# Pink Panther and Sons

Pink Panther and Sons is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and Mirisch-Geoffrey-DePatie-Freleng. The series was originally broadcast on NBC from 1984 to 1985 and moved to ABC in 1986. Friz Freleng (a close friend of Joseph Barbera and William Hanna since all three worked on the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio in the 1930s) served as creative producer for the series as his and David H. DePatie's production company, DePatie–Freleng Enterprises, existed as an in-name-only enterprise by this time, as its operations were absorbed by Marvel Productions in 1981. The show is based on the Pink Panther, a character created in 1963.

## Plot

The series centers on The Pink Panther's two sons: pre-teen Pinky, his toddler brother, Panky and their friends in the Rainbow Panthers crew (the pretty Chatta, fighting Rocko, gibberish-talking Murfel, overalls-wearing Annie, and mixed-up-talking Punkin). Each episode shows the Rainbow Panthers coming together in friendship as they learn about growing up and take on a group of lions called the Howl Angels.
Featured in each episode would be short three to five minutes cartoons featuring The Pink Panther bookending the main cartoons with Pinky and Panky.

## Characters
### Rainbow Panthers

* Pinky Panther (voiced by Billy Bowles) - Pinky is a very polite young panther. Pinky generally ends up getting in the most danger in situations, such as turning six inches tall in one episode, and is the one who comes up with most of the ideas. He is the leader of the Rainbow Panthers and he is in love with Chatta, a purple panther in the group.
* Panky (voiced by B.J. Ward) – Panky is Pinky's little brother. His diaper is never tied correctly so he just holds it up wherever he goes. Since he is still a toddler, he is considered very impressionable, and tends to wander from his older brother. He is the larger of the two panther sons.
* Chatta (voiced by Sherry Lynn) – Chatta is a purple panther. She is in love with Pinky and often tries to impress him to win his affection. She also has an enormous vocabulary.
* Murfel (voiced by Shane McCob) – Murfel is a green panther who wears an oversized knit cap. Murfel always mumbles or slurs when he speaks, and as a result, it is difficult (albeit possible) for the audience to decipher what he is saying, although the other members of the Rainbow Panthers seem to understand him without much hassle.
* Rocko (voiced by Frank Welker) – Rocko is a yellow panther who is the most athletic of the group. Eager and energetic, he is always seen sporting boxing gloves and shorts.
* Annie O'Gizmo (voiced by Jeannie Elias) – Annie is an orange panther sporting overalls and a hard hat. She is very scientific and is considered the intellectual of the group.
* Punkin (voiced by B.J. Ward) – Punkin is a blue panther who wears a baseball cap and a wool sweater. He tends to confuse words and often requires multiple attempts to say what he means.
* The Pink Panther – Celebrity star of film and television and the father of Pinky and Panky. While he does not speak, Pinky and Panky often understand his gestures even when they go to him for advice.

### Howl Angels

* Finko (voiced by Frank Welker) – Finko is the leader of the Howl Angels. An orange-colored lion with a multicolored mohawk, Finko is a rival to Pinky and one time was babysitter to Panky at the time when Pinky and Chatta go on a date to the movies.
* Howl (voiced by Marshall Efron) – Howl is a diminutive lion and the scheming right-hand man to Finko. He wears a saucepan on his head as a helmet.
* Liona (voiced by Jeannie Elias) – Liona is a lioness who is tough but pretty. She has a crush on Pinky where she and Chatta fight for his affection.
* Bowlhead and Buckethead (voiced by Gregg Berger and Sonny Melendrez) – Bowlhead and Buckethead are two of Finko's goons and are often paired together when partaking in the Howl Angels' schemes, usually serving as comic relief. Fitting to their names, Bowlhead wears on his head a bowl adorned with horns, while Buckethead wears an iron bucket.

## Voice cast

* Gregg Berger as Bowlhead
* Billy Bowles as Pinky
* Marshall Efron as Howl
* Jeannie Elias as Annie O'Gizmo, Liona
* Sherry Lynn as Chatta
* Shane McCob as Murfel
* Sonny Melendrez as Buckethead
* B.J. Ward as Panky, Punkin
* Frank Welker as Rocko, Finko, Prehistoric Panther (in "The Pink Link"), Truck Driver (in "The Pink Link")

### Additional voices

* Bob Arbogast
* Hamilton Camp as Cousin Punky (in "The Pink Link")
* Rick Cimino
* Peter Cullen
* Rick Dees
* Barry Dennen
* Paul Eiding
* Paul Ely
* Phillip Hartman
* Erv Immerman
* Ralph James
* Tommy Lasorda as Himself (in "Pinky at the Bat")
* Allan Lurie
* Don Messick as Alien (in "Pink Encounters of the Panky Kind"), Film Festival Announcer (in "The Pink Link")
* Cliff Norton
* Roger Rose
* Neil Ross
* Michael Rye
* William Schallert
* Andre Stojka as Mr. Right
* Michael Villani
* William Windom

