In 1960, the Madeline stories were adapted to a one-hour color episode for the NBC series The Shirley Temple Show. Madeline was played by Gina Gillespie, child actor Michel Petit played Pepito, and Imogene Coca portrayed Miss Clavel. The episode, as Madeline's first appearance on television, has been released to DVD.[citation needed]
Characters
Madeline (voiced by Tracey Lee Smythe in season 1 and Andrea Libman in seasons 2 & 3)[3] is the central protagonist of the show. She is a kind and caring redheaded girl who is the bravest of her group despite being the shortest. She lives in a boarding school with eleven other girls and their instructor, Miss Clavel.
Miss Clavel (voiced by Louise Vallance in seasons 1 & 3)[3][d] is a teacher that oversees the boarding school in which the girls live. She and her students say grace before every meal. She is seen to be a caring and wise maternal figure to the girls.
The Eleven Little Girls are eleven classmates that accompany Madeline in her adventures and live in the boarding school as her. Their names are Anne, Chloe, Danielle, Ellie, Janine, Lulu, Monique, Nicole, Nona, Sylvie and Yvette. In the first few seasons and specials, only Chloe, Danielle, and Nicole had significant roles; by the third season, all the girls become more vocal and display their own individual personality.
Pepito (voiced by A.J. Bond in season 1, David Morse in season 2 and Michael Heyward/Kyle Labine in season 3)[4] is the son of the Spanish ambassador who lives next to the boarding school. Despite being mean and aggressive to Madeline and the girls at first, they soon become friends and he develops a secret crush on Madeline.
Genevieve (voiced by Louise Vallance)[4][d] is the school's pet, once a stray dog. Madeline has more affection toward her, because Genevieve rescued her from drowning in the River Seine.
Lord Cucuface (voiced by French Tickner)[3] is the administrator of a chain of boarding schools. He maintains a close friendship with Miss Clavel.
On November 7, 1988, HBO aired an animated television special titled Madeline. The teleplay was an adaption of the first book written by Ludwig Bemelmans. The later series was written by Judy Rothman who would become a writer, story editor, and lyricist for nearly all subsequent Madeline animated projects. The special was produced by DIC Enterprises and Cinar (now part of WildBrain).[5][6] The special featured Christopher Plummer as the narrator,[7] and featured original music and songs by veteran Sesame Street songwriter and composer Joe Raposo[8][9] with lyrics by Rothman. The cast for all six specials is as follows:[4]
Marsha Moreau as Madeline
Judith Orban as Miss Clavel
Julian Bailey as Pepito
Anik Matern as Chloe
Liz MacRae as Danielle
Sonja Ball as Nicole
The special was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (One Hour or Less).[10] In 1990, the special was released onto VHS by Hi-Tops Video. The success of the special led to CINAR and France Animation producing an additional five specials, all adapted by Rothman from the other five original books, for The Family Channel.[5] The cast of the original special and Plummer all returned for the subsequent specials[7] These specials featured music by Jeffrey Zahn, who replaced Raposo after his death in 1989. The theme song from the original special, "I'm Madeline", was reprised in each of the subsequent specials. The specials were released on video by Golden Book Video and Cinar/Sony Wonder in Canada.
Ep
Episode title
Original release
Production code
1
Madeline
November 7, 1988 (1988-11-07) (U.S.)
106
2
Madeline's Christmas
November 22, 1990 (1990-11-22) (U.S.) December 21, 1990 (1990-12-21) (Canada)
101
3
Madeline's Rescue
June 1, 1991 (1991-06-01) (Canada) June 6, 1991 (1991-06-06) (U.S.)
103
4
Madeline and the Bad Hat
March 7, 1991 (1991-03-07) (U.S.) April 7, 1991 (1991-04-07) (Canada)
102
5
Madeline and the Gypsies
August 2, 1991 (1991-08-02) (Canada) October 14, 1991 (1991-10-14) (U.S.)
