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''Theodore Tugboat'' is a Canadian
children's television series Children's television series (or children's television shows) are television programs designed for children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run during the early evenin ...
about a
tugboat A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, su ...
named Theodore who lives in the Big Harbour with all of his friends. The show originated (and is set) in
Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348,634 people in its urban area. Th ...
,
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...
as a co-production between the CBC (
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (french: Société Radio-Canada), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a federal Crown corporation that receives funding from the governmen ...
), and the now defunct Cochran Entertainment, and was filmed on a model set using radio controlled tugboats, ships, and machinery. Production of the show ended in 2001, and its distribution rights were later sold to Classic Media (now
DreamWorks Classics Classic Media, LLC, doing business as DreamWorks Classics, is an American entertainment company owned by DreamWorks Animation, which is a subsidiary of Universal Pictures and a division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. It was founded as Classic Media ...
). The show premiered in Canada on CBC Television, then went to PBS (
Public Broadcasting Service The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educa ...
), was on
Qubo Qubo ( ; stylized as qubo) was an American television network for children between the ages of 5 and 14. Owned by Ion Media, it consisted of a 24-hour free-to-air television network often mentioned as the "Qubo channel" (available as a digital ...
in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
, and has appeared in eighty different countries. The show deals with life learning issues portrayed by the tugs or other ships in the
harbour A harbor (American English), harbour (British English; see spelling differences), or haven is a sheltered body of water where ships, boats, and barges can be docked. The term ''harbor'' is often used interchangeably with ''port'', which is ...
. Most often, the tugs have a problem, or get involved in a struggle with each other or another ship, but they always manage to help one another resolve these problems and see them through. Their main focus however, is to always make the Big Harbour the friendliest harbour in the world, and to always do a good job with their work related tasks.


Origins

The original idea for the series came to Halifax native Andrew Cochran, as he tried to explain the unique characteristics and work of Halifax Harbour vessels to his three-year-old son while walking along the Halifax waterfront. According to Cochran, "When you are with kids, you tend to give human characteristics to buildings, cars and boats."Ian Johnston, "Talking Boats in a Mini-Metro: Theodore Tugboat Series personfied Halifax Harbour", ''Seven Days'' magazine September 18, 1992 Cochran and his production company, Cochran Entertainment, went on to lead the development of the series with the CBC in Canada, starting in 1989. Production commenced in 1992 with the first broadcasts aired on CBC in 1993. Cochran Entertainment produced all 130 original episodes with Cochran as the
executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights ...
. Jeff Rosen served as the Executive Story Editor and Principal Writer of the series. The designs and faces for most of the characters were created by
art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and unify the vis ...
and master model maker
Fred Allen John Florence Sullivan (May 31, 1894 – March 17, 1956), known professionally as Fred Allen, was an American comedian. His absurdist, topically pointed radio program ''The Fred Allen Show'' (1932–1949) made him one of the most popular and for ...
.Andy Pederson, "Master Mariner: Fred Allen's Theodore Tugboat Models are Enthralling Kids in 70 Countries", ''Atlantic Progress Magazine'' Vol. 6, No. 4 (May 1999) p. 71 CBC Art Director Tom Anthes designed the set, which featured buildings and structures of Halifax Harbour. More than 60 of the 130 episodes were directed by Robert Cardona, the co-creator of the television show ''
Tugs A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, suc ...
'' and producer of ''
Thomas & Friends ''Thomas & Friends'' (originally known as ''Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends'' and later ''Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures!'') is a British children's television series that aired across 24 series from 1984 to 2021. Based on ''The ...
''. These series employed techniques later used in ''Theodore Tugboat'' such as humanized vehicles, life lessons and the use of a 1960s pop culture figure as narrator.


Characters

The show has one human character, The Harbourmaster, and five central tugboat characters, led by the show's namesake, Theodore Tugboat. Other ships, of all sizes, provide a large number of regular and occasional characters along with a few talking structures.


