Dinosaurs (TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dinosaurs |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Genre | |
| Created by |
|
| Developed by | Jim Henson |
| Voices of |
|
| Theme music composer | Bruce Broughton |
| Opening theme | Bruce Broughton |
| Composer(s) |
|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 65 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
|
| Producer(s) |
|
| Running time | 23 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
|
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Original release | April 26, 1991 – November 10, 1995 |
Dinosaurs is a fun American TV show about a family of dinosaurs. It's a sitcom, which means it's a comedy show with the same characters in different funny situations. The show aired on ABC from 1991 to 1995. Later, you could watch reruns on the Disney Channel.
The characters in the show are not just regular dinosaurs. They are anthropomorphic, meaning they act and talk like humans. They live in houses, go to work, and deal with everyday family problems, just like people do! The show was made by Michael Jacobs Productions and Jim Henson Television, with help from Walt Disney Television.
Contents
How Dinosaurs Was Created
News stories from when Dinosaurs first aired often talked about its connection to Jim Henson. He was the amazing creator of The Muppets and many other puppet characters. Sadly, Jim Henson passed away the year before the show started.
Henson first thought of the idea for Dinosaurs in 1988. He wanted to make a sitcom, but instead of a human family, it would be about a family of dinosaurs. At first, some people thought it was a strange idea. However, after the success of another animated show, The Simpsons, people started to see the potential in Henson's unique concept.
In the late 1980s, Henson worked with an artist named William Stout. They planned a movie with dinosaur puppets. Henson continued to work on the dinosaur project until the very end of his life.
The Walt Disney Company's TV division started working on the series in 1990. It was first planned for CBS, but then it moved to ABC. Disney later bought ABC. The show was a big hit when it first came out. This success meant that the network didn't try to change much about how the show was made.
However, the show's ratings dropped when it was moved to different time slots. Making the show was also quite expensive because of the detailed animatronics used for the dinosaur characters. One of the voice actors, Stuart Pankin, remembered hearing it was "the most expensive half-hour TV show" at the time. This high cost was one reason why the show eventually ended.
What the Show is About
Dinosaurs takes place 60 million years BC in a land called Pangaea. The show is all about the Sinclair family.
The main characters are:
- Earl Sneed Sinclair: The father.
- Fran Sinclair: The mother.
- Robbie: Their son.
- Charlene: Their daughter.
- Baby Sinclair: Their youngest child, an infant.
- Ethyl: Fran's mother, who also lives with them.
Earl works at a company called Wesayso Corporation. His job is to push over trees with his friend and coworker, Roy Hess. Their boss is Bradley P. Richfield.
Meet the Characters
The Sinclair family is the main focus of the show. Their family name, Sinclair, is a funny nod to the Sinclair Oil Corporation. This company has used a dinosaur as its logo for many years. This is because people used to believe that oil came from dinosaurs that lived long ago.
Other character names in the show also refer to oil companies or products. For example, you might notice names like Phillips, Hess, B.P., Richfield, and Ethyl.
Main Characters of the Sinclair Family
| Character | Voice | Body | Face/Head | Species | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earl Sneed Sinclair | Stuart Pankin | Bill Barretta Tom Fisher (sometimes) |
Dave Goelz (Seasons 1–2) Mak Wilson (Seasons 2–4) |
Megalosaurus | Earl is the father of the Sinclair family. He is the main character and is 43 years old. Earl is a Megalosaurus. He is shown as being a bit silly and easily tricked. Earl works as a Tree Pusher for the WESAYSO Development Corporation. His middle name, "Sneed," is his mother's maiden name. |
| Fran Phillips-Sinclair | Jessica Walter | Mitchel Young Evans (Seasons 1–2) Tony Sabin Prince (Seasons 2–4) Pons Maar (sometimes) |
Allan Trautman | Allosaurus | Fran is the mother of the Sinclair family and takes care of their home. She is an Allosaurus. Sometimes, Fran wears comfy house slippers. Earl often calls his wife "Frannie" as a nickname. |
| Robert Mark "Robbie" Sinclair | Jason Willinger | Leif Tilden | Steve Whitmire Rob Mills (sometimes) Julianne Buescher (eyes) |
Hypsilophodon | Robbie is Earl and Fran's oldest child and son. He is a Hypsilophodon. Robbie is easy to spot because he wears a red varsity jacket and bright red sneakers. |
| Charlene Sinclair | Sally Struthers | Michelan Sisti Star Townsend (sometimes) Arlene Lorre (Season 1, episode 1 only) |
Bruce Lanoil | Protoceratops | Charlene is Earl and Fran's only daughter and their middle child. She is a Protoceratops. Charlene often wears sweaters, necklaces, and earrings. |
| Baby Sinclair | Kevin Clash | Terri Hardin (arms, Season 1–3) Julianne Buescher (arms, Season 4) |
Kevin Clash (head & mouth) John Kennedy (eyes) |
Megalosaurus | Baby Sinclair is Earl and Fran's youngest child and son. He is a Megalosaurus, just like his dad. |
Where Dinosaurs Was Shown Around the World
Dinosaurs was popular in many countries!
- In the United Kingdom, it was shown on ITV and later on Disney Channel.
- In Canada, reruns aired on The Family Channel and CHRO-TV.
- In Australia, the show was on the Seven Network.
- In Ireland, it was shown on RTÉ Two.
- In Italy, it aired on Rai 1.
- It also played in New Zealand on TV3 and TV2.
- In Kenya, it was on KBC.
- In South Africa, it aired on M-Net.
- In Brazil, it was shown on several channels like Rede Globo, SBT, Band, and Canal Viva.
- In Mexico, you could watch it on Canal 5.
Watching Dinosaurs at Home
You could buy Dinosaurs on VHS tapes starting in 1991. Later, in 2006, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released the first two seasons on a four-disc DVD set. This set included special behind-the-scenes looks at how the show was made.
The third and fourth seasons were released on DVD in 2007. This set even had episodes that were never shown on TV in the U.S.! These DVDs are currently available in Region 1 (which includes the U.S. and Canada).
In 2017, Hulu got the rights to stream Dinosaurs. This meant you could watch it online along with other popular Disney–ABC shows. Finally, on January 29, 2021, Dinosaurs became available for streaming on Disney+ in the United States.
See also
In Spanish: Dinosaurios (serie de televisión) para niños
