine. They must complete a 'quest', replaying an event in Fantomcat's life in order to get home. This episode was written by Roger Stennett and directed by Andy Roper. It was also storyboarded by Keith Scoble. | ||
| 2 | "The Manhattan Incident" | 2/10/1996 |
| Ginger, a cop at the Metro City police department (and Tabs' sister), enlists Tabs' help in catching a scientist with a literal Jekyll and Hyde complex. This episode was written by Roger Stennett, storyboarded by Keith Scoble and directed by Andy Roper. | ||
| 3 | "Cinema Purradiso" | 9/10/1996 |
| A gang of rats led by Don Ratso is out to conquer the Metro City Cinema, but Fantomcat nabs them and has them arrested. This episode was written by Lorelei King and directed by Andy Roper. It was also storyboarded by Carlos Valera and Kepa De Orbe. | ||
| 4 | "Warrior of the Skies" | 16/10/1996 |
| Tired of being called 'little one' and being talked down to, MacDuff has his brother Bunty build him a supersuit and as a result, begins performing good deeds. Marmagora plans to brainwash MacFlash to make him her slave, not realising that he is MacDuff. This episode was written by Jimmy Hibbert and directed by Andy Roper. | ||
| 5 | "Tomb of the Fantoms" | 23/10/1996 |
| FC dies but is brought back to life by his dead ancestors. He also chooses MacDuff as a challenger against a monster. This episode was written by Jimmy Hibbert and directed by Andy Roper. | ||
| 6 | "Revenge of the Monitor" | 30/10/1996 |
| Fantomcat and his friends visit a space hotel. Monitor and his henchman Lurk are back, this time planning to destroy Earth with a laser unless Fantomcat surrenders to them. This episode was written by Peter Reeves, storyboarded by Fatcity Films and directed by Andy Roper. | ||
| 7 | "The Treasure of the Belerophon" | 6/11/1996 |
| The team are taken for a trip in a submarine called the Belerophon by a Mr Bucks, who is looking for a hidden treasure in an underwater volcano. However, Vile and the Lobster Brothers hijack the sub, planning to steal the treasure for Marmagora. This episode was written by Stefan Redfern, storyboarded by Keith Scoble and directed by Andy Roper. | ||
| 8 | "The Lonely Hearts Club" | 13/11/1996 |
| MacDuff goes on a date with a girl who responded to his Lonely Hearts ad. Meanwhile, Tabs gets a call from a gentleman to locate a missing painting. Lured to a mansion on her own, it turns out to be a trap by Marmagora to kidnap her as bait for Fantomcat. This episode was written by Jimmy Hibbert, storyboarded by Fatcity Films and directed by Andy Roper. | ||
| 9 | "The Mirror Monster" | 20/11/1996 |
| Marmagora has a new weapon, which can morph into any living being it chooses. The monster morphs into Fantomcat, confusing the team. The monster plans to gain their trust in order to kill the real Fantomcat and afterwards, the team. This episode was written by Roger Stennett and directed by Andy Roper. | ||
| 10 | "MacDuff Private Eye" | 27/11/1996 |
| This episode was written by Jimmy Hibbert and directed by Andy Roper. | ||
| 11 | "The Curse of Evillia" | 4/12/1996 |
| This episode was written by Stefan Redfern and directed by Andy Roper. | ||
| 12 | "The Incredible Shrinking Fantomcat" | 11/12/1996 |
| This episode was written by Peter Reeves and directed by Andy Roper. It was also storyboarded by Carlos Valera and Kepa De Orbe. | ||
| 13 | "One Good Deed" | 18/12/1996 |
| This episode was written by Roger Stennett and directed by Andy Roper. It was also storyboarded by Carlos Valera and Kepa De Orbe. | ||