104
6
Madeline in London
October 9, 1991 (1991-10-09) (Canada) November 28, 1991 (1991-11-28) (U.S.)
105
Television series (1993–2001)
With the success of the specials, The Family Channel commissioned a television series by DIC, which had been involved in the first of the six specials. The first season aired a total of 20 produced episodes from 1993 to 1994.[5] Christopher Plummer reprised his role as the narrator,[7] but most of the voice actors from the specials were replaced. In addition, Jeffrey Zahn was replaced by Andy Street; compared to the previous specials, however, the series featured only one song per episode (a few of them with a reprise/finale) in addition to the opening theme "I'm Madeline".
In 1995, an additional 13 episodes were produced by DIC for ABC under the title The New Adventures of Madeline.[5] A new theme song, called "Hats Off to Madeline", was used as the new opening theme, with the music by Andy Street and lyrics by Judy Rothman;[11] some early airings of those episodes featured "I'm Madeline", but sung by the new voice cast. Most of the voices of the children characters were replaced, with Andrea Libman assuming the title role, while only Plummer, Louise Vallance and French Tickner return from the voice cast.
Shortly after its airing on ABC, both the network and DIC were acquired by The Walt Disney Company. The 39 produced episodes and specials began to air in reruns on the Playhouse Disney block of Disney Channel. In March 1998, DIC announced the launch of a direct-to-video division that would produce films that Disney would distribute worldwide through Buena Vista Home Entertainment, with a Madeline film being the first of the films they would produce.[12] The following year, the title was revealed as Madeline: Lost in Paris, and was released in August of the same year.[13] Most of the cast members from the 1995 iteration returned with Lauren Bacall and Jason Alexander also voicing new roles. DIC afterwards produced 26 new episodes for Playhouse Disney;[14]Christopher Gaze replaced Plummer as the show's narrator for budgetary reasons. The show won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Animated Program.
Two more films followed ahead - My Fair Madeline, which aired on Nickelodeon in November 2002 as part of the DIC Movie Toons series, and Madeline in Tahiti.
Madeline has continued to be shown in syndication. In the 2006-2007 season, the series was shown on CBS' KOL Secret Slumber Party Saturday morning block.[5]Qubo also aired reruns of the series from October 6, 2018 to February 22, 2021.[15] The series was also included in the On-Demand section of Sprout from 2015 to 2017, when the channel was rebranded to Universal Kids. As of September 2019, all broadcast and home video rights of Madeline are owned by WildBrain.
On August 3, 1999, Buena Vista Home Video through Walt Disney Home Video released the feature-length film Madeline: Lost in Paris, featuring Madeline being drawn into a scam by her supposed "Uncle" Horst and finding the true meaning to the word "family". As with Season 2 and eventually Season 3 of the series, Andrea Libman reprised her role as Madeline.[18][19]
The film was later re-released on DVD on April 3, 2010, by Shout! Factory.
My Fair Madeline (2002)
In 2002, as a part of the DIC Movie Toons series of Television films, DIC produced a film, titled My Fair Madeline, where Madeline is falsely accused of misbehavior on a trip to the Louvre and is sent to a London Finishing School, while attempting to foil the plot of two thieves. The voice cast was almost entirely replaced for the film, with Chantal Strand voicing Madeline and Whoopi Goldberg as Miss Clavel. Coincidentally, Goldberg played Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act, who is also a nun character.
In 2005, DIC produced another film, titled Madeline in Tahiti, which is the final Madeline production to have been created. The film features Madeline and her friends going on a vacation to Tahiti to stop Miss Clavel from retiring, with Pepito sneaking along, as well as stopping a villainous plot to erupt the Tahiti-nui volcano. Chantal Strand reprised her role as Madeline while other characters were recast or reprised their roles from My Fair Madeline; most notably, Ashleigh Ball voiced both Danielle and Nona.
