Father of the Pride
Encyclopedia
Father of the Pride is an American
animated television series that began broadcasting on NBC
on August 31, 2004 and was part of a short-lived trend of CGI
series in prime-time network TV
(after UPN
's Game Over
).
and his company, DreamWorks Animation
, revolves around a family of white lions, the patriarch of which stars in a Siegfried & Roy
show in Las Vegas
. Despite heavy promotion, the show was unsuccessful and was canceled after one season. Transmission and production were also delayed by the real-life on-stage mauling of Roy Horn.
, Danielle Harris
, Cheryl Hines
, Carl Reiner
, Orlando Jones
, Julian Holloway
, Daryl Sabara
and David Herman
. The per-episode cost of the series was reportedly US$
1.6 million and each episode took nine months to create. Due to costs, physical animation production was contracted to the Hong Kong-based Imagi Animation Studios
.
, Bret Haaland
, Steve Hickner, John Holmquist
, John Wayne Stevenson
and Mark Baldo. Felix Ip served as creative director for Imagi Studios.
at the time, before the car swerves into the Mirage Hotel. The scene changes to the lions' house. Larry wakes up, late for his performance, on his favourite couch before dashing towards the stage (but not before having a pre-show beer). John Goodman voices a rousing rendition of Elvis Presley
's "Viva Las Vegas
" as the background music throughout the title sequence.
in Athens
, Greece
and garnered above average ratings for the network, but the show received a negative response from TV
critics who considered it to be little more than a gimmick
and a shill
for other NBC and DreamWorks properties (two early episodes extensively featured The Today Shows Matt Lauer
and another featured Donkey - voiced by Eddie Murphy
- from the DreamWorks movie Shrek
and Shrek 2
). Also many TV critics noticed that the show's humor was very similar to South Park
(one episode had a character say "Screw you guys, I'm going home").
The show's ratings
began to decline, and by November 2004 it was pulled from NBC's sweeps line-up. In early December 2004, the CEO of DreamWorks announced that the show was canceled, a few months after it was initially aired. A DVD
version of the show has been made available, containing the original pilot, an alternate pilot (which draws heavily on the original), an un-aired episode, and one episode that was voice-recorded, but was not animated, and therefore remains at the storyboard stage.
on March 6, 2005. It was also repeated on Sky3. The show was originally on the Global Television Network
and can currently be seen on Teletoon in Canada
, RTÉ One
in Ireland
(soon on RTE Two
), MTV3
and Subtv in Finland, NHK
in Japan
, Canal FOX in Latin America
, VTM
in Belgium
, Channel 5 in Singapore
, GMA Network
in the Philippines
, Telefé
in Argentina
, TV2 in New Zealand
, ProSieben in Germany
, TVN7 in Poland, and Go!
in Australia. The show also tool place in Bulgaria
on BTV.
As of 2011, there are no reports that this show is being syndicated.
's reprimanding for indecency is one possible reason for the demise of the show. Reasons cited for their opposition were the aforementioned use of anthropomorphic animals and the use of "from the creators
of Shrek
" in their promotions. Shrek was a much more family-friendly movie than this series, which means that Father of the Pride could have inadvertently drawn the wrong audience.
: That occasional "I'll have what they're smokin' " lunacy presents "Father of the Pride" most favorably, a series developed by Jonathan Groff after DreamWorks honcho Jeffrey Katzenberg (who receives "created by" credit) conceived the idea while watching Siegfried and Roy's Vegas act.
Hazy as the crystal ball appears, a few matters are certain. Between NBC's comedy sendoffs last season and DreamWorks spinning off its animation unit, the stakes could hardly be higher. In addition, the marathon of Olympics-placed spots from NBC's promotional magicians should generate initial curiosity, which won't necessarily spell enduring success.
