Theodore Tugboat
Encyclopedia
Theodore Tugboat is a Canadian children's television series
about a tugboat
named Theodore who lives in the Big Harbour with all of his friends. The show was produced (and is set) in Halifax
, Nova Scotia
, Canada
by the CBC
(Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
), and the now defunct Cochran Entertainment, and was filmed on a model set using radio control
led tugboats, ships, and machinery. Production of the show ended in 2001, and its distribution rights were later sold to Classic Media
. The show premiered in Canada on CBC Television, then went to PBS (Public Broadcasting Service
), was on qubo
in the US
, and at one time, had appeared in eighty different countries.
The show deals with life learning issues portrayed by the tugs or other ships in the harbour. Most often, the tugs have a problem, or get involved in a struggle with each other or another ship, but they always manage to help one another resolve these problems and see them through. Their main focus however, is to always make the Big Harbour the friendliest harbour in the world, and to always do a good job with their work related tasks.
native Andrew Cochran, as he tried to explain the unique characteristics and work of Halifax Harbour
vessels to his three-year-old son while walking along the Halifax waterfront. According to Cochran, "When you are with kids, you tend to give human characteristics to buildings, cars and boats." Cochran and his production company, Cochran Entertainment, went on to lead the development of the series with the CBC in Canada, starting in 1989. Production commenced in 1992 with the first broadcasts aired on CBC in 1993. Cochran Entertainment produced all 130 original episodes with Cochran as the executive producer
. The design, faces, and names of most of the tugboat characters, as well as the harbour set, were created by art director
and master model maker Fred Allen
. Some episodes were directed by Robert Cardona
, the maker of the television shows TUGS
and Thomas and Friends. These series employed techniques later used in Theodore Tugboat such as humanized vehicles, life lessons and the use of a 1960s pop culture figure as narrator.
, The Harbourmaster is the narrator of the series, and provides voices for the entire cast of characters. He is the only human
on the show, and is portrayed in the Canadian and US versions by the late Denny Doherty
, formerly of The Mamas & the Papas
, and by other performers internationally. The Harbourmaster introduces the theme at the beginning of every episode by addressing an issue that he has in common with the tugs. He also loves to play the tuba
and is good friends with a man named "Rodney" (who is never seen). The role, and the person playing the role, is similar to that of Shining Time Station, the American series that featured Thomas the Tank Engine
; like Theodore Tugboat, that series initially starred (and was narrated by) an entertainment figure associated with the 1960s. Ringo Starr
(of The Beatles
), and later, comedian George Carlin
, both played the role of "Mr. Conductor".
s. They include Phillip and Philmore the Ferry Twins, Pearl and Petra, the Pilot Boats, as well as Northumberland Submarine, Rebecca the Research Vessel, and Bluenose the Sailing Ship. A number of barges appear frequently, most notably the grumpy Guysborough the Garbage Barge and Barrington Barge as well as a few regular talking structures such as Benjamin Bridge and Donald Dock.
s and some rare special visitors such as Snorri the Viking Ship and Kulu the Canoe.
, and the opening title dissolves into the Harbourmaster's office. The Harbourmaster is normally doing something or thinking about something, which prompts him to remember when one of the tugboats was involved in a similar scenario.
from the Dispatcher. In the first few minutes of the episode, the tugs encounter a problem, and they use their heads to solve it. "It is the classic three act structure," said series creator Andrew Cochran, "Theodore encounters a problem, the problem gets worse, he solves the problem." Other times, the tugs have to conquer an emotional problem, such as not feeling good enough, or having to say goodbye to a friend. As each episode continues, the tugs resolve their problems, and life returns to normal in the Big Harbour.
On the half-hour PBS series, following the first story, the Harbourmaster's goodbye is instead followed by a voice-over
, reminding viewers to stay tuned for the next story, and prompting them to visit the website.
, which Doherty (the Harbourmaster) had attended as a child. At the peak of production, the show employed forty people. The characters, including Theodore, were designed and built by Fred Allen
, a Halifax artist and set designer
who strove to balance expressive human faces with realistic and weathered industrial details. Allen and three model assistants built the models in a workshop adjacent to the large set located in a water-filled gymnasium. The radio controlled models were driven by propellers and used underwater wheels to provide guidance and avoid drifting out of shots. Blue food colour was used to give an ocean look to the water. While Allen built the vessel models, the background set, inspired by the cityscape of Halifax and Dartmouth buildings, was built by the art department at CBC Halifax. The original models used to film the series can now be seen at Halifax's Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
.
, Nova Scotia, the Maritimes
, and Atlantic Canada
in general. Many of the references are obvious (such as Bedford
buoy) while others are more obscure. The following is a list of other references:
There were several books and toys linked with the series. Notably, the producers, Cochran Entertainment, worked out a marketing deal with European toy manufacturer BRIO
to produce wooden toy replicas of some of the main characters, as well as a line of scale die-cast models
and bathtub toys manufactured by Ertl
. The characters were retired in 2000. A life-sized replica of Theodore Tugboat (called Theodore Too
) was constructed by the series producers in the late 1990s, that went on a fifty-city tour of harbours from Tampa, Florida
, through the Great Lakes
to Chicago, Illinois
, and back again to Halifax
. It still resides in Halifax Harbour where it was purchased by a touring company, and is used for sight seeing tours of the harbour. There was also a series of nineteen books published by Random House
, a set of squeezy toys made by Alpi, and puzzles and games by International Playthings. The videos were released by Warner Brothers
/PBS Kids
in the US, and by Children's Group in Canada. Theodore Tugboat merchandise can still be purchased from many on-line auction and shopping websites. Retail merchandise can also be purchased from the Theodore Tugboat Gift Shop, on the waterfront in downtown Halifax
, near Theodore Too
and the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
.
The Canadian Theodore VHS tapes
were made by Children's Group. They contained stickers of all the tugboats and two episodes. These tapes have become rare, and almost always sell in the double digits on eBay
and Amazon.com
.
The list:
The US Theodore Tugboat tapes were released through PBS Home Video
and Warner Home Video
. Most of these tapes are common on online sites. They usually contain three episodes, however, some of the more rare ones are different, (Theodore's Big Adventure has two and Theodore's Exceptional Friends has five). Theodore's Exceptional friends has become a collectors item for Theodore fans as it not only has 5 episodes, but also a special Theodore Tugboat handbook made by PBS.
