Under the Umbrella Tree
Encyclopedia
Under the Umbrella Tree is a Canadian
children's television series created by Noreen Young
that originally aired on CBC
from 1986–1993. The show was produced by CBC and Noreen Young Productions, and also later by The Disney Channel
.
The series centers around a diverse set of main characters who share a house on Spring Street in a suburb of Ottawa, Ontario
. The characters include Holly (a human), Iggy (an iguana
), Jacob (a Blue Jay
), and Gloria (a gopher
). The show's title is derived from the fact that the characters live together in a home featuring a prominent indoor umbrella tree
.
When production of the show ended in 1993, syndication continued on The Disney Channel until 1996, and on YTV and Canal Famille until 1997. Twenty-seven episodes of the show were released to DVD by Cinerio Entertainment in partnership with Noreen Young in 2006, following a long wait for expiration of ownership rights.
The show's characters were created by Ken Sobol, who also wrote the majority of the series episodes. Sobol had previously worked closely with Noreen Young on Readalong
and Telefrancais
, two other children's television series.
were placed on hiatus, after the Disney Channel
stopped allowing the airing of the program and shelved the episodes. Since Disney owned all rights to the show, airing reruns on another television station was not possible until the rights expired in 2005.
Starting June 1, 2009 Under The Umbrella Tree will be airing on TV3 Medford weekdays and weekends during the new children's block.
Volume 1: Bird-Brain, Hamster Hullabaloo, The Trombone, The Best Hiding Place Ever, Uncle Jack Comes Back.
Volume 2: Chez Iggy, Hanky Panky, The Gingerbread House, Love-Valentine's Day (1/2 hour Special).
Volume 3: To The Dentist, Migration Party, Jacob's Girlfriends, Going Bananas, Stargazing.
Volume 4: Gloria Gets Rough, Private, The Aqua Show, Live and Learn: Back To School (1/2 hour Special).
Volume 5: Twins, Cranky Movie, Chickadee Tea, Christmas Under The Umbrella Tree (1/2 hour Special).
Volume 6: Iggy's Collection, The Princess and the Pea Soup, Sir Jacob of Blue, The Tooth Fairy, Small Worlds.
Volume 7: Growing, Gloria’s Allowance, The Accordion Lesson, Piano Lessons (1/2 hour Special featuring Jon Kimura Parker).
Volume 8: Safety Poster Contest, Gloria Can’t Sleep, Singing Telegrams, Hockey Holly, Iggy’s Airlines.
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...
children's television series created by Noreen Young
Noreen Young
Noreen Isabel Young, CM is a Canadian producer and puppeteer, and is still actively involved in the puppeteering business through her corporation, Noreen Young Productions....
that originally aired on 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...
from 1986–1993. The show was produced by CBC and Noreen Young Productions, and also later by The Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
.
The series centers around a diverse set of main characters who share a house on Spring Street in a suburb of Ottawa, Ontario
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. The characters include Holly (a human), Iggy (an iguana
Green Iguana
The Green Iguana or Common Iguana is a large, arboreal herbivorous species of lizard of the genus Iguana native to Central and South America...
), Jacob (a Blue Jay
Blue Jay
The Blue Jay is a passerine bird in the family Corvidae, native to North America. It is resident through most of eastern and central United States and southern Canada, although western populations may be migratory. It breeds in both deciduous and coniferous forests, and is common near and in...
), and Gloria (a gopher
Gopher (animal)
The term gopher as it is commonly used does not relate to any one species, but is a generic term used to describe any of several small burrowing rodents endemic to North America, including the pocket gopher , also called true gophers, and the ground squirrel , including Richardson's ground squirrel...
). The show's title is derived from the fact that the characters live together in a home featuring a prominent indoor umbrella tree
Umbrella tree
Umbrella tree can refer to several items:*Under the Umbrella Tree, a 1986 children's television program*Magnolia tripetala, the umbrella magnolia*Musanga cecropioides, the African corkwood*Polyscias murrayi, an Australian rainforest tree...
.
