The Animal Show

[davesdrums]

I noticed The Animal Show season two was filmed in the UK on the timeline? Can anyone provide any information on this show?

[JaniceFerSure]

Hiya,I hope this helps you.

Jim Henson's Animal Show premiered in 1994(to 1997,65 episodes in total). Jim Henson's Animal Show is an educational show primarily aimed at a preschool audience, but it also has something to offer older viewers. Because the show focuses on animals rather than basic concepts like the alphabet, non-preschool viewers can even learn some interesting things by watching it. It's kind of like a PBS nature show in which all the animals talk.Jake and Stinky are extremely engaging and warm hosts. Jake the polar bear (performed by Muppeteer Steve Whitmire) is a sensible father figure, laughing with Stinky and keeping the show moving. He's an incredibly beautiful puppet, with a very big, expressive face and huge black eyes that actually move and blink (thanks to the Henson remote-control technology). Stinky the skunk (Dave Goelz) is the comic member of the team. He gets excited about irrelevant things, asks silly questions, and tries to imitate other animals. The dynamic between the two hosts is a useful educating tool; Stinky will often get a funny wrong idea about something, which Jake will have to explain. :zany:

[Klonoa]

I loved The Animal Show. What JaniceFerSure posted about Stinky getting the wrong idea about something and Jake having to explain it is so true. I remember one time Stinky and Jake were watching an animal video and Stinky said, "Hey that one animal is giving the other a piggyback ride." and Jake said, "No, they're mating."

I have a question about The Animal Show. I always really liked the animal puppets they used on that show. Especially the Wildebeest puppet. One of my favorite Muppets is Joe the Armadillo from Kermit's Swamp Years (that's the only good part about Swamp Years, really). I couldn't imagine them making such a nice armadillo puppet just for Swamp Years, so I was wondering if there was an episode of The Animal Show where they talked about armadillos, and if Joe the Armadillo, or that same armadillo puppet under a different name, was on the show and they just reused it for the DVD documentary on Swamp Years? Anyone know? Anyone care?

--Klonoa
The Wildebeest puppet sounded like Joel from MST3K.

[Xerus]

I loved The Animal Show. What JaniceFerSure posted about Stinky getting the wrong idea about something and Jake having to explain it is so true. I remember one time Stinky and Jake were watching an animal video and Stinky said, "Hey that one animal is giving the other a piggyback ride." and Jake said, "No, they're mating."

I have a question about The Animal Show. I always really liked the animal puppets they used on that show. Especially the Wildebeest puppet. One of my favorite Muppets is Joe the Armadillo from Kermit's Swamp Years (that's the only good part about Swamp Years, really). I couldn't imagine them making such a nice armadillo puppet just for Swamp Years, so I was wondering if there was an episode of The Animal Show where they talked about armadillos, and if Joe the Armadillo, or that same armadillo puppet under a different name, was on the show and they just reused it for the DVD documentary on Swamp Years? Anyone know? Anyone care?

--Klonoa
The Wildebeest puppet sounded like Joel from MST3K.

Yes, I think the Animal Show is a very neat and creative series from the Henson company. It was fun watching the openning and wondering what kind of animals would be featured. But I kind of got dissapointed when they started bringing back animals they already interviewed. Like another Wart Hog and Baboon show when they alread did a Wart Hog and Walrus show and a Wolf and Baboon show. But it was still fun to watch.

And to answer your question. Yes, that same armadillo muppet was on the Animal Show. Only he was called Dooley and he had a voice that sounded like Arnold Horseshack. And he sang a song called, Armadillo Day, where a small town was having a festival to celebrate armadillos. That was neat.

[Klonoa]

Cool! Thanks for answering my question. Wonder if that's the last we'll see of Joe. Aw.

--Klonoa
Have an armadilly day!

[Xerus]

Cool! Thanks for answering my question. Wonder if that's the last we'll see of Joe. Aw.

--Klonoa
Have an armadilly day!

Thanks Klonoa and your welcome. :) I too wonder if we'll ever see Joe again too.

I've also seen some of those Animal Show made animals appear on Muppets Tonight and on Sesame Street.

Happy Armadilly day to you too! :)

Xerus

[Klonoa]

Xerus, have you seen this?

www.joethearmadillo.com

--Klonoa
Do you think the peacock on the 35th Sesame Street special was first on The Animal Show?

[Xerus]

Xerus, have you seen this?

www.joethearmadillo.com

--Klonoa
Do you think the peacock on the 35th Sesame Street special was first on The Animal Show?

That Joe site looked pretty interesting, even though all the links were still under construction. But I'll probably check back in a few days though. :)

And I don't think they ever had a peacock on The Animal Show at all. There were quite a few animals they left out on that series I think they should've had. Like the panda, platypus, bush baby, ladybug, locust, and termite.