The list:
2. Theodore
3. Emily
4. Foduck
5. Hank
6. George
7. Carla
8. Shubber
9. Brunzwick
10. Pipes
11. Dispatcher
12. Donald Dock
13. Constance
14. Rebecca
15. Northumberland
2. Hank
3. Emily
4. George
5. Foduck
6. Northumberland
7. Guysborough
8. Pugwash
2. Hank
3. Theodore
4. Emily
5. Foduck
6. George
7. Press 'N' RollEdit
8. Emily
9. Foduck
2. Hank
3. Emily
4. George
5. Foduck
6. The Dispatcher
7. Barrington
8. Benjamin Bridge
9. Clayton
10. Chester
Children's television series
Children's television series, are commercial television programs designed for, and marketed to children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run in the early evening, for the children that go to school...
about a tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
named Theodore who lives in the Big Harbour with all of his friends. The show was produced (and is set) in Halifax
Metropolitan Halifax
Metropolitan Halifax , often referred to as Metro Halifax, or Halifax, is the urban part of the Halifax Regional Municipality, a regional municipality that covers a large area of Nova Scotia, including rural areas...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
by the CBC
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
(Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
), and the now defunct Cochran Entertainment, and was filmed on a model set using radio control
Radio control
Radio control is the use of radio signals to remotely control a device. The term is used frequently to refer to the control of model vehicles from a hand-held radio transmitter...
led tugboats, ships, and machinery. Production of the show ended in 2001, and its distribution rights were later sold to Classic Media
Classic Media
Classic Media, LLC, is an American production company and distributor of family programming. It was founded in 2000 by former Marvel Entertainment CEO Eric Ellenbogen and former Broadway Video executive John Engelman in hopes of acquiring mismanaged classic properties and giving exposure to...
. The show premiered in Canada on CBC Television, then went to PBS (Public Broadcasting Service
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
), was on qubo
Qubo
Qubo is a multi-platform children's television specialty channel endeavor operated as a joint venture between ION Media Networks, NBCUniversal, Nelvana, Scholastic Corporation, and Classic Media...
in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and at one time, had appeared in eighty different countries.
The show deals with life learning issues portrayed by the tugs or other ships in the harbour. Most often, the tugs have a problem, or get involved in a struggle with each other or another ship, but they always manage to help one another resolve these problems and see them through. Their main focus however, is to always make the Big Harbour the friendliest harbour in the world, and to always do a good job with their work related tasks.
Origins
The original idea for the series came to HalifaxCity of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
native Andrew Cochran, as he tried to explain the unique characteristics and work of Halifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality.-Harbour description:The harbour is called Jipugtug by the Mi'kmaq first nation, anglisized as Chebucto...
vessels to his three-year-old son while walking along the Halifax waterfront. According to Cochran, "When you are with kids, you tend to give human characteristics to buildings, cars and boats." Cochran and his production company, Cochran Entertainment, went on to lead the development of the series with the CBC in Canada, starting in 1989. Production commenced in 1992 with the first broadcasts aired on CBC in 1993. Cochran Entertainment produced all 130 original episodes with Cochran as the executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
. The design, faces, and names of most of the tugboat characters, as well as the harbour set, were created by art director
Art director
The art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
and master model maker Fred Allen
Fred Allen (set designer)
----Fred Allen, was a Canadian set designer, art director and artist from Stewiacke, Nova Scotia.Born in Halifax, Allen never knew his birth mother, but was adopted and raised by Gwendolyn Poole of Wolfville, Nova Scotia until Poole's death when Allen was 11, after which he was raised by Poole's...
. Some episodes were directed by Robert Cardona
Robert D. Cardona
Robert D. Cardona is an American writer, producer, director and animator. Cardona co-founded Clearwater Features, along with David Mitton, in 1980.-Career:...
, the maker of the television shows TUGS
TUGS
TUGS is a British children's television series, first broadcast in 1988. It was created by the producers of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, Robert D. Cardona and David Mitton. The series dealt with the adventures of two anthropomorphized tugboat fleets, the Star Fleet and the Z-Stacks, who...
and Thomas and Friends. These series employed techniques later used in Theodore Tugboat such as humanized vehicles, life lessons and the use of a 1960s pop culture figure as narrator.
Characters
The show has one human character, The Harbourmaster, and six central tugboat characters, led by the show's namesake, Theodore Tugboat. Other ships, of all sizes, provide a large number of regular and occasional characters along with a few talking structures.The Harbourmaster
Along with all the duties of a real-life harbourmasterHarbourmaster
A harbourmaster is an official responsible for enforcing the regulations of a particular harbour or port, in order to ensure the safety of navigation, the security of the harbour and the correct operation of the port facilities.-Responsibilities:Harbourmasters are normally responsible for issuing...
, The Harbourmaster is the narrator of the series, and provides voices for the entire cast of characters. He is the only human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
on the show, and is portrayed in the Canadian and US versions by the late Denny Doherty
Denny Doherty
Dennis Gerrard Stephen Doherty was a Canadian singer and songwriter. He was most widely known as a founding member of the 1960s musical group The Mamas & the Papas.-Early career:...
, formerly of The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas were a Canadian/American vocal group of the 1960s . The group recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971, releasing five albums and 11 Top 40 hit singles...
, and by other performers internationally. The Harbourmaster introduces the theme at the beginning of every episode by addressing an issue that he has in common with the tugs. He also loves to play the tuba
Tuba
The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
and is good friends with a man named "Rodney" (who is never seen). The role, and the person playing the role, is similar to that of Shining Time Station, the American series that featured Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine is a fictional steam locomotive in The Railway Series books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher. He became the most popular character in the series, and the accompanying television spin-off series, Thomas and Friends.Thomas is a tank engine, painted blue...
; like Theodore Tugboat, that series initially starred (and was narrated by) an entertainment figure associated with the 1960s. Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
(of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
), and later, comedian George Carlin
George Carlin
George Denis Patrick Carlin was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, actor and author, who won five Grammy Awards for his comedy albums....
