rocknroll_n_blues_queens | rocking out cartoon style: pop-rocking Josie and the Pussy Cats

Josie and the Pussycats-Every Beat of My Heart

Josie and the Pussycats (formatted as Josie and the Pussy Cats in the opening titles) is an American animated television series, based upon the Archie Comics comic book series of the same name created by Dan DeCarlo. Produced for Saturday morning television by Hanna-Barbera Productions, sixteen episodes of Josie and the Pussycats aired on CBS during the 1970-71 television season, and were rerun during the 1971-72 season. In 1972, the show was re-conceptualized as Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space, sixteen episodes of which aired on CBS during the 1972-73 season and were rerun the following season. Josie and the Pussycats was later rerun on NBC Saturday mornings during the 1975-76 television season.^[1]Josie and the Pussycats featured an all-girl pop music band that toured the world with their entourage, getting mixed up in strange adventures, spy capers, and mysteries. On the small-screen, the group consisted of level-headed lead singer and guitarist Josie, intelligent tambourinist Valerie, and air-headed blonde drummer Melody. Other characters included their shady manager Alexander Cabot III, his conniving sister Alexandra, her cat Sebastian, and muscular roadie Alan M.

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See the Josie and the Pussycats comic book article for a detailed description of each character

Josie McCoy (speaking voice by Janet Waldo, singing voice by Cathy Dougher)
Melody Valentine (speaking voice by Jackie Joseph, singing voice by Cheryl Ladd [credited as Cherie Moor])
Valerie Brown (speaking voice by Barbara Pariot, singing voice by Patrice Holloway)
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Josie And The Pussycats: Stop, Look And Listen + Single Version

Valerie Brown of Josie & the Pussycats Makes Saturday Morning Cartoon History

On September 12, 1970, Josie & the Pussycats made its transition from comic book to CBS Saturday morning cartoon. One of the characters making the transition (Valerie) is significant because she became the first female African-American cast member on a regular Saturday-morning cartoon. The first African-American Saturday morning cartoon character overall was Pete Jones, who appeared on The Hardy Boys (which debuted on September 6, 1969).

Valerie almost didn't make her historic appearance on Josie & the Pussycats. In preparation for the cartoon, Hanna-Barbera Productions decided to assemble a real-life Josie & the Pussycats group, who would provide the singing voices of the girls in the cartoons and also record an album (other actresses provided the speaking voices for the characters on the series). The company who would be in charge of the recordings (La La Productions) held a talent search to find three females who would match Josie & the Pussycats in the comic book in both looks and singing ability. The trio chosen to be "Josie & the Pussycats" were: Cathy Douglas (Josie), Patrice Holloway (Valerie) and Cherie Moor (Melody). Side note: after Josie & the Pussycats disbanded, Moor got married, took her husband's surname and gained fame as Cheryl Ladd.MORE

Josie And The Pussycats (Cartoon Theme)

Josie And The Pussycats - You've Come A Long Way Baby (Single Version) 1970

Josie and the PussyCats on IMDB

There was also a Josie and the Pussycats movie in 2001

Josie and the Pussycats Trailer (2001)
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Cast were:

# Rachael Leigh Cook as Josie McCoy, the red-headed co-founder lead vocalist, guitarist, and band leader
# Tara Reid as Melody Valentine, the absent-minded blonde co-founder and drummer for the Pussycats
# Rosario Dawson as Valerie Brown, the Pussycats' brainy songwriter, bassist and backup vocalist.

Josie & The Pussycats - 3 Small Words

Josie And The Pussycats - Spin Around

Josie And The Pussycats - Pretend To Be Nice