Pepper Ann is an American animated series created by Sue Rose and aired on ABC. It debuted on September 13, 1997, and ended on November 18, 2000. It also aired on Toon Disney until 2005. Pepper Ann was the very first animated television series for Disney to be created by a woman, followed 15 years later by Star vs. the Forces of Evil (created by Daron Nefcy).
Pepper Ann stars adolescents and charts their ups and downs at Hazelnut Middle School. It aired as part of the Disney's One Saturday Morning block. The character originated in a comic strip published in YM magazine.
The show's plots were generally typical of the developing format that has risen out of federal E/I requirements: Pepper Ann is presented with a moral dilemma, chooses the wrong decision, faces the consequences and learns a moral lesson. The series was mostly rated TV-Y, with the exception of the season 1 finale "In Support Of" (which tangentially made references to puberty and breast growth), which was rated TV-Y7.
At the end of the opening sequence, she always finds something different under her desk (similar to The Simpsons' couch gag), such as a mood ring or maracas (also the letter Q in the episode "Vanessa Less Tessa", a glowing green stick in the episode "Hazelnut's Finest", a singing Dieter doll in the episode "Presenting Stewart Waldinger", Mardi Gras beads, and her [Pepper Ann's] remote control in the episode "Radio Freak Hazelnut"). In season one, she always finds "five bucks".
Characters
Pepper Ann Pearson (voiced by Kathleen Wilhoite): The 12-year-old protagonist of the series, whose emotions come out in fantasies.
Nicky Anais Little (voiced by Clea Lewis): Pepper Ann's best friend. She is soft-spoken and an overachieving violinist. Nicky used to be a bully and skipped Kindergarten when she started school. Nicky eventually became a nice person and switched from First Grade to Kindergarten.
Milo Kamalani (voiced by Danny Cooksey): Other best friend of Pepper Ann, who he calls "P.A." for short. He is a very eccentric and highly dramatic artist.
Lydia Pearson (voiced by April Winchell): Overprotective divorced perky mother of Pepper Ann and Moose.
Margaret Rose "Moose" Pearson (voiced by Pamela Segall): Pepper Ann's tomboyish little sister.
Principal Hickey (voiced by Don Adams): Hazelnut Middle School's tough disciplinarian with zero tolerance for Pepper Ann's shenanigans.
Janie Lilly Diggety (voiced by Susan Tolsky): Pepper Ann and Moose's aunt, who served as a Green Beret.
Jo Jo Diggety (voiced by Tino Insana): Pepper Ann and Moose's uncle, who works as a cop.
Trinket St. Blair (voiced by Jenna von Oÿ): A popular rich and spoiled girl who is mean to Pepper Ann.
Dieter Lederhosen (voiced by Jeff Bennett): The German exchange student.
Cissy Rooney (voiced by Kath Soucie): A popular girl who is Trinket's friend.
Tessa & Vanessa James (voiced by Cree Summer): The twin school gossips.
Craig Bean (voiced by Jeff Bennett): The cool 8th grader, and Pepper Ann's love interest.
Sherie Spleen (voiced by April Winchell): Anchor Woman News
Pepper Ann and Lydia make a cameo appearance in the first House of Mouse episode, "The Stolen Cartoons." They are the only Walt Disney Television Animation characters ever to appear on House of Mouse, which otherwise only used characters from Disney's features and classic shorts (and sometimes comics). Lydia says "Don't touch the villain, dear," to Pepper Ann after Pete falls out of the sky after being kicked out of the club.