, both played the role of "Mr. Conductor".
Tugboats
- Theodore Tugboat: Theodore is the title characterTitle roleThe title role in the performing arts is the performance part that gives the title to the piece, as in Aida, Giselle, Michael Collins or Othello. The actor, singer or dancer who performs that part is also said to have the title role....
who lives in the Big Harbour with all of his friends. He's one of the smaller tugs that wears a red baseball capBaseball capA baseball cap is a type of soft cap with a rounded stiff brim. The front of the cap typically contains designs or logos of sports teams ,...
, and is sometimes offended if someone calls him "cute" or "small". He and his closest friend Hank are the only two harbour tugs (tugs that are not yet eligible to work outside of the harbour). They both share the harbour tug side of the dock and love working together.He's a kind little tugboat that is always friendly to the other ships in the harbour, with the goal of becoming friends with everyone he meets. His biggest dream is to become an ocean tug and to travel across the sea to different harbours, but before he does, he works as hard as he can to make the Big Harbour the friendliest harbour in the world. That's why he is always there whenever someone needs him.
- Hank: Hank (the Volcano, as he sometimes calls himself) is the smallest, funniest, fastest tugboat in the Big Harbour. He wears a blue tuqueTuqueA – variously known as a knit hat or stocking cap among other names – is a knitted cap, originally of wool though now often of synthetic fibers, that is designed to provide warmth in winter...
and loves to make funny faces and noises as a way of getting attention. He can be very sensitive too, and usually gets ignored for being the smallest. Whenever he feels down, he always turns to Theodore for help or guidance. Hank was afraid of the dark once, but overcomes his fear when Theodore tells him that he was once afraid of the dark too. Sometimes Hank is the one to give a good idea without even knowing it. He has the tendency to use the word "fresh" to describe something. Out of all the other tugboats, Hank is special because of his good humour and nature to learn and grow from his mistakes. - Emily "the Vigorous": Emily is the only female tug in the fleet. She wears an old turquoiseTurquoise (color)Turquoise or is a slightly blueish tone of light green. The color is based on the gem turquoise. The term comes from the French for Turkish.At right is displayed the X11 color named turquoise....
fishing hat that is very special to her. She loves to travel to different countries and discover new cultures and languages. Emily likes to be admired, but hates to look silly in front of her friends thinking they always have high expectations for her, and look up to her as a leader. Still, she always comes to find that her friends are there to help her, even if she doesn't ask for their help. She usually gets into arguments with George, but they always resolve their differences in the end. No matter how upset Emily gets, she always shows her kind spirits and strength. - George "the Valiant": George is the largest and strongest tugboat in the Big Harbour. He wears a purple baseball cap on his head backwards. George loves to show off and can sometimes be a little rude without knowing it. He's somewhat stubborn and always struggles to admit that he is sometimes wrong. He especially loves to tell stories to the other tugs, mostly about himself. Whenever he gets irritated, he blows up a lot of smoke from his smokestack and makes loud noises with his powerful engines. Most of all, George is a hard worker, never leaves a job until it's done, and always stands up for his friends.
- Foduck "the Vigilant": Foduck is the harbour's safety tug. He wears a red fireman's hat and is equipped with extra bright spotlights, sonar transceiverTransceiverA transceiver is a device comprising both a transmitter and a receiver which are combined and share common circuitry or a single housing. When no circuitry is common between transmit and receive functions, the device is a transmitter-receiver. The term originated in the early 1920s...
and a fire hoseFire hoseA fire hose is a high-pressure hose used to carry water or other fire retardant to a fire to extinguish it. Outdoors, it is attached either to a fire engine or a fire hydrant. Indoors, it can be permanently attached to a building's standpipe or plumbing system...
. Foduck is always very serious and makes sure all jobs are being performed safely. Foduck is a V tug like George and Emily, meaning he is fully qualified to make ocean voyages, but is content with staying in the harbour to keep it safe. Because of his strong work ethicWork ethicWork ethic is a set of values based on hard work and diligence. It is also a belief in the moral benefit of work and its ability to enhance character. An example would be the Protestant work ethic...
, Foduck usually doesn't express his feelings, but deep inside, he has a soft spot in his heart for everything and everyone in the harbour. - The Dispatcher: The tugboat Dispatcher is a rotating building on the "Great Ocean Tug and Salvage Company" wharf, who gives the tugs their jobs for the day. He has a black moustache and a flag on his head. He is usually very serious and stern with the tugs, but they are always respectful to him because of his authority-like figure. He shows that he cares for the tugs by disciplining them for their faults, and by counselling them for their mistakes. And like a father, he always has a gentle side to him, and is always there when the tugboats need his help the most.
Regular characters
A number of ships based in the Big Harbour appear as recurring characterRecurring character
A recurring character is a fictional character, usually in a prime time TV series, who appears from time to time during the series' run. Recurring characters often play major roles in an episode, sometimes being the main focus...
s. They include Phillip and Philmore the Ferry Twins, Pearl and Petra, the Pilot Boats, as well as Northumberland Submarine, Rebecca the Research Vessel, and Bluenose the Sailing Ship. A number of barges appear frequently, most notably the grumpy Guysborough the Garbage Barge and Barrington Barge as well as a few regular talking structures such as Benjamin Bridge and Donald Dock.
Visiting characters
Many visiting ships such as Kingston the Cargo Ship, Queen Stephanie the cruise ship, and Canso Colossus the supertanker appear in several episodes along with a large number of named visiting cargo shipCargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
s and some rare special visitors such as Snorri the Viking Ship and Kulu the Canoe.
Episodes
There are one hundred-thirty episodes in the series. They were produced in five seasons:- Season one (1993–1994)
- Season two (1994–1995)
- Season three (1995–1996)
- Season four (1996–1997)
- Season five (1997–1998)
Opening sequence
The show always opens with the theme songTheme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
, and the opening title dissolves into the Harbourmaster's office. The Harbourmaster is normally doing something or thinking about something, which prompts him to remember when one of the tugboats was involved in a similar scenario.
