irish (04/27/83)
For all you Canadian types out there... My office-mate and I (Detroit and Port Huron, MI, natives) were discussing TV shows we watched as preschoolers (around 1963-4), and we both recall a show called The Friendly Giant that aired on Channel 9 out of Windsor. We remember a "giant" with shaggy, sandy-colored hair, who lived in a castle. At the beginning of the show, he would invite us to pull up a chair in front of the fire (at this point, he would move some dollhouse furniture around), get comfortable, and chat. He had some kind of puppet companion - that's where my office-mate and I get stuck. Was the companion a giraffe? What was its name? Also, there was another show that came on either right before or right after The Friendly Giant, called Chez Helene or something like that, with an older lady that spoke only French. Anybody remember that show? Any help in jogging our memories would be appreciated! Laura ...ihnp4!ihuxp!irish
dave (04/28/83)
THE FRIENDLY GIANT IS STILL ON! I also used to watch it when I was a kid in the sixties. But it's still hanging in there, on CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corp.) stations. In Toronto it's on at 9:45 a.m. The man who plays the giant is Bob Home. I believe the giraffe is called "Rusty". There's also a puppet who sticks his head in the window of the castle to chat. I was home one morning a few months ago and caught the show. It hasn't changed at all in 20 years. When it starts, you're invited to "Look up - WAAAY up", as the camera climbs up the giant. He then lets the castle moat down and invites you in, putting out a few doll-size chairs for you in the living room of the castle. There's something tremendously reassuring about him that kids love. The signature tune is an old song called "Early one Morning". (I only know that because I learned it in Grade 1 or 2 piano lessons.) The first few notes are c-ccceggafdcBdG, where - is a rest and capitals are an octave down. "Chez Helene" used to be on right after TFG. They were fifteen minutes each. I just called CBC and was told that Chez Helene hasn't been on for about 10 or 15 years. From what I remember, it taught you a little French. The main character was a lady, He'l`ene, who I believe had something to do with dresses (dress shop?). I don't think the whole show was in French, but I think it taught a little French as part of it. The signature tune began: efgagag-f-e-c---e-d-G---g-e-c. Ah, wasn't life easier back then! Dave Sherman Toronto
wombat (04/29/83)
#R:ihuxp:-41100:uicsl:5200008:000:283 uicsl!wombat Apr 28 08:45:00 1983 "Friendly Giant" used to run in central Illinois back then, too. I don't remember a giraffe, but I do seem to remember there was more than one puppet. We watched it all the time -- it came on right before Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. Wombat decvax!pur-ee!uiucdcs!uicsl!wombat
jsgray (04/29/83)
Don't forget "Mr. Dressup" with Casey and Finnegan! Jan Gray