Jim Henson's Animal Show facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jim Henson's Animal Show
Written by	Jim Lewis Jocelyn Stevenson Bill Oddie Rob Sprackling John Smith
Directed by	Peter Harris
Starring	Dave Goelz Steve Whitmire Bill Barretta Karen Prell Louise Gold Mak Wilson John Eccleston
Opening theme	"Here on the Animal Show"
Ending theme	"Here on the Animal Show"
Composer(s)	Ed Welch
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	65 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Brian Henson
Producer(s)	Jocelyn Stevenson
Running time	30 minutes
Production company(s)	Jim Henson Productions
Distributor	The Jim Henson Company
Release
Original network	Fox Kids (Seasons 1-2) Animal Planet (Season 3)
Original release	October 3, 1994 (1994-10-03) – June 28, 1998 (1998-06-28)

Jim Henson's Animal Show is a fun children's television series created by The Jim Henson Company. It first aired on October 3, 1994, and continued until June 28, 1998. The show started on The Fox Cubhouse for its first two seasons. Later, it moved to Animal Planet for its third season, which began on February 18, 1998.

What's the Show About?

The show is like a talk show hosted by two puppet friends: Stinky the Skunk and Jake the Polar Bear. In each episode, they invite and interview two different kinds of animals. Sometimes, they only interview one animal. The animal guests talk about themselves and their lives. While they chat, the show plays video clips of real animals of the same species. This helps viewers learn more about them!

Meet the Animal Show Characters

• Stinky the Skunk (played by Dave Goelz)
  • Stinky is the main host of the show. He's known for asking funny and sometimes silly questions.
• Jake the Polar Bear (played by Steve Whitmire)
  • Jake is Stinky's co-host. He's the smart one who asks clever and thoughtful questions.
• Armstrong the Chickenhawk (played by Bill Barretta)
  • Armstrong is the show's expert on birds. He often teams up with other characters. He's usually the serious one who gets into funny situations.
• Ollie the Tapir (played by Karen Prell)
  • Ollie was a very excited tapir with a unique voice in Season One. She helped bring in animal guests, especially insects. Ollie left the show after the first season.
• Bunnie the Bear (played by Louise Gold)
  • Bunnie is Jake the Polar Bear's cousin. She joined the show in Season Two after Ollie left. Like Ollie, Bunnie helped bring in animal guests.
• Yves St. LaRoache (played by Mak Wilson in Season One, John Eccleston in Seasons Two and Three)
  • Yves is the show's cockroach chef. He often shows how animals eat or prepares animal-themed meals.
• Tizzy the Bee (played by Karen Prell in Season One, Louise Gold in Season Two)
  • Tizzy was a computer-animated bee who would pop in to ask Stinky and Jake questions about animals. She was not in Season Three.
• Rhonda Rat (played by Louise Gold)
  • Rhonda is a reporter who joined the show in Season Three. She interviews animals backstage. If an animal annoys her, she sends them down a trap door!
• Dullard the Aardvark (played by Bill Barretta)
  • Dullard is Rhonda Rat's camera operator.

What Happens in Each Episode?

Every episode of Jim Henson's Animal Show follows a fun routine:

• The show starts with Stinky the Skunk and Jake the Polar Bear introducing themselves.
• Ollie (in Season 1) or Bunnie (in Seasons 2 and 3) and Armstrong host a segment called "That's Amazing." They show off cool things animals can do.
• Stinky and Jake interview their first animal guest.
• A segment called "Baby Talk" shows live videos of baby animals. The puppeteers make funny voices for them!
• A song plays along with more live animal footage. In earlier seasons, some songs were from other Jim Henson shows.
• Tizzy the Bee (in Seasons 1 and 2) or Rhonda Rat (in Season 3) asks animal-related questions. Rhonda often interviews animals backstage.
• Yves St. La Roache has segments where he cooks animal-themed meals or explains how animals eat.
• Stinky and Jake interview a second animal guest. This guest usually sings a song after their interview.
• Ollie, Bunnie, and Armstrong host "Animal Awards," celebrating animals that are the best at certain things.
• "Jake's Tale" features Jake telling a story to Stinky (and Bunnie and Armstrong in later seasons). This segment includes live animal videos as Jake narrates.
• Ollie, Bunnie, and Armstrong host "Habitat Time," where they explore where animals live.
• Tizzy or Rhonda pops in again for another animal question.
• The show ends with Stinky and Jake thanking everyone, including their animal guests.

