Comic Howie Mandel created, provided voices, and even appeared as himself on this inaugural cartoon for the Fox network. Mandel opened and closed each show by transforming himself into the cartoon form of Howie Generic, the pompadoured father of the show’s title character.
Four-year-old Bobby Generic was an oval-headed child with an imaginative mind that helped him escape his slightly hostile family; father Howie; mother Martha (who had a slight Irish brogue); obnoxious older brother Derek (who wore an appropriate zero on his shirt); and his self-obsessed older sister Kelly.
The only person who encouraged Bobby to fantasise movie scenes and dramatise figures of speech was his irrepressible Uncle Ted, the travelling salesman brother of Bobby’s mother and lover of loud, oversized print shirts.
Also seen regularly were Bobby’s sheepdog Roger and pet toy spider Webley
Bobby Generic/Howie Generic
Howie Mandel Martha Generic
Gail Matthius Uncle Ted
Tino Insana Kelly Generic
Charity James Roger
Frank Welker Derek Generic
Kevin Smets Jackie
Debi Derryberry Captain Squash
Gary Owens Meeker
Pat Fraley Snerd
Rob Paulsen Mrs Orso
Susan Tolsky Derek
Benny Grant
