Ren & Stimpy Miscellany

Tub Time

1991 Nickelodeon station ID featuring Ren & Stimpy. Produced by J.J. Sedelmaier Productions Inc.; animated by John R. Dilworth. Dilworth would later produce Courage the Cowardly Dog for Cartoon Network in 1999.

Brother from the Same Planet

1993 episode of The Simpsons which features a cameo appearance by Ren & Stimpy (used with the permission of Nickelodeon). In a brief sequence laid out by Chris Reccardi, Ren compliments Stimpy on his “delicious meatball soup,” which then turns out to be his collection of fur balls and stomach acid. Both characters are voiced by Simpsons regular Dan Castellaneta.

Doug on First

A 1993 episode of fellow Nickelodeon cartoon Doug believed to have been storyboarded and laid out at Spumco during downtime between Ren & Stimpy’s first two seasons. Despite the crew’s recollection of deliberately hiding Ren & Stimpy into the background of several scenes out of boredom, the final product bears no obvious sign of their involvement.

Music Videos

During the mid-1990s, Nickelodeon produced a number of Ren & Stimpy music videos which would occasionally play between shows. These videos also aired frequently on MTV and several were released on VHS. They would either use songs from the show (in which case the music video would simply use the original scene from the episode the song was featured in) or songs from the Ren & Stimpy albums released by Sony (in which case clips from various episodes would be used to accompany the lyrics). There are at least eight of these:

Happy Happy Joy Joy: Contains the “Happy Happy Joy Joy” song sequence from the Season 1 episode “Stimpy’s Invention.”

The Royal Canadian Kilted Yaksmen Anthem: Contains the song sequence from the Season 2 episode “The Royal Canadian Kilted Yaksmen.”

Fire Dogs: Compilation of clips from various episodes to the song “Fire Dogs” from the You Eediot! album. Video: “On Duty.”

Ren’s Pecs: Compilation of clips from various episodes to the song “Ren’s Pecs” from the You Eediot! album. Video: “In Disguise.”

Cat Hairballs: Compilation of clips from various episodes to the song “Cat Hairballs” from the Crock O’ Christmas album. Video: “Have Yourself a Stinky Little Christmas.”

Fleck the Walls: Compilation of clips from various episodes to the song “Fleck the Walls” from the Crock O’ Christmas album. Video: “Have Yourself a Stinky Little Christmas.”

The Bellybutton Song: An extended version of the “Climb Inside My World” musical sequence from the Season 3 episode “Jerry the Bellybutton Elf.” Video: “Rocko’s Modern Life: With Friends Like These” (Sony release).

I Wanna Be a DJ: Compilation of clips from various episodes (plus B&W live-action stock footage) to the song “I Wanna Be a DJ” from the Radio Daze album.

Waiting for Santa

Bridging sequence produced in 1993 for the “Have Yourself a Stinky Little Christmas” VHS tape. Stimpy waits in bed for Santa to arrive on Christmas Eve, but Ren berates him for believing in Santa, so Stimpy tries to get him into the holiday spirit with the Season 2 episode “Son of Stimpy.” Both characters are voiced by Billy West.

Animation by Stretch Films, New York – Written by Will McRobb and John R. Dilworth – Directed and Animated by John R. Dilworth – Produced by Mark Heller and John R. Dilworth – Assistant Animator: Marty Polansky – Assistant: James G. Petropoulos – Backgrounds by Gary Hallgren – Ink and Paint: Chelsea Animation Co. – Production Manager: Janet Scagnelli – Production Assistant: Margaret Frey – Animation Photography: Ace Camera, Ron Bliecher – Sound Recording: Voices, New York – Telecine: The Tape House Editorial Co., NY – Post Effects: Frame Runner Inc., New York: Nick Filippi, Ed Delgado

Nickelodeon Friends Variety Pack

1994 VHS tape featuring friendship-themed excerpts from various Nickelodeon shows (including two Ren & Stimpy episodes, “Ren’s Pecs” and “Stimpy’s Fan Club”), hosted by Ren & Stimpy via redubbed “Goodbye” bumpers from the first season as well as newly-edited sequences of Ren & Stimpy in a movie theater. Billy West again voices both characters.

