The Incredible Detectives

The Incredible Detectives is a 1979 animated television special produced by Ruby-Spears Productions and based on the 1972 children's book of the same name by Don and Joan Caufield. It originally aired on ABC Weekend Special series on November 17, 1979.

Synopsis
A trio of pets – Madame Cheng, a slightly vain Siamese cat; Hennessy, a gabby black crow; and Reggie, a sophisticated English bulldog – decide to join forces as "The Incredible Detectives". One day, Davey Morrison – the three pets' master and the son of a government scientist – is kidnapped by a group of underground adversaries. His parents receive a ransom note demanding secret missile plans in exchange for Davey. In desperation, the Morrison family hires Detective Sharpe, a bumbling police detective who quickly gets nowhere with the case. Overhearing the conversation between the Morrisons and the Detective of how Davey disappeared and what the kidnappers want, the family pets swing into action and set out on their own to investigate.

Voices

 * Marlene Aragon – Madame Cheng
 * Laurie Main – Reggie
 * Frank Welker – Hennessy
 * Albert Eisenmann – Davey Morrison

Production credits

 * Executive Producers: Joe Ruby and Ken Spears
 * Directed by: Rudy Larriva
 * Produced by: Jerry Eisenberg
 * Written by: Mark Evanier
 * Based on the Novel by: Don Caufield, Joan Caufield
 * Voices: Marlene Aragon, Laurie Main, Frank Welker, Albert Eisenmann, Stan Freberg, Michael Rye, John Stephenson
 * Animation: Jim Davis, John Freeman, John Howley, Norm McCabe, Fred Myers, Frank Nakielski, Don Orlando, Don Parmele, Bill Pratt, Virgil Raddatz, Bill Reed, Joe Roman, Joanna Romersa, John Shook, Mike Stribling, Marty Taras
 * Animation Supervisor: Ed Solomon
 * Assistant Animation Supervisor: Bill Exter
 * Editor: Richard C. Allen
 * Post-Production: Lenore Nelson
 * Production Design: Lew Ott
 * Production Manager: John Ahern
 * Production Supervisor: Natalie Shirpser
 * Assistant Animators: Fred Abranz, Ruben Apodaca, Philo Barnhart, Vincent De Frances, Holly Forsythe, Marion M. Green, Sandy Henkin, Mike Houghton, Leonard C. Johnson, John C. Lange, Anneline Liu, Lester Pourier, Simon Praamsma, Andrew Ramos, Anna Lois Ray, Mary Robertson, Jim Solis, Jim Steel, Gisele Van Bark, Karen Warren, Richard Williams
 * Layout Artists: Peter Alvarado, Tim Elston, John Freeman, John F. Guerin, Catherine Hart, Tom Knowles, Kathy Vaslett, Pat Wong
 * Animation Stock: Sandra Benenati
 * Checking: Myrna Bushman, Rena Cappas, Stephen A. Carr, Lisa Lydon, Jerome B. Stocks
 * Background Painters: Gary Conklin, Lynn Lascaro, P.S. Lewis, Bill Lorencz, Michele Moen, Monte, Ann Neale, Andy Phillipson, Phil Phillipson, Craig Robertson, Bob Schaefer, Gary Selvaggio, Peter Van Elk, Gloria Wood, Thomas Woodington
 * Background Stylist: Eric Semones
 * Xerography and Paint Supervisor: Laura Craig
 * Color Key Artists: Kit Harper, Bunny Munns
 * Character Designers: Alan Huck, Carson van Osten, Jim Willoughby
 * Cel Service: Jim Stocks
 * Sound Effects Editors: Bruce Elliott, Ron Sawade, Kevin Spears, David Stone
 * Camera Operators: Larry Hogan, Greg Marshall, Lindsay Rogers, Laurie Toledo
 * Assistants to Executive Producer: Jodi Berman, Janie Fields, Erika Grossbart
 * Story Director: Ron Campbell
 * Voice Director: Alan Dinehart
 * Studio Manager: Jeff Cooke
 * Production Assistants: Madlyn Goldberg, Loretta High, Kayte Kuch
 * Production Controller: Jerry Goldman
 * Unit Auditor: Henriette Pacile
 * Lettering: Bob Schaefer
 * © 1979 Ruby-Spears Productions, Inc.
 * A FILMWAYS COMPANY

Home video release
The Incredible Detectives was first released on VHS by Worldvision Home Video in 1985. To date, it has not been released on DVD by current rightsholder Warner Home Video.