Indeed, as Larry says of Siegfried and Roy to a new arrival, "It gets old real fast" -- a cautionary note for the show itself. "Pride" surely looks different than any other comedy premiering this fall, but if these cats are going to wind up being more than just a memory, it's going to require every one of their nine lives to make that happen.
in 2005, and was nominated for a People's Choice Award in 2005.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
animated television series that began broadcasting on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
on August 31, 2004 and was part of a short-lived trend of CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
series in prime-time network TV
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
(after UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
's Game Over
Game Over (TV series)
Game Over is an American computer-animated television series created by David Sacks, produced by Carsey-Werner Productions, and broadcast on UPN in 2004...
).
Overview
The show, which was produced by Jeffrey KatzenbergJeffrey Katzenberg
Jeffrey Katzenberg is an American film producer and CEO of DreamWorks Animation. He is perhaps most famous for his period as chairman of The Walt Disney Company's film division, and for producing DreamWorks animated films such as Shrek, Antz, The Prince of Egypt, The Road to El Dorado, Chicken...
and his company, DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Glendale, California that creates animated feature films, television program and online virtual worlds...
, revolves around a family of white lions, the patriarch of which stars in a Siegfried & Roy
Siegfried & Roy
Siegfried & Roy are two German-American former entertainers who became known for their appearances with white lions and white tigers....
show in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
. Despite heavy promotion, the show was unsuccessful and was canceled after one season. Transmission and production were also delayed by the real-life on-stage mauling of Roy Horn.
Voice talent
The show features the voice talent of John GoodmanJohn Goodman
John Stephen Goodman is an American film, television, and stage actor. He is best known for his role as Dan Conner on the television series Roseanne for which he won a Best Actor Golden Globe Award in 1993, and for appearances in the films of the Coen brothers, with prominent roles in Raising...
, Danielle Harris
Danielle Harris
Danielle Andrea Harris is an American film and television actress, best known as a scream queen for her roles in several horror films, four of them in the Halloween series: in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers as Jamie Lloyd and in Halloween and...
, Cheryl Hines
Cheryl Hines
Cheryl Ruth Hines is an American actress and director, known for her role as Larry David's wife Cheryl on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm. She currently appears on the ABC sitcom Suburgatory...
, Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner is an American actor, film director, producer, writer and comedian. He has won nine Emmy Awards and one Grammy Award during this career...
, Orlando Jones
Orlando Jones
Orlando Jones is an American comedian and film and television actor. He is notable for being one of the original cast members of the sketch comedy series MADtv and for his role as the 7 Up spokesman from 1999-2002.-Early life:...
, Julian Holloway
Julian Holloway
Julian Holloway is an English actor now based in Hollywood, CA, United States. He is the son of the comedy actor and singer Stanley Holloway and former chorus dancer and actress Violet Lane...
, Daryl Sabara
Daryl Sabara
Daryl Christopher Sabara is an American film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Juni Cortez in the Spy Kids film series, as well as for a variety of television and film appearances, including Wizards of Waverly Place, Father of the Pride, The Polar Express, Keeping Up with...
and David Herman
David Herman
David Herman is an American actor, comedian and voice actor best known as an original cast member of MADtv and for his role as Michael Bolton in Office Space. He is also known for his voice roles on television programs such as Futurama and King of the Hill.- Biography :David Herman was born in New...
. The per-episode cost of the series was reportedly US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1.6 million and each episode took nine months to create. Due to costs, physical animation production was contracted to the Hong Kong-based Imagi Animation Studios
Imagi Animation Studios
Imagi Animation Studios is an animation studio that was established in 2000 by Imagi International Holdings Limited , a listed company on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.-Background:...
.
Directors
The series employed a small group of seasoned directors which included Mark RisleyMark Risley
Mark Risley is an American Director specializing in animated children's television. His background includes writing, producing and directing 2D, CG and Flash animated productions.-Career:...
, Bret Haaland
Bret Haaland
Bret Haaland is an American animation director. He worked on The Simpsons during the first season as a layout artist. He has directed episodes of The Critic, Futurama and Father of the Pride...
