Zoobilee Zoo

This article is about the television series. For the toyline by Spin Master, see Zoobles! For the anime, see Zoobles! (anime).

Zoobilee Zoo
Cast of Zoobilee Zoo
Developed by	Hallmark
Presented by	Ben Vereen
Opening theme	"Zoobilee Zoo" by Haim Saban and Shuki Levy
Ending theme	"Zoobilee Zoo"
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of episodes	65 (plus three direct-to-video episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Steve Binder Jean Chalopin Andy Heyward
Producer	Mary Jo Blue
Running time	21-22 minutes
Production companies	DIC Group Production Hallmark Cards BRB Productions
Original release
Network	First-run syndication
Release	September 15, 1986 (1986-09-15) – March 27, 1987 (1987-03-27)

Zoobilee Zoo is a children's television series featuring actors dressed as animal characters that originally aired from 1986 to 1987.^[1] It continued to run in syndication until 2000^[2] on several television channels including commercial network television stations, PBS stations, The Learning Channel, and Hallmark Channel. The original 65 episodes are currently owned by Hallmark Properties and were produced by WQED Pittsburgh.

Hosted by Ben Vereen, the show revolves around a group of six creative animal friends who live in a magical land called Zoobilee Zoo. Each possess a unique artistic skill and they frequently break into song and dance.^[3]

Plot

Each episode is opened by a greeting from host Ben Vereen, dressed as a spotted snow leopard, who plays the mayor of Zoobilee Zoo.^[2] Speaking directly to viewers that he refers to as "Zoobaroos", Vereen usually appears throughout each episode to summarize the main themes or to perform a song and dance.^[3]

The plot in each episode revolves around the main characters, called Zoobles,^[4] as they play together and encounter difficulties common to young children. The primary themes are cooperation, making friends, and creativity.^[3]

Cast and characters

Each Zooble character has a certain artistic talent that shapes the way they approach different scenario:^[3]

• Sandey Grinn as Bill Der Beaver in all but 2 episodes, who likes to invent and fix stuff.
  • Michael Sheehan as the original Bill Der Beaver in 2 episodes. When Sheehan decided to leave the show for other interests (such as Jem), he was replaced by Sandey Grinn.
• Forrest Gardner as Van Go Lion, who enjoys art.
• Karen Hartman as Talkatoo Cockatoo, who enjoys reading, writing, and speech.
• Michael B. Moynahan as Lookout Bear, who enjoys adventuring and travel.
• Gary Schwartz as Bravo Fox, who enjoys performing.
• Louise Vallance (Stevie Vallance) as Whazzat Kangaroo, the youngest Zooble who encourages kids to enjoy music and dance.
• Ben Vereen as Mayor Ben, a snow leopard who stars as the host of the show explaining what kind of adventure the Zoobles will be having. Apart from the opening he rarely interacts with any of the other characters.

Minor characters

• Roger Behr as Limerick Leprechaun and Peter Possum
• Roger Peltz as Rhymin' Simon and the Genie
• Crosby the Dog as Crosby
• Suzy Gilstrap as Sandy
• Robert Shields as Elmo the Clown
• Patty Maloney as Ergo
• Helen Lambros as the Witch
• Vinson Crump as Vince
• Norman Merrill as Dr. Feelright
• Caleb Chung as Bert Backtrack

In addition, Grinn, Schwartz and Vallance have also played some minor characters. Schwartz played the gorilla in "A Camping We Will Go" (revealed in a blooper reel) and Grinn played Bravo's Vaudeville friend Charlie Google in "Vaudeville Star". Due to this, in the respective episodes, neither Bravo nor Bill appear. Vallance voiced Gilda the Tooth Fairy in "When You Wish Upon a Tooth Fairy".

Background and production

Premiering on September 15, 1986, Zoobilee Zoo was produced and directed by Steve Binder. The show's concept was developed by Hallmark Entertainment, which partnered with children's production company DIC Enterprises.^[2]

In 1992, The Learning Channel picked up the show as part of its Ready Set Learn! lineup for preschoolers.^[2][5]

Episodes were released on a wide array of VHS tapes—the most recent series released in 1997—but not yet released to DVD. In 2000, three new direct-to-video episodes and soundtracks were released, and the stage show Zoobilee Zoo Live! toured briefly.^{[citation needed]}

Reception

Zoobilee Zoo was well-received critically, but earned only modest viewer ratings. It was praised by the National Education Association (NEA), the American Federation of Teachers and the National Association of Elementary School Principals. In addition, it was endorsed by the Action for Children's Television (ACT).^[3]

Episodes

Episodes with an asterisk (*) contain Michael Sheehan as Bill Der Beaver. All other segments feature Sandey Grinn in the role.

1. A Star is Born
2. Two's A Crowd
3. Blue Ribbon Zoobles
4. Bravo, Come Home!
5. Land of Rhymes*
6. The Genie
7. When You Wish Upon a Tooth Fairy
8. The Robot Zoobles
9. Trading Places
10. The Great Trash Mystery*
11. Strike Up the Band
12. Mystery in Zoobilee Zoo
13. Popular Bill
14. The Cockatoo/Fox Report
15. Grown Up for a Day*
16. Winter Wonderland
17. Fox in Wolf's Clothing
18. Vaudeville Star
19. Is There a Doctor in the House?
20. Backwardville
21. Speak to Me, Bill
22. A Sticky Situation
23. To See or Not to See
24. Just in Time
25. Cave Zoobles
26. The Bear Behind the Badge
27. One Touch of Van Go
28. Job Hunting
29. The Great Game #1
30. Lookout, Super Zooble
31. Invisible Zooble
32. Lookout's Dog
33. Endangered Zoobra
34. Bravo's Puppets
35. The Witch's Spell
36. Talkerella
37. The Great Game #2
38. Van Go, Master Painter
39. The Ghost of Zoobilee Woods
40. Pigment Puzzle
41. Whazzat the Clown
42. The Great Zooble Tryouts
43. Gotta Dance
44. Close Encounters of a Zooble Kind
45. Laughland
46. Lady Whazzat
47. The Zooble Book of Records
48. Sing Along #1
49. The Magic Ring
50. A Trip to Memoryland
51. The Zooble Hop
52. Attack of the Giant Potatoes
53. The Teleportation Machine
54. Simon and the Leprechaun
55. Pictures to Remember
56. Smart Dummy
57. The Zoobadoobas
58. Sing Along #2
59. Without a Sound
60. Bill Sees Stars
61. A Time for Laughs
62. A Camping We Will Go
63. Surprise, Surprise
64. Bravo's Party
65. Piano Man Bill

Awards and recognition

The series was awarded the 1987 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Costume Design.

See also

• New Zoo Revue

References

1. Hyatt, Wesley (1997). The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television. Watson-Guptill Publications. p. 487. ISBN 978-0823083152. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
2. Rossen, Jake (May 19, 2016). "The Lost Magic of 'Zoobilee Zoo'". Mental Floss. Archived from the original on December 27, 2016. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
3. Margulies, Lee (December 31, 1986). "'Zoo'—Will It Pass Syndication Test?". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 27, 2019. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
4. Berry, Gordon L.; Asamen, Joy Keiko (May 25, 1993). Children and Television: Images in a Changing Socio-Cultural World. SAGE Publications. pp. 138–139. ISBN 978-1-4522-5374-9.
5. Mendoza, N.F. (December 27, 1992). "Disney offers lullabies for the toddlers while the Learning Channel prepares kids for the classroom". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 21, 2023. Retrieved December 26, 2016.

External links

• Zoobilee Zoo at IMDb
• ZoobileeZoo.com