"Arthur" (1996) TV series 1996-????

Director:

Debra Toffan

Writers:

Cusi Cram (writer) (episode)
Peter Egan (writer)
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

Genre:

Animation | Family | Comedy | Fantasy

Plot:

The adventures of 8-year-old Aardvark Arthur Read. When he's not at home being hounded by his obnoxious...

Plot Keywords:

Best Friend | Friend | Aardvark | Mother Son Relationship | Friendship

Awards:

8 wins & 22 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Tue. Jan. 5	3:00 PM	PBS	Sleep No More; Pet Peeved	#5.7
Wed. Jan. 6	3:00 PM	PBS	The Last of Mary Moo Cow; Bitzi's Beau	#5.8

Cast

Cameron Ansell	...	Arthur Timothy Read / ... (30 episodes, 2004-2007)
Robert Naylor	...	Dora Winifred 'D.W.' Read / ... (26 episodes, 2007-2009)
Dallas Jokic	...	Arthur Timothy Read (24 episodes, 2008-2009)
Daniel Brochu	...	Buster Baxter (22 episodes, 1996-2006)
Michael Yarmush	...	Arthur Timothy Read (19 episodes, 1996-2001)
Bruce Dinsmore	...	David Read; Binky Barnes / ... (18 episodes, 1996-2006)
Jodie Resther	...	Francine Alice Frensky (18 episodes, 1996-2006)
Arthur Holden	...	Emil Nigel Ratburn III (17 episodes, 1996-2006)
Tamar Kozlov	...	Prunella / ... (17 episodes, 1996-2006)
Holly G. Frankel	...	Fern Walters (17 episodes, 1996-2006)
Lyle O'Donohoe	...	Alan 'The Brain' Powers (17 episodes, 2008-2009)
Melissa Altro	...	Mary Alice Crosswire (16 episodes, 1996-2006)
Bronwen Mantel	...	Mrs. Sarah MacGrady (16 episodes, 1996-2006)
Patricia Rodriguez	...	Sue Ellen Armstrong (16 episodes, 1996-2003)
Vanessa Lengies	...	Emily (16 episodes, 1996-2006)
Ellen David	...	Bitzi Baxter (16 episodes, 1997-2006)
Sonja Ball	...	Jane Read (15 episodes, 1996-2006)
Walter Massey	...	Principal Herbert Haney (15 episodes, 1996-2006)
Joanna Noyes	...	Grandma Thora Read (15 episodes, 1996-2006)
A.J. Henderson	...	Grandpa Dave; Ed Crosswire (15 episodes, 1996-2006)
Kate Hutchison	...	Paige Turner (15 episodes, 1996-2006)
Hayley Reynolds	...	Nadine (15 episodes, 1996-2006)
Eleanor Noble	...	George / ... (15 episodes, 1997-2006)
Mark Camacho	...	Oliver Frensky (15 episodes, 1996-2006)
Maggie Castle	...	Molly (14 episodes, 1997-2006)
Harald Winter	...	Patron (14 episodes, 1997-2006)

Series Directed by
Greg Bailey		(8 episodes, 1996-2005)
Debra Toffan		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Marc Brown		(155 episodes, 1996-2009)
Allan Neuwirth		(2 episodes, 2008-2009)
Stephanie Simpson		(unknown episodes, 2003)
Cusi Cram		(unknown episodes)
Peter Egan		(unknown episodes)
Joe Fallon		(unknown episodes)
Peter K. Hirsch		(unknown episodes)
Michelle Lamoreaux		(unknown episodes)
Joseph Purdy		(unknown episodes)
Nick Raposo		(unknown episodes)
Judy Rothman Rofé		(unknown episodes)
Ken Scarborough		(unknown episodes)
Dietrich Smith		(unknown episodes)
Matt Steinglass		(unknown episodes)
Terence Taylor		(unknown episodes)
Mathayu Warren-Lane		(unknown episodes)
Kathy Waugh		(unknown episodes)
Sandra Willard		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Tolon Brown	....	producer (30 episodes, 2005-2008)
Danielle Gillis	....	associate producer (3 episodes, 2007)
Geoff Adams	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Greg Bailey	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Marc Brown	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Micheline Charest	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Diane Dallaire	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Jacqui Deegan	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Carol Greenwald	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Paul Higgins	....	coordinating producer (unknown episodes)
Cassandra Schafhausen	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Lesley Taylor	....	line producer (unknown episodes)
Toper Taylor	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Pierre Valette	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Ronald A. Weinberg	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Judith Henderson		(30 episodes, 1996-1997)
Raymond C. Fabi		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Nathalie Rossin		(27 episodes, 1996-2005)
Kelly Kincaid		(6 episodes, 2006-2007)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Waldren	....	assistant director (1 episode, 2000)