## Episodes

| No. | Title | Written by | Original release date |
| 1 | "Spinning Wheels" | Cliff Roberts | September 8, 1984 (1984-09-08) |
| 1 | "Pinky at the Bat" | Glenn Leopold | September 8, 1984 (1984-09-08) |
| Spinning Wheels: A local bike shop is looking for a representative in the Big Bike race and can only sponsor one racer. After Finko was too chicken to do the Big Bike race because of him not wanting Pinky and his friends to laugh at him, he decides to made Howl do the Big Bike race instead of himself. Pinky and Howl compete in a one-on-one bike race to win a chance to be sponsored by said bike shop held in the City Park. However, Finko takes the unfair approach to ensure Pinky loses. This is also when we get the first appearance of their father, The Pink Panther where he is seen on television's when Pinky and Panky walk past the shop. Pinky at the Bat: The Rainbow Panthers have a baseball battle against the Howl Angels with the loser leaving the City's Park baseball field. Also in the episode we get to see The Pink Panther where he bought tickets for Pinky and his friends, The Rainbow Panthers to see the Duckster's play at the Duckster Stadium. ||||
| 2 | "The Great Bumpo" | Jim Ryan | September 15, 1984 (1984-09-15) |
| 2 | "Take a Hike" | Lane Raichert | September 15, 1984 (1984-09-15) |
| The Great Bumpo: The Rainbow Panthers must hide a baby elephant named Bumpo from a corrupt circus owner. But when the corrupt circus owner puts a bounty on the elephant, this motivates the Howl Angels to capture it. Take a Hike: The Rainbow Panthers hike in the wilderness, as the title implies. But when Panky wanders off without the gang knowing, it leads to hi-jinks for the Rainbow Panthers while they search to find Panky. ||||
| 3 | "Haunted Howlers" | John Bates | September 22, 1984 (1984-09-22) |
| 3 | "Traders of the Lost Bark" | Glenn Leopold | September 22, 1984 (1984-09-22) |
| Haunted Howlers: After the Rainbow Panthers lose their model plane inside an old house, they go in to retrieve it. However, the Howl Angels have a plan to scare them out and get the plane for themselves. Traders of the Lost Bark: Panky receives a puppy for his birthday where Pinky names it Wildfire, only for the puppy to run away within minutes. So then Pinky decides to put up wanted posters in the hope they find the dog. This then leads the Howl Angels in peruse to find Wildfire first so they can cash out the dog to a family. ||||
| 4 | "Pink Enemy #1" | Denis Higgins | September 29, 1984 (1984-09-29) |
| 4 | "Pink Encounters of the Panky Kind" | Glenn Leopold | September 29, 1984 (1984-09-29) |
| Pink Enemy #1: When the Pink Panther gets framed for a bank robbery, Pinky recruits the Rainbow Panthers to solve the mystery of who really did the crime and prove his father's innocence. Pink Encounters of the Panky Kind: The Rainbow Panthers renovate their clubhouse and have their sleepover in it only to have the place taken over by Howl's Angels. Afterwards, Panky gets abducted by aliens and replaced with a robotic duplicate. ||||
| 5 | "Millionaire Murfel" | John Bates | October 6, 1984 (1984-10-06) |
| 5 | "The Pursuit of Panky" | Glenn Leopold | October 6, 1984 (1984-10-06) |
| Millionaire Murfel: When the Rainbow Panthers decide to help out with a fund for wildlife, they meet up with a rich version of Murfel named Graystrips who trades places with their friend for the day. The Pursuit of Panky: When a nearby government base unveils a new invention called the Electro-Jammer, which has bizarre effects on electrical devices, two thieves attempt to steal it, but they lose it and are forced to hunt it down. Meanwhile, Pinky and Panky are saying goodbye to their dad as he goes off to Mexico, only for the Electro-Jammer to land inside Panky's diaper, leading to a wild goose chase when their dad remembers he left his passport at home. ||||
| 6 | "Sitter Jitters" | Jim Ryan | October 13, 1984 (1984-10-13) |
| 6 | "The Fix Up, Foul-Up" | Lane Raichert | October 13, 1984 (1984-10-13) |
| Sitter Jitters: Pinky is going to the cinema with Chatta and Finko must babysit Panky because he is too little for a scary movie. The Fix Up, Foul-Up: The Panther gang track down a painting that is worth a ton of money to help their friends the Johnsons in order that the Johnsons can use the money to keep their house from being repossessed and subsequently demolished. ||||
| 7 | "Joking Genie" | Denis Higgins | October 20, 1984 (1984-10-20) |
| 7 | "Panky's Pet" | Glenn Leopold | October 20, 1984 (1984-10-20) |
| Joking Genie: Pinky and Panky find a lamp that contains a genie. Panky's Pet: While Pinky, Panky, and all their friends and their parents are on a vacation, Panky brings back an egg from a cliff which hatches a hungry baby dinosaur, whose appetite disrupts the gang's fun. ||||
| 8 | "Punkin's Home Companion" | Jim Ryan | October 27, 1984 (1984-10-27) |