The Harbourmaster

Along with all the duties of a real-life harbourmaster, The Harbourmaster is the host and narrator of the series, and provides voices for the entire cast of characters. He is the only
human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, cultu ...
on the show to be played live by a screen actor (other on-screen humans being small figurines, much like the first twelve seasons of Thomas and Friends), and is portrayed in the Canadian and US versions by the late Denny Doherty, formerly of The Mamas & the Papas, and by other performers internationally. The Harbourmaster introduces the theme at the beginning of every episode by addressing an issue that he has in common with the tugs. He also loves to play the
tuba The tuba (; ) is the lowest-pitched musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by lip vibrationa buzzinto a mouthpiece. It first appeared in the mid-19th century, making it one of the ne ...
and is a good friend of a man named "Rodney" (who is never seen). The role, and the person playing the role, is similar to that of '' Shining Time Station'', the American series that featured ''
Thomas & Friends ''Thomas & Friends'' (originally known as ''Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends'' and later ''Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures!'') is a British children's television series that aired across 24 series from 1984 to 2021. Based on ''The ...
''; like ''Theodore Tugboat'', that series initially starred (and was narrated by) an entertainment figure associated with the 1960s.
Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...
(of
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
), and later, comedian
George Carlin George Denis Patrick Carlin (May 12, 1937 – June 22, 2008) was an American comedian, actor, author, and social critic. Regarded as one of the most important and influential stand-up comedians of all time, he was dubbed "the dean of countercul ...
, both played the role of "Mr. Conductor". He also, like the narrator of
TUGS A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, suc ...
, but unlike the narrators of Thomas the Tank Engine (Starr & Carlin at least) – can communicate on screen with the Tugboats.


Tugboats

* Theodore Tugboat: Theodore is the
title character The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...
who lives in the Big Harbour with all of his friends. He's one of the smaller tugs who wears a red baseball cap, and is sometimes offended if someone calls him "cute" or "small". He and his closest friend Hank are the only two ''harbour tugs'' (tugs that are not yet eligible to work outside harbour boundaries). They both share the harbour tug side of the dock and love working together. He's a kind little tugboat that is always friendly to the other ships in the harbour, with the goal of befriending everyone he meets. His biggest dream is to become an ''ocean tug'' and to travel across the sea to different harbours, but before he does, he works as hard as he can to make the Big Harbour the friendliest harbour in the world. That's why he is always there whenever someone needs him. * Hank: Hank (the Volcano, as he sometimes calls himself) is the smallest, funniest, fastest tugboat in the Big Harbour. He wears a blue toque and loves to make funny faces and noises as a way of getting attention. He can be very sensitive too, and usually gets ignored for being the smallest. Whenever he feels down, he always turns to Theodore for help or guidance. Hank was afraid of the dark once, but overcomes his fear when Theodore tells him that he was once afraid of the dark too. Sometimes Hank is the one to give a good idea without even knowing it. He has the tendency to use the word "fresh" to describe something. Out of all the other tugboats, Hank is special because of his good humour and nature to learn and grow from his mistakes. * Emily "the Vigorous": Emily is the only female tug in the fleet. She wears an old turquoise fishing hat that is very special to her. She loves to travel to different countries and discover new cultures and languages. Emily likes to be admired, but hates to look silly in front of her friends thinking they always have high expectations for her, and look up to her as a leader. Still, she always comes to find that her friends are there to help her, even if she doesn't ask for their help. She usually gets into arguments with George, but they always resolve their differences in the end. No matter how upset Emily gets, she always shows her kind spirits and strength. * George "the Valiant": George is the largest and strongest tugboat in the Big Harbour. He wears a purple baseball cap on his head backwards. George loves to show off and can sometimes be a little rude without knowing it. He's somewhat stubborn and always struggles to admit that he is sometimes wrong. He especially loves to tell stories to the other tugs, mostly about himself. Whenever he gets irritated, he blows up a lot of smoke from his smokestack and makes loud noises with his powerful engines. Most of all, George is a hard worker, never leaves a job until it's done, and always stands up for his friends. * Foduck "the Vigilant": Foduck is the harbour's safety tug. He wears a dark red firefighter's hat and is equipped with extra bright spotlights, sonar
transceiver In radio communication, a transceiver is an electronic device which is a combination of a radio ''trans''mitter and a re''ceiver'', hence the name. It can both transmit and receive radio waves using an antenna, for communication purposes. Thes ...
and a fire hose. Foduck is always very serious and makes sure all jobs are being performed safely. Foduck is a ''V tug'' like George and Emily, meaning he is fully qualified to make ocean voyages, but is content with staying in the harbour to keep it safe. Because of his strong
work ethic Work ethic is a belief that work and diligence have a moral benefit and an inherent ability, virtue or value to strengthen character and individual abilities. It is a set of values centered on importance of work and manifested by determination o ...
, Foduck usually doesn't express his feelings, but deep inside, he has a soft spot in his heart for everything and everyone in the harbour. * The Dispatcher: The tugboat Dispatcher is a rotating building on the "Great Ocean Tug and Salvage Company" wharf, who assigns the tugs their jobs for the day. He has a black moustache and a flag on his head. He is usually very serious and strict with the tugs, but they are always respectful to him because of his authority-like figure. He shows that he cares for the tugs by disciplining them for their faults, and by counselling them for their mistakes. And like a father, he always has a gentle side to him, and is always there when the tugboats need his help the most.


