Scruffy (1980 film)
| "Scruffy" | |
|---|---|
| ABC Weekend Special episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 42, 43 and 44 |
| Directed by | Charles A. Nichols |
| Written by | Sheldon Stark |
| Produced by | Jerry Eisenberg |
| Featured music | Dean Elliott |
| Original air date | October 4, 1980 (Part 1) October 11, 1980 (Part 2) October 18, 1980 (Part 3) |
| Running time | 70 minutes |
"Scruffy" is a 1980 ABC Weekend Special three-part animated episode produced by Ruby-Spears Productions and based on the 1978 children's book Scruffy: The Tuesday Dog written by Jack Stoneley. It originally aired on ABC on October 4, 11, and 18, 1980 and was also the first animated television special to be shown in three parts on consecutive Saturday mornings.
Scruffy (voiced by Nancy McKeon) is a puppy with beautiful eyes, a loving heart and an eager intelligence, born in a deserted house she shares with her mother, Duchess (voiced by June Foray). When a fire destroys their home and nearly destroys them, the dogs are briefly adopted by their kindly rescuers who cannot bear to send them to the animal shelter and a possible untimely death. Soon, however, Duchess insists that she and Scruffy set off to find her original owners. But tragedy strikes when two trigger-happy farmers mistake the dogs for sheep killers. They shoot Duchess, and Scruffy is left on her own in the countryside...
The orphaned pup, frightened and freezing, returns alone to the big city and finds an affectionate new master, a ragged but regal Shakespearean street performer named Joe Tibbles (voiced by Hans Conried). Scruffy successfully howls her way into his act and cleverly learns every trick the old man can teach. Unfortunately, their happiness is only fleeting – Mr. Tibbles collapses having a heart attack, and Scruffy, while chasing an ambulance, tumbles into a swirling river...
Butch, a tough dog (voiced by Michael Bell) rescues the drowning Scruffy and takes her to join his motley family of strays; mistreated by humans, these dogs have set up a canine commune in an abandoned station wagon. Their names are Randy, Collie, Sam and Solo. The next day, Scruffy and Butch are betrayed by a thief named Catlin and his dog Caesar (voiced by Frank Welker), caught by dog catchers and thrown in the pound to face their doom. Luckily, they are saved just in time to live happily ever after with their new adopted family and puppies of their own.
"Scruffy" was first released on VHS by Worldvision Home Video in the early 1980s and later re-released on VHS in association with Kids Klassics Home Video in 1989. To date, it has not been released on DVD by current rightsholder Warner Home Video.
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