Inspector Gadget
Inspector Gadget | |
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Created by | Bruno Bianchi Andy Heyward Jean Chalopin |
Original work | Inspector Gadget |
Owner | WildBrain Disney (film rights)[1][2] |
Years | 1983–present |
Print publications | |
Comics | Inspector Gadget |
Films and television | |
Film(s) |
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Television series |
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Games | |
Video game(s) |
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Audio | |
Soundtrack(s) | Inspector Gadget |
Inspector Gadget is a media franchise that began in 1983 with the DIC Entertainment animated television series Inspector Gadget.[3] Since the original series, there have been many spin-offs based on the show, including additional animated series, video games, and films.
The franchise follows the adventures of a powerful but dimwitted cyborg police inspector named Gadget as he investigates the criminal schemes of Dr. Claw and his organization, M.A.D., and fruitlessly attempts to stop him. However, neither side is aware that it is Gadget's niece, Penny, and her dog, Brain, who are truly responsible for thwarting M.A.D.
Main characters
John Brown/Inspector Gadget
The protagonist and titular character of the franchise, initially voiced by
Gadget has a knack of inadvertently saving the day, usually without realizing he is doing so. Gadget loves his family more than anything and would do anything to keep them from harm, especially Penny. He was voiced by Don Adams in the original series and Inspector Gadget's Field Trip until Adams' retirement from voicing Gadget in 1999, Gary Owens and later Jesse White in the original series' pilot episode, Keith Scott in the KFC commercials in Australia and Maurice LaMarche in the Super Mario Bros. Super Show, Gadget and the Gadgetinis, the direct-to-video animated films, and various DIC Kids Network bumpers. For the 2015 series, the voice of Gadget is provided by Ivan Sherry. It is revealed in the first live action film that Gadget's real name is Jonathan "John" Brown, though, canonically, his real name is Augustin Tamare.[citation needed] He is portrayed by Matthew Broderick in the first film and French Stewart in the sequel.
Sanford Scolex/Dr. Claw
Dr. Claw is the main antagonist of the franchise. He is the leader of an evil crime syndicate called M.A.D. Only his arms are shown, wearing silver gauntlets with golden spiked wrist bands and a gold M.A.D. signet ring on one of the right middle fingers. He has a pet cat, who is often napping but is startled away when Dr. Claw slams his fist on his console if Gadget foils his evil plans. A parody of
Penny Brown
Penny is Gadget's intelligent niece and the one who really stops Dr. Claw's evil schemes. She uses many high-tech devices to help her secretly solve the cases and stop the bad guys such as a computer book, a video watch, a laptop, and a holographic tablet. However, her meddling often leads to her getting kidnapped by the villains, which leaves Brain to rescue her. She is 10 in the original series, 12 in Gadget and the Gadgetinis, 16 in Inspector Gadget's Biggest Caper Ever, and 14 (later turning 15) in the 2015 series. Penny loves her uncle more than anything, which is why she is always ready to help him behind his back, but on a few occasions she gets annoyed by his stupidity. In Inspector Gadget's Biggest Caper Ever, she is notably more selfish, and unlike any other version, she doesn't try to help her uncle at all. In the 2015 series, she has become an agent in training, is more physically active than in previous versions, and she has a crush on Dr. Claw's nephew, Talon.
For the original series, her voice was portrayed by
Brain
Brain is Gadget and Penny's shy but intelligent, sweet, lovable and curious 4-(later 5)-year-old dog. He is the only one who knows that Penny is the one who really saves the world. Brain usually has the job of keeping Gadget safe on his missions while Penny investigates M.A.D's crimes. He usually disguises himself when following Gadget, which often causes Gadget to think he's a M.A.D Agent. He is absent in
His voice was played in the original series by
Chief Frank Quimby
Chief Quimby is Gadget's boss and the chief of the Metro City police (Riverton Police Department In The Live Action
His voice in the original series was provided by John Stephenson in the pilot, Dan Hennessey in the first season, and Maurice LaMarche for the second season and the 1992 Christmas Special. Jim Byrnes voiced him in Inspector Gadget's Last Case. He is voiced by Derek McGrath in the 2015 series. In the first live action film he is portrayed by Dabney Coleman. Mark Mitchell portrays him in the sequel.
Recurring characters
This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in more than two films in the series.
