Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse

Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse is a Canadian/Chinese animated television show produced by Nelvana. It tells the stories of a young horse named Marvin who is part of a carnival.[2] Among the executive producers are Michael Paraskevas and Betty Paraskevas, creators of Maggie and the Ferocious Beast,[3] who also created the book that the show is based on. The show first aired on PBS Kids in the United States as part of the PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch from 2000 to 2004. In Canada, it aired on Treehouse, and in the United Kingdom, the series also aired on Tiny Pop. In 2007, reruns of the show began airing on Qubo in the US.

Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse
GenreAnimated series
Fantasy
Created byMichael Paraskevas
Betty Paraskevas
Opening theme"Marvin The Tap-Dancing Horse" by Ron Pardo
Country of originCanada
China
Original language(s)English
French
Chinese
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes26 (52 segments)
Production
Executive producer(s)Michael Hirsh
Patrick Loubert
Clive A. Smith
James Wang
Running time12 mins. (approx)
Production company(s)Nelvana
Release
Original networkTeletoon
Treehouse TV
CCTV3
PBS Kids
Picture format480i (4:3 SDTV)
Audio formatStereo
Original releaseSeptember 30, 2000 (2000-09-30)[1] –
January 26, 2002 (2002-01-26)

Some episodes include original songs to help illustrate the theme or accompany montages that carry the story forward.

Characters
  • Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse: a dancing brown horse with a black mane and a tail who performs in Fast-Talking Jack's carnival. He used to be in movies and on Broadway, his first big break, although he's not proud of his performance in it. His hooves are tuxedo-themed and they make the tapping sounds. He also wears a red bowtie around his neck. In the beginning of one of the episodes, it is taken off.
  • Eddy Largo: A 9-year-old boy. In the first episode, he looks for a job and is hired on as a gofer and all-around assistant to owner Fast Talking Jack. He changes his name to Eddy Largo because his real name was apparently too bland. He is very good at holding his breath underwater.
  • Diamonds the Elephant: A fancy pink elephant, she is the main attraction of the circus. She has a big cloth on her back with a yellow star as a decoration. Her act involves balancing on an inflated beach ball.
  • Elizabeth the Emotional Pig: Elizabeth the Emotional Pig is easily upset, she has a tendency to moan and cry. When things go right, she feels ecstatically happy. She wears a turquoise dress with two yellow lines on her skirt with buttons, collar flaps and cuffs. Her specialty is juggling, usually pineapples. She also compulsively eats corn on the cob.
  • Stripes the Tiger: Stripes is rather grumpy, and has a soft spot for "Mr. Grizzly", his torn-and-tattered stuffed bear. It's mentioned in the episode "Stripes Takes Off" that he weighs 400 pounds. His favorite meals are 32 chickens for dinner and a giant bowl of Crunchy Creatures cereal soaked for 10 minutes to have the right degree of sogginess for breakfast. He also enjoys reading the newspaper. He is often seen inside a cage.
  • Fast-Talking Jack: The owner of the carnival and a ringmaster of the big show in which he also plays a lion tamer for Stripes' act.
  • Edna: The smart fortune teller who also makes the lemonade and lemon ice sold at the carnival. She is a stickler for using juice she hand squeezes herself. Her screechy singing voice can break glass.
  • Lyman Slime: The sleazy owner of a clown circus, who sees Jack's carnival as unwelcomed competition. He sometimes sends his three clowns to spy on the carnival or to sabotage it.
  • The Penguin's Five: A band that accompanies the acts at the performance tent, made up of five penguins.
  • Eddy's Grandmother: Can be somewhat formidable, has a habit of firmly tapping the floor with her cane when wanting to emphasize a point. Eddy spends the summer at her house while he works at the carnival. She still calls Eddy his real name, Edward.
  • Squinty Pete: Proprietor of the Whomp-A-Weasel game in the carnival's midway.
  • Mr. P. Nutty: Sells peanuts during the big show and around the carnival. Wears a Peanut costume featuring a huge grin. His real name is Philbert, has a high-pitched voice and professes to be shy.
  • Lula Belle Rose: A tan mare with a light brown mane and tail with red lips and a daisy on her ear and Marvin's girlfriend. She is great at tap dancing just like him. Her only appearance is "The Importance of Being Eddy".
  • Lucy: Jack's niece who appeared in the episode "Eddy's Charm". Eddy has a crush on her.
  • Boris: A Russian circus bear looking for work at the circus. He specializes in peeling peanuts and telling stories about Russia. He appeared in "Truth or Bear".
  • Clyde: A racehorse who is Marvin's younger brother (even though he's now bigger than Marvin). He appeared in "Marvin Keeps Track". He and Marvin used to do great things together when they were young and Marvin was always the winner, but now Clyde always beats Marvin. Marvin was not pleased to see him because he had forgotten that about their past, but then Clyde reminded him. So if not for Marvin, Clyde never would've been a racehorse.

