# Heathcliff (1984 TV series)
**Heathcliff** (also known as **Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats**) is a syndicated animated television series produced by DIC that premiered on September 5, 1984, based on George Gately's Heathcliff comic strip about a mischievous orange cat[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/57353-HEATHCLIFF---THEMOVIE?cp=1&pos=1&sid=f5f674f6-7072-4b95-8fb3-ab2075132089&sr=0.13261428). Each half-hour episode paired a Heathcliff segment with a segment about the Catillac Cats, a gang of alley cats led by [Riff-Raff](https://www.edgepedia.org/riff-raff)[2](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/heathcliff). The series ran 86 episodes in two seasons, with [Mel Blanc](https://www.edgepedia.org/mel-blanc), the veteran cartoon voice actor, providing Heathcliff's voice[3](https://www.fernsehserien.de/heathcliff-und-riff-raff) • [4](https://www.netflix.com/title/70202861).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Premiere | September 5, 1984, in first-run syndication[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/57353-HEATHCLIFF---THEMOVIE?cp=1&pos=1&sid=f5f674f6-7072-4b95-8fb3-ab2075132089&sr=0.13261428) |
| Episodes | 86 episodes in two seasons[3](https://www.fernsehserien.de/heathcliff-und-riff-raff) |
| Production | DIC Audiovisuel with ICC TV Productions, in cooperation with the McNaught Syndicate and LBS Communications[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0285371/companycredits/) |
| Format | Half-hour episodes split into a Heathcliff segment and a Catillac Cats segment[2](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/heathcliff) |
| Voice of Heathcliff | Mel Blanc[4](https://www.netflix.com/title/70202861) |
| Theatrical film | *Heathcliff -- The Movie* (1986), a 73-minute compilation of first-season episodes[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/57353-HEATHCLIFF---THEMOVIE?cp=1&pos=1&sid=f5f674f6-7072-4b95-8fb3-ab2075132089&sr=0.13261428) |
| Rating | TV-Y7[4](https://www.netflix.com/title/70202861) |
## Production and format
The series was a co-production of DIC Audiovisuel, ICC TV Productions, and FRJ, made in cooperation with the McNaught Syndicate, which owned the Heathcliff strip, and LBS Communications, which distributed it[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0285371/companycredits/) • [6](https://www.copyrightencyclopedia.com/heathcliff-part-8/). Production countries included the United States, Canada, and France[7](https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/heathcliff-and-the-catillac-cats). Animation was handled by studios including Tokyo Movie Shinsha, Mushi Productions, and Cuckoo's Nest Studios[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0285371/companycredits/).
The Heathcliff component was based on the newspaper comic strip George Gately created in 1973, syndicated by the McNaught Syndicate; the Catillac Cats segments were a DiC original development[8](https://icatnames.com/famous-cats/598/riff-raff). Jean Chalopin and [Bruno Bianchi](https://www.edgepedia.org/bruno-bianchi) created the Cats & Co. portion of the show, with George Gately credited as the creator of Heathcliff[9](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0285371/fullcredits/). Writers on the series included Jack Hanrahan, Chuck Lorre, and [Mike Moore](https://www.edgepedia.org/mike-moore), and the developers credited include Joe Ansolabehere and Craig Bartlett[9](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0285371/fullcredits/).
Each half-hour episode consisted of two roughly fifteen-minute segments[10](https://skooldays.com/categories/saturday/sa1647.htm). The first followed Heathcliff, a self-confident, vain, and mischievous cat who terrorizes his neighborhood and courts the Persian cat Sonja[7](https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/heathcliff-and-the-catillac-cats) • [4](https://www.netflix.com/title/70202861). The second followed the Catillac Cats, a junkyard gang whose schemes, led by Riff-Raff, revolve around food or money[7](https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/heathcliff-and-the-catillac-cats).