Main sequence
As the Harbourmaster starts telling the story, the camera shot dissolves into a shot of the tugs working somewhere, or getting their ordersGeneral order
In militaries, a general order is a published directive, originated by a commander, and binding upon all personnel under his command, the purpose of which is to enforce a policy or procedure unique to his unit's situation which is not otherwise addressed in applicable service regulations, military...
from the Dispatcher. In the first few minutes of the episode, the tugs encounter a problem, and they use their heads to solve it. "It is the classic three act structure," said series creator Andrew Cochran, "Theodore encounters a problem, the problem gets worse, he solves the problem." Other times, the tugs have to conquer an emotional problem, such as not feeling good enough, or having to say goodbye to a friend. As each episode continues, the tugs resolve their problems, and life returns to normal in the Big Harbour.
Closing sequence
The scene again dissolves into a shot of the Harbourmaster's office, with the Harbourmaster deciding to pay attention to the lesson learned by the tugs. During this time, he sometimes communicates with the tugs through his office window (they reply with the sound of their whistles), plays his tuba, or listens to his friend Rodney playing bagpipes. The Harbourmaster finally says "Thanks for visiting us here in the Big Harbour, and we'll see you all again next time.", and the credits roll.On the half-hour PBS series, following the first story, the Harbourmaster's goodbye is instead followed by a voice-over
Voice-over
Voice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
, reminding viewers to stay tuned for the next story, and prompting them to visit the website.
Production
The series was filmed in the former Alexander McKay School on Russell Street in Halifax's North EndNorth End, Halifax
The North End of Halifax is a neighbourhood located in the urban core of Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality, occupying the northern part of the Halifax Peninsula.-Geography:...
, which Doherty (the Harbourmaster) had attended as a child. At the peak of production, the show employed forty people. The characters, including Theodore, were designed and built by Fred Allen
Fred Allen (set designer)
----Fred Allen, was a Canadian set designer, art director and artist from Stewiacke, Nova Scotia.Born in Halifax, Allen never knew his birth mother, but was adopted and raised by Gwendolyn Poole of Wolfville, Nova Scotia until Poole's death when Allen was 11, after which he was raised by Poole's...
, a Halifax artist and set designer
Scenic design
Scenic design is the creation of theatrical, as well as film or television scenery. Scenic designers have traditionally come from a variety of artistic backgrounds, but nowadays, generally speaking, they are trained professionals, often with M.F.A...
who strove to balance expressive human faces with realistic and weathered industrial details. Allen and three model assistants built the models in a workshop adjacent to the large set located in a water-filled gymnasium. The radio controlled models were driven by propellers and used underwater wheels to provide guidance and avoid drifting out of shots. Blue food colour was used to give an ocean look to the water. While Allen built the vessel models, the background set, inspired by the cityscape of Halifax and Dartmouth buildings, was built by the art department at CBC Halifax. The original models used to film the series can now be seen at Halifax's Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is a Canadian maritime museum located in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia.The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is a member institution of the Nova Scotia Museum and is the oldest and largest maritime museum in Canada with a collection of over 30,000 artifacts...
.
Real names and locations
The characters are loaded with references to Halifax HarbourHalifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality.-Harbour description:The harbour is called Jipugtug by the Mi'kmaq first nation, anglisized as Chebucto...
, Nova Scotia, the Maritimes
Maritimes
The Maritime provinces, also called the Maritimes or the Canadian Maritimes, is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. On the Atlantic coast, the Maritimes are a subregion of Atlantic Canada, which also includes the...
, and Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
in general. Many of the references are obvious (such as Bedford
Bedford Basin
Bedford Basin is a large enclosed bay, forming the northwestern end of Halifax Harbour on Canada's Atlantic coast.-Geography:Geographically, the basin is situated entirely within the Halifax Regional Municipality and is oriented northwest-southeast, measuring approximately 8 kilometres long and 5...
buoy) while others are more obscure. The following is a list of other references:
- The Big Harbour itself is modelled after Halifax HarbourHalifax HarbourHalifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality.-Harbour description:The harbour is called Jipugtug by the Mi'kmaq first nation, anglisized as Chebucto...
, in Nova ScotiaNova ScotiaNova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. - The tugs occasionally visit a fishing village called Ceilidh's Cove, which is loosely modelled from Peggys CovePeggys Cove, Nova ScotiaPeggys Cove is one of the busiest tourist attractions in Nova Scotia and is a prime attraction on the Lighthouse Trail scenic drive. The community's famous lighthouse marks the eastern entrance of St. Margarets Bay and is officially known as the Peggys Point Lighthouse.Peggys Cove has a classic...
, a real-life fishing community in Nova Scotia. - Some of the tugboat characters' V-names are derived from actual tugboats that operate in Halifax Harbour, including Point Vigour and Point Valiant.
- Annapolis (a cargo ship) is named after Annapolis Royal in southwestern Nova Scotia.
- Baddeck (the buoy boat) is named after the village of Baddeck, Nova ScotiaBaddeck, Nova ScotiaBaddeck is a Canadian village in Victoria County, Nova Scotia.It is the county's shire town and is situated on the northern shore of Bras d'Or Lake on Cape Breton Island...
- Barrington (the smallest barge) is likely named after the municipality of Barrington, Nova ScotiaBarrington, Nova ScotiaBarrington is a municipal district in western Shelburne County, Nova Scotia.Barrington forms the southernmost part of the province and contains Cape Sable, the eastern boundary between the North Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine.- Demographics :...
, which is located in the southwestern region of the province near Shelburne. He may have also gotten his name from one of Halifax's best-known streets, Barrington StreetBarrington Street, Halifaxthumb|left|240px|View southward on Barrington StreetBarrington Street is a major street on the Halifax Peninsula in the Halifax Regional Municipality Nova Scotia, Canada, running from the MacKay bridge in the North End approximately 7 kilometres south, through Downtown Halifax to Inglis Street in...
, which runs straight through the downtown coreDowntown HalifaxDowntown Halifax is the city centre of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Located on the eastern-central portion of the Halifax Peninsula, on Halifax Harbour, it serves as the business, entertainment, and tourism hub of the region.- Municipal:...
parallel to the harbour. - Bedford (the buoy by Willy's Island) is based on both the name (Bedford BasinBedford BasinBedford Basin is a large enclosed bay, forming the northwestern end of Halifax Harbour on Canada's Atlantic coast.-Geography:Geographically, the basin is situated entirely within the Halifax Regional Municipality and is oriented northwest-southeast, measuring approximately 8 kilometres long and 5...
