Polka Dot Door - Format and Hosts

Format and Hosts

Each episode had two human hosts, always one man and one woman, although there were many different human hosts over the course of the series. The same pair would host the show for a week; the next week would bring a new pair of hosts.

Hosts of Polka Dot Door included first hosts Nina Keogh and Gordon Thomson, Denis Simpson, Carolann Reynolds, Gerry Mendicino, Gloria Reuben, Tonya Lee Williams, Taborah Johnson, Cindy Cook, Catherine Bruhier, Rex Hagon, Garth Mosbaugh, Jim Codrington, Sherry Miller, Johnnie Chase, Gordon Thomson, Nonnie Griffin, Ken John Grant, Peter van Wart, Carrie Loring, Nerene Virgin, and Mishu Vellani.

The hosts would lead young children in young songs and young stories, and interact with young stuffed animal characters Humpty, Dumpty, Marigold and Bear. (Minou, a French-Canadian stuffed cat, also appeared in some episodes in the later years). These characters never spoke or moved; the hosts would let the audience know what they were saying, for example, one of the hosts would say "What's that Marigold? You would like..." On certain theme days the hosts would invite the audience to peer through the Polka Dot Door to witness an educational video of some sort, showing, for instance, how crayons are made. When the Storytime Clock chimed, one of the hosts would visit Storytime Mouse, who had appeared next to the oversized blue grandfather clock. This grey stuffed mouse would usually be represented as engaged in some activity related to that day's story. The host would then tell the time in a deliberate, educational way before beginning the story. Sometimes the show would feature the music director John Arpin, first music director was Herbie Helbig- as well as musicians such as Peter Appleyard, Jane Bunnett, and Henry Cuesta for a round of songs, or have a visit from a special guest such as Marcia Darling from the Toronto Humane Society or a keeper at the Metro Toronto Zoo. The music was played by virtuoso Canadian pianists Herbie Helbig (1971–1984) and John Arpin (1985–1993). It was produced by Ted Coneybeare (1971–1984) and Jed MacKay (1985–1993). MacKay began as a writer and also wrote much of the show's original music. He went on to create and produce two multi-award winning series for TVOntario, Join In! and Polka Dot Shorts. From 1979-1984, Susan Murgatroyd directed 50 programs and wrote 20 scripts. From 1985 on, episodes were directed by David Moore. The show's initial executive producer was Vera Good. In 2010, the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television gave "Polka Dot Door" a Masterworks award, calling it a "groundbreaking children's educational series" that "changed the nature of children's television programming" and "impacted countless young Canadians and raised the international profile of the Canadian television industry."