Special Delivery is an American anthology series on Nickelodeon, broadcast during weekend afternoons from 1980 until 1993, when the network's original programming output was deemed sufficient to discontinue the block. Special Delivery mainly carried a variety of productions for children purchased by Nickelodeon, including both live-action and animated programming. Much of this programming was made up of children-focused made-for-TV movies produced in Canada in the 1970s and 80s, short films originally made for the ABC Afterschool Special and CBS Schoolbreak Special anthology series, sports specials (often with the time purchased from Nickelodeon by the event's distributors), and some unsold television pilots adapted to an hour-long timeslot.
From 1987 to 1989, 16 Cinema, which aired specials targeted towards teenagers, aired an hour after Special Delivery on Sundays. Several half-hour Special Delivery episodes plus new specials aired on weekdays as Nickelodeon Lunch Break Theater (in the summer of 1992), Nick Jr. Lunchbreak Theater (from late 1992 to April 1993), and Nick Jr. Storytime (from April 1993 to June 1995).
Overview Presentations on Special Delivery were varied in focus and origin. A May 1984 issue of Boys' Life referred to the programs shown on Special Delivery as "fill-in shows" compared to the rest of Nickelodeon's lineup. Most programs were aimed at family audiences, but in an attempt to emulate the success of sister network MTV, Nickelodeon occasionally aired rock-and-roll concerts as part of the block. The earliest known Special Delivery broadcast was a Rick Derringer concert aired in April 1980. According to a March 1983 interview with Nickelodeon's acquisitions manager Eileen Opatut, potential acquisitions for the series were tested in schools before being chosen to air.
Episodes Title Airdate Reference Rick Derringer in Concert Todd Rundgren Utopia Live The Magical Mystery Trip Through Little Red's Head Courage to Succeed The Little Fugitive The Day The Derby Almost Died Star City Roll Out Michel's Mixed-Up Musical Bird The International Children's Festival at Wolf Trap Mandy's Grandmother The Christmas Tree Jack Frost Hansel and Gretel On Stage At The Agora: The Eddie Money Show New England Regional Skating Championships On Stage At The Agora: Toto My Mom's Having a Baby The Red Balloon The Incredible, Indelible, Magical Physical, Mystery Trip Circles and Spins Portrait of Grandpa Doc Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book Clever Jack Circus Town China Spectacular The Ransom of Red Chief We Are All One People The Darts I'll Find A Way The Police Beware, Beware, My Beauty Fair Robinson Crusoe David Johansen in Concert One Of A Kind Nikkolina A Gift to Last Kids' Writes Marie Anne The World According to Nicholas Meeting Halfway Roger Daltrey: Ride A Rock Horse Danny Hello Symphony Kids in Performance ("Suzuki's Children"/"Dancespace") Wild Rides His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz The Adventures Of Dinosaur Badlands The Amazing Mr. Blunden The Velveteen Rabbit Clay Creatures End of the Game Big Apple Birthday Split Enz The Cars The American Hero Show Santa Fe Trail The Stowaway Let the Balloon Go Alex and the Wonderful Doo Wah Lamp The Water Babies Tuck Everlasting ELO In Concert In Wembley Clarence and Angel Kävik the Wolf Dog Foghat Voice Of The Fugitive Clarence and the Ottaway Adam & the Ants: The Prince Charming Revue Silver City Quarterflash Gulliver's Travels Duran Duran in Concert Haircut 100 in Concert Talk Talk And Depeche Mode In Concert Avengers of the Reef Someday, Sometime Altered Images Star Chart School Daze ("Louis James Hates School"/"Miss Nelson Is Missing!") Aladdin Introducing Janet Raisins and Almonds The Nutcracker English Beat In Concert One Last Ride UFO Kidnapped Wings in the Wilderness Mariposa Spirit Bay "A Time