McGee and Me! facts for kids
Quick facts for kids McGee and Me! |
|
|---|---|
Cover of VHS release of the first episode
|
|
| Genre | Children, Spiritual, Educational |
| Created by | Ken C. Johnson Bill Myers |
| Starring | Joseph Dammann Sarah Dammann Terry Bozeman Vaughn Taylor |
| Voices of | Ken C. Johnson |
| Composer(s) | James Covell |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of episodes | 12 (+1 special) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Dan Johnson |
| Producer(s) | George Taweel Rob Loos |
| Cinematography | Timothy Eaton |
| Editor(s) | Rod Stephens |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Focus on the Family Living Bibles International Tyndale Productions |
| Release | |
| Original release | June 4, 1989 – June 11, 1995 |
McGee and Me! is an American Christian TV show. It was created by Ken C. Johnson and Bill Myers. The series first aired on June 4, 1989. It had twelve episodes and one special, ending on June 11, 1995.
Each half-hour episode follows Nicholas, a boy who moves to a new town. He has a cartoon friend named McGee. Together, they learn important moral lessons. The show covers topics like being honest ("The Big Lie"). It also talks about bullying ("Skate Expectations"). And it explores faith in God ("Twister and Shout").
Contents
Meet the Characters of McGee and Me!
McGee and Me! stars Nicholas Martin, an 11-year-old who loves to draw. He lives with his family in Eastfield, Indiana. His dad, David, is a newspaper journalist. His mom, Elizabeth, works at a counseling center. Nick, his parents, his older sister Sarah, and younger sister Jamie move into their grandmother's house in the first episode.
Nick often draws and talks with his imaginary friend, McGee. McGee is a funny cartoon character. He has his own wild adventures. McGee is Nick's constant friend and helper. Nick faces many challenges as he grows up. These challenges test his morals and beliefs. Nick learns valuable lessons. Sometimes, he also faces consequences for his actions.
Nick's Friends and Rivals
Nick has several friends. Louis Armstrong is a street-smart kid and Nick's best friend. Renee Johnson is a smart and kind girl who hangs out with Nick and Louis. Phillip Monroe is a very smart boy in Nick's class. He sometimes gets picked on by older kids. In the last two episodes, Jordan Michaels joins the group. He is an athletic football player who also likes computer graphics.
In the first nine episodes, Nick's main rival is Derrick Cryder. Derrick is a bully who often picks on Nick and Phillip. But by the end of the Christmas episode, Derrick changes. He saves Nick from a gang member after Nick shows him kindness. Derrick even helps Nick in a later episode. He reminds Nick about his true friends.
The first nine episodes show Nick in elementary school. The last three episodes, called The New Adventures of McGee and Me!, show Nick in junior high. The actors were older when the last episodes were made. This made Nick look more like a high schooler.
The Martin Family
- Joseph Dammann as Nicholas "Nick" Martin: He is the main character. Nick is a kid cartoonist who faces moral choices every day.
- Ken C. Johnson as voice of McGee: McGee is Nick's silly cartoon creation. He is Nick's conscience and imaginary friend. McGee often gives Nick good advice. But sometimes, he also gets Nick into trouble. McGee stars in the show's animated parts. These parts sometimes show what Nick is imagining. Ken C. Johnson also voices all other cartoon characters.
- Terry Bozeman as David Martin: Nick's father. He works as a newspaper journalist. David and his wife try to be good role models. They guide Nick to do what is right.
- Vaughn Taylor as Elizabeth Martin: Nick's mother. She works at a counseling center. Like her husband, she wants to raise her kids well. She helps Nick make good choices.
- Sarah Dammann as Sarah Martin: Nick's older sister. She sometimes teases Nick, like older siblings do. But she has a good heart. She sometimes advises Nick to make good choices. Sarah is played by Joseph Dammann's real sister.
- Chelsea Hertford as Jamie Martin: Nick's younger sister. She looks up to Nick's art skills. But she can sometimes be a bit difficult.
- Eve Brenner as Grandma Martin: Nick's grandmother, who the family lives with. She helps Nick learn important lessons.
- Poundcake as Whatever: The Martin family dog. Whatever often gets into mischief. Even though McGee is imaginary, Whatever can see and interact with him.
