The World of David the Gnome
Encyclopedia
The World of David the Gnome, originally titled David el Gnomo (also known as David, the Gnome), is a Spanish
animated television series based on the children's book The Secret Book of Gnomes
, by the Dutch author Wil Huygen
and illustrator Rien Poortvliet
. The program was originally created in Spain
by BRB Internacional
(who were also responsible for the Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds
franchise and other cartoons like Bobobobs
and Around the World with Willy Fog
) with animation by Canadian studio Cinar (now Cookie Jar Entertainment
), titled David el Gnomo, and retains a sense of the lush illustrations of the original books. Twenty-six episodes were produced. There was also a spin-off
series entitled Wisdom of the Gnomes
.
In the English language dub, The World of David the Gnome was narrated by Christopher Plummer
, with the voice of David the Gnome being provided by Tom Bosley
.
David the Gnome came to US television in 1987, airing weekdays on the Nickelodeon
cable channel, and was part of the fledgling Nick Jr. lineup when that was created shortly thereafter until 1995. It also aired on The Learning Channel
from September 30, 1996 until late 1998. The series is still frequently airing weekday mornings on Irish
channel RTÉ Two
as of 2006. In Australia
, it has aired on ABC
, as well as the Australian branch of Nickelodeon, again as part of the Nick Jr. lineup.
They live in pairs in comfortable caves or holes under trees, in the company of a pair of mice and a cricket. Their diet is vegetarian. They are helped by the animals of the forest when traveling long distances or when they need to arrive quickly at a specific location. Gnomes work in various ways to repair the damage inevitably caused by humans. They also have the power of telepathy
and mind control
.
Their main enemies are the trolls, malevolent and clumsy creatures who always make trouble for the other inhabitants of the forest, as well as gnome poachers.
with respect. The first episode begins with real images of contamination and destruction, contrasted later with the anti-materialism
and pacifism
of the gnomes.
During the series, different animals are shown and information is given on their behavior and customs, which is usually well documented. The same thing happens with the medical situations David is faced with.
A lesson in the initial credits of each episode reminds us that nobody is better by being bigger.
(1987). In this series, the protagonist is a gnome called Klaus, a judge who travels with his assistant Dani to solve disputes.
Other sequels, both in serial and movie form, were The Great Adventure of the Gnomes (1995), The Gnomes in the Snow (1999) and The Fantastic Adventures of the Gnomes (2000).
The series was also preceded by the popular television movie, Gnomes
in 1980, which was based on the same series of books as The World of David the Gnome.
In 1997 there was a series called "The New World of the Gnomes" and was retelling of the original series as David and his nephew Sprout now travel the world to save animals and preserve nature as it is endangered by problems of modern day pollution and environmental dangers. Lisa, David's wife from the original series, does appear in the show. Other than the humans who cause either unintential or intentional destruction to nature and harm to animals, the show's other antagonists are three trolls who run into David and the gnomes now and then, their names are Trolly, Brute, and Drool. The show was also made in collabration with the WWF (World Wildlife Foundation
)
. It is unclear if or when it will see a DVD release in other regions.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
animated television series based on the children's book The Secret Book of Gnomes
The Secret Book of Gnomes
The Secret Book of Gnomes was a series of books designed for children. They contained stories and a guide to how Gnomes lived in harmony with their environment, such as what a Gnome has in their first aid kit and how a Gnome's house is built. They were written by the Dutch author Wil Huygen and...
, by the Dutch author Wil Huygen
Wil Huygen
Wil Huygen , was a Dutch book author. He is best known for the picture books on gnomes, illustrated by Rien Poortvliet....
and illustrator Rien Poortvliet
Rien Poortvliet
Rien Poortvliet was a Dutch draughtsman and painter.Born in Schiedam, he was best known for his of animals and for "Gnomes" in the famous series of books by Wil Huygen and published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc. of New York City.Being a plasterer's son from Schiedam, making a living as an artist did...
