Zoboomafoo

Zoboomafoo is a live-action/animated children's television series that originally aired on PBS from January 25, 1999, to November 21, 2001. It was formerly shown in public television (depending on the area) and was regularly shown on Sprout until 2012. A total of 65 episodes were aired. A creation of the Kratt Brothers (Chris and Martin), it features a talking lemur (a Coquerel's sifaka) named Zoboomafoo, performed by Canadian puppeteer Gord Robertson (who had also puppeteered on Jim Henson's Fraggle Rock), and mainly portrayed by a lemur named Jovian, along with a collection of returned animal guests.
Cast
Chris Kratt as himself
Martin Kratt as himself
Jovian and Gord Robertson as Zoboomafoo
Samantha Tolkacz as Jackie (Season 1)
Genevieve Farrell as Amy (Season 2)
Segments
Zoboomafoo Theme
The Mystery Animal (Song: “Who Could It Be?”)
Zobooland Story #1
Duck/Animal Helpers with Jackie/Amy
A Journey to Visit Animals (Song: “Going to the Closet”)
Zobooland Story #2
Ending Theme: Animal Friends
Episodes
Series overview
Season 1 (1999–2000)
Season 2 (2000–01)
Production notes
Zoboomafoo was produced by PBS KIDS, CINAR Corporation (now WildBrain), and the Kratt brothers' Earth Creatures Company.
Partial filming for the series took place on location at the Duke Lemur Center in Durham, North Carolina. The claymation segments were filmed at a studio in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada. Although the last new episode aired on PBS Kids in November 2001, most PBS stations continued to rerun Zoboomafoo episodes in syndication until 2017. In addition, Sprout aired reruns until February 2012. The show was broadcast in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Middle East, and India.
After production on the series ended, in 2003, the Kratt Brothers began another series titled Be the Creature on the National Geographic Channel. In 2011, they created the animated series Wild Kratts, which currently airs on PBS Kids and TVOntario.
Jovian (a captive Coquerel's sifaka housed at the Duke Lemur Center) portrayed Zoboomafoo in the live-action segments (along with stand-ins). On November 10, 2014, he died of kidney failure in his home at age 20.
Awards and nominations
Zoboomafoo received the 2001 Emmy for Outstanding Directing in a Children's Series and a Parents' Choice Award for Spring 2001 and Silver Honor for Fall 2001.
Other media
There are also several video games for the PC based on Zoboomafoo, where children learn the alphabet and animals that correlate to each letter. Some of the letters have interactive games to go with them, such as a coloring page.
References
Notes
External links
1990s American animated television series
1990s American children's comedy television series
1990s Canadian animated television series
1990s Canadian children's television series
1990s Canadian comedy television series
1999 American television series debuts
1999 Canadian television series debuts
2000s American animated television series
2000s American children's comedy television series
2000s Canadian animated television series
2000s Canadian children's television series
2000s Canadian comedy television series
2001 American television series endings
2001 Canadian television series endings
American children's animated comedy television series
Canadian children's animated comedy television series
English-language television shows
PBS Kids shows
PBS original programming
Treehouse TV original programming
TVO original programming
Nature educational television series
American preschool education television series
Canadian preschool education television series
1990s preschool education television series
2000s preschool education television series
Animated preschool education television series
American television shows featuring puppetry
Canadian television shows featuring puppetry
Clay animation television series
American stop-motion animated television series
Canadian stop-motion animated television series
Television series by Cookie Jar Entertainment
American television series with live action and animation
Canadian television series with live action and animation
Animated television series about brothers
Animated television series about mammals
Fictional primates
American animated television spin-offs
Canadian animated television spin-offs
Television series created by Chris Kratt
Television series created by Martin Kratt