Title: | Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space |
Rating | ![]() |
Start - end: | 1972 - 1974 |
Studio: | Hanna Barbera Productions |
Official site: | Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space official site | Rate: |
Josie's last name was originally given as either or "James" "Jones" for much of the comic book's run. The "McCoy" surname was assigned to the character in the early 2000s, at about the time the Josie feature film went into production. Reprinted in the late 2000s sometimes featured the last names edited to the girls' names from the movie.
During the early years of her comic (1963 - 1969), Josie dated a folk singer named Albert, while her sharp-minded friend Pepper usually dated a jock named Sock. Both boys embraced the hippie culture that was forming at the time. During and after the Josie and the Pussycats revamp, she dated Alan M. Mayberry.
In the cartoon series, Josie's speaking voice was performed by Janet Waldo (the voices of Judy Jetson and Penelope Pitstop) and her singing voice was performed by Cathy Dougher. She was played by Rachael Leigh Cook in the 2001 live-action Josie and the Pussycats movie.
Melody Valentine
The co-founder and drummer for the Pussycats (she also sang occasional lead vocals for the TV series), Melody is a cute blonde and speaks in a sing-song voice, denoted by the musical notes in her cartoon word balloons. She is an absent-minded, bubbly sort of character often taken to using silly, nonsense language.
In the comics, her last name is sometimes given as Jones, but at other times, Josie's last name is Jones. The manga has given the name Jones to Josie, and has yet to refer to Melody by more than a single name. This confusion ended when the movie established her last name as Valentine. It may be that Josie or Melody is related to Jughead Jones, but this has yet to be revealed.
In the cartoon series, whenever the group is in a dangerous or potentially dangerous situation, Melody's ears would wiggle. In the cartoon, she frequently gets brainwashed, but is already very dim-witted. Later, in the Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space series, she adopts a cute little alien named Bleep.
In the cartoon series, Melody's speaking voice is performed by Jackie Joseph, and her singing voice is performed by Cherie Moor (later better known as Cheryl Ladd). She was played by Tara Reid in the live-action Josie and the Pussycats movie. Bleep's voice was done by Don Messick, the voice of Scooby-Doo, Astro, Dr. Benton Quest, Boo Boo, and more.
Valerie Brown
A headstrong young lady, Valerie performs back-up vocals (in the comics, cartoons, and the movie) and occasionally sings lead (nearly always in the TV series) for the Pussycats. In the comics, she plays the bass; in the cartoons, she plays tambourine. She is also the group's main songwriter, and is occasionally seen playing different instruments. She is the character who saves the day the most often, thanks to her street smarts and her mechanical and scientific genius. Valerie is notable as the first African-American cartoon character on a regular animated television series.
In the comic book, she replaced Pepper, a sharp-minded spectacled brunette. Valerie is more tomboyish than her two bandmates. Her last name in the comics was originally given as "Smith". The last names McCoy, Valentine and Brown were assigned to the characters for the 2001 Josie feature film. However, Archie Comics would later acknowledge these names as canonical.
In the cartoon series, she's a genius, similar to Velma from Scooby Doo. Valerie's speaking voice is performed by Barbara Pariot, and her singing voice is performed, until her death on October 2006, by Patrice Holloway, sister of Motown recording artist Brenda Holloway. She was played by Rosario Dawson in the live-action Josie and the Pussycats movie.
Alexander Cabot III
Rich, snobbish, temperamental, and cowardly, Alex is the Pussycats' shifty and not-too-dependable manager, who often gets the group in hot water because of his crazy promotional schemes. Alex often dresses in flamboyant (and expensive) clothes and wears sunglasses. In the comics, he has a crush on Josie and is often trying to find ways to divert her attention from her boyfriend, Alan M. However, in the comics, he has also shown interest in Melody when Josie is unavailable (particularly in the original Josie comics). He is also Alexandra's twin brother. In the cartoon, he has no such feelings for Josie, his personality is much more friendly (but far more cowardly), and he most often serves as a comedic foil for Alexandra's constant scheming.
