Milton the Monster


Milton the Monster, also called The Milton the Monster Show, is an American Saturday-morning animated television series that ran on ABC from October 9, 1965, to September 8, 1968. It was produced and directed by Hal Seeger.
The setting of the series is a haunted house on Horror Hill. The series features Milton, a Frankenstein-like monster created by a mad scientist. Due to an error in the creation process, Milton is tender and good-natured instead of being sinister.

Overview

The series starred Milton the Monster, a Frankenstein-looking monster with a flat-topped, seemingly hollow head which emitted various quantities of white steam or smoke based on his mood or situation. He was created by mad scientist Professor Montgomery Weirdo and his assistant Count Kook, who lived in a haunted house on Horror Hill. Milton is a smiling, good-natured fellow, thanks to the Professor having used too much "tincture of tenderness" as explained in the opening theme of each individual Milton the Monster segment. Milton was created not of individual body parts, but rather in a mold from such liquids as "essence of terror" and "sinister sauce." Out of fear of his creation destroying him, Professor Weirdo intended to add just a touch of the aforementioned tincture of tenderness to the mold, but Count Kook bumped the Professor's elbow, resulting in too much of the tincture being added to the mix. Milton's voice, which was based on the southern accent used by Jim Nabors in his television role as Gomer Pyle, was provided by Bob McFadden who also provided voices for Professor Weirdo's resident monsters:
  • Heebie - a skull-faced, top hat-wearing ghoul with a Peter Lorre voice.
  • Jeebie - a slow-witted, cyclopian, hairy green creature with a single sharp tooth that was often used to open soda cans.
  • Mechanical Mike - A blue robot who only appears in one episode and some episodes of Fearless Fly. Milton accidentally destroys Mike while helping him with indigestion. But Milton manages to put him back together as a computer.
Professor Weirdo's nemesis was Professor Fruitcake, another mad scientist who lived in a castle on an opposite hill. Professor Fruitcake's major creation was Zelda the Zombie. Other characters in the series included Fangenstein, a biker monster apparently inspired by Marlon Brando, his sidekick Abercrombie the Zombie, and Professor Weirdo's aunt, the witchy Aunt Hagatha.

Other features

Other features on the show included:Fearless Fly, starring an insect superhero similar to Hanna-Barbera's Atom Ant. One of the most popular segments of the Milton the Monster Show, Fearless Fly was, in reality, Hiram, an ordinary housefly. When danger threatens, he ducks into a nearby matchbox, dons a red sweater and changes into the superhero Fearless Fly by, in a reversal of Clark Kent, putting on a pair of super high-powered glasses. Fearless Fly, according to the opening, is more powerful than a speeding rocket and faster than a beam of light. No flyswatter can harm him, no flypaper can hold him and no insecticide can stop him. Fearless Fly's sole weakness is losing his glasses, which happens in most of the episodes. His chief nemesis is the 900-year-old Dr. Fu Manchu-inspired Dr. Goo Fee and his assistant, Gung Ho. Occasionally, Milton the Monster's Professor Weirdo makes an appearance to threaten Fearless Fly. Usually, Bob McFadden does the voices, such as the seductive Lady Deflyah.Flukey Luke, with a cowboy detective, his Irish-accented Native American companion, Two Feathers and his horse, Pronto. Flukey Luke was so named because of his dumb luck that allowed him to get the upper hand, despite being incredibly inept.Stuffy Durma the Millionaire Hobo, starring a nouveau-riche hobo who resisted the attempts of valet Bradley Brinkley to get some culture and breeding.Muggy-Doo Boy Fox, featuring a sly boy fox who often gets into trouble with his get-rich-quick schemes.Penny Penguin, starring a bratty penguin girl and her parents.

