Cartoon
Pink Panther and Sons
The story
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, with reruns airing on 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, was used as an in-name-only enterprise by this time, as it was acquired 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 (the pretty Chatta, fighting Rocko, gibberish-talking Murfel, overalls-wearing Annie, and cap-wearing Punkin). Each episode shows the Rainbow Panthers coming together in friendship as they learn about growing up and compete with a group of lions called the Howl Angels.
Each episode features a one minute cartoon short featuring The Pink Panther between the main cartoons with Pinky and Panky.
Rainbow Panthers
Pinky Panther (voiced by Billy Bowles) - Pinky is a very polite young panther. Pinky generally ends up having trouble in situations, such as turning six inches tall in "Pink Shrink", 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 Panther (voiced by B.J. Ward) – Panky is Pinky's little brother. His diaper is never tied correctly and he holds it up wherever he goes. Since he is a toddler, he is considered very impressionable, and tends to wander from his older brother.
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 usually mumbles or slurs when he speaks, making it difficult for the audience to understand what he is saying, but the other members of the Rainbow Panthers understand him perfectly.
Rocko (voiced by Frank Welker) – Rocko is a yellow panther who is the most athletic of the group. Eager and energetic, he wears sporting boxing gloves and shorts.
Annie O'Gizmo (voiced by Jeannie Elias) – Annie is an orange panther who wears 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.
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 was Panky's babysitter in the episode "Sitter Jitters".
Howl (voiced by Marshall Efron) – Howl is a diminutive lion and the partner 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 Howl Angels' members 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.
Other
The Pink Panther – Celebrity star of film and television and the father of Pinky and Panky. While he doesn't speak, Pinky and Panky often understand his gestures even when they go to him for advice.
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
Other media
A children's book called Pink Panther and Sons: Fun at the Picnic was based on the series. Unlike the series, the Pink Panther speaks in the book. The story involves around the Pink Panther being 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.
Streaming media
In October 2023, the complete series was became available on MGM+ and other digital platforms.