Created by John Dilworth, Cartoon Network launched its newest series, "Courage the Cowardly Dog" into its fall programming of 1999. While the network made humorous promotional featuring the established 'cowardly dog', Scooby Doo, with Courage. This dog didn't need a snack to take action. Courage the Cowardly Dog had its humble beginnings like many of the Cartoon Cartoons, as a short for the "What A Cartoon!" show for Hanna Barbera. In 1995, the first Courage short aired, titled "Chicken from Outerspace". In the cartoon, Courage foils the plans of an alien chicken, bent on world domination.
Abandoned as a puppy, Courage was taken in by an old lady named Muriel. Her and her grumpy husband, Eustace, live in the middle of Nowhere. Strange things happen in nowhere. Ghosts, monsters, aliens, bugs, demons, freaks, and insurance salesmen make their way to their home, where both Muriel and Eustace are oblivious to the lurking doom. Its up to Courage to save the day. With the endless knowledge of his sassy computer in the attic, he searches for ways to stop the evil before it harms his owners. Although Courage is barely tolerated by Eustace, he still manages to save him with no gratitude. Despite the oxymoron his name presents, Courage is a brave dog with a big heart.
In 2001, the cast suffered great loss as the voices of Eustace (Lionel Wilson) and Eustace's mother (Billie Lu Watt), passed away. Eustace was voiced by Arthur Anderson for the last season of the series. The series finished in 2002, after a successful run of four seasons.