To Be Brave" (April 7, 1984) "Rabbit Pulls His Weight" (March 9, 1986) "Rabbit Goes Fishing" (September 12, 1986) "Words on a Page" (May 12, 1987) "Hot News" (June 13, 1987) "A Real Kid" (July 4, 1987) "Big Save" (February 7, 1988) "The Blueberry Bicycle" (March 12, 1988) "Hack's Choice" (April 3, 1988) "Water Magic" (May 15, 1988) Bob Welch and Friends BMX World Championships The Get Along Gang (pilot) Kajagoogoo Cody Belle and Sebastian Kansas in Concert Rolex Junior Tennis Championships Atomic Legs The Raccoons: Let's Dance! The Boy Who Couldn't Lose Thompson Twins The Adventures of Marco Polo Jr. The Americanization of Elias Mighty Moose and the Quarterback Kid Joshua's Confusion The Snowman Doctor Snuggles Brother Tough In the Fall Andrew Rosie Sometimes I Wonder Escape of a One-Ton Pet Do Me A Favor... Don't Vote For My Mom Witch's Sister The Magic Laser Black Magic Grandma Didn't Wave Back Backstreet Six Huck Finn Hobie's Heroes Road To The Stars Just An Overnight Guest Keiko Welcome to Miami, Cubanos The Boy Who Never Was Mr. Gimme Lassie: A New Beginning The Magic of Lassie The Mystery of the Million Dollar Hockey Puck A Merry Mirthworm Christmas Benji's Very Own Christmas Story Today's Special: Live On Stage Little Lord Fauntleroy Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure Stanley, the Ugly Duckling The Witches and the Grinnygog Snowbound The Tap Dance Kid My Mother Was Never a Kid The Incredible Book Escape A Movie Star's Daughter The Magic of Doctor Snuggles Rabbit Pulls His Weight Revenge of the Humanoids The Little Princess The Seven Wishes of a Rich Kid The Treasure of Alpheus T. Winterborn Starstruck Big Henry and the Polka Dot Kid Zoom the White Dolphin BMX: Win With The Pros The Brave Frog's Greatest Adventure A Tale of Two Cities David Copperfield Misunderstood Monsters Little Women Red Shoes Raggedy Ann and Andy in The Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile The Great Bear Scare The Haunting of Harrington House Raggedy Ann and Andy in The Great Santa Claus Caper Santa's Pocket Watch Chocky Abra Cadabra Dinky Hocker Children's Island The Courage of Rin Tin Tin Talking Animal Collared Peking Circus Sunkist Junior Invitational Track Meet Prince and the Great Race Really Rosie The Wrong Way Kid The Empty Chair Minors Umpire National Junior Freestyle Championship Pick Up Your Feet: The Double Dutch Show Gulliver's Travels Somewhere Else Look at Me Miss Peach of the Kelly School "Back to School" (September 5, 1987) "The Kelly School Annual Turkey Raffle" (November 7, 1987) "The Kelly School Annual Picnic" (August 13, 1988) "The Kelly School Annual Heart-Throb Ball" (February 5, 1989) Cadichon "Cadichon" (September 13, 1987) "Cadichon II" (October 11, 1987) "Cadichon III" (January 2, 1988) "Cadichon IV" (March 5, 1988) Chocky's Children NEC World Youth Cup Three Tramps The Little Fox The Pinballs Uncle Marvin Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1981) Snow Treasure (1967) Trouble River White Lies Oliver and the Artful Dodger The Prince and the Pauper Jack and the Beanstalk Cyrano Master of the World Gaucho USSA National Freestyle Ski Championship Pop Warner Football Superbowl The Mysterious Island Psst! Hammerman's After You! Danny's Egg Moon Madness Swiss Family Robinson Summer Switch Socko AFA Freestyle Masters A Home Run For Love Sharon, Lois & Bram: Downtown Moby Dick The Contest Dynaman Sara's Summer of the Swans Cuckoo Land P.J. and the President's Son Hewitt's Just Different Theresa at the Palace The Secret Life of T. K. Dearing Fat Chance The Amazing Cosmic Awareness of Duffy Moon Me and Dad's New Wife The Red Balloon The Horrible Honchos The Electric Grandmother The Hand-Me-Down Kid The Fabulous Adventures of Baron Von Munchausen Animal Talk The Story of Heidi The Crown of Bogg A Family of Strangers Luke Was There The Fir Tree The