McCracken’s Imaginary Friends Premieres Aug. 13

Don’t be expecting a POWERPUFF GIRLS knockoff if you tune into Craig McCracken’s latest 2D creation, FOSTER’S HOME FOR IMAGINARY FRIENDS, which debuts Aug. 13, 2004 at 7:30 pm on Cartoon Network with a 90-minute feature. Witty observations on present-day life, relationships and trends are woven in with a wild/colorful assortment of oddball characters in this mostly adult comedy.

Like many kids, McCracken created an imaginary friend to confide in and keep him company when he was little. But where do they go when you outgrow them? The show is set in a funky old mansion where a motley crew of humans takes care of imaginary friends, abandoned by their child creators, who try to help them find a new friend to live with.

Mac is a normal, if sensitive, eight-year-old boy who has created his own best friend, Bloo (a blue-blob character). When his mom decides that Mac is too old to have Bloo around any longer, Mac takes Bloo to Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends. He convinces Madame Foster to let Bloo move in, but Mac worries that his pal will be adopted by another kid. Madame Foster and the home’s staff (giant bunny-turned-house administrator Mr. Herriman and Frankie, Madame Foster’s sensible granddaughter) agree to let Mac visit often and keep Bloo from being adopted by anyone else.

The assorted, odd residents are bizarre manifestations of children’s desires. All of them have a distinct personality and want nothing more than to find another kid to permanently live with. Mac and Bloo spend a lot of time with a small group of the more colorful residents.

Wilt was once the ultimate best friend for a sports-obsessed kid. His busted arm and a wonky eye have left him less skilled as a sportsman, but he remains generous and optimistic. Eduardo looks like a gigantic, tough, purple-people-eater, but beneath his thick fur, horns and gruff voice, he’s more pussycat than a Latin-tongued monster. Poor Coco has spent too much time in the sun to be much of a conversationalist, but this scrambled creature has an uncanny knack for laying eggs that contain very handy things. Everyone’s least favorite housemate, Duchess, is an Imaginary Friend with a designer pedigree and a snooty attitude.

McCracken’s first series for Cartoon Network was, THE POWERPUFF GIRLS, which premiered in 1998. That Emmy Award-winning series was a worldwide hit that spawned a billion-dollar licensing business and a theatrical motion picture. McCracken, who attended the California Institute of the Arts, also worked as the art director for the four-time Emmy-nominated series DEXTER’S LABORATORY and served as art director on the first season of 2 STUPID DOGS.

Thanks to a creative production process utilizing Flash, Adobe Illustrator and After Effects, FOSTER’S HOME has been produced more at home, enabling more U.S. animators to work at the Cartoon Network Studios in Burbank, California, where nearly half the episodes are being produced instead of being shipped to an overseas service house. The rest are shipped out to Dublin-based Boulder Media in Ireland.

McCracken directed, exec produced and story edited his creation, Mike Moon co-produced and art directed the series with animation direction by Robert Alvarez and Randy Myers. Line producers are Vincent Aniceto and Victoria McCollum and production managers are Carolyn Yuka Shaushkin and Michelle Papandrew. Lauren Faust was part of the writing team and did story supervision.

Background supervisor was Chris Reccardi while background design was by Dave Dunnet and Dan Krall. Creative producer/supervising director was Craig Kellman and Flash director was Eric Pringle.

Collette Sunderman cast the show and did the recording direction. Supervising editor is Paul Douglas, sound editing is by Twenty First Century Entertainment and re-recording is by Hacienda Post. Main title theme and music is by James L. Venable.

Alan Quigley and Robert Cullen are the overseas directors with animation director Paul O’Flanagan.

Brian A. Miller is Cartoon Network Studios exec producer, Jennifer Pelphrey is supervising producer and Khaki Jones is exec in charge of production for CN.

FOSTER’S HOME FOR IMAGINARY FRIENDS stars the voices of:

Grey Delisle as Frankie/Duchess
Keith Ferguson as Blooregard Q. Kazoo
Tom Kane as Mr. Herriman
Tom Kenny as Eduardo
Phil LaMarr as Wilt
Sean Marquette as Mac
Candi Milo as Coco/Madame Foster

Beginning Aug. 20, the new 30-minutes series moves to its normal timeslot, Fridays at 7:00 pm with a replay at 10:30 pm.

Cartoon Network, currently seen in 86.4 million U.S. homes and 145 countries around the world, is Turner Broadcasting System Inc.'s 24-hour, ad-supported cable service offering animated entertainment.