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 an American children's educational television series, produced and sponsored by the USDA Extension Service and its youth outreach program, 4-H.
Taking its name from the hobo dish, Mulligan Stew aired in syndication beginning in the fall of 1972 and continued in reruns on public television into the early 80s.
The six-episode series follows the adventures of a group of five school-age musicians and their mentor, all dedicated to teaching others about good nutrition and developing healthier eating habits. The series, along with various educational materials including a companion comic book with additional adventures of the characters, was developed by the Michigan State University Cooperative Extension Service.
Overview
The series centers on the humorous adventures of a group of five school-aged kids who are all members of a rock band called "Mulligan Stew" (also referred to as the "Stews" or the "Mulligan Stew Force").
The band members are:
- Mulligan (Larry Friedman), the leader; occasionally plays guitar
- Maggie (Sherry Wright), identified by her long blond pigtailed hair; keyboards
- Mike (Steven Einbender), an Italian; drums
- Manny (Benjamin Sands), a Black preteen; bass
- Micki (Mi-On Hahm), a young Asian girl; guitar
(Mulligan, Maggie and Micki all sing lead vocals on most of the band's songs while Mike and Manny usually handle backing vocals.) The group's clubhouse is a basement in a brownstone apartment, fully furnished with a kitchen, shortwave radio, home gym, laboratory, and even a small stage where they rehearse their music.
Their grownup advisor and mentor is Wilbur Dooright (Barry Michlin), a bespectacled, bumbling accountant who, in some episodes, gives the kids their assignments "from upstairs", assumed to be a secret governmental organization (paying homage to the spy films and TV shows of the day). Wilbur provides much of the comic relief throughout the series.
"4-4-3-2" balanced diet message
An integral and ubiquitous part of the program's message was the "4-4-3-2" balanced diet program, part of the standard USDA nutrition guidelines/recommendations promoted during the 1960s and 1970s. The use of dietary supplements was strongly discouraged; it was taught that all nutritional needs, including the proper intake of vitamins, minerals, fats and carbohydrates, could be adequately obtained solely by adhering to a balanced diet, with appropriate servings from the "basic four" food groups. This message was enthusiastically repeated by the children several times per episode. (The "basic four" food groups were updated by USDA in subsequent decades by the 1990s-era "Food Guide Pyramid" and the current "MyPlate" nutritional guidelines program.)
Episode list
| № | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | "The Great Nutrition Turn On" |
| Wilbur and the Stews are given a secret assignment to travel to the town of Lazy Susan and rescue the lethargic locals, whose energy is being sapped from poor eating habits. On the way, the gang stops by a 4-H Fair and sample the exhibits. | |
| 2 | "Look Inside Yourself" |
| The Stews explain the basics of nutrition and digestion, as well as the importance of eating breakfast; they explain this to two lethargic and grouchy teenagers (played by two uncredited young actors) they have been assigned to help. Then-Washington Senators manager and baseball legend Ted Williams makes a cameo appearance in the pre-opening teaser; Senators star player Frank Howard makes a cameo later in the episode. | |
| 3 | "The Flim Flam Man" |
| The Stews shun Mulligan when he refuses to follow the direction of a macrobiotics-like fad diet promoter, who tricks the rest of the kids into trying his fad diets. A concerned Mulligan frantically seeks assistance from Wilbur, who engages the con man in a nutritional duel. Mulligan is ultimately proven correct, but not without some anguish on everyone's part. | |
| 4 | "Getting It All Together" |
| The Stews enlist suggestions from friends and family as they help prepare a buffet for an international 4-H conference, to spotlight the nutritional value of international foods. | |
| 5 | "Countdown 4-4-3-2" |
| With a rescue bag of food in tow, the Stews come to Wilbur's aid when he chooses a dark and stormy night for a camp-out. In some segments, the kids visit Johnson Space Center in Houston and interview Dr. Malcom Smith (chief nutritionist for NASA) and astronauts Jack Swigert and Joseph Kerwin. The overall theme is how innovations in food science, such as freeze-drying and aquaculture, have the possibility to meet the nutritional needs of a growing population. | |
| 6 | "The Racer That Lost His Edge" |
| With the help of a balanced diet, a sidelined race car driver regains his proper racing weight and returns to action — and his gout is alleviated to boot. | |
Guest appearances
Several celebrities or future celebrities made uncredited appearances, either as part of the main storyline or in brief segments; among these were Richard Sanders who later gained fame playing Les Nessman on WKRP in Cincinnati. Ordinary citizens were interviewed by the kids in selected segments of some episodes in a "man on the street" format.
- Larry Friedman (Mulligan) recently appeared in the musical Rasputin with Ted Neeley and John Hurt.
- Mion Hahm (Micki) is now a realtor in Florida.
- Steve Einbender (Mike) is Senior Manager of Customer Analytics for The Home Depot, in Atlanta, Georgia. He still plays drums.
- Benjamin Sands (Manny) is now a music teacher in the Washington, D.C. area.
- Sherry Wright (Maggie) pursued an acting and singing career while living in Alexandria, Virginia; she died in July 2009.
- Barry Michlin (Wilbur) had a number of minor roles throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and also made recurring appearances in several TV commercials including for Arm & Hammer Baking Soda with actress Beverly Sanders. He is now a photographer based in Los Angeles.
