Huckleberry Hound

TV review by KJ Dell Antonia, Common Sense Media
Huckleberry Hound Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 6+

More violent and sophisticated than you remember.

Cartoon Network Kids' Animation 1958
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Parents say

age 8+

Based on 3 reviews

Kids say

age 6+

Based on 6 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this classic 1950s Hanna-Barbera cartoon is chock full of the cartoon violence, stereotypical humor, and misogyny that were typical of the era -- which you probably don't really remember from when you watched it as a kid.

Community Reviews

Lowe's man
Lowe's man Adult
April 26, 2015
age 5+

characters that kids can identify with

Huckleberry Hound was naïve and gullible, just as young children are. Kids will be able to identify with him as a result. Moreover, this series was by and large nonviolent. True, there were guns, but they weren't meant to be taken seriously. Besides, these cartoons were made when most people weren't sensitive to the presence of guns in cartoons. Kids will also be able to identify with Pixie, Dixe and Mr. Jinks. Sometimes they'll be better able to identify with Pixie and Dixie, always being tormented by some mean kid (or adult). At other times they'll identify with Mr. Jinks, as it's very normal for kids to misbehave, then feel remorseful immediately afterwards, just as Mr. Jinks does. Kids of all ages can enjoy these cartoons. These cartoons are clearly the anti-Barney.
Al Jackson
Al Jackson Adult
April 25, 2012
age 11+

*sobs* WHY DID YOU GIVE THIS CARTOON 2 STARS?!

Tis cartoon is GREAT! The animation is nice as well as the voice acting!
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

The episodes of HUCKLEBERRY HOUND that still air on Boomerang (and are available on DVD) are classic late-1950s cartoons that were among the first actually made for television (as opposed to movie shorts). Every episode includes three cartoons: one featuring Huckleberry himself (voiced by Daws Butler), one with cat Mr. Jinks and mice Dixie and Pixie, and one starring a rotating cast of other Hanna-Barbera characters like Hokey Wolf and Yogi Bear.

Is It Any Good?

These cartoons were much loved by children when they were first released, and they've lived on ever since thanks to reruns. But watching them today, particularly with a young child, you have to wonder why. While Huckleberry's appeal is clear -- he's far more dangerous than he looks or sounds, and his unassuming ways and Southern drawl hide the tough character that every child likes to imagine he or she is -- the situations he finds himself in (the Foreign Legion, dogcatcher, mailman) tend to be sophisticated rather than funny. Although the action makes kids laugh, there's definitely a pause as they struggle to grasp the set-up.

Kids who are already into classic cartoons will probably like Huckleberry, and in the end it's not much different than the original Bugs Bunny, Tom and Jerry, or even Mickey Mouse. Guns are prevalent, fist fights common, and every cigar explodes -- but that's 'toon life.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why these cartoons and characters lack the lighthearted feel of the Looney Tunes, which are otherwise similar and come from about the same era. Why is Bugs more appealing than Huckleberry? Is it the art -- which was certainly smoother in the Warner Brothers studio -- or is it something else? How is this show different from today's cartoons?

TV Details

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