Fred Figglehorn

Last updated

Fred Figglehorn
Fred character
Four faces of Fred Figglehorn.jpg
Fred Figglehorn in videos he made in 2006 and 2010, Fred: The Movie, and It's Fred!
First appearanceFred on Halloween (2006)
Last appearanceLucas Defeats Yuksung (2014)
HeyItsFred TikTok account (2020)
Created by Lucas Cruikshank
Portrayed byLucas Cruikshank
Jack Coughlan (young; film series)
Voiced byLucas Cruikshank
In-universe information
OccupationStudent
NationalityAmerican
CatchphraseHey, it's Fred!
Age6 years (YouTube)
15 years (Nickelodeon)

Fred Figglehorn was the central character in an Internet video series created by American Internet personality Lucas Cruikshank from 2006 to 2015 and revived from 2020 to 2021. [1] It yielded other spin-off series and a relationship with Nickelodeon, including three movies and a television series.

Contents

History

Lucas Cruikshank introduced the Fred character in a video on JKL Productions, a channel he started on YouTube with his cousins, Jon and Katie Smet on June 11, 2006. Cruikshank uploaded several videos testing out different characters. The first Fred video was uploaded on October 30, 2006, and a few more videos were uploaded throughout 2007. [2] On April 30, 2008, these videos were moved to the Fred channel, and on May 1 the first official video of the series, titled "Fred on May Day" was released. By April 2009, it became the first YouTube channel to have over one million subscribers. [3] [4]

Zipit Wireless Messenger (Z2) sponsored the first season of Fred, with several product placements. Walden Media hired Cruikshank to promote the film City of Ember , along with the sci-fi novel it was based on, cameos from the film's star Tim Robbins in Fred episodes, and a mock movie trailer. [5]

Cruikshank made a cameo appearance as both Fred and himself on Nickelodeon's iCarly in "iMeet Fred", which originally aired on February 16, 2009. [6] The episode has iCarly facing a huge loss of popularity after Freddie Benson criticizes Fred on-air, resulting in Cruikshank pretending to cancel his own show, and the characters organizing a crossover episode between the two web shows to regain popularity.

In December 2009, Cruikshank filmed Fred: The Movie , which aired on Nickelodeon on September 18, 2010. Nickelodeon created a franchise surrounding the character, [7] [8] [9] with the sequel, Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred , airing on October 22, 2011. In 2012, Fred: The Show aired, consisting of 24 11-minute episodes; a third movie, Fred 3: Camp Fred , premiered that year.

In June 2010, Fred appeared on the Annoying Orange web series. In October and November 2011, Ari Gold cameos in Fred as Power, from the film Adventures of Power . [10]

The last video in the Fred franchise was an appearance by Cruikshank in the video “Lucas Defeats Yuksung”, an episode of “The New Fred”. Cruikshank made one final appearance in a promo for the new era of the channel in which users could send in their own videos before selling off the channel, making few appearances from then on. The channel made its final upload in 2015.

In 2020, Cruikshank created a TikTok channel based on Fred named HeyItsFred, reviving the character, [11] although it has been inactive since 2021.

Format

Fred lives with his grandmother and his mother who is a recovering drug-addict and alcoholic stripper. Fred has been the victim of child abuse and his father is a former rock musician, and currently on death row in the state penitentiary.

The series uses a floating timeline, meaning it is always taking place in the current year, and Fred is perpetually six years old and in kindergarten. The videos primarily consist of the character speaking to the audience about what is happening in his life. Fred has a high-pitched voice and is hyperactive, achieved by speeding up the footage. [2] Cruikshank has described the channel as "programming for kids by kids" [1] as a parody of people who "think that everyone is so interested in them". He believes that viewers either "automatically love Fred or automatically hate Fred, there is no in between". [12]

Leading up to the second movie's release, a new series called Figgle Chat features Internet and television stars. An animated series, It's Fred!, joined the channel.

Discography

Albums

List of albums, with details and chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US
Comedy

[13]
US
Heat

[13]
Who's Ready to Party?
  • Released: September 17, 2010 (United States) [14]
  • Labels: Collective Records
  • Formats: Digital download
129

Extended plays

List of albums, with details and chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US
Comedy

[13]
US
Heat

[13]
US
Holiday

[13]
It's Hackin' Christmas with Fred82413

Charted songs

List of charted songs, with peak positions
TitleYearPeak positionsAlbum
US
Comedy

[16]
US
Holiday

[17]
"Christmas Cash"2009225It's Hackin' Christmas with Fred
"Christmas is Creepy"91
"Fred's 12 Days of Christmas"28
"I Wanna Be a Celebrity"201011Who's Ready to Party
"—" denotes the song did not chart.

