Media Log: Children and Family Programming
Children and Family Programming
Ashpet: An American Cinderella
Drama
Based on an Appalachian version of Cinderella, this drama is set in the rural South during the early years of World War II. (See also Soldier Jack and Mutzmag.)
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Folktale Film Group, Delaplane, VA
YEAR PRODUCED: 1990 (first broadcast as part of Tales From the Brothers Grim)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Mimi Davenport
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Tom Davenport
WRITER: Roger Manley
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Tom Kaufman
EDITOR: Randall Horte
NARRATOR: Louise Anderson
CAST: Kelly Mancini, Susan Tolbert, Brilane Bowman, Louise Anderson, Nancy Robinette, Mitchell Riggs, Tim White
AWARDS: Houston International Film Festival, Gold Award; National Educational Film and Video Festival, Gold Apple; American Film Festival, Finalist; Sinking Creek Film Festival, Honorable Mention; CINE Golden Eagle; Baltimore International Film Festival, Bronze Medal; Columbus (OH) International Film Festival, Gold Award; New York Exposition of Short Films & Videos, Juror Award; American Library Association, Notable Film for Young Adults; International Film & Television Festival of New York, Bronze Medal; Rosebud Award, Washington, DC
PRINT MATERIAL: Study Guide available
FORMAT: 16mm, Video (45:00)
DISTRIBUTOR: Davenport Films
Booker
Drama
This drama focuses on a critical period in the early life of pioneering black educator and writer Booker T. Washington (1856–1915). The story traces his family’s transition from slavery to freedom at the end of the Civil War and the young Booker’s desire to learn to read in an environment where blacks had few opportunities for education.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: New Images Productions, Berkeley, CA
YEAR PRODUCED: 1983 (first broadcast on Wonderworks)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Avon Kirkland
PRODUCER: Whitney Green
DIRECTOR: Stan Lathan
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Jon Else
EDITOR: Stephen Stept
WRITERS: John Allman, Charles Johnson
CAST: Levar Burton, Shelley Duvall, James Bond III, Marian Mercer, Shavar Ross, C.C.H. Pounder, Marian Mercer, Thalmus Rasulala
AWARDS/FESTIVALS: Banff Television Festival, Best of Festival, Children; Houston Educational Film Festival, Silver Award; Birmingham International Education Film Festival, Best of Festival; Odyssey Institute Media Awards Competition, First Prize, Educational/After School; National Educational Film Festival, Best Film, Social Science; Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, Best of Festival; Los Angeles Herald Tribune, Selected among “Ten Best” TV programs; American Film Festival, Honorable Mention, Profiles; Writers’ Guild of America, Best Script, Children’s Category
FORMAT: 16mm, Video (40:00)
DISTRIBUTOR: Available in libraries (WorldCat)
Don’t Eat the Pictures: Sesame Street at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Drama
Don’t Eat the Pictures introduces children to many treasures of the New York Metropolitan Museum through the adventures of members of the Sesame Street gang, who find themselves accidentally locked up in the museum overnight.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Children’s Television Workshop, New York, NY
YEAR PRODUCED: 1983
PRODUCER: Dulcy Singer
DIRECTORS: Lisa Simon, Arlenne Sherman, Tony Geiss
WRITER: Tony Geiss
EDITOR: Matty Powers
CAST: James Mason, Fritz Weaver, Paul Dooley, the cast of Sesame Street
AWARD: International Children’s Programming Festival, Prix Jeunesse
FORMAT: Video (60:00)
DISTRIBUTOR: Available on YouTube
The Fig Tree
Drama
Set in rural Texas in 1905, this film is an adaptation of Katherine Anne Porter’s story about a nine-year-old girl whose eccentric great aunt helps her come to terms with the cycles of nature and the inevitability of human mortality.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATIONS: KERA-TV, Dallas, TX and Lumiere Productions, NY
YEAR PRODUCED: 1987 (first broadcast on Wonderworks)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Patricia Perini, Calvin Skaggs
PRODUCER: Terry Benes
DIRECTOR: Calvin Skaggs
ADAPTATION: Stephanie Keys
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Frank Prinzi
EDITOR: Jay Freund
CAST: Teresa Wright, Doris Roberts, Olivia Cole, William Converse-Roberts, Karron Graves
FORMAT: 16mm, Video (60:00)
DISTRIBUTOR: Available in libraries (WorldCat)
Historian As Detective
Radio Series (Drama and Documentary)
This series, created for adolescents, uses drama and commentary to recreate important moments in history and to depict investigative methods used by historians.
Program 1
The Papers of Benjamin Franklin
presents three segments from Franklin’s life (1706–90): his arrival in Philadelphia as a runaway teenager from Boston; his split over the American Revolution with his son William, Governor of New Jersey, who remained loyal to England; and his close relationship with his illegitimate grandson, Temple.
Program 2
The Writings of Francis Parkman
dramatizes the efforts of historian Francis Parkman (1823–93) to recreate the seventeenth and eighteenth-century struggle between England and France for North America.
Program 3
Historians in Wartime Service/D-Day Deceptions
traces the successful Allied plan to mislead the Nazi armies as to the timing and location of the D-Day invasion.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: WYNE-FM, Brooklyn, NY
YEAR PRODUCED: 1985
COPRODUCERS: Phillip Lewis, Irwin Gonshak, Gary Defrancesco, Cindy Raabe
WRITER: Irwin Gonshak
PRINT MATERIAL: Discussion Guides available
FORMAT: Audiocassette
3 (30:00) programs
DISTRIBUTOR: (none at this time)
Long Ago and Far Away
Dramatic Series
Long Ago and Far Away is a series for children 6 to 9 years old that presents dramatic productions based on children’s books, folktales, and fairy tales from around the world.
