Another rumor mill has begun again within the depths of the internet now highlighting the unlikely animated series Courage the Cowardly Dog, and we confirm if the animation was based on a true story.

The animated series followed the titular anthropomorphic dog who lived with his elderly owners in a farmhouse, situated in the middle of “Nowhere”. Each episode followed a different narrative each week, where the trio had to navigate through disturbing events.

Courage the Cowardly Dog was an animated comedy series created by John R. Dilworth and debuted on Cartoon Network. Under Warner Bros. Domestic Television, the series premiered in 1999 and ended in 2002, accumulating four seasons each with 13 entries.

Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby Doo Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog | Warner Bros. Entertainment

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Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby Doo Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog | Warner Bros. Entertainment
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Millennials Whip Up a Storm Surrounding Courage’s True Story

As usual, Twitter gets a hold of a rumor and spreads it like wildfire to be taken as gospel, which has also happened concerning Courage’s true story.

Many millennials claimed to be “shocked” after finding out the show was based on a true story.

Another viewer from the 90s claimed they will always have their nightmares haunted by the revelation that Courage is based on truth.

Is Courage the Cowardly Dog Based on a True Story?

No, despite some eerie reports of a similar couple existing in the real world with their dog in the middle of nowhere, the creator of the show has never confirmed Courage the Cowardly Dog is based on true events.

The only mention of the animation’s inspiration came from a report by The Boar, which stated John R. Dilworth’s influences to create the show:

“Creator John R. Dilworth has listed some of his varied inspirations in the past – Courage obviously draws a lot from classic horror and sci-fi films, but it also owes a lot to Salvador Dali and Tex Avery in how its visuals fused the cartoon with the abstract.”

Courage and his owned standing scared in the hallway in Courage the Cowardly Dog
Courage the Cowardly Dog – Cr. Cartoon Network UK, YouTube.

Courage the Cowardly Dog True Story Theories

Despite there being no official confirmation that Courage the Cowardly Dog was based on the following story, its contents do make for compelling reading.

The most famous, fictional origin of the animation came from a repost that included a picture of a low-lying house literally in the middle of nowhere. 

Blogger Alex Matsuo did some digging and discovered an elderly couple, William and Margaret Patterson, who lived in the Kern Place neighborhood next to New Mexico. 

The husband was meant to have a temper while his wife was well-mannered, similar to the characters in the show. The couple ended up disappearing and their whereabouts became a mystery to the El Paso police. It was later reported that their cat was left behind, but they never owned a dog.

Due to the Pattersons’ disappearance remaining unexplained, further theories emerged that their vanishing was part of a government conspiracy concerning UFOs and skinwalkers.

There was also talk of the Pattersons’ caretaker, who once found blood in the garage and part of a scalp on the couple’s boat, corroborated by a report from The Lineup.

The Patterson mystery is a compelling one to discuss to this day, but its connection to Courage the Cowardly Dog, for now, remains a conspiracy.

By Jo Craig – [email protected]

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