Writer: Joe Stillman – Producer: Dawn Salvatore – Production Coordinator: Lu Olkowski – Executive Producer: Catherine Mullally – Special Thanks to Wendy Moss

Nothing But Shorts

1996 VHS tape featuring selected bumpers from the first two seasons and all bumpers from the Games seasons. Hosted by Ren & Stimpy via redubbed “Goodbye” bumpers plus movie theater sequences identical to those on the “Friends” tape. Both characters are again voiced by Billy West.

Written by Doug Petrie – Produced by Lu Olkowski – Production Manager Coordinator: Heather Raskin – Production Assistant: Elizabeth Hummer – Executive Producer for Nickelodeon Video: Karen Katz

Ralph’s Play House

First aired July 17, 2003

A live-action, black and white Honeymooners parody sketch which was used to introduce the first part of “Fire Dogs 2” (along with a rerun of the original “Fire Dogs”) when the rest of the episode was not yet finished. Excluded from DVD releases.

Created and Written by Ralph Bakshi – Produced by Ralph Bakshi – Directed by Jonathan Yudis – Executive Producer: Kevin Kolde – Associate Producer: Robin Kay Levine – Supervising Producer: Keiren Fischer – Our Cast: Ralph Bakshi as Ralph Bakshi, Diane Robin as Roslyn, Ted Rooney as The Animator – Voice Over by Vincent Waller – Special Thanks: Alison Dexter – Executive in Charge of Production for TNN: Chris Linn

Wilderness Adventure

Unused story in which George Liquor takes Ren & Stimpy on a hunting trip in the woods; storyboarded in August 1990 by John K., Jim Smith, Bob Camp, and Lynne Naylor. The entire premise was rejected by Nickelodeon, though one scene later ended up in Season 2’s “The Great Outdoors.” Plans to resurrect the story for Adult Party Cartoon were scrapped due to ownership issues with Spike TV regarding George Liquor. Two animatics, as well as the complete storyboard, have surfaced online.

Ren’s Claymation Nightmare

An unproduced bumper, presumably intended for Season 2, which would have featured clay-animated versions of Ren & Stimpy done by Craig Bartlett.

Down in Front!

Unproduced theatrical short for National Amusements in which Ren, Stimpy and Kowalski demonstrate proper movie theater etiquette. Storyboarded by Bob Camp; viewable online.

Panhandlers

Unused story written by Victoria Jenson and likely intended for Season 3 or 4. No other details known.

Steamer Tramps

Unused story that was mistakenly printed in newspaper TV listings for November 11, 1995, with the synopsis “a cruise is a work camp.” Possibly written by Chris Reccardi, who later co-wrote an episode of SpongeBob SquarePants with a similar premise (“The Inmates of Summer”). No other details known.

My Little Ass

One of several unproduced bumpers for Adult Party Cartoon (others included “Powdered Toast Rolling Tobacco” and “Log for Moms”), this was to have been a (rather vulgar) parody of My Little Pony, featuring a villainous rooster named “Old Wrinkly Cock.” A brief clip of John K. doing a sketch of the latter character can be seen in the bonus featurette “Ren & Stimpy: In the Beginning” on “The First and Second Seasons” DVD set.

Life Sucks

An unproduced TV movie intended as the finale for Adult Party Cartoon, in which Ren imparts his grim and pessimistic worldview onto Stimpy by showing him the cruel side of nature. Two animatics, with voices by John K. and Eric Bauza, can be found online.

SpongeBob Movie Short

An untitled, unproduced theatrical short intended for release with the 2015 SpongeBob SquarePants movie “Sponge Out of Water.” Available on DVD as an animatic with voices by John K.