The Endowment supported the acquisition and broadcast rights for the first two seasons; partial production of The Fool of the World for the third season; and partial production of three shows in the fourth season: Merlin and the Dragons, The Emperor’s New Clothes, and Uncle Elephant
Program 1
Abel’s Island
Abel, an articulate and sophisticated mouse, struggles to escape from an island after a torrential rainstorm leaves him stranded there.
AWARDS: Emmy nominee, Best Animated Television Program; Action for Children’s Television Award, Outstanding Program; CINE Golden Eagle; American Film and Video Festival, Red Ribbon; Houston International Film and Video Festival, Gold Medal/First Prize for Animation
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATIONS: Michael Sporn Animation, Inc., New York, NY, and Italtoons Corporation/SSR-RTSI
YEAR PRODUCED: 1988
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Michael Sporn
ADAPTATION: Maxine Fisher, Michael Sporn (from the book by WilliamSteig)
VOICES: Tim Curry, Lionel Jeffries, Heidi Stallings
FORMAT: (30:00) Cel animation
Program 2
As Long As He Can Count the Cows
When a boy’s teacher tries to convince his family in Bhutan that he should have glasses, they are not persuaded that he needs them.
AWARDS: International Children’s Programming Festival, Prix Jeunesse; German UNESCO Commission, Cologne, Special Prize and Prize in the Category of Information
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Wide Film Service, Danmarks Radio, and Dandia, Denmark
YEAR PRODUCED: 1985
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Finn Clasen
ADAPTATION OR WRITER: Rumle Hammerick and Tim Cenius
NARRATOR: Brian Paterson
CAST: Ugey Dorji, Dawa Penior, Wangchuk Wangdi, Dago Tshering, Chopen, Tshering Dorji, Tashi Dori, Narjy
FORMAT: (30:00) Live-action
Program 3
Beauty and the Beast
A merchant’s daughter volunteers to live in the enchanted castle of the Beast to save her father’s life.
AWARDS: Chicago International Festival of Children’s Films, First Prize, Animation/Short Videotape; National Educational Film and Video Festival, Bronze Apple; CINE Golden Eagle; Parents Choice Award
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Lightyear Entertainment
YEAR PRODUCED: 1988
PRODUCER: Joshua Greene
DIRECTOR: Mordicai Gerstein
ADAPTATION: Mordicai Gerstein (inspired by the original 18th-century French story by Madame Leprince de Beaumont)
MUSIC: Ernest Traost
NARRATOR: Mia Farrow
FORMAT: (30:00) Cel animation
Program 4
Bill and Bunny
Bill and his family welcome the birth of his baby sister Bunny but have to come to terms with the fact that she is different.
AWARD: International Children’s Programming Festival, Prix Jeunnesse, Best Children’s Program
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Svenska Filminstitutet, Sweden
YEAR PRODUCED: 1984
PRODUCER: Lisbeth Gabrielsson
DIRECTOR: Jan Glasberg
ADAPTATION: Gunilla Bergstroms (from her own book)
NARRATOR: Kim Loughran
FORMAT: (30:00) Cel animation
Program 5
Bill the Minder
This program relates the adventures of a boy who becomes a minder, or babysitter, for his two young cousins.
AWARD: London Film Festival, Outstanding Film of the Year
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: for Bevanfield Films, England, in association with Link Licensing Limited
YEAR PRODUCED: 1985
PRODUCER: Mary Swindale
DIRECTOR: Timothy Forder
WRITER: Timothy Forder (based on the books by W. Heath Robinson)
NARRATOR: Peter Chelsom
FORMAT: (30:00) Cel animation
Program 6
The Boy in the Oak Tree
A young boy lives for years in a nest at the top of an oak tree to avoid eating his peas and mashed potatoes.
AWARD: International Children’s Programming Festival, Prix Jeunesse
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Sveriges Television, Malmo, Sweden
YEAR PRODUCED: 1987
PRODUCER: Bert Sundberg
DIRECTOR/WRITER: Ake Sandgren
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Lasse Bjorne
CAST: Richard Blom, Per Eggers, Sonja Hejdeman, Chess (the dog)
FORMAT: (30:00) Live-action, dubbed in English from the Swedish
Program 7
Circus Dreams
Three episodes explore the world of the traveling circus: a boy finds a magical pet; a sympathetic elephant returns a whale to the sea; and a woodcutter joins the circus after his forest is cut down by developers. (See also The Happy Circus.)
