Inspector Gadget | |
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Title card of the original version
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Created by |
Bruno Bianchi Andy Heyward Jean Chalopin |
Original work | Inspector Gadget |
Print publications | |
Comics | Inspector Gadget |
Films and television | |
Film(s) |
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Television series | Inspector Gadget's Field Trip (1996–2004) |
Animated series |
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Games | |
Video game(s) |
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Audio | |
Soundtrack(s) | Inspector Gadget |
Inspector Gadget is a media franchise that began in 1983 with the DIC Entertainment animated television series, Inspector Gadget. Since the original series, there have been many spin-offs based on the show, including additional animated series, video games and films.
The franchise follows the adventures of a powerful but dimwitted cyborg police inspector as he investigates the criminal schemes of Dr. Claw and his organization, MAD, as they fruitlessly attempt to stop him. However, neither side is aware (until recently) that it is Gadget's niece, Penny, and her dog, Brain, who are truly responsible for thwarting MAD.
The main protagonist of the franchise. Gadget is a human being with thousands of high-tech gadgets installed in his body. Gadget is very powerful and loyal to his career as a lawman, but he is also very dim-witted, clueless, incompetent, oblivious, and gullible. While Penny and Brain secretly do all the real detective work, Gadget has a knack of inadvertently saving the day, usually oblivious to the fact that he's saving the day. Gadget loves his family more than anything and would do anything to keep them from harm, especially Penny. He was voiced by Don Adams in the original series and Inspector Gadget's Field Trip until Adams' retirement from voicing Gadget in 1999, Gary Owens in the original series' pilot episode, Maurice LaMarche in the Super Mario Bros. Super Show, Gadget and the Gadgetinis, various DIC Kids Network bumpers, and the direct-to-video animated films following Adams' retirement from voicing Gadget in 1999. For the 2015 series, the voice of Gadget is provided by Ivan Sherry. In Disney's live-action films, Gadget's real name is John Brown. He is portrayed by Matthew Broderick in the first film and French Stewart in the sequel.
Dr. Claw is the main antagonist of the franchise. He is the leader of an evil crime syndicate called MAD. As his name states, he has a claw for his right arm and that is the only part of his body that is shown. His face is never seen at all except in the live action film, and on a Dr. Claw action figure (the face was covered by a sticker on the box, which meant the toy had to be bought for his face to be seen). He is very murderous, sinister, dark, sadistic, and greedy, and will do anything to rule the world and destroy Gadget. In Gadget and the Gadgetinis, he reveals that he thinks Gadget's idiocy is an act to taunt him. In the 2015 series, he is noticeably less competent and malicious and the crimes he commits are a lot more petty. He has been voiced by Frank Welker, Brian Drummond, and Martin Roach. In the first live action film, where he is portrayed by Rupert Everett, his name is revealed to be Sanford Scolex; Tony Martin subsequently took over the role of Dr. Claw in the sequel.