"The Electric Company" (1971) TV series 1971-1977

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Writers:

Sara Compton (writer)
Paul Dooley (head writer) (1971-1972)
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

25 October 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Comedy

Tagline:

Hey, you guys!

Plot:

A comedy variety show that teaches basic phonetic and grammar concepts using live-action sketches, cartoons, songs, and Spider-Man episodes.

Plot Keywords:

Spider-Man | Part Animated | Smart | Scanimate | Hero

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 2 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Jim Boyd	...	Andy / ... (780 episodes, 1971-1977)
Morgan Freeman	...	Count Dracula / ... (780 episodes, 1971-1977)
Judy Graubart	...	Jennifer of the Jungle / ... (780 episodes, 1971-1977)
Skip Hinnant	...	Clam / ... (780 episodes, 1971-1977)
Rita Moreno	...	Carmela / ... (780 episodes, 1971-1977)
June Angela	...	Julie - Member of the Short Circus (780 episodes, 1971-1977)
Mel Brooks	...	Blond-Haired Cartoon Man (780 episodes, 1971-1977)
Luis Avalos	...	Dr. Doolats / ... (650 episodes, 1972-1977)
Joan Rivers	...	Narrator of 'The Adventures of Letterman' (650 episodes, 1972-1977)
Gene Wilder	...	Letterman (650 episodes, 1972-1977)
Zero Mostel	...	Spell Binder (650 episodes, 1972-1977)
Hattie Winston	...	Sylvia / ... (520 episodes, 1973-1977)
Melanie Henderson	...	Kathy - Member of the Short Circus (520 episodes, 1971-1975)
Steve Gustafson	...	Buddy - Member of the Short Circus (520 episodes, 1971-1975)
Danny Seagren	...	Spider-Man (390 episodes, 1974-1977)

(more)

Series Directed by
Henry Behar		(390 episodes, 1972-1975)
Bob Schwarz		(260 episodes, 1971-1977)
John Tracy		(130 episodes, 1975-1976)

Series Writing credits
Christopher Cerf		(260 episodes, 1971-1973)
John Boni		(130 episodes, 1972-1973)
Amy Ephron		(130 episodes, 1972-1973)
Paul Dooley		(unknown episodes, 1971-1972)
Thad Mumford		(unknown episodes, 1972-1977)
Sara Compton		(unknown episodes)
Tom Dunsmuir		(unknown episodes)
Elaine Laron		(unknown episodes)
Jeremy Stevens		(unknown episodes)
Jim Thurman		(unknown episodes)
Tom Whedon		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Naomi Foner	....	producer (unknown episodes, 1971-1973)
David D. Connell	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Joan Ganz Cooney	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Andrew B. Ferguson Jr.	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Samuel Y. Gibbon Jr.	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Walt Rauffer	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Wibby Ritchey	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)
Edith Zornow	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Clark Gesner		(780 episodes, 1971-1977)
Joe Raposo		(780 episodes, 1971-1977)
Gary William Friedman		(390 episodes, 1974-1977)
Dave Conner		(260 episodes, 1975-1977)
Tom Lehrer		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Diana Wenman		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Design by
Ron Baldwin		(unknown episodes)
Bill Bohnert		(unknown episodes)

Series Set Decoration by
Nat Mongioi		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
David Lowry	....	scenic artist (unknown episodes)
John Sherman	....	scenic artist (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Dick Maitland	....	sound effects (650 episodes, 1972-1977)
Bernard Fambrough	....	sound effects (130 episodes, 1971-1972)
Barbara Wood	....	sound effects (130 episodes, 1974-1975)
Nancy Tafoya	....	sound effects (130 episodes, 1976-1977)
Art Rosalin	....	sound (unknown episodes)
Allen B. Rosenstein	....	sound (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Lee Harrison III	....	Scanimate Inventor (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Len Rosolio	....	graphics (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Dick Weiss	....	lighting director (unknown episodes)

