Higglytown Heroes
Higglytown Heroes is an American-Korean animated children's television series produced by Enemes, Wild Brain, and Happy Nest that aired on the Playhouse Disney block on Disney Channel in the United States and on EBS in South Korea. The show's characters are shaped like Russian nesting dolls. In the show, children Wayne, Eubie, Twinkle, and Kip learn about all of the important jobs that people do in Higglytown. 65 episodes were produced.
The theme song of the show, Here in Higglytown, is performed by They Might Be Giants, which was also released on their second children's album Here Come the ABCs. Higglytown Heroes had reruns on Disney Junior on its cable and satellite channel replacing SOAPnet on March 23, 2012. The Higglytown Heroes TV series was made using Alias Maya which was used to design models and textures for the Higglytown Heroes Characters, and Photoshop which was used to create the 2D backgrounds and 2D props.
The lyrics to the first "Hero" song were written by Kent Redeker, one of the show's executive producers. The song was composed and produced by Mark Harrison, the show's senior songwriter.
Each episode contains two songs. An initial "dilemma" song which sets up the "problem" which needs to be solved followed by the song "I'm a Higgly Town Hero" song which introduces the hero who solves the problem, some of the heroes would later appear in later episodes.
While every hero song has the same basic melody as the initial hero song written by Harrison, he performed and produced each song with different lyrics and instrumentation to fit the episode's specific hero.
Brad Mossman, the other principal songwriter, composed lyrics and music for a number of dilemma songs in many episodes as well.
In 2011, Relient K re-recorded the theme song for the show for Disney Junior - Live on Stage!
This show was re-dubbed in the UK sometime between 2005 and 2010, which aired in the UK on Playhouse Disney on April 11, 2005. In the UK dub, Fran is voiced by veteran actress Sue Johnston, Eubie is voiced by Jonathan Bee and Joe Cooper, Wayne is voiced by Africa Nile, Twinkle is voiced by Amira McCarthy, and Kip was voiced by Matthew Thomas Davies, this also included most of the character cast in the show who ware voiced by the majority of the actors in the UK. Pizza Guy is called Pizza Man instead, causing minor lip-sync issues, most of which would probably not be noticed by the show's target audience.
Characters
- Eubie – A male nesting doll with blonde hair, blue eyes and fair skin with freckles. He wears a red shirt with yellow stripes, a matching bottom part and a dark red collar. His pants is also dark brown with silver buttons.
- Wayne – A male nesting doll with dark brown hair, tan skin and green eyes. He wears glasses with black edges, a light green shirt and a matching dark green overalls. He is Twinkle's brother.
- Twinkle – A female nesting doll African-American girl. Her dark brown hair has puffy pigtails and has blue eyes. She wears a pink headband with pink stars and a small pink bow, a light pink shirt shines with glitter and a pink duck hatching an egg in the middle and magenta skirt with purple stripes. She is Wayne's sister.
- Kip – A male nesting doll wears a light blue T-Shirt with a blue robot, a dark blue coat and blue matching pants, which are kind of look like jeans. He has blue colored hair, brown eyes and fair skin.
- Fran – A female nesting doll who is a squirrel with red fur and is the pet of Kip.
- Ms. Fern – A female nesting doll who serves as a teacher.
Cast
Main voices
- Taylor Masamitsu – Eubie
- Frankie Ryan Manriquez – Wayne
- Liliana Mumy – Twinkle
- Rory Thost – Kip
- Edie McClurg – Fran
- Jamie-Lynn DiScala – Ms. Fern
Guest voices
- Donald Faison – Firefighter Hero
- Kathie Lee Gifford – Mail Carrier Hero
- Dee Bradley Baker – Grandpop Krank
- Camryn Manheim – Handy Plumber Hero
- Steven Weber – Gardener Hero
- Betty White – Grandmama
- Katey Sagal – Policewoman Hero
- Frances Conroy – Veterinarian Hero
- Lance Bass – Electrician Hero
- John Michael Higgins – Tow Truck Driver Hero
- Tim Curry – Librarian Hero, Higgsquatch
- Cyndi Lauper – Telephone Operator Hero
- Jim Wise – Sanitation Worker Hero, Tour Guide Hero
- Susan Lucci – Weathergirl Hero
- Miguel Sandoval – Painter Hero
- Travis Tritt – Farmer Hero
