The Great Space Coaster Wikia



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The Great Space Coaster is a children's television show that was broadcast in first-run syndication from 1981 through 1986.

Production
The series was co-created by Kermit Love (original Muppet designer and builder for Jim Henson) and Jim Martin (who later went on to work on a number of Henson-related projects including Sesame Street). The series' episodes, which were videotaped in New York City, were directed by Richard Feldman and were fitted with a laugh track. It was produced by Sunbow Productions and distributed by Claster Television, a division by Hasbro. The puppets were designed by The Great Jones Studio, New York under the supervision of Kermit Love. The puppet designers and builders were consisted of James Kroupa, Robert Lovett, Christopher Lyall, John Orberg and Matthew Stoddard.

Summary
The series is about three young singers (Francine, Danny and Roy) from Earth who are brought to a habitable asteroid in space called Coasterville by a clown named Baxter who pilots the "Space Coaster", a roller coaster-like spaceship. The asteroid is populated by strange-looking, wise-cracking puppet characters such as Goriddle Gorilla, Knock Knock the Woodpecker, Edison the Elephant and Gary Gnu (host of newscast The Gary Gnu Show). Baxter is forever on the run from M.T. Promises, a nefarious ringmaster who plans to re-capture Baxter and return him to the circus he worked at before he escaped. Each episode ends with a different life lesson, and various celebrity guest stars ( such as Mark Hamill of Star Wars fame and composer Marvin Hamlisch) occasionally dropped by.

In each episode, Roy shows a short film on his portable, fold-up television, often featuring segments from La Linea, an Italian animated series about a little man who is drawn (using a single line) at the beginning of the segment, communicating with its animator through high-pitched Italian mixed with gibberish. Francine, Roy and Danny sing a song together as the Space Coasters in each episode (sometimes originals like "Wacky Talk", sometimes older songs like "Be A Clown" or covers of '60's and 70's hits), and the various puppet characters of sing songs as well.

A few years into the show's run, the MTV-like "Rockin' with Rory" segment began where a DJ named Rory would introduce "Danny and the Space Coasters" performing cover tunes. There was also other additions to the show including Baffle, Big Jock Ox and the Huggles. While the action was mostly taped on the space set, it was not unusual for the characters to venture down to Earth for filmed musical numbers.

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