Barnstormers

Barnstormers

October 4, 1969 TV Episode Dastardly and Muttley and Their Flying Machines

Studio
Hanna-Barbera Studios

Synopsis

Klunk builds the Vulture Squadron a new plane from a barn that they fell through.

Characters

Dastardly, Muttley, Klunk, Zilly, The General, Yankee Doodle Pigeon

Credits

Directing

Director
William Hanna, Joseph Barbera

Producing

Producer
William Hanna, Joseph Barbera
Associate Producer
Alex Lovy

Writing

Writer
Larz Bourne, Dalton Sandifer, Mike Maltese
Story Direction
Alex Lovy, Bill Perez

Voices

Voice
Paul Winchell (Dick Dastardly, The General), Don Messick (Muttley, Klunk, Zilly)

Music

Music
Ted Nichols

Editing

Editor
Pat Foley, Richard Allen

Crew

Production Design
Iwao Takamoto
Production Supervisor
Victor O. Schipek
Character Design
Jerry Eisenberg
Layout
Lou Appet, Ed Benedict, Jim Fletcher, Don Jurwich, Lin Larsen, Jack Manning
Background Styling
Walt Peregoy
Backgrounds
Dave Weidman, William Butler, Robert Gentle, Iraj Paran, Curtis Perkins
Title Design
Bill Perez
Titles
Robert Schaefer
Technical Supervisor
Frank Paiker
Ink & Paint Supervisor
Roberta Greutert
Xerography
Robert "Tiger" West
Sound Direction
Richard Olson
Camera
Dick Blundell, Bill Kotler, Ralph Migliori, Cliff Shipser, Rex Stevens, Roy Wade

Companies and other credits

  • A
  • HANNA-BARBERA
  • PRODUCTION
  • Copyright © 1969 Hanna-Barbera Productions
  • Inc

Production notes

The moustachioed Dastardly and the snickering pooch Muttley flew all types of biplanes in an effort to stop the American carrier pigeon, Yankee Doodle, from crossing enemy lines. Aiding Dastardly and Muttley (and just as often getting in their way) were the two inept Vulture Squadron mechanics, Klunk and Zilly. Although it was never made clear exactly what enemy country Dastardly was protecting, it is entirely possible that the bad-guy duo, members of the Vulture Squadron, was inspired by the German aviators of the first World War.

Another spin-off from Wacky Races (The Perils of Penelope Pitstop was the first), Dastardly and Muttley somehow traveled back in time to star in this World War I-era comedy. Interestingly enough, the antagonists were the principal characters this time around.

Not to be outshone by his human counterpart, Muttley had his own two-and-a-half-minute segment in which he fantasized in a Walter Mitty-type fashion about being the hero of the war.

Also notable was the show's theme song, "Stop That Pigeon," which repeated those three words over and over, until they must have been in the heads of every viewer. Many people grew up thinking that the song's title was actually the name of the show.