Birdz (TV series) (original) (raw)
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Canadian animated TV series
| Birdz | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Larry Jacobs |
| Written by | Bruce ClarkKim Thompson |
| Directed by | Raymond JafeliceAndrew Young |
| Voices of | Susan Roman David Huband Sally Cahill Stephanie Morgenstern |
| Opening theme | "Surfin' Bird" |
| Composers | Ray Parker Tom Szczesnaik |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Elizabeth Partyka Patrick Loubert Michael Hirsh Clive A. Smith |
| Producer | Larry Jacobs |
| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Production company | Nelvana |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | 3 October 1998 (1998-10-03) –2 January 1999 (1999-01-02) |
Birdz is a Canadian animated television series created by Larry Jacobs, who later worked on Cyberchase. It was produced by Nelvana Limited in association with CBS Television and STVE. The show was first aired on 3 October 1998, on CBS with the final episode's airing on 2 January 1999.[1] Later, it was shown in Scotland in 2001, aired on Scottish Television and Grampian TV. The show was returned from 2015 as part of the "Weans' World" block on STV Glasgow and STV Edinburgh.
The show is about an anthropomorphic 10-year-old bird named Eddie Storkowitz, who films his everyday life in aspiration of becoming a filmmaker.[2] His family includes his father, Morty, who is a psychiatrist; mother Betty, an artist; college-age older sister Steffy; and baby sister Abby. Several episodes focus on Eddie's class, which includes an owl named Olivia, a robin named Spring, a turkey named Tommy, a woodpecker named Gregory, and a bat named Sleepy, plus teacher Miss Finch and principal Mr. Pip.[3]
The song "Surfin' Bird" by the Trashmen was covered as a theme song for the series.
The show's creator Larry Jacobs thought that the show received poor ratings because it aired after the news in most markets.[4]
Cast and characters
[edit]
- Susan Roman as Eddie
- David Huband as Morty
- Sally Cahill as Betty
- Stephanie Morgenstern as Steffy
- Alison Sealy-Smith as Abby
- Jill Frappier as Miss Finch
- Len Carlson as Mr. Pip
- Chris Wiggins as Officer Pigeon
- Richard Binsley as Mr. Nuthatch
- Ruby Smith-Merovitz as Spring
- Karen Bernstein as Olivia
- Adam Reid as Tommy
- Julie Lemieux as Sleepy
- Rick Jones as Gregory
The show was first introduced in October 1998 on CBS's Saturday morning lineup with repeats until Spring 1999.[5] In the 2000s, the show was also aired on the Omni Broadcasting Network. Later, it was shown in Scotland in 2001, aired on Scottish Television and Grampian TV (now STV North) - now both known as STV. The show was returned from 2015 as part of the "Weans' World" block on STV Glasgow and STV Edinburgh.
In the late 1990s, Alliance Atlantis released videotapes of the show.[_citation needed_]
In 2019, the show has begun being uploaded to Corus' Retro Rerun YouTube channel. As of 2022, the show is now streaming on Tubi.[_citation needed_]
- ^ Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 83. ISBN 978-1538103739.
- ^ Lockhart, Kim (September 1998). "TV's Top 10 New Toons". Disney Adventures. 8 (11): 39.
- ^ Lenburg, Jeff (2009). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons (Third ed.). Facts on File. p. 447.
- ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television cartoon shows: an illustrated encyclopedia, 1949 through 2003. McFarland & Co. p. 144. ISBN 9780786422555.
- ^ Graham, Jefferson (8 September 1998). "Kids' TV is reigning with cats, dogs, lizards". USA Today. Archived from the original on 21 July 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2011.