MUSEUM OF TELEVISION & RADIO SCREENING SERIES, THE: STORYBOOK PLAYHOUSE 2: PACKAGE 9 {THE LITTLE MERMAID; THE GIFT OF THE SACRED DOG}
Summary
Prepared for The Museum of Television & Radio screening series "Storybook Playhouse," this compilation of stories features works based upon the writings of Hans Christian Andersen and Paul Goble. In the tale of "The Little Mermaid," a young mermaid, Pearl (played by Pam Dawber), is allowed to go above the surface of the water for the first time. She catches the eye of a prince, Andrew (played by Treat Williams), who is aboard a ship. The ship catches fire and Andrew falls overboard. Pearl brings him to the shore, but unfortunately she is only allowed to stay above the surface for one day and has to return home. Pearl visits the Sea Witch, who gives her legs in exchange for her voice. The witch tells Pearl that she will turn to sea foam if the prince marries anyone other than her. Pearl goes ashore and is found by Andrew and Princess Emilia. Pearl soon learns that Andrew and Emilia are going to be married. When their wedding day arrives, Pearl fears that she will turn into sea foam. However, her sisters arrive and tell her that she can return to the sea if she kills the prince with a knife that they got from the sea witch; Pearl must decide whether her life is more important than the life of the one she loves. "The Gift of the Sacred Dog" from the series "Reading Rainbow" recounts a legend about the Native Americans who used to live on the plains and hunt buffalo with only dogs to help them. In this story, the people are starving because they cannot find the buffalo herds. A boy decides to go up to the top of the hills and ask the Great Spirits to help his people. Suddenly, a man on an animal that the boy had never seen before appears. The man tells the boy that the animal is called a Sacred Dog since it can easily do many of the things that dogs do and more. The man also explains that the Sacred Dog is a gift to the boy and his people in response to their suffering, and then he vanishes. Immediately afterwards, Sacred Dogs of many colors appear in the sky. The next morning the boy makes his way down the hill and back home. When he arrives at the bottom of the hill, Sacred Dogs come racing towards him and obediently follow him to the camp. The boy's people are grateful for the Sacred Dogs, which helped them to survive, and promise to always care for them and other things in nature. Other highlights of this "Reading Rainbow" program include: a Native American poem about a horse; LeVar Burton explaining what a real Pow Wow is; footage of the Crow Pow Wow in Montana and the building of Tepees; Dan Old Elk talking about the Crow Pow Wow, horses, and traditional dances; LeVar Burton describing how Native Americans get their names; a song accompanied by footage of the plains explains where many of the words used in the United States come from; and books are suggested by children for reading.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: November 30, 1993
- RUNNING TIME: 1:19:37
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:33552
- GENRE: Children's
- SUBJECT HEADING: Children's programs; Fairy tales; Indians of North America; Mermaids; Indigenous Peoples Collection
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- For "The Little Mermaid":
- Shelley Duvall … Executive Producer, Host
- Bridget Terry … Producer
- Frederic S. Fuchs … Producer
- Sandra Pearson … Associate Producer
- Robert Iscove … Director
- Anne Beatts … Writer
- Steven Barber … Music by
- Rob Meurer … Music by
- Brian Dennehy … Narrator
- Pam Dawber … Cast, the Little Mermaid
- Helen Mirren … Cast, Princess Emilia
- Treat Williams … Cast, Prince Andrew
- Karen Black … Cast, the Sea Witch
- Brian Dennehy … Cast, King Neptune
- Donna McKechnie … Cast, Anemone
- Laraine Newman … Cast, Coral
- Guy Boyd … Cast, the Captain
- Geoff Hoyle … Cast, the First Mate
- Carinthia West … Cast, Charlotte
- Shawn Erler … Cast, the Boy on the Beach
- For "The Gift of the Sacred Dog":
- Twila C. Liggett … Executive Producer
- Tony Buttino … Executive Producer
- Cecily Truett … Producer
- Larry Lancit … Producer, Director
- Sherman Bryce … Associate Producer
- Lynne Brenner Ganek … Associate Producer
- Ronnie Krauss … Associate Producer
- Ellen Schecter … Writer
- Paul Goble … Writer, Illustrations by
- Horelick, Steve (At Patchworks) … Adapted by, Composer, "The Gift of the Sacred Dog" , Composer, "Reading Rainbow" , Music Director , "Reading Rainbow", Music Producer , "Reading Rainbow"
- Hanay Geiogamah … Adapted by, Composer
- Dennis Kleinman … Lyrics by, "Ancient Places, Sacred Lands", "Reading Rainbow"
- Janet Weir … Lyrics by, "Ancient Places, Sacred Lands", "Reading Rainbow"
- Cody, Jr., Robert Ironeyes, Cody, Jr., Robert Ironeyes … Indian Flute Player
- Phoebe Snow … Singer, "Ancient Places, Sacred Lands"
- Tina Fabrik … Singer, "Reading Rainbow"
- LeVar Burton … Host
- Michael Ansara … Narrator, "The Gift of the Sacred Dog"
- Jane Lind … Indian Poem narrated by