Widget (TV series)

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Widget the World Watcher logo

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.

1 NES Game
2 Theme Song Lyrics
3 Credits
- 3.1 Season 1
- 3.2 Season 2

[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 Widgeto Power(30-3-88), 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, the main difference being the line "Nature thought we didn't care" having changed to "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

[edit] Season 1

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
Writers: Marc Handler, Dante Baez
This program has been recommended by: The National Education Association

[edit] Season 2

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 P. Redondo
Storyboard Supervision: Gary Goldstein
Assistant Storyboard Supervision: David Miller
Storyboards: Bob Arkwright, Michael V. Bennett, Tom Bernardo, Robin O. Brigstoke, Rick Catizone, Victor A. Cook, Egidio V. Dal Chele, Adrian Gonzales, Glen Hill, Cullen Blaine Houghtaling, Michael Hulme, Chantal Itkin, Robert Lamb, Ken Laramay, Bob Lizarraga, Job C. Martin, Kenny McGill, Keith Sargeant, Robert E. Steele Jr., Keith Tucker, Richard T. Walsh, Jim Willoughby
Design: Won Ki Cho, Ric Quiroz, Hee-Ja Cho, Dean Thompson, Burton Medall, Tom Burton, Dan E. Chessher
Voice Characterization Actors: Russi Taylor as Widget, Jim Cummings as Mega Brain, Tress MacNeille, Pat Fraley, Kath Soucie, Dana Hill, Brian Cummings, Peter Cullen, Cam Clarke, Cree Summer, Townsend Coleman
Music by: Dale Schacker
Scene Planning: Curtis Cim
Layout Supervision: Armando Norte
Layout: Tom Knowles, San Wei Chan, Jennifer A. McChristian, Pat Agnasin, Brett Hisey, Shawn Murphy, Enzo Baldi, Les Kaluza, Dave Sharp, Lyle W. Beddes, Yung Soo Kim, Byun Kwang Won
Background Styling Supervision: David McBride
Background Styling: George W. Stokes, Gregory Miller, Helle Hane, David Harrington, Glen Peter Tarnowski, Steven Butz, Janet Kusnick, Ron Roesch
Animation: Burton Medall
Effects Animation Design: Joel Fajnor
Assistant Animation: Todd Hoff, Kim Pettijohn, Matthew W. Grant
Animation Direction: Emory Ron Myrick, Valerie Gifford, Norm Gottfredson, Becky J. Bristow, Constantin Mustatea
Ink and Paint Supervision: Ashley Shurl Lupin
Ink and Paint: Marie Boughamer, Elena Marie Cox, Kristin Lande, Kathy Blore, Sybil E. Cuzzort, Tracey Oakley, Casey Clayton, Gail L. Fiala, Lorraine Couzzi, Corry Kingsbury
Cel Xerography: Dean Stanley, John Remmel
Storyboard Timing: Bob Arkwright, Emory Ron Myrick, Mary Burton-Towner
Film Post Production Supervisor: Larry Whelan
Film Editing: Franklin Cofod, Janet "Lime" Leimenstoll, Ivan Ladizinsky, Robert C. DeSales, Ethan Andrew Morgan, Jim Blodgett
Camera and Optical Effects Supervision: Nancy Ketelsen
Camera and Optical Effects: John C. Graves, Ronchie Hantke, James Keefer, John Lindahl, Ken Yaecker, Drew Redford, Marcus La MacDonald
Track Reading: Thomas W. Anderson, Laurie A. Bain
Telecine Supervisor: Sarah Swiskow Ruzicka
Supervising Sound Editor: R.D. Floyd
Sound Editors: Steve Nelson, Cathy Malkasian, Ken Stange, Bill Kean, Charles Rychwalski
Foley Artist: Ossama Khuluki
Re-Recording Mixer: Mike Beiriger
Stereo Post Production: Vitello & Associates, Inc.
Post Production Coordinators: Darragh O'Farrell, Anne Rodman
Dialogue Recording: Sound Services, Inc.
Engineer: Gary Littell
Music Oyaxis Programmer: Jim Baldree
Music Scoring Engineer: Mark Shifman
Supervising Video Tape Editor: Trent Johnson
Telecince Colorists: Trent Johnson, Gary Barron, George Cvjetnicanin
Production Checking: Mimi Frances Clayton, Kathleen Irvine Evans
Assistants to the Producers: Theresa Calderon, Diane DeLaurentis
Production Assistants: Martin James Pratti, Melissa Savlov, Deannie Gallegos, Bruce T. Miyake, April H. Corcoran
Production Accounting: D. Douglas Hill, Janet Mann, June Burton
Animation Produced in Association with: KBS Media Enterprises
Executive in Charge: Kim Sung Ryul
And With: Sei Young Animation Co. Ltd.
Executive in Charge: Choi An Hee
Animation Production Supervisor: Don Goodman
Additional Production Facilities: Sei Young Animation Co. Ltd.
Director: Kim Dae Jung
Production Manager: Joe Jung Jin
Layout: Jung Sei Kwon, Lee Young Hwan
Animators: Yim Kyung Won, Ki Ju In, Kim Un Kyu, Kim Gong Tack, Sung Bak-Yub
Animation Check: Kim Hyo Tae, Go Jong Hwan
Assistant Animation: Lee Tae Wook, Yoo Sang Kun, Kwon Young Kwon, Lee Ki Ooo, Kim Mi Ae
Final Check: Oh Sei Wook, Un Bong Soo
Xerox: Lee Jong Kyu
Background: Park Jae Hyun, Jung Won Young, Kwon Young Nam, Kwon Tae Hwan
Camera: Kim Jung Joong, Choi Cong Sub, Jeon Moon Ho, Choi Soon Ho
Airbrush: Kim Byung-Jin, Lee Soon Jix
Trace: Yoo Ko Un, Ha In Ha, Yoo Soo Jung
Paint: Choi Si Sung, Yang Soo Ja, Won Sang Un, Lee Jin Soon, Choi Kum Ja, Choi Ok Hee
Production Control: Park Soon Shin, Joo Hong Soo, Choi Hyun Sook
Production Assistants: Lee Kwang Ki, Kim Young Tae, Kang Jong Man
Editing: Hwang Ho Sam, Park Young Ran
Story Editor: Peter Keefe
Writers: Marc Handler, Dante Baez
Creative Consultant: Mary Strauser
Assistant to the Executive Producer: Thresa Katz
Executive in Charge for Calico: Lee Mann
Executive Producer: Peter Keefe
This program has been recommended by: The National Education Foundation