Wimzie's House
Encyclopedia
Wimzie's House is a Canadian children's television program which ran on YTV from 1995 to 1996, and in the United States
on Public Broadcasting Service
(PBS) from October 1, 1997 to August 31, 2001. The show has also aired at least as early as 1995 and through the late-1990s on CBC Television
, and on Radio-Canada
(as La Maison de Ouimzie). Reruns of the show currently air in the United States
and Canada on the Cookie Jar Toons
block on This TV
and in syndication as part of the Cookie Jar Network block. The series was produced by Cinar (now Cookie Jar Entertainment
), with the PBS telecasts presented by Maryland Public Television
. The show's puppetry is in the style of Sesame Street
, which led to some legal troubles with The Jim Henson Company
, in 1999.
(1997–2001)
Got Milk?
(1998–1999)
U.S. Department of Education (1997–2001)
Corporation For Public Broadcasting
(1997–2001)
PediaSure (1999-2001)
Viewers Like You (1997–2001)
issued a lawsuit against the company, claiming the series' puppets and resultant merchandise violated its copyright and trademark rights on The Muppets
. CINAR and its licensees Eden LLC and Carson-Dellosa Publishing Company denied and continue to deny any wrongdoing or liability for infringement.
A confidential settlement allowed CINAR to continue broadcasting the series, selling show merchandise, and a "mechanism for preserving the distinctive look of Jim Henson's Muppets in CINAR's future productions."
Ronald A. Weinberg, CINAR President and Co-CEO:
released a 10 episode Best-of collection entitled Wimzie's House: A World of Enchantment on DVD in Region 1.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on Public Broadcasting Service
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
(PBS) from October 1, 1997 to August 31, 2001. The show has also aired at least as early as 1995 and through the late-1990s on CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
, and on Radio-Canada
Télévision de Radio-Canada
Télévision de Radio-Canada is a Canadian French language television network. It is owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, known in French as Société Radio-Canada. Headquarters are at Maison Radio-Canada in Montreal, which is also home to the network's flagship station, CBFT-DT...
(as La Maison de Ouimzie). Reruns of the show currently air in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada on the Cookie Jar Toons
Cookie Jar Toons
Cookie Jar Toons is a daily children's programming block on the This TV digital broadcast network. The block is programmed by Toronto based Cookie Jar Entertainment...
block on This TV
This TV
This TV is a United States general entertainment television network, with a large emphasis in its programming on movies....
and in syndication as part of the Cookie Jar Network block. The series was produced by 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...
), with the PBS telecasts presented by Maryland Public Television
Maryland Public Television
Maryland Public Television is a non-profit, state-licensed Public Broadcasting Service non-commercial educational public television state network which serves U.S. state of Maryland. Its six transmitters cover nearly all of the state, plus Washington, D.C...
. The show's puppetry is in the style of Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
, which led to some legal troubles with The Jim Henson Company
The Jim Henson Company
The Jim Henson Company, an American entertainment organization, traces its origins to the founding of Muppets, Inc. in 1958 by puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets. The Muppets helped the company gain worldwide acclaim in family entertainment for more than four decades...
, in 1999.
Main characters
(Voices listed here are for the English-language version.)- Wimzie (performed by Sonja BallSonja BallSonja Ball is a Canadian voice actress.She is well known for her work as the voice of Arthur's Mother Jane Read in the PBS children's TV series Arthur, Huckle Cat on The Busy World of Richard Scarry, Polly Ester in the English version of Samurai Pizza Cats, Nicole in the Madeline TV specials, and...
) - The main character of the show, she is a dragon/bird hybrid with a unique appearance, with yellow-orange skin, purple hair tied in pigtails decorated in baby blue bows and red wings on the top of her head. She is five years old. She also introduces the episodes in the beginning of the series. In musical numbers, she performs a few of her solo songs which are titled "When There's A Job To Do", "Turtles", "Be Exactly Who You Are", "Something In My Head", "Left Out" and "I Love You". She has a baby brother named Bo.
- Rousso (performed by Tyrone BenskinTyrone BenskinTyrone Benskin is a Canadian actor and politician. He was elected Member of Parliament in the Jeanne-Le Ber riding, in Montreal, Quebec, in the 2011 Canadian federal election.-Life and career:...
) - Wimzie's father. He is a calm dragon, with orange skin and blond hair. He works as a firefighter and, when not on the job, likes to relax. It has been revealed that he has a sister named Alice who is also Wimzie's aunt.
- Graziella (performed by Jennifer Seguin) - Wimzie's mother. She is a bird with pink skin and blond hair in a beehive hairdo. She works as a pilot and is often away from home for extended periods. She has the same voice as Doris from Calliou.
