The Elephant Show

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The Elephant Show
EShowLogo.jpg
Title card for seasons 3-5
Also known asSharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show
Starring Sharon, Lois & Bram
Paula Gallivan
Eric Nagler
Opening theme"One Elephant Went Out to Play"
Ending theme"Skinnamarink"
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons5
No. of episodes65 (list of episodes)
Production
Production locations Toronto, Ontario
Running time30 minutes
Production companiesCambium Film & Video Productions, Ltd.
Original release
Network CBC
ReleaseOctober 8, 1984 (1984-10-08) –
February 26, 1989 (1989-02-26)
Related
Skinnamarink TV

The Elephant Show (from the second season onward, Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show) is a Canadian preschool television show. [1] It premiered on CBC on October 8, 1984, and ended on February 26, 1989, after 65 episodes over five seasons.

Contents

Summary

The Elephant Show features the adventures of the Canadian singing trio Sharon, Lois & Bram and Elephant (Paula Gallivan in an elephant costume). Elephant doesn't speak but is voiced by a tuba (played by Scott Irvine), which conveys thoughts and mood by its pitch and inflection. The four are usually accompanied by a group of children and a sidekick, family entertainer Eric Nagler. [2]

Every week Sharon, Lois & Bram, along with Eric Nagler, are joined by the curious and fun-loving antics of their pachyderm pal Elephant and such guest artists as Toller Cranston, Louis Del Grande, Jayne Eastwood, Murray McLauchlan, Chuck Mangione, Andrea Martin, Mendelson Joe and Jan Rubeš.[ citation needed ]

Almost every episode contains a concert segment, featuring Sharon, Lois & Bram, Eric and the Mammoth Band. They sing songs and help children with their problems (including arguments, fear and the failure of plans). In most episodes, the group travels to a new location (such as school, museum or zoo). They occasionally stay home and have an adventure in their yard (like building a tree fort or encountering a grumpy neighbour). The show occasionally includes a social lesson (such as a pro UNICEF discussion). Sharon, Lois and Bram appeared in advertisements during the show's original run, encouraging parents to vaccinate their children against polio, mumps and rubella. Each episode concludes with the song "Skinnamarink", which was often performed twice.

The show enjoyed top ratings in Canada and had consistently been rated one of the top three programs on Nickelodeon in the United States. [3] [4] In 1993, a panel of experts at TV Guide rated The Elephant Show the #2 program for preschoolers, beating Sesame Street (#5) and Barney & Friends (#9). In the years following the final season, the show remained on Nickelodeon until it aired for the last time on October 21, 1994. By that time, The Elephant Show had aired 65 episodes in five seasons (plus the specials Live in Your Living Room and Back by Popular Demand, which compiled concert performances from the show with some new narration) and had been viewed in Canada and the United States, reaching over 100 million viewers.[ citation needed ] After the series ended, Eric Nagler starred in his own series, Eric's World , produced by The Elephant Show's producer, Cambium Productions. Reruns of the series aired throughout the 1990s on networks such as TVOntario, [5] Knowledge Network, YTV, Access, and Global.

Credits

Home video

The show has not been released on DVD in its original form as of yet, although there is a compilation video (along with Treetown) titled Nursery Rhymes and Bedtime Songs, which was also released as part of the Kids Learn to 6 Pack DVD under the name Stories, Rhymes and Lullabies. [6]

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One Elephant, Deux Éléphants is the first album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1978. Throughout their career, the album has been re-released many times under various titles. The song "One Elephant, Deux Éléphants" became the opening theme to their popular children's television show, The Elephant Show, which ran for five seasons. This was also the first time that Sharon, Lois, and Bram covered "Skinnamarink", which became the group's signature song and was performed at the end of every episode of The Elephant Show and Skinnamarink TV.

<i>In the Schoolyard</i> 1981 studio album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

In the Schoolyard is the fourth album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1981, featuring a central theme of songs and rhymes from the schoolyard.

<i>Sharon, Lois & Brams Elephant Show Record</i> 1986 studio album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show Record is the seventh album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1986. The album features songs from Seasons 1 and 2 what would become their hit TV series "Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show".