Voice cast

Principal characters and voices:
  • Bob McFadden: Milton the Monster, Heebie, Jeebie, Fearless Fly, Horsey the Fly, Additional Voices, Narrator
  • Dayton Allen: Professor Weirdo, Dr. Goo Fee, Flukey Luke, Stuffy Durma, Bradley Brinkley, Chester Penguin
  • Larry Best: Count Kook, Professor Fruitcake, Two Feathers, Gung Ho, Additional Voices, Narrator
  • Herb Duncan: Muggy Doo, Additional Voices
  • Beverly Arnold: Penny Penguin, Flora Fly
  • Hetty Galen: Beulah Penguin

Episode list

Episode 1
  • Fearless Fly: Trick or Treatment
  • Flukey Luke: Loot Pursuit
  • Milton the Monster: Zelda the Zombie
Episode 2
  • Fearless Fly: Horse Shoo Fly
  • Muggy Doo: Gogh Van Gogh
  • Milton the Monster: Boy Meets Ghoul
Episode 3
  • Fearless Fly: Fatty Karate
  • Muggy Doo: You Auto Be in Pictures
  • Milton the Monster: Monsters for Hire
Episode 4
  • Fearless Fly: Captain Fligh
  • Muggy Doo: Muggy Doo or Die
  • Milton the Monster: Who Do Voodoo?
Episode 5
  • Fearless Fly: The Goofy Dr. Goo Fee
  • Muggy Doo: From Riches to Rags
  • Milton the Monster: The Pot Thickens
Episode 6
  • Fearless Fly: Sly Fly
  • Stuffy Durma: From Wrecks to Riches
  • Milton the Monster: Medium Undone
Episode 7
  • Fearless Fly: Throne for a Loss
  • Flukey Luke: Missin' Masters
  • Milton the Monster: Monster Mutiny
Episode 8
  • Fearless Fly: The Bomb's Rush
  • Penny Penguin: There Auto Be a Law
  • Milton the Monster: Ghoul School
Episode 9
  • Fearless Fly: Fly Hijack
  • Flukey Luke: Tired Gun
  • Milton the Monster: Hector the Protector
Episode 10
  • Fearless Fly: Si Si Fly
  • Flukey Luke: Palace Malice
  • Milton the Monster: Horrorbaloo
Episode 11
  • Fearless Fly: The House-Fly Guest
  • Muggy Doo: Fortune Kooky
  • Milton the Monster: Goon Platoon
Episode 12
  • Fearless Fly: Invincible vs. Invisible
  • Stuffy Durma: Suit Yourself
  • Milton the Monster: The Dummy Talks
Episode 13
  • Fearless Fly: Fly by Might
  • Stuffy Durma: Hobo Hootenanny
  • Milton the Monster: A Pie in the Sky
Episode 14
  • Fearless Fly: The Sphinx Jinx
  • Penny Penguin: Penny Ante
  • Milton the Monster: Monstrous Escape
Episode 15
  • Fearless Fly: The Spider Spitter
  • Penny Penguin: Sickened Honeymoon
  • Milton the Monster: Abercrombie the Zombie
Episode 16
  • Fearless Fly: Fearless Fly Meets the Monsters
  • Muggy Doo: Crumb-Bumming
  • Milton the Monster: V for Vampire
Episode 17
  • Milton the Monster: Monster vs. Mobster
  • Fearless Fly: Martians Meet their Match
  • Milton the Monster: Witch Crafty
Episode 18
  • Milton the Monster: Camp Gitchy Gloomy
  • Fearless Fly: Let's Phase It
  • Milton the Monster: The Hearse Thief
Episode 19
  • Milton the Monster: Boo to You
  • Fearless Fly: Under Waterloo
  • Milton the Monster: Kid Stuff
Episode 20
  • Milton the Monster: Horror Scope
  • Fearless Fly: Lady Deflyah
  • Milton the Monster: The Flying Cup & Saucer
Episode 21
  • Milton the Monster: Monster-Sitter
  • Fearless Fly: Robinson Shoesole
  • Milton the Monster: The Moon Goons
Episode 22
  • Milton the Monster: Think Shrink
  • Fearless Fly: Private Fly
  • Milton the Monster: Skullgaria Forever!
Episode 23
  • Milton the Monster: Crumby Mummy
  • Fearless Fly: Stage Plight
  • Milton the Monster: Fort Fangenstein
Episode 24
  • Fearless Fly: Safari Harry
  • Stuffy Durma: Nuggets to You
  • Milton the Monster: Batnap
Episode 25
  • Milton the Monster: Dunkin' Treasure
  • Fearless Fly: Ferocious Fly
  • Milton the Monster: Monstrous Monster
Episode 26
  • Fearless Fly: Napoleon Bonafly
  • Flukey Luke: Violin Violence
  • Milton the Monster: The Mummy's Thumb

DVD release

On March 20, 2007, Shout! Factory released the complete series on a 4-DVD set. However it has since become out of print, making copies of the DVD online fetch for high prices.