3rd & Bird
| 3rd & Bird | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Created by | Josh Selig |
| Directed by | Jennifer Oxley (Creative Director) |
| Starring |
Sam Lewis Eden Jarrett Morgan Gayle Michael Fenton Stevens Anna Nygh Charlotte Leslie-Cameron Preston Nyman David Beckford Candida Gubbins |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 51 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
Josh Selig Kay Benbow Chris Rose |
| Producer(s) | Fred Weinberg |
| Running time | 10 minutes approx. |
| Distributor | BBC |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC |
| Audio format | Dolby Surround |
| First shown in | CBeebies |
| Original release | 4 June 2008 – 31 July 2010 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | Wonder Pets!, Oobi |
3rd & Bird is a British television programme aimed at young children, commissioned by Michael Carrington and broadcast on the BBC, which revolves around a community of birds and their adventures. The series premiered on CBeebies in June 2008. Described in its initial press release as "a charming new animated series all about community",[1] the programme format generally involves one or more of the characters encountering a problem which must be solved using the social skills which pre-school children must develop in order to make their way in the world.
3rd & Bird was created by Josh Selig for Little Airplane Productions. The show uses an animation style known as "photo-puppetry", in which the animation is created by the use of manipulation of photographs (similarly to Selig's previous venture Wonder Pets!).
Cast
Main cast
- Samuel (voiced by Sam Lewis) - The eldest of the Lovebird children, Samuel is a green lovebird. He acts as a role model to his younger sister, Muffin, and often tries to teach her how to be responsible.
- Muffin (voiced by Eden Jarrett) - A pink lovebird and Samuel's younger sister. Not yet old enough to fly, she usually rides on Samuel's back. Muffin calls Samuel "Sam'el," Rudy "Udy," and Mr. Beakman "Beaky."
- Rudy (voiced by Morgan Gayle) - Rudy is a cockatoo (despite resembling a cockatiel more closely) and Samuel's best friend. She wears a bracelet of colored stones on her ankle.
- Mr. Beakman (voiced by Michael Fenton Stevens) - The children's teacher, a wise toucan who frequently acts as the voice of parental authority. He shows an interest in mariachi bands.
Supporting cast
- Mrs. Billingsley (voiced by Anna Nygh) - A New Zealand gardening kiwi and the oldest bird in the treetop community. She wears a sunhat and is incapable of flying, which occasionally causes problems.
- Missy (voiced by Charlotte Leslie-Cameron) - A fashionable great blue turaco who speaks with a thick French accent. She refers to Samuel and his friends as "little birds."
- Quinn - (voiced by Preston Nyman) - A puffin who works as an inventor. He occasionally displays arrogance, as he believes that his ability to build unique contraptions makes him better than the rest of the birds.
- Mr. and Mrs. Lovebird (voiced by David Beckford and Candida Gubbins, respectively) - Samuel and Muffin's parents. Despite being rarely seen, they care deeply for their children.
- Baby Jordan (voiced by Reiss Lewin) - Mr. Beakman's nephew, who often uses big words like his uncle. He calls Muffin "Uffin."
- Elliot (voiced by George Phillips) - A worm who is friends with Samuel, Muffin, and Rudy.
The cast also includes world champion musical whistler, Michael Barimo, whose whistling accompanies the music of the show.
Episodes
- Main article: List of 3rd & Bird episodes
51 episodes of the series were produced, making up two series.
Merchandising
In January 2009, BBC Worldwide announced plans to release 3rd & Bird merchandise, including wooden stacking toys, pull along vehicles, play sets and musical instruments, as well as wheeled toys, including trikes, scooters, and ride-ons.[2] The product line was released in spring 2010.
Two compact discs featuring the 3rd & Bird theme song (along with many other CBeebies show tracks) were released by CBeebies titled CBeebies: Song Time (2010) and CBeebies: The Album (2012).
DVDs/Books
A DVD containing 8 episodes of the series was released in March 2009.,[3] and will be accompanied by a series of books tying in to the show. The DVD release, entitled Bird's The Word!, contains the following episodes:
Fly Muffin!;
Bird Theatre!;
Muffin Express!;
A Chorus for Us!;
To Play or Not to Play!;
The Rudy Show!;
Meet Elliott!;
Costume Party!
A second DVD, Muffin Land!, was released in June 2009, and contained the following episodes:
Muffinland!;
Muffin's Shop!
Dinosaur!;
Go Camping!;
Playhouse!;
Cowgirl!;
Muffin's Plant!;
Baby Jordan!
References
External links
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