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Cartoon Network Puts Millionaire Dogs On

The animated feature film, MILLIONAIRE DOGS, saw its U.S. premiere Nov. 15, 2003 at 5:00 pm on Cartoon Network in its Cartoon Theatre slot, with an encore on Nov. 16 at 10:00 am, as well as future airings to be announced. Directed by Michael Schoemann (THE MAGIC VOYAGE) of the Munich-based animation house Benchmark Ent., MILLIONAIRE DOGS was released theatrically by PolyGram Entertainment in Europe while BMG Ariola released the soundtrack CD. The 80-minute feature had a limited release in the 2002 Kids First! Film Festival, which played theaters in American 15 cities, including Disney's El Capitan theatre in Los Angeles, where a panel of young Kids First! critics gave it an enthusiastic and unanimous 'Thumbs Up!'

Pop Twist Entertainment, Inc. sold Cartoon Network the movie about five irresistible dogs and a zany parrot -- J.D., Bella, Velvet, Sherman, Chuffie and the ever-squawking Emmo -- who live together under the protective roof of Miss Lilly's House of Pets. These scruffy but adorable dogs are the best of friends, a real team. Miss Lilly's sudden death leads to a mega-inheritance that turns these pups into a pack of pampered, millionaire dogs. Now they're in for the biggest adventure of their lives. Can their 'all-for-one and one-for-all' loyalty overcome their selfish newfound dreams of fame and fortune? Can they escape the evil plans of Miss Lilly's horrible niece Hannie and her even nastier nephew, Ronald, two connivers who would do anything to get rid of those dogs and have the house all to themselves?

At the center of the pack is J.D., the city-smart, one-time street-dog tramp. He may look like a loner, but when the chips are down his natural leadership shines through. Velvet is the adorably trendy teenager with the ever-present headset on her fluffy ears, while Sherman is an oversized security-guard-cum-bodybuilder. Also part of the pouch pack is the brainy, puzzle-solving Chuffie and Bella, the glamorous circus beauty with a real soft spot for J.D. The wisecracking Emmo, a landlubber parrot who can't quite work up the nerve to fly, rounds out the gang.

"In this era of in-house production and pre-branded programming it's increasingly difficult to find U.S. TV homes for the unique animated visions of talented individuals," said Pop Twist president Doug Zwick. "So we were especially excited when Terry Kalagian of the Cartoon Network responded so strongly to MILLIONAIRE DOGS, and decided to pick it up."

MILLIONAIRE DOGS is a production of ORB Film & TV Production (Now Benchmark Ent. Pictures Prod. Gmbh) in co-production with EIV Entertainment Invest Gmbh & Co KG and ZDF. It was produced by Benchmark founders Deitmar Kablitz and Schoemann, and written by Hollywood-based screenwriters Karin Howard (THE NEVERENDING STORY II) and Joe Steuben, from an idea by Ute Schoemann-Koll.

Los Angeles-based Pop Twist Ent. works with producers worldwide to place their programs in the global market. Its slate includes features, documentaries and music programming, as well as the upcoming animated series WOMBAT CITY, a futuristic teen relationship comedy. For more about MILLIONAIRE DOGS or Pop Twist Ent., visit www.poptwist.com.

Additional Credits: Art Director: Juan SantiagoProduction Designer: Walter KosslerCompositing and Special Effects: Bernd Deventer, Armin Vetter, Manfred LindnerBackground Supervisor: Julio DiezScore: Gregor NarholzSongs: Tobias Gad, Jacqueline NemorinMusic Supervisor: Daydream, Stefan Broedner, Klaus FrersAnimation Directors: Carlos Alfonso, Chris RandallSound Mixing: Stephan KonkenEditor: Hans Losch

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