Television

Fox Family Announces Fall Schedule. Fox Family Channel, which was launched on August 15, 1998 when Fox took over the Family Channel, has announced its fall schedule. The schedule includes four new animated series: Weird-Ohs is about three kids uncovering the mysteries of life; Kids From Room 402, based on the book, Gracie Graves And The Kids From Room 402 by Betty Paraskevas, is about a classroom of ten year old eccentrics; Angela Anaconda, a cut-out style animated series, is about an eight year old girl and her elementary school problems; and Mega Babies, revolves around three super babies defending the universe. These new shows join a mix of live-action programming and other animated shows that are either returning (Donkey Kong) or have been previously shown in other countries (Rotten Ralph). The complete schedule is as follows with all times Eastern:

Saturdays, beginning October 9, 1999:

8:00 am Mary Kate & Ashley's Adventures
8:30 am Rotten Ralph
9-11 am Great Pretenders Marathon
11:00 am Radio Active (S Club 7 starts on November 6)
11:30 am Big Wolf On Campus
12:00 am Weird-Ohs
12:30 am Kids From Room 402
1:00 pm Angela Anaconda
1:30 pm Great Pretenders (S Club 7 starts on November 6)

Sundays, beginning October 10, 1999:

8:00 am Donkey Kong Country
8:30 am Rotten Ralph
9:00 am Mega Babies
9:30 am Mega Babies
10:00 am Ripley's Believe It Or Not!
10:30 am I Was A Sixth Grade Alien
11:00 am Radio Active (S Club 7 starts on November 6)
11:30 am Big Wolf On Campus
12:00 am Weird-Ohs
12:30 am Kids From Room 402
1:00 pm Angela Anaconda
1:30 pm Great Pretenders (S Club 7 starts on November 6)

Weekday Programming, beginning October 11, 1999:

7:00 am Mega Babies (Monday)
Weird-Ohs (Tuesday)
Kids From Room 402 (Wednesday)
Angela Anaconda (Thursday)
Mega Babies (Friday; S Club 7 starts on November 12)
3:00 pm Mega Babies (Monday)
Weird-Ohs (Tuesday)
Kids From Room 402 (Wednesday)
Angela Anaconda (Thursday)
Mega Babies (Friday; S Club 7 starts on November 12)
4:00 pm I Was A Sixth Grade Alien
4:30 pm Big Wolf On Campus
5:00 pm The New Addams Family
5:30 pm Two Of A Kind

Channel Four Picks Up Grabbit The Rabbit. Channel Four has bought the broadcast rights to London, UK-based Link Entertainment's GRABBIT THE RABBIT, a clay-animated series of thirteen eight-minute episodes. The episodes are based on fables from around the world including those of Jean de la Fontaine and Joel Chandler Harris. (Disney adapted some of Harris' Brer Rabbit stories in Song Of The South.)

UPN Orders Roman Doomsday. UPN has ordered thirteen episodes of Doomsday from Film Roman for the 2000-01 season. As previously announced [Flash 8/17/99], Doomsday is an animated sci-fi/comedy series. While the concept was created by writer/producer Tracy Torme, Howard Stern will play an integral role in the development of the script and in the production of the series, as well as provide the voice for the family dog. Several of Stern's celebrity friends will appear as special guest voices. Doomsday tells the story of the Bradley family who travel in a motor-home across a post-apocalyptic United States in search of a new home and traditional family values. Tracy Torme began his career as a staff writer at SCTV and Saturday Night Live and has since gone on to write and produce for a variety of television series including Sliders and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Howard Stern is host of The Howard Stern Show, a daily syndicated radio talk show.

Phil Roman Announces The Gaudins. Studio City, California-based Phil Roman Entertainment Company has announced that it is co-producing The Gaudins: A Christmas Special with Barcelona, Spain-based ABCN Concept. S.L. The 22-minute animated special will use designs inspired by early twentieth century Spanish architect Antonio Gaudi. According to Phil Roman, the show will create a whimsical, fantasy world for family audiences. The show will be available Christmas 2000, but has yet to be picked up. As previously reported, Phil Roman departed the animation company he founded in 1984, Film Roman, to create his own animation firm.

Marsupilami Goes Into Production. Montreal, Canada-based Motion International has started production on Marsupilami, a 26 episode, half-hour animated television series based on a comic strip by Belgium artist Andrè Franquin. French producer Marathon is co-producing, and the series will be aired by Tele-Quebec, as well as other, as yet undetermined, international broadcasters. Marsupilami is a funny animal-type character with yellow fur, black spots and many talents. He first appeared in 1952 in Spirou Magazine, a Belgian comic book. A Disney produced, thirteen episode television series appeared and quickly vanished on CBS during the 1993-4 season. Earlier this year the Marsupilami rights holder sued and won against Disney, claiming that Disney had not properly promoted or exploited the series and character.