- Ed McMahon – Tug Boat Captain Hero
- Smokey Robinson – Grocery Clerk Hero
- Ricki Lake – Carpenter Hero
- Stuart Pankin – Bus Driver Hero
- Wally Kurth – The Eye Doctor Hero
- John Astin – Santa Claus
- Sean Astin – Pix the Elf
- Sharon Stone – Nicki the Blind Art Teacher
- Anne Heche – Gloria the Waitress
- Dee Bradley Baker -The Chicken Farmer Hero
- Matt Cavenaugh – Tailor Hero
- Raven-Symoné – Playground Monitor Hero
- Jesse Corti – Jax
- Nathalia Hencker – Translator Hero
- David Naughton – Orchestra Conductor Hero
- Cicely Tyson – Great Aunt Shirley
- Rocco DiSpirito – Baker Hero
- Steve Harris – Sports Coach Hero
- Marissa Jaret Winokur – Taxi Driver Hero
- Carlos Alazraqui – Shelter Worker Hero
- Irene Bedard – Forest Ranger Hero
- Henry Dittman – Detective Hero, Gardener, Sign Language Interpreter Hero, Higglytown Coast Guard Hero
- Erik Estrada – Ambulance Driver/Paramedic Hero
- Kevin Michael Richardson – Uncle Lemno
- Rob Paulsen – Barber
- Mindy Sterling – Mrs Barber, Musician Hero #2
- Diedrich Bader – Crane Operator Hero
- Masasa – Judge Hero
- Trace Adkins – Cowboy Hero
- Serena Williams – Snow Plow Driver Hero
- Thomas F. Wilson – Truck Driver Hero
- Phil LaMarr – Lifeguard Hero
- Gwendoline Yeo – Dentist Hero
- Naomi Judd – School Nurse Hero
- Kate Pierson – Beekeeper Hero
- Maggie Wheeler – Street Sweeper Hero
- Alyson Reed – Zookeeper Hero
- Debbie Allen – Dance Instructor Hero
- Gregory Jbara – Tree Trimmer Hero
- Mo Collins – Science Fair Judge
- Simon Templeman – Banker Hero
- Philip Anthony-Rodriguez – Furnace Repairman Hero
- Jentle Phoenix – Environmentalist Hero
- Dee Bradley Baker – Pizza Guy
- Lance Bass – Mr. Electrician
- Rain Pryor – Pediatrician Hero
- Wally Wingert – Waiter Hero, Hector the Donkey Guide Hero
- Dave Wittenberg – Mr. Baker, Sled Dog Musher
- Michael T. Weiss – Mountain Rescue Squad Hero
- Matthew St. Patrick – Police Man Hero
- Jane Kaczmarek – Astronaut Hero
- Jorge Garcia – Dog Trainer Hero
- Debi Mae West – Lighthouse Keeper Hero, Physical Therapist Hero
- Nicole Parker – Window Washer Hero
- Pete Siragusa – Ice Resurfacer Hero
- Mo Collins – Paleontologist Hero
- Roberto Alcaraz – Air Traffic Controller Hero
- Kathy Najimy – Photographer Hero
- Matthew Kaminsky – Drawbridge Operator Hero
- David Jolliffe – X-Ray Technician Hero
- Wayne Brady – Doctor Hero
- Henry Winkler – Printer Hero
- Neil Kaplan – Mover Hero
- Joey Fatone – Bulldozer Operator Hero
- Jessica Walter – Motel Manager Hero
- Wilmer Valderrama – Helicopter Pilot Hero
- Gayla Goehl – Sheep Shearer Hero
- Alanna Ubach – Babysitter Hero
- Jonathan Adams – Road Worker Hero
- Aisha Tyler – Museum Curator Hero
- Stephnie Weir – Animal Control Officer Hero
- Jess Harnell – Laundry Worker Hero
- Leslie Boone – Mechanic Hero, Bessy the Cow, Farmer Lulu
- Meghan Strange – Camp Counselor Hero
- Bill Farmer – Janitor Hero Jay
- Billy Vera – Ferry Boat Captain Hero
- Charlie Schlatter – Receptionist Hero
- David Jeremiah- Mapmaker Hero
- Catero Colbert – Camel Rider
- Tom Kenny – Reporter Hero
- Dee Bradley Baker, Mindy Sterling, & Alanna Ubach – Musician Heroes
- Jeff Bennett – Auctioneer Hero
- Michael T. Weiss – Veterinarian Hero
- Julianne Grossman – Roofer Hero
- Jon Curry – Allergist Hero
- Grant Albrecht – Locksmith Hero
- J. P. Manoux – Bike Repair Hero
- Camryn Manheim – Plumber Hero
- Scott McShane – Bridge Builder Hero
- Leslie Boone – Dump Truck Driver Hero
- Jo Anne Worley – Customer Service Clerk Hero
- John O'Hurley – Freight Train Engineer Hero
- Bobby Holiday – House Painter Hero
- Kevin Michael Richardson – Uncle Lemmo the Short-Order Cook Hero
- Charlie Janasz – Photographer Hero
- Kimberly Brooks – Ski Patrol Hero
- Jeffrey Tambor – Radio Announcer
- Wes Brown – Phone Repairman Hero
- Leanza Cornett – Airplane Pilot Hero
- Debra Wilson Skelton – Marine Biologist Hero
- Chris Carmack – Referee Hero
- Joey Gian – Stan the Brick layer Man Hero
- They Might Be Giants – The Supertasters
- Shawn King – Usher Hero
- Ruth Williamson – Cafeteria Lady Hero
- Anna Maria Perez de Tagle – Safety Patrol Hero
Episodes
Series overview
Season 1 (2004–05)
Season 2 (2005–06)
Season 3 (2006–08)
Cited works
- Victor C. Strasburger and Edward Donnerstein, 1999. "Children, Adolescents, and the Media: Issues and Solutions," Pediatrics, volume 103, number 1: pp. 129–139: