Squiddly Diddly is an anthropomorphic animated
octopus
An octopus ( : octopuses or octopodes, see below for variants) is a soft-bodied, eight- limbed mollusc of the order Octopoda (, ). The order consists of some 300 species and is grouped within the class Cephalopoda with squids, cuttle ...
created by
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. ( ) was an American animation studio and production company which was active from 1957 to 2001. It was founded on July 7, 1957, by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera following the decision of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to c ...
, who was featured in his own cartoon segment on ''
The Atom Ant/Secret Squirrel Show
''The Atom Ant/Secret Squirrel Show'' is an hour-long Saturday morning cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions from 1965 to 1967 for NBC.
In fall 1965, the show aired as two independent half-hour programs. ''The Atom Ant Show'' featured th ...
'' beginning in 1965.
Fictional character biography
The round-headed, sailor-hatted Squiddly (who resembles an
octopus
An octopus ( : octopuses or octopodes, see below for variants) is a soft-bodied, eight- limbed mollusc of the order Octopoda (, ). The order consists of some 300 species and is grouped within the class Cephalopoda with squids, cuttle ...
—albeit with only six tentacles—rather than a
squid
True squid are molluscs with an elongated soft body, large eyes, eight arms, and two tentacles in the superorder Decapodiformes, though many other molluscs within the broader Neocoleoidea are also called squid despite not strictly fitting t ...
) is kept captive in an aquatic park known as Bubbleland and resides in a pool with his name on it. Squiddly Diddly is an aspiring
musician
A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wri ...
who makes many attempts to escape and attain musical stardom, but he is constantly foiled by Bubbleland's administrator Chief Winchley. In some episodes, Squiddly Diddly manages to escape, but chooses to return to Bubbleland after finding the outside world to be too harsh. Other times Squiddly and Chief Winchley would have to work together to solve problems in Bubbleland. The cartoons show people applauding Squiddly Diddly's musical talents, but often depict terrified people who mistakenly believed that octopuses are hostile.
List of episodes
Season 1 (1965–66)
Season 2 (1966-67)
Voice cast
*
Paul Frees
Solomon Hersh "Paul" Frees (June 22, 1920November 2, 1986) was an American actor, comedian, impressionist, and vaudevillian. He is known for his work on Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Walter Lantz, Rankin/Bass, and Walt Disney theatrical cartoons during ...
- Squiddly Diddly
*
John Stephenson - Chief Winchley
Home video
On November 3, 2015,
Warner Archive
The Warner Archive Collection is a home video division for releasing classic and cult films from Warner Bros.' library. It started as a manufactured-on-demand (MOD) DVD series by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on March 23, 2009, with the inte ...
released ''The Secret Squirrel Show: The Complete Series'' on
DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...
in region 1 as part of their
Hanna–Barbera Classics Collection
Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. ( ) was an American animation studio and production company which was active from 1957 to 2001. It was founded on July 7, 1957, by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera following the decision of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to ...
. This release contains all the Squiddly Diddly shorts.
The episode "Way Out Squiddly" is also available on the DVD ''Saturday Morning Cartoons Vol. 1''.
''Squiddly Diddly'' in other languages
*
Brazilian Portuguese
Brazilian Portuguese (' ), also Portuguese of Brazil (', ) or South American Portuguese (') is the set of varieties of the Portuguese language native to Brazil and the most influential form of Portuguese worldwide. It is spoken by almost all of ...
: ''Lula Lelé''
*
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
: ''El pulpo Manotas''
*
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
: ''Squiddly la pieuvre''
*
Dutch: ''Inky de inktvis''
*
Italian: ''Squiddly Diddly''
*
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
: ''Squiddly Diddly''
*
Japanese: ''Tako no Roku chan''
*
Tunisian Arabic
Tunisian Arabic, or simply Tunisian, is a set of dialects of Maghrebi Arabic spoken in Tunisia. It is known among its over 11 million speakers aeb, translit=Tounsi/Tounsiy, label=as, تونسي , "Tunisian" or "Everyday Language" to distingu ...
