Muttley is a dog from the animated series Wacky Races (1968) and Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines (1969) by Hanna-Barbera. In all media, he is the sidekick of Dick Dastardly though one who takes enormous amusement at Dastardly's failures. In some continuities, he is able to fly by rotating his tail as though it were a helicopter blade.

Creation

Muttley is confused with Mumbly from The Mumbly Cartoon Show, (1976) both were voiced Don Messick, however, both characters are prototyped by the dog Mugger from the film Hey There, It's Yogi Bear (1964), also voiced by Messick.

Muttley and Dick Dastardly are replaced by Mumbly and Dread Baron in the animated series Laff-a-Lympics (1977) and the film Yogi Bear and the Magical Flight of the Spruce Goose (1987). One possible explanation is that since Wacky Races was co-produced with Heatter-Quigley Productions, perhaps Hanna-Barbera did not have the rights to Muttley and Dick Dastardly.

Interestingly, around the same time as the film, the duo appears in the animated series Yogi's Treasure Hunt (1985-1988).

In Laff-A-Lympics #13, (March 1979) published by Marvel Comics, written by Mark Evanier and illustrated by Jack Manning, Scott Shaw and Dan Spiegle, reveals that Dick and Dread are twin brothers.

Apparently, that issue was resolved and Muttley and Dick were never replaced in other works.