Arthur (TV series)

Arthur
Genre
Based onCharacters
by Marc Brown
Developed by
  • Kathy Waugh
  • Marc Brown
Directed byGreg Bailey
Theme music composer
  • Judy Henderson
  • Jerry de Villiers Jr.
Opening theme"Believe in Yourself"
by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers
Ending theme"Believe in Yourself" (instrumental)
ComposerRay Fabi
Country of origin
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons25
No. of episodes253 (493 segments) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Marc Brown (seasons 10–25)
  • Micheline Charest (seasons 1–4)
  • Carol Greenwald
  • Peter Moss (seasons 5–6)
  • Andrew Porporino
  • Lesley Taylor
  • Toper Taylor
  • Pierre Valette
  • Michael Hirsh
  • Pamela Slavin
  • Vince Commisso
Producers
  • Ronald Weinberg (seasons 1–4)
  • Cassandra Schafhausen
  • Lesley Taylor
  • Greg Bailey
  • Diane Dallaire
  • Tolon Brown
Running time26 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkPBS (PBS Kids)
ReleaseOctober 7, 1996 (1996-10-07) –
February 21, 2022 (2022-02-21)
Related
Postcards from Buster
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Arthur is an animated television series for children ages 4 to 8,[1] developed by Kathy Waugh for PBS and produced by WGBH. The show is set in the fictional U.S. city of Elwood City and revolves around the lives of Arthur Read, an anthropomorphic aardvark,[2] his friends and family, and their daily interactions with each other.

The television series is based on the Arthur book series written and illustrated by Marc Brown. Production on the series was first announced in 1995 by WGBH Boston and Montreal-based animation studio CINAR,[3] and aired its first episode on October 7, 1996.[4] During its 25-season run, the show broadcast 253 half-hour episodes.

A pilot for the spin-off series Postcards from Buster aired in December 2003 as a season 8 episode of Arthur. Postcards from Buster aired from October 11, 2004, to November 21, 2008; the series faced several years of hiatus, until a brief revival in February 2012, only to be cancelled after airing two unseen episodes that had been held over from the show's third season.[5]

In June 2018, it was announced that Arthur was renewed for four additional seasons, through its 25th season.[6][7] It was subsequently announced on July 27, 2021, that the 25th season would be the final season.[8][9][10] Arthur concluded its original run on PBS Kids on February 21, 2022.

Arthur has received praise for dealing with important issues that families face, such as asthma, dyslexia, cancer, diabetes,[11] and autism spectrum disorder. It also encourages reading and relationships with family and friends by explaining that people have different personalities, beliefs and interests.[12] It was the longest-running children's animated series in the U.S. and is the third longest-running animated series in the U.S., behind South Park and The Simpsons.[13]

  1. ^ "Arthur - Television Program". Child Trends. September 7, 2012. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved October 28, 2017.
  2. ^ Parents, PBS KIDS for (May 20, 2021). "Arthur Kids Show". PBS KIDS for Parents. Archived from the original on July 30, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  3. ^ https://www.upi.com/Archives/1995/03/13/Montreals-Cinar-to-produce-PBS-series/8370795070800/
  4. ^ "Arthur on TV". PBS. Archived from the original on December 25, 1996. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
  5. ^ "Postcards from Buster". IMDb. October 11, 2004. Archived from the original on August 12, 2023. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  6. ^ Mercedes Milligan (June 4, 2018). "Oasis Animation Announces Major Expansion, New Broadcast Deals". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on November 22, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  7. ^ Jeremy Dickson (June 7, 2018). "Oasis secures investment to expand 2D operations". Kidscreen. Archived from the original on November 22, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  8. ^ Lee, Taylor (July 28, 2021). "A Farewell to Memes: PBS' Arthur Ending in 2022". IGN Southeast Asia. Archived from the original on July 28, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  9. ^ Lenker, Maureen Lee (July 28, 2021). "Arthur is ending its run on PBS after 25 years". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 28, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  10. ^ Paz, Isabella Grullón (July 28, 2021). "'Arthur' Is Ending After 25 Years". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 9, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  11. ^ "Diabetes Awareness on PBS Show ARTHUR". May 25, 2011. Archived from the original on July 28, 2021. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  12. ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 95–96. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  13. ^ Hough, Soren (November 5, 2013). "The Golden Age of 'Arthur' Comes to An End". Daily Collegian. Archived from the original on July 13, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2018.