: ''قرينط الشلواش'' (Qrīnaṭ il-šalwāš)
*
Serbian
Serbian may refer to:
* someone or something related to Serbia, a country in Southeastern Europe
* someone or something related to the Serbs, a South Slavic people
* Serbian language
* Serbian names
See also
*
*
* Old Serbian (disambiguat ...
: ''Сима Сипа'' (Sima Sipa)
In other media
* In 1966, Hanna-Barbera Records released ''Squiddly Diddly's Surfin' Surfari'' on
LP.
* Squiddly Diddly was featured in ''
Yogi's Gang
''Yogi's Gang'' is an American animated television series and the second incarnation of the ''Yogi Bear'' franchise, which aired 16 half-hour episodes on ABC from , to . The show began as ''Yogi's Ark Lark'', a special TV movie on ''The ABC Saturd ...
'' (1973) voiced by
Don Messick
Donald Earle Messick (September 7, 1926 – October 24, 1997) was an American voice actor. He was best known for his performances in Hanna-Barbera cartoons.
His best-remembered vocal creations include Scooby-Doo, Bamm-Bamm Rubble and Hoppy in ...
.
* Squiddly Diddly made a lone comic book appearance in 1966, as a back-up feature in the only issue of ''Secret Squirrel'', published by
Gold Key Comics, and again in 1996, courtesy of ''Hanna-Barbera Presents'' #6, published by
Archie Comics
Archie Comic Publications, Inc., is an American comic book publisher headquartered in Pelham, New York.[Yogi's Treasure Hunt
''Yogi's Treasure Hunt'' (originally titled ''The Funtastic Treasure Hunt'') is an American animated television series and the fifth entry in the ''Yogi Bear'' franchise produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, featuring Yogi Bear and various other ...]
''.
* Squiddly Diddly made a cameo in the ''
Yo Yogi!
''Yo Yogi!'' is an American animated television series and the seventh entry in the ''Yogi Bear'' franchise produced by Hanna-Barbera that aired from September 14 to December 7, 1991 on NBC for 13 episodes. This would be one of the last Yogi Bear ...
'' episode "The Big Snoop". He is seen amongst those looking for
Super Snooper when he ends up kidnapped. In the episode, he was voiced by
Don Messick
Donald Earle Messick (September 7, 1926 – October 24, 1997) was an American voice actor. He was best known for his performances in Hanna-Barbera cartoons.
His best-remembered vocal creations include Scooby-Doo, Bamm-Bamm Rubble and Hoppy in ...
.
* In the British comedy ''
Only Fools and Horses
''Only Fools and Horses....'' is a British television sitcom created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom from 1981 to 1991, with sixteen sporadic Christmas specials aired until t ...
'' Christmas Special 1989 "
The Jolly Boys' Outing
"The Jolly Boys' Outing" is the eighth Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom ''Only Fools and Horses'', first screened on 25 December 1989. Despite being aired as a Christmas special, it is set on an August bank holiday weekend, and sees De ...
", Squiddly Diddly was cited by
Del Boy as the reason for the failure of his seafood stall, since people were unwilling to consume creatures they had become fond of.
* Squiddly Diddly has been seen on
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
's ''
The Ricky Gervais Show
''The Ricky Gervais Show'' is a comedy radio show in the UK starring Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, and Karl Pilkington, later adapted into a podcast and a television series. Despite being named after the more famous Gervais, it mostly revol ...
'', where the character is involved in a few scripts, including being side by side with a killer octopus and giving
Karl Pilkington
Karl Pilkington (born 23 September 1972) is an English presenter, comedian, actor, voice-artist, producer and author.
After working with Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant as producer on their XFM radio show, Pilkington became a co-host of '' ...
a
rectal examination
Digital rectal examination (DRE; la, palpatio per anum, PPA) is an internal examination of the rectum, performed by a healthcare provider. Prior to a 2018 report from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the DRE was a common and "dreaded" co ...