Films

Fred: The Movie

Fred: The Movie is a 2010 film based on the YouTube series about Fred Figglehorn. It features Lucas Cruikshank as Fred, Pixie Lott as Judy, Jennette McCurdy as Bertha, Jake Weary as Kevin Cen, John Cena as Fred's imaginary dad, and Siobhan Fallon Hogan as Fred's mom. It follows the character as he tries to track down his crush, Judy after she moves away. It is written by David A. Goodman, directed by Clay Weiner, and produced by Brian Robbins. [18] Filming began November 9, 2009, and wrapped up December 20, 2009. [19] The movie premiered on Nickelodeon on September 18, 2010, and the DVD was released October 5, 2010 [7] as well as streaming media such as Netflix.

Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred

Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred is a 2011 Halloween-themed sequel to Fred: The Movie. It first aired on October 22, 2011. After Fred has broken up with Judy, he meets Kevin Cen's sister Talia, and becomes convinced that his new neighbor is a vampire. The Judy character does not appear, and Jennette McCurdy was replaced by Daniella Monet in the role of Bertha.

Fred 3: Camp Fred

In late 2011, a third Fred movie was announced. Fred 3: Camp Fred premiered July 28, 2012, on Nickelodeon, [20] which also aired Fred: The Show , a series of 24 11-minute-long episodes, [21] in 2012. For summer, Fred attends Camp Iwannapeepee, where he meets several different characters, and must compete against Kevin Cen's camp.

TV series

Fred: The Show

In 2012, Fred became the protagonist in his own TV series, which ran between January and August 2012. The series received dismal reviews, particularly for Fred's annoying attitude, and grating voice, and ratings continued to slip until the show was axed, after which Cruikshank severed ties with Nickelodeon, and Fred was retired.

Related Research Articles

Fred or FRED may refer to:

<i>Doug</i> (TV series) Animated series and sitcom

Doug is an animated television series and sitcom created by Jim Jinkins and produced by Jumbo Pictures, airing from August 11, 1991 to June 26, 1999 on Nickelodeon and ABC. The show focuses on the early adolescent life and zany hijinks of its title character, Douglas "Doug" Funnie, who experiences common predicaments while attending school in his new hometown of Bluffington. Doug narrates each story in his journal, and the show incorporates many imagination sequences. The series addresses numerous topics, including trying to fit in, platonic and romantic relationships, self-esteem, bullying, and rumors. Many episodes center on Doug's attempts to impress his classmate and crush, Patti Mayonnaise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederator Studios</span> American animation television production studio

Frederator Studios is an American animation television production studio founded by Fred Seibert, which is a division of Frederator Networks, Inc. It was formally launched by Seibert in 1998, with its initial formation in January of the prior year. Seibert remained at the company until founding FredFilms, its successor company in February 2021. The studio has been credited with producing various media projects, predominantly in children's animation. Their slogan is "Original Cartoons since 1998." The studio has locations in New York City, where Frederator Digital is based, and Burbank, California.

<i>The Suite Life of Zack & Cody</i> American teen sitcom (2005–2008)

The Suite Life of Zack & Cody is an American teen sitcom created by Danny Kallis and Jim Geoghan. The series aired on Disney Channel from March 18, 2005, to September 1, 2008. The series was nominated for an Emmy Award three times and was also nominated for a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award three times.

<i>iCarly</i> American teen sitcom (2007–2012)

iCarly is an American teen sitcom created by Dan Schneider, which originally aired on Nickelodeon from September 8, 2007, to November 23, 2012. The series tells the story of Carly Shay, a teenager who creates and hosts her own web show called iCarly with her best friends Sam and Freddie in the apartment loft that she and her older brother Spencer live in. As the web show quickly becomes an internet phenomenon, the characters are tasked with balancing their normal teenage lives with the wacky situations their newfound fame lands them in. By the fourth season, their school friend Gibby also works with them on the web show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucas Cruikshank</span> American YouTuber (born 1993)

Lucas Alan Cruikshank is an American YouTuber and actor who created the character Fred Figglehorn and the associated Fred series for his channel on the video-hosting website YouTube in late 2006. These videos are centered on Fred Figglehorn, a fictional six-year-old who has a dysfunctional home life and "anger management issues".