AWARD: Cesar Award (French Oscar)
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATIONS: La Maison de Cinema de Grenoble, Antenne 2, and Folimage-Valence, for the French series Le Cirque Bonheur: YEAR PRODUCED: 1986
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Jean-Pierre Bailly
CONCEIVED BY: Jacques-Remy Girerd with Annie Fratellini
DIRECTOR: Vincent Bidault, Jean-Pierre Chaligne, Guy Chanel
DIRECTORS/WRITERS: Circus Dream by Franck Flanquart and Pierre Scarella, The Elephant and the Whaleby Jacques-Remy Girerd, Timber the Woodsman by Alexandre Fletchet
NARRATOR: Tammy Grimes
FORMAT: (30:00) Model animation
Program 8
The Emperor’s New Clothes
This is an animated adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic story.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATIONS: Michael Sporn Animation, Inc.; Italtoons Corporation; and WGBH, Boston, MA
YEAR PRODUCED: 1990
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Michael Sporn
ADAPTATION: Maxine Fisher (from the tale by Hans Christian Andersen)
VOICES: Barnard Hughes, Kevin McCarthy
FORMAT: (30:00) Cel animation
Program 9
The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship
This classic Russian folktale concerns a Czar who announces he will give his daughter’s hand in marriage to the first man who brings him a flying ship. A good-natured simpleton succeeds and marries the princess.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATIONS: Cosgrove Hall Productions, Ltd., England and WGBH, Boston, MA
YEAR PRODUCED: 1990
PRODUCER: Chris Taylor
DIRECTOR: Francis Vose
ADAPTATION: John Hambley (from a classic Russian folktale)
VOICES: John Woodvine, Robin Bailey, Jimmy Hibbert, Barbara Wilshere, Alan Rothwell, Miriam Denham, Martin Jarvis, Edward Kelsey
NARRATOR: David Suchet
FORMAT: (60:00) Model animation
Program 10
Frog and Toad are Friends and Frog and Toad Together
These films present the adventures of the blustery Toad and patient Frog with a behind-the-scenes look at how the filmmaker creates and works with the puppets.
AWARDS/FESTIVALS: Frog and Toad are Friends: CINE Golden Eagle; ALSC Notable Children’s Film; Birmingham International Educational Film Festival; National Educational Film and Video Festival; Frog and Toad Together: CINE Golden Eagle; International Film and Television Festival of New York; Parent’s Choice Award; Los Angeles International Animation Festival; ALSC Notable Children’s Film; Chicago International Festival of Children’s Films; National Educational Film & Video Festival; Chicagoland Film Festival; Birmingham International Educational Film Festival
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Churchill Films, Los Angeles, CA
YEAR PRODUCED: Frog and Toad are Friends (1986), Together (1987)
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR/ADAPTATION: John Matthews (from books by Arnold Lobel)
VOICES: Hal Smith, Will Ryan
NARRATOR: Arnold Lobel for Frog and Toad are Friends
FORMAT: (two parts, 30:00 each) Model animation
Program 11
The Happy Circus
Three episodes explore the world of dreams and fantasy: a boy trapped in a subway stumbles into a magical adventure; a seal leaves the circus to find its true vocation; and two children find excitement when they sneak out of their house at night. (See also Circus Dreams.)
AWARD: Cesar Award (French Oscar)
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATIONS: La Maison de Cinema de Grenoble, Antenne 2, and Folimage-Valence, for the French series Le Cirque Bonheur: YEAR PRODUCED: 1986
PRODUCER: Jean-Pierre Bailly
DIRECTOR/WRITERS: The Small Multicolored Circus & The Two Little Nightwalkers by Jacques Remy-Girerd; The Baby Seal by Pierre Veck
NARRATOR: Tammy Grimes
FORMAT: (30:00) Model animation
Program 12
Hungarian Folk Tales
This program presents three classic Hungarian folktales: Johnny Raven, Pinko, and The Hedgehog. (See also More Hungarian Folktales.)
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Magyar Televizio
YEAR PRODUCED: 1985
PRODUCER: Ferenc Mikulas
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Marcell Jankovics
DIRECTORS: Joszef Haui, Maria Horvath, Zsusanna Krioskovics, Zoltan Madarasz
ADAPTATION: Marcell Jankovics (based on three classic Hungarian folktales)
NARRATOR: Tammy Grimes
FORMAT: (30:00) Cel animation
Program 13
Jazztime Tale
is an original story which takes place in 1919, at the height of the Harlem Renaissance. Two girls, one black and one white, meet by accident, become friends, and see the first performance of their friend, the young “Fats” Waller, in a vaudeville show.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATIONS: Michael Sporn Animation, Inc. for Italtoons Corporation and WGBH, Boston, MA
YEAR PRODUCED: 1991
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Guiliana Nicodemi, Sandy Cohen
DIRECTOR: Michael Sporn
WRITER: Maxine Fisher
EDITOR: Ed Askinazi
NARRATOR: Ruby Dee
FORMAT: Video (30:00) Cel Animation
Program 14
The Man Who Planted Trees
A peaceful shepherd changes the face of a desolate mountain region and the lives of its inhabitants by planting thousands of trees.
AWARDS: Academy Award, Best Animation; International Animated Film Festival, Grand Prize; Ottawa International Animation Festival, Grand Jury Award
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Société Radio-Canada, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Montreal
YEAR PRODUCED: 1987
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR/DESIGN & ANIMATION: Frederic Back
ADAPTATION: Frederic Back (from the book by Jean Giono, translated by Jean Roberts)
EXECTIVE PRODUCER: Hubert Tison
NARRATOR: Christopher Plummer
FORMAT: (30:00) Rendered animation
Program 15
Merlin and the Dragons
A bedtime story from the magician Merlin dispels the doubts of young King Arthur about his ability to rule.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATIONS: Lightyear Entertainment, New York, NY for WGBH, Boston, MA
YEAR PRODUCED: 1990
PRODUCER: Joshua Greene
DIRECTORS: Dennis J. Woodyard, Hu Yihong
WRITER: original story by Jane Yolen based on Vita Merlini, Historia Brittonum by Nennius, and Historia Regnum Brittaniae by Jeoffrey of Monmouth
NARRATOR: Kevin Kline
FORMAT: (30:00) Cel animation
Program 16
More Hungarian Folktales
Four traditional Hungarian folktales are recounted in this program: The Poor Man’s Vineyard, First the Dance, Then the Feast, The Wandering of the Needle, the Dog, the Egg, and the Rooster, and The Astronomer, the Thief, the Hunter, and the Tailor, (See also Hungarian Folktales.)