The film was originally going to be released on DVD in the United States by Walt Disney Home Entertainment[20] in 2006, but this release never saw the light of the day. It was, however, released on DVD in some regions in 2007 through other distributors, and was eventually released in the United States on iTunes and Amazon Video in 2015 and YouTube in 2019.
Home media releases
The 1993 series was originally released by Golden Book Video on all single VHS volumes, and Sony Wonder on both VHS and DVD. The DVD versions contained 2 episodes each, sometimes with the original specials.
The 2000 series was released by Lions Gate Home Entertainment and Trimark Home Video in 2001 and 2002 on all VHS and DVD sets. In these DVD sets, the theme song was changed to a different song titled "Our Madeline" to match the Sing-a-Long versions.
In 2008, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment released 2 DVDs titled "Next Stop, America" and "Meet Me in Paris", each containing 3 episodes.
In 2010, Shout! Factory released 5 single-disc collections of the series.
In September 2013, Mill Creek Entertainment released 3 single disc collections featuring content from the animated series as well as the original TV specials. The New Adventures of Madeline - Adventures in Paris contains 6 episodes from the 2000 series,[21] while Madeline's Merry Musical Melodies features various musical interludes from the animated series.[22]Bonjour Madeline contains all 6 original TV specials.[23] Later in May 2014, Mill Creek re-released the three single disc collections together in one three-pack set,[24] followed by Madeline: The Complete Collection on DVD in Region 1 for the first time in August 2015.[25] This six-disc collection features all six original specials produced by DIC Entertainment and CINAR between 1988 and 1991, as well as all 59 episodes from the Madeline TV series (1993, 1995, 2000–2001).
DVD/VHS name
Episodes
Distributor
Release date
Madeline Manners
Madeline's Manners Madeline and the Show Off Madeline's Sing-a-Long (DVD only)
Lions Gate Home Entertainment Trimark Home Video
September 25, 2001
Madeline's Halloween Spooktacular (VHS only)
Madeline's Halloween Madeline and the Spider Lady
Lions Gate Home Entertainment Trimark Home Video
September 25, 2001
Madeline's Sing-a-Long (VHS only)
Madeline's Sing-a-Long
Lions Gate Home Entertainment Trimark Home Video
September 25, 2001
Madeline at the North Pole
Madeline at the North Pole Madeline and Santa Madeline and the Ice Skates (DVD only)
Lions Gate Home Entertainment Trimark Home Video
October 16, 2001
Madeline's Best Manners
Madeline's Manners Madeline and the Show Off Madeline and the Ice Skates Madeline and the Tea Party
Lions Gate Home Entertainment Trimark Home Video
March 26, 2002
Madeline at the Eiffel Tower
Madeline at the Eiffel Tower Madeline at Versailles Madeline and the White Lie (DVD only)
Lions Gate Home Entertainment Trimark Home Video
March 26, 2002
Sing-a-Long Around the World with Madeline
Sing-a-Long Around the World with Madeline Madeline's Sing-a-Long (DVD only)
Lions Gate Home Entertainment Trimark Home Video
March 26, 2002
Madeline – Volume 1
Madeline and the Ballet Madeline in New York
Sony Wonder/Classic Media
May 28, 2002
Madeline – Volume 2
Madeline and the 40 Thieves Madeline and the New House
Sony Wonder/Classic Media
May 28, 2002
Madeline's Winter Vacation
Madeline's Winter Vacation Madeline in London
Sony Wonder/Classic Media
September 24, 2002
Madeline's Christmas
Madeline's Christmas Madeline and the Toy Factory
Sony Wonder/Classic Media
September 24, 2002
Madeline's Easter
Madeline and the Easter Bonnet Madeline and the Bad Hat
Sony Wonder/Classic Media
February 11, 2003
Madeline the Star
Madeline in Hollywood Madeline and the Soccer Star
Sony Wonder/Classic Media
February 11, 2003
Madeline's Dog Stories
Madeline and the Dog Show Madeline's Rescue
Sony Wonder/Classic Media
