Famous does for the detective what Warner Bros. did for Batman in the 1990s. Dick Tracy draws rave reviews, great box-office play and becomes an animated classic. Gould is thrilled. Even years later, animated detective/mystery shows become a staple of Saturday mornings, eclipsing superheroes. Decades later, animation aficionados are viewing enthralling episodes on DVD and enjoying the artisanship that the Famous team was certainly still capable of producing.

It could have been.

Case Number Two: What if Bob Clampett had lived just six more years?
History tells us that Bob Clampett died in May of 1984 at the age of 70. At the time, Clampett was on a promotional tour for the video release of his renowned Beany and Cecil series. Although Clampett achieved everlasting fame for his frenetic, stellar career, one wonders what might have happened if he had lived a mere six years more. After all, this is the typical lifespan for American males. The six years would not only fulfill a statistical average, in Clampett’s case it would have brought his date of death to 1990 — the year that American animation made a major comeback in popular culture. What might it have been like if Clampett were a part of it all?

After the successful promotional tour for the Beany and Cecil videos, Clampett enjoys a revival, boosted by the sales of his popular cartoons on VHS. The numbers did not escape the notice of RCA-Columbia pictures, which produced the videos along with Clampett. After some negotiations, Columbia and Clampett seal a deal for one of Clampett’s ardent ambitions… the release of a Beany and Cecil theatrical feature. The movie, released in 1986, is a critical success, and plans develop for a new television series. Among the crew hired for the series — a young, rebellious artist named who had been corresponding with Clampett for several years. Kricfalusi nearly accepted a job working with Ralph Bakshi on a Mighty Mouse revival but could not resist the lure of working with his longtime idol.

Perhaps Clampett hires young artist John Kricfalusi to work on Beany and Cecil and he creates two minor characters who become cult favorites — Ren and Stimpy. Courtesy of Spumco (left) and © Spike TV.

Beany and Cecil: The New Adventures airs on ABC in late 1987 in a primetime slot rather than having a typical turn on Saturday mornings. The generous budget allows Clampett’s wild sense of story and ability to stretch the boundaries of animation. Kricfalusi’s brings an outrageous sense of sexy, violent comedy tempered by his mentor’s experience. The two men forge a highly synergistic relationship.

Beany and Cecil becomes an outrageous series that blends Clampett’s numerous, quirky characters and warp-speed direction with Kricfalusi’s postmodern narratives and retro styling. Clampett and John K. are under few censorship restrictions due to their evening slot, and the pair has a field day. One controversial episode in which a maturing Beany learns the facts of life creates a major stir, and the flap leads to greater ratings and recognition among the viewing public.

Clampett, at age 73, is enjoying the greatest popularity of his career. Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg, two of his lifelong fans, ask Clampett to serve as an advisor on their latest film project, a live-action/animated movie called, Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Clampett joins the crew as the film is well into production, and provides valuable advice about handling some of the vintage cartoon characters who appear in the movie. It is one of Clampett’s most enjoyable experiences. Kricfalusi is doing much of the work on Beany and Cecil while Clampett is involved with Roger Rabbit, and the money pours in from licensing and merchandising.

Late in the third season of Beany and Cecil, Kricfalusi introduces two new characters to the show, a psychotic Chihuahua and a dimwitted cat respectively named Ren and Stimpy. The animals were actually minor characters in a series that John K. hoped to eventually develop on his own, and he pressed them into service when a script had to be developed on a tight deadline. The pair became cult favorites among viewers. They were the major highlights that final year; ABC decides not to buy a fourth season due to low ratings even though the show is a critical success.

After the third season concludes, Clampett finally considers retirement. The men part on warm terms. Kricfalusi is allowed to buy the rights to Ren and Stimpy at a token cost and prepares to pitch a series to a young cable network called Nickelodeon.

Shortly after Clampett’s retirement on May 2, 1990, a gala celebration attended by hundreds of animation’s stars and many fans, Kricfalusi sells The Ren & Stimpy Show to Nickelodeon. Clampett receives a package from John Kricfalusi; it is the pilot film for his cable TV series, a short called Big House Blues. Kricfalusi does not know it, but his film is the last one that Clampett will ever see. Clampett passes away on May 4, 1990. He will live on through his works and his protégé.