- Bo (performed by Liz MacRae) - Wimzie's baby brother. Being still a baby, he often gets most of Yaya's attention, and the others keep tabs on him as well. He mostly resembles his father and is completely dragon and not a hybrid like his big sister. He is still learning to talk, so he mostly communicates in gibberish.
- Yaya (performed by Jane Woods) - Wimzie's grandmother and Graziella's mother. She runs a daycare in Wimzie's house for Wimzie and her friends while their parents are working. Her complexion is lavender and her hair is a stack of orange, blond and purple. Despite her old age, she is full of energy, often being more than a match for a housefull of children and her daughter and son-in-law.
- Jonas (performed by Thor Bishopric) - This goblin is five years old and loves science. He collects dirt and has a surprisingly large collection. His skin is green with purple hair and he wears eyeglasses and a propeller capBeanieA beanie is a head-hugging brimless cap with or without a visor that was once popular among school boys.-Description:In the United States of America, beanies are made by triangular sections of cloth joined by a button at the crown and seamed together around the sides.They can also be made from...
. Often in his explanations, he would include his catch phraseCatch phraseA catchphrase is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through a variety of mass media , as well as word of mouth...
, "It's very scientific." Lou Lou is his little sister.
- Loulou (performed by Holly Gauthier-FrankelHolly Gauthier-FrankelHolly Gauthier-Frankel is a Canadian voice actress, singer, and Burlesque dancer. She is the daughter of Ron Frankel and Mary Lou Gauthier. Holly is best known for supplying the voice of Fern in Arthur, Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat, Teri in What's with Andy?, Loulou in Wimzie's House, and Flora...
) - Jonas' three-year old sister. She wants to be like the bigger kids, yet isn't quite ready to make the jump. She is capable of understanding Bo's baby-jabber. Her complexion is yellow-green and she wears eyeglasses and has purple hair like her brother, tied in a high ponytail decorated in a bow.
- Horace (performed by Bruce DinsmoreBruce Dinsmore-Biography:He voices Binky Barnes and David Read in Arthur, Tubby Tompkins in The Little Lulu Show, Horace in Wimzie's House and Jervis Coltrane and Mr. Hutchins in What's With Andy? ....
) - A four-year old troll, Horace isn't as smart as the other kids, but is always asking questions and learning things. He is the strongest of all the children, but angers easily, and can sometimes be rough. He gets along best with Bo, and Wimzie. His skin is light blue and his hair is reddish-blonde and straight. He has the same voice as Binky Barnes from ArthurArthur (TV series)Arthur is an American/Canadian animated educational television series for children, created by Cookie Jar Group and WGBH for the Public Broadcasting Service...
.
PBS Funding
National Science FoundationNational Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
(1997–2001)
Got Milk?
Got Milk?
Got Milk? is an American advertising campaign encouraging the consumption of cow's milk, which was created by the advertising agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners for the California Milk Processor Board in 1993 and later licensed for use by milk processors and dairy farmers. It has been running...
(1998–1999)
U.S. Department of Education (1997–2001)
Corporation For Public Broadcasting
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a non-profit corporation created by an act of the United States Congress, funded by the United States’ federal government to promote public broadcasting...
(1997–2001)
PediaSure (1999-2001)
Viewers Like You (1997–2001)
Legal troubles
In 1999, The Jim Henson CompanyThe Jim Henson Company
The Jim Henson Company, an American entertainment organization, traces its origins to the founding of Muppets, Inc. in 1958 by puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets. The Muppets helped the company gain worldwide acclaim in family entertainment for more than four decades...
issued a lawsuit against the company, claiming the series' puppets and resultant merchandise violated its copyright and trademark rights on The Muppets
The Muppets
The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
. CINAR and its licensees Eden LLC and Carson-Dellosa Publishing Company denied and continue to deny any wrongdoing or liability for infringement.
A confidential settlement allowed CINAR to continue broadcasting the series, selling show merchandise, and a "mechanism for preserving the distinctive look of Jim Henson's Muppets in CINAR's future productions."
Ronald A. Weinberg, CINAR President and Co-CEO:
Video releases
- Babies Have It Made
- Happy Holidays
- It's Magic Time
- Pet Tales
- You're SpecialYou're SpecialYou're Special is the all-time best-selling tract by Good News Publishers, one of the largest publishers of tracts in the world. The English tract has been translated into Russian and Spanish. The tract was written by Ted Griffin and was first published on September 1, 1982....
DVD releases
On July 27, 2010, Mill Creek EntertainmentMill Creek Entertainment
Mill Creek Entertainment is a home entertainment company that manufactures movie and television DVD compilation box sets at "value" prices. Nashville's Amity Entertainment is an affiliate to Mill Creek...
released a 10 episode Best-of collection entitled Wimzie's House: A World of Enchantment on DVD in Region 1.