Regular characters

A number of ships based in the Big Harbour appear as
recurring character A recurring character is a fictional character, usually in a prime time TV series, who frequently appears from time to time during the series' run. Recurring characters often play major roles in more than one episode, sometimes being the main ...
s. They include ''Phillip and Philmore the Ferry Twins'', ''Pearl and Petra, the Pilot Boats'', as well as ''Northumberland Submarine'', ''Rebecca the Research Vessel'', and ''Bluenose the Sailing Ship''. A number of barges appear frequently, most notably the grumpy ''Guysborough the Garbage Barge'' and ''Barrington Barge'' as well as a few regular talking structures such as ''Benjamin Bridge'' and ''Donald Dock''.


Visiting characters

Many visiting ships such as ''Kingston the Cargo Ship'', ''Queen Stephanie the cruise ship'', and ''Canso Colossus'' the supertanker appear in several episodes along with a large number of named visiting
cargo ship A cargo ship or freighter is a merchant ship that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year, handling the bulk of international trade. Cargo ships are usu ...
s and some rare special visitors such as ''Snorri the Viking Ship'' and ''Kulu the Canoe''.


Episodes

There are a total of 130 episodes in the series, they were produced in five seasons.


The program's formula

Each episode always follows the same format within the series.


Opening sequence

The show always opens with the
theme song Theme music is a musical composition that is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances at ...
, and the opening title dissolves into the Harbourmaster's office. The Harbourmaster is normally doing something or thinking about something, which prompts him to remember when one of the tugboats was involved in a similar scenario.


Main sequence

As the Harbourmaster starts telling the story, the camera shot dissolves into a shot of the tugs working somewhere, or getting their
orders Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of ...
from the Dispatcher. In the first few minutes of the episode, the tugs encounter a problem, and they use their heads to solve it. "It is the classic three-act structure," said series creator Andrew Cochran, "Theodore encounters a problem, the problem gets worse, he solves the problem." Other times, the tugs have to conquer an emotional problem, such as not feeling good enough, or having to say goodbye to a friend. As each episode continues, the tugs resolve their problems, and life returns to normal in the Big Harbour.


Closing sequence

The scene again dissolves into a shot of the Harbourmaster's office, with the Harbourmaster deciding to pay attention to the lesson learned by the tugs. During this time, he sometimes communicates with the tugs through his office window (they reply with the sound of their whistles), plays his tuba, or listens to his friend Rodney playing bagpipes. The Harbourmaster finally says "Thanks for visiting us here in the Big Harbour, and we'll see you all again next time.", and the credits roll. On the half-hour PBS series, following the first story, the Harbourmaster's goodbye is instead followed by a
voice-over Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique where a voice—that is not part of the narrative (non- diegetic)—is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentation ...
, reminding viewers to stay tuned for the next story, and prompting them to visit the PBS website.


Production

The series was filmed in the former Alexander McKay School on Russell Street in Halifax's North End, which Doherty (the Harbourmaster) had attended as a child. At the peak of production, the show employed forty people. The characters, including Theodore, were designed and built by
Fred Allen John Florence Sullivan (May 31, 1894 – March 17, 1956), known professionally as Fred Allen, was an American comedian. His absurdist, topically pointed radio program ''The Fred Allen Show'' (1932–1949) made him one of the most popular and for ...
, a Halifax artist and
set designer Scenic design (also known as scenography, stage design, or set design) is the creation of theatrical, as well as film or television scenery. Scenic designers come from a variety of artistic backgrounds, but in recent years, are mostly train ...
who strove to balance expressive human faces with realistic and weathered industrial details. Allen and three model assistants built the models in a workshop adjacent to the large set located in a water-filled gymnasium. The radio controlled models were driven by propellers and used underwater wheels to provide guidance and avoid drifting out of shots. Blue
food colour Food coloring, or color additive, is any dye, pigment, or substance that imparts color when it is added to food or drink. They come in many forms consisting of liquids, powders, gels, and pastes. Food coloring is used in both commercial food p ...
was used to give an ocean look to the water. While Allen built the vessel models, the background set, inspired by the cityscape of Halifax and Dartmouth buildings, was built by the art department at CBC Halifax. Many of the original models used to film the series can now be seen at Halifax's
Maritime Museum of the Atlantic The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is a maritime museum located in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The museum is a member institution of the Nova Scotia Museum and is the oldest and largest maritime museum in Canada with a collection o ...
, while a few others were sold on
eBay eBay Inc. ( ) is an American multinational e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, that facilitates consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales through its website. eBay was founded by Pierre Omidyar in 1995 and became ...
in 2010.


