Millionaire Dogs is a 1999 German animated film, originally released theatrically as Hot Dogs: Wau - wir sind reich! in Germany (true English translation for Hot Dogs: Wow - We're rich!). The English version debuted as a direct-to-video film in United Kingdom. It was then distributed by Warner Bros. Family Entertainment in the United States, retaining the cast from the British release. The English cast of the film consisted of two British actors and one Canadian actor, one being Jimmy Hibbert.
In the United States, the film aired on Cartoon Network in the early 2000s.
Plot[]
Five irresistible dogs and a zany parrot 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. Who needs money when you've got your friends - and the security of Miss Lilly's mansion? But then a sudden mega-inheritance turns these pups into a pack of pampered Millionaire Dogs. Before you can say "Who let the dogs out?" these hot dogs are out of the fat and into the fire. Now they're in for the biggest adventure of their lives. Can their 'all-for-one and one-for-all' loyalty overcome their selfish dreams of fame and fortune?
The story starts with Chuffie, a dog who is dumped on the side of the road. He meets up with JD, another street dog. While they rest under a bridge, they find a talking parrot named Emmo who has lost his owner. The dogs try and eat Emmo, but in order to save his life, the parrot promises them a new home with his owner, the wealthy Miss Lilly. The two dogs feel right at home at their new mansion, along with Miss Lilly's other pets (all strays): the beautiful Bella, the frisky Velvet, and the guard dog Sherman. Unfortunately, it doesn't take long for Miss Lilly to "kick the bucket", and the dogs' future is in jeopardy, especially since Miss Lilly's scheming niece & nephew, Ronnie & Hannie (quite possibly the creepiest cartoons ever created) have had their eyes on the estate for quite some time. When the will reveals that the pets are to inherit the estate (including the mansion and one million dollars!), the twins decide to take matters into their own hands to try and get what they think they deserve. It's up to JD, Chuffie, Emmo, Bella, Sherman, and Velvet to stop the twins.
Cast[]
Original[]
- Thomas Danneberg - J.D.
- Hans Hohlbein - Chuffie
- Katharina Koschny - Bella
- Nina Hagen - Emmo
- Michael Chevalier - Sherman
- Magdalena Turba - Velvet
- Bettina Schön - Miss Lily
- Lutz Mackensy - Ronnie
- Philine Peters-Arnolds - Hannie
English[]
- Uncredited
- Jimmy Hibbert - Chuffie, Emmo, Dr. Quack, Additional Voices
- Sam Gold - Sherman
- Lorelei King - Bella, Velvet, Miss Lily, Hannie, Additional Voices
- Alan Marriott - J.D., Ronnie, John Fairview
Trivia[]
- Jimmy Hibbert was known for voicing various characters in British animation since the 1980s. He was cast to voice most male characters in the film, with exceptions for J.D., Ronnie, and John Fairview.
- The English version received cuts due to certain sequences from the original German version are considered violent outside its home country.
- This film is rarely televised in the United States today as the deal from European Distributors expired.