Eureka's Castle

[The Big Don]

I use to watch this show when it was on nickelodeon. I heard it was a Henson production. Can someone tell me where I can find episodes or more info on this. Thanks

[Jeffrey Gray]

No, it wasn't. But the people who did this show were very obviously inspired by Jim Henson...

[Janice & Mokey's Man]

Yeah, it was a neat li'l show---I especially loved the theme song, and the singin' stone fish on the fountain or what have you!

[Crazy Harry]

I wonder why Noggin doesn't show this program. I allways loved it when I was a kid. I even remember a good number of the characters names.

[Jeffrey Gray]

They DID show this program. They took it off when they changed Noggin's lineup to accommodate two specific demographics (namely, toddlers and 'tweens), instead of kids in general. This was the same time that they took The Electric Company, 3-2-1 Contact, Square One TV, and Bill Nye the Science Guy off of the daytime lineup and shoved them into late-night with Sesame Street Unpaved.

[kansasteen14]

I loved this show when I was little and they show sesame street unpaved during the day in my area.

[baby sinclair]

I'snt that big dragon on threre played by the same man who plays bear off of Bear in the big blue house; and also it is very likley we can get them to putback on noggin because they play the same stuff twice a week.So it's worth a try.

[Jeffrey Gray]

Yes, Noel McNeal, who plays Bear, also played Magellan the Dragon on Eureeka's Castle. Also, Pam Arciero (Grungetta on Sesame Street) played Quagmire and Emma; James Kroupa (Otto on Bear in the Big Blue House) was Batly, Sir Klank, and the Giant; and Brian Muehl (did various incidental characters in assorted Muppet productions) was Bogge and Mr. Knack. With all these Muppet performers on it, it's surprising that Henson WASN'T involved with this show. Guess the secondary puppeteers are allowed to moonlight...

[beaker]

One of MANY JHC ripoffs(puzzle place, gullah gullah, etc)
Then again over the years I call stuff Muppet ripoffs...but since JH reinvented children's programming and the art of puppetry as we know it...I guess it may be like calling a Boeing plane a ripoff of the Wright Brothers.

[Cantus Rock]

Well, I mean when a person/group revolutionizes a feild, its a bit hard to make anything that doesn't come arcoss as a knockoff. Although yes I will definitely admit that the puppets and the type of show could be concieved as a knock-off, I give a large amount of points for the concept of the show which I thought was really quite neat (the inner life of music box characters, what a cool theme).

I am a very big EC fan, thus I know a bit about the show. The interesting thing is, its actually an MTV production. No lie. I have a little Eureeka hand puppet with the copyright stampings to prove it. Probably the only good thing MTV has ever done since AEon Flux and Beavis and Butthead.

-Matt

[Jeffrey Gray]

It wasn't produced by MTV. It was produced by MTV NETWORKS, which is Viacom's cable-television division.

[Cantus Rock]

Right, MTV Networks, the overhead for MTV itself. That's the head company that produces and approves all of their programming (just below Viacom in the rankings). The name isn't as prominent as it was when EC was on, but if you look at old shows on MTV, they are all MTV Networks productions. So basically the TV Station didn't do it, but their overhead did.

-Matt

[Warrick]

Lets face it, Since the Muppets nearly every Hand Puppet Show looks like a Muppet rip Off.

No one knows how to make they're own individual look now, Its crazy !

See ya

[beaker]

>>>Lets face it, Since the Muppets nearly every Hand Puppet Show looks like a Muppet rip Off.

No one knows how to make they're own individual look now, Its crazy !<<<

Too true Warrick! (That's why I amended my post, heh)

[Cantus Rock]

Ya know...originality in anything is hard nowadays. So much has already been done. Its really a huge problem for me, being I really should figure out what I'm going to do with my life so I know what to do in college. But I just don't know. I mean, I think and think, but nothing new. All been done before. I know I'd like to work on the television, but I just can't figure it out yet. Well whatever, I guess theres always a promissing career in automobile sales waiting if I can't find my true calling.

So basically, give the copy-cats a little more slack. Its hard as *heck* to come up with an original idea, especially in childrens entertainment.