), part of Halifax Harbour, and the former town of BedfordBedford, Nova ScotiaBedford is a community in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was an independent town from 1980-1996. Bedford lies on the northwestern end of Bedford Basin, an extension of the Halifax Harbour...
located at the head of the basin. - Blandford (the buoy at the harbour entrance) is named after the fishing community of Blandford, Nova ScotiaBlandford, Nova ScotiaBlandford is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Chester Municipal District on the Aspotogan Peninsula on the Lighthouse Route...
, which later gained international fame as a base from which the rescue efforts of Swissair Flight 111Swissair Flight 111Swissair Flight 111 was a Swissair McDonnell Douglas MD-11 on a scheduled airline flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, United States to Cointrin International Airport in Geneva, Switzerland...
were carried out. - Bluenose (a sailing ship) is named after the famous racing schooner of the 1920s, the BluenoseBluenoseBluenose was a Canadian fishing and racing schooner from Nova Scotia built in 1921. She was later commemorated by a replica Bluenose II built in 1963. A celebrated racing ship and hard-working fishing vessel, Bluenose became a provincial icon for Nova Scotia as well as important Canadian symbol in...
. A replica of the "Bluenose", the "Bluenose IIBluenose IIBluenose II is a replica of the fishing schooner Bluenose which serves as Nova Scotia's sailing ambassador. Bluenose II was launched at Lunenburg on July 24, 1963, built to original plans and by many of the same workers. The original Bluenose captain Angus J. Walters took the helm of the new...
" sails as a promotional vessel for Nova ScotiaNova ScotiaNova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. Bluenose is also the name of the naval tug in TUGS. - Bonavista (one of the barges) is named after the fishing town of BonavistaBonavista, Newfoundland and LabradorBonavista is a town on the Bonavista Peninsula, Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Unlike many Newfoundland coastal settlements, Bonavista was built on an open plain, not in a steep cove, and thus had room to expand to its current area of 31.5 square...
, located in the province of NewfoundlandNewfoundland and LabradorNewfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
. - Brunswick the Barge shares his name with both Brunswick Street in downtown Halifax and the province of New BrunswickNew BrunswickNew Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
- Cabot (the cargo ship) is named after the Cabot TrailCabot TrailThe Cabot Trail is a highway and scenic roadway in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.It is located in northern Victoria County and Inverness County on Cape Breton Island....
, a highway that takes sight-seeres through the scenic mountainous regions of northern Cape Breton IslandCape Breton IslandCape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
. - Canso Colossus (the super tanker) is named after the small fishing town of Canso, Nova ScotiaCanso, Nova ScotiaFor the headland, see Cape Canso.Canso is a small Canadian town in Guysborough County, on the north-eastern tip of mainland Nova Scotia, next to Chedabucto Bay. The area was established in 1604, along with Port Royal, Nova Scotia. The British construction of a fort in the village , was instrumental...
on the southeast coast. - Caraquet (the container ship) shares her name with the town of CaraquetCaraquetCaraquet can refer to:* Caraquet, New Brunswick, a town in New Brunswick, Canada* Bas-Caraquet, New Brunswick, a village in New Brunswick, Canada* Caraquet , a riding that elects members to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick....
, New Brunswick, located on the shores of Chaleur BayChaleur Bayframe| Satellite image of Chaleur Bay . Chaleur Bay is the large bay opening to the east;the [[Gaspé Peninsula]] appears to the north and the [[Gulf of St...
, in the Acadian PeninsulaAcadian PeninsulaThe Acadian Peninsula is situated in the northeastern corner of New Brunswick, Canada, encompassing portions of Gloucester and Northumberland Counties. It derives its name from the large Acadian population located there...
. "Caraquet" is a native Mi'kmaqMi'kmaq languageThe Mi'kmaq language is an Eastern Algonquian language spoken by nearly 9,100 Mi'kmaq in Canada and the United States out of a total ethnic Mi'kmaq population of roughly 20,000. The word Mi'kmaq is a plural word meaning 'my friends' ; the adjectival form is Míkmaw...
word, meaning "junction (or meeting) of two rivers". - Chester (the container ship) gets his name from the seaside village of Chester, Nova ScotiaChester, Nova ScotiaChester is an incorporated Canadian village located in and part of Nova Scotia's Chester Municipal District in the southeastern part of Lunenburg County.-History:...
. - Cobequid Cove (visited in the episode "The Dark and Scary Cove") shares its name with the both the Cobequid BayCobequid BayCobequid Bay is an inlet of the Bay of Fundy and the easternmost part of the Minas Basin, located in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. The bay was carved by rivers flowing into the eastern end of the Bay of Fundy....
and the Cobequid Hills mountain range of mainland Nova ScotiaNova Scotia peninsulaThe Nova Scotia peninsula is a peninsula on the Atlantic coast of North America.-Location:The Nova Scotia peninsula is part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada and is connected to the neighbouring province of New Brunswick through the Isthmus of Chignecto...
. Cobequid is a proud, historic, and distinctly Nova Scotian name, derived from the native Mi'kmaq word "Wakobetgitk", meaning "end of the rushing or flowing water" (in reference to the Bay of Fundy). - Cumberland Gets his name from Cumberland County, Nova ScotiaCumberland County, Nova ScotiaCumberland County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.-History:The name Cumberland was applied by Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Monckton to the captured Fort Beauséjour on June 18, 1755 in honour of the third son of King George II, William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, victor at...
, which is located in the province's northwest region. - Dartmouth (a visiting cable ship) is named after the former city of Dartmouth, Nova ScotiaDartmouth, Nova ScotiaDartmouth founded in 1750, is a community and planning area of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Located on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour, Dartmouth has been nicknamed the City of Lakes after the large number of lakes located in the city.On April 1, 1996, the provincial...
