A Show of Hands (TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids A Show of Hands |
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Scene from the episode "Painting"
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| Created by | Tim Lagasse |
| Directed by | Tim Lagasse |
| Starring | Tim Lagasse Jim Napolitano |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Production location(s) | University of Connecticut (Storrs, Connecticut) |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 1 minute |
| Production company(s) | Nickelodeon Productions |
| Release | |
| Original network | Nickelodeon |
| Picture format | Black-and-white |
| Audio format | Monaural |
| Original release | 1992 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | Oobi Oobi: Dasdasi |
A Show of Hands is a fun series of short films made by puppeteer Tim Lagasse for Nickelodeon. Each film is about one minute long. They show personified hands doing short skits or cool visual tricks.
This series first aired on Nickelodeon in 1992. It was shown as a short break between longer shows. Reruns continued until 1997. A Show of Hands was also a first step for the TV show Oobi. That show also featured bare hands as characters. The title "A Show of Hands" is a clever play on words. It refers to the phrase "show of hands," but literally means a TV show about hands!
Tim Lagasse wrote, directed, and performed A Show of Hands. He made the series while studying Puppet Arts at the University of Connecticut. The films were shot in black and white. Only the small logo at the end of each film had color. After this series, Lagasse worked on Oobi. His work on A Show of Hands helped him get that job.
The films were very popular and won awards. They received honors from UNIMA and Broadcast Design International. In 2001, Lagasse even performed a longer live version of the skits. This happened at the HERE Arts Center in New York.
Contents
How the Show Works
The films in A Show of Hands all follow a similar pattern. They also have parts that appear in every episode.
Opening Scene
Each film starts with seven white-gloved hands. They form a cartoon face. This face then announces, "And now, Nickelodeon presents A Show of Hands!"
Main Skit
After the opening, the hands separate. Then, the main part of the short film begins. This usually involves individual hands acting out silent skits. They might tell a story or create a visual illusion.
Ending Scene
Once the skit finishes, an audience of hands appears. They give a big round of applause! The films then end with a shot of the Nickelodeon logo. This logo is painted orange on a hand.
Who Was in the Show?
- Tim Lagasse - He was the main performer.
- Jim Napolitano - He was an extra puppeteer.
Episodes List
There were six short episodes in the series. Each one showed hands doing something different and fun!
| Number | Title | Length | |
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| 01 | "Ballet" | 1:06 | |
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A group of hands performs a ballet dance.
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| 02 | "Bow Tying" | 1:00 | |
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Three hands learn to work together to tie a bow on a gift.
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| 03 | "Holding Hands" | 1:06 | |
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One hand tries to get another hand to hold its hand.
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| 04 | "Magic Trick" | Unknown | |
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Two pairs of magician hands do magic tricks with cards and water.
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| 05 | "Painting" | 1:00 | |
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An artist hand tries to paint a portrait, but the other hand won't stay still.
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| 06 | "Piano" | Unknown | |
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Two pairs of hands play a grand piano together.
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Awards and Recognition
A Show of Hands was recognized for its creativity and unique style.
| Year | Award Giver | Award Name | Winner | Result |
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| 1993 | Union Internationale de la Marionette | Citation for Excellence | Tim Lagasse | Won |
| Broadcast Design International | Broadcast Design Silver Award | Won |