-Matt

[beaker]

>>>Ya know...originality in anything is hard nowadays. So much has already been done. Its really a huge problem for me, being I really should figure out what I'm going to do with my life so I know what to do in college. But I just don't know. I mean, I think and think, but nothing new. All been done before. I know I'd like to work on the television, but I just can't figure it out yet. Well whatever, I guess theres always a promissing career in automobile sales waiting if I can't find my true calling.<<<

Man, I never realized how much you sound just *like* me. Wow.
Yeah, Im gonna be completely honest...I feel kind of undecided in life...I have these big bright dreams of making movies, writing novels, etc...my more realistic goals of putting out a comic book will most likely be one of my to be accomplkished goals next year.

But yeah I too am trying to figure out what Im gonna do with my life...however, I shoul dhave some big news regarding some first steps Im taking next week. Anyways, to lift something from KSY, hope ya find your star! I hope everyone does!

[baby sinclair]

hey warrick are you a muppet maniac or a fraggle maniac

[Cantus Rock]

Yeah, Cor, you sounded alot like me in that post there. I am getting a few things connected slowly, hopefully by college I'll have some idea of who I am. Yeah...lookin' for my star...still lookin'...keep fishin'...weezer...:(

-Matt

[Buck-Beaver]

I'm jumping in to this thread late (Aren't I always?) but I loved EC! It hasn't aired in Canada for years but the show has quite a little following here.

- The puppets were built by 3-Design Studio Inc, the same folks who created puppets for "Wimzie's House", "Groundling Marsh", "The Puzzle Place" and most of the non-Muppet shows coming out of NYC. I've been trying to dig up info on 3-Design for years with little success, but I think alot of the builders come from the Muppets. They also design toys and do costumes I believe.

- MTV Networks (Viacom) owns Nick and Noggin

- All of the secondary puppeteers with the Muppets are non-exclusive to JHC, but I believe the 1st string puppeteers (Kevin, Steve, Dave, etc.) do have exclusive (and lucrative) contracts with JHC.

- Interestingly enough, while JHC never fretted over "EC" they did sue "Wimzie's House" which used very similar puppets to the "EC" ones also built by 3-Design Studio.

[matleo]

Hey Buck,
Kim Kroupa (the aforementioned batly) is one of the foundign members of 3 Design. They also built the puppets for "Betwen the Lions". I have few "Lions" contacts and have met the 3-Desgin folks once or twice but can't remember their names besides Kroupa's. Let me do some digging and I might be able find out more. If you have specific questions drop me a note and I'll see what I can find.

--Matt

[electricmayhem]

I was just thinking about EC the other day when i found an old coloring book of it i had. speaking of other puppet shows, did anyone here ever watch 'Under the Umbrella Tree'?

[Cantus Rock]

Electric Mayhem,
I spend a small part of every time I'm online looking for episodes of "Under the Umbrella Tree." I lived that show SO much. Who could forget Gloria, Iggy, Jacob...and of course their good friend Holly. :) I miss it so. Noone on the planet seemed to like it enough to tape it though :(

-Matt

[Janice & Mokey's Man]

I loved UTUT too! :) I used to watch it at my grandparents' when I was younger...*sigh* Ahhhh, the good ol' days... :)

[Buck-Beaver]

"Under The Umbrella Tree" was on in the US? I didn't know that! :cool:

The show was produced in Ottawa, Ontario for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It was created by Noreen Young, who is a very well known puppeteer and builder up here. Here's a few websites by folks who worked on the show:

Noreen Young Productions (http://www.noreenyoungproductions.com) - Online home of Noreen Young. The website has photos of Gloria, Maggie & BJ plus many of Noreen's other creations.

Matt Ficner (http://www.cyberus.ca/~ficnerjdm/matt/index.htm) is a Canadian puppeteer who began his career interning on this show and now performs in a variety of shows, including the new series "Ace Lightning."

Until recently the puppets from the show were on display at the CBC Broadcast Centre in Toronto. I think they are now part of the same exhibit at the Museum of Civilization in Ottawa. If you want to buy tapes of the show I think they are still available through CBC.

