Parlez-moi facts for kids

Marc Favreau as Sol the Clown, from the show Parlez-moi

Parlez-moi (which means "Talk to Me" in French) was a fun TV show made to help people learn French. It was created in Toronto, Canada, by a TV channel called TVOntario. The show first aired from 1978 to 1980, and then it was shown again many times over the next few years. The main host was a comedian from Quebec named Marc Favreau. He also played his famous character, Sol the Clown, on the show.

How Parlez-moi Taught French

Each episode of Parlez-moi started with Marc Favreau talking in English. He would introduce a few new French words and phrases that people in Quebec use.

After that, a funny short play (called a sketch) featuring Sol the Clown would begin. All the talking in the sketch was in French, using the new words Favreau had just taught. After a part of the sketch, the new French words would appear on the screen. You could hear Favreau's voice saying them clearly.

Then, the next part of Sol's sketch would play, teaching more words in the same way. Usually, there were three parts to each sketch. At the end of the episode, the entire Sol sketch would be shown from start to finish, without any breaks. An audio clip of Favreau would announce, "and now, here is the complete sketch again."

The show's opening part even used a funny mistake (an outtake) from an early episode. It showed Sol talking on the phone to Marc Favreau, the actor who played him!

Episodes of Parlez-moi

A total of 90 episodes were made for Parlez-moi over two seasons.

Season 1 (1978)

The episodes in Season 1 were about 10 minutes long.

• "Sol in the Restaurant"
• "Sol on the Telephone"
• "Sol and the Burglar"
• "Sol the Baby-sitter"
• "Sol Goes Through Customs"
• "Sol and the Fortuneteller"
• "Sol's Weather Report"
• "Sol's Physical Training"
• "Sol at the Doctor's"
• "Sol and the Washing Machine"
• "Sol and the Garage Mechanic"
• "Sol and the Policeman"
• "Sol and the Cinema Ticket"
• "Sol and the Scout Tent"
• "Sol and the Christmas Tree"
• "Sol and the Flea Market"
• "Sol and the Photographer"
• "Sol and the Fisherman"
• "Sol and the Gambler"
• "Sol and the Tomatoes"
• "Sol at the Hotel"
• "Sol at the Airport"
• "Sol at the Hairdresser's"
• "Sol's Job Interview"
• "Sol Goes to the Beach"
• "Sol's Birthday Cake"
• "Sol the Painter"
• "Sol at the Grocer's"
• "Sol at the Hardware Store"
• "Sol and the Clockmaker"
• "Sol and the Mailman"
• "Sol Goes to the Dentist"
• "Sol Joins the Army"
• "Sol's Singing Lesson"
• "Sol Goes to the Bank"
• "Sol at the Candy Store"
• "Sol at the Shoe Store"
• "Sol in the Library"
• "Sol Plays Golf"
• "Sol and the Game Show"
• "Sol at the Drugstore"
• "Sol and the Vacuum Cleaner"
• "Sol at the Travel Agency"
• "Sol and the Pizza"
• "Sol and the Sailboat"
• "Sol at the Record Store"
• "Sol Buys a House"
• "Sol at the Tailor's"
• "Sol the Dishwasher"
• "Sol Goes to Jail"
• "Sol and the Lumberjack"
• "Sol in the Haunted House"
• "Sol Minds the Fruit Store"
• "Sol in the Jewellery Store"
• "Sol's Dancing Lesson"
• "Sol in the Garden"
• "Sol and the TV Commercial"
• "Sol Goes to Court"
• "Sol and the Artist"
• "Sol in the Hospital"

Season 2 (1979)

The episodes in Season 2 were longer, lasting about 15 minutes each. This was a common length for educational shows in North America.

• "Sol and the Optician"
• "Sol Goes West"
• "Sol in the Elevator"
• "Sol and the Assembly Line"
• "Sol on the Bus"
• "Sol Sets the Table"
• "Sol on the Stage"
• "Sol in the Post Office"
• "Sol at the Train Station"
• "Sol Rents a Room"
• "Sol Plays Hockey"
• "Sol and the Used Car"
• "Sol and the Disc Jockey"
• "Sol the Office Boy"
• "Sol and the Great Detective"
• "Sol Learns Good Manners"
• "Sol and the Lovers"
• "Sol at the Butcher's"
• "Sol at the Fashion Boutique"
• "Sol and the Pirates"
• "Sol in the Sports Shop"
• "Sol's First Aid Lesson"
• "Sol and the Carpenter"
• "Sol and the Spies"
• "Sol at the Baker's"
• "Sol in the Park"
• "Sol Rides a Horse"
• "Sol in the Laundry"
• "Sol and the Balloon Race"
• "Sol and the Journalist"