When production of the show ended in 1993, syndication continued on The Disney Channel until 1996, and on YTV and Canal Famille until 1997. Twenty-seven episodes of the show were released to DVD by Cinerio Entertainment in partnership with Noreen Young in 2006, following a long wait for expiration of ownership rights.
The series
280 episodes were produced over the years; 270 are 15 minutes long; ten are 30-minute specials.. Every episode focuses on a different theme, such as sports, holidays, singing, dancing, exercise, and various other activities. However, valuable life lessons are often woven into every story, such as the importance of keeping promises, being considerate of others, or assuming responsibility for one's actions.The show's characters were created by Ken Sobol, who also wrote the majority of the series episodes. Sobol had previously worked closely with Noreen Young on Readalong
Readalong
Readalong was an educational, Canadian television program for young children, first produced in 1976 for TVOntario.The program taught fundamentals of reading with the help of live child actors and puppets, including a comically dressed grandmother figure named Granny and anthropomorphic footwear: a...
and Telefrancais
Téléfrançais
Téléfrançais was a French language children's television show, produced by TVOntario from 1984 until 1986. The series of 30 ten-minute episodes has become a popular teaching tool, and is used by many educators to teach French as a second language to elementary school children...
, two other children's television series.
Characters
- Holly Higgins (Holly LarocqueHolly LarocqueHolly Larocque is a Canadian actress and theatre performer. Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Holly is perhaps best known for her role as Holly Higgins on the children's series Under the Umbrella Tree which aired from 1986 to 1993. Holly was also the host of the TV series Homes by Design from 1999...
) – The only human cast member. Holly serves as a parental figure and mentor for the three puppet characters. She affectionately refers to Iggy, Gloria and Jacob as her 'roommates', although she seems to handle most of the day-to-day running of the household such as cleaning, cooking, and is the one who pays the rent. She is known for being funny, artistic, patient and generous. Holly also has an Uncle Jack and an Aunt Jill, who work as a performing musical duo, although only Jack has actually visited the household.
- Ignatz "Iggy" IguanaGreen IguanaThe Green Iguana or Common Iguana is a large, arboreal herbivorous species of lizard of the genus Iguana native to Central and South America...
(Bob StuttBob StuttBob Stutt is a Canadian puppeteer/writer, who has starred in various children's television programs throughout his career.He has appeared in the following television series:* Canadian Sesame Street – Basil...
) – Iggy sleeps on the shelf at the Umbrella Tree residence, and his characteristics include sometimes thinking too highly of himself, and unwillingly making mistakes. He enjoys playing the guitar, and often sees Jacob as a friendly rival in sports and many other activities. He also has an uncle, Rod Iguana, who lives in ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
- Gloria GopherGopher (animal)The term gopher as it is commonly used does not relate to any one species, but is a generic term used to describe any of several small burrowing rodents endemic to North America, including the pocket gopher , also called true gophers, and the ground squirrel , including Richardson's ground squirrel...
(Noreen YoungNoreen YoungNoreen Isabel Young, CM is a Canadian producer and puppeteer, and is still actively involved in the puppeteering business through her corporation, Noreen Young Productions....
) – Gloria is the only female puppetPuppetA puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. It is used in puppetry, a play or a presentation that is a very ancient form of theatre....
in the Umbrella Tree household, and lives and sleeps 'under the umbrella tree', which is located behind the couch. It is known as her burrow. Gloria enjoys music and performing arts, but can be shy with her interests, even around her best friends. She is also somewhat of a tomboyTomboyA tomboy is a girl who exhibits characteristics or behaviors considered typical of the gender role of a boy, including the wearing of typically masculine-oriented clothes and engaging in games and activities that are often physical in nature, and which are considered in many cultures to be the...
and does not like being treated any differently just because she is a girl. Her full name takes almost a minute to say.
- Jacob BluejayBlue JayThe Blue Jay is a passerine bird in the family Corvidae, native to North America. It is resident through most of eastern and central United States and southern Canada, although western populations may be migratory. It breeds in both deciduous and coniferous forests, and is common near and in...