- An empty, dark grey cell indicates the character was not in the film, or that the character's official presence has not yet been confirmed.
- V indicates a voice-only role.
- S indicates an appearance as a character's singing voice.
Characters | Original series | Television special | Spin-off series | Live action films | Animated films | |||||||||||||||||
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Inspector Gadget | Inspector Gadget | Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas | Gadget Boy & Heather | Inspector Gadget's Field Trip | Gadget & the Gadgetinis | Inspector Gadget | Inspector Gadget 2 | Inspector Gadget's Last Case | Inspector Gadget's Biggest Caper Ever | |||||||||||||
Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4 | Season 1 | Gadget Boy's Adventures in History | Season 1 | Season 2 | |||||||||||||
Inspector Gadget | Don Adams | Ivan Sherry | Don Adams | Don Adams | Maurice LaMarche | Matthew Broderick | French Stewart | Maurice LaMarche | ||||||||||||||
Maurice LaMarcheS | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Dr. Claw | Frank Welker | Frank Welker | Martin Roach | Frank Welker | Brian Drummond | Rupert Everett | Tony Martin | Brian Drummond | ||||||||||||||
Don Francks | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Penny | Cree Summer | Holly Berger | Tara Strong | Erica Horn | Tegan Moss | Michelle Trachtenberg | Caitlin Wachs | Tegan Moss | ||||||||||||||
Brain | Frank Welker | Scott McCord | Frank Welker | Lee Tockar | Don AdamsV | Scooter and Riley | — | Lee Tockar | ||||||||||||||
Jeff Glenn BennettV | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Chief Quimby | Dan Hennessey | Maurice LaMarche | Derek McGrath | Maurice LaMarche | — | Dabney Coleman | Mark Mitchell | Jim Byrnes | ||||||||||||||
Professor Von Slickstein | Andy Goldberg | Scott McCord | ||||||||||||||||||||
Don Francks | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Maryland Claw | Martin Roach | Teryl Rothery | ||||||||||||||||||||
Gadget Boy | Don Adams | Don Adams | ||||||||||||||||||||
Maurice LaMarche | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Gadgetmobile | Character is mute, inanimate object only | Character is mute, inanimate object only | D. L. HughleyV | Jaleel White | Bernie Mac | |||||||||||||||||
Mayor Wilson | Cheri Oteri | Sigrid Thornton |
Series and television specials
Inspector Gadget (1983)
The original animated television series in the franchise, Inspector Gadget, debuted in 1983 and introduced audiences to the adventures of a clumsy, simple-witted bionic detective named Inspector Gadget – a human being with various bionic gadgets built into his body. Gadget's nemesis is Dr. Claw, the leader of an evil organization, known as "M.A.D."[6]
Inspector Gadget was the first TV series from DiC Entertainment to be produced directly for syndication. Its two seasons originally ran from 1983 to 1985 and remained in syndication into the late 1990s.
Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas
In 1992, DiC produced an animated Christmas special based on the series, provide the voices for the characters.
Gadget Boy & Heather
The 1995 Gadget Boy and Heather series was a spinoff from the original show. The series is about a younger version of Gadget, "Gadget Boy" (also voiced by Don Adams). Instead of Penny and Brain the Dog, Gadget Boy was assisted by the resourceful Heather (voiced by Tara Strong). Just as maladroit as his adult self is, Gadget Boy was usually bailed out of situations by the more practical Heather, though he was also helped greatly by his myriad of high-tech gadgets and extendable arms and legs. In this series, traditional nemesis Dr. Claw was replaced by the villainess Spydra. In addition, the chief, Strombolli had a "fax tie" that exploded after the mission was read, continuing the running gag from the original series in which Chief Quimby would get blown up by an exploding message.
Gadget Boy's Adventures in History
Two years later, in 1997, Gadget Boy & Heather spawned an educational spinoff,
Inspector Gadget's Field Trip
In 1996, Gadget took students around the world in this series of 50 field trips, mainly created to market to stations to fulfill the FCC E/I requirements. The show put an animated Inspector Gadget on top of live-action filming of the locations that Gadget guided viewers through. Don Adams returned as Gadget's voice while Penny, Brain, Chief Quimby (although mentioned by Gadget in some episodes), Capeman and Dr. Claw are entirely absent.