, which lies on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour. Dartmouth's municipal government was amalgamated into the Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996, but the area still retains its original name. - Digby (the cable ship) is named after Digby, Nova ScotiaDigby, Nova ScotiaDigby is a Canadian town in western Nova Scotia. It is the shiretown and largest population centre in Digby County.The town is situated on the western shore of the Annapolis Basin near the entrance to the Digby Gut which connects the basin to the Bay of Fundy.Named after Admiral Robert Digby, RN,...
, a seaside community on the northwest shore of Nova Scotia, famous for its scallop fishing. - Ecum Secum Circle (visited in the episode "Theodore's Big Decision") shares its name with the rural community of Ecum Secum, Nova ScotiaEcum Secum, Nova ScotiaEcum Secum is a rural community on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia, Canada. It straddles the boundary between Guysborough County and Halifax Regional Municipality....
, which is located along the shores of Ecum Secum Harbour. Named in the language of the Mi'kmaq, First NationsFirst NationsFirst Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
people, "Ecum Secum" translates to English as "a red house". - Fundy (the fishing boat) gets his name from the Bay of FundyBay of FundyThe Bay of Fundy is a bay on the Atlantic coast of North America, on the northeast end of the Gulf of Maine between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine...
, the body of water that separates southern Nova Scotia from southern New Brunswick and eastern MaineMaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, and is the body of water with the world's largest tides, that can exceed 16 metres or 52.5 ft. - Guysborough (the garbage barge) is named after Guysborough CountyGuysborough County, Nova ScotiaGuysborough County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.-History:Taking its name from the Township of Guysborough, which was named in honour of Sir Guy Carleton, Guysborough County was created when Sydney County was divided in 1836.In 1840, the Township of St. Mary's, in Guysborough...
on the south shore of Nova Scotia. - Inverness (the cargo ship) gets her name from the community of Inverness, Nova ScotiaInverness, Nova ScotiaInverness is a Canadian rural community in Inverness County, Nova Scotia. In 2001 its population was 2,496.Located on the west coast of Cape Breton Island fronting the Gulf of St...
, which is located on the west coast of Cape Breton IslandCape Breton IslandCape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
. - Lunenburg (the lighthouse by Shipwreck Rock) is named after the port town of Lunenburg, Nova ScotiaLunenburg, Nova ScotiaLunenburg , is a Canadian port town in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia.Situated on the province's South Shore, Lunenburg is located on a peninsula at the western side of Mahone Bay. The town is approximately 90 kilometres southwest of the county boundary with the Halifax Regional Municipality.The...
, which is where the original BluenoseBluenoseBluenose was a Canadian fishing and racing schooner from Nova Scotia built in 1921. She was later commemorated by a replica Bluenose II built in 1963. A celebrated racing ship and hard-working fishing vessel, Bluenose became a provincial icon for Nova Scotia as well as important Canadian symbol in...
was built and the Bluenose II calls home. - Margaree Pride (a container ship) shares her name with the communities of UpperUpper Margaree, Nova ScotiaUpper Margaree is a small community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in Inverness County on Cape Breton Island.-References:*...
, EastEast Margaree, Nova ScotiaEast Margaree is a small community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in Inverness County on Cape Breton Island.- References :*...
, Northeast, and Southwest MargareeSouthwest Margaree, Nova ScotiaSouthwest Margaree is a small community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in Inverness County on Cape Breton Island.- References :*...
, Margaree CentreMargaree Centre, Nova ScotiaMargaree Centre is a small community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in Inverness County on Cape Breton Island.-References:*...
, Margaree ValleyMargaree Valley, Nova ScotiaMargaree Valley is a small community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in Inverness County on Cape Breton Island.The original name was Frizzleton as adopted on 5 April 1951. This was changed to Margaree Valley on 5 April 1961....
, Margaree ForksMargaree Forks, Nova ScotiaMargaree Forks is a small community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in Inverness County on Cape Breton Island.-References:*...
, Margaree HarbourMargaree Harbour, Nova ScotiaMargaree Harbour is a small community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in Inverness County on Cape Breton Island.-References:*...
, and the Margaree RiverMargaree RiverThe Margaree River is a river on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. The northeast branch of the river derives from the watershed of the Cape Breton Highlands, while the Southwest Margaree flows northeast from Lake Ainslie. The two branches join at Margaree Forks...
, all located in Inverness County, Nova ScotiaInverness County, Nova ScotiaInverness County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Its territory is almost contiguous with the Municipality of Inverness County, which only excludes the town of Port Hawkesbury and First Nation reserves.-History:...
. - Northumberland (the submarine) is named after the Northumberland StraitNorthumberland StraitThe Northumberland Strait is a strait in the southern part of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in eastern Canada...
, a body of water that lies between New Brunswick, Nova Scotia mainland, and Prince Edward IslandPrince Edward IslandPrince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
. - Pictou Peaks (a cluster of giant rocks poking up out of the water near the shallow shore). Seen in the episode "Emily Goes Overboard", The 'Pictou Peaks' share their name with the historic port Town of PictouPictou, Nova ScotiaPictou is a town in Pictou County, in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Located on the north shore of Pictou Harbour, the town is approximately 10 km north of the larger town of New Glasgow....
, located in Pictou County, Nova ScotiaPictou County, Nova ScotiaPictou County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It was established in 1835, and was formerly a part of Halifax County from 1759 to 1835. It had a population of 46,513 people in 2006, which represents a decline of 6.3 percent from 1991. It is the sixth most populous county in Nova...
. It is believed the name is derived from the word "Piktook", which means "an explosion of gas" in the language of the local Mi'kmaq, First Nations people. - Pugwash (the little yellow mini-sub) shares her name with the fishing and salt miningMiningMining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
village of Pugwash, Nova ScotiaPugwash, Nova Scotia-Notable residents:Notable current and former residents of Pugwash include:*Charles Aubrey Eaton , clergyman and politician who served in the United States House of Representatives, representing the from 1925–1933, and the from 1933-1953....
, located on the Northumberland Strait at the mouth of the Pugwash River. The village takes its name from the word "pagwe’ak", a native Mi'kmaq word meaning "deep water". - Seabright (the cargo ship) is named after the tiny community of Seabright, Nova ScotiaSeabright, Nova ScotiaSeabright is a community within the Halifax Regional Municipality Nova Scotia between Glen Haven and Glen Margaret on Route 333 along the Lighthouse Route. It was home to the noted Canadian curator and historian Niels Jannasch ....
