Salty's Lighthouse

**Salty's Lighthouse** was an Americanised version of the British television series *TUGS*, seen on the PBS network. The show consisted of a plot line, with an "episode" of *TUGS* (mostly stock footage). It was about an animated boy called Salty, who with his friends would go into a lighthouse (with a personified and animated light bulb), and look through the lighthouse windows to see the tugs of Bigg City Port (from *TUGS*).

The show introduced *TUGS* to the US however, none of the original series' plotlines were used; the new stories were rewritten and edited as morale based stories, rather than action based.

Another significant change is the characters featured in the *TUGS* segments: Big Mac was renamed to Big Stack; Zebedee was changed to Z.B.; Big Mickey as Big Basil; and O.J. as Otis. Also, the Bigg City Port became Snugboat Harbour. In some cases, even the characters' genders were changed, such as the case with TUGS' major characters, Captain Star, Sunshine, and Little Ditcher, who were now all females, instead of male.

## Comparisons with *TUGS*

* *TUGS* never had a cartoon plotline.
* None of the *TUGS* segments used plotlines from the original 13 episodes; instead, various scenes were cut up into new, shorter episodes.
* Most of the character's voices were different.
* Sunshine, Captain Star, Grampus and Little Ditcher were all female instead of male. Sunshine was also referred to as Ten Cents's sister.
* The tugs voices have all been changed to Bronx, New Jersey, and Brooklyn accents rather than the original Glaswegian, Cockney, and Liverpudlian accents.
* Big Mac was called Big Stack and O.J. was called Otis. However, in the original series, the tugs' names were painted on them. As a workaround, censor bars were used to cover their TUGS names printed on them.
* The Coast Guard and his messenger were merged and became one character called Cappy.
* Zebedee was called Z.B. Strangely, his nameplate was not censored as with Big Mac/ O.J. above.
* Zip was called Ziggy though his nameplate is still visible.
* Burke and Blair became movie producers, and were changed to Mr. Bocco and Mr. Socco.
* The Star Fleet and Z-Stacks became friends instead of rivals.
* Puffa was called Stanley in one episode, and Chooch in another.
* Big Mickey became Big Basil.
* Frank and Eddie were changed to Police Barges and were named Mr. Knight and Mr. Chapman though their nameplates are still shown and they are still seen with Tracks on their sides.
* Lillie Lightship was renamed Mrs. Dempsey though Lillie was still on her side.
* Boomer had two episodes, one in which he remains a tug and successfully guides the schooner to sea, and one in a flashback told by Ten Cents to Zug, in which Boomer has trouble with it and becomes a 'vacation boat'.
* Sea Rogue became evil instead of good.
* Billy Shoepack became Anthony George though Billy Shoepack was still visible on his Turnwheel sides.
* Johnny Cuba was called "Steamer"; and instead of a smuggler, he was shy and bashful.
* Bigg City Port became Snugboat Harbour.
* Salty's Lighthouse had one season; similar to *TUGS*. However, as the original series' episodes were edited and integrated into the new series, the new version had 25 episodes, instead of 13.

## Characters

* Salty - The main character who loves using his imagination to cosimerrate with human and animal friends alike, learning all sorts of lessons.
* Ocho - Salty's octopus friend.
* Claude - Salty's crab friend.
* Sophie and Sadie - The two girl seagulls.
* Aunt Chovie - Salty's aunt who owns the lighthouse.

## Theme Song

The theme song is rather Childish unlike the *TUGS* theme. The shows theme is more Musical and uses a Seaside tune which *TUGS* uses though the *TUGS* uses a Whistle tune where as *Salty's Lighthouse* uses a rather steryotyipical Seaside Tune. Also in *TUGS* Captain Star (Patrick Allen) would give the story about the Tugboat.

## Episode List

*Main:List of Saltys Lighthouse episodes*

* 1.Mixed Signals / Too Young to Be Included
* 2.Who Took My Crayons / High Spirits
* 3.Taking My Turn / Backward Day
* 4.Banana Splits / Clear the Decks
* 5.Claude in Charge / The Favourite
* 6.Strike Up the Band / Blankety Blank
* 7.Last of the Red Hot C Gulls / Farley Frog
* 8.Some Guys Have all the Luck / Dream On
* 9.Treasure Hunt / Big Birthday Bash
* 10.Boss Man / Sophie Come Home
* 11.Salty Come Lately / It's Magic
* 12.No Strings Attached / Sound Off
* 13.If the Clue Fits, Wear It / Let's Wing It
* 14.Bivalve Music / Taking Off
* 15.Blackout / Eight is Too Much
* 16.One Bad Day / Hands Off!
* 17.Colossal Crab / Who Turned Off the Lights?
* 18.Let's Party / Guilty Gull
* 19.Count on Me / Desperately Seeking Sadie

## Cast

* Rhys Huber as Salty
* Ian James Corlett as Ten Cents, Z.B., Otis and Zip
* Kathleen Barr as Ocho and Aunt Chovie
* Scott McNeil as Zorran and Zug
* Paul Dobson as Big Stack
* Janyse Jaud as Sophie, Sadie and Grampus
* Venus Terzo as Mrs. Dempsey
* Long John Baldry as Top Hat and Hercules
* Terry Klassen as Claude and Zak
* Andrea Libman as Sunshine
* Gary Chalk as Bluenose
* Michael Donovan as Warrior and Scuttlebutt Pete
* Lenore Zann as Little Ditcher and Captain Star
* French Tickner as Captain Zero and Bigg Basil
* Richard Newman as Mr. Bocco and Mr. Socco
* Brad Swaile as Boomer
* Kirby Morrow as Zorran and Zug

## See Also

* *TUGS* - The Original Series
* *Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends* - Sister Series to *TUGS*
* *Theodore Tugboat* - Canadian Series Similar to *Salty's Lighthouse* and *TUGS*