(Stephen BrathwaiteStephen BrathwaiteStephen Brathwaite is a Canadian actor and puppeteer best known for his puppet work in the children's series Under the Umbrella Tree and Groundling Marsh in the 1980s and 1990s....
) – Jacob is the only member of the Umbrella Tree household capable of flight, and sometimes enters the house by flying through open windows. He usually sleeps in his own bird house on the patio. Jacob sometimes invents things, but they seldom work as he plans, resulting in a humorous outcome. Has a tendency to get things mixed up and saying "I knew that" whenever he finds out about something.
- Louis Bird (Bob StuttBob StuttBob Stutt is a Canadian puppeteer/writer, who has starred in various children's television programs throughout his career.He has appeared in the following television series:* Canadian Sesame Street – Basil...
) – Louis is a friend of the Umbrella Tree gang, usually involved in festivities outside the apartment, or in dialogue within several episodes. He is well known for overusing the term "indeed", and usually adds the phrase "hmm, indeed!" at the end of his statements.
- Mitzi the DogDogThe domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
(Holly LarocqueHolly LarocqueHolly Larocque is a Canadian actress and theatre performer. Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Holly is perhaps best known for her role as Holly Higgins on the children's series Under the Umbrella Tree which aired from 1986 to 1993. Holly was also the host of the TV series Homes by Design from 1999...
) – Mitzi is Gloria's best friend who is always seeming to get either herself or Gloria in trouble.
- Charles "Chuck" Chickadee (Bob StuttBob StuttBob Stutt is a Canadian puppeteer/writer, who has starred in various children's television programs throughout his career.He has appeared in the following television series:* Canadian Sesame Street – Basil...
) – Chuck is Jacob's best friend who is extremely talkative and sometimes gets on everyone's nerves because of this. Has a little sister named Chelsea (Noreen YoungNoreen YoungNoreen Isabel Young, CM is a Canadian producer and puppeteer, and is still actively involved in the puppeteering business through her corporation, Noreen Young Productions....
).
- Mrs. McMertree (Noreen YoungNoreen YoungNoreen Isabel Young, CM is a Canadian producer and puppeteer, and is still actively involved in the puppeteering business through her corporation, Noreen Young Productions....
) - One of the gang's neighbours.
Recent developments
In 1997, Under the Umbrella Tree rerunsTelevision syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
were placed on hiatus, after the Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
stopped allowing the airing of the program and shelved the episodes. Since Disney owned all rights to the show, airing reruns on another television station was not possible until the rights expired in 2005.
Starting June 1, 2009 Under The Umbrella Tree will be airing on TV3 Medford weekdays and weekends during the new children's block.
DVD releases
In 2006, Noreen Young Productions in unison with Cinerio Entertainment began selling several episodes on DVD. To date, eight volumes have been released, with Volumes 1, 2, 3 & 4 featuring all-new introductions to the episodes with Iggy, Gloria and Jacob, played by their original performers.Volume 1: Bird-Brain, Hamster Hullabaloo, The Trombone, The Best Hiding Place Ever, Uncle Jack Comes Back.
Volume 2: Chez Iggy, Hanky Panky, The Gingerbread House, Love-Valentine's Day (1/2 hour Special).
Volume 3: To The Dentist, Migration Party, Jacob's Girlfriends, Going Bananas, Stargazing.
Volume 4: Gloria Gets Rough, Private, The Aqua Show, Live and Learn: Back To School (1/2 hour Special).
Volume 5: Twins, Cranky Movie, Chickadee Tea, Christmas Under The Umbrella Tree (1/2 hour Special).
Volume 6: Iggy's Collection, The Princess and the Pea Soup, Sir Jacob of Blue, The Tooth Fairy, Small Worlds.
Volume 7: Growing, Gloria’s Allowance, The Accordion Lesson, Piano Lessons (1/2 hour Special featuring Jon Kimura Parker).
Volume 8: Safety Poster Contest, Gloria Can’t Sleep, Singing Telegrams, Hockey Holly, Iggy’s Airlines.