, Steve Hickner, John Holmquist
John Holmquist
John Holmquist is a television animation director. He has worked on several episodes of Rugrats as a director and storyboard artist for the late 90's to early 2000's...
, John Wayne Stevenson
John Wayne Stevenson
John Stevenson is an animation filmmaker and puppeteer best known for directing the 2008 animated feature film, Kung Fu Panda with Mark Osborne...
and Mark Baldo. Felix Ip served as creative director for Imagi Studios.
Opening sequence
The opening sequence starts off with a red sports car, with the Nevada license plate "MAGIC1", being driven by Siegfried and Roy past many of the attractions in Las Vegas. Cast names are presented on the marquees of the Strip hotels that, along with the Mirage, belonged to the MGM/Mirage GroupMGM Mirage
Not to be confused with the Las Vegas, Nevada based casino/resort operator Resorts International Holdings.MGM Resorts International is a Paradise, Nevada based corporation that brands itself as a global hospitality company. It is the second largest gaming company in the world by revenue - about...
at the time, before the car swerves into the Mirage Hotel. The scene changes to the lions' house. Larry wakes up, late for his performance, on his favourite couch before dashing towards the stage (but not before having a pre-show beer). John Goodman voices a rousing rendition of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's "Viva Las Vegas
Viva Las Vegas (song)
"Viva Las Vegas" is a 1964 song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman and recorded by Elvis Presley for his Viva Las Vegas film vehicle of that year...
" as the background music throughout the title sequence.
Series run on NBC
The show was almost cancelled long before its broadcast, following the near-death of Roy Horn in October 2003; but after his condition improved, both Siegfried and Roy urged NBC to continue production. The show was promoted heavily during NBC's coverage of the 2004 Summer Olympics2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and garnered above average ratings for the network, but the show received a negative response from TV
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
critics who considered it to be little more than a gimmick
Gimmick
In marketing language, a gimmick is a unique or quirky special feature that makes something "stand out" from its contemporaries. However, the special feature is typically thought to be of little relevance or use. Thus, a gimmick is a special feature for the sake of having a special feature...
and a shill
Shill
A shill, plant or stooge is a person who helps a person or organization without disclosing that he or she has a close relationship with that person or organization...
for other NBC and DreamWorks properties (two early episodes extensively featured The Today Shows Matt Lauer
Matt Lauer
Matthew Todd "Matt" Lauer . is an American television journalist best known as the host of NBC's The Today Show since 1997. He was previously a news anchor in New York and a local talk-show host in Boston, Philadelphia, Providence and Richmond...
and another featured Donkey - voiced by Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician....
- from the DreamWorks movie Shrek
Shrek
Shrek is a 2001 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. Loosely based on William Steig's 1990 fairy tale picture book Shrek!...
and Shrek 2
Shrek 2
Shrek 2 is a 2004 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film, produced by DreamWorks Animation and directed by Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury and Conrad Vernon. It is the second installment in the Shrek film series and the sequel to 2001's Shrek...
). Also many TV critics noticed that the show's humor was very similar to South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
(one episode had a character say "Screw you guys, I'm going home").
The show's ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
began to decline, and by November 2004 it was pulled from NBC's sweeps line-up. In early December 2004, the CEO of DreamWorks announced that the show was canceled, a few months after it was initially aired. A DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
version of the show has been made available, containing the original pilot, an alternate pilot (which draws heavily on the original), an un-aired episode, and one episode that was voice-recorded, but was not animated, and therefore remains at the storyboard stage.
International airings
It first broadcast on Sky1 in United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on March 6, 2005. It was also repeated on Sky3. The show was originally on the Global Television Network
Global Television Network
Global Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...
and can currently be seen on Teletoon in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
(soon on RTE Two
RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of...
