Higglytown Heroes

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Higglytown Heroes

From left to right are: Twinkle, Kip, Eubie, Wayne, Fran
Format Animated series,Children's television series
Starring Taylor Masamitsu (Eubie)
Frankie Ryan Manriquez (Wayne)
Liliana Mumy (Twinkle)
Rory Thost (Kip)
Edie McClurg (Fran the Squirrel)
Dee Bradley Baker (Pizza Guy, Uncle Zooter)
Kevin Michael Richardson (Uncle Lemmo)
Mindy Sterling (Aunt Mellie)
Jim Wise (Fripp)
Rachel York (Bitty)
Alanna Ubach (Plunkie)
Valyn Hall (Wiki and Tini (1st Voice))
Lara Jill Miller (Wiki and Tini (2nd Voice))
Country of origin USA
No. of episodes 39 (as of April 2006)[1]
Production
Running time half-hour
Broadcast
Original run September 12, 2004 – January 7, 2008
External links
IMDb profile

Higglytown Heroes is a children's television series currently airing on the Playhouse Disney portion of the Disney Channel, or, on some cable networks, the Playhouse Disney channel. The theme song of the show, Here in Higglytown, is performed by They Might Be Giants.

Contents

[edit] Plot

The characters, who are modeled on Matryoshka nesting dolls, explore their city and interact with the people in it. Along the way, they meet "Higglytown heroes", the people in their community who make it a better place. The main human characters include Eubie, Wayne, Twinkle, and Kip; Fran, who is almost always with them, is a red squirrel. Pizza Guy also appears in almost every episode.

Higglytown heroes have ranged from firefighters to dentists to snow plow operators. Voice actors for these characters are frequently guest celebrities. The series encourages involvement in the community, and means to inspire children to consider the importance of individuals who contribute to the world and make it better place.

[edit] Someone Special Song

The characters introduce the featured Higglytown community member through song, normally requiring help from 'someone special' and collectively singing the verse:

  • Wayne:"Someone special, who could it be?"
  • Twinkle:"This job's too big for you and me."
  • Fran:"We need some help!"
  • Kip:"But never fear-o...."
  • Eubie:"It looks like a job.......for a Higglytown Hero!"

All:"A Higglytown Hero!"

(enter the hero that sings the introduction:)

  • "I'm a Higglytown Hero, brave and true,
  • I help the town with the things I do
  • So work real hard, and you will see
  • That you can be a hero, just like me!
  • A hero just like me!"

(bulk of song is then sung, tailored specifically to the profession of the character or 'hero', ending in:)

  • "I'm a Higglytown Hero, bold and good,
  • I help my friends just like I should"

(characters now all join in together)

  • "So we'll work real hard, that's what we'll do....
  • So we can be a hero,
  • Just like you!
  • A hero just like you!" (cue fireworks)

The lyrics to the first "Hero" song were written by one of the shows executive producers Kent Redeker . The song was composed and produced by the shows senior songwriter Mark Harrison.

[edit] Episode Guide

[edit] Season 1

Up a Tree / Missing Grandpop

Twinkle Tooth / Flower Power

First Snow / Snow Dazed

Flappy's Not Happy / Electric Evening

All Tire'd Out / Great Un-Expectations

Smooth Operator / Stinky Situation

Weather or Not / Green in the Gills

Higgly Halloween

Smells Like a Mystery / Ship Ahoy!