. The program was originally created in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
by BRB Internacional
BRB Internacional
BRB Internacional is a Spanish animation studio which is best known for producing 1980s cartoon hits such as Around the World with Willy Fog, Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds and The World of David the Gnome....
(who were also responsible for the Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds
Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds
Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds is an animated cartoon adaptation of the classic Alexandre Dumas story of d'Artagnan and The Three Musketeers. Most of the characters are anthropomorphizations of dogs, hence the title of the cartoon...
franchise and other cartoons like Bobobobs
Bobobobs
Bobobobs is a series of fictional children’s stories created by Henk Zwart and Nerida Zwart. The Bobobobs consists of several illustrated books and comics, and an animation children’s television series produced in 1988...
and Around the World with Willy Fog
Around the World with Willy Fog
Around the World with Willy Fog is a cartoon adaptation of Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne. The cartoon was produced by Spanish studio BRB Internacional with animation by Japanese studio Nippon Animation...
) with animation by Canadian studio Cinar (now Cookie Jar Entertainment
Cookie Jar Entertainment
The Cookie Jar Group is an American and Canadian producer of children’s entertainment, consumer products and educational materials...
), titled David el Gnomo, and retains a sense of the lush illustrations of the original books. Twenty-six episodes were produced. There was also a spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
series entitled Wisdom of the Gnomes
Wisdom of the Gnomes
Wisdom of the Gnomes is an animated series produced by Spanish company BRB Internacional about Gnomes. It was a spin-off of the series The World of David the Gnome...
.
In the English language dub, The World of David the Gnome was narrated by Christopher Plummer
Christopher Plummer
Arthur Christopher Orne Plummer, CC is a Canadian theatre, film and television actor. He made his film debut in 1957's Stage Struck, and notable early film performances include Night of the Generals, The Return of the Pink Panther and The Man Who Would Be King.In a career that spans over five...
, with the voice of David the Gnome being provided by Tom Bosley
Tom Bosley
Thomas Edward "Tom" Bosley was an American actor. Bosley is best known for portraying Howard Cunningham on the long-running ABC sitcom Happy Days. He also was featured in recurring roles on Murder, She Wrote, and Father Dowling Mysteries...
.
David the Gnome came to US television in 1987, airing weekdays on the Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
cable channel, and was part of the fledgling Nick Jr. lineup when that was created shortly thereafter until 1995. It also aired on The Learning Channel
TLC (TV channel)
TLC is an American cable TV specialty channel which initially focused on educational content. Since 1991 TLC has been owned by Discovery Communications, the same company that operates the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and The Science Channel, as well as other learning-themed networks...
from September 30, 1996 until late 1998. The series is still frequently airing weekday mornings on Irish
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
channel RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of...
as of 2006. In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, it has aired on ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
, as well as the Australian branch of Nickelodeon, again as part of the Nick Jr. lineup.
Synopsis
The series presents the gnomes as a kind species, of 15 centimeters (6 inches) of height, and between 250 and 300 grams (8 and 10 ounces) of weight depending on gnome body mass. According to their habitat, different types of gnomes are distinguished: the ones of the forest, the ones of the garden, the ones of the farm, the ones of the house, the ones of the dunes, those of Siberia, and nomadic "gypsy" gnomes (commonly looked down upon by other gnomes.) A gnome's lifespan is exactly 400 years. However, there are a few cases of gnomes living past 400 years. One example is a couple in the Balkans living 550 years.They live in pairs in comfortable caves or holes under trees, in the company of a pair of mice and a cricket. Their diet is vegetarian. They are helped by the animals of the forest when traveling long distances or when they need to arrive quickly at a specific location. Gnomes work in various ways to repair the damage inevitably caused by humans. They also have the power of telepathy
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
and mind control
Mind control
Mind control refers to a process in which a group or individual "systematically uses unethically manipulative methods to persuade others to conform to the wishes of the manipulator, often to the detriment of the person being manipulated"...
.
Their main enemies are the trolls, malevolent and clumsy creatures who always make trouble for the other inhabitants of the forest, as well as gnome poachers.