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Magyar Televizio
YEAR PRODUCED: 1985
PRODUCER: Ferenc Mikulas
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Marcell Jankovics
DIRECTORS: Joszef Haui, Maria Horvath, Zsusanna Krioskovics, Zoltan Madarasz
ADAPTATIONS: Marcell Jankovics (based on three classic Hungarian folktales)
MUSIC: Kalaka Hungarian Folk Group
NARRATOR: Tammy Grimes
FORMAT: (30:00) Cel animation
Program 17
Nightingale
In 14th-century Japan, an Emperor enamored by the lovely voice of a beautiful nightingale falls ill when she departs and cannot recover until her return.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: WGBH-TV, Boston, MA
YEAR PRODUCED: 1992
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Guiliana Nicodemi, Carol Greenwald
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Michael Sporn
WRITER: Maxine Fisher
EDITOR: Ed Askinazi
NARRATOR: Mako
AWARD/FESTIVALS: CINE Golden Eagle; American Film and Video Association Festival; Birmingham (England) Film Festival
FORMAT: Video (28:44)
Program 18
Noah’s Ark
Preparing to clear the world by flood, God instructs Noah and his family to build a huge ark and take on board one pair of every species of animal.
AWARDS: National Educational Film and Video Festival, Silver Apple; Action for Children’s Television Award; CINE Golden Eagle
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Lightyear Entertainment
YEAR PRODUCED: 1989
PRODUCER: Joshua M. Greene
DIRECTORS: Richard T. Morrison, Steven Majaury
ADAPTATION: Barbara Brenner (based on the Book of Genesis and on Peter Spier’s book, Noah’s Ark)
ANIMATED AT: Shanghai Animation Studio
NARRATOR: James Earl Jones
MUSIC: Stewart Copeland
FORMAT: (30:00) Cel animation
Program 19
Oh, Mr. Toad!
Mr. Toad, the pompous aristocrat from Wind in the Willows, is humbled when the weasels kidnap him and hire an impersonator to take his place.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Cosgrove Hall Productions, Ltd., England
YEAR PRODUCED: 1988
PRODUCERS: Mark Hall, Brian Cosgrove
DIRECTOR: Jackie Cockle
WRITER: Brian Trueman (inspired by Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in the Willows)
VOICES: Sir Michael Hordern, Peter Sullis, Richard Pearson, David Jason
FORMAT: (two parts, 30:00 each) Model animation
Program 20
Pegasus
is the story of the fabulous winged horse, as told by Uranea, youngest of the Muses.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: WGBH Educational Foundation, Boston, MA
YEAR PRODUCED: 1991
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Arne Holland
PRODUCERS: Joshua M. Greene
DIRECTOR: Marek Duchwald
WRITER: Doris Orgel
NARRATOR: Mia Farrow
FORMAT: Video (30:00) Cel Animation
Program 21
The Pied Piper of Hamelin
A mysterious stranger saves the medieval town of Hamelin from a plague of rats by luring them away with his magic pipe, but then puts his pipe to a different use.
AWARDS: International Children’s Programming Festival, Prix Jeunesse, Best Children’s Program; British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Best Children’s Program
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Cosgrove Hall Productions, Ltd., England
YEAR PRODUCED: 1980
PRODUCERS: Brian Cosgrove, Mark Hall
DIRECTOR: Mark Hall
ADAPTATION: Rosemary Anne Sisson (from the poem by Robert Browning)
NARRATOR: Robert Hardy
FORMAT: (30:00) Model animation
Program 22
Rarg
The blissful inhabitants of Rarg discover they exist only in the dream of a man named Edwin Barnes, and must find a way to stop Barnes from waking up when his alarm clock rings.
AWARDS: British Animation Festival, Best Children’s Animated Film; Chicago International Film Festival, Silver Plaque; British Academy of Film and Television Arts, nominated for Best Short Animated Film
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Hit Communications
YEAR PRODUCED: 1989
PRODUCER: Chris O’Hare
DIRECTOR/WRITER/ANIMATION: Tony Collingwood
VOICES: Nigel Hawthorne, Michael Gough, Ronnie Stevens
FORMAT: (30:00) Cell animation
Program 23
The Reluctant Dragon
A shepherd’s son befriends a dragon, who is more inclined to compose poetry than attack the frightened villagers.
