Popples (1986 TV series) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Popples
The show's logo with Party Popple
Created by	Marie Cisterino Janet Jones Fran Kariotakis Janet Redding Susan Trentel
Starring	Barbara Redpath Noam Zylberman Louise Vallance Hadley Kay Diane Fabian Jazmin Lausanne Dan Hennessey Linda Sorensen Len Carlson Valri Bromfield Sharon Noble Jeannie Elias Donna Christie Blake Hauser Danny Mann Maurice LaMarche
Country of origin	France United States
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	44
Production company(s)	American Greetings DIC Enterprises The Maltese Companies
Distributor	LBS Communications
Release
Original network	Syndication
Original release	September 13, 1986 (1986-09-13) – July 18, 1987 (1987-07-18)

Popples is a fun cartoon show that aired in the United States from 1986 to 1987. It was based on popular toys called Popples. The show was made by DIC Enterprises and LBS Communications.

The Popples look like colorful teddy bears or rabbits with long, fluffy tails. They have special pouches on their backs. This lets them curl up into a fuzzy ball! When they unfold, they make a "pop" sound, which is how they got their name. In the cartoon, Popples often pull out huge items from their pouches, even things that shouldn't fit! It's like magic.

Nine of the Popples live with a brother and sister named Billy and Bonnie Wagner. Billy and Bonnie thought they were the only kids with Popples. But then, a new family moved in next door. They had their own Popples, including the Rock Stars, Pufflings, and Babies! The Popples often make things a bit crazy for the kids. But in the end, everything usually turns out great. The show was mostly about the kids trying to keep the Popples a secret from grown-ups.

Popples also had their own comic book series. A brand new Popples cartoon show came out on Netflix in 2015.

Meet the Popples Characters

The Human Friends

• Bonnie Wagner: She is Billy's older sister. Bonnie often tries to keep things calm when the Popples cause mischief.
• Billy Wagner: He is Bonnie's younger brother. Billy usually doesn't mind all the silly things the Popples do.
• Ellen Wagner: She is Bonnie and Billy's mom. She usually doesn't know about the Popples.
• Danny Wagner: He is Bonnie and Billy's dad. He also usually doesn't know about the Popples.
• Mike: He is one of the new neighbors who moved in during the second season. Mike has his own Popples.
• Penny: She is Mike's sister.

Billy and Bonnie's Popples

• PC (Pretty Cool): A big blue Popple. He is one of the leaders of the group. PC loves fun but also keeps things from getting too wild. He can snap his fingers for cool surprises.
• Party: A big pink Popple. She loves to party all the time! Party often pulls party hats and confetti from her pouch. She is a main Popple in the show.
• Pancake: A big dark pink Popple. She is very sweet and loving. Pancake likes to tickle Billy and Bonnie with her tail. She is good at cheering people up.
• Puzzle: An orange Popple. He is the smart one who loves to read. Puzzle is very clever but also has a good sense of humor. He is also a good swimmer.
• Prize: A bright pink Popple. She cares a lot about how she looks. Prize dreams of becoming a movie star.
• Puffball: A white Popple. She is great at making different voices to trick people. Puffball also tries hard to keep her white fur clean.
• Putter: A small green Popple. He is very active and likes to play jokes. Putter is good at fixing and inventing things, even if they don't always work perfectly.
• Potato Chip: A small yellow Popple. She loves to eat all kinds of snacks! Potato Chip also has a talent for making sounds and sound effects.
• Pretty Bit: A small purple Popple. She almost always speaks in rhymes. Pretty Bit is a bit shy but is a very loyal friend. She loves poetry and knows a lot about good manners.

Mike and Penny's Popples

• Punkster: A blue punk-rockstar Popple. He wears a cape and plays a guitar. Punkster has a lightning bolt on his tummy. He is like a "Papa Popple" for the baby Popples.
• Punkity: A magenta punk-rockstar Popple. She wears a hair accessory and earrings and carries a microphone. Punkity has a star on her tummy. She is like a "Mama Popple" for the baby Popples.
• Bibsy: One of the Baby Popples. Bibsy is white and wears a purple and white bib and bonnet.
• Cribsy: Another Baby Popple. Cribsy is pink and wears a striped hat and bib.
• Pufflings: These are smaller Popples. They can't speak words but make high-pitched sounds. Pufflings love to hop and bounce around.

Sports Popples

This group of six Popples loves sports! They only appeared in a couple of episodes. Each Sports Popple is good at one sport and can turn into a ball for that sport. Even their tails look like sports balls!

• Big Kick: A soccer player who turns into a soccer ball.
• Cuester: A pool player who turns into an 8-ball.
• Dunker: A basketball player who turns into a basketball.
• Net Set: A tennis player who turns into a tennis ball.
• Pitcher: A baseball player who turns into a baseball.
• T.D. (Touchdown): An American football player who turns into a football.

Who Voiced Them?

Here are some of the actors who gave voices to the Popples characters:

What Happened in the Show?

The Popples cartoon had 44 episodes, plus a pilot movie. Each half-hour show usually had two short stories. The show's opening and closing songs were different in each season.

The episodes often showed Billy, Bonnie, and the Popples getting into funny situations. They would go to places like the library, a car wash, or even a bowling alley. The Popples' magical pouches and playful nature always led to unexpected adventures. They helped with chores, played sports, and even put on their own circus! In the second season, new Popples and human friends joined the fun, leading to more exciting stories.

See also

In Spanish: Popples (1986 TV series) para niños