Episodes

Each episode of Jim Henson's Animal Show features different animal guests. Here are some of the animals you can learn about in each season:

Season 1 (1994)

• The Cheetah and the Gazelle
• The Dolphin and the Fruit Bat
• The Koala and the Ostrich
• The Crocodile and the Armadillo
• The Aardvark and the Chameleon
• The Elephant and the African Hunting Dog
• The Lion and the Zebra
• The Rattlesnake and the Skunk
• The Wildebeest and the Turtle
• The Shark and the Sea Lion
• The Rhinoceros and the Gorilla
• The Sea Otter and the Vulture
• The Owl and the Octopus
• The Penguin and the Kiwi
• The Giraffe and the Sloth
• The Tiger and the Tiger Beetle
• The Raccoon and the Polar Bear
• The Beaver and the Spider
• The Wolf and the Baboon
• The Kangaroo and the Frog
• The Walrus and the Warthog
• The Grizzly Bear and the Hedgehog
• The Gila Monster and the Kangaroo Rat
• The Bighorn Sheep and the Red Deer
• The Badger and the Rabbit
• The Manatee and the Lemur

Season 2 (1995)

• The Chimpanzee and the Hyena
• The Whale and the Ant
• The Tarantula and the Mole
• The Toad and the Elephant Seal
• The Arctic Fox and the Camel
• The Hippopotamus and the Cape Buffalo
• The Wasp and the Blue-footed Booby
• The Gemsbok and the Moose
• The Marine Iguana and the Roadrunner
• The Bison and the Musk Ox
• The Orangutan and the Potto
• The Stork and the Shoebill
• The Wild Horse and the Volcano Rabbit

Season 3 (1998)

• The Siberian Tiger and the Reindeer
• The Crab and the Snail
• The Owl and the Frog
• The Indian Elephant and the Human
• The Pelican and the Flamingo
• The Warthog and the Baboon
• The Mouse
• The Monitor Lizard and the Crocodile
• The Albatross and the Hummingbird
• The Humpback Whale
• The Spider Monkey and the Lemur
• The Honeybee and the Honey Possum
• The Wasp and the Ant
• The Coyote and the Red Fox
• The Grasshopper Mouse and the Stoat
• The Fish
• The Pika and the Chamois
• The Eagle
• The Jaguar and the Yellow-Footed Tortoise
• The Spoonbill and the Salmon
• The Colobus Monkey and the Flying Squirrel
• The Rattlesnake
• The Hornbill and the Woodpecker
• The Giant Otter and the Mink
• The Mongoose and the Secretary Bird
• The Gorilla and the Lion

Animal Songs

In each episode, the second animal guest performs a special song. These songs are often fun and educational!

Season 1 (1994)

• Safety in Numbers Sung by Tommy the Thomson's Gazelle.
• The Fruit Bat Song Sung by Leah the Fruit Bat.
• The Ostrich Song Sung by Lydia the Ostrich.
• (Arma)Dillo Day Sung by Dooley the Armadillo.
• The Bug Song Sung by Chaz the Chameleon.
• Wild Dog Sung by Eugene the Hunting Dog.
• The Zebra Song Sung by Randall the Zebra.
• The Skunk Song Sung by Stinky the Skunk.
• My Shell is a Part of Me (aka If the Shell Fits, Wear It) Sung by Chauncey the Turtle.
• The Sea Lion Song Sung by Slick the Sea Lion.
• The Gorilla Song Sung by Lenny the Gorilla.
• The Vulture Song Sung by Guffrey the Vulture.
• Eye Spy Sung by Octavio the Octopus.
• The Kiwi Song Sung by Clive the Kiwi.
• The Sloth Song Sung by Lamont the Sloth.
• The Mean Machine Sung by Nippy the Tiger Beetle.
• Jake's Song Sung by Jake the Polar Bear.
• The Spider Song Sung by Rudy the Spider.
• The Baboon Song Sung by Bosko the Baboon.
• Feelin' Froggy Sung by Leapovitch the Frog.
• The Warthog Song Sung by Bernice the Warthog.
• It's Hard to Hug a Hedgehog Sung by Hetty the Hedgehog.
• Kangaroo Rat Song Sung by Cool the Kangaroo Rat.
• The Red Deer Song Sung by Robert the Red Deer.
• The Rabbit Song Sung by Sean the Rabbit.
• The Jumping Song Sung by Billy Bob the Lemur.