Nick's Friends and School Staff
- Brent Kelly as Louis Armstrong: Nick's best friend. He is smooth-talking and a bit of a wise guy. He becomes Nick's friend after saving him from Derrick. Louis sometimes exaggerates the truth. But he tries to be a good friend. Louis does not appear in The New Adventures series. He moves away but still keeps in touch with Nick.
- Johnny Green as Derrick Cryder: A bully who often causes problems for Nick. Derrick starts out mean and threatening. But he changes after Nick shows him kindness. He even saves Nick's life later. Derrick becomes a voice of reason for Nick.
- Shaylisa Hurte as Renee Johnson: Another friend and classmate of Nick and Louis. She is pretty, smart, and a good student. She can stand up to Derrick's teasing.
- Whitby Hertford as Phillip Monroe: He is introduced as a smart kid who gets picked on by Derrick. He becomes a friend of Nick and Renee. By The New Adventures, he is a close friend of Nick's.
- Sonny Kelly as Jordan Michaels: A friend of Nick's who joins the group in The New Adventures episodes. Jordan plays football and likes computer graphics. He is easygoing and loyal.
- Linda Dangcil as Mrs. Harmon: The elementary school teacher for Nick and his friends. She is caring and wants her students to do their best.
- Stephen Burks as Mr. Oliver: The elementary school principal. He appears in a few episodes.
Episodes of McGee and Me!
The show is divided into two parts: the original series and "The New Adventures."
McGee and Me! (1989–1990)
- "The Big Lie" - Nick moves to Eastfield. He tells lies to avoid a bully and make friends. This leads to trouble. Nick learns a big lesson about honesty and speaking up.
- "A Star in the Breaking" - Nick gets a chance to be on a game show. But the fame goes to his head. Nick and his mom learn about being humble.
- "The Not-So-Great Escape" - Nick wants to see a scary movie his parents forbid. He sneaks out and disobeys them. He learns about honoring his parents and making good choices.
- "Skate Expectations" - Nick tries to protect Phillip from Derrick. This leads to Nick entering a skateboarding contest. He learns about friendship and standing up for others.
- "Twister and Shout" - Nick and Sarah are home alone during a tornado warning. With friends staying over, they face their fears. They learn about faith in God.
- "Back to the Drawing Board" - Nick competes with a new artist, Todd. They both learn about good sportsmanship.
- "Do the Bright Thing" - Nick and his friends learn about making wise decisions.
- "Take Me Out of the Ball Game" - Nick's dad gets too focused on winning a baseball game. Nick learns to trust God more than people.
- "Twas the Fight Before Christmas" - Nick, Louis, and Derrick are in the school Christmas play. Nick learns Derrick has problems at home. Nick's kindness helps Derrick change. Derrick even saves Nick from a gang member.
The New Adventures of McGee and Me! (1993)
- "In the Nick of Time" - Nick, Phillip, and Renee go mountain climbing with their dads. Nick faces his fear of heights. He learns about courage and believing in himself.
- "The Blunder Years" - Nick tries to be "cool" with the most popular guy in junior high. This hurts his friendships and family ties. Derrick helps Nick remember who his true friends are.
- "Beauty in the Least" - Nick's pen pal from Romania and his father visit. Their visit is a surprise. The family learns about love, hospitality, and the true meaning of Thanksgiving.
Special (1995)
- McGee TV: Out of Control - McGee hosts his own TV network. This special is a collection of animated McGee segments. McGee tries to run the network, but things get out of hand.
TV Airings
On January 25, 1992, ABC aired "The Big Lie." It was a test episode for a possible series. It aired as part of the ABC Weekend Specials. ABC edited the episode for commercials. They also removed some Christian references. Another episode, "Take Me Out of the Ball Game," aired on ABC on September 12, 1992.
The whole series also aired on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. It was also on TBN's children's network, Smile of a Child. It stopped airing there before April 2012.
Awards and Nominations
In 1990, producer George Taweel won the Michael Landon Award for the series. In 1993, some of the young actors were nominated for an award. Joseph Dammann, Sarah Dammann, Chelsea Hertford, Whit Hertford, and Shaylisa Hurte were nominated. They were recognized for "Outstanding Youth Mini-Video Series."
