Discuss Long Ago and Far Away

Although I was a young adult during the run of this charming awards-winning PBS series, I nonetheless often watched it, as it was so well done and appealing. Each episode a different fairy tale or other type children's story was presented. The style of presentation varied considerably from installment to installment, as what was presented was fine individual films, in most cases not created expressly for this series (and in a few instances from years earlier), that were independently produced around the world.

Absolutely magical series, wonderful stories, delightful presentation.

I'd love to be able to see some of the series' individual films again at some point.


Please check out the following list of titles and celebrities I've created TMDb threads for: https://www.themoviedb.org/list/118052

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Following is a list I've found online (and extensively edited) of the various individual episodes and their specifics. Everything that follows is as found at https://www.neh.gov/divisions/public/resource/media-log-children-and-family-programming :

Long Ago and Far Away

Long Ago and Far Away is a series that presents dramatic productions based on children’s books, folktales, and fairy tales from around the world.

Program 1, Abel’s Island: Abel, an articulate and sophisticated mouse, struggles to escape from an island after a torrential rainstorm leaves him stranded there.

AWARDS: Emmy nominee, Best Animated Television Program; Action for Children’s Television Award, Outstanding Program; CINE Golden Eagle; American Film and Video Festival, Red Ribbon; Houston International Film and Video Festival, Gold Medal/First Prize for Animation

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATIONS: Michael Sporn Animation, Inc., New York, NY, and Italtoons Corporation/SSR-RTSI; YEAR PRODUCED: 1988; ADAPTATION: Maxine Fisher, Michael Sporn (from the book by WilliamSteig); VOICES: Tim Curry, Lionel Jeffries, Heidi Stallings

Program 2, As Long As He Can Count the Cows: When a boy’s teacher tries to convince his family in Bhutan that he should have glasses, they are not persuaded that he needs them.

AWARDS: International Children’s Programming Festival, Prix Jeunesse; German UNESCO Commission, Cologne, Special Prize and Prize in the Category of Information

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Wide Film Service, Danmarks Radio, and Dandia, Denmark; YEAR PRODUCED: 1985; NARRATOR: Brian Paterson; CAST: Ugey Dorji, Dawa Penior, Wangchuk Wangdi, Dago Tshering, Chopen, Tshering Dorji, Tashi Dori, Narjy

Program 3, Beauty and the Beast: A merchant’s daughter volunteers to live in the enchanted castle of the Beast to save her father’s life.

AWARDS: Chicago International Festival of Children’s Films, First Prize, Animation/Short Videotape; National Educational Film and Video Festival, Bronze Apple; CINE Golden Eagle; Parents Choice Award

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Lightyear Entertainment; YEAR PRODUCED: 1988; ADAPTATION: Mordicai Gerstein (inspired by the original 18th-century French story by Madame Leprince de Beaumont); NARRATOR: Mia Farrow

Program 4, Bill and Bunny: Bill and his family welcome the birth of his baby sister Bunny but have to come to terms with the fact that she is different.

AWARD: International Children’s Programming Festival, Prix Jeunnesse, Best Children’s Program

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Svenska Filminstitutet, Sweden; YEAR PRODUCED: 1984; ADAPTATION: Gunilla Bergstroms (from her own book); NARRATOR: Kim Loughran

Program 5, Bill the Minder: This program relates the adventures of a boy who becomes a minder, or babysitter, for his two young cousins.

AWARD: London Film Festival, Outstanding Film of the Year

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: for Bevanfield Films, England, in association with Link Licensing Limited; YEAR PRODUCED: 1985; WRITER: Timothy Forder (based on the books by W. Heath Robinson); NARRATOR: Peter Chelsom

Program 6, The Boy in the Oak Tree: A young boy lives for years in a nest at the top of an oak tree to avoid eating his peas and mashed potatoes.