Real names and locations

The characters are loaded with references to Halifax Harbour, Nova Scotia, the
Maritimes The Maritimes, also called the Maritime provinces, is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. The Maritimes had a population of 1,899,324 in 2021, which makes up 5.1% of C ...
, and
Atlantic Canada Atlantic Canada, also called the Atlantic provinces (french: provinces de l'Atlantique), is the region of Eastern Canada comprising the provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec. The four provinces are New Brunswick, Newfoundla ...
in general. Many of the references are obvious (such as
Bedford Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst t ...
buoy) while others are more obscure. The following is a list of other references: * The Big Harbour itself is modelled after Halifax Harbour, in
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...
. * The tugs occasionally visit a fishing village called Ceilidh's Cove, which is loosely modelled from
Peggys Cove Peggy's Cove is a small rural community located on the eastern shore of St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia, St. Margarets Bay in the Halifax Regional Municipality, which is the site of Peggys Cove Lighthouse (established 1868). Geography Peggy's Cov ...
, a real-life fishing community in Nova Scotia. * Some of the tugboat characters' V-names are derived from actual tugboats that operate in Halifax Harbour, including ''Point Vigour'' and ''Point Valiant''. * Annapolis (a cargo ship) is named after
Annapolis Royal Annapolis Royal, formerly known as Port Royal, is a town located in the western part of Annapolis County, Nova Scotia, Canada. Today's Annapolis Royal is the second French settlement known by the same name and should not be confused with the ne ...
in southwestern Nova Scotia. * Baddeck (the buoy boat) is named after the village of Baddeck, Nova Scotia * Barrington (the smallest barge) is likely named after the municipality of Barrington, Nova Scotia, which is located in the southwestern region of the province near Shelburne. He may have also gotten his name from one of Halifax's best-known streets, Barrington Street, which runs straight through the
downtown core The Downtown Core is the historical and downtown centre of the city-state of Singapore and the main commercial area in Singapore excluding reclaimed lands with many integrated resorts such as the Marina Bay Sands, one of the most expensive buildi ...
parallel to the harbour. * Bedford (the buoy by Willy's Island) is based on both the name (
Bedford Basin Bedford Basin is a large enclosed bay, forming the northwestern end of Halifax Harbour on Canada's Atlantic coast. It is named in honour of John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford. Geography Geographically, the basin is situated entirely within th ...
), part of Halifax Harbour, and the former town of Bedford located at the head of the basin. * Blandford (the buoy at the harbour entrance) is named after the fishing community of
Blandford, Nova Scotia Blandford is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Chester Municipal District on the Aspotogan Peninsula on the Lighthouse Route ( Nova Scotia Route 329). Blandford originally included the present day communities ...
, which later gained international fame as a base from which the rescue efforts of Swissair Flight 111 were carried out. * Bluenose (a sailing ship) is named after the famous racing schooner of the 1920s, the
Bluenose ''Bluenose'' was a fishing and racing gaff rig schooner built in 1921 in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada. A celebrated racing ship and fishing vessel, ''Bluenose'' under the command of Angus Walters, became a provincial icon for Nova Scotia and ...
. A replica of the "Bluenose", the "
Bluenose II ''Bluenose II'' is a replica of the fishing and racing schooner '' Bluenose'', commissioned by Sidney Culverwell Oland and built in 1963 as a promotional yacht for Oland Brewery. Sidney Oland donated the schooner to Nova Scotia in 1971 and it h ...
" sails as a promotional vessel for
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...
. Bluenose is also the name of the naval tug in ''Tugs''. * Bonavista (one of the barges) is named after the fishing town of Bonavista, located in the province of
Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
. * Brunswick Barge shares his name with both Brunswick Street in downtown Halifax and the province of
New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
* Cabot (the cargo ship) is named after the
Cabot Trail The Cabot Trail is a scenic highway on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada. It is a loop around the northern tip of the island, passing along and through the Cape Breton Highlands and the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. It is named ...
, a highway that takes sight-seeres through the scenic mountainous regions of northern
Cape Breton Island Cape Breton Island (french: link=no, île du Cap-Breton, formerly '; gd, Ceap Breatainn or '; mic, Unamaꞌki) is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America and part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The island accounts for 18. ...
. * Canso Colossus (the supertanker) is named after the small fishing town of Canso, Nova Scotia on the southeast coast. * Caraquet (the container ship) shares her name with the town of
Caraquet Caraquet ( ) is a town in Gloucester County, New Brunswick, Canada. Situated on the shore of Chaleur Bay in the Acadian Peninsula, its name is derived from the Mi'kmaq term for ''meeting of two rivers''. The Caraquet River and Rivière du Nor ...
, New Brunswick, located on the shores of
Chaleur Bay frame, Satellite image of Chaleur Bay (NASA). Chaleur Bay is the large bay in the centre of the image; the Gaspé Peninsula is to the north and the Gulf of St. Lawrence is seen to the east.">Gulf_of_St._Lawrence.html" ;"title="Gaspé Peninsula ...
, in the Acadian Peninsula. "Caraquet" is a native
Mi'kmaq The Mi'kmaq (also ''Mi'gmaq'', ''Lnu'', ''Miꞌkmaw'' or ''Miꞌgmaw''; ; ) are a First Nations people of the Northeastern Woodlands, indigenous to the areas of Canada's Atlantic Provinces and the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec as well as the no ...
word, meaning "junction (or meeting) of two rivers". * Chester (the container ship) gets his name from the seaside village of
Chester, Nova Scotia Chester is a village on the Chester Peninsula, Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada. The nearby waters of Mahone Bay and its numerous islands are well known for yachting and have made the Chester Yacht Club into a cruising destination. A pr ...
. * Cobequid Cove (visited in the episode " The Dark and Scary Cove") shares its name with both the
Cobequid Bay Cobequid Bay is an inlet of the Bay of Fundy and the easternmost part of the Minas Basin, located in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. The bay was carved by rivers flowing into the eastern end of the Bay of Fundy. The eastern end of the b ...
and the
Cobequid Hills The Cobequid Mountains, also sometimes referred to as the Cobequid Hills, is a Canadian mountain range located in Nova Scotia in the mainland portion of the province. Geologic history Geologically, the Cobequid Mountains are considered part of ...
mountain range of mainland Nova Scotia. Cobequid is a proud, historic, and distinctly Nova Scotian name, derived from the native Mi'kmaq word "Wakobetgitk", meaning "end of the rushing or flowing water" (in reference to the Bay of Fundy). * Cumberland gets his name from
Cumberland County, Nova Scotia Cumberland County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. History The name Cumberland was applied by Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Monckton to the captured Fort Beauséjour on June 18, 1755 in honour of the third son of King George II ...
