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May 18, 2000
Friendly Giant series return?
By BILL BRIOUX
Adrian Mills, CBC's creative head, children's, youth and daytime programming, says he's looking into reviving the classic children's series. The death of Friendly Giant creator Bob Homme, who passed away last month at 81, triggered an outpouring of love and affection across the country. Mills thinks there may be a way to revive the daytime series, which ran from 1958 to 1985. Any revival would presumably have to include Rusty and Jerome, the rooster and giraffe who visited Friendly each day at the castle. Mills wasn't sure at this stage whether classic images of Homme as the gentle giant would appear in any new version of the show. "So far, we're just kicking around ideas," says Mills. "We're probably two years away from seeing anything happen." In the meantime, Mills has also asked CBC international sales to put together a series of Friendly Giant home videos for consumers. Both projects will need a green light from Homme's estate. The children's entertainer owned the concept and was always fiercely vigilant about how Friendly was portrayed and marketed. As well, rights and clearances to some of the books and music used in the series will have to be negotiated before the drawbridge rises on any new version of the show. |
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