June 3, 2003
Madeline's Adventures
Madeline and the Pirates Madeline and the Gypsies
Sony Wonder/Classic Media
June 3, 2003
Madeline – Meet Me in Paris
Madeline at the Eiffel Tower Madeline at the Louvre Madeline at Cannes
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
February 11, 2008
Madeline – Next Stop, America
Madeline in New York Madeline in Hollywood Madeline in the Wild West
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
February 11, 2008
Madeline's Great Adventures
Madeline and the Magic Carpet Madeline on Safari Madeline and the Lost Crown Madeline and the Gypsies Madeline and the Pirates Madeline and the Forty Thieves
Shout! Factory
June 29, 2010
Madeline's Halloween and other Spooky Tales
Madeline's Halloween Madeline and the Mean, Nasty, Horrible Hats Madeline and the Mummy Madeline And The Haunted Castle Madeline And The Spider Lady
Shout! Factory
August 17, 2010
Madeline's Christmas and other Wintery Tales
Madeline's Winter Vacation Madeline and Santa Madeline at the North Pole Madeline's Holiday with Mr. Grump Madeline and the Ice Skates
Shout! Factory
October 19, 2010
Madeline on the Town
Madeline and the Wedding Madeline on Stage Madeline and the Fashion Show Madeline at the Ballet Madeline at the Costume Party Madeline’s Birthday at the Zoo
Shout! Factory
March 8, 2011
Madeline and her Friends
Madeline and the Soccer Star Madeline and the Singing Dog Madeline and the Missing Clown Madeline and the Talking Parrot Madeline and the Big Cheese Madeline’s Rescue
Shout! Factory
June 7, 2011
Bonjour Madeline – The Original Specials
Madeline Madeline's Christmas Madeline's Rescue Madeline and the Bad Hat Madeline and the Gypsies Madeline in London
Mill Creek Entertainment
September 10, 2013
The New Adventures of Madeline – Adventures in Paris
Madeline and the Marionettes Madeline and the Ice Skates Madeline and the Can Can Cliques Madeline and the Fashion Show Madeline at the Eiffel Tower Madeline and the Perfume Factory
Mill Creek Entertainment
September 10, 2013
Madeline's Merry Musical Melodies
Sing-a-Long Around the World with Madeline Madeline's Sing-a-Long
Mill Creek Entertainment
September 10, 2013
Madeline – The Complete Collection
All 59 episodes and 6 specials
Mill Creek Entertainment
August 4, 2015
Sing-a-Longs
In 2001, DIC produced two direct-to-video releases which featured songs and clips from season 3 of the television series akin to Disney's Sing-Along Songs series, which were titled Sing-a-Long with Madeline and her Friends and Sing-a-Long Around the World with Madeline.
They were originally released by Lions Gate Home Entertainment and Trimark Home Video on September 25, 2001, and March 25, 2002, respectively,[26] and later reissued together by Mill Creek Entertainment as Madeline's Merry Musical Melodies on September 10, 2013, as well as being available for digital download.
^ abCredited under the name Louise Vallance for the first two seasons; and Stephanie Louise Vallance for the third season.
References
^Known as DIC Enterprises in the first pilot, DIC Animation City in some earlier Season 1 episodes and DIC Productions, L.P. during season 2.
^Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 374. ISBN978-1538103739.
^ abcdefTim Brooks; Earle Marsh (October 2003). "Madeline (Cartoon)". The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present (Eighth ed.). Ballantine Books. p. 719.
^Jackson, Wendy (April 1998). "DiC Is Developing Direct-To-Video". Animation World News. Vol. 3, no. 1. Animation World Network. Archived from the original on October 6, 2016. Retrieved July 2, 2016.
^Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 519–520. ISBN978-1476665993.
^On VHS, both Sing-a-Longs were released separately, while on DVD, Sing-a-Long with Madeline with her Friends was released on the Madeline Manners DVD and together with Sing-a-Long Around the World with Madeline.
