Television
In 1960, the Madeline stories were adapted to a one-hour color episode for the NBC anthology series The Shirley Temple Show. Madeline was played by Gina Gillespie, child actor Michel Petit played Pepito, and Imogene Coca portrayed Miss Clavel. It was Madeline's first appearance on television. The episode has been released to DVD.
In 1989, DiC Entertainment adapted the first Madeline book into an animated television special for HBO. The show's teleplay was written by Judy Rothman, who would serve as a writer, lyricist and story editor for nearly all subsequent Madeline animated projects. The special was narrated by Christopher Plummer, and featured original music and songs by Joe Raposo (who died four months before the special aired), with lyrics by Judy Rothman. The special was nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Animated Program (One Hour or Less). In 1989 it was released on video by Hi-Tops Video.
In 1991, Cinar produced animated adaptations of the other five Madeline books for The Family Channel, with Christopher Plummer returning as narrator and Marsha Moreau returning to voice Madeline. Each special featured new songs, with lyrics by Judy Rothman and music by composer Jeffrey Zahn, who replaced the late Joe Raposo. In addition, "I'm Madeline," Madeline's theme song from the original special, was reprised in the new specials. The specials were released on video by Golden Book Video.
In 1993, DIC produced a Madeline cartoon series, which also aired on the Family Channel. A total of twenty episodes were produced for the first series. Christopher Plummer reprised his role as narrator again and "I'm Madeline" was used as the series' theme song. The series was later rerun on the Disney Channel and Toon Disney in the U.S. It features new songs with music by Andy Street (who replaced Jeffrey Zahn) and lyrics by Judy Rothman.
In 1995, an additional 13 episodes were produced by DiC for ABC, under the title The New Adventures of Madeline. The new episodes featured a new theme song, "Hats Off to Madeline", music by Andy Street with lyrics by Judy Rothman. ABC cancelled the series after 7 weeks, so 6 episodes did not air in the U.S. until the series was rerun on the Disney Channel beginning in 1997.
In 2000, DIC produced another new batch of 26 episodes for the Disney Channel. The theme song was once again changed, this time to "Oh, Madeline!" (although overseas airings of the episodes still had "Hats Off to Madeline" as the opening theme instead). In addition, Christopher Gaze succeeded Christopher Plummer as narrator of the series. The show won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Animated Program. The New Adventures of Madeline was shown on KOL's Secret Slumber Party between Fall 2006 and 2007.
DiC also produced two animated telefilms. Madeline: Lost in Paris, which was released in 1999, featured Madeline being drawn into a scam by her supposed "Uncle" Horst and finding out the true meaning to the word "family". Andrea Libman voiced Madeline. The second cartoon film, entitled My Fair Madeline, was released in 2002 and the title character was voiced by Chantal Strand. The plot revolved around Madeline being placed in a London finishing school as punishment for trouble she had supposedly caused while trying to stop two thieves from robbing the Louvre. When she finds out that the thieves are in London, Madeline does everything she can to stop them from stealing the Crown Jewels.
Broadcast and home video rights to all of the DiC/Cinar Madeline episodes/specials/telefilms are currently owned by Cookie Jar Entertainment.
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Famous quotes containing the word television:
“They [parents] can help the children work out schedules for homework, play, and television that minimize the conflicts involved in what to do first. They can offer moral support and encouragement to persist, to try again, to struggle for understanding and mastery. And they can share a child’s pleasure in mastery and accomplishment. But they must not do the job for the children.”
—Dorothy H. Cohen (20th century)
“Laughter on American television has taken the place of the chorus in Greek tragedy.... In other countries, the business of laughing is left to the viewers. Here, their laughter is put on the screen, integrated into the show. It is the screen that is laughing and having a good time. You are simply left alone with your consternation.”
—Jean Baudrillard (b. 1929)
“It is marvelous indeed to watch on television the rings of Saturn close; and to speculate on what we may yet find at galaxy’s edge. But in the process, we have lost the human element; not to mention the high hope of those quaint days when flight would create “one world.” Instead of one world, we have “star wars,” and a future in which dumb dented human toys will drift mindlessly about the cosmos long after our small planet’s dead.”
—Gore Vidal (b. 1925)