Bear in the Big Blue House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bear in the Big Blue House |
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| Genre | Children's television series |
| Created by | Mitchell Kriegman |
| Developed by | The Jim Henson Company |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 118 (list of episodes) |
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| Producer(s) | Richard A. Fernandes |
| Running time | 25 minutes |
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| Distributor | The Jim Henson Company Disney–ABC Domestic Television |
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| Original network | Playhouse Disney |
| Picture format | 4:3 480i (SDTV) |
| Audio format | Dolby Surround |
| Original release | October 20, 1997 – April 28, 2006 |
Bear in the Big Blue House is a popular American children's television series. It was created by Mitchell Kriegman and produced by Jim Henson Television. The show first aired on Disney Channel's Playhouse Disney block on October 20, 1997. The last new episode was shown on April 28, 2006. Reruns continued until May 6, 2007.
Contents
What Is Bear in the Big Blue House About?
Bear lives in a big, cozy blue house. He is a kind and caring friend to many. His friends include Ojo the bear cub, Tutter the mouse, Treelo the lemur, and otters Pip and Pop. They all live together and have many fun adventures.
Each episode helps kids learn important life skills. These include solving problems, sharing, and working together. The show always starts with a welcome song. It then focuses on a special theme, like "sleep" or "doctors." Songs and jokes are part of every episode. A character named Shadow tells stories using shadow puppets. At the end, Bear sings a goodbye song with Luna, the moon.
How Many Episodes Are There?
List of Bear in the Big Blue House episodes
Who Are the Main Characters?
The show features many memorable characters. Here are the main ones:
- Bear (performed by Noel MacNeal) – He is the main character. Bear is a tall, light brown bear who is very kind and loving. He takes care of his friends.
- Tutter (performed by Peter Linz) – A tiny, light blue mouse who loves cheese. He lives in a mousehole in Bear's kitchen. Many fans consider him a favorite character.
- Pip and Pop (performed by Peter Linz and Tyler Bunch) – These are two purple otter twins. They live in the otter pond near the Big Blue House.
- Ojo (performed by Vicki Eibner) – A curious red bear cub. She has a big imagination and is good friends with Treelo.
- Treelo (performed by Tyler Bunch) – A white, blue, and green lemur. He loves to play and dance. Treelo is always active and good friends with Ojo.
- Shadow (performed by Peter Linz, voiced by Tara Mooney) – A fun shadow girl. She loves to laugh, tell stories, and surprise Bear.
- Luna the Moon (operated by Peter Linz, voiced by Lynne Thigpen) – A talking moon. At the end of each episode, Bear talks with Luna about the day's theme. They sing "The Goodbye Song" together.
- Ray the Sun (operated by Peter Linz, voiced by Geoffrey Holder) – A talking sun. He often appears at the start of episodes. Ray sometimes tells Bear about the weather or sings the "Good Morning song."
Who Are the Supporting Characters?
Many other characters live in Woodland Valley:
- Grandma Flutter (performed by Alice Dinnean and Vicki Eibner) – Tutter's grandmother. She has a special dance called "The Grandma Mambo."
- Doc Hogg (performed by Tyler Bunch) – A pig who is the local doctor.
- Benny the Bat (performed by James Kroupa) – A fruit bat who lives in the attic of the house.
- Jeremiah Tortoise (performed by James Kroupa) – An older tortoise who lives in Woodland Valley.
- Lois (performed by Vicki Eibner) – A Blue-footed booby who sometimes misunderstands what her friends say.
- Annette (performed by Vicki Eibner) – An armadillo who runs the Woodland Valley Cinema. She is very shy.
- Henrietta Vanderpreen (performed by Vicki Eibner) – An ostrich who edits a local magazine.
- Skippy – A blind red squirrel who wears sunglasses and uses a cane. He is good friends with Treelo.
- Big Old Bullfrog (performed by Peter Linz) – A large bullfrog living in Woodland Valley.
- Jacques the Beaver (performed by Peter Linz) – A French beaver from Woodland Valley.
- Miss Maxwell (performed by Jennifer Barnhart) – A mouse who teaches at the Mouse School.
- Harry the Duck (performed by Eric Jacobson) – A duck who calls Bear "Mister Bear." He quacks loudly when upset.
- Otto and Etta Otter (performed by James Kroupa and Vicki Eibner) – Pip and Pop's grandparents. They run the Woodland Valley Library.
- Ursa (operated by Matt Vogel, voiced by Carmen Osbahr) – Bear's old friend from Mexico.
