7.4 /10 1 Votes
7.5/10 TV Country of origin United States No. of seasons 2 Final episode date 1 April 2008 | 7.4/10 IMDb Original language(s) English First episode date 12 September 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Starring David RudmanAlice DinneanJohn Kennedy Cast | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jack's Big Music Show is an American musical children's television series originally airing on Noggin and on the Nick Jr. television network. The show was produced by Spiffy Pictures, and was nominated for a 2008 Emmy award for Outstanding Pre-school Television Series.
Contents
- Production
- Plot
- Main characters
- Additional characters
- Guest musicians
- Season one
- Season two
- Influences
- References
The popularity of the show made the idea of appearing on it attractive to musicians. An executive from Nick Jr. in 2006 said that they were "clamoring to get onto Jack's Big Music Show."
In May 2007, production was cancelled and it was announced that no new episodes would be produced. The last episode aired on April 1, 2008. However, it reran on Nick Jr. until March 11, 2013.
Production
Production on the series began in 1995 when Spiffy pictures partnered with Nick Jr., who was scheduled to run the show from 1997–2001. However, after several missed release dates: December 5, 1997, July 26, 1999, February 22, 2000, June 8, 2002, November 7, 2004 and March 12, 2005, "Jack's Big Music Show" did not premiere until September 12, 2005 on Noggin.
The series, originally named Jack's Band, also underwent several name changes before its debut. It was first renamed in 1998 to Jack's Music Band, then to Jack's Big Music Show in 2001. Prior to Mel and Mary joining the cast, also in 2001, the show was primarily about Jack playing in his own band.
Plot
The series focuses on music-loving Jack, his best friend Mary, and his drum-playing dog Mel, all of whom are puppets. The show takes place in Jack's backyard clubhouse, and centers on the characters' passion for music. The characters play music in every episode, and are often accompanied by other puppets or human musicians. Each episode usually features two music videos by children's musical artists.
Main characters
Additional characters
Guest musicians
Season one
First aired September 2005 – April 2006
Season two
First aired January 2007 – April 2008
Influences
In an interview on the Nick Jr. website, Rudman says that The Jack Benny Show was an influence on Jack's Big Music Show (along with The Little Rascals).
The names Jack, Mary, Mel, and the "Schwartzman Quartet" are references to characters on The Jack Benny Program (Jack Benny, Mary Livingstone, Mel Blanc, and the Sportsmen Quartet). Other possible name references to Jack Benny Program regulars include the squirrels Sheldon and Leonard (Sheldon Leonard), Phil the Coo-Coo Bird (Phil Harris), and Gertrude the Groundhog (Bea Benaderet's recurring character Gertrude Gearshift).
The ring around Mel's eye is an obvious homage to Pete the Pup from The Little Rascals.
Hannert says that the music is influenced by Chuck Berry and the whole history of rock and roll.