The second season of iCarly aired on Nickelodeon from September 27, 2008 to August 8, 2009. The season continues the stories of Carly Shay, Sam Puckett, and Freddie Benson as they produce their own web show called "iCarly." Jerry Trainor co-stars as Carly's big brother Spencer. This season is the first to have a major plot twist, as it sees Sam and Freddie sharing their first kiss, just to avoid the frustration of not having a first kiss. This is followed by them becoming somewhat closer. This season contained the special "iChristmas". The second season consisted of 45 episodes, with 25 of them airing as part of the second season before the remaining 20 were marketed as the third season. This season has specials "iGo to Japan", "iChristmas", "iKiss", "iReunite with Missy", "iMake Sam Girlier", "iDate a Bad Boy", and "iFight Shelby Marx"

<i>Fred: The Movie</i> 2010 film by David A. Goodman

Fred: The Movie is a 2010 American comedy film written by David A. Goodman, directed by Clay Weiner and produced by Brian Robbins. The film is based on the adventures of Fred Figglehorn, a character created and played by Lucas Cruikshank for Cruikshank's YouTube channel, and it is the first film in the Fred trilogy. The film casts Siobhan Fallon Hogan and John Cena as Fred's parents and pop singer and actress Pixie Lott as Fred's crush Judy. First optioned as a theatrical release, the film instead premiered on children's TV channel Nickelodeon in the United States on September 18, 2010. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the film was released theatrically on December 17, 2010. This film was the debut of Pixie Lott as an actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Kids' Choice Awards</span> Childrens television awards show program broadcast in 2010

The 23rd Annual Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards was held on March 27, 2010, on the Nell and John Wooden Court of Pauley Pavilion, on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles, California with Kevin James as host. With the launch of Nickelodeon Canada in late 2009, Canada broadcast the awards live as it aired in the Eastern, Central, and Mountain time zones of the United States and the awards was rebroadcast on YTV on April 2, 2010, at 7 p.m. ET. As a result, Canadian kids were able to vote on candidates for the first time. Nickelodeon's sister channels TeenNick and Nicktoons suspended regular programming during the 90-minute duration of the award show to allow viewers to see the awards.

Clay Weiner is an American director and writer of commercials, film and television.

<i>Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred</i> 2011 film

Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred is a 2011 American horror comedy film. The film is the sequel to the 2010 film Fred: The Movie, based on the adventures of Fred Figglehorn, a character created and played by Lucas Cruikshank for Cruikshank's YouTube channel. It is a Halloween-themed sequel, and it is the second film in the Fred trilogy. Jennette McCurdy, who played Bertha in the original Fred, did not return and is replaced by Daniella Monet. John Cena returns as Dad Figglehorn, and Jake Weary returns to play Kevin. Supah Ninjas star Carlos Knight co-stars as Kevin's friend and partner. Pixie Lott, who played Judy in the first film, also did not return and her character was written out; it is revealed by Fred that they broke up.

<i>Fred: The Show</i> 2012 American comedy television series

Fred: The Show is an American comedy television series, created by Lucas Cruikshank that originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States from January 16 to August 3, 2012. Lucas Cruikshank, Daniella Monet, Jake Weary, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, and Stephanie Courtney reprise their roles from Fred: The Movie and Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred. A series preview aired on January 16, 2012, and the show officially premiered on February 5, 2012. Fred: The Show came to production after the success of Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred. The show was cancelled after one season due to low ratings and poor reviews from critics. It is considered one of the worst television shows ever made, although it has developed a cult following.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennifer Veal</span> English actress, YouTuber, and comedian

Jennifer Anne Veal is an English actress and internet personality. She made her acting debut playing Lucy on the television series As the Bell Rings (2007–09). She created her YouTube channel in 2012, and rose to fame for her videos in collaboration with Lucas Cruikshank from 2013 to 2014.

<i>Fred 3: Camp Fred</i> 2012 American comedy film

Fred 3: Camp Fred is a 2012 American comedy film directed by Jonathan Judge. It is the third and final installment in the Fred trilogy, following Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred. Released on July 28, 2012, the film stars Lucas Cruikshank, Tom Arnold, Jake Weary, and John Cena. Like its predecessors, the film received negative reviews.

