Mulligan Stew (TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mulligan Stew |
|
|---|---|
| Created by | Ira A. Klugerman and Joseph Pascal |
| Starring | Steven Einbender Larry Friedman Mion Hahm Barry Michlin Benjamin Sands Sherry Louise Wright |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Production location(s) | Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan; also Washington, DC |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | Syndicated |
| Original release | 1972 – 1981 |
Mulligan Stew was a fun American TV show for kids. It taught young people about eating healthy and good nutrition. The show was made by the USDA and its youth program, 4-H.
The show's name came from a type of simple stew called Mulligan stew. It first aired in 1972 and was shown again on public television until the early 1980s.
This six-episode series followed five school-aged musicians and their grown-up helper. They all wanted to teach others about good nutrition. They also showed how to develop healthier eating habits. The show and its learning materials, like a comic book, were created by the Michigan State University Cooperative Extension Service.
Contents
What Was Mulligan Stew?
The series was about the funny adventures of five school-aged kids. They were all part of a rock band called "Mulligan Stew." Sometimes they were called the "Stews" or the "Mulligan Stew Force."
The band members were:
- Mulligan (Larry Friedman): He was the leader and sometimes played guitar.
- Maggie (Sherry Wright): She had long blond pigtails and played keyboards.
- Mike (Steven Einbender): He was the drummer.
- Manny (Benjamin Sands): He played the bass guitar.
- Micki (Mi-On Hahm): She was a young Asian girl who played guitar.
Mulligan, Maggie, and Micki often sang the main parts of the songs. Mike and Manny usually sang backup. The group's clubhouse was a basement apartment. It had a kitchen, a radio, a gym, a lab, and a small stage for practicing music.
Their grown-up advisor was Wilbur Dooright (Barry Michlin). He was a clumsy accountant who wore glasses. In some episodes, Wilbur gave the kids their missions from a secret government group. Wilbur also provided many funny moments in the show.
Learning About Healthy Eating
A very important part of the show's message was the "4-4-3-2" balanced diet plan. This was part of the USDA nutrition guidelines from the 1960s and 1970s.
The show taught that you could get all the nutrients you need from a balanced diet. This included vitamins, minerals, fats, and carbohydrates. They strongly suggested not taking extra dietary supplements. The kids often repeated this message in each episode.
The "basic four" food groups were updated later by the USDA. In the 1990s, they introduced the "Food Guide Pyramid." Today, we have the "MyPlate" program for nutrition guidelines.
Episode Guide
| № | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | "The Great Nutrition Turn On" |
| Wilbur and the Stews get a secret mission. They travel to Lazy Susan to help the tired people there. These people were low on energy because of poor eating habits. On their way, the group visits a 4-H Fair and tries out the exhibits. | |
| 2 | "Look Inside Yourself" |
| The Stews explain how nutrition and digestion work. They also talk about why breakfast is important. They teach this to two tired teenagers they are helping. Baseball legend Ted Williams appears briefly at the start of the episode. Another baseball star, Frank Howard, also makes a short appearance. | |
| 3 | "The Flim Flam Man" |
| Mulligan doesn't want to follow a new diet trend. The rest of the kids are tricked by a person promoting these diets. Mulligan worries and asks Wilbur for help. Wilbur then challenges the diet promoter. Mulligan is proven right, but it causes some trouble for everyone. | |
| 4 | "Getting It All Together" |
| The Stews ask friends and family for ideas. They are helping to prepare a buffet for an international 4-H conference. The goal is to show how nutritious foods from different countries can be. | |
| 5 | "Countdown 4-4-3-2" |
| The Stews bring a bag of food to help Wilbur. He decided to camp out on a dark and stormy night. In some parts of the episode, the kids visit Johnson Space Center in Houston. They interview Dr. Malcom Smith, who was NASA's chief nutritionist. Astronauts Jack Swigert and Joseph Kerwin also appear. The episode shows how new food science, like freeze-drying, can help feed more people. | |
| 6 | "The Racer That Lost His Edge" |
| A race car driver was sidelined from racing. With a balanced diet, he gets back to his proper racing weight. He returns to action and feels much better. | |
Who Else Appeared on the Show?
Some famous people, or people who later became famous, made appearances. They were either part of the main story or in short segments.
Here's what some of the cast members did later:
- Larry Friedman (Mulligan) recently performed in a musical called Rasputin.
- Mion Hahm (Micki) now works as a realtor in Florida.
- Steve Einbender (Mike) is a Senior Manager at The Home Depot in Atlanta, Georgia. He still plays the drums.
- Benjamin Sands (Manny) is now a music teacher in the Washington, D.C. area.
- Sherry Wright (Maggie) worked as an actress and singer in Alexandria, Virginia. She passed away in July 2009.
- Barry Michlin (Wilbur) had many small acting roles in the 1970s and 1980s. He also appeared in several TV commercials. Today, he is a photographer in Los Angeles.