), MTV3
MTV3
MTV3 is a Finnish commercial television station owned by Bonnier. It had the biggest audience share of all Finnish TV channels until Finnish Broadcasting Company’s YLE1 took the lead. The letters MTV stand for Mainos-TV , due to the channel getting its revenue from running commercials...
and Subtv in Finland, NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Canal FOX in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, VTM
Vlaamse Televisie Maatschappij
vtm or Vlaamse Televisie Maatschappij is the main commercial television station in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking north of Belgium.It went live in 1989 and quickly became the Flemish market leader...
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Channel 5 in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, GMA Network
GMA Network
GMA Network is a major commercial television & radio network in the Philippines. GMA Network is owned by GMA Network, Inc. a publicly listed company...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Telefé
Telefe
Televisión Federal S.A., best known as Telefe and later as TLF, is an Argentine television network. Formerly known as Canal Once , a state-run network, it was privatised and established as Telefe in 1989, when and News Corporation took over the channel...
in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, TV2 in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, ProSieben in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, TVN7 in Poland, and Go!
Go! (Australian TV channel)
GO! is an Australian free-to-air standard definition digital television channel launched by the Nine Network on Sunday 9 August 2009.-Origins:...
in Australia. The show also tool place in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
on BTV.
As of 2011, there are no reports that this show is being syndicated.
Major characters
| Character | Voice actor | Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Larry | John Goodman John Goodman John Stephen Goodman is an American film, television, and stage actor. He is best known for his role as Dan Conner on the television series Roseanne for which he won a Best Actor Golden Globe Award in 1993, and for appearances in the films of the Coen brothers, with prominent roles in Raising... |
The main character, Larry is a middle-aged, overweight white lion who through a bizarre series of events becomes star of Siegfried and Roy's world famous magic show (replacing his less-than-delighted father-in-law). Larry tends to speak before he thinks. |
| Kate | Cheryl Hines Cheryl Hines Cheryl Ruth Hines is an American actress and director, known for her role as Larry David's wife Cheryl on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm. She currently appears on the ABC sitcom Suburgatory... |
Kate is Sarmoti's daughter and Larry's wife. Primarily known for her relation to Sarmoti and Larry, Kate is constantly attempting to establish her own individuality. |
| Sarmoti | Carl Reiner Carl Reiner Carl Reiner is an American actor, film director, producer, writer and comedian. He has won nine Emmy Awards and one Grammy Award during this career... |
Sarmoti is Kate's father and the former star attraction of Siegfried and Roy's show. Sarmoti has a dislike for Larry and is disappointed with Kate for marrying him, thinking she could have done better. He fancies himself the feline member of the Rat Pack Rat Pack The Rat Pack was a group of actors originally centered on Humphrey Bogart. In the mid-1960s it was the name used by the press and the general public to refer to a later variation of the group, after Bogart's death, that called itself "the summit" or "the clan," featuring Frank Sinatra, Dean... . The name "Sarmoti" is an acronym of "Siegfried And Roy, Masters Of The Impossible". |
| Snack | Orlando Jones Orlando Jones Orlando Jones is an American comedian and film and television actor. He is notable for being one of the original cast members of the sketch comedy series MADtv and for his role as the 7 Up spokesman from 1999-2002.-Early life:... |
Snack is a gopher and Larry's best friend. He is sneaky, manipulative and constantly getting into trouble with the other residents of the park. |
| Sierra | Danielle Harris Danielle Harris Danielle Andrea Harris is an American film and television actress, best known as a scream queen for her roles in several horror films, four of them in the Halloween series: in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers as Jamie Lloyd and in Halloween and... |