AWARD: International Children’s Programming Festival, Prix Jeunesse

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Sveriges Television, Malmo, Sweden; YEAR PRODUCED: 1987; CAST: Richard Blom, Per Eggers, Sonja Hejdeman, Chess (the dog); FORMAT: Live-action, dubbed in English from the Swedish

Program 7, Circus Dreams: Three episodes explore the world of the traveling circus: a boy finds a magical pet; a sympathetic elephant returns a whale to the sea; and a woodcutter joins the circus after his forest is cut down by developers. (See also The Happy Circus.)

AWARD: Cesar Award (French Oscar)

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATIONS: La Maison de Cinema de Grenoble, Antenne 2, and Folimage-Valence, for the French series Le Cirque Bonheur; YEAR PRODUCED: 1986; NARRATOR: Tammy Grimes

Program 8, The Emperor’s New Clothes: This is an animated adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic story.

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATIONS: Michael Sporn Animation, Inc.; Italtoons Corporation; and WGBH, Boston, MA; YEAR PRODUCED: 1990; ADAPTATION: Maxine Fisher (from the tale by Hans Christian Andersen); VOICES: Barnard Hughes, Kevin McCarthy

Program 9, The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship: This classic Russian folktale concerns a Czar who announces he will give his daughter’s hand in marriage to the first man who brings him a flying ship. A good-natured simpleton succeeds and marries the princess.

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATIONS: Cosgrove Hall Productions, Ltd., England and WGBH, Boston, MA; YEAR PRODUCED: 1990; ADAPTATION: John Hambley (from a classic Russian folktale); VOICES: John Woodvine, Robin Bailey, Jimmy Hibbert, Barbara Wilshere, Alan Rothwell, Miriam Denham, Martin Jarvis, Edward Kelsey; NARRATOR: David Suchet

Program 10, Frog and Toad are Friends and Frog and Toad Together: These films present the adventures of the blustery Toad and patient Frog with a behind-the-scenes look at how the filmmaker creates and works with the puppets.

AWARDS/FESTIVALS: Frog and Toad are Friends: CINE Golden Eagle; ALSC Notable Children’s Film; Birmingham International Educational Film Festival; National Educational Film and Video Festival; Frog and Toad Together: CINE Golden Eagle; International Film and Television Festival of New York; Parent’s Choice Award; Los Angeles International Animation Festival; ALSC Notable Children’s Film; Chicago International Festival of Children’s Films; National Educational Film & Video Festival; Chicagoland Film Festival; Birmingham International Educational Film Festival

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Churchill Films, Los Angeles, CA; YEAR PRODUCED: Frog and Toad are Friends (1986), Together (1987); PRODUCER/DIRECTOR/ADAPTATION: John Matthews (from books by Arnold Lobel); VOICES: Hal Smith, Will Ryan; NARRATOR: Arnold Lobel for Frog and Toad are Friends

Program 11, The Happy Circus: Three episodes explore the world of dreams and fantasy: a boy trapped in a subway stumbles into a magical adventure; a seal leaves the circus to find its true vocation; and two children find excitement when they sneak out of their house at night. (See also Circus Dreams.)

AWARD: Cesar Award (French Oscar)

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATIONS: La Maison de Cinema de Grenoble, Antenne 2, and Folimage-Valence, for the French series Le Cirque Bonheur; YEAR PRODUCED: 1986; NARRATOR: Tammy Grimes

Program 12, Hungarian Folk Tales: This program presents three classic Hungarian folktales: Johnny Raven, Pinko, and The Hedgehog. (See also More Hungarian Folktales.)

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Magyar Televizio; YEAR PRODUCED: 1985; ADAPTATION: Marcell Jankovics (based on three classic Hungarian folktales); NARRATOR: Tammy Grimes

Program 13, Jazztime Tale: This is an original story which takes place in 1919, at the height of the Harlem Renaissance. Two girls, one black and one white, meet by accident, become friends, and see the first performance of their friend, the young "Fats" Waller, in a vaudeville show.