<i>Sing A to Z</i> 1990 studio album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

Sing A to Z is the tenth album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1990. This album, like many other Sharon, Lois & Bram albums has been re-released many times. It is rumored that the idea for this album came from Lois when she and Sharon were window shopping and came across an alphabet quilt on display. The Global Television Network had its live-in concert special from 1991 until 1996.

<i>Great Big Hits</i> 1992 greatest hits album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

Great Big Hits is the 11th album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1992. The album features 31 favorite Sharon, Lois & Bram songs, most released on previous albums, although the trio did re-recorded several songs especially for this album to give them more of a "Sharon, Lois & Bram sound".

<i>Candles, Snow & Mistletoe</i> 1993 studio album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

Candles, Snow & Mistletoe is the 13th album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1993. This holiday album is one of Sharon, Lois & Bram's biggest productions and recordings they worked on during their career. The album is produced by Glen Roven, an Emmy-Award winning producer who has worked with Liza Minnelli. Lyrics were written by Mark Saltzman who also worked with Sesame Street. This album, unlike previous Sharon, Lois & Bram albums, has a Broadway sound to the album. It featured a complete orchestra and was recorded using the same microphones as The Manhattan Transfer.

<i>All the Fun You Can Sing!</i> 1993 studio album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

All the Fun You Can Sing! is the 15th album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1993. This album features some of Sharon, Lois & Bram's favorite songs, perfect for "on the way and when you get there". This is the second official compilation from the Sharon, Lois & Bram collection. To this day, this particular album of the trio's remains one of the hardest to find.

<i>Sing Around the Campfire</i> 1995 studio album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

Sing Around the Campfire is the 16th album by children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1995. This album is a collection of songs for round the campfire. This is the third official compilation from the Sharon, Lois & Bram collection. Not only is Sing Around the Campfire an album, but it is also a 50-minute home video under the same name.

<i>Car Tunes</i> 1989 compilation album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

The Sharon, Lois & Bram Car Tunes collection is a set of mini-cassette recordings released by the Canadian children's music trio Sharon, Lois & Bram in 1989 and 1990; some were re-released in 1995. It is the largest collection of music in the trio's repertoire. The collection consists of "mid-price[d] mini-tapes for children and their families." It contains a total of eight cassettes released under their own Elephant Records label. Each cassette contains between ten and twenty songs, all from previous Sharon, Lois & Bram albums. Each cassette has a central theme.

<i>Wild About Animals</i> 1997 studio album by Sharon, Lois & Bram

Wild About Animals is the 18th album by popular children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, originally released in 1997. It featured the trio's very best songs about animals and is available on cassette and CD. This album was only released on the trio's own Elephant Records, after the trio dropped their previous U.S. distributor, Drive Entertainment. Hence, this product was only available in Canada. It was dubbed the trio's "musical tribute to fur, feathers, feelers and fins".

As one of the most prominent Canadian children's music acts, the Sharon, Lois & Bram and Sharon, Bram & Friends discographies are quite extensive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharon, Lois & Bram</span> Canadian childrens music group

Sharon, Lois & Bram are a Canadian children's music group founded in Toronto, Ontario, 1978. The group's original lineup consisted of Sharon Hampson, Lois Ada Lilienstein, and Bramwell "Bram" Morrison.

Eric Nagler is an American musician and television personality known primarily for his work on Canadian children's television series such as The Elephant Show and Eric's World.

Eric's World is a children's sitcom, which aired on a number of Canadian networks in 1990–1995, and was produced by Cambium Productions, running for five seasons.

References

  1. ↑ Music at Michigan. Vol. 22–23. UM Libraries. 1988. p. 3. UOM:39015022314697.
  2. ↑ Report, Morning Call | Staff (1991-03-16). "'THAT GUY' FROM 'THE ELEPHANT SHOW' IS BIG ON CHILDREN REMEMBERING HIS NAME". The Morning Call. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  3. ↑ Gerry Lin (25 February 1995). "US Indies Look Abroad". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 96. ISSN   0006-2510.
  4. ↑ Moira McCormack (4 September 1993). "Sharon, Lois and Bram in Holiday Spirit". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 64. ISSN   0006-2510.
  5. ↑ "What's On Tonight". The Ottawa Citizen . January 4, 1989 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Kid's Learn To" . Retrieved Oct 9, 2019– via Amazon.
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