Some children fear being the new kid on the block. Not Spunky toddler Susie Carmichael (voiced by Cree Summer), though. She was considerably fearless. Her mother, Lucy, is a well-known doctor, and her father, Randy, is a writer for popular cartoon, Dummie Bears Show; they instilled confidence, supportiveness, and pride in Susie, which she shared with her imaginative neighborhood baby friends Tommy, Chuckie, and twins Phil and Lil. Tommy’s older cousin Angelica saw Susie as a rival, and often devised devious, mischievous plots to upstage her.
By the time Susie was in middle school she’d become quite the singer, a feisty teenaged sensation with the voice of an angle. Angelica didn’t like it, for the most part, but often found herself, like everyone else, being won over by Susie’s helpful nature and charm.
Cable television network Nickelodeon hit a grand slam with their now classic animated series Rugrats. Debuting in 1991 and created by Arlene Klasky, Garbor Csupo, and Paul Germaine, it was the second addition to their Nicktoons block of original programs.
Character Susie Carmichael and her outgoing family were introduced in Rugrats’ 75th episode, Season 2’s “Meet The Carmichaels”. The only African American characters on the show, it was their nature, not just their skin color, that made them standouts. The teenage adventures of Susie continued on award-winning spinoff, All Grown Up.
Cree Summer has voiced a number of memorable cartoon characters throughout her career. Many would agree Susie is one held close to their hearts. For the children of the 90s, those real life crawlers and toddlers whose first taste of toons was Nick’s Rugrats, Susie was their hero. A motivator and a defender, she represented playing fair has its rewards, it was okay to be different, and that you can make your wildest, most imaginative dreams come true. |THIS.
[By Mr. Joe Walker]
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