|
 Theodore
Tugboat - Cheery tugboat featured on the award-winning animated
maritime series THEODORE TUGBOAT/PBS/1998. Berthed in the magical Big Harbor,
Theodore ("the friendliest tugboat in the world") works for the The Great Ocean
Tug and Salvage Company fleet.
Theodore shared adventures with his tugboat
buddies: Emily the Vigorous, the most knowledgeable about what goes on in the
harbor; George the Valiant, a large, impatient tugboat with a take charge
attitude and a deep whistle; Foduck the Vigilant, the technical one of the group
who is outfitted with fire-fighting gear; Rebecca the Research Vessel, with whom
Theodore has a crush; and Hank, the smallest tugboat who is willing to do
anything, anytime.
Theodore's other acquaintances included Barrington Barge, Bonnavista Barge,
Benjamin Bridge, Bedford Buoy, Donald Dock and The Dispatcher who runs The Great
Ocean Tug & Salvage Company.
The only human on the series is the Harbor Master (played by Denny Doherty of
the Mamas and the Papas) who is responsible for the safe and orderly conduct of
the activities in the harbor.
Each program (which contains three short stories) is introduced and concluded
by the Harbor Master who applies the lessons of each story to his own life.
TRIVIA NOTE: Cochran Entertainment, which produced the THEODORE TUGBOAT series
for pre-school children, commissioned a life-sized replica of Theodore Tugboat
(nicknamed “Theodore Too”) to satisfy the many requests for the character's
personal appearances.
According to Cochran Entertainment, the Halifax, Nova
Scotia-based producer of family programming, the Theodore vessel is "committed
to helping children and families be safe while having fun in and on the water."
Theodore is also the "spokes boat" and official Ambassador of the National Safe
Boating Council (NSBC). As Theodore says, "Be Boat Smart From The Start. Wear
Your Life Jacket!"
Theodore Too on Tour
Built at Snyder's Shipyard in Dayspring, near Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, the
Theodore Too boat was fitted with large, movable cartoon eyes and a big red
baseball cap.
Designed by two Nova Scotians, Fred Allen and naval architect
Marius Lengkeek, the ocean-going Theodore Tugboat ran with the help of a captain
and two full-time crew members.
The twenty-meter-long (65 feet), seven-meter-wide (22 foot), 105-ton vessel was
powered by a 400-horsepower Caterpillar 3406 turbocharged diesel engine. It
carries enough fuel for a cruising range of about 800 miles.
The boat's face (with hydraulically controlled blinking eyes), hat and
smokestack were made of fiberglass.
The $1 million dollar tug debuted in Boston Harbor joining the Tall Ships during
Sail Boston 2000 from July 11-16 and also made an appearance in the Washington
area to commemorate National Transportation Week and National Maritime Day.
“Theodore Tugboat” appeared twice on the NBC-TV Emmy-winning Rosie O’Donnell
Show.
Theodore Too was captained by Bill Stewart (aka Captain Jerome), a veteran
tugboat captain with over 25 year’s experience who spent nine years as a 44-foot
motor lifeboat coxswain in the Canadian Coast Guard.
External Links
Back to Top |