Soup With Stars / The Happy Friendly Sparkly Toast Club

Catch Up With Ketchup / Star Struck

Twinkle's Star

Twinkle's Masterpiece / The Egg-cellent Adventure

Wayne's Ripping Adventure / Meet Eubie's Cousin

Say What? / Higgly Harmonies

Wayne's Good Guess / Wayne's 100 Special Somethings

Patty Cake / Havin' A Ball

Bright Lights, Big City / Kip's Shadow

Fran Takes a Hike / Mystery at Kip's House

Kip Joins the Circus / Baby Boom

Twinkle's Favorite Author / Don't Fence Me In

Higgly Hoedown / Eubie's Turbo Sled

Kip's Dad Gets a Strike / A Really Hot Day

Kip's Sweet Tooth / Wayne's Lollipop

Eubie's Pink Dots / Two Bees or not Two Bees

Higgly Frog Day / Eubie's Ele-Fantastic Adventure

[edit] Season 2

Twinkle Twinkle Little Fish / All the Wrong Moves

Kip Gets Swing Fever / Wayne's Pieces of Gold

All Warm Inside / Calling All Ducks

A Valentine For Miss Fern / A Totally Secret Valentine

Cry Baby Pookie / Wait for Me

Balloon-a-Palooza / Wayne's Day Out

A Fran In The Moon

Me and My Shadow / Out to Sea

Don't Wayne on My Parade / Twinkle's Terrific Twirl

  • Nicole Parker - Window Washer Hero
  • Peter Siragusa - Ice Resurfacer Hero

Wayne's Big, Big Discovery / Dirigible Day

  • Mo Collins - Paleontologist Hero
  • Roberto Alcaraz - Air Traffic Controller Hero

The Legend of Higsquatch

Eubie's Big Boat Float / A Slippery Situation

  • Anne Heche - Gloria the Waitress
  • Matthew Kaminsky - Drawbridge Operator Hero
  • David Jolliffe - X-Ray Technician Hero
  • Wayne Brady - Doctor

Kip's Rocket Rescue / Let's Get Moving

Corn to be Wild / Overnight Moose

Higgly Island

Shear Luck / Big Night Out

Kip Hits the Road (Calling All Cars) / Amazing Museum

Frozen Fish Follies / Look Who's Squawking

Wayne's Day to Shine / Wayne Listens Up

A Hoppin' Poppin' Problem / Hay Hay Hay!!

  • Lesley Boone - Mechanic Hero, Farmer Lulu the Dairy Farmer

[edit] Season 3

Happy Campers / All Washed Out

Hat's All Folks / Hop Hop Hooray

Shuffleboard Buddies / All Mapped Out

  • Debi Mae West - Physical Therapist Hero
  • David Jeremiah - Mapmaker Hero

12-Pie Abe / The Day the Diner Stood Still

Saturday Night Higgly / Monster Sandwiches

The Big Pink Elephant Sale / Higglies on Horseback

Buki-Buki Boo-Boo / Signs of Spring

  • Julianne Grossman - Roofer Hero
  • Henry Dittman - Sign Language Interpreter Hero

Easy to Get Sneezy / Unlock the Magic

Wayne's Cycle Recycle / Wayne's Wet Pet

X Marks the Spot / Eubie's View

  • Scott McShane - Bridge Builder Hero
  • Lesley Boone - Dump Truck Driver Hero

Whing-A-Ding Whirly Box / Windy Watchers

Choo-Choo Zucchini / Something Ducky Going On

Fripp's Flip-Flap Flop / Say Cheese

Canyon Capers / High-Country Hiccups

Calling All Heroes

Happy Flappy Birthday / The Cuckoo County Caw-Caw Contest

  • Wes Brown - Telephone Repairman Hero
  • Leanza Cornett - Airplane Pilot Hero

A Little Big Fish / Good Sports

'Tis the Season to be Snowy / Bingo Bongos

Wayne's Toasty Invention / Spell it Safe

[edit] Trivia

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.
  • In the episode Twinkle's Favorite Author, a small tribute to the video game series, Metal Gear Solid, appears in that the two places they visit in one song are Zanzibar Island and Hudson Bay, both important locales in the series.
  • In the original press release for the show's debut, Jane Krakowski was mentioned as one of the guest voices for Season 1, but her episode has not been shown.
  • A garden gnome can be found in every episode.
  • The show is discussed in Thomas L. Friedman's book The World Is Flat, describing how the show is created in a way where many people in different physical locations can work on the project at the same time.
  • In the UK, Pizza Guy is called Pizza Man instead, causing minor lip-synch issues, most of which would probably not be noticed by the show's target audience.
  • Contrary to popular belief the shows songs were not written by "They Might Be Giants". Most of the songs were written by Mark Harrison and Brad Mossman. The "Hero Song" was arranged 150 different ways by Mark Harrison who wrote the original "Hero Song".

[edit] Related Studies

[edit] External Links