Related Research Articles
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (MMPR) is an American superhero television series that premiered on August 28, 1993, on the Fox Kids programming block. It is the first entry of the Power Rangers franchise, and became a 1990s pop culture phenomenon along with a large line of toys, action figures, and other merchandise. The show adapted stock footage from the Japanese TV series Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger (1992–1993), which was the 16th installment of Toei's Super Sentai franchise. The second and third seasons of the show drew elements and stock footage from Gosei Sentai Dairanger and Ninja Sentai Kakuranger, respectively, though the Zyuranger costumes were still used for the lead cast in these two seasons. Only the mecha and the Kiba Ranger costume from Dairanger were featured in the second season while only the Kakuranger mecha was featured in the third season, though the Kakuranger costumes were later used for the mini-series Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers. The series was produced by MMPR Productions and distributed by Saban Entertainment, while the show's merchandise was produced and distributed by Bandai Entertainment.
William James Te Wehi Taitoko, better known by his stage name Billy T. James, was a New Zealand entertainer, comedian, musician and actor. He became a key figure in the development of New Zealand comedy and was a household name during his lifetime.
Power Rangers Ninja Storm is a television series and the eleventh season of the Power Rangers franchise, based on the 26th Super Sentai series Ninpu Sentai Hurricaneger. The season marked a series of firsts in the franchise, being that it was the first to be filmed in New Zealand, the first to not be produced by MMPR Productions, and the first to air on ABC Kids in its entirety, debuting on February 15, 2003. It was the last season to have theme music done by Jeremy Sweet, who had been working on most of the show's themes since Power Rangers Zeo.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is a 1995 American superhero film. It stars the ensemble cast of Karan Ashley, Johnny Yong Bosch, Steve Cardenas, Jason David Frank, Amy Jo Johnson, and David Yost alongside the villains cast from the original series and Paul Freeman as Ivan Ooze. Much like the television season that followed the release, it used concepts from the Japanese Super Sentai series Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger, Gosei Sentai Dairanger and Ninja Sentai Kakuranger. It is the first Power Rangers production from Saban Entertainment not to feature any archived footage from Super Sentai. It is the first installment in the Power Rangers film series. The film was released in between the second and third seasons of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, but is incompatible with season three, which provides a different explanation for the Rangers gaining their Ninja Ranger powers and Ninjazords, indicating they are set in different continuities.
John Morrison Clarke was a New Zealand comedian, writer and satirist who lived and worked in Australia from the late 1970s. He was a highly regarded actor and writer whose work appeared on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in both radio and television and also in print. He is principally known for his character Fred Dagg and his long-running collaboration with fellow satirist Bryan Dawe, which lasted from 1989 to his death in 2017, as well as for his success as a comic actor in Australian and New Zealand film and television.
Billy Cranston is a fictional character in the Power Rangers universe. He is the Blue Ranger (triceratops) in the series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and was portrayed by actor David Yost. Billy is the only original Power Ranger to remain for the entire MMPR series, and is the second longest-serving Ranger overall behind Tommy Oliver. Until his departure, he is considered the brains of the Power Rangers team, creating many gadgets with which to solve problems that not even Zordon foresees, and he even invents the first team's wrist-worn communication devices. A reimagined version of Billy appears in 2017 reboot film, played by actor RJ Cyler.
New Zealand humour bears some similarities to the body of humour of many other English-speaking countries. There are, however, several regional differences.
David Alexander McPhail was a New Zealand comedic actor and writer whose television career spanned four decades. McPhail first won fame on sketch comedy show A Week of It, partly thanks to his impressions of New Zealand prime minister Robert Muldoon. He went on to appear in multiple series of sketch show McPhail and Gadsby, and hit comedy Letter to Blanchy. All three shows featured his longtime friend Jon Gadsby.
Pio Keith Terei is a Māori actor, singer and comedian on New Zealand television.
Neil Charles Kaplan is an American voice actor, audiobook narrator, entertainer, and comedian. His most well known voice roles are Hawkmon from Digimon, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto from Bleach, Emperor Zarkon from Voltron: Legendary Defender and Madara Uchiha from Naruto.
Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale is a 1986 New Zealand animated musical comedy film based on cartoonist Murray Ball's comic strip Footrot Flats about a New Zealand farmer and his border collie sheepdog. Written by Ball and Tom Scott, directed by Ball, and produced by John Barnett and Pat Cox, with music by Dave Dobbyn, the voice cast includes leading New Zealand actors John Clarke, Peter Rowley, Rawiri Paratene, Fiona Samuel, and Billy T. James.
Mark Wright is a New Zealand actor, comedic entertainer, writer, and raconteur. He is a Toi Whakaari NZ Drama School graduate. He is an international Theatresports champion, has appeared for every professional theatre company in New Zealand, and toured extensively throughout Australasia. Notably: The Rocky Horror Show, Bouncers, A Way Of Life, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He has featured in some 40 different television series/programmes/specials and has won two New Zealand Film & Television awards – both for best performance. Recent theatrical appearances include
Jonathan Ernest Gadsby was a New Zealand television comedian and writer, most well known for his role in the comedy series McPhail and Gadsby co-starring alongside David McPhail. He died of cancer aged 62.
A Week of It is a New Zealand television series screened from 1977 to 1979. A comedy sketch show, the series relied heavily on political satire, and as such was often written very shortly before it screened. Although it only ran for three years, the show was very popular, and launched the careers of many New Zealand entertainers, most notably David McPhail and Jon Gadsby.
Letter to Blanchy is a 1990s New Zealand television comedy series written by A. K. Grant and David McPhail, starring McPhail with Jon Gadsby and Peter Rowley as three smalltown Kiwi blokes, Barry (Gadsby), Derek (McPhail) and Ray (Rowley). A situation comedy where three unlikely characters commit various outrages on the property of their long-suffering friend Blanchy. Barry starts each episode by reading a letter to his unseen mate Blanchy; generally a letter of apology or explanation. They drink beer in a seedy bar and cause havoc with their well-intentioned schemes. Described as "a concept whose time had come – about 20 years ago" or as "Last of the Summer Wine" as written by Barry Crump.
Heather Rima Te Wiata is a British-born New Zealand singer, comedian and stage, film and television actress, who is also notable for her career in Australia, especially her long-running recurring role in soap opera Sons and Daughters as Janice Reid in 204 episodes.
Events in 1954 in animation.
Nic Sampson is a New Zealand actor, comedian, and writer known for his roles as Chip Thorn, the Yellow Mystic Ranger on Power Rangers Mystic Force, Detective Constable Sam Breen on The Brokenwood Mysteries, and for the New Zealand sketch show Funny Girls.
References
- ↑ "Peter Rowley," Speakers New Zealand.
- ↑ "Billy T. and Me with Peter Rowley," thebigidea.co.nz, 12 May 2011.
