Bobby's World
Encyclopedia
Bobby's World is an American animated television series, which ran from 1990
to 1998
, on FOX Kids
. It was about the daily life of Bobby Generic (icon ) and his very overactive imagination on how he sees the world. The show was created by Canadian actor-comedian Howie Mandel
. Mandel also provided the voice of both Bobby and his father Howard Generic, who looks like a cartoon version of Mandel himself. It was produced by Film Roman
for Alevy Productions and FOX Kids Productions
. The theme song for Bobby's World was composed by John Tesh
, along with Michael Hanna.
During his standup routines, Mandel would commonly go into character with the same voice as Bobby, often conversing with an unseen "parent".
The voices of Kelly Generic (Bobby's sister) and Martha Generic (Bobby's mom) are based on two recurring characters Gail Matthius
played when she was a cast member on Saturday Night Live
in 1980. Martha is based on the character Roweena, a chain smoking
hair stylist with an Upper Midwestern accent
who gets into arguments with her best customer Nadine (Denny Dillon
), while Kelly Generic is based on the character Vicky, a valley girl
who annoys others with her shallow questions and rambling stories and often is seen with her friend Debbie (also Dillon).
Mitch Schauer drew the designs for the main characters. Bobby's character design was based on Schauer's then-four year old son.
In the US
, starting in 1996, the show was open-captioned; this was intended as an aid to help younger children learn to read.
In an April 2006 online interview, Mandel expressed his desire for a possible re-launch of the series. Episodes can occasionally be seen in syndication, or on a variety of websites.
According to a stand up video posted on YouTube.com, Mandel mentions that they are working on new episodes.
On February 12, 2007, the character Bobby made a surprise appearance on an episode of Deal or No Deal.
Sometimes during these segments, the character of Bobby would appear in animated form and converse with Mandel. Other times, a live action child would appear and exchange words with Mandel. Endings of the show also featured Mandel breaking the proverbial "fourth wall
" by talking to viewers about the preceding episode. In some part of the episode, Bobby will break the fourth wall by telling the audience his perspective on life.
The Generic family's surname is pronounced "JEN-a-rick" to make it sound like the word "general", but uttered as "djinn-AIR-ick" (as in the prescription classification) by other characters.
Recurring Characters
came out with a video game based on Bobby's World, which was developed by RSP
and published by Hi Tech Entertainment
. In the game, Bobby's mother tells him to clean his room. As he is cleaning his room Bobby starts daydreaming about a toy. After you beat a level, Bobby has another daydream about another toy that he puts away.
. After it was cancelled in 1998, reruns began airing on FOX Family until 2001.
Sweden
1990 in television
For the American TV schedule, see: 1990-91 United States network television schedule.The year 1990 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1990.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
to 1998
1998 in television
The year 1998 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1998.For the American TV schedule, see: 1998–99 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
, on FOX Kids
Fox Kids
Fox Kids was the Fox Broadcasting Company's American children's programming division and brand name from September 8, 1990 until September 7, 2002. It was owned by Fox Television Entertainment airing programming on Monday–Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings.Depending on the show, the...
. It was about the daily life of Bobby Generic (icon ) and his very overactive imagination on how he sees the world. The show was created by Canadian actor-comedian Howie Mandel
Howie Mandel
Howard Michael "Howie" Mandel is a Canadian stand-up comedian, television host, and actor. He is well known as host of the NBC game show Deal or No Deal, as well as the show's daytime and Canadian-English counterparts. Before his career as a game show host, Mandel was best known for his role on...
. Mandel also provided the voice of both Bobby and his father Howard Generic, who looks like a cartoon version of Mandel himself. It was produced by Film Roman
Film Roman
Film Roman is an animation studio founded by Phil Roman, best known for producing the animation for The Simpsons, King of the Hill for 20th Century Fox, as well as the Garfield and Peanuts animated TV specials....
for Alevy Productions and FOX Kids Productions
Fox Kids
Fox Kids was the Fox Broadcasting Company's American children's programming division and brand name from September 8, 1990 until September 7, 2002. It was owned by Fox Television Entertainment airing programming on Monday–Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings.Depending on the show, the...
. The theme song for Bobby's World was composed by John Tesh
John Tesh
John Frank Tesh is an American pianist and composer of pop music, as well as a radio host and television presenter. His 10-year-old 'Intelligence for Your Life Radio Show' reaches 14.2 Million listeners/week, and is syndicated by Teshmedia on 400 stations in US, Canada, and the UK...
, along with Michael Hanna.
History
Mandel said that he accidentally created the voice that would be later used to voice Bobby when he was choking on a piece of cake at the age of 11. Two of Mandel's friends, Jim Fisher and Jim Stahl, signed an agreement with the Fox Corporation's then newly-created television division in 1989. Fisher and Stahl asked Mandel to create a show based on Mandel's stand-up comedy routines using the Bobby character. Mandel said that he believed that his stand-up routines were "in no way family entertainment." He, Fisher, and Stahl recalled stories from their childhoods as they discussed the formation of the show. Mandel stated "that was the seed of Bobby's World." The other characters on the show were mixes of characteristics of the creators' parents' friends and relatives.During his standup routines, Mandel would commonly go into character with the same voice as Bobby, often conversing with an unseen "parent".
