Salty's Lighthouse

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Salty's Lighthouse was an Americanised version of the British television series TUGS, seen on the TLC network (and PBS Kids). The show consisted of a plot line, with an "episode" of TUGS (mostly stock footage). It was about an animated boy called Salty, who with his friends would go into a lighthouse (with a personified and animated light bulb), and look through the lighthouse windows to see the tugs of Bigg City Port (from TUGS).

The show introduced TUGS to the United States; however, none of the original series' plotlines were used; the new stories were rewritten and edited as morale based stories, rather than action based.

Another significant change is the characters featured in the TUGS segments: Big Mac was renamed to Big Stack; Zebedee's name was mispronounced; Big Mickey as Big Basil; and O.J. as Otis. Also, the Bigg City Port became Snugboat Harbour. In some cases, even the characters' genders were changed, such as the case with TUGS' major characters, Captain Star, Sunshine, and Little Ditcher, who were now all females, instead of male.

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[edit] Comparisons with TUGS

  • TUGS never had a cartoon plotline.
  • None of the TUGS segments used plotlines from the original 13 episodes; instead, various scenes were cut up into new, shorter episodes.
  • Most of the character's voices were different.
  • The Stories were now set in the modern day, though the architecture was clearly still from the 1920s, (such as old lorries, cars, and cranes being visible) and the tugs now had diesel engines though you could still clearly see steam coming from their stacks.
  • Big Mac was called Big Stack and O.J. was called Otis. However, in the original series, the tugs' names were painted on them. As a workaround, censor bars were used to cover their TUGS names printed on them.
  • The Coast Guard and his messenger were merged and became one character called Cappy despite the fact that both vessels have different appearances.
  • Zebedee's name was mispronounced each time we saw him; instead of how his name is supposed to sound, it was always pronounced as Zeebee. Given that his name remained visible on episodes he appeared it, we can only assume that this was a mistake on the producers' parts.
  • Burke and Blair became movie producers, and were changed to Mr. Bocco and Mr. Socco.
  • Nantucket's name constantly changed and sometimes could not even speak (in which a foghorn sound effect was used instead.)
  • Boomer had two episodes, one in which he remains a tug and successfully guides the schooner to sea, and one in a flashback told by Ten Cents to Zug, in which Boomer has trouble with it and becomes a 'vacation boat'.
  • Johnny Cuba was called Steamer; and instead of a smuggler, he was shy and bashful.
  • Salty's Lighthouse had one season; similar to TUGS. However, as the original series' episodes were edited and integrated into the new series, the new version had 40 episodes, instead of 13.

[edit] Characters

  • Salty - The main character who loves using his imagination to cosimerrate with human and animal friends alike, learning all sorts of lessons.
  • Ocho - Salty's octopus friend.
  • Claude - Salty's crab friend.
  • Sophie and Sadie - The two girl seagulls.
  • Aunt Chovie - Salty's aunt who owns the lighthouse.
  • Aroura - A talking lightbulb at the top of the lighthouse who narrates the TUGS segments.
  • The Clock - A yellow-faced clock that announces the "Salty's Song Time" segments.

[edit] Episode List

  • 1.Mixed Signals / Too Young to Be Included
  • 2.Who Took My Crayons / High Spirits
  • 3.Taking My Turn / Backward Day
  • 4.Banana Splits / Clear the Decks
  • 5.Claude in Charge / The Favourite
  • 6.Strike Up the Band / Blankety Blank
  • 7.Last of the Red Hot C Gulls / Farley Frog
  • 8.Some Guys Have all the Luck / Dream On
  • 9.Treasure Hunt / Big Birthday Bash
  • 10.Boss Man / Sophie Come Home
  • 11.Salty Come Lately / It's Magic
  • 12.No Strings Attached / Sound Off
  • 13.If the Clue Fits, Wear It / Let's Wing It
  • 14.Bivalve Music / Taking Off
  • 15.Blackout / Eight is Too Much
  • 16.One Bad Day / Hands Off!
  • 17.Colossal Crab / Who Turned Off the Lights?
  • 18.Let's Party / Guilty Gull
  • 19.Count on Me / Desperately Seeking Sadie

[edit] Cast


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