Sierra is Larry's rebellious 16 year old daughter. She is an activist with very left-winged views. |
| Hunter | Daryl Sabara Daryl Sabara Daryl Christopher Sabara is an American film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Juni Cortez in the Spy Kids film series, as well as for a variety of television and film appearances, including Wizards of Waverly Place, Father of the Pride, The Polar Express, Keeping Up with... |
Hunter is Larry's somewhat immature 10 year old son. He is always shown wearing a plastic Elizabethan collar Elizabethan collar An Elizabethan collar or space collar is a protective medical device worn by an animal, usually a cat or dog... to stop him from biting himself and is portrayed as slightly mentally-deficient. He's a fan of Lord of the Rings. He is the most rarely-used main character, being entirely absent from a few episodes. Sarmoti suspects Hunter might be gay. |
| Roy | David Herman David Herman David Herman is an American actor, comedian and voice actor best known as an original cast member of MADtv and for his role as Michael Bolton in Office Space. He is also known for his voice roles on television programs such as Futurama and King of the Hill.- Biography :David Herman was born in New... |
Roy is the animal trainer of the Siegfried and Roy duo and frequently has to defend his animals from the criticisms of Siegfried. |
| Siegfried | Julian Holloway Julian Holloway Julian Holloway is an English actor now based in Hollywood, CA, United States. He is the son of the comedy actor and singer Stanley Holloway and former chorus dancer and actress Violet Lane... |
Siegfried is the more magically-inclined of the duo and constantly argues with Roy. |
Supporting characters
| Character | Voice actor | Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Foo-Lin | Lisa Kudrow Lisa Kudrow Lisa Valerie Kudrow is an American actress, best known for her role as Phoebe Buffay in the television sitcom Friends, for which she received many accolades including an Emmy Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards... |
A female giant panda who is very jealous of her younger, pregnant sister, she is very prone to becoming depressed because she has almost given up on finding a man. She constantly looks to Kate for comfort, and finds Sarmoti's cracks about her mental state funny instead of insulting as they're meant to be. |
| Donkey Donkey (Shrek) Donkey is a fictional talking donkey from the Shrek series of films and he serves as the deuteragonist of the films, voiced by Eddie Murphy. The character has also featured in the original story Shrek!... |
Eddie Murphy Eddie Murphy Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician.... |
Donkey, co-star of the Shrek Shrek Shrek is a 2001 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. Loosely based on William Steig's 1990 fairy tale picture book Shrek!... films, visits the compound and he is known as a massive star by all of the animals. Larry tries to get him to go to Hunter's school. |
| Emerson | Danny DeVito Danny DeVito Daniel Michael DeVito, Jr. , better known as Danny DeVito, is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the ABC and NBC television series Taxi , for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.DeVito and his wife, Rhea Perlman,... |
Emerson is an activist lobster who befriends Sierra, much to Larry's dismay. Emerson was later thrown into the sewers by Sierra after he insulted her father Larry, even though Larry saved him twice. |
| Blake | John O'Hurley John O'Hurley John George O'Hurley is an American actor, voice actor, and television personality. He is known for the role of J. Peterman on the NBC sitcom Seinfeld and was the host of the game show Family Feud from 2006 to 2010.-Early life:... |
Blake is a white tiger and the main adversary of the white lions. The two groups constantly compete to be the stars of the show. Blake is a self-professed "whore for applause". |
| Victoria | Wendie Malick Wendie Malick Wendie Malick is an American actress and former fashion model, known for her roles as Judith Tupper Stone on the HBO series Dream On , Nina Van Horn on the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! , Ronee Lawrence on the NBC sitcom Frasier and Victoria Chase on the TV Land sitcom Hot in Cleveland .-Early... |
Victoria is Blake's wife. She also competes with the lions to act with her husband in Siegfried and Roy's show. She has a drinking problem, and has already had 2 liver transplants from baboons. |