AWARD: British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Best Animation
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Cosgrove Hall Productions, Ltd., England
YEAR PRODUCED: 1987
PRODUCER: Mark Hall, Brian Cosgrove
DIRECTOR: Bridget Appleby
ADAPTATION: Willis Hall (based on the book by Kenneth Grahame)
VOICES: Martin Jarvis, Simon Callow
FORMAT: (30:00) Model animation
Program 24
The Silver Cornet
Filmed in rural England, this film tells of a young boy’s determination to learn to play a cornet he has found in the barn.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Yorkshire Television, England
YEAR PRODUCED: 1985
PRODUCER: Joy Whitby
DIRECTOR: Peter Tabern
WRITER: Neil Innes
CAST: Adam Sedgwick, Elizabeth Mickery, Neil Phillips, Steve Morley, John Whittock, Ian Bleasdale, Mike Kay
FORMAT: (30:00) Live-action
Program 25
The Sleeping Princess
This program retells the story of a young princess who, after being put to sleep for one hundred years by a wicked fairy, is awakened by the kiss of a brave prince
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: BBC, England, for the series Jackanory Playhouse: YEAR PRODUCED: 1976
PRODUCER: Angela Beeching
DIRECTOR: Paul Stone
ADAPTATION: Kay McManus (based on Sleeping Beauty as told by the Brothers Grimm)
CAST: Bernard Cribbins, Sylvia Syms, Gabrielle Hamilton, Vivian Pickles, Peggyann Clifford, Georgina Kean, Peter Settelen
FORMAT: (30:00) Live-action
Program 26
Svatohor
In this Russian folktale, Svatohor (Saint Mountain) is a young hunter who must complete seemingly impossible tasks to save the czar from his enemies and win the hand of his daughter, Maria.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Czechoslovak Television, Bratislava
YEAR PRODUCED: 1984
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Ivan Renc
ADAPTATION: Ivan Renc (based on a Russian folktale)
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Vladimir Malik
NARRATOR: Tammy Grimes
FORMAT: (30:00) Model animation
Program 27
The Talking Parcel
Parrot, accompanied by a girl named Penelope and a comic Cockney toad, must rescue H.H. Junketbury and the land of Mythologia from the talons of the evil cockatrices.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Cosgrove Hall Productions, Ltd., England
YEAR PRODUCED: 1978
PRODUCER: Brian Cosgrove, Mark Hall
DIRECTOR: Brian Cosgrove
ADAPTATION: Rosemary Anne Sisson (from the book by Gerald Durrell)
VOICES: Lisa Norris, Freddie Jones, Mollie Sugden, Roy Kinnear, Edward Kelsey, Windsor Davies, Sir Michael Horden, Peter Woodthorpe, Harvey Ashby
FORMAT: (two parts, 30:00 each) Cel animation
Program 28
Uncle Elephant
After a young elephant loses his parents at sea, Uncle Elephant comes to comfort him with tricks, stories, and songs.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Churchill Films, Inc., Los Angeles, CA, and WGBH, Boston, MA
YEAR PRODUCED: 1991
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: John Matthews
ADAPTATION: John Matthews (from a book by Arnold Lobel)
VOICES: Not known yet
NARRATOR: Not known yet
FORMAT: (30:00) Model animation
Program 29
The Wind in the Willows
This is the story of an unusual group of friends: the wise Badger, the innocent Mole, the generous Rat, and the reckless Toad.
AWARDS: British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Best Children’s Program; International Emmy
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Cosgrove Hall Productions, Ltd., England
YEAR PRODUCED: 1983
PRODUCER: Mark Hall, Brian Cosgrove
DIRECTOR: Mark Hall
ADAPTATION: Rosemary Anne Sisson (based on the book by Kenneth Grahame)
VOICES: Richard Pearson, Ian Carmichael, David Jason, Sir Michael Hordern
FORMAT: (90:00) Model animation
SERIES PRODUCTION ORGANIZATIONS: WGBH, Boston, MA, in partnership with the International Reading Association, the Association for Library Services to Children, a division of the American Library Association, and the Library of Congress, Center for the Book
YEARS PRODUCED: see individual listings
SERIES EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: William Brennan (for Season I)
SERIES PROJECT DIRECTOR/EDITOR: Carol Greenwald (for Season I)
EXECUTIVE-IN-CHARGE OF SERIES: Kate Taylor
SERIES PRODUCER: Sandy Cohen
SERIES PROJECT DIRECTOR: Brigid Sullivan
HOST: James Earl Jones
SERIES AWARDS: National Education Association Award, Advancement of Learning through Broadcasting; Action for Children’s Television, Achievement in Children’s Television Award; National Catholic Association of Broadcasters and Communicators, Gabriel Award, Best National Children’s Program; International Film and Television Festival of New York, Gold Medal; Connoisseur Magazine, Connie Award, Best National Children’s Series; International Reading Association, Broadcast Media Award
PRINT MATERIAL: Educational materials available: Discussion and Activity Guide (32-pages, including lesson plans, written by Dr. Susan Hepler, children’s literature specialist and co-author of Children’s Literature in the Elementary School); student newspaper; booklists; poster
FORMAT: Video
Programs 1-8,11-16,18-23,25 (30:00); Programs 9,10,17,24 (60:00); Program 26 (90:00)
DISTRIBUTOR: Available on YouTube or contact: WGBH
Lost Treasure Hunt
Documentary
Lost Treasure Hunt brings history alive for young audiences as a modern-day animated adventure centered around lost artifacts of the past. In this half-hour pilot, a mysterious code from 1492 sends the main characters Ava and Dex on a hunt for clues. By analyzing historical records and examining artifacts, the characters must solve the mystery to keep the treasure from falling into the wrong hands. They travel to Italy, Spain, and the Caribbean, deciphering codes and avoiding enemy spies and counter-agents along the way. As they close in on the treasure, they discover details about the Columbus voyage that provide multiple viewpoints to this landmark event. Lost Treasure Hunt combines the work of nationally recognized educators and history scholars, with leading feature animation filmmakers from major studios like DreamWorks and Disney, to bring compelling, multi-layered stories to television.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Argosy Film Group, Estates, CA
YEAR PRODUCED: 2014
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Matt Davis, Corrine Wong
PRDUCER: Julie Moskowitz
DIRECTORS: Richard Bazley, Roque Ballesteros
WRITERS: David Rosenberg, Matt Davis
ANIMATION DIRECTOR: Alan Lau
EDITOR: Nolan Southerland
CAST: Yuri Lowenthal, Phil Lollar, Judy Sturm
AWARDS/FESTIVALS:
FORMAT: DVD (28:46)
DISTRIBUTOR: www.aptonline.org
Marion’s Men: The Life and Times of The Swamp Fox
Dramatic Radio Series
This series of radio dramas examines the life of Francis Marion, who commanded troops that practiced guerrilla action against British forces in South Carolina during the Revolutionary War.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Radio Arts Productions, New York, NY
YEAR PRODUCED: 1984
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Charles Potter
WRITER: Ralph Pezzullo
NARRATOR: Timothy Jerome
CAST: Chris Sarandon, Timothy Jerome, Paul Hecht, Merwin Goldsmith
FORMAT: Audiocassette
8 (30:00) programs on 4 cassettes
DISTRIBUTOR: Charles B. Potter
Mutzmag
Drama
Mutzmag is a traditional Appalachian folktale about a thirteen-year old girl and her two half-sisters, whose poverty and mother’s death prompt them to leave their mountain shack in search of better fortune. (See also Soldier Jack and Ashpet.)
