Stanley

**Stanley** is an American children's television series created by Andrew Griffin. The series aired on Playhouse Disney from September 15, 2001 to November 26, 2004.

## Plot

Each episode shows Stanley in a situation he does not fully understand. He discusses it with his pet goldfish Dennis before consulting the Great Big Book of Everything, a remarkably complete zoology book aimed at young children or his computer. By observing how an animal copes with the same situation Stanley faces, or how it can overcome a similar difficulty, Stanley learns to deal with the situation himself.

Throughout the show Stanley and all his preschool aged friends are able to talk to his pet cat, Elsie and dog Harry as well as Dennis. Other animals also seem to occasionally respond, but never talk or give a definite indication they truly understood what was said. Stanley and his friends actively try to keep the adults (that is, except Stanley's grandmother) and by extension Stanley's older brother Lionel, from realising this.

The Great Big Book of Everything appears to be magical in nature, able to either let the animals out of the pages or allow the children to enter, sometimes changing them into animals in the process. This does not appear to be imaginary since occasionally adults do notice the noise and Stanley works hard to hide the animals. There is also an episode where Stanley's brother sees a whale on the roof but dismisses the memory when it disappears back into the book.

The Halloween special features Stanley's grandmother who, it is implied, is a witch. She reveals that she too can work the book and in fact was the one who gave it to Stanley. She was also the one who taught its theme song to Harry and Elsie.

When someone says the "Great Big Book of Everything", hints it out, or even has the book, Elsie and Harry will wake up or find their way into the scene and start singing. This usually annoys Dennis, who after the introductory verse, says something like "Oh, not again!"

## Cast and Characters

### Main

* Jessica D. Stone as Stanley Griff
* Charles Shaughnessy as Dennis the Goldfish
* David Landsberg as Mark Griff
* Ari Meyers as Joyce Griff
* Rene Mujica as Harry the Dog
* Shawn Pyfrom as Lionel Griff
* Hynden Walch as Elsie the Cat
* Philece Sampler as Lester Goldberg
* Khaylan Jones as Marci and Mimi

### Supporting

* Candi Milo as Ms. Diaz
* Wallace Shawn as Mr. Goldberg
* Didi Conn as Mrs. Goldberg
* Megan Taylor Harvey as Samantha
* Lucy Hagan as Max

## Film

### Stanley's Dinosaur Round-Up

On January 3, 2006, Walt Disney Home Entertainment and Cartoon Pizza released a full-length direct-to-video movie based on Stanley. Entitled Stanley's Dinosaur Round-Up, the film centers on the titular character as he, along with Elsie, Dennis, Harry, Mimi, Lester and Marci, team up to save his Great Uncle Stew's dude ranch from the greedy Rockin' Rory who intends to buy the ranch and turn it into an amusement park.

## Broadcast

In the U.S., the series aired on Disney Channel's daytime preschool block Playhouse Disney since its debut on September 15, 2001. When Playhouse Disney rebranded its on-air presentation in 2007, Stanley was put on a new timeslot at 6:00am on the weekdays. As of May 2008, Stanley no longer airs on Playhouse Disney, but DVDs and books are still available. In February 2011, the show was completely removed when Playhouse Disney rebranded as Disney Junior. The show was briefly seen online on DisneyJunior.com as part of "fan favourites" week on the week of June 20, 2011. From March 23, 2012 to September 3, 2013, the series returned on the U.S. airwaves on Disney Junior.

In Canada, it ran on The Family Channel from 2002 to 2007 and then was moved to Disney Junior, which has been running since 2007. It also aired on the Canadian-French version of Disney Junior since 2010.

#### **Canada**

* Family (Canada)
* Disney Junior (English Canada)
* Disney Junior (French Canada)
* Playhouse Disney (English Canada)
* Playhouse Disney (French Canada)

#### **United States**

* Disney Channel (Playhouse Disney)
* Disney Junior