Canadian television show airing from 1984 to 1989
The Elephant Show
|
---|
Title card for seasons 3-5
|
Also known as
| Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show
|
---|
Starring
| Sharon, Lois & Bram
Paula Gallivan
Eric Nagler
|
---|
Opening theme
| "One Elephant Went Out to Play"
|
---|
Ending theme
| "
Skinnamarink
"
|
---|
Country of origin
| Canada
|
---|
Original language
| English
|
---|
No.
of seasons
| 5
|
---|
No.
of episodes
| 65
(
list of episodes
)
|
---|
|
Production locations
| Toronto
,
Ontario
|
---|
Running time
| 30 minutes
|
---|
Production companies
| Cambium Film & Video Productions, Ltd.
|
---|
|
Network
| CBC
|
---|
Release
| October 8, 1984
(
1984-10-08
)
?
February 26, 1989
(
1989-02-26
)
|
---|
|
Skinnamarink TV
|
The Elephant Show
(from the second season onward,
Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show
) is a Canadian preschool television show.
[1]
It premiered on CBC on October 8, 1984, and ended on February 26, 1989, after 65 episodes over five seasons.
Summary
[
edit
]
The Elephant Show
features the adventures of the Canadian singing trio
Sharon, Lois & Bram
and Elephant (Paula Gallivan in an elephant costume). Elephant doesn't speak but is voiced by a
tuba
(played by
Scott Irvine
), which conveys thoughts and mood by its pitch and inflection. The four are usually accompanied by a group of children and a
sidekick
, family entertainer
Eric Nagler
[2]
.
Every week Sharon, Lois & Bram, along with Eric Nagler, are joined by the curious and fun-loving antics of their pachyderm pal Elephant and such guest artists as
Toller Cranston
,
Louis Del Grande
,
Jayne Eastwood
,
Murray McLauchlan
,
Chuck Mangione
,
Andrea Martin
,
Mendelson Joe
and
Jan Rube?
.
[
citation needed
]
Almost every episode contains a concert segment, featuring Sharon, Lois & Bram, Eric and the Mammoth Band. They sing songs and help children with their problems (including arguments, fear and the failure of plans). In most episodes, the group travels to a new location (such as school, museum or zoo). They occasionally stay home and have an adventure in their yard (like building a tree fort or encountering a grumpy neighbour). The show occasionally includes a social lesson (such as a pro
UNICEF
discussion). Sharon, Lois and Bram appeared in advertisements during the show's original run, encouraging parents to vaccinate their children against
polio
,
mumps
and
rubella
. Each episode concludes with the song "
Skinnamarink
", which was often performed twice.
The show enjoyed top ratings in Canada and had consistently been rated one of the top three programs on
Nickelodeon
in the United States.
[3]
[4]
In 1993, a panel of experts at
TV Guide
rated
The Elephant Show
the #2 program for preschoolers, beating
Sesame Street
(#5) and
Barney & Friends
(#9). In the years following the final season, the show remained on Nickelodeon until it aired for the last time on October 21, 1994. By that time,
The Elephant Show
had aired 65 episodes in five seasons (plus the specials
Live in Your Living Room
and
Back by Popular Demand
, which compiled concert performances from the show with some new narration) and had been viewed in Canada and the United States, reaching over 100 million viewers.
[
citation needed
]
After the series ended, Eric Nagler starred in his own series,
Eric's World
, produced by
The Elephant Show'
s producer, Cambium Productions. The series aired season 1 only with 13 episodes originally from 1984 of
TVOntario
until 1993 and then on
Global
around 1996 with half episode scenes recorded until 1997.
Credits
[
edit
]
- Directed by: George Bloomfield, Michael McNarama
- Produced by: Arnie Zipursky, Bruce Glawson
- Associate producer & production manager: Charles Zamaria
- Concert directed by: Stan Swan
- Music directors: Joe Hampson, Ray Parker, Paul Mills
- Choreographers: Don Calderwood, Paula Gallivan
- Art director: Susan Longmire
- Property masters: Ray Lorenz
- Set dresser: Ane Christensen
- On-line editor: Bob Doughty
- 1st camera: Simon Darylmple
- Lighting director: Roger Bate
- Best boy: Thomas Bate
- Key grips: Cynthia Darlow
- Music production assistant: Randi Hampson
- Animation: Trickett Productions, Inc.
- Multi-track remote: Comfort Sound
Home video
[
edit
]
The show has not been released on
DVD
in its original form as of yet, although there is a compilation video (along with
Treetown
) titled
Nursery Rhymes and Bedtime Songs
, which was also released as part of the
Kids Learn to 6 Pack
DVD under the name
Stories, Rhymes and Lullabies
.
[5]
References
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]