Series Animation Department
Faith Hubley	....	animator (780 episodes, 1971-1977)
John Hubley	....	animator (780 episodes, 1971-1977)
Chuck Jones	....	animator (520 episodes, 1973-1977)
R.O. Blechman	....	animator: specific segments (unknown episodes)
Robert Breer	....	animator (unknown episodes)
Helena Fierlinger	....	animator: specific segments (unknown episodes)
Paul Fierlinger	....	animator: specific segments (unknown episodes)
Gerald McDermott	....	animator: specific segments (unknown episodes)
Cliff Roberts	....	animator: specific segments (unknown episodes)
James Simon	....	animator: specific segments (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Conrad Carrano	....	editor: video tape (unknown episodes)
John Hutchison	....	editor: video tape (unknown episodes)
Patrick McKenna	....	editor: video tape (unknown episodes)
Jerry Newman	....	editor: video tape (unknown episodes)
Joe O'Dough	....	editor: video tape (unknown episodes)
Ben Wilder	....	editor: video tape (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Joe Raposo	....	musical director (390 episodes, 1971-1974)
Dave Conner	....	musical director (260 episodes, 1975-1977)
Gary William Friedman	....	musical director (130 episodes, 1974-1975)
Danny Epstein	....	music coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Will Vinton	....	claymation director (unknown episodes, 1976-1977)
Patricia Birch	....	choreographer (unknown episodes)
Alfred Broderick	....	stage manager (unknown episodes)
Michael Dutton	....	stage manager (unknown episodes)
Richard Forrest	....	associate director (unknown episodes)
Brooks Fountain	....	stage manager (unknown episodes)
Phillip Griddle	....	technical director (unknown episodes)
Jerry Keller	....	video (unknown episodes)
Ralph Mensch	....	technical director (unknown episodes)
Walt Rauffer	....	technical advisor (unknown episodes)
Charles Raymond	....	production stage manager (unknown episodes)
Stanley Spiro	....	associate director (unknown episodes)
Liz Thompson	....	choreographer (unknown episodes)
Rolf Wahl	....	video (unknown episodes)
Ron Weaver	....	director of operations (unknown episodes)
Harriet Wohl	....	associate director (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Children's Television Workshop (CTW)

Distributors

• Sesame Workshop (2000-) (worldwide) (all media)
• Children's Television Workshop (CTW) (1971-2000) (worldwide) (all media)
• Noggin (1999-2004) (USA) (TV)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1971-1985)
• Shout! Factory (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony BMG Music Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Computer Image

Other Companies

• Carnegie Corporation of New York  funding
• Chuck Jones Enterprises  animation (Road Runner-Wile E. Coyote segments) (uncredited)
• Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)  funding
• Ford Foundation  funding
• Hubley Studios  animaton (specific segments)
• Marvel Enterprises  Spider-Man courtesy of
• Mobil Oil Company  funding (1971-1972)
• Reeves Teletape  taping location
• U.S. Department of Education  funding
• U.S. Office of Education  funding
• Wantu Studios  animation (specific segments)
• Warner Bros. Records  soundtrack album

Also Known As:

"The Reading Program" (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

28 min (780 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:TV-Y | USA:TV-Y7 (some epiosodes) | USA:TV-G (1971-1985) | Singapore:G

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Children's Television Workshop (CTW)

Trivia:

Because sketches from previous seasons were reused in the same way that "Sesame Street" (1969) reused its sketches, the first season was in production for approximately 26 weeks, and this dwindled down to approximately 13 weeks of production for the sixth and final season.

Quotes:

[repeated line]
J. Arthur Crank: Who's the dummy writing this show?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Kate Hudson/Radiohead (#26.2)" (2000)

Hey You Guys! This Show Was Fun.

Hey You Guys! I really loved the Electric Company even though it was five years before my time. I can say that I learned a lot from this show. Just basic reading and grammatical skills that so many kids are lacking these days. This show was really fun and there were a lot of people who made it that way. They really need to make more educational programs just like this so that kids can keep an opened mind as to what's out there rather than relying on other TV shows that don't really have any educational value and do very little to stimulate young minds.

I'm surprised that this show isn't in syndication and hasn't been released on DVD and VHS because the Children's Television Workshop could profit very well from it.