Some of these characters also appeared in a music video for the We Are Family Foundation. Bear even appeared on the TV show The Hollywood Squares.
Where Do the Characters Live?
The show takes place in a special area called Woodland Valley.
- Woodland Valley – This is the main village where the show's events happen. The Big Blue House is the most important spot. Woodland Valley also has a general store, post office, library, and movie theater.
- The Big Blue House – This is where Bear and his friends live. It looks small outside but is big and cozy inside. Bear runs a kind of daycare here. The house has a kitchen, living room, bathroom, and Bear's bedroom. There's also an attic and a balcony where Bear talks to Luna.
- Otter Pond – This is where Pip and Pop often hang out. Harry the Duck and his family also live here. It's a place with lots of plants and berries.
- Woodland Valley Library – A place for everyone to find books and resources. Otto and Etta Otter manage it. It has books, DVDs, and internet access. When a tree fell on it, the community helped rebuild it.
- Woodland Valley Cinema – The local movie theater. Annette the armadillo runs it. It's a fun place to watch movies and buy snacks.
- Woodland Valley Post Office – This is where mail is sent and received. Jeremiah Tortoise works here. He is a bit slow, so mail sometimes arrives late.
- Mouse School – A fun place for Tutter and his classmates to learn. Miss Maxwell is their teacher. Tutter joined the school soccer team here.
- Doc Hogg's Office – This is where Doc Hogg treats his patients. It has a waiting room with toys and books for kids.
- Sequoia City – A nearby town to Woodland Valley. It has a baseball team and radio stations. Bear and his friends once went on vacation there.
Why Did the Show End?
Bear in the Big Blue House was first made from 1997 to 2003. The show paused production for three years. This happened after Lynne Thigpen, who voiced Luna the moon, passed away.
In 2005, Tara Mooney, who voiced Shadow, shared that the team felt sad. She said their "hearts just weren't in it anymore." After this break, a final set of new episodes aired in April 2006. The very last episode was on April 28, 2006. Reruns of the show stopped in May 2007.
What Songs Are in the Show?
The show is known for its many catchy songs. Here are some of them:
- "Welcome to the Blue House"
- "What's That Smell?"
- "The Bear Cha-Cha-Cha"
- "Dear Grandma"
- "Happy, Happy Birthday"
- "Good Morning"
- "Brush, Brush Bree"
- "Look at You Now"
- "That's My Name"
- "Everybody Say Ah"
- "What's In The Mail Today?"
- "Making Sense Of The World"
- "The Grandma Mambo"
- "Remember When"
- "The Otter Dancing School"
- "Shadow's Lullaby"
- "When I'm Older"
- "Everybody In The Tub"
- "Rhythm In The Air"
- "Why Can't The Dirt Just Leave Me Alone?"
- "Imagine That"
- "Smellorama"
- "When I Find The Great Lost Cheese"
- "Under Your Blanket"
- "Love Is Incredible"
- "Your Grandma And Grandpa"
- "What Kind Of Mouse Am I?"
- "Picture This"
- "Hello Doctor"
- "Worth The Wait"
- "Friends Forever"
- "Surprise!"
- "What's Mine Is Yours"
- "The Toileteers"
- "Next Stop Dreamland"
- "Great to Be at Home"
- "Go to Bed, Sleepy Head"
- "Take Time to Smell the Cheese"
- "Clean Up the House"
- "Oops! I Goofed Again"
- "Quiet Time"
- "Otter Love"
- "Shape of a Bear"
- "Baby, Baby"
- "When You Make Yourself a Friend"
- "Oh, Boy"
- "You Go, Ojo"
- "Need a Little Help Today"
- "Goodbye Song"
Where Else Did the Show Air?
Bear in the Big Blue House was popular around the world. It was shown in the United Kingdom on Playhouse Disney UK and Channel 5. It also aired on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Australia and on RTÉ Two in Ireland.
What Awards Did the Show Win?
The show received several awards for its quality:
- Daytime Emmy Awards
- 2000 – Outstanding Sound Mixing – Peter Hefter and John Alberts (won)
- 2000 – Outstanding Directing in a Children's Series – Mitchell Kriegman, Richard A. Fernandes and Dean Gordon (won)
- 2003 – Outstanding Directing in a Children's Series – Mitchell Kriegman and Dean Gordon (won)
- Parent's Choice Gold Award Winner – 2000, 2002
- Director's Guild Award – Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs - "Episode 225: Love Is All You Need"
See also
In Spanish: Bear in the Big Blue House para niños