The voices of Kelly Generic (Bobby's sister) and Martha Generic (Bobby's mom) are based on two recurring characters Gail Matthius
Gail Matthius
Gail Matthius is an American actress and voice actress. She was a cast member of NBC's Saturday Night Live during its critical and ratings low point at the time , and co-anchored the Weekend Update segment with Charles Rocket in 1981.-Recurring characters:*Vicki, a Valley girl who,...
played when she was a cast member on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
in 1980. Martha is based on the character Roweena, a chain smoking
Chain smoking
Chain smoking is the practice of lighting a new cigarette for personal consumption immediately after one that is finished, sometimes using the finished cigarette to light the next one. It is a common form of addiction.-Causes:...
hair stylist with an Upper Midwestern accent
North Central American English
North–Central American English is used to refer to a dialect of American English. The region is also known as Upper Midwest among some linguists. It is also sometimes called the Minnesota Accent or Great Lakes Accent. It is widely spoken in the Upper Midwest and the northern portion of the...
who gets into arguments with her best customer Nadine (Denny Dillon
Denny Dillon
Denise "Denny" Dillon is an American comedian and former cast member of Saturday Night Live. At 4'11" , Dillon is the shortest cast member in the show's history...
), while Kelly Generic is based on the character Vicky, a valley girl
Valley girl
Valley Girl is a stereotype leveled at a socio-economic and ethnic class of American women who can be described as colloquial English-speaking and materialistic...
who annoys others with her shallow questions and rambling stories and often is seen with her friend Debbie (also Dillon).
Mitch Schauer drew the designs for the main characters. Bobby's character design was based on Schauer's then-four year old son.
In the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, starting in 1996, the show was open-captioned; this was intended as an aid to help younger children learn to read.
In an April 2006 online interview, Mandel expressed his desire for a possible re-launch of the series. Episodes can occasionally be seen in syndication, or on a variety of websites.
According to a stand up video posted on YouTube.com, Mandel mentions that they are working on new episodes.
On February 12, 2007, the character Bobby made a surprise appearance on an episode of Deal or No Deal.
Show format
Episodes often consist of a short live-action segment either before or after the main story (and sometimes both before and after). The segment would include Mandel describing some aspect of the story and often relating it back to his personal childhood.Sometimes during these segments, the character of Bobby would appear in animated form and converse with Mandel. Other times, a live action child would appear and exchange words with Mandel. Endings of the show also featured Mandel breaking the proverbial "fourth wall
Fourth wall
The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...
" by talking to viewers about the preceding episode. In some part of the episode, Bobby will break the fourth wall by telling the audience his perspective on life.
Characters
Generic family membersThe Generic family's surname is pronounced "JEN-a-rick" to make it sound like the word "general", but uttered as "djinn-AIR-ick" (as in the prescription classification) by other characters.
- Bobby Generic - 4-year old (voiced by Mandel)
- Howard Generic - Bobby's father (modeled upon and also voiced by Mandel using his regular voice)
- Martha Generic - Bobby's mother, who speaks with a heavy North Central American EnglishNorth Central American EnglishNorth–Central American English is used to refer to a dialect of American English. The region is also known as Upper Midwest among some linguists. It is also sometimes called the Minnesota Accent or Great Lakes Accent. It is widely spoken in the Upper Midwest and the northern portion of the...
/IrishIrish peopleThe Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
accent and often punctuates her speech with phrases like "Fer corn sakes", "Fer cryin' in the mud", "gee golly", "gosh darn" and "don't 'cha know". (voiced by Gail MatthiusGail MatthiusGail Matthius is an American actress and voice actress. She was a cast member of NBC's Saturday Night Live during its critical and ratings low point at the time , and co-anchored the Weekend Update segment with Charles Rocket in 1981.-Recurring characters:*Vicki, a Valley girl who,...
) - Kelly Generic - Bobby's 14-year-old sister and the eldest, sporting a shag haircutHairstyleA hairstyle, hairdo, or haircut refers to the styling of hair, usually on the human head. The fashioning of hair can be considered an aspect of personal grooming, fashion, and cosmetics, although practical, cultural, and popular considerations also influence some hairstyles.-History of...
, purple eye shadowEye shadowEye shadow is a cosmetic that is applied on the eyelids and under the eyebrows. It is commonly used to make the wearer's eyes stand out or look more attractive....
and a valley girlValley girlValley Girl is a stereotype leveled at a socio-economic and ethnic class of American women who can be described as colloquial English-speaking and materialistic...
accent/demeanor and often speaks with her catch phrase "Get real!" She is also very obsessed with her boyfriend George. (voiced by Charity James) - Derek Generic - Bobby's 10-year-old brother, with a rat-tail hairdo and a sarcastic manner. He always calls Bobby "Dork!" (voiced by Kevin Smets seasons 1-5 and Pamela Segall season 6-7)
- The Generic Twins - Identical twins who were introduced in Season 4 but mentioned in Seasons 2 and 3 as Martha was pregnant with them. Bobby's infant brothers.
