Atom Ant

Atom Ant (originally voiced by Howard Morris, then by Don Messick in later episodes){{cite book |last1=Woolery |first1=George W. |title=Children's Television: The First Thirty-Five Years, 1946-1981 |date=1983 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=0-8108-1557-5 |url=https://archive.org/details/childrenstelevis0000wool/page/26/mode/2up |access-date=14 March 2020 |pages=27–29}} is a superhero ant who operates out of an anthill in the countryside, where he possesses such things as a mainframe computer and exercise equipment. His powers mostly consist of the ability to fly, superspeed, incredible strength, and invulnerability. His catchphrase is "Up and at 'em, Atom Ant!"{{cite book |last1=Rovin |first1=Jeff |title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cartoon Animals |date=1991 |publisher=Prentice Hall Press |isbn=0-13-275561-0 |access-date=8 April 2020 |url=https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc00rovi/page/10/mode/2up/ |page=10}} He was often contacted by the police, who sent him out on an assignment.

Some of these missions parody the missions of Batman. The police force is constantly shown to be underfunded and inept, as they rely on Atom Ant to do all their police work. As seen in "Nobody's Fool," the only two police officers are the chief of police and the deputy chief. The department has only one rusted patrol car. Atom Ant fights various villains, including recurring ones like Ferocious Flea (also voiced by Messick) and mad scientist Professor Von Gimmick (voiced by Allan Melvin).

{{Episode table |background=#700070 |overall= |season= |title= |airdate= |episodes=

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 1

| EpisodeNumber2 = 1

| Title = Up and Atom

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1965|10|2}}

| ShortSummary = A criminal called Big Fats Dynamo (voiced by Allen Melvin) makes a prison break. Atom Ant, sent to recapture him, outsmarts him to the point of a knockout.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 2

| EpisodeNumber2 = 2

| Title = Crankenshaft's Monster

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1965|10|9}}

| ShortSummary = The mad Doctor Crankenshaft (voiced by Allen Melvin), M.D. (which stands for Mad Doctor) creates a little glob that increases in size with every bite it eats. Atom Ant reduces the glob's size with a spin.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 3

| EpisodeNumber2 = 3

| Title = Gem-A-Go-Go

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1965|10|16}}

| ShortSummary = The Tura Lura Topaz gets stolen by Fancy Fingers Finnegan (voiced by Allen Melvin). Atom Ant has to get through Finnegan's traps to catch him and recover the jewel.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 4

| EpisodeNumber2 = 4

| Title = Ferocious Flea

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1965|10|23}}

| ShortSummary = A flea circus ringmaster and his star performer, Ferocious Flea, rob a lot of banks without leaving a trace. Atom Ant follows their trail and blows their cover.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 5

| EpisodeNumber2 = 5

| Title = Rambling Robot

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1965|10|30}}

| ShortSummary = Delbert, a robot, (voiced by Don Messick) built by two kids Junior (also voiced by Messick) and his friend (voiced by Janet Waldo) goes out of control and smashes things in his path. Atom Ant has a hard time smashing the robot, then rebuilding it. Janet Waldo also voices Junior's Mom.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 6

| EpisodeNumber2 = 6

| Title = Nobody's Fool

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1965|11|6}}

| ShortSummary = Two thugs operate in a robbery while their accomplice Anastasia Antnik waylays Atom Ant, but she turns against the thugs.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 7

| EpisodeNumber2 = 7

| Title = Atom Ant Meets Karate Ant

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1965|11|13}}

| ShortSummary = A criminal and his partner, Muscles, send an ant called Mr. Muto to take care of Atom Ant, but they get into a friendly chat instead.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 8

| EpisodeNumber2 = 8

| Title = Fastest Ant in the West

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1965|11|20}}

| ShortSummary = Atom Ant is summoned by a town sheriff to take care of the outlaw Rowdy Dowdy, who is not giving up easily.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 9

| EpisodeNumber2 = 9

| Title = Mistaken Identity

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1965|11|27}}

| ShortSummary = Ferocious Flea assumes Atom Ant's identity and sets him up for robberies with the help of his henchdog Slappsy Muggsy. Atom Ant unmasks Ferocious in his latest heist.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 10

| EpisodeNumber2 = 10

| Title = How Now Bow Wow

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1965|12|4}}

| ShortSummary = Ferocious Flea and his henchman Bone Brains steal a first prize-winning dog from a dog show. Atom gets the two out of the way and returns the dog.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 11

| EpisodeNumber2 = 11

| Title = Dragon Master

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1965|12|11}}

| ShortSummary = Dr. Strangebug (voiced by Allen Melvin) and his henchman (voiced by Henry Corden) puts Atom Ant in a time machine taking him to Arthurian times. Atom Ant saves the kingdom from a dragon before returning to his own time.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 12

| EpisodeNumber2 = 12

| Title = The Big Gimmick

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1965|12|18}}

| ShortSummary = Atom Ant battles Professor Von Gimmick (voiced by Allen Melvin) in his gigantic robot. Dr. Von Gimmick attempts to get the ant out of the way with his one weakness: a picnic.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 13

