Looking to replicate the success of the Archies in both animated and music, Josie and the Pussycats went from the comic book to the small screen. The all girl group would find themselves in adventures, while finding time to sing a pop song. The show would last a few years and the trip would forever be known as much for their singing as they would be for their outfits which were leopard print unitards with a tail complete with “ears for hats”. In terms of the band, they had a lot more support than most fictitious groups. They had a roadie, an agent, and an agent’s sister who was jealous of Josie and her band. The show survived two incarnations, the second where they were in Outer Space (seriously), and an actual live action version of the group was created to coincide with the animated series. The amazing thing we find here is for a band that everyone knows; the only song that anyone remembers is their theme. The Bullet Points: TV Shows Appeared: Josie and the Pussycats (1970-72) Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space (1972) Actors: Janet Waldo (Speaking Voice, Josie) (Singing Voice, Cathy Dougher) Barbara Pariot (Speaking Voice, Valerie) (Singing Voice, Patrice Holloway) Jackie Joseph (Speaking Voice, Melody) (Singing Voice, Cheryl Ladd) Songs you might remember: The Josie and the Pussycats Theme Song Why you should vote for them: Do you know (and we are serious here) that they inspired a lot of young girls? Why you should not vote for them: For a group that everyone knows, they did not have a hit. {youtube}
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You would think that a live action adaptation of a beloved cartoon would work, or at the very minimum turn a profit, but neither seemed to happen when Josie and the Pussycats hit the big screen. It was not that the parts were miscast as Rachel Leigh Cook was the perfect Josie and a pre-botched stomach operation Tara Reid was great as the dimwitted Melody. Hell the film had great actors all around, but the plotline where the Pussycats were being used as corporate shills by planting subliminal messages in their music was not interesting at all. You have to think that this one that the Producers would love to have a do-over, but at least the musical casting of Kay Hanley to do the music was a winner. The Bullet Points: Movie Appeared: Josie and the Pussycats (2003) Actors: Rachel Leigh Cook (Josie) Rosario Dawson (Valerie) Tara Reid (Melody) Music by Kay Hanley Songs you might remember: 3 Small Words Why you should vote for them: The produced music was not bad. Why you should not vote for them: Seriously, how could this movie be written so badly?
Long before he made it to Saturday Night Live, Taran Killam was in a Disney TV Movie where he played a Pop Star whose life gets turned upside down when he loses his cell phone. If it sounded lame, it is because it was, but it did do well in the ratings for Disney.
Before he became one of the most successful and powerful actors on Planet Earth, Brad Pitt was Jonathan Keith, Ben Seaver’s favorite singer. At this point, Pitt was just another pretty boy in Hollywood, but who knew that from this appearance that he was going to become such an icon. Wait, Ben Seaver did! The Bullet Points: TV Show Appeared: Growing Pains (1988) Actor: Brad Pitt Songs you might remember: None Why you should vote for him: Well, this is Brad Pitt. Why you should not vote for him: He was so mean to Ben at the end of the episode; though it did allow Alan Thicke to teach Ben a lesson.
