Doug's 1st Movie is a 1999 American animated comedy film based on the Nickelodeon-produced episodes of the Disney television series Doug. The film was directed by Maurice Joyce, and stars the regular television cast of Tom McHugh, Fred Newman, Chris Phillips, Constance Shulman, Frank Welker, Alice Playten, Guy Hadley, and Doris Belack. Produced by Walt Disney Television Animation and Jumbo Pictures with animation provided by Plus One Animation, it was released by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution under its Walt Disney Pictures label on March 26, 1999. The film serves as a finale for the Doug TV show. An accompanying Mickey Mouse Works short "Donald's Dynamite: Opera Box" was released with the film.
The film received generally negative reviews, who criticized its story, screenplay, and characters, however, the voice acting received some praise. Despite the title and its mild success at the box office, no further films based on Doug were made.
Plot[]
BluffCo has been dumping waste into Lucky Duck Lake under the command of CEO Bill Bluff. This pollution creates a friendly creature that is discovered by Doug Funnie and Skeeter Valentine. They home the creature in Doug's house, where they name him Herman, after he tries to eat a copy of Moby-Dick by Herman Melville. Not wanting him to be discovered, they disguise him as a foreign exchange student called Hermione, causing Doug's love interest Patti Mayonnaise to become jealous from all the attention he gives her, leading school paper reporter Guy Graham to make a move on her. Meanwhile, Roger Klotz and his cronies build a robot to kidnap Herman, but instead it becomes very overbearing toward Roger.
Doug and Skeeter show Herman to Doug's neighbor, Mayor Tippy Dink, who warns them Bluff will kill the story if they try to get it into the press. After being mocked by Guy in front of Patti, Doug calls a press announcement where he promises to expose what Bluff is doing to the lake. While initially dismissive, Guy finds a picture of Herman and realizes Doug is telling the truth. He notifies Bluff, who sends BluffCo agents to Doug's announcement posing as reporters to capture Herman. Doug sees through the ruse and calls off the conference, but Herman is kidnapped and Patti now believes Doug to be a liar.
The next morning, in the school newspaper office, Doug finds an article by Guy detailing how Herman attacked students at the upcoming Valentine's Day dance and was killed by BluffCo agents. Realizing Guy and Bluff's plan, Doug and Skeeter recruit Roger and Al and Moo Sleech to help thwart it. On the night of the dance Doug has to give up his last chance to win Patti back in order to save Herman. The Sleech's reprogram Roger's robot to act like the monster in Guy's article, distracting everyone while Doug and Skeeter find Herman and sneak him out of the school in a giant Valentine's decoration.
They bring Herman to Crystal Lake and release him into the waters, where they are confronted and threatened by Bluff. Seeing this his daughter, Beebe, sides with her friends and Mayor Dink hints at revealing Bluff's practices to the government unless he volunteers to clean up Lucky Duck Lake himself. Defeated and threatened with a potential lawsuit that could bankrupt him, Bluff is reduced to crawling on his knees after Beebe, begging for her forgiveness. After Patti sees Doug was right all along, she dumps Guy and Doug is about to reveal his feelings for her, but is interrupted by Herman. The gang bid goodbye to Herman and spend the rest of Valentine's night celebrating by the lake.
Voice cast[]
- Tom McHugh as Doug Funnie, Lincoln
- Fred Newman as Skeeter Valentine, Mr. Dink, Porkchop, Ned
- Chris Phillips as Roger Klotz, Boomer, Larry, Mr. Chiminy
- Constance Shulman as Patti Mayonnaise
- Frank Welker as Herman Melville
- Alice Playten as Beebe Bluff, Elmo (this would be her final role in an animated movie before her death in 2011)
- Guy Hadley as Guy Graham
- Doug Preis as Mr. Funnie, Mr. Bluff, Willie, Chalky, Bluff Agent
- Eddie Korbich as Al & Moo Sleech, Robocrusher
- David O'Brien as Quailman Announcer
- Doris Belack as Mayor Tippi Dink
- Becca Lish as Judy Funnie, Mrs. Funnie, Connie
- Greg Lee as Principal White
- Bob Bottone as Bluff Assistant
- Bruce Bayley Johnson as Mr. Swirly
- Fran Brill as Mrs. Elaine Perigrew
- Melissa Greenspan as Briar Langolier
Additional voice artists[]
- Rodger Bumpass as Green Police Officer
- Paul Eiding as Red Police Officer
- Jackie Gonneau as Kid #1
- Sherry Lynn as Kid #2
- Mickie McGowan as Lunch Lady
- Phil Proctor as Brian the A/V Nerd
- Brianne Siddall as Kid #3
- Claudette Wells as Kid #4