| EpisodeNumber2 = 13

| Title = Super Blooper

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1965|12|25}}

| ShortSummary = Atom Ant assists the actor playing Super Guy to make him look genuine in front of the public, especially in dealing with a bank robbery.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 14

| EpisodeNumber2 = 14

| Title = Wild, Wild Ants

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1966|1|1}}

| ShortSummary = Atom Ant battles the Anthill Mob on a picnic raid, until they are resigned to join Atom in his fitness club.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 15

| EpisodeNumber2 = 15

| Title = Dina-Sore

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1966|1|8}}

| ShortSummary = Atom Ant takes on a museum dinosaur, which has become animated by a bolt of lightning, until the beast is driven out to sea.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 16

| EpisodeNumber2 = 16

| Title = Amusement Park Amazement

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1966|1|15}}

| ShortSummary = Atom Ant holds off Professor Von Gimmick (voiced by Allen Melvin)'s dangerous weaponry and finally gets him to build the amusement park he intended to construct.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 17

| EpisodeNumber2 = 17

| Title = Bully for Atom Ant

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1966|1|22}}

| ShortSummary = On a vacation in Mexico, Atom Ant helps a man named Chicken Enchilada to fight in a bullfight in order to win the hand of his beloved Concita in marriage.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 18

| EpisodeNumber2 = 18

| Title = Termighty Mean

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1966|1|29}}

| ShortSummary = Professor Von Gimmick (voiced by Allen Melvin) assigns Atom Ant to capture his escaped super-eating termite Godzilla. Atom Ant manages to tame the termite with a stick of bubble gum.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 19

| EpisodeNumber2 = 19

| Title = Nine Strikes You're Out

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1966|2|5}}

| ShortSummary = Mad scientist J. Dastardly Deeds clones himself eight times with the aid of a cat's mythical nine lives and Atom Ant takes them all out.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 20

| EpisodeNumber2 = 20

| Title = Go West Young Ant

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1966|2|12}}

| ShortSummary = Atom Ant assists soldier ants in a battle against a red ant colony. Atom Ant challenges the chieftain's son to settle peace between the two ant colonies.

| LineColor = 700070

}}

}}

{{Episode table |background=#006400 |overall= |season= |title= |airdate= |episodes=

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 21

| EpisodeNumber2 = 1

| Title = Knight Fight

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1966|9|10}}

| ShortSummary = With the world at peace, Atom Ant goes to the Middle Ages to assist a kingdom to fight an evil black knight.

| LineColor = 006400

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 22

| EpisodeNumber2 = 2

| Title = Pteraducktyl Soup

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1966|9|17}}

| ShortSummary = A pteraducktyl brought to life by a scientist rampages through the city and Atom Ant has trouble getting it to stop.

| LineColor = 006400

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 23

| EpisodeNumber2 = 3

| Title = Up in the Air Squares

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1966|9|24}}

| ShortSummary = Buildings are being taken away by a magnet chopper driven by Toadstool (voiced by Allen Melvin). Atom Ant saves the city hall, then proceeds to recover the police building.

| LineColor = 006400

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 24

| EpisodeNumber2 = 4

| Title = Mouse Rouser

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1966|10|1}}

| ShortSummary = Little Mousey (voiced by Allen Melvin) sends for Atom Ant's help to protect him from Ali Cat (also voiced by Melvin). Atom Ant stops the cat from further bothering the mouse, but then the cat has a dog chasing him.

| LineColor = 006400

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 25

| EpisodeNumber2 = 5

| Title = Killer Diller Gorilla

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1966|10|8}}

| ShortSummary = Atom Ant battles a giant gorilla named Kink Konk, who treats New York City like a toy. Atom eventually drives the gorilla away.

| LineColor = 006400

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 26

| EpisodeNumber2 = 6

| Title = Rock-a-Bye Boo-Boo

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|1966|10|15}}

| ShortSummary = In the Bavarian outskirts, Atom Ant saves a village from a boulder-looking gigantic roc egg hurtling down the mountain from its nest. Atom Ant returns the egg back to its nest. When the mother roc sees Atom Ant, she mistakenly thinks that he stole her egg and goes crazy by attacking Atom Ant and causing havoc in the population. She ceases her attacks when her egg hatches.