| Nelson | Andy Richter Andy Richter Paul Andrew "Andy" Richter is an American actor, writer, comedian, and late night talk show announcer. He is best known for his role as the sidekick of Conan O'Brien on each of the host's programs: Late Night and The Tonight Show on NBC, and Conan on TBS... |
Nelson, aka 'Bong Bong', is a giant panda whom Larry and Kate try and introduce to Foo-Lin. He is extremely nervous about meeting other women as he had never seen other women because he was isolated before brought into captivity by Siegfried and Roy |
| Bernie | Garry Marshall Garry Marshall Garry Kent Marshall is an American actor, director, writer and producer. His notable credits include creating Happy Days and The Odd Couple and directing Nothing In Common, Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride, Valentine's Day, and The Princess Diaries.-Early life:Marshall was born in the New York City... |
Bernie is Sarmoti's poker buddy and friend. He is a bit of a suck up, he constantly calls him boss and agrees with every single thing he says. |
| Tommy | David Spade David Spade David Wayne Spade is an American actor, comedian and television personality who first became famous in the 1990s as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and from 1997 until 2003 when he starred as Dennis Finch on Just Shoot Me!. He also starred as C.J... |
Tommy, a coyote, is the wise-cracking 'guide' that Larry and Sarmoti meet in the Road Trip episode. Eventually Larry and Sarmoti realise Tommy manages to get them lost, and becomes a bit of an annoyance to them both. |
| Kelsey Grammer | Kelsey Grammer Kelsey Grammer Allen Kelsey Grammer is an American actor and comedian. He is most widely known for his two-decade portrayal of psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the sitcoms Cheers and Frasier... |
Siegfried and Roy take Larry to see Kelsey Grammer in the revised pilot, as Siegfried and Roy believe that he is a real psychologist |
| Roger | Greg Cipes Greg Cipes Gregory Michael Cipes is an American voice and film actor. He is also a singer, musician, composer, and professional surfer.-Early life:Cipes was born in Coral Springs, Florida, the son of Robin Mrasek and Geoff Cipes.-Career:... |
Roger the orangutan is a local at the 'Watering Hole' pub. |
| Hi Larious | Seth McFarlane | Hi is a snail comedian who is not very funny. He features in a plot against the lions with the tigers. |
| Vincent | Don Stark | Vincent is a flamingo with a sexual interest in sombreros and a New Yorker's accent. He acts tough because he is self-conscious about being pink. |
| The Snout Brothers | John DiMaggio John DiMaggio John William DiMaggio is an American voice actor. A native of North Plainfield, New Jersey, he is known for his gruff, deep voice and New Jersey accent, which he uses to voice mainly villains and anti-heroes.-Filmography:... |
The Snout Brothers are a pair of steroid abusing, exercise enthusiast warthogs who are old friends of Sarmoti. They are right winged characters who are homophobic. |
| Lily | Amanda Peet Amanda Peet Amanda Peet is an American actress, who has appeared on film, stage, and television. After studying with Uta Hagen at Columbia University, Peet began her career in television commercials, and progressed to small roles on television, before making her film debut in 1995... |
Although Lily is a lioness, she is a "cougar". Lily is the leader of a women's empowerment group, who encourages the compound's women to find the goddess within themselves. |
| Tom | John DiMaggio John DiMaggio John William DiMaggio is an American voice actor. A native of North Plainfield, New Jersey, he is known for his gruff, deep voice and New Jersey accent, which he uses to voice mainly villains and anti-heroes.-Filmography:... |
Tom is an antelope who is an alcoholic, verbally abusive adulterer, who often tries to pick fights after he has had a few drinks. |
| Duke | Dom DeLuise Dom DeLuise Dominick "Dom" DeLuise was an American actor, comedian, film director, television producer, chef, and author. He was the husband of actress Carol Arthur from 1965 until his death and the father of: actor, director, pianist, and writer Peter DeLuise; actor David DeLuise; and actor Michael DeLuise... |
An exceedingly effeminate leopard, Duke is one of Sarmoti's poker buddies. He makes subtle but obvious allusions to his homosexuality, to which his buddies are oblivious. |
| Chaz | Denis Leary Denis Leary Denis Colin Leary is an Irish-American actor, comedian, writer and director. Leary is known for his biting, fast paced comedic style and chain smoking... |
Chaz is a panther and one of Sarmoti's poker buddies. |