- Aunt Ruth - Bobby's aunt and Martha's sister (voice of Edie McClurgEdie McClurgEdie McClurg is an American character actress. She is known for her perky North Central dialect , common to persons from Middle America.-Career:...
) - Uncle Ted - Bobby's uncle and Martha's brother. He loves to give noogies to Bobby and is a collector of various things, one of which is a novelty item called Socks In A Can. (voice of Tino InsanaTino InsanaTino Insana is an American actor, voice actor, writer, and film producer from Chicago, Illinois.Insana's highly-distinguishable voice has been featured in many animated television series, most notably Disney's Darkwing Duck as Dr. Reginald Bushroot and Bobby's World as Bobby's Uncle Ted...
) - Roger - the Generic family dog (voiced by Frank WelkerFrank WelkerFranklin Wendell "Frank" Welker is an American actor who specializes in voice acting and has contributed character voices and other vocal effects to American television and motion pictures.-Acting career:...
)
Recurring Characters
- Jackie - Introduced in Season 2, Bobby's next door neighbor/classmate with the floor-length pigtailsPigtailsIn the context of hairstyles, the usage of the term pigtail shows considerable variation. According to most dictionaries, a pigtail is a braid of tightly woven hair. The name is based on the short, thin and kinked tail of a pig, referring to the way a short, tight braid may stand out from the...
who has a crushLimerenceLimerence is a term coined c. 1977 by the psychologist Dorothy Tennov to describe an involuntary state of mind which seems to result from a romantic attraction to another person combined with an overwhelming, obsessive need to have one's feelings reciprocated...
on Bobby and always kissKissA kiss is the act of pressing one's lips against the lips or other body parts of another person or of an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, affection, respect, greeting, friendship, and good...
es him. (voiced by Debi DerryberryDebi DerryberryDebi Derryberry is an American voice actress, singer, composer and kids' entertainer who won an American Anime Award.-History:...
) - Charlotte - Rambunctious and sassy, Charlotte was the fun-loving adventurous girl who was famous for her dislike of chocolate and her ability to tease Bobby incessantly over small things he does.
DVD releases
- In North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, Classic Scratch 'n' Sniff Episodes and The Signature Episodes were both released on DVDDVDA DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in 2004 by Anchor Bay EntertainmentAnchor Bay EntertainmentAnchor Bay Entertainment is a U.S. based home entertainment and production company and is a division of Starz Media, which is a unit of Starz, LLC. It was previously owned by IDT Entertainment until 2006 when IDT was purchased by Starz Media. Anchor Bay markets and sells feature films, series,...
.
Video game
The Super NESSuper Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
came out with a video game based on Bobby's World, which was developed by RSP
RSP
-Music:* RSP , a Japanese hip-hop and R&B group* Rubber Soul Project, a Serbian rock music band-Computers and technology:* Remote Serial Port, an extension to the Telnet protocol* Reality signal processor, a component of the Nintendo 64...
and published by Hi Tech Entertainment
Hi Tech Expressions
Hi Tech Expressions was an American console game company headquartered in Lower Manhattan, New York City.Hi Tech existed during the early 1990s. During the course of its existence, the company made primarily juvenile-oriented games for young boys and girls...
. In the game, Bobby's mother tells him to clean his room. As he is cleaning his room Bobby starts daydreaming about a toy. After you beat a level, Bobby has another daydream about another toy that he puts away.
Broadcast history
During its original run, Bobby's World was seen on Fox KidsFox Kids
Fox Kids was the Fox Broadcasting Company's American children's programming division and brand name from September 8, 1990 until September 7, 2002. It was owned by Fox Television Entertainment airing programming on Monday–Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings.Depending on the show, the...
. After it was cancelled in 1998, reruns began airing on FOX Family until 2001.
International Broadcast
Chile-
- Canal 13Canal 13 (Chile)Canal 13 , is the second oldest television station in Chile. It is owned by Luksic Group associated with the Papal Catholic University of Chile. Its inaugural transmission took place on August 21, 1959...
- TVN (Chile) (2003–2006)
- Canal 13
Sweden
-
- TV3TV3 (Sweden)TV3 is a television channel targeted at a Swedish language audience owned by Viasat . It was founded on 31 December 1987 by entrepreneur Jan Stenbeck as joint Scandinavian channel, but Denmark and Norway soon got their own versions of TV3...
- Fox KidsFox KidsFox Kids was the Fox Broadcasting Company's American children's programming division and brand name from September 8, 1990 until September 7, 2002. It was owned by Fox Television Entertainment airing programming on Monday–Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings.Depending on the show, the...
- TV3
External links
- BobbysWorld.net
- Bobby's World. Fox KidsFox KidsFox Kids was the Fox Broadcasting Company's American children's programming division and brand name from September 8, 1990 until September 7, 2002. It was owned by Fox Television Entertainment airing programming on Monday–Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings.Depending on the show, the...
(Archive) - Bobby's World at TV.com
- Toon Tracker Audio File - The Bobby's World Theme
- Bobby's World at Don Markstein's Toonopedia
- Bobby's World on Kabillion.com