The mailing address I have for tape enquiries is:

CBC Enterprises
Box 500, Station A
Toronto, Ontario
M5W 1E6 Canada

You can also try contacting CBC Audience Relations through cbc.ca (http://www.cbc.ca).

Now - did anybody watch "Today's Special" or "Bookmice"?

[Cantus Rock]

Buck,
Are these commercial releases or per-episode tapes sold directly through the company? Do you know if they would be willing to see a complete run? I have never heard of "Today's Special" or "Bookmice," leading me to believe it hasn't aired in the US. Jeeze, you Canadians have all the fun!!! :)

-Matt

[matleo]

Oh no, "today's Special" aired in the US on Nickelodeon waaaay back in like '83 or so when Nick first started. It was about a dept. store and there was this mannequin who cam to lif ehwn they put a special hat on him and said the magic words that dme him ome alive and there was mouse (puppet) a security guard (puppet) and this woman Joni (I think) who..well, I don't really rmember what she did. She stockedthe shleves at night or something. it was weird. oh right, the show ony took place at night after the stoe had closed. I loved that sow. my wife and I were talkign about it just a few weeks ago.

Anybdy remember Pinwheel? How about Allegra's Window?

[beaker]

Matt!!! Holy cow, you remember Today's Special about the NYC department store! Ok, now ya wanna get into obscure 80's puppet shows? What about Great Space Coaster, Buster and Me, etc? Gosh I ate those show sup with a spoon when I was a kid!

[Cantus Rock]

Originally posted by matleo


Anybdy remember Pinwheel? How about Allegra's Window?

Pinwheel I never saw, but I do know a bit about it. That was one of the first Nick Jr. puppet shows as I recall reading. A precurser to Eureeka's Castle. Allegra's Window I remember seeing very few times, mainly because I watched an episode or 2 and didn't like it whatsoever.

-Matt

[Bean Bunny]

Does anybody remeber Gugga Gugga Island and some of the Fox preschool shows from late 90's like one with the animals on the island and this one show with Elephant toy and his friends.

[Buck-Beaver]

Originally posted by beaker
Matt!!! Holy cow, you remember Today's Special about the NYC department store! Today's Special was about a TORONTO department store Beaker!!! Crazy American lab assistants, you think everything is set in YOUR country! LOL :p

I think "Today's Special" ran on Nick or Disney in the US.

Cantus, I don't know what "Umbrella" tapes are available (it's probably not the whole run - they did about 260 episodes!). You could try contacting Noreen Young through the website I posted - it was her show so she will likely know better than anyone where to get tapes and what's available.

I think "Bookmice" had a run on TLC for a couple of years when they carried more kid's shows. Incidently, "Bookmice" was set in the library right across the street from us in Toronto! They only used the library for exteriors though - most of the show was shot on a soundstage somewhere else in the city.

[Cantus Rock]

Thank you Buck, you don't know how much happiness the hope of having UTUT episodes brings me.

Holy lord, I think I remember the "Bookmice" show your talking about. I remember a library with a bannester as you came in, and puppets going down it...It is all so vague, I really cant remember very well, but I do seem to remember somewhat. You know where to get episodes of that, Buck?

-Matt

[matleo]

Originally posted by beaker
Matt!!! Holy cow, you remember Today's Special about the NYC department store! Ok, now ya wanna get into obscure 80's puppet shows? What about Great Space Coaster, Buster and Me, etc? Gosh I ate those show sup with a spoon when I was a kid!

I don't remember Buster and Me, but Great Space Coaster!!! I loved that show. Kevin Clash, Jim Martin and Noel McNeal all worked on it too. Speaking of them, no one's mentioned "Puzzle Place" yet.