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATIONS: Michael Sporn Animation, Inc. for Italtoons Corporation and WGBH, Boston, MA; YEAR PRODUCED: 1991; NARRATOR: Ruby Dee

Program 14, The Man Who Planted Trees: A peaceful shepherd changes the face of a desolate mountain region and the lives of its inhabitants by planting thousands of trees.

AWARDS: Academy Award, Best Animation; International Animated Film Festival, Grand Prize; Ottawa International Animation Festival, Grand Jury Award

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Société Radio-Canada, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Montreal; YEAR PRODUCED: 1987; ADAPTATION: Frederic Back (from the book by Jean Giono, translated by Jean Roberts); NARRATOR: Christopher Plummer

Program 15, Merlin and the Dragons: A bedtime story from the magician Merlin dispels the doubts of young King Arthur about his ability to rule.

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATIONS: Lightyear Entertainment, New York, NY for WGBH, Boston, MA; YEAR PRODUCED: 1990; WRITER: original story by Jane Yolen based on Vita Merlini, Historia Brittonum by Nennius, and Historia Regnum Brittaniae by Jeoffrey of Monmouth; NARRATOR: Kevin Kline

Program 16, More Hungarian Folktales: Four traditional Hungarian folktales are recounted in this program: The Poor Man’s Vineyard, First the Dance, Then the Feast, The Wandering of the Needle, the Dog, the Egg, and the Rooster, and The Astronomer, the Thief, the Hunter, and the Tailor, (See also Hungarian Folktales.)

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Magyar Televizio; YEAR PRODUCED: 1985; ADAPTATIONS: Marcell Jankovics (based on three classic Hungarian folktales); NARRATOR: Tammy Grimes

Program 17, Nightingale: In 14th-century Japan, an Emperor enamored by the lovely voice of a beautiful nightingale falls ill when she departs and cannot recover until her return.

AWARD/FESTIVALS: CINE Golden Eagle; American Film and Video Association Festival; Birmingham (England) Film Festival

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: WGBH-TV, Boston, MA; YEAR PRODUCED: 1992; NARRATOR: Mako

Program 18, Noah’s Ark: Preparing to clear the world by flood, God instructs Noah and his family to build a huge ark and take on board one pair of every species of animal.

AWARDS: National Educational Film and Video Festival, Silver Apple; Action for Children’s Television Award; CINE Golden Eagle

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Lightyear Entertainment; YEAR PRODUCED: 1989; ADAPTATION: Barbara Brenner (based on the Book of Genesis and on Peter Spier’s book, Noah’s Ark); NARRATOR: James Earl Jones

Program 19, Oh, Mr. Toad!: Mr. Toad, the pompous aristocrat from Wind in the Willows, is humbled when the weasels kidnap him and hire an impersonator to take his place.

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Cosgrove Hall Productions, Ltd., England; YEAR PRODUCED: 1988; WRITER: Brian Trueman (inspired by Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in the Willows); VOICES: Sir Michael Hordern, Peter Sullis, Richard Pearson, David Jason

Program 20, Pegasus: This is the story of the fabulous winged horse, as told by Uranea, youngest of the Muses.

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: WGBH Educational Foundation, Boston, MA; YEAR PRODUCED: 1991; NARRATOR: Mia Farrow

Program 21, The Pied Piper of Hamelin: A mysterious stranger saves the medieval town of Hamelin from a plague of rats by luring them away with his magic pipe, but then puts his pipe to a different use.

AWARDS: International Children’s Programming Festival, Prix Jeunesse, Best Children’s Program; British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Best Children’s Program

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Cosgrove Hall Productions, Ltd., England; YEAR PRODUCED: 1980; ADAPTATION: Rosemary Anne Sisson (from the poem by Robert Browning); NARRATOR: Robert Hardy

Program 22, Rarg: The blissful inhabitants of Rarg discover they exist only in the dream of a man named Edwin Barnes, and must find a way to stop Barnes from waking up when his alarm clock rings.

