The Waterville Gang is a Canadian children's television series, which aired on CTV Television Network from 1972 to 1974.[1] Using puppetry, the series centred on a group of marine animals living at or under the sea, including Dodger Dolphin, Angel Fish, Sharky Shark, Eloise "Frenchie" the Seahorse, Sergeant Perch, Pearl Van Oyster, Tucker Turtle and Ace Seagull.[2]

The show's voice cast included Billy Van, Len Carlson, Franz Russell,[3] Julie Amato, Sid Brown and Donna Miller. As of 1993, Amato was still owed money for her work on the show, due to ACTRA's inability to locate her in order to send her royalty cheques.[4]

Created by children's entertainer Barry Rosenberg and produced by CFTO-TV, the network's affiliate in Toronto, the show aired for two seasons on Saturday mornings.[5] Following the end of production in 1974, it was sometimes seen in repeats on both CTV and YTV until 1995,[6] as well as airing on Bop TV in South Africa and syndication in the United States.

In 1980, puppets from the series were included in an exhibition on the history of puppetry at the Ontario Puppetry Association Centre.[7]

References

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  1. ^ Blaik Kirby, "New morning show seems to be CTV's brightest hope". The Globe and Mail, May 30, 1972.
  2. ^ Peter Kenter and Martin Levin, TV North: Everything You Wanted to Know about Canadian Television. Whitecap Books, 2001. ISBN 9781552851463. p. 193.
  3. ^ Tom Hawthorn, "Stratford actor chose anonymity as a television voiceover specialist". The Globe and Mail, June 30, 2008.
  4. ^ Sid Adilman, "Money is waiting for missing actors". Toronto Star, January 6, 1993.
  5. ^ Pip Wedge, "Waterville Gang". Canadian Communications Foundation, November 2002.
  6. ^ "Sutton Elementary School". Sherbrooke Record, May 31, 2001.
  7. ^ Ira Vine, "Puppets find a home". The Globe and Mail, November 20, 1980.