, which is located in the province's northwest region. * Dartmouth (a visiting cable ship) is named after the former city of
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Dartmouth ( ) is an urban community and former city located in the Halifax, Nova Scotia, Halifax Regional Municipality of Nova Scotia, Canada. Dartmouth is located on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour. Dartmouth has been nicknamed the City of ...
, which lies on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour. Dartmouth's municipal government was amalgamated into the
Halifax Regional Municipality Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348,634 people in its urban area. Th ...
in 1996, but the area still retains its original name. * Digby (the cable ship) is named after
Digby, Nova Scotia Digby is an incorporated town in southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada. It is in the historical county of Digby and a separate municipality from the Municipality of the District of Digby. The town is situated on the western shore of the Annapolis Ba ...
, a seaside community on the northwest shore of Nova Scotia, famous for its scallop fishing. * Ecum Secum Circle (visited in the episode " Theodore's Big Decision") shares its name with the rural community of Ecum Secum, Nova Scotia, which is located along the shores of Ecum Secum Harbour. Named in the language of the Mi'kmaq, First Nations people, "Ecum Secum" translates to English as "a red house". * Fundy (the fishing boat) gets his name from the
Bay of Fundy The Bay of Fundy (french: Baie de Fundy) is a bay between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine. It is an arm of the Gulf of Maine. Its extremely high tidal range is t ...
, the body of water that separates southern Nova Scotia from southern New Brunswick and eastern
Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and nor ...
, and is the body of water with the world's largest tides, that can exceed . * Guysborough (the garbage barge) is named after
Guysborough County Guysborough County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. History Taking its name from the Township of Guysborough, which was named in honour of Sir Guy Carleton, Guysborough County was created when Sydney County (Antigonish Cou ...
on the south shore of Nova Scotia. * Inverness (the cargo ship) gets her name from the community of Inverness, Nova Scotia, which is located on the west coast of
Cape Breton Island Cape Breton Island (french: link=no, île du Cap-Breton, formerly '; gd, Ceap Breatainn or '; mic, Unamaꞌki) is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America and part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The island accounts for 18. ...
. * Lunenburg (the lighthouse by Shipwreck Rock) is named after the port town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, which is where the original
Bluenose ''Bluenose'' was a fishing and racing gaff rig schooner built in 1921 in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada. A celebrated racing ship and fishing vessel, ''Bluenose'' under the command of Angus Walters, became a provincial icon for Nova Scotia and ...
was built and the Bluenose II calls home. * Margaree Pride (a container ship) shares her name with the communities of Upper, East,
Northeast The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sep ...
, and Southwest Margaree, Margaree Centre, Margaree Valley, Margaree Forks, Margaree Harbour, and the Margaree River, all in
Inverness County, Nova Scotia Inverness County is an historical county and census division of Nova Scotia, Canada. Local government is provided by the Municipality of the County of Inverness, the town of Port Hawkesbury and the Whycocomagh 2 Waycobah First Nation reserve. ...
. * Northumberland (the submarine) is named after the
Northumberland Strait The Northumberland Strait (French: ''détroit de Northumberland'') is a strait in the southern part of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in eastern Canada. The strait is formed by Prince Edward Island and the gulf's eastern, southern, and western ...
, a body of water that lies between New Brunswick, Nova Scotia mainland, and
Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island (PEI; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...
. * Pictou Peaks (a cluster of giant rocks poking up out of the water near the shallow shore). Seen in the episode " Emily Goes Overboard", The 'Pictou Peaks' share their name with the historic port Town of Pictou, located in
Pictou County, Nova Scotia Pictou County is a county in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was established in 1835, and was formerly a part of Halifax County from 1759 to 1835. It had a population of 43,657 people in 2021, a decline of 0.2 percent from 2016. Furthe ...
. It is believed the name is derived from the word "Piktook", which means "an explosion of gas" in the language of the local Mi'kmaq, First Nations people. * Pugwash (the little yellow mini-sub) shares her name with the fishing and salt
mining Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the econom ...
village of
Pugwash, Nova Scotia Pugwash is an incorporated village in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, Canada, located on the Northumberland Strait at the mouth of the Pugwash River. It had a population of 746 as of the 2021 census. The name Pugwash is derived from the Mi' ...
, located on the Northumberland Strait at the mouth of the Pugwash River. The village takes its name from the word "pagwe’ak", a native Mi'kmaq word meaning "deep water". * Seabright (the cargo ship) is named after the tiny community of Seabright, Nova Scotia, which is located southwest of Halifax. * Shediac (a supply shed at the shipyard dock) shares his name with the town of
Shediac, New Brunswick Shediac (official in both languages; ''Shédiac'' is colloquial French) is a heavily Acadian town in Westmorland County, New Brunswick. The town is home to the famous Parlee Beach and is known as the "Lobster Capital of the World". It hosts ...
, which holds the nickname "Lobster Capital of the World". * Shelburne (the giant sea-going barge) is named after the town of Shelburne, Nova Scotia, which lies on the southwest shore of the province. * Stewiacke (the salvage ship) gets his name from the town of
Stewiacke, Nova Scotia Stewiacke () is a town located in southern Colchester County, Nova Scotia, Canada. The town was incorporated on August 30, 1906. Geography The town is located in the Stewiacke Valley, at the confluence of the Stewiacke and Shubenacadie Ri ...
, which is located halfway between the
equator The equator is a circle of latitude, about in circumference, that divides Earth into the Northern and Southern hemispheres. It is an imaginary line located at 0 degrees latitude, halfway between the North and South poles. The term can also ...
and the
north pole The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distinguish from the Ma ...
. It was also the hometown of Fred Allen, the artist who designed and built the characters and set of Theodore Tugboat. * Truro (the fishing trawler) gets his name from the town of
Truro, Nova Scotia Truro (Mi'kmaq: ''Wagobagitik''; Scottish Gaelic: ''Truru'') is a town in central Nova Scotia, Canada. Truro is the shire town of Colchester County and is located on the south side of the Salmon River floodplain, close to the river's mouth at ...
, which is known as the ''Hub of Nova Scotia'' for its central location and historical importance to the province's railroad network. * It was also revealed in the episode " Hank's New Name" that Emily's middle name is ''Annapolis'', after
Annapolis County Annapolis County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia located in the western part of the province located on the Bay of Fundy. The county seat is Annapolis Royal. History Established August 17, 1759, by Order in Council, Annapolis ...
in northwest Nova Scotia.