Gadget & the Gadgetinis
In 2002, the French studio SIP Animation (Saban International Paris), in cooperation with DiC, produced 52 episodes of the then-new TV series Gadget and the Gadgetinis. The series debuted on
Inspector Gadget (again voiced by Maurice LaMarche) is now a member of an organization called "WOMP" (World Organization of Mega Powers) and is now, Lieutenant Gadget. He is still aided in his work by Penny (who is now twelve years old), as well as the new robot characters Digit and Fidget, the titular Gadgetinis invented by Penny, due to Brain running away. It follows the same plot as the original series, with the dim-witted Gadget attempting to fight crime on his own, while Penny and her helpers secretly do all the work. Dr. Claw, now with the first name George, returns as the main villain, with his relatives introduced in some episodes. In some stories, he is replaced by other villains.
The production values of this series were higher than any of the previous revivals and spinoff series. Also, the original creators of Inspector Gadget were all involved: Andy Heyward was one of the executive producers; Jean Chalopin wrote or co-wrote all the episodes, in addition to being credited as the new show's creator; whereas Bruno Bianchi directed and produced the series.
Inspector Gadget (2015)
A new computer-animated
In September 2012, Cookie Jar issued a short press release about the then-upcoming series, as part of the advertising for it during the MIPCOM market that October, stating: "Cookie Jar Entertainment is celebrating Inspector Gadget’s 30th anniversary with the launch of a brand-new series with its Canadian broadcast partner TELETOON. The series will again revolve around the iconic bionic bumbling detective."
Unlike the other shows, Penny is more of the protagonist and Dr. Claw is as incompetent and useless as Gadget (if not more so). The series was produced by
On December 4, 2014, it was announced that the series has 26 episodes and that it would air on
Films
Inspector Gadget (live action) | |
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Directed by | David Kellogg (1) Alex Zamm (2) |
Written by | Kerry Ehrin (1) Zak Penn (1) Dana Olsen (1) Alex Zamm (2) Ron Anderson (2) William Robertson (2) |
Produced by | Jordan Kerner (1) Roger Birnbaum (1) Aaron Meyerson (1) Andy Heyward (1) Peter M. Green (2) Charles Hirschhorn (2) |
Starring | |
Cinematography | Adam Greenberg (1) Geoffrey Wharton (2) |
Edited by | Alan Cody (1) Thom Noble (1) Jimmy Hill (2) |
Music by | John Debney (1) Chris Hajian (2) |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | Buena Vista Pictures (1) Walt Disney Home Entertainment (2) |
Release dates | Inspector Gadget: July 23, 1999 Inspector Gadget 2: March 11, 2003 |
Running time | 166 minutes |
Budget | Total (2 films): $102 million |
Live action
Inspector Gadget was adapted into a 1999 live action film by Walt Disney Pictures, starring Matthew Broderick as the title character and Rupert Everett as Dr. Claw. As opposed to the animated series, where Gadget is bumbling and clueless and Dr. Claw's face is never shown, Gadget appears to be more reliable and competent in detective work and Dr. Claw's face appears many times in the film. In addition, Gadget and Dr. Claw were also given civilian names; Jonathan "John" Brown and Sanford Scolex, respectively.
A second film,
Reboot
In May 2015, it was announced that a new film with a rebooted version of the character is in the works. Like the live-action films, it will be done by Disney, with Dan Lin producing it.[14] In October 2019, Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell were hired to write the film.[15]
Animated
Inspector Gadget: Gadget's Greatest Gadgets
Released on VHS by
Inspector Gadget's Last Case
In 2002, as part of the DIC Movie Toons series of movies, DIC released a full-length animated television film called Inspector Gadget's Last Case, directed by Michael Maliani. It premiered on television on October 6, 2002, on Nickelodeon and was released on DVD and VHS shortly afterward by MGM Home Entertainment.
The film is about Inspector Gadget giving up his beloved but aging Gadgetmobile, while his archenemy Dr. Claw uses a competing crime fighter to discredit Gadget and cost him his badge. Penny and Brain make appearances as minor supporting characters. In this, Gadget is more competent, yet he is still bumbling, similar to his persona in the pilot episode and his Matthew Broderick counterpart. Even though the film uses the same character designs as the concurrent Gadget & The Gadgetinis TV series, SIP Animation wasn't involved with the production of this movie. Maurice LaMarche reprised the role of Gadget in this film and Jaleel White voiced the Gadgetmobile. In most European regions, the movie aired on Disney Channel or Toon Disney. In Germany, the film aired on Cartoon Network.