Characters
- David – A gnome of the forest. David is 399 years old, making him the oldest gnome around (since most gnomes live no more than 400 years), although he is in good health. David is a doctor, and he uses his knowledge of many fields, such as hypnosisHypnosisHypnosis is "a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination."It is a mental state or imaginative role-enactment . It is usually induced by a procedure known as a hypnotic induction, which is commonly composed of a long series of preliminary...
and acupunctureAcupunctureAcupuncture is a type of alternative medicine that treats patients by insertion and manipulation of solid, generally thin needles in the body....
, to heal his patients, usually animals, such as his faithful friend Swift the fox, or other gnomes. David also befriends a bird that, when he whistles, immediately arrives to quickly transport him to wherever necessary. For longer trips, he sometimes travels in a basket attached to the neck of the bird. Voiced by the late Tom BosleyTom BosleyThomas Edward "Tom" Bosley was an American actor. Bosley is best known for portraying Howard Cunningham on the long-running ABC sitcom Happy Days. He also was featured in recurring roles on Murder, She Wrote, and Father Dowling Mysteries...
. - Lisa – David's wife and companion and is the same age as he. Together they have two children, Lily and Harold. David's wife is in charge of the household, although she occasionally accompanies him and helps him in his diverse adventures. Voiced by Jane Woods.
- Swift the FoxFoxFox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
– David's best friend who lives in the forest and is always available to transport David to wherever he is required. He is characterized by his speed. Voiced by Vlasta VranaVlasta VranaVlasta Vrána is a Canadian actor of Czech descent, known for playing Jack Richards in A Year in the Death of Jack Richards. His surname means "crow" in Czech and several other Slavic languages.-Career:...
. - The TrollTrollA troll is a supernatural being in Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore. In origin, the term troll was a generally negative synonym for a jötunn , a being in Norse mythology...
s – In the series, there are four trolls who constantly try to bother the gnomes. Their names are Pit, Pat and Pot,, in addition to Holler who is the only one of the four able to think. They have some supernatural powers, and are capable of utilize magical spells too powerful for Gnome magic to break. However, in addition to their extreme lack of wit, they also have another severe weakness: direct exposure to sunlight turns them into stone. Holler was voiced by A.J. HendersonA.J. HendersonA.J. Henderson is a Canadian voice actor, born in Montreal, Quebec.- Biography :He is very prolific, having done voices for numerous anime, cartoons, and video games...
, Pit was voiced by Marc DenisMarc DenisMarc Denis is a former Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender, who last played with the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League . For the 2009–10 season, he has been hired as the goaltenders' coach of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens, a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team...
, Pat was voiced by Rob RoyRob RoyRob Roy may refer to the following:*A colloquial name for Scottish hero Robert Roy MacGregor, who has been described as the Scottish Robin Hood* Rob Roy , from the Child Ballads...
, and Pot was voiced by Adrian KnightAdrian KnightAdrian Knight is a Canadian actor who was the voice for the character Tao in the English version of the animated series The Mysterious Cities of Gold....
. - Susan – David and Lisa's granddaughter. Voiced by Barbara Pogenmiller.
- King – Voiced by Richard DumontRichard DumontRichard M. Dumont is a voice actor and director who has worked in both Canada and the United States. He voices Menator, the aging leader of the Olmecs in The Mysterious Cities of Gold, Grognard in Night Hood and Scarecrow in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
- Paul – David's twin brother. Not only does Paul have a normal moustache in contrast to David's Handlebar moustacheHandlebar moustacheA handlebar moustache is a moustache with particularly lengthy, upward curved, extremities. It is named for its resemblance to the handlebars of a bicycle. It is also known as a "spaghetti moustache", because of its stereotypical association with Italian men...
but his jumper is a darker shade of blue, he has a bigger nose, his gnome hat is dark blue whereas that of David's is red and his trousers and boots are an inverse of those of David's: David's trousers are brown and his boots are beige, while Paul wears beige trousers and dark boots.
