Mulligan Stew (TV series)

Mulligan Stewis an American children's educational television series, produced and sponsored by theUSDAExtension Service and its youth outreach program,4-H.
Taking its name from thedish,Mulligan Stewaired in syndication beginning in the fall of 1972 and continued in reruns onpublic televisioninto the early 80s.
The six-episode series follows the adventures of a group of five school-age musicians and their mentor, all dedicated to teaching others about good nutrition and developing healthier eating habits.  The series, along with various educational materials including a companion comic book with additional adventures of the characters, was developed by theMichigan State UniversityCooperative Extension Service.
The series centers on the humorous adventures of a group of five school-aged kids who are all members of a rock band called "Mulligan Stew" (also referred to as the "Stews" or the "Mulligan Stew Force").
The band members are:
(Mulligan, Maggie and Micki all sing lead vocals on most of the band's songs while Mike and Manny usually handle backing vocals.)  The group's clubhouse is a basement in a brownstone apartment, fully furnished with a kitchen, shortwave radio, home gym, laboratory, and even a small stage where they rehearse their music.
Their grownup advisor and mentor isWilbur Dooright(Barry Michlin), a bespectacled, bumbling accountant who, in some episodes, gives the kids their assignments "from upstairs", assumed to be a secret government organization (paying homage to the spy films and TV shows of the day).  Wilbur provides much of the comic relief throughout the series.
An integral and ubiquitous part of the program's message was the "4-4-3-2" balanced diet program, part of thestandard USDA nutrition guidelines/recommendationspromoted during the 1960s and 1970s. The use of dietary supplements was strongly discouraged; it was taught that all nutritional needs, including the proper intake of vitamins, minerals, fats and carbohydrates, could be adequately obtained solely by adhering to a balanced diet, with appropriate servings from the "basic four" food groups. This message was enthusiastically repeated by the children several times per episode. (The "basic four" food groups were updated by USDA in subsequent decades by the 1990s-era "Food Guide Pyramid" and the current "MyPlate" nutritional guidelines program.)
Mulligan Stewwas developed in early 1971 by the USDA Extension Service, and filmed by the USDA Motion Picture Service (which for many years prior produced educational cinematic films and TV programs for public viewing).Mulligan Stewwas developed based on plan and design proposals by Developmental Committees,Iowa State UniversityExtension Service 4-H Nutrition Television Programs. TheExpanded Food and Nutrition Education Program(EFNEP) provided a grant to produce the series. (4-H is the official youth outreach and development program of the land-grant universities' Cooperative Extension Services and USDA.)
The target audience of the program was older elementary school students, fourth through sixth grade.
Eleanor Wilson, the national 4-H TV coordinator at the time, was tapped to be the series' technical advisor. Wilson subcontracted with Iowa State University to develop an outline of educational concepts for the series. USDA Extension then hired Ira Klugerman to direct the series. Klugerman, who came from a background of children's television atWQEDin Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, came up with the title and general treatment for the series. V. "Buddy" Renfro was the credited producer.
Production began on location in southeast Washington, DC in 1971 (the opening sequence was filmed atRFK Stadium). Other filming locations included major production partner Michigan State University's home base ofLansing, Michigan, and on location for one episode atJohnson Space Centerin Houston. The low budget of the project proved to be a significant challenge, as well as the unique challenges of working with child actors.
The producers wanted the style of the series to reflect trends begun in other popular and innovative TV shows such asSesame StreetandLaugh-In. Puppetry and animation were frequently used. Sometimes one or two of the kids would conduct "man-on-the-street" interviews, asking ordinary citizens about nutrition-related topics. All of the music, including the theme song and the various songs sung by the kids during an episode (many times in musical "romps" reminiscent of the ones seen onThe MonkeesTV series), were composed and arranged by Washington, DC musician and recording engineer Paul Brier, and performed by a rock combo credited on screen as "The Eye".
Mulligan Stewpremiered on October 4, 1972, during the National 4-H Week at the National 4-H Center in Washington, DC. The program was considered a success, especially by previous standards for television outreach sponsored by 4-H. The series had a moderate impact on kids making better choices in what they ate, and provided 4-H with a sizable marketing, promotional and public relations boost. Thanks in part to the popularity ofMulligan Stew, 4-H membership was boosted to an all-time high in 1974,and the series continued to air in reruns on public television until 1981.
Several celebrities or future celebrities made uncredited appearances, either as part of the main storyline or in brief segments; among these wereRichard Sanderswho later gained fame playingLes NessmanonWKRP in Cincinnati. Ordinary citizens were interviewed by the kids in selected segments of some episodes in a "man on the street" format.