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Whoopi's Littleburg

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6.5/10
IMDb

Written by
  
Alan Katz

Final episode date
  
7 June 2004

Program creator
  
Robert Scull

7.5/10
TV

Genre
  
Children Preschool

Directed by
  
Robert Scull Tim Hill

Network
  
Nickelodeon

Created by
  
Johnny Belt Robert Scull

Starring
  
Whoopi Goldberg Sean Curley Sofie Zamchick Mary Birdsong Dr. John

Composer(s)
  
Whoopi Goldberg Dr. John Guy Davis

Cast
  
Whoopi Goldberg, Sean Curley, Dr John, Mary Birdsong

Whoopi's Littleburg is an American musical children's television series originally airing on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. It was created by Johnny Belt and Robert Scull, the latter of whom co-directed the show along with Tim Hill. Littleburg uses a blend of puppetry and live-action characters.

Contents

The series focuses on a four-year-old piglet named Spencer, who has recently moved to the town of Littleburg. Toddlers and puppets make up the majority of the population and hold the community's jobs. The only major adult characters are Spencer's mother and Mayor Whoopi Goldberg, whose behavior resembles that of a preschool teacher. The setting was modeled after a nursery school classroom. Multiple original songs are woven into each story, normally in conjunction with the episode's moral. Whoopi Goldberg, Dr. John, and Guy Davis composed the theme music.

Main characters

  • Spencer (voiced by Sean Curley and performed by Josh Gustin) - A light-pink pig and the newest Littleburg citizen.
  • Mayor Whoopi (played by Whoopi Goldberg) - The only major human character in the series, Spencer's tour guide around Littleburg.
  • TJ (performed by Sofie Zamchick) - A cheerful cat and Spencer's closest friend.
  • Mrs. Peg Piggle (performed by Mary Birdsong) - Spencer's mother, who teaches him about the town through song.
  • The Sun (performed by Dr. John) - An anthropomorphic Sun puppet seen above Littleburg.
  • Peggy Piggle - Spencer's younger sister and the youngest character on the show.
  • Phil - A horse with a love of painting dressed in a tie.
  • Dave - A chicken who is almost always seen with his favorite food, pretzels.

    • Guest stars

    Rosie Perez, Mary Testa, and Sandra Bernhard made guest appearances on the show.

    Episodes

    The series lasted for one season, consisting of three specials. A pilot episode was also produced.

    Release

    Whoopi's Littleburg was first announced at Nickelodeon's upfront presentation on March 24, 2003. In June, it joined the channel's 2004–05 programming slate. It was advertised as a series of specials. Episodes were aired sporadically throughout 2004, with reruns shown once weekly. During its run, VITAC representatives deemed Littleburg "educational enough" to receive free closed captioning and subtitling. In 2006, the series' soundtrack was released to Nick Jr. Radio, a webcasting station featuring songs from preschool-oriented programs.

    Reception

    The series received positive reviews from critics, many of which praised its music and appeal towards multiple age groups. The Hollywood Reporter's Marilyn Moss stated that Whoopi's Littleburg was "a lively and educational adventure into a friendly television space" and that the series was "likely to attract a wide audience." Writing for The New York Times, Kathryn Shattuck called the series a "saga of empowerment" and dubbed the series' songs "fanciful." Lynne Heffley of the Los Angeles Times praised the show's music, saying that it "is a standout component, woven deftly throughout." In his review for The Christian Science Monitor, M.S. Mason noted that "this amusing, sweet-natured show for tiny tots will earn kudos from parents as well. Whoopi Goldberg has a wonderful ability to make kids giggle with the aid of puppets." Jacqueline Cutler of the Hays Daily News lauded Goldberg's performance in particular and felt that "Goldberg emanates no-nonsense warmth. When she talks to the puppets, she neither camps it up or talks down, and that even approach makes the show work."

    References

    Whoopi's Littleburg Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA