The Bloodhound Gang is a popular segment from the PBS television program 3-2-1 Contact

3-2-1 Contact

3-2-1 Contact is an American science educational television show that aired on PBS from 1980 to 1988, and an adjoining children's magazine. The show, a production of the Children's Television Workshop, teaches scientific principles and their applications. Dr. Edward G...

about three young people who solved crimes, largely with the help of their knowledge of science

Science

Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...

. The series was produced for 3-2-1 Contact by Daniel Wilson

Daniel Wilson

Daniel or Dan Wilson may refer to:* Daniel Wilson , British-Canadian archaeologist, ethnologist and author* Daniel Wilson , Bishop of Calcutta...

 Productions, Inc.

During 3-2-1 Contact's first season, the Bloodhound Gang consisted of Victoria "Vikki" Allen (played by Nan-Lynn Nelson), Ricardo Lopez (Marcelino Sánchez

Marcelino Sánchez

Marcelino Sánchez was a Puerto Rican-American film and television actor. He is primarily remembered for playing Rembrandt in the cult classic film The Warriors, and as Ricardo on The Bloodhound Gang mystery vignettes featured on the 1980s children's educational television show 3-2-1 Contact...

), and two "junior" detectives who were alternated between different mysteries: Zach Morgan (Kelly Pease) and Cuff (Glenn Scarpelli

Glenn Scarpelli

Glenn Christopher Scarpelli is a child actor and singer. Born in Staten Island, New York, he is the son of long time Archie Comics artist Henry Scarpelli. He attended a private Catholic school, St. Joseph Hill Academy, from K to 8th grade....

). Starting with the second season in 1983, Zach and Cuff were replaced by a new junior detective, Skip (Seth Greenspan).

The Bloodhound Gang got its name from Mr. James Bloodhound (conceivably a private detective) who was most often absent from his office, presumably dealing with adult-oriented cases. Whenever a youth of the Bloodhound Gang would answer the phone, they would say, "Bloodhound Detective Agency. Whenever there's trouble, we're there on the double!" ("Mr. Bloodhound isn't here." is often added in case Bloodhound is absent) and accept cases suited to their age, such as exposing fraud

Fraud

In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...

s.

The Bloodhound Gang segments were short, and most (though not all) adventures lasted multiple episodes. If an episode of 3-2-1 Contact ran too long (usually on Friday episodes), an announcement would tell viewers that The Bloodhound Gang would not be presented in said episode.

The segments began with a theme song sung by Dámaris Carbaugh:

Whenever there's trouble,

we're there on the double.

We're the Bloodhound Gang.

If you've got the crime,

we've got the time.

We're the Bloodhound Gang.

The Bloodhound Gang was discontinued in 3-2-1 Contact's sixth season, following the death of Sánchez in 1986. However, reruns from previous seasons were shown sporadically during the seventh season.

The Bloodhound Gang mysteries were written by Newbery Medal

Newbery Medal

The John Newbery Medal is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association . The award is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The award has been given since 1922. ...

-winning children's author Sid Fleischman

Sid Fleischman

Albert Sidney Fleischman , pen name Sid Fleischman, was a Newbery Medal-winning author of children's books, screenplays, novels for adults, and books on magic. His works for children are known for their humor, imagery, zesty plotting, and exploration of the byways of American history...

.