Cucumber (Canadian TV series)

Summary

Cucumber is a TV show produced by TVOntario in the 1970s, and repeated in the 1980s during TVOntario's daytime kids' programming.[1]

The show's title was an acronym for Children's Underground Club of United Moose and Beaver for Enthusiastic Reporters.[2] It featured a human-sized moose (played in costume by Alex Laurier) and beaver (Nikki Tilroe) living in a treehouse, and acting as amateur journalists as they present various educational segments on topics such as science or history.[2] Segments were keyed to Ontario's elementary school curriculum, so that the show could be used as a teaching tool in schools.[3]

By sending in a story or some artwork to the show (the mailing address was in Toronto), one could become a member of the Cucumber Club.[3]

Guest stars edit

Some notable people appeared on the show:

  • John Candy guest starred as a character named Weatherman
  • Martin Short guest starred as a character named Smokey the Hare
  • An interview featured a nine-year-old Jeff Healey.

References edit

  1. ^ "TVOntario-24 hits the camping trail packing seven shows for youngsters". Montreal Gazette, April 18, 1987.
  2. ^ a b Fred Rainsberry, A History of Children's Television in English Canada, 1952-1986. Scarecrow Press, 1988. ISBN 9780810820791.
  3. ^ a b "Two- way television tunes in the classroom". The Globe and Mail, October 17, 1975.

External links edit