WISHBONE: A TAIL IN TWAIN {SERIES PREMIERE, PART 1 OF 2} (TV)
Summary
The premiere of this children's series in which an intelligent canine named Wishbone imagines himself in a unique version of a classic tale that parallels the life of his owner, a youth named Joe.
Wishbone, an imaginative Jack Russell Terrier with a love for literature, introduces himself via his internal monologue, along with his owners, a boy named Joe Talbot and his mother Ellen. Ellen is busy writing a speech for the neighborhood's annual picnic, while Joe is trying to think of something exciting to do for his last weekend of summer before school starts. Wishbone spots the book Joe is reading, "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain, and imagines himself in the story in the role of the title character. Tom finds Huckleberry Finn hiding in a barrel and makes plans with him to sneak away to a nearby island and become pirates. Back in the real world, Joe's friend Sam arrives to head out to the park with him and Wishbone. On the way, they are stopped by Joe's neighbor Wanda Gilmore, who complains about Wishbone leaving his toys in her yard. Joe and Sam pick up their friend David and decide to visit the "No-Name Grave," a mysterious unmarked headstone in the park which is supposedly haunted.
Back in "Tom Sawyer," Tom and Huck are camping out when they discover that the two of them have been mistakenly declared dead; the prospect of being "temporarily dead" excites Tom. The two of them make a grand entrance at their own funeral, earning the adoration of everyone assembled. Meanwhile, Joe and company come across a dry streambed they must cross to reach the No-Name Grave, and they traverse it by swinging on an overhanging rope. In "Tom Sawyer" Huck asks Tom to accompany him to the graveyard at midnight, as he believes that speaking an incantation over a fresh grave will cure his warts. However, around midnight a band consisting of Doc Robinson, Muff Potter, and Crazy Joe, arrives to rob a grave. Crazy Joe takes the opportunity to attack Doc Robinson in revenge for an earlier slight. In the ensuing fracas, Crazy Joe murders Doc Robinson and convinces Muff Potter that he is responsible. Tom and Huck see the whole thing and flee, promising never to reveal what they saw that night.
Joe and his friends locate the No-Name Grave, and are puzzled to find that someone has been there recently, apparently attempting to dig it up. They decide to hide and wait until someone returns, hoping to find out more. The story of "Tom Sawyer" continues as Muff Potter is put on trial for the murder of Doc Robinson. Crazy Joe testifies that he witnessed Muff Potter stab Doc Robinson, and Tom finally feels compelled to break his oath and offer his own testimony to the court, revealing the truth. Crazy Joe sees no recourse but to flee the courtroom, running off into the distance. In the real world, Joe and his friends see a mysterious man with a shovel start digging up the No-Name Grave. They are discovered when Wishbone tries to move in closer for a better look. The man yells at them and they run away.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: October 9, 1995 4:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:58:10
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:45452
- GENRE: Children's
- SUBJECT HEADING: Children's
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1995-2001
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Rick Duffield … Executive Producer, Director, Created by
- Stephanie Simpson … Supervising Producer, Writer
- Betty Buckley … Producer
- Ken Harrison … Director
- Roger Holmes … Music by
- Tim Cissell … Music by, Theme Music by
- Lynn Adler … Theme Music by
- Jordan Wall … Cast, Joe Talbot
- Christie Abbott … Cast, Sam Kepler
- Adam Springfield … Cast, David Barnes
- Mary Chris Wall … Cast, Ellen Talbot
- Angee Hughes … Cast, Wanda Gilmore
- Reagan Ammons … Cast, Huckleberry Finn
- Christopher Carlos … Cast, Crazy Joe
- Randy Moore … Cast, Judge Thatcher
- Sharon Bunn … Cast, Aunt Polly
- Sean Hannigan … Cast, Muff Potter
- Shea Fowler … Cast, Becky Thatcher
- Joe Nemmers … Cast, Defense Attorney
- Chamblee Ferguson … Cast, Prosecutor
- Lynn Mathis … Cast, Preacher
- Brent Anderson … Cast, Doc Robinson
- Sonny Franks … Cast, Bailiff
- Mark Walters … Cast, Simon Laszlow
- Larry Brantley … Voice, Wishbone