Garfield Goes Hollywood

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Title Card

Garfield Goes Hollywood is the seventh half-hour animated special based on the Garfield comic strip. It features the voice and music talent common in Garfield animated specials, including Lorenzo Music (the voice of Garfield) and Lou Rawls (provides the songs). The special premiered on May 8, 1987.

Storyline

Garfield and Odie believe their dance routines (as performed on the fence top at night) can't be beat and so does Jon. They happen to be watching Pet Search (a pet's version of Star Search) when they come up with a great idea to go on the show after seeing past winners have been performing cheesy acts. Jon is hoping to win the $1,000 prize, which Garfield is not really impressed by. They perform as an Elvis style trio called "Johnny Bop and the Two-Steps" (rather reluctantly, because they did not really want Jon involved in their act). Garfield believes it is embarrassing because they all have to wear kitschy Elvis-like costumes. Despite the silly act, they win the competition (after a dog that plays five instruments simultaneously is disqualified when Odie exposes him as a man in a dog costume) which means they can go to Hollywood and try their luck at the nationals. They hit the road to Hollywood and arrive at their fancy hotel. Garfield and Odie are concerned that their act is too mediocre to win first prize, so they destroy Jon's guitar when he is not looking. This allows Garfield and Odie to come up with a better act for the show. Garfield and Odie compete in the finals as a tango dancing duo called "The Dancing Armandos". They are also dazzled by all these fabulous prizes being offered to the winner. Jon is now much more serious than he was at the excitement of winning the original $1,000, saying that he thinks being able to return to their old life would be the best prize of all. Garfield is focused on fame and thinks Jon has lost it. Unfortunately, their act loses to an opera singing cat. Garfield, Odie, and Jon win a boat as the second place prize. The episode ends back home where Garfield finally admits to Jon that it was all for the best that they are home again, as they are on their boat talking about sailing to exotic locations, as the camera pans out to show the boat is in their backyard and revealing they live in a landlocked area.

Songs in Garfield Goes Hollywood

VHS cover

• "They Love Us" performed by Lou Rawls
• "The Wizard of Love" performed by Thom Huge and Desirée Goyette
• "Hollywood Feels So Good" performed by Lou Rawls
• "Desiree's Meow Solo" performed by Desirée Goyette

Trivia

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• When the announcer of the first competition mentions that the dog plays five instruments he has five fingers, a few seconds later his fifth finger disappears.
• Desirée the Classical Cat is clearly a nod to Desirée Goyette, who also provided the singing voice.
• In Garfield's fantasy about being a big star, he finds himself acting like Judy Garland and Fred Astaire.
• This special is available on the Garfield: Travel Adventures DVD.
• The host of the national finals introduces Garfield and Odie as being from Muncie, Indiana, the city that boasts the headquarters of Paws, Inc.