| LineColor = 006400

}}

}}

• Atom Ant appeared in a comic book, Atom Ant #1, published by Gold Key/Western Publishing in January 1966.{{cite book |last1=Becattini |first1=Alberto |title=American Funny Animal Comics in the 20th Century: Volume Two |date=2019 |publisher=Theme Park Press |isbn=978-1683902218 |chapter=Super-Animals}}
• Atom Ant later appeared in Yogi's Ark Lark and its spin-off series Yogi's Gang, voiced again by Don Messick.
• In the early 1990s series, Yo Yogi! with Don Messick reprising Atom Ant. He appears as Jellystone Town's residential superhero. In the episode "Super Duper Snag," it was revealed that his Atomic Helmet is his source of power.
• Hi-Tech Software released a budget labeled computer game for the Commodore 64 in 1990 called Atom Ant: Up and Atom. The idea of the game is to fly and collect a certain amount of bombs scattered around high rise buildings and 'atomize' them in a special bubble-like device at the top of each area (a game design influenced by Tehkan's Bomb Jack).
• In 2000, Cartoon Network produced a short cartoon as a part of their "Groovies" series, called "We Must All Get Ready Now". Featuring Atom Ant as the lead character, the short contained several audio tracks from the Atom Ant cartoon, and some audio from the classic Cold War civil defense film, Duck and Cover. The short could formerly be seen as interstitial programming on Boomerang; its last time on the channel being June 1, 2014, due to the network's rebrand in January 2015. The short was directed by Jonas Odell, with its music by Michael Kohler. Sometimes, at that point it was followed by another cartoon that Cartoon Network produced in their "Groovies" or "Shorties" series.
• Atom Ant appeared in Yogi's Treasure Hunt.
• Atom Ant as a picture made a cameo in the "Agent Penny" episode of the Super Secret Secret Squirrel segment of 2 Stupid Dogs.
• Atom Ant makes a cameo appearance in a MetLife television commercial that aired in 2012.
• Atom Ant's catchphrase, "Up and Atom!", is also used by comic book superhero Radioactive Man in The Simpsons.
• Atom Ant as a toy made a cameo in the What's New, Scooby-Doo? episode "Roller Ghoster Ride".
• Atom Ant is featured in the Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law episode "Incredible Hippo" and voiced by Maurice LaMarche. He appears as the defendant accused of radioactive contamination by the EPA.
• Atom Ant makes a cameo in the direct-to-video film Scooby-Doo! Mask of the Blue Falcon in a framed picture.
• Atom Ant appeared in a back-up feature in Scooby Apocalypse.
• Atom Ant appears in the end credits of Scoob! as a new recruit of the Falcon Force, a new team made by the Blue Falcon. In this version, he has four arms.
• Atom Ant appears in the HBO Max original series Jellystone!.

The episode "Up And Atom" is available on the DVD Saturday Morning Cartoons 1960s Vol. 1. The episode "Atom Ant Meets Karate Ant" is available on the DVD Saturday Morning Cartoons 1960s Vol. 2, as well as a part of the "A Sample of Boomerang" tape, from Cartoon Network's sister channel, Boomerang. The episode "The Big Gimmick" is available on the DVD Best of Warner Bros. 25 Cartoon Collection Hanna-Barbera. On October 6, 2015, Warner Archive released the entire series on DVD.[http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Atom-Ant-The-Complete-Series/21589 'Atom Ant' DVD Set: Release Date, Details, Cover Art] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002194646/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Atom-Ant-The-Complete-Series/21589 |date=2015-10-02 }}

In 2016, The Atom Ant Show was made available for download via iTunes Store.

• Howard Morris as Atom Ant (Season one), Muscles' Boss
• Don Messick as Atom Ant (Season two), Ferocious Flea, Mr. Muto, Narrator
• John Stephenson as Narrator
• Allan Melvin as Muscles, Big Fats Dynamo, Professor Von Gimmick, Little Mousey, Ali Cat, The Toadstool, additional voices
• Ted Cassidy as Opening Announcer (uncredited){{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058789/characters/nm0144252|title=The Atom Ant Show (TV Series 1965–1968) - IMDb|website=IMDb}}

{{reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|id=0058789|title=The Atom Ant Show}}
• [http://www.toonopedia.com/atomant.htm Atom Ant] at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. [https://archive.today/20150804073436/http://toonopedia.com/atomant.htm Archived] from the original on April 6, 2012.
• [https://cartoondatabank.com/cartoons/atom-ant-1965/ The Cartoon Scrapbook] – Informational profile on Atom Ant.
• [http://www.bcdb.com/cartoons/Hanna-Barbera_Studios/A-C/The_Atom_Ant__047_Secret_Squirrel_Show/Atom_Ant/index.html Atom Ant episode guide]{{Dead link|date=October 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} at the Big Cartoon DataBase

{{Hanna-Barbera}}

Category:The Atom Ant/Secret Squirrel Show

Category:Television characters introduced in 1965

Category:Hanna-Barbera characters

Category:Animated television series about insects

Category:Hanna-Barbera superheroes

Category:1960s American animated comedy television series

Category:1960s American children's comedy television series

Category:1960s American superhero comedy television series

Category:1965 American animated television series debuts

Category:1967 American television series endings

Category:Animal superheroes

Category:American children's animated action television series

Category:American children's animated adventure television series

Category:American children's animated comic science fiction television series

Category:American children's animated science fantasy television series

Category:American children's animated superhero television series

Category:Television series by Hanna-Barbera

Category:Television series by Screen Gems

Category:Fictional ants

Category:NBC animated television series

Category:Animated characters introduced in 1965

Category:Male characters in animation

Category:Children's television series about talking animals