Media


Theodore Tugboat VHS tapes


Canadian VHS tapes

The Canadian Theodore VHS tapes were made by Children's Group and
PolyGram Video PolyGram N.V. was a multinational entertainment company and major music record label formerly based in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1962 as the Grammophon-Philips Group by Dutch corporation Philips and German corporation Siemens, to b ...
. They contained stickers of all the tugboats and two episodes.


=The list

= # ''Theodore to the Rescue'' – "Theodore to the Rescue" and "Theodore and the Northern Lights" # ''Theodore's Whistle'' – "Theodore's Whistle" and "George's Ghost" # ''Theodore's Big Adventures'' – "Theodore and the Oil Rig" and "Hank and the Hug" # ''Whale of a Tug'' – "Whale of a Tug" and "Carla the Cool Cabin Cruiser" # ''Hank and the Nightlight'' – "Hank and the Nightlight" and "Theodore Hugs the Coast" # ''Theodore and the Harbour Crane'' – "Theodore and the Harbour Crane" and "Hank's Wheezy Whistle" # ''Theodore and the Treasure Team'' – "Northumberland is Missing" and "All Quiet in the Big Harbour" # ''Emily Goes Overboard'' – "Emily Goes Overboard" and "Dartmouth Says Goodbye"


US tapes

The US Theodore Tugboat tapes were released through PBS Home Video and
Warner Home Video Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc. (formerly known as Warner Home Video and WCI Home Video and sometimes credited as Warner Home Entertainment) is the home video distribution division of Warner Bros. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Vide ...
. Most of these tapes are common on online sites. They usually contain three episodes, with the exception of "Theodore's Big Adventure" with two, and "Theodore's Exceptional Friends" which has five, also containing a special handbook.