, which is located southwest of Halifax. - Shediac (a supply shed at the shipyard dock) shares his name with the town of Shediac, New Brunswick, which holds the nickname "Lobster Capital of the World".
- Shelburne (the giant sea-going barge) is named after the town of Shelburne, Nova ScotiaShelburne, Nova ScotiaShelburne is a town located in southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada. It is the shire town of Shelburne County.-History:-Settlers:...
, which lies on the southwest shore of the province. - Stewiacke (the salvage ship) gets his name from the town of Stewiacke, Nova ScotiaStewiacke, Nova Scotia-External links:* *...
, which is located halfway between the equatorEquatorAn equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
and the north poleNorth PoleThe North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
. It was also the hometown of the late Fred Allen, the artist who designed and built the characters and set of Theodore Tugboat. - Truro (the fishing trawler) gets his name from the town of Truro, Nova ScotiaTruro, Nova Scotia-Education:Truro has one high school, Cobequid Educational Centre. Post-secondary options include a campus of the Nova Scotia Community College, as well as the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in the neighboring town of Bible Hill.- Sports :...
, which is known as the Hub of Nova Scotia for its central location and historical importance to the province's railroad network. - It was also revealed in the episode "Hank's New Name" that Emily's middle name is Annapolis, after Annapolis CountyAnnapolis County, Nova ScotiaAnnapolis County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia located in the western part of the province on the Bay of Fundy. The county seat is Annapolis Royal.-History:...
in northwest Nova Scotia.
Air dates
- Canada: CBCCBC TelevisionCBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
(1994–1999) - U.S.: Discovery KidsDiscovery KidsDiscovery Kids is an American website owned by Discovery Communications, Inc. created for children. Until October 10, 2010, it was an American digital cable specialty channel, owned by Discovery Communications with television programming for education of children. It was launched in October 1996...
(1996–2001), PBS KidsPBS KidsPBS Kids is the brand for children's programming aired by the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States founded in 1993. As with all PBS programming, PBS Kids programming is non-commercial. It is aimed at children ages 2 to 10...
(1994–2002) - Canada: BBC KidsBBC KidsBBC Kids is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel owned by Knowledge Network Corporation and BBC Worldwide. It's a commercial-free channel that airs programming aimed at youth ranging from pre-schoolers to teens.-Overview:...
(1995–August 28, 2009) - U.S.: QuboQuboQubo is a multi-platform children's television specialty channel endeavor operated as a joint venture between ION Media Networks, NBCUniversal, Nelvana, Scholastic Corporation, and Classic Media...
(2007–September 13, 2009)
Merchandise
BRIO
BRIO is a wooden toy company founded in Sweden. The company was founded in the small town of Boalt, Scania in 1884 by basket maker Ivar Bengtsson For a long time the company was based in Osby, Scania, in southern Sweden. In 1908 Ivar's three sons took over and founded BRIO, which is an acronym for...
to produce wooden toy replicas of some of the main characters, as well as a line of scale die-cast models
Die-cast toy
The term die-cast toy here refers to any toy or collectible model produced by using the die casting method. The toys are made of metal, with plastic, rubber or glass details. Wholly plastic toys are made by a similar process of injection moulding, but the two are rarely confused...
and bathtub toys manufactured by Ertl
Ertl Company
The Ertl Company is an American toy company best known for its die-cast metal alloy collectible replicas of farm equipment and vehicles. The company is based in Dyersville, Iowa, home of the National Farm Toy Museum...
. The characters were retired in 2000. A life-sized replica of Theodore Tugboat (called Theodore Too
Theodore Too
Theodore Too is a large-scale imitation tugboat based on the fictional tugboat Theodore from the television show Theodore Tugboat.-History:Theodore Too was commissioned by Cochran Entertainment, Inc., the now-defunct production company...
) was constructed by the series producers in the late 1990s, that went on a fifty-city tour of harbours from Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, through the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
to Chicago, Illinois
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, and back again to Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
. It still resides in Halifax Harbour where it was purchased by a touring company, and is used for sight seeing tours of the harbour. There was also a series of nineteen books published by Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
, a set of squeezy toys made by Alpi, and puzzles and games by International Playthings. The videos were released by Warner Brothers
Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Warner Bros. Television Distribution is an American television distribution arm of Warner Bros. Television, itself a part of Time Warner formed circa 1960. In 1989, the studio formed Warner Bros...
/PBS Kids
PBS Kids
PBS Kids is the brand for children's programming aired by the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States founded in 1993. As with all PBS programming, PBS Kids programming is non-commercial. It is aimed at children ages 2 to 10...
in the US, and by Children's Group in Canada. Theodore Tugboat merchandise can still be purchased from many on-line auction and shopping websites. Retail merchandise can also be purchased from the Theodore Tugboat Gift Shop, on the waterfront in downtown Halifax
Downtown Halifax
Downtown Halifax is the city centre of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Located on the eastern-central portion of the Halifax Peninsula, on Halifax Harbour, it serves as the business, entertainment, and tourism hub of the region.- Municipal:...
, near Theodore Too
Theodore Too
Theodore Too is a large-scale imitation tugboat based on the fictional tugboat Theodore from the television show Theodore Tugboat.-History:Theodore Too was commissioned by Cochran Entertainment, Inc., the now-defunct production company...
and the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is a Canadian maritime museum located in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia.The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is a member institution of the Nova Scotia Museum and is the oldest and largest maritime museum in Canada with a collection of over 30,000 artifacts...
.
Theodore Tugboat VHS tapes
- Canadian VHS tapes:
The Canadian Theodore VHS tapes
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
were made by Children's Group. They contained stickers of all the tugboats and two episodes. These tapes have become rare, and almost always sell in the double digits on eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
and Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
.
