| Runtime: | 22–24 minutes |
| Genre: | Children's television series |
| Creator: | Douglas Love Ellen Goosenberg Kent |
| Starring: | Tony James |
| Music: | Bobby Golden |
| Composer: | Sean Altman |
| Opentheme: | "Out of the Box Theme" by Peter Lurye |
| Endtheme: | "Until We Meet Again (Goodbye Song)" by Billy Straus "Out of the Box Theme" (instrumental) |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Num Seasons: | 3 |
| Num Episodes: | 82 |
| Executive Producer: | Douglas Love |
| Company: | OOTB Inc. |
| Network: | Playhouse Disney |
Out of the Box is an American children's television series which premiered on Playhouse Disney on October 7, 1998, and ended its run on September 27, 2004, with reruns until June 2006 (December 2006 in the UK). The series takes place in "The Box", a playhouse made entirely of cardboard boxes, where two hosts, Tony James and Vivian Bayubay McLaughlin, make crafts, sing songs, and act out plays.
Two special episodes were released on VHS by Walt Disney Home Video, Out of the Box: Trick or Treat, and Out of the Box: Happy Holidays. Trick or Treat is also available on the DVD entitled Rolie Polie Olie: A Spookie Ookie Halloween.[1]
The series was created and executive produced by Douglas Love and was based on his series of books from HarperCollins. Three seasons were filmed at Lifetime Studios in New York City. Production ended in 2001, with the final episodes being broadcast in 2004. The series earned three Parents' Choice Awards for excellence in television and an Emmy nomination.[2] [3]
Prior to its release on Disney+, on November 12, 2019, most of the show's episodes were considered lost media due to a lack of home releases.[4]
Every day, Tony and Vivian take care of a small group of neighborhood children. They come and play in "The Box", a clubhouse made entirely out of cardboard boxes. They do crafts, sing songs, and act out stories revolved around the episode's theme. At the end of the day, either Tony or Vivian walks the kids home while the other recaps the day's events. Every episode ends with Tony and Vivian singing their Goodbye Song. The song is either sung a cappella by Vivian and with Tony tapping on a pumpkin or some other object, but in three episodes Tony plays it on his guitar. In two episodes, the kids join in on the Goodbye Song; after they finish, they wave to the viewers and the camera moves out as a piano ending of the Goodbye Song plays. In one episode, Vivian tells the viewers that she will tell Tony they are thinking of him.
The series comprises 82 episodes in total.[5] [6]
Unless otherwise stated, the source of production codes and airdates is the United States Copyright Office.[7]