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Davenport Films, Delaplane, VA
YEAR PRODUCED: 1991
PRODUCERS: Tom Davenport, Mimi Davenport
DIRECTOR: Tom Davenport
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR: Sarah Toth
WRITERS: Tom Davenport, Sarah Toth, Gary Carden
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Douglas Miller
EDITOR: Thom Sheperd
CAST: Robbie Sams, Bart Whitman, Stephanie Jones
AWARDS/FESTIVALS: Houston Worldfest Festival, Silver Award; Sinking Creek Festival, Cash Award; Athens (Ohio) Film Festival, Special Screening; The New England Children’s Film and Video Festival, Best Short Feature Film; Parent’s Choice, Gold Seal Award; Booklist, “25 Best Videos of 1993”
PRINT MATERIAL: Study Guide available
FORMAT: Video (51:00) (not 60:00)
DISTRIBUTOR: Davenport Films
Out of Time
Drama
Out of Time tells the story of two contemporary farm children who are mysteriously hurled back in time and trapped in the environment of the Baltimore harbor of 1851 until they can find the historical truth that will return them to the twentieth century.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Educational Film Center, Annandale, VA
YEAR PRODUCED: 1984 (first broadcast on NBC)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Ira H. Klugerman
PRODUCER: Donald Fouser
DIRECTOR: Michael Schweitzer
WRITERS: Ruth Pollak, Ira Klugerman, Patrick Prentice
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Tony Louis Cutrono
CAST: Adam Baldwin, Amy Locane, R.D. Robb
FORMAT: Video
(two versions, drama only 47:26, drama plus historical postscript 58:50)
DISTRIBUTOR: Available on YouTube
Rainbow’s End: An Introduction to the Humanities for Deaf Children
Documentary
Through a visit to the National Archives and a meeting with Thomas Jefferson, viewers and the on-camera cast of children and adults are exposed to concepts relating to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The program is intended for deaf and hearing audiences of children, ages eight to twelve.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATIONS: D.E.A.F. Media, Inc., Berkeley, CA
YEAR PRODUCED: 1985
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Susan Rutherford
ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS: Michael Cunningham, Louise Lo
DIRECTOR: Robert Zagone
DRAMATIC DIRECTOR: Freda Norman
WRITER: Rico Peterson
FORMAT: Video (30:00)
With sign language, closed captioning, and voice-over
DISTRIBUTOR: Sign Media, Inc.
Soldier Jack
Drama
In this adaptation of an Appalachian tale, a soldier returning from World War II captures Death in a magical sack. (See also Ashpet and Mutzmag.)
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Folktale Film Group, Delaplane, VA
YEAR PRODUCED: 1987
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Mimi Davenport
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Tom Davenport
WRITERS: Sarah Toth, Julian Yochum, Marcia Lynch, Tom Fuller
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Arnie Sirlin, Tom Kaufman
EDITORS: Marcia Lynch, Randy Horte
NARRATORS: Gary Slemp, Julian Yochum
CAST: Michael Heintzman, Kate Weber, Mark Jaster, Diane Couves, Nancy Robinette
AWARDS: International Festival of Children’s Film, Best Live Action Film; New York Film and Video Festival, Best Film for Young Adults; Chicago International Film Festival, Best Short Subject; The American Film Institute and Billboard Magazine’s American Video Conference, Best Short Fiction
PRINT MATERIAL: Study Guide available
FORMAT: 16mm, Video (40:00)
DISTRIBUTOR: Davenport Films
Songs Jumping in My Mouth
Radio Series (Drama and Documentary)
Songs Jumping in My Mouth is a series of thirteen programs designed for six to ten-year-old children in which three animal characters introduce aspects of history, culture, and ideas. (See also Word Stories.)
Program 1
Why?
This program explores children’s “why” questions and introduces the trio of animal characters—Hootenanny Granny, Ndovu, and Fe Fy Fly.
Program 2
How Things Came to Be
The animal trio wrestles with the origin of things and children give their original explanations.
Program 3
Mama’s Talk and Daddy’s Walk
Hootenanny Granny remembers the unusual ancestors in her family tree as children describe their own family traditions.
Program 4
What’s In a Name?
Unusual naming traditions and how children feel about their names are the focus of this program.
Program 5
Word Play
Funny words, mispronounced words, and word origins lead to a contest between Fe Fy Fly and Hootenanny Granny.
Program 6
Rhythm and Rhyme
Listeners are introduced to city jump rope champions and the rhythms of traditional and current childlore.
Program 7
I Am What I Eat
Ndovu gives a party and Fe Fy Fly shares recordings of children’s questions about family table customs.
Program 8
Past and Present Frogs
Nationally known storytellers share frog tales while children describe their own experiences with frogs.
Program 9
Imaginary Creatures
Ndovu meets the legendary hoop snake and children describe the creatures of their imagination.
