8 /10 1 Votes
7.6/10 TV Country of origin Canada | 8.4/10 IMDb Original language(s) English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Also known as Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show Starring Sharon, Lois & BramPaula GallivanEric Nagler Opening theme One Elephant Went Out to Play Theme song One Elephant Went Out to Play Cast Lois Ada Lillenstein, Eric Nagler, Bramwell Morrison, Sharon Hampson, Paula Gallivan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Elephant Show (from the second season onward, Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show) is a Canadian preschool television show. It originally ran on CBC from 1984 until 1989.
Contents
Summary
The Elephant Show features the adventures of the Canadian singing trio Sharon, Lois & Bram and Elephant (Paula Gallivan in an elephant costume). Elephant doesn't speak but is voiced by a tuba (played by Scott Irvine), which conveys thoughts and mood by its pitch and inflection. The four are usually accompanied by a group of children and a sidekick, family entertainer, Eric Nagler.
Every week Sharon, Lois & Bram, along with Eric Nagler, are joined by the curious and fun-loving antics of their pachyderm pal Elephant and such guest artists as: Toller Cranston, Louis Del Grande, Jayne Eastwood, Murray McLauchlan, Chuck Mangione, Andrea Martin, The Nylons, and Jan Rubes.
Almost every episode contains a concert segment, featuring Sharon, Lois & Bram, Eric, and the Mammoth Band. They sing songs and help children with their problems (including arguments, fear, and the failure of plans). In most episodes, the group travels to a new location (such as a hospital, museum, or zoo). They occasionally stay home and have an adventure in their yard (like building a tree fort or encountering a grumpy neighbour). The show occasionally includes a social lesson (such as a pro-UNICEF discussion). Sharon, Lois and Bram appeared in advertisements during the show's original run, encouraging parents to vaccinate their children against polio, mumps, and rubella. Each episode concludes with the song "Skinnamarink".
The show enjoyed top ratings in Canada and had consistently been rated one of the top three programs on Nickelodeon in the United States. In 1993, a panel of experts at TV Guide rated The Elephant Show the #2 program for preschoolers in North America.
In the years following the final season, the show remained on Nickelodeon until it was pushed off the lineup in 1996. During its run on that American pay-TV channel, it ranked #2 on TV Guide's Top 10 of Children's Programs, beating Sesame Street (#5) and Barney & Friends (#9). By the time the final rerun had aired, The Elephant Show had aired 65 episodes in five seasons, and had been viewed in Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, and the United States, reaching over 100 million viewers.
After the series ended, Eric Nagler starred in his own series, Eric's World, produced by The Elephant Show's producer, Cambium Productions.
Episodes
List of The Elephant Show episodes