.
* Squiddly Diddly appears in the ''
Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law'' episodes "SPF", "Gone Efficien...t" and "The Death of Harvey". Chief Winchley makes a cameo in "Juror in Court".
* Squiddly Diddly made a cameo in a 2012 ''
MetLife
MetLife, Inc. is the holding corporation for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MLIC), better known as MetLife, and its affiliates. MetLife is among the largest global providers of insurance, annuities, and employee benefit programs, wi ...
'' commercial entitled "Everyone".
* Squiddly Diddly's body is shown in Janni Nemo's office in the 2015 graphic novel ''
Nemo: River of Ghosts'', written by
Alan Moore and illustrated by
Kevin O'Neill.
* Squiddly Diddly made a cameo as an animatronic in the ''
Dexter's Laboratory
''Dexter's Laboratory'' is an American animated television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky for Cartoon Network and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. It follows Dexter, a short, enthusiastic boy-genius with a hid ...
'' episode "Chubby Cheese".
*
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell (; born 7 October 1959) is an English television personality, entrepreneur and record executive. He is the creator of ''The X Factor'' and ''Got Talent'' franchises which have been sold around the world. He has judged on t ...
has two dogs named Squiddly and Diddly, a catchphrase he has often used on reality TV shows over the years.
* Squiddly Diddly appears several times in
Mark Russell
Mark Russell (born August 23, 1932) is an American political satirist and comedian. He is best known for his series of semimonthly comedy specials on PBS television between 1975 and 2004. His routines were a mix of political stand-up humor cover ...
's 2018 comic book ''
Exit, Stage Left!: The Snagglepuss Chronicles''.
* Squiddly Diddly makes a cameo in the ''
Wacky Races
Eccentricity (also called quirkiness) is an unusual or odd behavior on the part of an individual. This behavior would typically be perceived as unusual or unnecessary, without being demonstrably maladaptive. Eccentricity is contrasted with norm ...
'' episode "Wacklantis" as various sea life are summoned by the king of Atlantis.
* Squiddly Diddly makes two cameo appearances in ''
Scoob!
''SCOOB!'' is a 2020 American computer-animated mystery comedy film produced by the Warner Animation Group, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is a reboot (fiction), reboot of the Scooby-Doo in film, theatrical'' Scooby-Doo'' film se ...
'', as part of a mural on the side of the building and on a billboard for Bubbleland.
* Squiddly Diddly makes an appearance as a silhouette in the 2020 ''
Animaniacs'' revival segment "Suffragette City".
* Squiddly Diddly appears in ''
Jellystone!'', voiced by Niccole Thurman. While the original promo image presented Squiddly as a male, the character is female in the actual series.
She works at a music store.
* Squiddly Diddly is the star of his own poem, "The Story of Squiddly Diddly", which was written by Theodora Shilliton and won at 2021's
National Poetry Day
National Poetry Day is a British campaign to promote poetry, including public performances.
National Poetry Day was founded in 1994 by William Sieghart. It takes place annually in the UK on the first Thursday in October. Since its inception, it ha ...
. The poem involves the titular squid as he tries to stop people from polluting the ocean while befriending a
tuna
A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae (mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna (max length: ...
, a
sea turtle
Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea), sometimes called marine turtles, are reptiles of the order Testudines and of the suborder Cryptodira. The seven existing species of sea turtles are the flatback, green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead, ...
, and a
sea cow
The Sirenia (), commonly referred to as sea-cows or sirenians, are an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit swamps, rivers, estuaries, marine wetlands, and coastal marine waters. The Sirenia currently comprise two distinct f ...
along the way.
References
External links
''Squiddly Diddly''at the
Big Cartoon DataBase
Squiddly Diddly-
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...
Department of Cartoons (Archive)
{{Hanna-Barbera
Animated television series about animals
Fictional squid
Hanna-Barbera characters
Television series by Hanna-Barbera
Television characters introduced in 1965
American children's animated comedy television series