[muppet_dk]

That Joe site looked pretty interesting, even though all the links were still under construction. But I'll probably check back in a few days though. :)
Don't bother. It's always under construction. It' been that way since 2002.

[Klonoa]

It's supposed to be always under construction. That's just the way Joe is! He's awesome.

Did they ever do frogs on The Animal Show? I think there might have been a frog puppet around that they could've used for that. Maybe. :)

--Klonoa

[Xerus]

It's supposed to be always under construction. That's just the way Joe is! He's awesome.

Did they ever do frogs on The Animal Show? I think there might have been a frog puppet around that they could've used for that. Maybe. :)

--Klonoa

Yes, the did an episode about the Kangaroo and the Frog. And another that's similar about the Toad and the Elephant Seal. And they did another frog show about the Owl and the Frog.

[teebs]

I never saw the show, but I heard that there was an episode that had a segment with Dave Goelz and his family. Does anyone have any more info on this?

[The Storyteller]

Does it come on TV in the US? What Channel? :concern:

[teebs]

Does it come on TV in the US? What Channel? :concern:
I don't think it airs in the US anymore...:(

[Xerus]

I know Steve Whitmire voices Jake. But doesn't Jake sound almost like Jim Henson though? With that deep fatherly voice of his? I bet Jim would've been proud of that series while watching it from Heaven.

[Klonoa]

I know Steve Whitmire voices Jake. But doesn't Jake sound almost like Jim Henson though? With that deep fatherly voice of his? I bet Jim would've been proud of that series while watching it from Heaven.

I thought The Animal Show was great. Very Henson-ey.

--Klonoa

[Xerus]

Another cool thing about The Animal Show is that around the beginning, they show animals films to classic songs from Fraggle Rock, Muppet Babies, and Muppet Movies. For example....

The Muppet Movie's "Moving Right Along" to a film about migrating animals.

Fraggle Rock's "Tree of Life", to a film about tree dwelling animals.

Fraggle Rock's "Catch the Tail by the Tiger", to a film about animal's with tails.

Muppet Babies' "Running Out of Time", to a film about endangered species.

And Zoot's and Mahna Mahna's "Sax and Violence" tune to a film about horned animals.

Yep, I'm sure you'd recognize some familiar songs from the past if you've watched this neat series. :)

[Skekayuk]

All three Seasons of The Animal Show were filmed in England. That's why apart from Dave Goelz and Steve Whitmire, they generally used their British puppeteers (such as: Louise Gold, Catherine Smee, and, Mike Quinn) on it. It would have made it easier not having to deal with work permits etc.

[Xerus]

All three Seasons of The Animal Show were filmed in England. That's why apart from Dave Goelz and Steve Whitmire, they generally used their British puppeteers (such as: Louise Gold, Catherine Smee, and, Mike Quinn) on it. It would have made it easier not having to deal with work permits etc.

Yep, it was filmed in England. And I heard they used the original writing staff and crew from the Muppet Show to make this series.

Also, just like how the Muppet Show lasted longer in England and some segments had to be cut in the states. The Animal Show was like that too. When it aired on FOX, the habitat time segments were cut. When it reaired on the Animal Planet channel. They included habitat time, but had to cut out either the Yves cooking skits, the Animal Awards, or the second Rhonda Rat interviews.

[Xerus]

Another thing I like about The Animal Show is how nobody is cruel or mean spirited on that show. When I first watched it, I always thought when these fierce animals like a tiger or lion would appear, they would start attacking everybody. But they're really friendly and well behaved. :)

It just shows that certain animals don't chase and eat other animals just to be mean. They only do it for food. In the Cheetah and Gazelle episode, the two guests got along pretty well with each other. Swifty the Cheetah wasn't hungry then so Tommy the Gazelle didn't have to fear him, for now.

[MuppetDude]

I never saw the show, but I heard that there was an episode that had a segment with Dave Goelz and his family. Does anyone have any more info on this?

Yes, there was an episode featuring a "Dave Goelz" Muppet. He was a guest on the show, and explained the life of a human (along with some footage of the real Dave with his family). Bill Baretta played him (since Dave was playing Stinky), and had a lot of fun with him. He gave him a sort of hysterical laugh, and did a sort of "Ee-yahh!" noise and shook his fists out. Very strange. :confused:

[CarburetorJane]

Any chance of us USers getting copies of this show?

[Xerus]

Any chance of us USers getting copies of this show?

I have all 65 Animal Show episodes on tape. But a couple of episodes have a few taping flaws though.

I'm willing to trade these shows for anything that's rare on video. Mostly any TV shows, specials, or movies you can't find anymore. Check the bottom of my video trading page to see what I'm looking for.

http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Academy/5000/vidtrade.html

[MuppetDude]

Xerus also sent me all of his episodes. :D :)