Buck,
You mean the world doesn't revolve around the United States?? excuse me Fella but this is America and if we want to claim that your little tv show department store belonged ot us, we have a right to!!! that's what makes this country great.....Taking things that don't belong to us (like TV shows) remember, noone about say... "man about the house", but "Three's Company" made John Ritter a star!!!!! *sigh* Trust a Canadian to forget how much better we are. ;-)

The Matt who isn't me,
Pinwheel was kind of an odd show. Sorta like Sesame but not really like Sesame at all. Lots of jumping around from piece to piece. There was a clown who never spoke. And the two boys who live inthe attic and a fortune teller, a vegetable saleman named Luigi these two bug tihngs, some newpaper editor named Smitty, and the green guy who hated everybody. this is about as much as I remember. I remember a segment with these claymation mice and somethng about these little hat people. That's about it.
"Allegra" was pretty cool. it was really aimed at pre-schoolers. Marty Robinson designed and built all the puppets and he, Pam Arciero and Kathy Mullen all puppeteered. The character Marty did was really neat becase it was this cat with a long pencil-neck. The main control for the neck and a few other functions sat in one hand and marty's other hand slipped into this cable harnass that allowed him to puppeter the mouth like he would a regular hand puppet. It's nuts. of course you then needed another puppeteer to do the hands. It's really an amazing little puppet. he also designed lower eylids for each of the puppets so they could look up as well as blink.

[BatlysMyHero]

Go to Amazon.com and look up Eurikas castle.. you can buy the episodes on vhs and dvd. thats what i plan to do.

[Erine81981]

Loved all the show your talking about. I keeped wonder what "Today Special" until ya'll discrabed it. I watched that show all the time. OHHHHH the good old days is right. I miss that show. I remember that the Mouse lived in like a little masion that had elavators that she would come out of from time to time. One epsidoe I remember so is the one where Ailens from outer space come to take the moust home with her and the characters don't want her to go and thinks about it and goes but then they find out she didn't go. I LOVED IT SO MUCH!!! Thanks for bring back alot of memiores.

[Princeton]

Is there a Eureka fansite that has pictures of the characters?

[Medbe Monster]

OMG! I absolutley loved Eureeka's Castle.

[Tim]

My good friend Cheryl Blaylock performed Eureeka and told me some "interesting" stories about the production. "3 Design Studios" did the puppets and Henson bullied them for a while about it.

BTW I have a couple of original "Eureeka" items available for purchace if anyone want's to PM me about them.

[Warrick]

Hi Tim,
Im interested. Let me know!

[Teenager's]

I just found this episode on Google Video

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1433418923019766221&q=Eureeka%27s+Castle

It was my first time watching it. I had Fun.....Noel McNeal sort of moves him like Big Bird at times I think,..so thats Cool....I was wondering...thats just a LARGE half body puppet with a tail right?

I was also wondering......is Eureeka a care giver? like a Babysitter or a Nanny?

[Erine81981]

That's right Teen. She was kind of like that but only at times. Now to Magellan she was kind of a nanny or babysitter. She always read books to him. I'll have to watch this later but ever halloween I watched this speical all the time.

[Tim]

I just found this episode on Google Video

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1433418923019766221&q=Eureeka%27s+Castle

I was wondering...thats just a LARGE half body puppet with a tail right?

I was also wondering......is Eureeka a care giver? like a Babysitter or a Nanny?
It was a half-body puppet and the tail was a separate puppet all together.
Cheryl HATED what they did with Eureeka. She started out this great bumbling wizard with lots of opportunity to make mistakes and learn, but by second season, they turned her into a "Mommy" for the others. She was totally P.O.ed at how they ruined the character's chances and what the show could have been.

[SillyRed]

Cheryl currently plays Frederica on Blue's Room. BTW Really, she was P. O. about that?

[Tim]

She just thought it was a waste of the character, and even offered to write better stuff. This was second season and Nick lost interest in the show by that time. It was all about getting their money out of it by then.

[Teheheman]

Oh god, I used to LOVE that show. I still have a Magellan puppet thingy. You know the rubber ones that look like it was an actual puppet or something. I think I got that in a happy meal or something. It was cool. I would love to see a comeback, start with T-shirts and then see how well they sell then maybe a DVD set, and then, who knows.

Daniel

[Ilikemuppets]

Wow! Thank you so much for that Special Teenager! Man, does thet ever bring back so many mamories. Mejellen has so many of Big Bid's mannerisms. ANd Joey Mazzarino was so awsome as the monster. That is some very well done puppetry and some really well constructed puppets. Battly some next level stuff. Thay's the kind of stuff Frank Oz pulls off! Boy was that ever awsome!

[Warrick]

Does anyone have any episodes of this that we could trade? I have lots of Henson material!