=The list

= # ''Theodore's Friendly Adventures'' (July 14, 1998) – "Theodore and the Unsafe Ship", "A Joke too Far", and "Hank and the Sunken Ship" # ''Theodore Helps a Friend'' (July 14, 1998) – "Theodore and the Hunt for Northumberland", "Bedford's Big Move", and Guysborough Makes a Friend" # ''Big Harbour Bedtime'' (July 14, 1998) – "Emily and the Sleep Over", "Theodore's Bright Night", and "Foduck and the Shy Ship" # ''Theodore's Exceptional Friends'' (October 26, 1999) – "Snorri the Viking Ship", "Guysborough's Garbage", "Hank Hurts a Ship", Theodore and the Ice Ship", and "Dartmouth Says Goodbye" # ''Nighttime Adventures'' (April 4, 2000) – "Night Shift", "Rebeca and the Big Snore", and "Hank Stays Up Late" # ''Underwater Mysteries'' (April 4, 2000) – "Theodore's Big Decision", "George and the Underwater Mystery", and "Pugwash is Gone!" # ''Theodore's Big Adventure'' (July 29, 1997) (PBS version) – "Theodore and the Big Oil Rig", and "Hank and the Hug"


Theodore Tugboat DVDs

The Murphy's Company Store in Halifax has copies of some US releases on DVD. These include; ''Big Harbor Bedtime'', ''Nighttime Adventures'', and ''Theodore's Friendly Adventures''. In 2007, 2 DVD volumes were released in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. A DVD was released in The Netherlands in 2012, followed by a second volume in 2013.


Theodore Tugboat books

In a deal Cochran did with
Random House Random House is an American book publisher and the largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world. The company has several independently managed subsidiaries around the world. It is part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by Germ ...
in 1998, the following Theodore Tugboat books were published
Theodore and the Whale
by Mary Man-Kong, illustrated by Bernat Serrat as part of the Please Read to Me series 780679894216Released March 16, 1999, Trade Paperback
Theodore and the Scary Cove
by Mary Man-Kong as part of the Early Step Into Reading series 780375805080 and 9780375905087Released July 25, 2000, Trade Paperback and Library Binding
Theodore and the Treasure Hunt
by Mary Man-Kong; illustrated by Francesc Mateu 780375800863Released December 10, 1999, Board Book
Theodore to the Rescue
by Random House; illustrated by Ken Edwards as part of the Jellybean books series for preschoolers. 780375803253Released June 27, 2000
Theodore's Best Friend
by Mary Man-Kong, illustrated by Ken Edwards as part of the Jellybean books series for preschoolers. 780679894094 and 9780679994091Released September 1, 1999, Hardcover
Theodore's Splash!
by Mary Man-Kong, illustrated by Ken Edwards
780679894100 78 may refer to: * 78 (number) * one of the years 78 BC, AD 78, 1978, 2078 * 78 RPM phonograph (gramophone) record * The 78 The 78 is a development in Chicago that will consist of several office and residential towers, high-rises, and will als ...
Released February 16, 1999, A bath time book
Theodore's Whistle
by Man-Kong, Mary 780679894193Released January 9, 1998, Trade Paperback
Theodore and the Stormy Day
by Ivan Robertson, illustrated by Ken Edwards as part of the Jellybean books series for preschoolers. 780375800764Released July 20, 1999, Hardcover
Theodore's Birthday Surprise
illustrated by Phil Gleaves as part of the Jellybean books series for preschoolers. 780375802492Released January 25, 2000, Hardcover In the late 2000s Nimbus Publishing released a series of books featuring Theodore Too.
Theodore Too and the Too-Long Nap
By Michelle Mulder; Illustrated By: Yolanda Poplawska 781551095714Published April 15, 2006
Theodore Too and the Shipwreck School
By Michelle Mulder; Illustrated By: Yolanda Poplawska 781551096094Published June 8, 2007
Theodore Too and the Mystery Guest
By Michelle Mulder; Illustrated By: Yolanda Poplawska 781551096599Published May 14, 2008
Theodore Too and the Excuse-Me Monster
By Michelle Mulder; Illustrated By: Yolanda Poplawska 781551098074Published April 6, 2011