Season 2 (1995)

• The Hyena Song Sung by Lazlo the Hyena.
• The Ant Song Sung by Nemets the Ant.
• Live to Dig and Dig to Live Sung by Morely the Mole.
• Follow Your Nose Sung by Monty the Elephant Seal.
• The Camel Song Sung by Doreen the Camel.
• The African Buffalo Song Sung by Travis the African Buffalo.
• The Booby Song Sung by Milton the Blue-Footed Booby.
• The Moose Song Sung by Ralph the Moose.
• The Roadrunner Song Sung by Rudy the Roadrunner.
• The Musk Ox Song Sung by Monica the Musk Ox.
• The Potto Song Sung by Lulu the Potto.
• The Sad Shoebill Sung by Wingo the Shoebill.
• The Volcano Rabbit Song Sung by Alicia the Volcano Rabbit.

Season 3 (1998)

• You'll Never See a Reindeer on the Beach Sung by Andrew the Reindeer.
• A Shell is Swell Sung by Alicia the Snail.
• We Come Alive at Night Sung by Mavis the Frog.
• Teamwork Song Sung by Maxine the Indian Elephant and Dave the Human.
• Beaks Sung by Julie the Flamingo.
• The Brushland Song Sung by Alana the Baboon.
• It's Tough Being A Mouse Sung by Stanley the Mouse.
• The Scales Song Sung by Frankie the Crocodile.
• The Hummingbird Song Sung by Harvey the Hummingbird.
• The Whale Song Sung by Andrew the Humpback Whale.
• Treeway Sung by Mel the Lemur.
• Power from the Flower Sung by Priscilla the Honey Possum.
• An Odd Couple of Fellas Sung by Max the Wasp and Morris the Ant.
• I'm A Pest Sung by Virginia the Red Fox.
• The Stoat Song Sung by Stella the Stoat.
• The Fish Song Sung by Larry the Fish.
• Chamois Shimmy Sung by Charlie the Chamois.
• I'm An Eagle Sung by Sam the Eagle.
• I Love Where I Am in the Food Chain Sung by Penelope the Yellow-Footed Tortoise.
• The Salmon Song Sung by Yorick the Salmon.
• Two's a Crowd Sung by Stinky the Skunk and Quincy the Flying Squirrel.
• I Feel Like Eating Something Big Sung by Kiki the Rattlesnake.
• The Woodpecker Song Sung by Winston the Woodpecker.
• Sing A Little Breezy Number Sung by Bunnie Bear, Sandy the Giant Otter and Melanie the Mink.
• The Secretary Bird Song Sung by Kyle the Secretary Bird.
• We Are One Big Happy Family Sung by Malcolm the Lion, Jake the Polar Bear, Stinky the Skunk, Armstrong the Chicken Hawk, Dullard the Aardvark, Bunnie Bear, Rhonda Rat, Yves St. La Roache and various Animals.

Who Are the Puppeteers?

Many talented puppeteers brought the characters of Jim Henson's Animal Show to life:

• Dave Goelz played Stinky the Skunk.
• Steve Whitmire played Jake the Polar Bear.
• Bill Barretta played Armstrong the Chickenhawk and Dullard the Aardvark.
• John Eccleston played Yves St. La Roache in later seasons.
• Louise Gold played Bunnie the Bear and Rhonda the Rat.
• Karen Prell played Ollie the Tapir and Tizzie the Bee in Season One.
• Mak Wilson played Yves St. La Roache in Season One.
• Other puppeteers like David Greenaway, Frank Oz (for Sam the Eagle), Mike Quinn, Katherine Smee, and Andrew Spooner also helped create the show's many animal characters.

See also

In Spanish: Animal Show with Stinky and Jake para niños