Voice cast

Episodes

Season 1 (2000)
No.Cartoon 1Cartoon 2[4]U.S. airdate (PBS)
1Eddy's JobElephants Almost Never ForgetSeptember 30, 2000 (2000-09-30)
2Marvin's High DiveEddy's Wrong OrderOctober 7, 2000 (2000-10-07)
3Stripes' Sticky SituationStripes Takes OffOctober 14, 2000 (2000-10-14)
4The New BandEddy's VideoOctober 21, 2000 (2000-10-21)
5Elizabeth's Biggest FanThe VisitOctober 28, 2000 (2000-10-28)
6Marvin's RoommateStripes' Dental FussNovember 4, 2000 (2000-11-04)
7Marvin's SurpriseEddy Learns to DanceNovember 11, 2000 (2000-11-11)
8Visit to Grandma'sGone FishingNovember 18, 2000 (2000-11-18)
9Marvin's Breakfast JamThe Iron ClawNovember 25, 2000 (2000-11-25)
10Elizabeth and the Haunted HouseMarvin Horses AroundDecember 2, 2000 (2000-12-02)
11The Big ShowEddy's FortuneDecember 9, 2000 (2000-12-09)
12Eddy's CharmEddy and the CowboyDecember 16, 2000 (2000-12-16)
13When Pigs FlyMr. P. NuttyDecember 23, 2000 (2000-12-23)

Season 2 (2001–02)
No.Cartoon 1Cartoon 2[4]U.S. airdate (PBS)[5]
14Now You See It...When the Stars Come OutNovember 3, 2001 (2001-11-03)
15Eddy and the RecordMarvin in the Movies ()November 10, 2001 (2001-11-10)
16Marvin and Eddy in the Middle of NowhereStripes' Mis-Fortune ()November 17, 2001 (2001-11-17)
17Just for KicksEdna the Singing Sensation ()November 24, 2001 (2001-11-24)
18Elizabeth in ChargeDare to Dream ()December 1, 2001 (2001-12-01)
19The Importance of Being EddyEddy's Sore Throat ()December 8, 2001 (2001-12-08)
20Little OlafJokers Go Wild ()December 15, 2001 (2001-12-15)
21Pop Goes the WeaselMarvin's Lucky Hat ()December 22, 2001 (2001-12-22)
22To Flea or Not to FleaEddy's Sleepover ()December 29, 2001 (2001-12-29)
23Marvin Keeps TrackDiamonds' Dance Party ()January 5, 2002 (2002-01-05)
24Paint Your WagonTruth or Bear ()January 12, 2002 (2002-01-12)
25Elizabeth's Big SplashStripes' World Tour ()January 19, 2002 (2002-01-19)
26Little Big ManFast Talkin' Jack's Real Class Act ()January 26, 2002 (2002-01-26)

References
  1. Heffley, Lynne (September 24, 2000). "Reading and Watching". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  2. Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 530–531. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  3. Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 379.
  4. "Television Program Logs". Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. 2016-03-02. Archived from the original on 2016-05-16.
  5. "'PBS KIDS BOOKWORM BUNCH' Returns to PBS For a Second Season on Saturday, November 3" (Press release). Nelvana Limited. October 29, 2001. Retrieved June 13, 2018.

External reference
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