Albert the Fifth Musketeer

Albert the Fifth Musketeer is a French-Canadian animated series based on the 1844 novel The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. It is a France Animation, Ravensburger and Cinar co-production, for Children's BBC and Canal+[1] in association with PolyGram Video, Animation Services Hong Kong Limited and Koroness Filmproduktion GmbH.

Albert the Fifth Musketeer
Also known asAlbert le 5ème mousquetaire
GenreAnimation
Created byChristophe Izard
Written byGilles Adrien
Olivier Montegut
Christophe Izard
Directed byAlain Sion
Voices ofJimmy Hibbert
Susan Sheridan
Andy Turvey
Christian Rodska
Joanna Wheeler
Shireen Shah
Mike Drew
Dick Cadbury
Jayne Lloyd
ComposerKick Production
Country of originFrance
United Kingdom
Canada
Original languagesFrench
English
No. of episodes26
Production
Executive producersChristophe Izard
Theresa Plummer-Andrews
ProducersMicheline Charest
Christian Davin
Peter Hille
Production companiesFrance Animation
Cinar
Ravensburger
BBC Worldwide
DistributorCinar
Release
Original networkCBBC (UK)
Canal+ (France)
Picture format4:3
Original release1 July 1993 (1993-07-01) –
3 March 1994 (1994-03-03)

Plot

The show centers around the antics of Albert (pronounce 'Al-Bear') de Parmagnan, a new member of the Musketeers (the series takes place after the Siege of La Rochelle, and therefore after D'Artagnan has become a musketeer, but before Milady's death). While the other four musketeers are portrayed as bumbling and incompetent, Albert is quick-witted and clever, creating many inventions to get the others out of trouble.

He and the other Musketeers have adventures as they fight with the guards of Cardinal Richelieu and attempt to thwart his plans to take over France.

In total there were 26 episodes, which aired in 1994. The show was later translated into English, Dutch, Swedish, French and Russian and shown in the United Kingdom, Singapore, the Netherlands, United States, South Africa, Malaysia, Canada, Australia, Zimbabwe, Sweden, Hong Kong, France and Russia.

Cast

The characters, apart from Albert (voiced by Jimmy Hibbert), are all generally broad stereotypes of their traditional portrayals in the original Musketeers book and subsequent movies:

  • D'Artagnan - brash and impulsive, the self-declared leader of the Musketeers. Voiced by Andy Turvey.
  • Athos - rarely says anything, but tends to do everything backwards, including riding his horse. Voiced by Jimmy Hibbert.
  • Porthos - large and fat, Porthos is always thinking of his stomach. Voiced by Christian Rodska.
  • Aramis - very flirtatious and feminine, often lapses into poetry. Voiced by Mike Drew.
  • M. de Tréville - the captain of the King's Musketeers. Voiced by Christian Rodska.
  • King Louis XIII - the ruler of France and commissioner of the Musketeers. Childish and moronic, he is easily duped by Richelieu. Voiced by Jimmy Hibbert
  • Anne of Austria - the King's wife. Beautiful, but ditsy, she talks in a slight lispy French tone to Francesca Gonshaw's character of Maria the waitress in the 'Allo 'Allo! comedy series, She often confides privately in Albert with instructions. Voiced by Joanna Wheeler.
  • Cardinal Richelieu - the Prime Minister of France, he seeks to undermine the King's authority at every turn and sends his guards to fight off the meddling Musketeers who threaten to disrupt his plans. Voiced by Mike Drew.
  • M'Lady - Richelieu's cunning female assistant. She has a tattoo of a fleur de lis on her shoulder that turns into a quacking duck. Voiced by Susan Sheridan.
  • The Duke of Buckingham - the love-crazed suitor of Queen Anne. Voiced by Dick Cadbury.

References
  1. Animation Magazine. Animation Magazine. October 1994. p. 53.
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