Program 10
Inventions
Children learn about significant inventions and describe things they would like to invent.
Part 11
Marking Time
The animals celebrate a birthday and children describe personal milestones.
Part 12
Sharing With Others Across Time—Past
An antique music box links the past to the present as children describe family keepsakes.
Program 13
Sharing With Others Across Time—Future
The trio makes a time capsule for the future.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: WETA, Washington, DC
YEAR PRODUCED: 1983 (first broadcast on WETA-FM, then released on NPR)
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR/WRITER: Pamela Brooke
HOSTS: Yeardley Smith, Kelly Smith
AWARDS: Action for Children’s Television Award; Corporation for Public Broadcasting Specialized Audience Award; Broadcast Industry Conference Media Award; American Association of University Women’s Metropolitan Area Mass Media Award; National Education Association, Official Endorsement
PRINT MATERIAL: Discussion Guide available
FORMAT: Audiocassette 13 (30:00) programs
DISTRIBUTOR: Available in libraries (WorldCat)
A Story, A Story: Traditions in Storytelling for Children
Drama
These two animated programs are intended for children six to eight years of age. The first is based on Gail Haley’s Caldecot Medal-winning book, A Story, A Story, which recounts an African folktale; the second is Pete Seeger’s A Foolish Frog.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Weston Woods Institute, Inc., Weston, CT
YEAR PRODUCED: 1985
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Morton Schindel
PRODUCER: Terri Payne Butler
PROJECT DIRECTOR: Bena Kallick
DIRECTOR: Jerry Hughes
WRITER: Robert Brush
NARRATOR: Neil Innes
AWARDS: The Foolish Frog: American Film Festival, Red Ribbon; Columbus (OH) Film Festival, Chris Certificate
FORMAT: Video (l8:00)
A Story, A Story(10:00); The Foolish Frog (8:00)
DISTRIBUTOR: (non at this time)
Time Warp Trio
Drama
Joe, Sam, and Fred are ordinary ten year-old city kids. That is until Joe receives a magic book from his magician uncle and—bam!—they’re off! Along the way they meet everyone from Samurais in Shogun-era Japan, gladiators in ancient Rome, and Blackbeard himself on the open seas. Things get really interesting when the boys bump into their own great-granddaughters—Jodie, Samantha, and Freddi—three 10 year-old girls living in the year 2105. The two trios must use their skills and their smarts to outwit the Bad Guys, find the Book and warp back home.
Based on Jon Scieszka’s popular books of the same name, Time Warp Trio is designed for six to ten year-old children and combines history with humor and great stories. Each time-travel adventure is followed by a short kid-friendly coda that explores an aspect of history introduced during the adventure.
Program 1
The Not-So-Jolly Roger
Joe’s uncle gives him a mysterious book for his birthday (THE Book!), and when Fred wishes for buried treasure, the boys find themselves on the wrong end of the gun barrel of Edward Teach—more familiarly known as the vicious, infamous pirate Blackbeard.
Program 2
2105
A class trip to the Natural History Museum ends up zapping the guys one hundred years into the future. The Trio run into ray gun-toting robots and meet three mysterious girls who turn out to be their own great-granddaughters!
Program 3
Jinga All the Way
Jodie, Sam, and Fred land in seventeenth-century Angola and encounter African royalty, customs—and treachery! They join the fierce Queen Jinga and battle warring tribes in a trek along the Kwanza River on their way to a historic meeting with the Portuguese governor.
Program 4
You Can’t, but Genghis Khan
Fred, Joe, and Sam travel back to experience life and culture in Mongolia, ca. 1220. And their partner in adventure is nine year-old Temujin—the future Genghis Khan. Can the boys survive through another meal of mutton?
Program 5
Tut Tut
The Trio accidentally warps to ancient Egypt where they meet the young Pharoah Thutmose and, thanks to his evil minister Hatsnat, get a little too up close and personal with the mummification process.
Program 6
Sam Samurai
An accidental haiku sends Sam, Joe, and Fred back to the beginnings of the Tokugawa Shogunate, in 1600 Japan. Swords, samurai, and poetry contests challenge their talents.
Program 7
See You Later, Gladiator!
The Book transports Joe, Sam, and Fred back to ancient Rome 120 A.D.—and face-to-face with one big ol’ Gladiator. They’ve seen plenty of professional wrestling on TV—but will the smackdown body slam be enough to save them at the Coliseum?
Program 8
Lewis and Clark…and Jodie, Freddi, and Samantha
The girls’ wish for a camping trip transports them back to join Lewis and Clark on the first U.S. overland expedition to the Pacific Coast. Even with Sacajawea’s help, will Jodie, Samantha, and Freddi survive life in the snow-covered, bear-populated great outdoors?
Program 9
Viking It and Liking It
The boys want to play the video game Vikings Football Smashfest, but instead, find themselves in 1000 A.D. with a bunch of real Vikings! It’s one wild ride with Leif Ericson as they sail on his voyage of discovery to North America.
Program 10
Hey Kid, Want to Buy a Bridge?
There’s no place like home—a hundred years ago?! Joe, Fred, and Sam warp back to the brawling, sprawling city of New York at the end of the nineteenth century to witness the building of the Brooklyn Bridge and help to inspire Thomas Edison in his Menlo Park lab.
Program 11
Me Oh Maya
A basketball game gets interrupted and the boys find themselves in Chichen Itza, Mexico, in the middle of a Maya ringball court a thousand years ago! Of course in this game, the stakes are a little higher because if they lose, they lose their heads!