| Edna Falvey | Kathryn Joosten Kathryn Joosten Kathryn Joosten is an American television actress best known for her regular role as Karen McCluskey in Desperate Housewives and for her recurring role in The West Wing as Dolores Landingham.-Early life:... |
Edna is a lioness with a lisp Lisp A lisp is a speech impediment, historically also known as sigmatism. Stereotypically, people with a lisp are unable to pronounce sibilants , and replace them with interdentals , though there are actually several kinds of lisp... who is the teacher of the "Gifted And Talented Class" of the compound's school. |
| Brittany | Julia Sweeney Julia Sweeney Julia Anne Sweeney is an American actress, comedian and author best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for her autobiographical solo shows.-Personal life:... |
Brittany is a warthog sow. |
| Chutney | Brian George Brian George Brian George is a British-Israeli actor and voice actor for Indian accents, who typically plays guest roles for characters of South Asian descent. Perhaps his most famous role is as Pakistani restaurateur Babu Bhatt on Seinfeld.-Early life:... |
Chutney is an Indian elephant and one of Larry's friends. In one episode, it is revealed that he (rather than Lucy Vodden) is Lucy from "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" is a song written primarily by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney, for The Beatles' 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band... ". Through the series, the implication that he is in a gay relationship with his turkey "roommate" and that he is otherwise closeted Closeted Closeted and in the closet are metaphors used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and intersex people who have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity and aspects thereof, including sexual identity and sexual behavior.-Background:In late 20th... is a running gag Running gag A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling.... . |
| Justin | Pauly Shore Pauly Shore Paul Montgomery "Pauly" Shore is an American comedian and actor who starred in several comedy films in the 1990s and hosted a video show on MTV in the late 1980s and early 1990s... |
Justin is a Jewish adolescent lion with a mop-top haircut. He is a friend of Sierra and an aggressive (but unskilled) poker player. |
Criticism
The Parents Television CouncilParents Television Council
The Parents Television Council is a U.S. based advocacy group founded by conservative activist L. Brent Bozell III in 1995 using the National Legion of Decency as a model...
's reprimanding for indecency is one possible reason for the demise of the show. Reasons cited for their opposition were the aforementioned use of anthropomorphic animals and the use of "from the creators
DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Glendale, California that creates animated feature films, television program and online virtual worlds...
of Shrek
Shrek
Shrek is a 2001 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. Loosely based on William Steig's 1990 fairy tale picture book Shrek!...
" in their promotions. Shrek was a much more family-friendly movie than this series, which means that Father of the Pride could have inadvertently drawn the wrong audience.
Reviews
VarietyVariety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
: That occasional "I'll have what they're smokin' " lunacy presents "Father of the Pride" most favorably, a series developed by Jonathan Groff after DreamWorks honcho Jeffrey Katzenberg (who receives "created by" credit) conceived the idea while watching Siegfried and Roy's Vegas act.
Hazy as the crystal ball appears, a few matters are certain. Between NBC's comedy sendoffs last season and DreamWorks spinning off its animation unit, the stakes could hardly be higher. In addition, the marathon of Olympics-placed spots from NBC's promotional magicians should generate initial curiosity, which won't necessarily spell enduring success.
Indeed, as Larry says of Siegfried and Roy to a new arrival, "It gets old real fast" -- a cautionary note for the show itself. "Pride" surely looks different than any other comedy premiering this fall, but if these cats are going to wind up being more than just a memory, it's going to require every one of their nine lives to make that happen.
Awards and nominations
The series won an Annie AwardAnnie Award
The Annie Awards have been presented by the Los Angeles, California branch of the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood since 1972...
in 2005, and was nominated for a People's Choice Award in 2005.