Herman and Katnip

Herman...and Katnip

Skiddle Diddle Dee-Skiddle Diddle Dey
All the mice are feeling gay
Skiddle Diddle Dee-Skiddle Diddle Dey
Herman's on his way

Skiddle Diddle Dee-Skiddle Diddle Dough
He's the bravest mouse we know
Skiddle Diddle Dee-Skiddle Diddle Die
Herman's Quite a Guy

When Katnip the cat sees Herman the mouse
Katnip the cat packs his bag and leaves the house

Skiddle Diddle Dee-Skiddle Diddle Dey
It's just like a holiday
Skiddle Diddle Dee-Skiddle Diddle Dey
Herman's come to stay.

Obviously inspired by the popularity of MGM’s Tom and Jerry series that began in 1940, Paramount fished around for a similar success and came up with Herman and Katnip. There was one major difference, Herman and Katnip were graced with regular voices instead of resigning to Tom and Jerry’s usually mute antics. Herman was voiced by Arnold Stang, who’s probably best known as the voice of Top Cat, a 1960’s Hanna-Barbera series, while Katnip was voiced by Syd Raymond, who also voiced the similarly dimwitted Baby Huey.

Interestingly, Herman and Katnip did not originally appear together in animated cartoons or even in comic books. Herman made three solo appearances from 1944-1946 before finally teaming up in 1947 with Katnip.

Generally, their cartoons followed the same pattern: Three or four similar looking mice were enjoying something, usually a large cheese or similar fare when Katnip comes in to ruin the fun. The mice barely escape and wonder what they can do to defeat Katnip. The distinguished looking Herman inevitably shows up from the city at this juncture and devises many tactics that eventually make Katnip succumb. The mice and Herman celebrate their victory usually with a big feast.

Herman and Katnip cartoons were made for years and except for a cameo appearance by Katnip in “Self Help Huey” on "The Baby Huey Show" in 1995, no new cartoons have been made since 1959.

Surprising is the fact that a Herman and Katnip comic book series never appeared. Though their adventures appeared for numerous years in Baby Huey titles, "Harvey Comics Hits", "Paramount Animated Comics", "Famous TV Funday Funnies", and in "TV Casper and Company", Herman and Katnip only starred in four issues of "Harvey Hits": #14, #25, #31 and #41. The duo’s first appearance in comics was "Harvey Comics Hits" #60, but Herman had a solo first appearance years earlier in St. John’s "Casper" #1.

Despite their presence on TV, Herman and Katnip are not available on any home video compilations except for the short-lived Worldvision tape that circulated in the 80s and the omnipresent public domain tapes. Perhaps that may change one day as their adventures are not that abysmal and sometimes contain some very creative ideas.

Currently, Herman and Katnip are appearing on Fox Family Channel's "The Harveytoon Show" and in have appeared in "The Harvey Magazine".

The following is a listing of all of Herman and Katnip’s animated adventures as listed in Jeff Lenburg’s "Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons" (All are duo appearances unless otherwise noted):