Widget (TV series)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Widget, the World Watcher is an animated television series which debuted in 1990.
The show focused on a 4ft tall, purple alien from the Horsehead Nebula named Widget who could shapeshift. He and a group of young, human friends, Brian, Kevin and Kristine, would go through a number of adventures to protect the natural environment. Widget is frequently accompanied by the Megabrain, an extremely intelligent but somewhat cocky being who appears as a floating head (with a transparent cranium) and floating hands.
The show was produced by Calico Creations to teach children about the dangers of pollution. Each episode would have Widget contending with a villain wishing to exploit Earth's environment or natural resources, like Dr. Dante, Mega Slank, and his evil twin, Ratchet. In this respect, Widget, the World Watcher is very similar to Captain Planet and the Planeteers, both heroes attempting to save the Earth from ecological harm.
[edit] NES Game
This cartoon spawned a NES game of its own. It was produced by Atlus and debuted in 1992. A SNES game, Super Widget, also by Atlus was released in 1993.
[edit] Theme Song Lyrics
The Widget the World Watcher theme song is composed by Jim Hurwitz, Duncan Pain and Bob Millies. The lyrics follow:
Danger and evil are everywhere..
Nature thought we didn't care!
Who can help the world survive?
Who can keep a dream alive? Alive! Alive!
An awesome alien hero, was destined to hear the cry..
A watcher known as Widget, he shot down from the sky!
Woh-oh, woh-oh, Widget, the World Watcher...
Woh-oh, woh-oh, Widget the World Watcher!
After this music Widget would give a brief description of the story of the episode. There was also another version of the theme song
Danger and evil were everywhere..
Nature called he didn't care!
Who can help the world survive?
Who can keep a dream alive? Alive! Alive!
An awesome alien hero, was destined to hear the cry..
A watcher known as Widget, he shot down from the sky!
Woh-oh, woh-oh, Widget, the World Watcher...
Woh-oh, woh-oh, Widget the World Watcher!
The main difference being the line "Nature thought we didn't care" is "Nature called he didn't care" "he" being Widget who at first did not want to come to earth but his parents forced him to
[edit] Credits
- Produced and Directed by: Tom Burton
- Supervising Producer: Claudia Zeitlin Burton
- Pre and Post Production Supervisor: Paul Vitello
- The Widget Character and Original Story Created by: Peter Keefe
- Original Widget Character Designs Produced in Association with: Kroyer Films, Inc.
- Art Direction: Ken Leonard
- Supervising Director: Mary Burton Towner
- Production Design: Nestor Redondo
- Storyboard Supervision: Gary Goldstein
- Storyboards: Dell Barras, Greg Garcia, Cullen Blaine, Stuart P. Heimdal, Egidio V. Dal Chele, Robert Lamb, Ronnie Del Carmen, Mike Sosnowski, Tom Ellery, Keith Tucker, Adrian G. Gonzales
- Character Design: Hee-Ja Cho, Won-Ki Cho, Burton Medall, Tom Burton
- Voice Characterization Actors: Russi Taylor as Widget, Jim Cummings as Mega Brain, Kath Soucie as Brian and Kristine, Dana Hill as Kevin
- Special Guest Voices: Tress MacNeille, Cree Summer, Pat Fraley
- Music by: Dale Schacker
- Layout Supervision: Curtis Cim
- Layout: Hee-Ja Cho, Won-Ki Cho, Les Kaluza, Jay Won So, Armando Norte
- Background Supervision: David McBride
- Background Stylings: Helle Hane, Glen Tarnowski
- Animation Supervision: Burton Medall
- Animation: Erna G. Kaluza, Kaan Kalvon, Bob Lizarraga
- Effects Animation Designer: George Stokes
- Effects Animation Assistant: Kim Pettijohn
- Cel Painting Supervision: Ashley Shurl Lupin
- Cel Painting: Lada Babicka, Lorraine Couzzi, Sybil E. Cuzzort, Marie Boughamer, Corry Lee Kingsbury, Tracey Oakley
- Cel Xerography: Judi Cassell, John Remmel
- Supervising Film Editor: Larry Whelan
- Film Editing: Ivan Ladizinsky, Janet "Lime" Leimenstoll
- Technical Director: John Graves
- Camera and Optical Effects: Christopher Dusendschon, Nancy Ketelsen, Marcus MacDonald
- Animation Direction: Valerie Giffore, Norm Gottfredson, Emory Ron Myrick, Gregroy Reyna
- Storyboard Timing: Bob Arkwright, Gerald L. Moeller
- Track Reading: Thomas W. Anderson
- Stereo Sound Post Production: Vitello & Associates, Inc.
- Sound Editors: R.D. Floyd, Steve Nelson
- Foley Artist: Ossama Khuluki
- Re-Recording Mixer: Mike Beiriger
- Dialogue Recording: Sound Services, Inc.
- Engineer: Gary Littell
- Music System Engineer: Jim Baldree
- Music Tape Post Production: Complete Post, Inc.
- Videotape Editor and Telecine Colorist: Trent Johnson
- Production Assistants: Theresa Calderon, Nancy Bush, Carmen Brooks, Felecia McEachin
- Production Accounting: D. Douglas Hill, Janet Mann, Jane Burton
- Animation Production Supervisor: Don Goodman
- Additional Production Facilities: Dinosaur Production Ltd
- Directors: Sung Chil Kim, Gun Sul Lee
- Layout: Tee Eelin Kim, Gi Joung Ele, Il Van Park
- Animation: Hwanedl Gong, Joon Son Kim, Sam Bong Sack, Jwang Hee Lee, Ike Wook Jeong, Dok Mo Lee, Seong Jin Oh, Seon Hee Lee
- Emmation Checkers: Taek Mylin Lee, Seng Voun Lee
- Production Manager: Ney Wam On
- Xerox: Wee Soo Gez
- Illustrator: Nam Young Kim
- Camera: Young Yedn Hwang, Chang Hwa Na
- Assistant Animators: Jinwaek Lee, Seong Won Oh, Young Sock Choi, Jong Wha Park, Jee Hee Win, Sai Cly Hong, Weong Ja Ra, Yeon Bok Lee, Jae Kyuhn Yang, Mi Kyung Kim
- Background: Sun Keun Han
- Paint: Soon Sae Hwang
- Tracks: Seong Nam Ha
- Creative Consultant: Mary Strauser
- Assistant to the Executive Producer: Thresa Katz
- Executive in Charge for Calico: Lee Mann
- Executive Producer: Peter Keefe
- Cast: Russi Taylor as Widget and Jim Cummings as MegaBrain
- Additional Voices Cam Clarke, Townsend Coleman, Peter Cullen, Pat Fraley, Dana Hill, Tress MacNeille, Kath Soucie, and Cree Summer
- This program has been recommended by: The National Education Association
- Copyright: ©Copyright 1990 Zodiac Entertainment, Inc.
