Fluppy Dogs

Disney's Fluppy Dogs
Written by	Haskell Barkin Bruce Talkington
Directed by	Fred Wolf
Starring	Marshall Efron Lorenzo Music Susan Blu Hal Smith Michael Rye
Music by	Shirley Walker
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
Production
Producer(s)	Fred Wolf
Running time	44 minutes
Production company(s)	Walt Disney Television Animation
Distributor	Buena Vista Television
Release
Original network	ABC
Original release	November 27, 1986

Disney's Fluppy Dogs is a one-hour animated television special which aired on November 27 (Thanksgiving), 1986 on ABC, and was intended to be a pilot for the third Walt Disney Television animated series. The special suffered low ratings and it was cancelled. It featured five pastel-colored talking (fluppy) dogs that came through a fluppy interdimensional doorway and into the lives of Jamie and his teenage neighbor Claire. The dogs were the intended prey of the evil miser Wagstaff. Animation was supplied by TMS Entertainment

The basic premise for the series, akin to the much later live-action sci-fi series Sliders, was the story of a band of adventurous, cuddly, dog-like creatures called Fluppies who use a crystal key to open inter-dimensional doorways. They become lost between worlds while trying to find their way home and end up on Earth.

Mistaken for regular dogs, they are captured and placed in a pound. As their only means of escape, Stanley, the leader of the Fluppies, manages to get a woman to pick him as a pet for her son, Jamie, with plans of returning to the pound to free the others. Jamie is disappointed at this new dog, which is smaller than he hoped, but takes him for a walk. Taking the opportunity, Stanley escapes his leash and makes a break for it, but Jamie pursues him so as to not anger his mother for losing the new pet so soon. Unfortunately, the chase leads to a construction site and Jamie finds himself in danger, forcing Stanley to reveal his intelligence and humanoid nature to save him. Meanwhile, Wagstaff, a rich collector of exotic animals, recognizes the Fluppies and vows to capture them.

Now with a secret, Stanley explains the situation and Jamie offers to help. Unfortunately, the boy only has enough money to purchase one of Stanley's compatriots, Tippi, and his mother won't let him keep her. Fortunately, Jaimie's neighbour Claire eagerly agrees to take her in. That night, as Jamie and Stanley sleep, the boy reflexively scratches the Fluppy's head, which causes their bed to fly. Once they awaken and learn how to control the flying effect, Stanley resolves to break his compatriots out that night and pick up Tippi to do so, inadvertently revealing their nature to Claire in the process. At the pound, Stanley and Tippi manage to free their friends and barely avoid Wagstaff, who had the pound opened to seize them.

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