Where's Wally? (TV series) explained

Creator:Martin Handford
Developer:Rowby Goren
Creative Director:Mike Gornall
Narrated:Jim Cummings
Starring:Townsend Coleman
Brad Garrett
Julian Holloway
Dave Workman
Composer:Michael Tavera
Country:United States
United Kingdom
Language:English
Num Episodes:13 (and four specials)
Executive Producer:Martin Handford
Andy Heyward (TV series)
Peter Orton (TV series)
Director:Stephan Martiniere (direct-to-video episodes)
Producer:Peter Aries (TV series)
Michael Cornall (direct-to-video episodes)
Editor:Richard S. Gannon
Trudy Alexander
Kris Glispin
Runtime:25 minutes
Company:The Waldo Film Co.
DIC Enterprises (TV series)
HIT Communications PLC (TV series)
Network:CBS (CBS Kid TV)
(United States)
ITV (CITV)
(United Kingdom)

Where's Wally? (called Where's Waldo? in North America) is an animated television series production based on the Where's Wally? books by Martin Handford, animated by DIC Enterprises, HIT Communications PLC and The Waldo Film Company. The television series aired on CBS in the United States and ITV in the United Kingdom for one season[1] with a series of four episodes being released straight-to-video following afterwards. The program's opening song "Where's Wally?" was composed by Michael Tavera. The distribution rights to the show are currently held by Mattel Television.

Plot

The show follows the adventures of Wally/Waldo and his dog Woof, who were already established stars of the Where's Wally? picture book series. The cartoon Where's Waldo? went beyond the books' original concept, giving the characters depth and giving reasons for their adventures.

Wally/Waldo and his dog Woof travel to distant lands, solving mysteries and lending a helping hand wherever they could. With the help of his magic walking stick, Wally/Waldo could travel through space and time or travel to far off magical lands. Often sent by Wizard Whitebeard to help solve a puzzle, or mysteries, Where's Waldo? was a 1/2 hour puzzle of clues and riddles. The evil Waldo lookalike Odlaw was the show's villain, constantly plotting to steal Waldo's magic stick. In each episode Odlaw would team up with the other villains from the far-off lands to help get the magic stick, while Waldo and Woof teamed up with other land's "good-guys" to help with their problems. Waldo stayed true to the books' premise by means of the "Waldo's Minutes", during which the screen froze for a full minute so the viewer at home could try to find Wally. This kind of segment aired twice per episode.

Characters

The series was narrated by Jim Cummings.

Voice cast

Additional voices

Crew

International changes

To meet the needs of international viewers in the United States and Canada, a second audio track was recorded using the same vocal actors – the name "Wally" was replaced entirely with "Waldo", the name of the books' character in the United States and Canada. Other international versions were produced dubbed in entirely in German, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and other languages (many times with Wally's name being changed to match that country's name from the original books).

Episodes

Direct-to-video episodes (1992)

Following the conclusion of the TV series, a series of four direct-to-video specials were created that took advantage of the VCR technology. The entire voice cast, except for Julian Holloway as Odlaw, was replaced for these episodes. The first two releases were released in 1992 by GoodTimes Home Video, while the other two didn't see the light of day until July 1997, when they were released by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment through the Fox Kids Video imprint.

Home media

DVD release

The animated show was released in Australia on May 7, 2009 with Where's Wally? Vol. 1 – My Left Fang. As of February 2013, Mattel Television has yet to announce any plans for a US DVD release of the show, but the episodes were previously released on videocassette in the 1990s by Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Fox Kids Video, and CBS Video.

UK VHS releases

VHS title Release dateEpisodes
Where's Wally? My Left Fang1992"My Left Fang", "Forest Women", "The Great Ball Game"
Where's Wally? It's a Gruel, Gruel World1993"It's A Gruel, Gruel World", "Draining The Deep", "The Underground Hunters"
Where's Wally? The Land of the Carpet Flyers1993"The Land of the Carpet Flyers"
Where's Wally? The Land of the Lost Pyramid1994"The Land Of The Lost Pyramid", "Ahead Of The Future", "The Unfriendly Giant"
Where's Wally? The Biggest Ever Video1994"A Stone Age Story", "Viking Fling", "The Living Exhibits", "It's A Gruel, Gruel World", "Draining The Deep", "The Underground Hunters", "My Left Fang", "Forest Women", "The Great Ball Game"
Where's Wally? The Unfriendly Giant1994"The Unfriendly Giant", "The Land Of The Lost Pyramid"

Awards

The Where's Wally? cartoon was nominated for the "1992 annual Young Artist Award" for Outstanding New Animation Series but lost the award to (also on CBS). The show lasted only one season on CBS airing 13 episodes between September 14 and December 14, 1991, before being cancelled because of low ratings (as a result of direct competition from NBC's juggernaut Saved by the Bell and ABC's The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show). Reruns of the episodes aired on CBS until September 5, 1992.

Merchandise

In 1992, Little, Brown and Company released two Waldo books based on the adventures and characters from the Where's Waldo? TV Show. Fun with Waldo and More Fun with Waldo, featured print versions of many of the "Waldo Minute" freeze-frame scenes, along with new puzzles and things to spot in each picture.

Reboot series

In 2019, a reboot entitled Where's Waldo?, produced by DreamWorks Animation Television, premiered on Universal Kids on July 20.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Erickson . Hal . Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 . 2005 . 2nd . McFarland & Co . 978-1476665993 . 903–904.