| 8 | "Insanity Claus" | Lane Raichert | October 27, 1984 (1984-10-27) |
| Punkins Home Companion: After seeing how weird Punkin acts around animals, the Rainbow Panthers create a hairball monster named Blobbo who goes on a rampage when Punkin misreads the instructions for its care. Insanity Claus: A person dressed as Santa Claus ends up breaking into Pinky and Panky's house and only Panky believes it to be the real Santa. After having the person sent to jail, the gang find out he was right as it was the real Santa Claus getting a jump on Christmas that year. This is also the first time where The Pink Panther talks, but only in yawns and gasps. ||||
| 9 | "Rocko's Last Round" | Glenn Leopold | November 3, 1984 (1984-11-03) |
| 9 | "Sleeptalking Chatta" | John Semper and Cynthia Friedlob | November 3, 1984 (1984-11-03) |
| Rocko's Last Round: A misunderstanding at the doctor's office causes the rest of the Rainbow Panthers to think that Rocko is dying. Also in a panel from the episode we find out that Rocko's birthday is Friday, June 15th, 1984 and also in the same episode takes place in March when Rocko replies "I think you jumped the bell gang. My birthday's not for 3 months." Sleeptalking Chatta: Chatta wins a radio contest, but her sleepwalking causes trouble for the Rainbow Panthers....especially when Howl and Finko take her off course so that they win the contest. ||||
| 10 | "Pink Shrink" | Denis Higgins | November 11, 1984 (1984-11-11) |
| 10 | "The Pink Link" | Glenn Leopold | November 11, 1984 (1984-11-11) |
| Pink Shrink: Annie's shrink machine causes Pinky to become six inches tall. The Pink Link: While the Pink Panther is preparing for a film festival, Pinky and Panky help to prepare their house for the arrival of Cousin Punky. Meanwhile, an archaeologist had just discovered a prehistoric panther frozen in a block of ice. After a mishap during its transportation, the prehistoric panther ends up getting defrosted and ends up at Pinky's clubhouse who mistakes it for Cousin Punky. The prehistoric panther is unfamiliar with a modern city and behaves much in the way of wild panthers upon hearing different bells. ||||
| 11 | "Annie's Invention" | Jim Ryan | November 18, 1984 (1984-11-18) |
| 11 | "Panky and the Angels" | Glenn Leopold | November 18, 1984 (1984-11-18) |
| Annie's Invention: Annie invents a machine to make orange juice, and a company hires her believing that the machine generates energy. Panky and the Angels: During a "top secret" meeting, the other members of the Rainbow Panthers do not allow Panky in. Thinking they're kicking him out or ignoring him, he decides to join up with the Howls Angels. However, his time with them is cut short as well when Finko demands more money for dues than Panky has. So Panky decides to go and find his own clubhouse and decides on a train caboose (a possible shot at The Get Along Gang). When he somehow jars its brakes loose and goes rolling off uncontrollably, Pinky saves him. Panky then learns they were planning his birthday party in that meeting, hence why he wasn't allowed in. ||||
| 12 | "Arabian Frights" | John Bates | November 25, 1984 (1984-11-25) |
| 12 | "Brothers are Special" | Denis Higgins | November 25, 1984 (1984-11-25) |
| Arabian Frights: When Panky's having trouble sleeping one night, his brother reads him a story about two panthers and a band of thieves who steal candy. After hearing the intro, Panky dreams about the story with him, his brother, and all their friends and enemies as the characters within said story. By the end of the story, Pinky is finally sleepy and dreams about being the larger of the two sons. Brothers are Special: When Pinky's preparing for his act for a talent show, he upsets his brother Panky, who ends up in a bear cage. Meanwhile, the Howl Angels plan to win the contest by using a recording to make it seem like they're a great band. ||||
| 13 | "A Hard Day's Knight" | Lane Raichert | December 1, 1984 (1984-12-01) |
| 13 | "Mister Money" | John Bates | December 1, 1984 (1984-12-01) |
| A Hard Day's Knight: The Rainbow Panthers tour Medieval Manor, an amusement park featuring a castle and robot knights. Mr. Money: Pinky and Panky want to buy a watch for their father as a present. For help in raising the money, they turn to the Rainbow Panthers and an adult purple panther who uses the alias Mr. Wright. ||||

## Other media

A children's book called Pink Panther: Fun at the Picnic was based on the series. Unlike the cartoon series, the Pink Panther is shown speaking. The story was where the Pink Panther had been hired as a magician for a party and asked Pinky to assist him, upsetting Panky who felt left out. The Pink Panther decides to start his act creating "two Pink Panthers!" displaying Pinky and Panky onstage.
In late October 2023, the complete series was finally made available on MGM+ and other digital platforms.