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My Life as a Dog (TV series) facts for kids

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My Life as a Dog
Based on My Life as a Dog by Reidar Jönsson
Developed by Reidar Jönsson
Donna Matson-Jönsson
David Brandes
Barbara O'Kelly
Starring Michael Yarmush
Callum Keith Rennie
Jennifer Clement
Joy Coghill
Composer(s) Randolph Peters
Country of origin Canada
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 22
Production
Executive producer(s) Martin Katz
Derek Mazur
David Brandes
Running time 30 minutes
Production company(s) Atlantis Films
Credo
Release
Original network Showtime
Original release September 8, 1996 (1996-09-08) – February 2, 1997 (1997-02-02)

My Life as a Dog is a Canadian TV show that aired for one season. It ran for 22 episodes from September 8, 1996, to February 2, 1997. Each episode was about 30 minutes long.

The show is based on a Swedish movie from 1985 with the same name. It was created for Canadian television by Reidar Jönsson, who also wrote the original book.

This series tells the story of a young boy growing up. It's about how he deals with big changes in his life. Even though it was made for teenagers, many people thought it was much better than typical kids' shows.

The show was filmed in Winnipeg and Gimli, which are places in Manitoba, Canada. It was directed by Neill Fearnley. The companies that produced it were Atlantis Films Limited and Credo Entertainment Group.

A Boy's New Home

After his mom passes away, 11-year-old Eric Johansson has to move. His dad is a sailor and is often away at sea. So, Eric goes to live with his mom's twin brother, Johnny Johansson, in a small fishing village called Gimli.

Eric is a very imaginative boy. His adventures in Gimli help him feel more at home with his new family. He also learns to deal with some of the confusing feelings that come with being a pre-teen. Meanwhile, Johnny suddenly has to be a father figure. This makes him face choices he had been avoiding.

Main Characters

Here are the main actors and the characters they played in the show:

  • Michael Yarmush - Eric Johansson
  • Callum Keith Rennie - Johnny Johansson
  • Marley Otto - Anastasia 'AJ' Burke
  • Jennifer Clement - Zoë Johansson
  • Joy Coghill - Astrid 'Auntie Auntie' Árnesson
  • Bucky Hill - Sam LaFresne
  • Yank Azman - Tom Shaughnessy

Awards and Recognition

The show and its actors won some important awards:

  • In 1997, Callum Keith Rennie won a Gemini Award. This award was for Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series for his role as Johnny Johansson.
  • Michael Yarmush won the 1998 Young Artist Award. This was for Best Performance in a TV Drama Series - Leading Young Actor. He was also nominated for a YoungStar Award in the same year. That nomination was for Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Drama TV Series.

Episode List

The series had 22 episodes in total. Here is a list of them:

No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date
1 "The Arrival" Michael Scott Barbara O'Kelly September 8, 1996 (1996-09-08)
2 "Stranded" Michael Scott Charles Lazer September 15, 1996 (1996-09-15)
3 "Root of All Evil" Unknown Unknown September 22, 1996 (1996-09-22)
4 "Smelly's Dark Secret" Unknown Unknown September 29, 1996 (1996-09-29)
5 "Tribe" Unknown Unknown October 6, 1996 (1996-10-06)
6 "A Day in the Life" Michael Scott Tony DiFranco October 13, 1996 (1996-10-13)
7 "Great Expectations" Unknown Unknown October 20, 1996 (1996-10-20)
8 "Profile of the Artist" Unknown Unknown October 27, 1996 (1996-10-27)
9 "The Fugitive" Unknown Unknown November 3, 1996 (1996-11-03)
10 "Widgeon" Unknown Unknown November 10, 1996 (1996-11-10)
11 "Once They Get a Taste" Unknown Unknown November 17, 1996 (1996-11-17)
12 "The Puck Stops Here" Unknown Unknown November 24, 1996 (1996-11-24)
13 "Soap Gets in Your Eyes" Unknown Unknown December 1, 1996 (1996-12-01)
14 "Gimli Marathon" Unknown Unknown December 8, 1996 (1996-12-08)
15 "The Why? Files" Unknown Unknown December 15, 1996 (1996-12-15)
16 "Beauty and the Zit" Unknown Unknown December 22, 1996 (1996-12-22)
17 "Return of the Undead" Unknown Unknown December 29, 1996 (1996-12-29)
18 "All in Your Head" Unknown Unknown January 5, 1997 (1997-01-05)
19 "A Winter's Tale" Unknown Unknown January 12, 1997 (1997-01-12)
20 "Obsession" Unknown Unknown January 19, 1997 (1997-01-19)
21 "Blizzard" Unknown Unknown January 26, 1997 (1997-01-26)
22 "Where the Wind Blows" Unknown Unknown February 2, 1997 (1997-02-02)
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