Series Art Department
John Pagan	....	storyboard artist (2 episodes, 1996)
Norm Roen	....	storyboard artist (2 episodes, 1996)
Wayne Millett	....	design supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Louis Collin	....	supervising sound editor (154 episodes, 1996-2009)
Benoît Coaillier	....	sound re-recording mixer (86 episodes, 1997-2003)
Marie-Pierre Grenier	....	foley assistant (44 episodes, 1996-2005)
François Arbour	....	dialogue recordist (44 episodes, 1996-2003)
Pierre L'Abbé	....	sound re-recording mixer (29 episodes, 2006-2009)
Kelly Kincaid	....	dialogue editor (16 episodes, 1997-2007)
Alain Roy	....	sound re-recording mixer (7 episodes, 1996-1997)
Mario Choquette	....	sound effects editor (6 episodes, 2002-2004)
Henry Godding Jr.	....	dialogue recordist (unknown episodes)
Philippe Pelletier	....	second re-recording engineer (unknown episodes)
Jean Christophe Verbert	....	sound re-recording mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Animation Department
Sebastian Grunstra	....	animation timing director (2 episodes, 2000-2007)
Paula Irvine	....	lip assignment (2 episodes, 2000-2007)
Al Jeffery	....	animation timing director (2 episodes, 2000-2007)
Dev Ramsaran	....	animation timing director (2 episodes, 2000-2007)
Rich Morris	....	character designer (unknown episodes)
Chi Chung Tse	....	animation layout artist (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Judith Henderson	....	composer: theme music (30 episodes, 1996-1997)

Series Other crew
Ken Scarborough	....	story editor (75 episodes, 1996-1999)
Andrew Gryn	....	talent coordinator (unknown episodes)
Debra Toffan	....	voice director (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• CINAR (????-????)
• Cookie Jar Entertainment
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
• WGBH

Distributors

• Amazonia Films (2005-2008) (Venezuela) (TV)
• Club Super 3 (1999) (Spain) (TV)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
• Televisión Española (TVE) (1999) (Spain) (TV)

Other Companies

• Akom Production Company  animation
• Arthur Vining Davis Foundations  funding
• Baby Gap  sponsoring
• Chuck E. Cheese's  funding
• Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)  funding
• Kraft Foods Inc.  funding
• LEGO  sponsoring (as Lego Group)
• Libby's Juicy Juice  sponsoring
• National Endowment for Children's Educational Television  funding
• Polaroid  sponsoring
• Post Cereals  sponsoring
• U.S. Department of Education  funding

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

UK:U | Malaysia:U | USA:TV-Y

Company:

CINAR

Trivia:

Arthur appeared as a guest in hand puppet form in a 1999 episode of _"Mister Rogers Neighborhood" (1968)_, in which Mister Rogers makes a visit to Marc Brown's house and, later, Arthur makes a visit to the Neighborhood of Make Believe. Mister Rogers himself appeared (as an aardvark) in two episodes of Arthur. (One of these episodes, Elwood City Turns 100, was aired after Rogers' death.)

Goofs:

Continuity: In "D.W.'s Baby", when D.W. is playing with her toy truck on the floor, it's brown, but when she offers it to Baby Kate, it's blue.

Quotes:

Voice on Commercial: Tina Tina Tiny Tina Tina Tina Tiny Tina Tiny the Talking Tabby.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Lonesome Jim (2005)

Soundtrack:

Arthur Theme Song

One of the best shows of the 1990s? You bet!

A recent article in (I believe) USA Today named a critic's picks for top shows of the 1990s. As someone who despises mainstream movies and television, I laughed at every show picked. With the notable exception of one. "Arthur." Now there was a show the critic and I could agree on. Arthur features more intelligence, wit, humour and maturity than just about anything else out there and that includes prime time shows. Arthur is a rare children's series that can be enjoyed by both children and adults and truer words were never spoken. Arthur is not "dumbed down" in any way. It refuses to treat it's young audience with anything but respect for their intelligence and feelings. Problems are dealt with in a realistic manner and each of the characters has a distinct personality and come from diverse backgrounds. This is shown in several stories that do not focus on Arthur and his sister, DW (she steals the show by the way) but the supporting cast like Buster, Muffy and my favorite character, the tomboy Francine. Muffy is a rich priss, Francine and her family come from a working class background, the gluttonous Buster's parents are divorced, Sue Ellen and her family have travelled the world and the perceived bully, Binky Barnes, is anything but. The producers need to be commended in their effort to make every character a seperate individual and to give them stories in which they can shine.

I'm 28 and cannot miss an episode of this series. Arthur proves that children's shows can (and should) "grow up." TV wouldn't be such a vast wasteland if more shows (for children and grown ups) would take a lesson from Arthur. It really is "that good."