Kidsongs - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Kidsongs is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

award-winning children's media franchise which includes Kidsongs Music Video Stories on DVD and video, The Kidsongs TV Show, CDs of favorite children’s songs, song books, sheet music, toys and an ecommerce website. Kidsongs was created by producer/writer Carol Rosenstein and director Bruce Gowers of Together Again Video Productions (TAVP), both of whom are music video and television production veterans. The duo had produced and directed over 100 music videos for Warner Brothers Records (WBR) and took their idea of music videos for children to the record label. Warner Brothers funded the pilot, “A Day at Old MacDonald’s Farm”. Shortly thereafter, a three way partnership between TAVP, WBR and View-Master was formed with TAVP being responsible for production and WBR and View-Master responsible for distribution to video and music stores, and toy stores respectively.

The home video series was launched with four Kidsongs Music Video Stories episodes at New York's Toy Fair in January 1985. "A Day at Old Macdonald’s Farm” was one of those first four and has sold over one million copies and won the Vira Award. Each half-hour Music Video Stories episode features 10 to 15 songs,in a music video style production starring talented kids. They sing and dance their way through well known children's songs and nursery rhymes—all tied together by a simple story and theme.

The TAVP/WBR/View-Master (Viewmaster was later acquired by Tyco) partnership produced fifteen Kidsongs episodes of the Music Video Stories. In 1995, WBR and TAVP bought out Tyco's distribution rights and produced an additional four videos: "Country Sing-Along", "Boppin' With the Biggles", "Let's Put On a Show" and "Baby Animal Songs", as part of a new venture with another division of Warner Bros.--Warner Vision. In 1997, TAVP acquired all rights from WBR/Warner Vision and become the sole owner of all Kidsongs properties.

Later in 1997, TAVP entered into a distribution/production agreement with Sony Wonder which resulted in the production of four more titles: "I Can Do It", "I Can Dance", "Adventures in Biggleland: Billy's Birthday" and "Adventures in Biggleland: Meet the Biggles". That agreement ended in 1999 and in 2001 distribution rights were licensed by Image Entertainment who continues to distribute the videos.

From 1985 to 1999 twenty-four Kidsongs home video episodes encompassing 300 children's songs and nursery rhymes (and occasionally cover versions of pop songs) were produced featuring a variety of subjects that are of interest to kids: animals, birthdays, the zoo, the amusement park, camp adventure, fantasy, vehicles, and general silliness. 14 have been certified platinum by the RIAA.

The Kidsongs TV Show debuted in 1987 with twenty-six episodes distributed by Orbis Entertainment. The half-hour, live action episodes featured the Kidsongs Kids running their own TV show in a top 10 countdown style show featuring music videos from the Kidsongs home video series. The syndicated show ran on network affiliates primarily on Saturday mornings. It garnered excellent ratings and ran for 2 years before moving to the Disney Channel for another four years. The show won the prestigious Excellence in Children's Programming Award from ACT.

Even though Warner Bros. was a part owner of the franchise, Kidsongs'TV series, because it was live action and because of its aim toward very young children, is not considered to be "on par" with the studio's other children's programs.

In 1994, a new version of the television series was developed by Rosenstein and produced in conjunction with Chicago public television station WTTW and distributed by American Public Television to PBS stations nationally. Airing as part of the PBS Kids, "Ready to Learn" block, "The Kidsongs Television Show" aired throughout the country and by 1998 reached 89 percent of households. Many of the original Kidsongs videos were used in the public television series along with new educational content and
in-studio guests. The kids are joined by the adorable fantasy characters Billy and Ruby Biggle and their magical friends from Biggleland. The Biggles help the children resolve their problems and concerns in a comforting and kind way. They address age-appropriate issues, such as not wanting to share, jealousy, friendship, telling the truth and patience.

Seasons Two through Five of The Kidsongs Television Show totalled sixty episodes. The series ran on Public Television for six years winning critical acclaim. Currently, ten episodes of The Kidsongs TV Show are available on DVD.

The Cast

Julene Renee - Billy Biggle
Frat Fuller - Ruby Biggle
Marilyn Rising - voices of Billy and Ruby

Season 1 -- first run syndication PBS 1987-1988; PBS 1988-1990; PBS 1990-1993

Cast: David Chan, Todd Alyn Durboraw, Julie Ann Gourson, Hillary Hollingsworth, Tiffany Johnson, Nicole Mandich, Robby Rosellen, Scott Trent
Hosts: Chris Lytton, Triskin Potter

and some more syndication kids

PBS Sponsors

Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...

(1993-1995 1996-1999 2000-2000)
Subway
Subway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...

(1993-1996 1997-1999 2000-2000)
U.S. Department of Education (2000-2001)
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a non-profit corporation created by an act of the United States Congress, funded by the United States’ federal government to promote public broadcasting...

(2000-2001)
Viewers Like You (2000-2001)
Kimberly Clark makers of Huggies diapers (1993-1996 1996-1999 2000-2001)

Additional Notes

"The other four sponsors on the show (U.S Department of Education, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Viewers Like You, Kimberly Clark) sponsored the show on its reruns on PBS, when taking off Gap Kids and Subway."

Season 2 -- 30 episodes (PBS 1993-1994)

Frat Fuller - Billy
Cast: David Chan, Todd Alyn Durboraw, Julie Ann Gourson, Hillary Hollingsworth, Tiffany Johnson, Nicole Mandich, Robby Rosellen, Scott Trent
Hosts: Chris Lytton, Triskin Potter

and some more syndication kids

Season 3 -- 20 episodes (PBS 1994-1995)

Frat Fuller - Billy
Marilyn Rising - Ruby
Cast: David Chan, Todd Alyn Durboraw, Marissa Chan, Raquel Aquessi, Hillary Hollingsworth, Tiffany Johnson, Julie Ann Gourson, Nicole Mandich, Robby Rosellen, Scott Trent
Hosts: Chris Lytton, Triskin Potter

and some more syndication kids