Gnomes' Great Adventure A Very Merry Cricket The Snow Queen (1981) The Box of Delights Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics A Cricket in Times Square The Three Musketeers An Easter Story The Great Gilly Hopkins 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea The Train Mice Davy Crockett on the Mississippi Yankee Doodle Cricket A Far Out Fourth Mirthworms on Stage The Zertigo Diamond Caper Have You Ever Been Ashamed of Your Parents? It Isn't Easy Being a Teenage Millionaire Eureeka's Castle The Count of Monte Cristo Black Beauty Young American Bowling Alliance Championship Tournament Lisa Gets the Picture A Thanksgiving Tale All-American Soap Box Derby Santa's Magic Toy Bag The Kids of Degrassi Street Mowgli's Brothers The White Seal Rikki-Tikki-Tavi Night of the Red Hunter Peter Pan Around the World in 80 Days Wind in the Willows Friendliest and Funniest Fish in the Sea Sharon, Lois & Bram: Live in Your Living Room Sharon, Lois & Bram: Back by Popular Demand AYSO Championships Manxmouse Peter of Placid Forest Junior Olympics Pardon Me for Living Babe Ruth Baseball Championships The Adventures of Tom Sawyer The Light Brigade Treasure Island Lady and the Lion Ivanhoe The Nightingale March 2, 1991 The Tin Soldier March 2, 1991 The Disappearance The Wilder Summer March 10, 1991 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Drawing a Blank The Velveteen Rabbit (Atkinson Film-Arts) The Moonstone Gem The Day My Kid Went Punk June 8, 1991 The Hunchback of Notre Dame Lassie's Great Adventure The Jungle Book (Saban) The Dog Days of Arthur Cane September 8, 1991 The New Misadventures of Ichabod Crane The Witch Who Turned Pink Lassie the Voyager Prisoner of Zenda Ziggy's Gift The Wizard of Oz Jack and the Beanstalk Snow White Sleeping Beauty Busch Gardens/SeaWorld Summer Safari Molly's Pilgrim The Greatest Little Show on Earth Harry the Dirty Dog Originally aired on April 2, 1991. Tales From The Whoop: Hot Rod Brown, Class Clown Originally aired on October 20, 1990. The Adventures of Pete & Pete: Space, Geeks, and Johnny Unitas Originally aired on June 16, 1992. Stories from Growing Up Originally aired on February 23, 1991. Cinderella Jungle Book Fair Game The Garden Johann's Gift to Christmas Gallavants January 2, 1993 His Master's Ghost Paper Camera Moccasin Flats Double Daniel Cutaway Thinking Big The Great Cheese Conspiracy Bill Body I Bill Body II
16 Cinema Title Airdate Notes Between Two Loves Reran on Special Delivery on June 18, 1993. She Drinks A Little Tough Girl It's a Mile From Here To Glory Reran on Special Delivery on September 5, 1992. A Matter of Time Introducing Janet Daddy, I'm Their Mama Now Reran on Special Delivery on February 13, 1993. Francesca, Baby The Heartbreak Winner: One Girl's Struggle For Olympic Gold Very Good Friends Dear Lovey Hart: I Am Desperate Reran on Special Delivery on April 23, 1993. A Special Gift The Skating Rink Reran on Special Delivery on July 6, 1993. The House at 12 Rose Street Mom and Dad Can't Hear Me Blind Sunday I Don't Know Who I Am The Alfred Graebner Memorial High School Handbook of Rules and Regulations Amy and the Angel It's No Crush, I'm In Love The Color of Friendship Out of Step Make-Believe Marriage A Very Delicate Matter Revenge of the Nerd The Terrible Secret Buchanan High School Two episodes
Nickelodeon/Nick Jr. Lunchbreak Theater/Nick Jr. Storytime Title Airdate Notes Nickelodeon Wild Side Show Pilot episode; aired on Special Delivery on July 10, 1992. Little Sister Rabbit Nick's Thanksgiving Fest Originally aired on November 22, 1989. Nonsense and Lullabyes: Nursery Rhymes Rooster's Hamlet Anytime Tales Nonsense and Lullabyes: Poems Trollies Radio Show Lighthouse Island Making Music With Eric Nagler Oddlee Just So Stories Papa Beaver's Storytime Billy Bunny's Animal Songs
See also History of Nickelodeon
References