There's No Need to Fear! Underdog is Here!!
Growing up, my siblings and I watched quite a bit of this dog wonder. Do you know him?Underdog uses the secret identity of a sweet and lovable Shoeshine Boy. His meek and mild demeanor would never suggest that he is rather brilliant, nearly invincible, or that he possesses amazing superpowers like X-Ray vision and ultrasonic hearing.
Shoeshine Boy dates Sweet Polly Purebred, a reporter for the local newspaper. Sweet Polly is always getting herself into precarious situations, and when she truly feels down on her luck, she sings.
Oh where, oh where has my Underdog gone? Oh where, or where can he be?As she sings, Underdog can hear her. (Thanks to that amazing hearing.) He runs to the nearest phonebooth, (remember those?) where he transforms into his hero persona.
He is a bit clumsy, but he gets the job done. He never fails to save the day.
Until the 1970's Underdog would occasionally need a boost from an "Underdog Super Energy Pill". Because they didn't want children to take pills at home, they cut and edited that part out of the show. (maybe the pills are why he always left a disaster behind?)
Here he is showing "Riff Raff" why crime doesn't pay.
He also has frequent run ins with Simon Bar Sinister.
One of Underdog's more endearing (or annoying - depending on one's perspective) qualities is the fact that he speaks in rhyme. Things like, When Polly's in trouble I am not slow, For it's hip-hip-hip and AWAY I GO!!!
There was a movie made a few years ago - it was loosely based on the cartoon, but was more about a boy and his father. It was kind of cute.
Not bird, nor plane, or even frog, it's just little ol me - Underdog. - Underdog
Thank you to Jenny who blogs at . . .off on my tangent. . . for hosting this fun weekly link up.
