Wishbone - Behind the Scenes

by Denise Noe

"What's the story, Wishbone?" was the question asked by the theme song of one of the most inspired children's TV shows ever made. Wishbone was a sort of Masterpiece Theater made just for youngsters — although easily enjoyed by adults as well. On Wishbone, children were introduced to the greats of classic literature as they watched a talented Jack Russell Terrier depict such literary luminaries as Ulysses, Romeo, Sherlock Holmes, and Oliver Twist. This book takes the reader behind the scenes to see how this wonderfully educational program was thought up and then put together. The reader learns how both human and animal actors were chosen and how the special challenges of working with a canine star were met.

Wishbone Behind the Scenes shows how the child actors were able to combine regular schooling and the fun of childhood with the hard work of playing characters in a regular TV series. It discusses the ways human actors played both contemporary roles and classic roles and the special accommodations they made when acting with dog actors. It shows how the stunts were performed and how a few had unexpected "oopsies." Perhaps most of all, the reader learns how many varied individuals worked to create a show for children that entertained and educated in equal amounts.

Genres: Nonfiction

116 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 13, 2022

Reviews

[Michele Pfrogner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like so many fans, I loved the Wishbone series for myself, my daughter, and my students. I also love learning how movies or TV series are made. The "behind the scenes" stories of the actors, animal trainer, and, of course, Soccer, the main "Wishbone" canine, were very enjoyable; however, I felt that this book was incomplete, and needed better editing. There were many typos--again, editors, please do your jobs! Now that I have re-acquainted myself with this educational and fun series, I am on my own quest to find DVDS of the shows, and the books that resulted from it.

[Sophie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Suffers from clunky writing, unnecessary tangents on the history of dog domestication and wishbones, and an overreliance on previously published interviews. There's just not enough original material to merit its existence. That being said, the new interview material with Joe Nemmers (Brom Bones, the Inspector General, etc.) and Alex Morris (Mr. Barnes) was really interesting.

[Rivulet027 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute and quick read! Perfect if you have fond memories of this show!