Program 12
The Good, the Bad, and the Goofy
The Trio discovers the hard way that life in the Old West is nothing like a cowboy movie. They need all of their tricks and wits to survive a stampede, a band of Cheyenne, and a full-blown charge of Custer’s Seventh Cavalry.
Program 13
Able Was I Ere I Saw Elba
Fred finds out firsthand what it means to have a Napoleon complex when he and Joe warp back to 1815 Paris and meet Napoleon Bonaparte. Luckily, Samantha is also there with pioneering aeronaut Sophie Blanchard, and the three of them experience the ride of their lives.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: WGBH Educational Foundation, Boston, MA
YEAR PRODUCED: 2005
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Carol Greenwald, Dorothea Gillim, Martha Ripp, Jim Rapsas
PRODUCERS: Jacqui Deegan, Patrick Downie, David Trexler
DIRECTOR: David Sanangelo
WRITERS: Peter K. Hirsch, Steve Granat, Cydne Clark, Kathy Waugh, Lazar Saric, Nick Raposo, Gentry Menzel, Gary Apple, Glen Berger CAST: Mark Rendall, Scott McCord, Darren Frost, Laurie Elliot, Paul Essiembre, Stephanie Martin, Raymond Accolas, Cal Dodd, Susan Roman, Tony Daniels, Sarah Gaddon, Sunday Muse, Laurie Elliot, Tracey Hoyt, Bill Colgate, Rob Tinkler, Alyson Sealy-Smith, Kim KuhteBul, Juan Chioran, Martin Roach, Michael Blake, Daniel Desanto, Dwayne Hill, Tajja Eisen, Michael Cohen, Gary Crawford, Annick Obonsawin, George Buza, Cam Ansell, Dennis Akiyama, Jonathan Potts, Karl Pruner, Dan Petronijiv, Howard Jerome, Stephanie Morganstern, Ted Atherton, Don Dickinson, Martin Roach, Rob Smith, Len Carlson, Richard Binsley, Michael Therriault, Joy Tanner, Harvey Atkin, Maurice Dean Wint, Jackie Burroughs, Ron Pardo, Bill Lynn
PRINT MATERIALS: Teacher’s Guide and Lesson Plan available at http://www.timewarptrio.com/parents-teachers/lessons
FORMAT: Video 22:30 each Flash Animation
DISTRIBUTORS: Available on YouTube
Traitor in My House
Drama
Traitor in My House is a Civil War drama based on chronicled events in the life of Elizabeth Van Lew, a Virginia aristocrat who ran a secret, pro-Union espionage operation throughout the war. The story is told from the point of view of her teenaged niece.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Educational Film Center, Annandale, VA
YEAR PRODUCED: 1989 (first broadcast on Wonderworks)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Stephen L. Rabin
PRODUCERS/WRITERS: Laverne Y. Berry, Rosemary Puglia-Ritvo
DIRECTOR: Nell Cox
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Bryan England
EDITOR: Gloria Whittemore
CAST: Mary Kay Place, Charles Dutton, Harris Yulin, Angela Goethals
FORMAT: Video (50:00)
DISTRIBUTOR: Educational Film Center
Willa: An American Snow White
Drama
Willa is a dramatic film of an Appalachian folktale version of the classic European fairytale Snow White.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Davenport Films, Inc., Delaplane, VA in association with Image Film/Video Center, Atlanta, GA
YEAR PRODUCED: 1997
PRODUCERS: Tom Davenport, Mimi Davenport
DIRECTOR: Tom Davenport
WRITERS: Gary Carden with Sarah Toth, Roger Manley, Mark Jaster, Jonny Elkes, Tom Davenport
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Doug Miller
EDITORS: Jonathan Hamilton, Matthew Jones
Production Design: Doug Ball
Music: Robert Goldstein
CAST: Caitlin O’Connell, Floyd King, John Neville-Andrews, Becky Stark, Jonny Elkes, Mark Jaster, Sammy Ross
AWARDS/FESTIVALS: American Library Association Andrew Carnegie medal for Excellence in Children’s Video
FORMAT: Video (85:00)
DISTRIBUTOR: Davenport Films
Word Stories
Radio Series (Drama and Documentary)
In this six-part radio series, three animal characters introduce children to the history and lore behind ordinary words. (See also Songs Jumping in My Mouth.)
Program 1
Word Play
is an introduction to the variety of words in the English language.
Program 2
Word People
explains the nature of an eponym, or a word that comes from a person’s name.
Program 3
Word Stories
traces the history of how some words came to be.
Program 4
Word Changes
explains how words change over time, and how they can start out meaning one thing and end up meaning another.
Program 5
Word Travels
explores how words travel when people do.
Program 6
Word Inventions
examines the idea and practice of creating words.
PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: The Radio Road Gang, Inc., Washington, DC
YEAR PRODUCED: 1989
PRODUCER/WRITER: Pamela Brooke
SOUND RECORDISTS: Donna Fox, William Brown III
ENGINEER: Michael Zook
MUSIC: George Fulginiti-Shakar, Cathy Fink, Tom Jones, Marcy Marxer, Rico Petrucelli
MUSIC PERFORMED BY: D.C. Youth Ensemble
NARRATOR: Vincent Prevost
CAST: Dianne Bye, Michael Howell, George Fulginiti-Shakar, and children
PRINT MATERIAL: Companion book of family activities available
AWARDS/FESTIVALS: International Radio Festival of New York, Gold Medal; Ohio State Award; NHK Japan Prize, Special Jury Commendation; Parents Choice Honor Award
FORMAT: Audiocassette
6 (30:00) programs on 3 cassettes, sold only as a set
DISTRIBUTOR: Radio Road Gang, Inc.