The list:
- Theodore to the Rescue – "Theodore to the Rescue" and "Theodore and the Northern Lights"
- Theodore's Whistle – "Theodore's Whistle" and "George's Ghost"
- Theodore's Big Adventures – "Theodore and the Oil Rig" and "Hank and the Hug"
- Whale of a Tug – "Whale of a Tug" and "Carla the Cool Cabin Cruiser"
- Hank and the Nightlight – "Hank and the Nightlight" and "Theodore Hugs the Coast"
- Theodore and the Harbour Crane – "Theodore and the Harbour Crane" and "Hank's Wheezy Whistle"
- Theodore and the Treasure Team – "Northumberland is Missing" and "All Quiet in the Big Harbour"
- Emily Goes Overboard – "Emily Goes Overboard" and "Dartmouth Says Goodbye"
- US tapes:
The US Theodore Tugboat tapes were released through PBS Home Video
PBS Home Video
-Logos:Their first distinctive logo was a "Public Broadcasting Service" on the center of the screen, a sky. It was originally released in October 5, 1970...
and Warner Home Video
Warner Home Video
Warner Home Video is the home video unit of Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., itself part of Time Warner. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video . The company launched in the United States with twenty films on VHS and Betamax videocassettes in late 1979...
. Most of these tapes are common on online sites. They usually contain three episodes, however, some of the more rare ones are different, (Theodore's Big Adventure has two and Theodore's Exceptional Friends has five). Theodore's Exceptional friends has become a collectors item for Theodore fans as it not only has 5 episodes, but also a special Theodore Tugboat handbook made by PBS.
The list:
- Theodore's Friendly Adventures (1998) – "Theodore and the Unsafe Ship", "A Joke too Far", and "Hank and the Sunken Ship"
- Theodore Helps a Friend (1998) – "Theodore and the Hunt for Northumberland", "Bedford's Big Move", and Guysborough Makes a Friend"
- Big Harbour Bedtime (1998) – "Emily and the Sleep Over", "Theodore's Bright Night", "Foduck and the Shy Ship"
- Nighttime Adventures (1999) – "Night Shift", "Rebeca and the Big Snore", and "Hank Stays Up Late"
- Underwater Mysteries (1999) – "Theodore's Big Decision", "George and the Underwater Mystery", and "Pugwash is Gone!"
- Theodore's Exceptional Friends (2000) – "Snorri the Viking Ship", "Guysborough's Garbage", "Hank Hurts a Ship", Theodore and the Ice Ship", "Dartmouth Says Goodbye"
- Theodore's Big Adventure (PBS version) – "Theodore and the Big Oil Rig", and "Hank and the Hug"
Theodore Tugboat DVDs
- DVDs: The Theodore Tugboat Gift Shop in Halifax has copies of some US releases on DVDDVDA DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
. These include; Big Harbour Bedtime, Nighttime Adventures, and Theodore's Friendly Adventures.
Theodore Tugboat books
- Random House: Random HouseRandom HouseRandom House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
has released paperback Theodore Tugboat books. (Theodore and the Whale, and Theodore's Whistle) - Jellybean Books: Jellybean Books has released hardcover Theodore Tugboat books. (Theodore and the Stormy Day, Theodore's Best Friend, Theodore's Birthday Surprise, and Theodore to the Rescue)
Theodore Tugboat toys/games
- Ertl toys: ErtlErtl CompanyThe Ertl Company is an American toy company best known for its die-cast metal alloy collectible replicas of farm equipment and vehicles. The company is based in Dyersville, Iowa, home of the National Farm Toy Museum...
released a number of Theodore Tugboat toys, including die-cast boats, a set of rubber boats that float, a "Press'n Roll" series of plastic boats (where pressing the smokestack then releasing it makes the boat move), and sets of glow in the darkPhosphorescencePhosphorescence is a specific type of photoluminescence related to fluorescence. Unlike fluorescence, a phosphorescent material does not immediately re-emit the radiation it absorbs. The slower time scales of the re-emission are associated with "forbidden" energy state transitions in quantum...
wall decorations.
Characters
1. Radision Duck2. Theodore
3. Emily
4. Foduck
5. Hank
6. George
7. Carla
8. Shubber
9. Brunzwick
10. Pipes
11. Dispatcher
12. Donald Dock
13. Constance
14. Rebecca
15. Northumberland
Bath Tub Toys
1. Theodore2. Hank
3. Emily
4. George
5. Foduck
6. Northumberland
7. Guysborough
8. Pugwash
Changing Faces
1. Northumberland2. Hank
3. Theodore
4. Emily
5. Foduck
6. George
7. Press 'N' RollEdit
8. Emily
9. Foduck
BRIO
- BRIO toys: BRIOBRIOBRIO is a wooden toy company founded in Sweden. The company was founded in the small town of Boalt, Scania in 1884 by basket maker Ivar Bengtsson For a long time the company was based in Osby, Scania, in southern Sweden. In 1908 Ivar's three sons took over and founded BRIO, which is an acronym for...
released many Theodore Tugboat toys for interaction with its toy trainToy trainA toy train is a toy that represents a train. It is distinguished from a model train by an emphasis on low cost and durability, rather than scale modeling. A toy train can be as simple as a pull toy that does not even run on track, or it might be operated by clockwork or a battery...
s. Other than the tugboats, Brio released Benjamin Bridge, Clayton the Crane, Chester the Container Ship, Barrington, Bonavista, and the Dispatcher. The tugs and the Dispatcher feature moving eyes.
Characters Made
1. Theodore2. Hank
3. Emily
4. George
5. Foduck
6. The Dispatcher
7. Barrington
8. Benjamin Bridge
9. Clayton
10. Chester
International Playthings
- International Playthings: International Playthings released the Theodore Tugboat Cargo Game.
See also
- Theodore TooTheodore TooTheodore Too is a large-scale imitation tugboat based on the fictional tugboat Theodore from the television show Theodore Tugboat.-History:Theodore Too was commissioned by Cochran Entertainment, Inc., the now-defunct production company...
– The life-size replica of Theodore Tugboat - Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends – Another show Robert CardonaRobert D. CardonaRobert D. Cardona is an American writer, producer, director and animator. Cardona co-founded Clearwater Features, along with David Mitton, in 1980.-Career:...
worked on. - TUGSTUGSTUGS is a British children's television series, first broadcast in 1988. It was created by the producers of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, Robert D. Cardona and David Mitton. The series dealt with the adventures of two anthropomorphized tugboat fleets, the Star Fleet and the Z-Stacks, who...
– Another show about tugboats that Robert Cardona worked on.