The comic book version of Alex is reminiscent of Archie Andrews's rival Reggie Mantle, while the cartoon version is very similar to Scooby-Doo's pal Shaggy. Not surprisingly, his animated persona's voice is provided by Casey Kasem (as is Shaggy's). In a 1973 Josie-guested episode of The New Scooby-Doo Movies, Alexander and Shaggy both appear on-screen together for quite some time. Alex was played by Paulo Costanzo in the 2001 live-action motion picture.
Alexandra Cabot And Sebastian The Cat
Alexandra is technically a supporting character, but often overshadows the rest of the cast in both the comics and the cartoons. She is the twin sister of Alexander Cabot III.
Alexandra has black hair with a white lightning-bolt shaped stripe running through the middle of it (her ponytail gives a slight impression of a skunk's tail because of this stripe). In contrast to the good-natured girls in the Pussycats, Alexandra is sneaky, conniving, snobbish, cynical, bitter, rude, offensive, hateful, egotistical, self centered and mean. She is insanely jealous of the Pussycats (especially Josie, about whom she never has a kind word). Although Alexandra desperately wants to be the star of the band (and to rename it as "Alexandra's Cool Time Cats"), she is talentless and can't sing or play well at all.
Alexandra has a serious crush on Alan M., and often tries to steal him away from Josie. Although she is not particularly fond of her cowardly brother, Alexandra often joins forces with him to separate Alan M. and Josie (so that Alex can go for Josie and Alexandra can go for Alan M.). Her personality in the cartoon is largely unchanged, and while Alexander tends to irritate her with his cowardice and his other personality quirks , she has defended him on occasion, too. The animated version of Alexander doesn't participate in his sister's schemes to break up Josie and Alan.
Alexandra also has a black and white pet cat named Sebastian. In the comics, Sebastian is the reincarnation of a witchcraft-practicing ancestor of the Cabot family, Sebastian Cabot. Alexandra finds that, by holding her cat in her arms, she can cast powerful magic spells; however this plot device is used very rarely. (Alexandra and Sebastian's bond is represented in that they both have a matching white stripe in their middle of their hair/fur.) In the cartoons, Alexandra and Sebastian do not have magic powers.
Alexandra's voice in the cartoons is provided by former Mouseketeer Sherry Alberoni, while Don Messick supplies the meows, screams, and Muttley-esque snickers for Sebastian. Alexandra was played by Missi Pyle in the live-action Josie and the Pussycats movie, while Sebastian does not appear in the live-action film.
Alan M. Mayberry
Alan M. Mayberry (known as "Alan M." in the comics, and as simply "Alan" in the cartoon series) is a tall, blond, muscular folk singer who serves as the Pussycats' roadie. He is also Josie's boyfriend, but Alexandra is constantly trying to win a date with him. In the comics, he replaced the fun-loving but sensitive guitarist Albert, Josie's former boyfriend and Alex's former rival. In his first appearance, the creators tried to give him and Alex their own band, but it did not last beyond one issue, and the comic took a different direction.
In the cartoon series, he plays the role of the self-appointed group leader, similar to that of Fred from Scooby-Doo (and perhaps not coincidentally does bear some resemblance to him as well). His and Alex's characters were somewhat changed for the cartoon to make them more like the male characters from Scooby Doo in an attempt to recapture its success. His animated persona is voiced by Jerry Dexter. He was played by Gabriel Mann in the live-action film.
Buckle up your seatbelts.
They could be in orbit (in the stars).
On a spooky planet (maybe Mars).
There's no way of knowing
When they're groovin' way above the atmosphere,
trying to get back to here.
They're blasting off now.
Josie's on a rocket ride.
Pussycats all by her side.
Bleep Bleep is the kooky guide.
Come along and dig the chase.
With the Pussycats in outer space.
The Pussycats in outer space.
(yeah)