Episodes
David the Gnome ran for twenty-six episodes, each approximately 23 minutes in length.Reception
The series does much to encourage children to treat the environmentNatural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
with respect. The first episode begins with real images of contamination and destruction, contrasted later with the anti-materialism
Anti-consumerism
Anti-consumerism refers to the socio-political movement against the equating of personal happiness with consumption and the purchase of material possessions...
and pacifism
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
of the gnomes.
During the series, different animals are shown and information is given on their behavior and customs, which is usually well documented. The same thing happens with the medical situations David is faced with.
A lesson in the initial credits of each episode reminds us that nobody is better by being bigger.
Sequels
After the success of the initial series, the same producers created a spin-off called Wisdom of the GnomesWisdom of the Gnomes
Wisdom of the Gnomes is an animated series produced by Spanish company BRB Internacional about Gnomes. It was a spin-off of the series The World of David the Gnome...
(1987). In this series, the protagonist is a gnome called Klaus, a judge who travels with his assistant Dani to solve disputes.
Other sequels, both in serial and movie form, were The Great Adventure of the Gnomes (1995), The Gnomes in the Snow (1999) and The Fantastic Adventures of the Gnomes (2000).
The series was also preceded by the popular television movie, Gnomes
Gnomes (film)
Gnomes is an American 1980 animated film, based on the book with the same title by the Dutch Wil Huygen and Rien Poortvliet. The movie was nominated for an Emmy in 1981 for Outstanding Animated Program....
in 1980, which was based on the same series of books as The World of David the Gnome.
In 1997 there was a series called "The New World of the Gnomes" and was retelling of the original series as David and his nephew Sprout now travel the world to save animals and preserve nature as it is endangered by problems of modern day pollution and environmental dangers. Lisa, David's wife from the original series, does appear in the show. Other than the humans who cause either unintential or intentional destruction to nature and harm to animals, the show's other antagonists are three trolls who run into David and the gnomes now and then, their names are Trolly, Brute, and Drool. The show was also made in collabration with the WWF (World Wildlife Foundation
World Wide Fund for Nature
The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
)
Merchandise
A complete series DVD set was released in the U.K. in 2006 by Revelation FilmsRevelation Films
Revelation Films is a British distributor of entertainment programmes on DVD.It was perhaps most well known as the company through which as of November 2006, the American anime company FUNimation Entertainment has launched its titles in the United Kingdom on region 2 DVD...
. It is unclear if or when it will see a DVD release in other regions.
Cast
- David the Gnome - Tom BosleyTom BosleyThomas Edward "Tom" Bosley was an American actor. Bosley is best known for portraying Howard Cunningham on the long-running ABC sitcom Happy Days. He also was featured in recurring roles on Murder, She Wrote, and Father Dowling Mysteries...
- Lisa- Jane Woods
- Swift- Vlasta VranaVlasta VranaVlasta Vrána is a Canadian actor of Czech descent, known for playing Jack Richards in A Year in the Death of Jack Richards. His surname means "crow" in Czech and several other Slavic languages.-Career:...
- King- Richard DumontRichard DumontRichard M. Dumont is a voice actor and director who has worked in both Canada and the United States. He voices Menator, the aging leader of the Olmecs in The Mysterious Cities of Gold, Grognard in Night Hood and Scarecrow in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
- Susan- Barbara Pogemiller
- Holler- A.J. HendersonA.J. HendersonA.J. Henderson is a Canadian voice actor, born in Montreal, Quebec.- Biography :He is very prolific, having done voices for numerous anime, cartoons, and video games...
- Pit- Adrain Knight
- Pat- Rob RoyRob RoyRob Roy may refer to the following:*A colloquial name for Scottish hero Robert Roy MacGregor, who has been described as the Scottish Robin Hood* Rob Roy , from the Child Ballads...
- Pot- Marc DenisMarc DenisMarc Denis is a former Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender, who last played with the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League . For the 2009–10 season, he has been hired as the goaltenders' coach of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens, a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team...