Inspector Gadget's Biggest Caper Ever
2005's Inspector Gadget's Biggest Caper Ever was the first Inspector Gadget animated production to be completely rendered using
Cancelled projects
Gadget Girl
In November 1992, DIC announced they would be developing a spin-off titled Gadget Girl, featuring a female protagonist.
During the development of fellow Gadget spin-off
GI Gadget
In 1999, DIC announced they would be co-producing a new Inspector Gadget series to cash-in on the success of the
Unnamed 2009 series
In April 2008, a new Inspector Gadget series was announced to premiere in Spring 2009 to celebrate the franchise's 25th anniversary. The series would have taken a darker tone than the other Inspector Gadget series, featuring a 2D/3D animesque art style with cinematic camera angles and dramatic musical cues, as well as new villains alongside Dr. Claw.
Video games
The first game developed based on the series was
An LCD Electronic Inspector Gadget developed by Bandai was released in 1984.
An NES game was planned for release by Hudson Soft, but was quietly cancelled. Instead, Hudson released an SNES game in 1993 simply called Inspector Gadget. The game features a rare glimpse of Dr. Claw's face.
In March 2000, it was announced that
After this partnership, Light and Shadow Production released three Inspector Gadget titles on their own - Inspector Gadget: Advance Mission for Game Boy Advance (Published by DreamCatcher Interactive in the United States) and two European-exclusive titles - Inspector Gadget: Mad Robots Invasion for the PlayStation 2 and Inspector Gadget Racing for the Game Boy Advance.
After Light & Shadow Production was purchased by Hip Games, the latter company released Gadget & Gadgetinis for the PlayStation 2 and PC in Europe.
Inspector Gadget's MAD Dash was released for iOS devices, iPhone and iPod Touch, by XMG Studio in 2010. It features Shuki Levy's original theme music and also includes original voices from the show. In the same game, Doctor Claw reveals his face and is once again given the first name George.
On April 27, 2023, publisher
In this game, MAD has taken over Metro City, to which Professor Von Slickstein creates a time machine to prevent this from happening, however Gadget accidentally destroyed it and inadvertently summoned his ancestors from different eras in time. In order to fix this, Inspector Gadget and his ancestors compete in challenges to collect parts to repair the time machine, capture disguised MAD agents, and save Metro City from the rule of Dr. Claw.Music
The original Inspector Gadget theme song was composed by American composer Shuki Levy (who also wrote the themes for Power Rangers and Digimon), and was based on Edvard Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King".[29]
Several early rap records sampling the Inspector Gadget theme song were released in 1985. The Kartoon Krew also released "Inspector Gadget" on ZYX Music, which contains vocal samples and quotes from the popular cartoon series, reenacted by the rap group for the song. East New York rap group Bad Boys & K-Love released a record on Starlite Records, "Bad Boys", featured on the UK hip hop compilation Street Sounds Electro 9. Following the trend, Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh used samples from the Inspector Gadget theme song on their single "The Show". The theme song has been heavily sampled in the years since then. California-based punk band Lagwagon recorded a short instrumental cover of the theme song on their 1992 album Duh.
The new (2015) theme was composed by Canadian film and TV composers Stephen Skratt and Asher Lenz, "once again using In the Hall of the Mountain King as inspiration".[29]
Books
A new Inspector Gadget comic book, based on the original 1983 TV series, was launched in the U.S. by Viper Comics in 2011. A preview issue was published as part of Free Comic Book Day on May 7, 2011; the entire story was then released officially in August as a 48-page comic book titled "Inspector Gadget: Gadget on the Orient Express". The comic book was written by Dale Mettam and illustrated by José Cobá. No follow-up issues have been released to date.
Other appearances
On a 1989 episode of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, another DiC production, a live-action bumper segment titled "Defective Gadgetry" had a guest appearance by Inspector Gadget, in which he came to the Mario Bros. for help in repairing him. This was his first live-action appearance predating the 1999 live action film that was released ten years later. Maurice LaMarche (who would assume the voice role in "Inspector Gadget: Gadget's Greatest Gadgets" ten years later) plays Gadget in this segment. A second live-action segment, "Treasure of the Sierra Brooklyn" had Gadget returning to help the Mario Bros. find a lost treasure.