## Characters and voice cast
Mel Blanc, the veteran voice actor known for his Warner Bros. cartoon characters, voiced Heathcliff in both this series and the earlier 1980 [Ruby-Spears](https://www.edgepedia.org/ruby-spears) series[4](https://www.netflix.com/title/70202861) • [11](https://heathcliff.com/history/). The Catillac Cats were Riff-Raff, the suave leader; Wordsworth, Mungo, and Hector; and Cleo, Riff-Raff's girlfriend[2](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/heathcliff).
The principal voice cast was Mel Blanc as Heathcliff, Donna Christie as Cleo and Iggy, Peter Cullen as Pop and Max, Stanley Jones as Riff-Raff and Wordsworth, Danny Mann as Hector, Ted Zeigler as Mungo and Leroy, and Marilyn Lightstone as Sonja[10](https://skooldays.com/categories/saturday/sa1647.htm) • [7](https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/heathcliff-and-the-catillac-cats).
## Music
The series music was composed by [Haim Saban](https://www.edgepedia.org/haim-saban) and [Shuki Levy](https://www.edgepedia.org/shuki-levy), and the theme song was performed by Noam Kaniel in both the original English and the French versions[12](https://www.planete-jeunesse.com/fiche-184-les-entrechats.html).
## Heathcliff -- The Movie
In 1986, *Heathcliff -- The Movie*, a 73-minute animated feature rated G, compiled episodes from the first season of the series for theatrical release[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/57353-HEATHCLIFF---THEMOVIE?cp=1&pos=1&sid=f5f674f6-7072-4b95-8fb3-ab2075132089&sr=0.13261428). Its credits listed DIC Audiovisuel, Lexington Broadcast Services, and the McNaught Syndicate as copyright claimants[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/57353-HEATHCLIFF---THEMOVIE?cp=1&pos=1&sid=f5f674f6-7072-4b95-8fb3-ab2075132089&sr=0.13261428).
## Related media and availability
The strip's popularity carried into other formats during the series' run. In 1985 the Heathcliff comic book published by Star Comics, a [Marvel Comics](https://www.edgepedia.org/marvel-comics) division, was a top-selling title and ran for 56 issues[11](https://heathcliff.com/history/). A DVD collection of the series was released by Shout Factory in 2005[11](https://heathcliff.com/history/).
The series has remained available on streaming services. As of recent listings it streams on [Paramount+](https://www.edgepedia.org/paramount) and its Amazon and Roku premium channels, free with ads on [The Roku Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-roku-channel), and can be purchased on Amazon Video, the Apple TV Store, and Fandango At Home[7](https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/heathcliff-and-the-catillac-cats).
## References
1. [Heathcliff -- The Movie (1986), AFI Catalog](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/57353-HEATHCLIFF---THEMOVIE?cp=1&pos=1&sid=f5f674f6-7072-4b95-8fb3-ab2075132089&sr=0.13261428)
2. [Heathcliff Parents' Guide & TV Review, Common Sense Media](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/heathcliff)
3. [Heathcliff, fernsehserien.de](https://www.fernsehserien.de/heathcliff-und-riff-raff)
4. [Heathcliff, Netflix](https://www.netflix.com/title/70202861)
5. [Heathcliff & the Catillac Cats, Company credits, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0285371/companycredits/)
6. [Heathcliff part 8, Copyright Encyclopedia](https://www.copyrightencyclopedia.com/heathcliff-part-8/)
7. [Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/heathcliff-and-the-catillac-cats)
8. [Riff Raff, Famous Cat, iCatNames](https://icatnames.com/famous-cats/598/riff-raff)
9. [Heathcliff & the Catillac Cats, Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0285371/fullcredits/)
10. [Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats: Old Memories, Skooldays](https://skooldays.com/categories/saturday/sa1647.htm)
11. [History, Heathcliff official site](https://heathcliff.com/history/)
12. [Les Entrechats, Planète Jeunesse](https://www.planete-jeunesse.com/fiche-184-les-entrechats.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Scripted television and comedy series › Adapted and franchise screen series › Children's and family franchise series*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license