Merchandise

There were several tie-ins linked with the series. Notably, the producers, Cochran Entertainment, worked out a marketing deal with European toy manufacturer
BRIO Brio (stylized BRIO) is a wooden toy company founded in Sweden. The company was founded in the small town of Boalt, Scania, Götaland in 1884 by basket maker Ivar Bengtsson. For a long time the company was based in Osby, Scania, in southern Swe ...
to produce wooden toy replicas of some of the main characters, as well as a line of scale die-cast models and bathtub toys manufactured by Ertl. The characters were retired in 2000. A set of squeezy toys were made by Alpi. Puzzles and games were made by International Playthings. A life-sized replica of Theodore Tugboat (called Theodore Too) was constructed by the series producers in the late 1990s, that went on a fifty-city tour of harbours from
Tampa, Florida Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough ...
, through the
Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...
to
Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
, and back again to Halifax. It resided in Halifax Harbour for 21 years. In mid 2020, the touring company, Ambassatours Gray Line, announced plans to sell the replica boat for CAD$496,000. Response from the public was generally nostalgic and emotional, as many, especially haligonians who had not only grown up with the show, but with the boat as well. The boat was purchased in March, 2021 by Blair McKeil. Theodore Too left Halifax harbour on 10, June, 2021 for the Port of Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario where it will be used to promote water conservation in the Great Lakes. Theodore Tugboat merchandise can still be purchased from many on-line auction and shopping websites. Retail merchandise can also be purchased from the Theodore Tugboat Gift Shop, on the waterfront in
downtown Halifax Downtown Halifax is the primary central business district of the Municipality of Halifax. Located on the central-eastern portion of the Halifax Peninsula, on Halifax Harbour. Along with Downtown Dartmouth, and other de facto central business d ...
, near Theodore Too and the
Maritime Museum of the Atlantic The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is a maritime museum located in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The museum is a member institution of the Nova Scotia Museum and is the oldest and largest maritime museum in Canada with a collection o ...
.


Theodore Tugboat toys/games


Ertl

Ertl released a number of Theodore Tugboat toys, including die-cast boats, a set of rubber boats that float, and a "Press'n Roll" series of plastic boats (where pressing the smokestack then releasing it makes the boat move).


=Characters

= # Theodore # Emily # Foduck # Hank # George # Carla # Brunswick # The Great Ocean Dock Playset # Constance # Rebecca # Northumberland # Owan The Oil Rig Playset # Shelburne # Bayswater # Bobby


=Bath Tub Toys

= # Theodore # Hank # Emily # George # Foduck # Northumberland # Guysborough # Pugwash # Digby


=Changing Faces

= # Hank # Theodore


=Press and Roll

= # Emily # Foduck


=Sets

= # The Great Ocean Dock Playset (with Donald Dock and Brunswick) # Owan The Oil Rig Playset


=Cancelled

= # Phillip # Sigrid #Filmore #Barrington #Oliver


BRIO

BRIO Brio (stylized BRIO) is a wooden toy company founded in Sweden. The company was founded in the small town of Boalt, Scania, Götaland in 1884 by basket maker Ivar Bengtsson. For a long time the company was based in Osby, Scania, in southern Swe ...
released many Theodore Tugboat toys for interaction with its toy trains. Other than the tugboats, Brio released Benjamin Bridge, Clayton the Crane, Chester the Container Ship, Barrington, Bonnavista, and the Dispatcher. The tugs and the Dispatcher feature moving eyes.


=Characters Made

= # Theodore # Hank # Emily # George # Foduck # The Dispatcher # Barrington # Benjamin Bridge # Clayton # Chester


=Sets

= # The Great Ocean Dock and Dispatcher # Cargo Docks Play Set and Bonnavista Barge


International Playthings

International Playthings released the Theodore Tugboat Cargo Game.


See also

* '' Theodore Too'', the life-size replica of Theodore Tugboat * ''
Thomas & Friends ''Thomas & Friends'' (originally known as ''Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends'' and later ''Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures!'') is a British children's television series that aired across 24 series from 1984 to 2021. Based on ''The ...
'', another show Robert Cardona worked on * '' ''Tugs'' (TV series)'', another show Robert Cardona worked on


References


External links


Theodore Too
* {{Former PBS Kids shows Tugboats in fiction Television shows set in Nova Scotia Television shows filmed in Halifax, Nova Scotia PBS original programming CBC Television original programming 1993 Canadian television series debuts 2001 Canadian television series endings 1990s Canadian children's television series 2000s Canadian children's television series Television characters introduced in 1993 Canadian preschool education television series 1990s preschool education television series 2000s preschool education television series PBS Kids shows Television series by Universal Television Canadian television shows featuring puppetry