<i>Marvin Marvin</i> American TV series

Marvin Marvin is an American comedy science fiction television series that aired on Nickelodeon from November 24, 2012 to April 27, 2013. The series stars Lucas Cruikshank of Fred fame as the titular character Marvin Forman, an alien teenage boy adjusting to human life. The show ended with only one season after Cruikshank announced his departure from Nickelodeon on Twitter on June 26, 2013.

Fred is a Nickelodeon media franchise based on the YouTube series and character of the same name created by Lucas Cruikshank and Brian Robbins. The films are produced by Derf Films, Varsity Pictures, The Collective and distributed by Lionsgate.

Awesomeness, formerly and best known as AwesomenessTV, is an American digital media and entertainment network company owned by Paramount Digital Studios, a division of Paramount Global. Established in July 2012 by Brian Robbins and Joe Davola, the company operated a network initially focused on children’s programs, teen dramas, comedies, live events and music videos targeting adolescents and young adults.

Quinton Kyle Hoover, known online primarily as Quinton Reviews, is an American YouTuber. Hoover produces video essays on various topics, usually pop culture. His best-known work includes his coverage of the Garfield franchise and a series of hours-long videos covering iCarly and its spin-offs.

References

  1. 1 2 Andrew Keen (July 28, 2008). "Andrew Keen on New Media: Kids with cameras lead the way in giving web users their daily Fred". The Independent . London. Archived from the original on February 19, 2009. Retrieved October 26, 2008.
  2. 1 2 partnersproject (April 21, 2011). "Lucas Cruikshank aka Fred Exclusive Interview: The Partners Project Episode 19". YouTube. Archived from the original on July 12, 2013. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
  3. Editorial Team (November 13, 2008). "BB Suggests: The Best of Web TV". Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  4. Sarno, David (April 8, 2009). "YouTube's Fred is first online video star to break 1M subscribers" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  5. Sanders, Pete (September 18, 2008). "Studios Hope YouTube Tie Sells Movie". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on March 25, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2008.
  6. Albrecht, Chris (November 18, 2008). "'Fred' Cranks Up the YouTube Views and Ad Dollars". Business Week . Archived from the original on May 12, 2009. Retrieved July 7, 2009.
  7. 1 2 Barnes, Brooks (March 24, 2010). "'Fred: The Movie' Lands on Nickelodeon - Media Decoder Blog - NYTimes.com". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 25, 2010. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  8. Cruikshank, Lucas (February 22, 2011). "Tweet 40139239941210112". Twitter. Archived from the original on September 22, 2013. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
  9. Cruikshank, Lucas (March 3, 2011). "Tweet 43282065155829760". Twitter. Archived from the original on September 22, 2013. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
  10. lucas (October 27, 2011). "Lucas Gets Kidnapped!". YouTube. Archived from the original on January 23, 2012. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
  11. "TikTok". www.tiktok.com. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  12. Brook, Anderson. "The Teen Behind Fred". YouTube . CNN. Archived from the original on September 12, 2008. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 "Fred Figglehorn Awards". Allmusic . Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on January 24, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  14. "Who's Ready to Party? by Fred Figglehorn - Download Who's Ready to Party? on iTunes". iTunes . Archived from the original on September 24, 2010. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
  15. "YouTube Sensation Fred Releases Christmas Album and Premiers Music Video « Pynk Celebrity". Archived from the original on November 13, 2009. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
  16. "Holiday Digital Songs: Oct 09, 2012". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 14, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  17. Barnes, Brooks (December 7, 2009). "A High-Pitched Whine Brings to the Movies: Bigger Screen for a High-Pitched Whine". The New York Times . Archived from the original on September 27, 2012. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  18. Sanchez, Adrian (December 28, 2009). "Cruikshank's YouTube character to hit silver screen". Columbus Telegram. Archived from the original on March 27, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
  19. ""Fred 3: Camp Fred," Premieres". The Futon Critic. July 12, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
  20. Andreeva, Nellie (December 1, 2011). "Nickelodeon Greenlights Third 'Fred' Movie, Picks Up 20-Episode 'Fred' Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 3, 2011. Retrieved December 2, 2011.