The Care Bears Family is a Canadian children's animated television series produced by Nelvana and C.B.I.S. Productions based on the American franchise of the same name, and is the successor series to the American animated series produced by DIC Entertainment. It was originally broadcast from September 13, 1986 to November 25, 1988 on the Global Television Network in Canada. 49 episodes were produced.
The first two seasons were exported to the United States via ABC. However, ABC decided not to air the third season; network officials said they "got killed" in the second season since the people meter was too difficult for preschoolers to operate. ABC ran a number of preschool-oriented cartoons that season, all of which suffered in the ratings. Season 3 instead aired in syndication in the U.S.
Synopsis
The Care Bears live in a faraway place up in the clouds called Care-a-Lot, which constitutes a part of the Kingdom of Caring. With the help of the Cousins and their Buddies, they go all around the world on Missions in Caring thwarting the evil plans of Lord No Heart.Chris Richards Young People, Popular Culture and Education 1441107355 p 111 – 2011 "It may be that there is a distinction here between the power used against No Heart, similar to that used by many other superheroes... "Barbara Kruger Remote Control: Power, Cultures, and the World of Appearances 1994 0262611066 "... "in order to punish the Care Bears, a scary villain named No Heart concocts a not unfamiliar scheme — he floods "the Forest of Feelings" and forces its non-Care Bear denizens to join the Care Bears' closed colony."
Episodes
Voice cast
Season 1 Jim Henshaw – Tenderheart Bear Bob Dermer – Grumpy Bear Dan Hennessey – Brave Heart Lion Chris Wiggins – No Heart John Stocker – Beastly Eva Almos – Friend Bear Patrice Black – Share Bear Melleny Brown – Cheer Bear, Baby Tugs Bear Jayne Eastwood – Birthday Bear Anni Evans – Champ Bear Paulina Gillis – Swift Heart Rabbit Luba Goy – Gentle Heart Lamb, Lotsa Heart Elephant Janet Laine-Green – Wish Bear Nonnie Griffin – Funshine Bear Terri Hawkes – Baby Hugs Bear Ellen-Ray Hennessy – Proud Heart Cat, Bedtime Bear Marla Lukofsky – Good Luck Bear, Playful Heart Monkey Eric Peterson – Noble Heart Horse Pauline Rennie – Cozy Heart Penguin, Grams Bear Billie Mae Richards – Bright Heart Raccoon Carolyn Scott – True Heart Bear
Additional voices Laurie Waller Benson – Polite Panda Alyson Court – Amber Victor Erdos Michael Fantini – Adam Don Francks – Dr. Fright Ray Jafelice Keram Malicki-Sanchez Don McManus – Sour Sam Barbara Redpath Eric Richards Cree Summer Francks – Gay Greg Swanson – Perfect Panda Tina Teggart Sunny Besen Thrasher – Dale Lee-Max Walton Jason Whitebread Noam Zylberman – Charles
Season 2 Dan Hennessey – Brave Heart Lion John Stocker – Beastly Eva Almos – Champ Bear Billie Mae Richards – Bright Heart Raccoon Luba Goy – Treat Heart Pig Tracey Moore – Cheer Bear Bob Dermer – Grumpy Bear Pauline Rennie – Grams Bear Chris Wiggins – No Heart Terri Hawkes – Baby Hugs Bear, Shreeky Melleny Brown – Baby Tugs Bear
Additional voices Tara Charendoff – Carol Keith Hampshire Lisa Jakub – Anne
Season 3 Melleny Brown – Cheer Bear, Baby Tugs Bear Bob Dermer – Grumpy Bear Luba Goy – Lotsa Heart Elephant, Treat Heart Pig Dan Hennessey – Brave Heart Lion, Announcer, Additional Voices Jim Henshaw – Tenderheart Bear Tracey Moore – Baby Hugs Bear, Shreeky Pauline Rennie – Grams Bear Billie Mae Richards – Bright Heart Raccoon, Tenderheart Bear Susan Roman – Champ Bear John Stocker – Beastly Chris Wiggins – No Heart
Additional voices Eva Almos Michael Beattie Mairon Bennett Tara Charendoff – Rebecca, Claire Jayne Eastwood – Bedtime Bear Don Francks Paulina Gillis – Swift Heart Rabbit Abby Hagyard Keith Hampshire – Songfellow Strum Terri Hawkes Keith Knight Adam Simpson Sunny Besen Thrasher
Home media Select episodes of the Nelvana series were released on VHS in the late 1980s by Kideo Video (distributed by Lorimar Home Video) and Fries Home Video in the United States.
In 2002, the Care Bears toy line was reintroduced by Play Along Toys and featured plush toys that came with a VHS featuring either one or two episodes from the series.
In Region 1, Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released many episodes on DVD in various single-disc collections from 2004 to 2008. In total, 12 collections have been released, each featuring random episodes from the series.
On October 9, 2012, Lionsgate released Care Bears: The Original Series Collection on DVD in Region 1 for the very first time. The 6-disc set features the majority of episodes from the series (from the previously released discs excluding King of the Moon and Give Thanks) as well as the bonus feature Care Bears Nutcracker Suite.
In Region 4, Magna Entertainment released all 52 episodes (in chronological order) on DVD in Australia in 2004 in 12 separate volumes.
Notes
References
External links