Punky Brewster
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Punky Brewster was a sitcom which ran on NBC from 1984 to 1986 and again in first-run syndication from 1987 to 1988. Overall, there were a total of 88 episodes produced. The show had an extended life in reruns until it stopped airing in 1996.
Penelope "Punky" Brewster (played by Soleil Moon Frye) is a warm, funny and bright girl, abandoned by her parents at the age of 7. Punky's father walked out on her family. Soon after that, Punky was abandoned by her mother who took her to a Chicago supermarket and disappeared. Punky was alone with her only companion, and faithful dog, Brandon. Afterwards, Punky discovered a vacant apartment in a local building.
The building was managed by photographer Henry Warnimont (George Gaynes), an older bachelor. Punky quickly became friends with Cherie Johnson (Cherie Johnson), a young girl who lived upstairs in Henry's building with her grandmother Betty Johnson (Susie Garrett). Once Henry discovers Punky in the empty apartment adjacent his, he hears her story. The relationship between the two blossoms, and Henry eventually adopts Punky.
Her other friends are geeky Allen Anderson (Casey Ellison) and stuck-up rich girl Margeaux Kramer (Ami Foster).
Probably one of the most memorable episodes was built around the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, in which Punky hears about the deaths and her dreams of being an astronaut are nearly squashed. In the end, however, her schoolteacher and Henry, along with guest star Buzz Aldrin, both tell her that she should still follow her dreams.
The show also launched the Just Say No anti-drugs campaign, following from an episode where older children offer Punky drugs.
Seasons one and two of Punky Brewster are currently available on DVD in Region 1. Season three will be released on July 25, 2006.
Trivia
The title character was named after a childhood crush of then-NBC programming chief Brandon Tartikoff. The real-life Punky was tapped to play a teacher in one episode.Punky's dog Brandon is named for Tartikoff.
Fred Gwynne auditioned to play Henry, but lost to George Gaynes. Gaynes later became well-known as the elderly, bumbling commandant in the Police Academy movies.
Production companies
The show was produced by NBC Productions during the network run. When the show was revived for first-run syndication, NBC could not produce the episodes due to then-extant FCC regulations regarding network involvement in syndicated TV programming. Thus, they made a syndication deal with Columbia Pictures Television to produce two more seasons of episodes, plus US syndication rights to the NBC-era episodes. As of 2006, US TV distribution for all episodes belongs to Sony Pictures Television, while NBC Universal Television Distribution controls the non-US distribution rights.Theme song
The theme song for Punky Brewster is "Every Time I Turn Around", written by Judy Hart Angelo and Gary Portnoy. It is sung by Portnoy. The duo also wrote the theme song to Cheers (which Portnoy also sang).
- ''Maybe the world is blind
- ''Or just a little unkind.
- ''Don't know.
- ''Seems you can't be sure
- ''Of anything, anymore
- ''Although,
- ''You may be lonely and then,
- ''One day you're smiling again
- ''Every time I turn around
- ''I see the girl who turns my world around,
- ''Standing there.
- ''Every time I turn around
- ''Her sprit's lifted me right off the ground
- ''What's gonna be?
- ''Guess we'll just wait, and see.
Spin-off
It's Punky Brewster!, an animated spin-off with the original cast appeared on Saturday mornings. The cartoon was produced by Ruby-Spears Productions in association with LBS Communications. It ran from 14 September 1985 to 5 September 1987, for a total of 26 episodes.
This series included the addition of one new animal character known as Glommer; a creature that came from a world at the end of the rainbow (perhaps a cross between a juvenile leprechaun, with reddish goatee, and a teddy bear). Glommer had various magical powers and one of them was the ability to transport Punky and her friends, Margaux, Cherie, and Allen, to any part of the Earth instantly.
Lyrics
- ''I ran to the end of a rainbow's eye
- ''There wasn't any pot of gold
- ''And there I found a new friend who was two feet tall
- ''One hundred and four years old
- ''Glommer is an orphan
- ''He was left behind
- ''And a lot like Punky
- ''He was one of a kind
- ''Punky Brewster
- ''Come on it's just a fantasy, you know-uh-oh
- ''Punky Brewster
- ''I always want you here with me I know-uh-oh
- ''Punky Brewster
- ''No one's gonna understand
- ''Punky Brewster
- ''Together we're the best of friends
- ''Punky Brewster
- I always want you here with me you know-uh-oh
External links
- [Punky Brewster cartoon show intro] at Retrojunk
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