The
The 2019 video game Tales of the Neon Sea features a reference to Inspector Gadget in the form of a character called "Detective Gadget of Starlight City", who joined the police force on the 6th of September 2117 and was killed in action on August 5, 2126, protecting civilians.
In 2022, Gadget and Brain made a brief cameo appearance in a Renault Clio commercial made for France and Spain, featuring "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles.[30]
Inspector Gadget has been the subject of internet memes parodying a 2012
References
- ^ "Disney Developing Another Live-Action 'Inspector Gadget' Movie". 4 October 2019.
- ^ "New 'Inspector Gadget' Live-Action Movie in the Works from Disney (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. 4 October 2019.
- ISBN 978-1538103739.
- ISBN 978-0823083152. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
- ^ "10 Things You Didn't Know About Inspector Gadget". Laser Time.
- DHX Media. Archived from the originalon 2013-05-02. Retrieved 2013-06-13.
- ^ "MGF 2012: XMG's Sharma on the potential for transmedia and kickstarting augmented reality gaming with Ghostbusters | news | XMG Studio news". PocketGamer.biz. 2012-01-26. Retrieved 2013-11-13.
- ^ "Next Time, Gadget!... The Ultimate Fan Blog about the World's Greatest Bionic Inspector: The New Inspector Gadget TV Series Is Scheduled For 2013". Nexttime-gadget.blogspot.no. 2012-11-13. Retrieved 2013-11-13.
- ^ "The Press Room « Teletoon « Press Release « Inspector Gadget Reboot Tops Off TELETOON Canada's Latest Original Production Slate". Teletoonmedia.com. 2013-06-09. Archived from the original on 2013-06-15. Retrieved 2013-11-13.
- ^ "DHX MEDIA CATALOGUE" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-03-05.
- ^ "DHX Distribution". DHX Media. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014.
- ^ Munn, Patrick (December 4, 2014). "Boomerang Acquires 'Inspector Gadget' For EMEA, Latin America & Asia Pacific". TV Wise. Archived from the original on January 9, 2015. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
- ^ Higgins, D (January 5, 2015). "NEW THIS WEEK: Grimm, Pretty Little Liars, The 100, America's Next Top Model, People's Choice Awards, Hello Ladies: The Movie, 2015 AFC Asian Cup and live sport". Foxtel. Archived from the original on January 11, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
- ^ {TB EXCLUSIVE} Live-Action “Inspector Gadget” Reboot On The Way From “Lego Movie” Producer Dan Lin
- ^ Kit, Borys (October 4, 2019). "New 'Inspector Gadget' Live-Action Movie in the Works From Disney (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
- ^ Kipnis, Jill (2004-03-20). Go Go Gadget. p. 58. Retrieved 2019-07-10.
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ignored (help) - Amazon.com. 6 September 2005. Retrieved 2019-07-10.
- ^ "DIC programs 3 ani syndie strips". Variety. 20 November 1992.
- ^ "'Sonic' is the top hog on DIC toon slate". Variety. 22 March 1993.
- ^ "World Radio History" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-12-26. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
- ^ "MIP-TV Special Report: Focus on partnerships: Gadget Boy's Adventures in History". kidscreen.
- ^ "Teen sumos, listless rabbits and neurotic quads: It was an animated MIPCOM…". kidscreen.
- ^ "BKN Acquires Arles Animation". AWN.
- ^ "DIC develops darker toon for Gadget's 25th". kidscreen.
- ^ "Inspect Her Gadget - IGN". 15 March 2000.
- ^ "E3 2000: The new kid digitalia crop is tube-driven and gadget-laden". kidscreen.
- ^ Florentz, Caroline (2023-04-27). "Microids announces Inspector Gadget - Mad Time Party". Microids. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
- ^ Florentz, Caroline (2023-06-21). "Inspector Gadget - Mad Time Party reveal its release date!". Microids. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
- ^ a b "The perils of a new Inspector Gadget theme song". www.macleans.ca. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
- ^ "Clio E-Tech hybrid | Advert 45s VA | Renault". YouTube.
- ^ Matei, Mike (2012-05-11), Minecraft with Gadget (Animation, Short, Comedy), Cinemassacre Productions, retrieved 2023-03-06