AWARDS: British Animation Festival, Best Children’s Animated Film; Chicago International Film Festival, Silver Plaque; British Academy of Film and Television Arts, nominated for Best Short Animated Film

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Hit Communications; YEAR PRODUCED: 1989; VOICES: Nigel Hawthorne, Michael Gough, Ronnie Stevens

Program 23, The Reluctant Dragon: A shepherd’s son befriends a dragon, who is more inclined to compose poetry than attack the frightened villagers.

AWARD: British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Best Animation

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Cosgrove Hall Productions, Ltd., England; YEAR PRODUCED: 1987; ADAPTATION: Willis Hall (based on the book by Kenneth Grahame); VOICES: Martin Jarvis, Simon Callow

Program 24, The Silver Cornet: Filmed in rural England, this film tells of a young boy’s determination to learn to play a cornet he has found in the barn.

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Yorkshire Television, England; YEAR PRODUCED: 1985; CAST: Adam Sedgwick, Elizabeth Mickery, Neil Phillips, Steve Morley, John Whittock, Ian Bleasdale, Mike Kay

Program 25, The Sleeping Princess: This program retells the story of a young princess who, after being put to sleep for one hundred years by a wicked fairy, is awakened by the kiss of a brave prince

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: BBC, England, for the series Jackanory Playhouse; YEAR PRODUCED: 1976; ADAPTATION: Kay McManus (based on Sleeping Beauty as told by the Brothers Grimm); CAST: Bernard Cribbins, Sylvia Syms, Gabrielle Hamilton, Vivian Pickles, Peggyann Clifford, Georgina Kean, Peter Settelen

Program 26, Svatohor: In this Russian folktale, Svatohor (Saint Mountain) is a young hunter who must complete seemingly impossible tasks to save the czar from his enemies and win the hand of his daughter, Maria.

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Czechoslovak Television, Bratislava; YEAR PRODUCED: 1984; ADAPTATION: Ivan Renc (based on a Russian folktale); NARRATOR: Tammy Grimes

Program 27, The Talking Parcel: Parrot, accompanied by a girl named Penelope and a comic Cockney toad, must rescue H.H. Junketbury and the land of Mythologia from the talons of the evil cockatrices.

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Cosgrove Hall Productions, Ltd., England; YEAR PRODUCED: 1978; ADAPTATION: Rosemary Anne Sisson (from the book by Gerald Durrell); VOICES: Lisa Norris, Freddie Jones, Mollie Sugden, Roy Kinnear, Edward Kelsey, Windsor Davies, Sir Michael Horden, Peter Woodthorpe, Harvey Ashby

Program 28, Uncle Elephant: After a young elephant loses his parents at sea, Uncle Elephant comes to comfort him with tricks, stories, and songs.

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Churchill Films, Inc., Los Angeles, CA, and WGBH, Boston, MA; YEAR PRODUCED: 1991; ADAPTATION: John Matthews (from a book by Arnold Lobel)

Program 29, The Wind in the Willows: This is the story of an unusual group of friends: the wise Badger, the innocent Mole, the generous Rat, and the reckless Toad.

AWARDS: British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Best Children’s Program; International Emmy

PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION: Cosgrove Hall Productions, Ltd., England; YEAR PRODUCED: 1983; ADAPTATION: Rosemary Anne Sisson (based on the book by Kenneth Grahame); VOICES: Richard Pearson, Ian Carmichael, David Jason, Sir Michael Hordern

SERIES AWARDS: National Education Association Award, Advancement of Learning through Broadcasting; Action for Children’s Television, Achievement in Children’s Television Award; National Catholic Association of Broadcasters and Communicators, Gabriel Award, Best National Children’s Program; International Film and Television Festival of New York, Gold Medal; Connoisseur Magazine, Connie Award, Best National Children’s Series; International Reading Association, Broadcast Media Award

DISTRIBUTOR: Available on YouTube or contact: WGBH

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