| ABC Weekend Specials | |
|---|---|
![]() Main Title Card |
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| Genre | Saturday morning anthology |
| Theme music composer | Tommy Leonetti (1977-1990) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 17 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 min. |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | ABC |
| Original run | September 10, 1977 – August 30, 1997 |
The ABC Weekend Special is a weekly 30-minute anthology TV series for children that aired Saturday mornings on ABC from 1977 to 1997. It featured a wide variety of stories that were both live-action and animated. Similar to the ABC Afterschool Special that had started five years previous, the ABC Weekend Special differed in that it was primarily aimed at younger viewers following ABC's Saturday Morning cartoon lineup, whereas the ABC Afterschool Special was known for its somewhat more serious, and often dramatic storylines dealing with issues concerning a slightly older teen and pre-teen audience. With the debut of the ABC Weekend Special, some of the early ABC Afterschool Specials that had been targeted towards younger viewers were subsequently repackaged and re-run instead as ABC Weekend Specials.
Beginning in 1979, the series was hosted by Michael Young, who served as host of the show for two seasons.
In 1981, ventriloquist Willie Tyler and his puppet Lester took over as "co-hosts" of the series, appearing in an opening segment introducing that week's episode as well as an ending segment wrapping up the show and often recommending the book that that week's episode had been based on.
In 1984, the puppet character Cap'n O. G. Readmore took over as host of the series. The character also starred in five animated episodes of the show, as well appearing in animated Saturday morning PSA's encouraging children to "read more".
During the series' tenure on Saturday Mornings, ABC Weekend Specials had three main opening title sequence packages, all of which included storybook/literary elements and characters in varying forms.
September 10, 1977–August 1990 |
The Pop-Up Book
The original opening, designed and animated by Rick Reinert Studios, consisted of a stack of books on a library desk accompanied by a rhymic disco theme tune in the background. A larger book in the middle of the display (with the show's title printed on the cover) magically opens, with the ABC logo printed on the first page. Various figures from literature and intertitles pop up from out of the book. The intertitles read Children's Novels for Television and Short Story Specials respectively. The series title "blossoms" into view at the end of the intro. This was the longest running umbrella sequence in the show's broadcast history. |
September 1990–September 1994 |
Reading is Magic
With a new decade comes a new visual sequence and theme song. For this package, Weekend Specials combined computer animation with live action elements as neighborhood kids discover the wonders of reading with a turn of a page and a little bit of magic. When the enchanted books are open, the readers become part of the story... from cowboys to undersea explorers to cave kids. One of the books (with the series title printed on the cover) magically grows and flips open, with Cap'n O.G. Readmore ushering the readers for fun and adventure. This opener was animated by San Diego based American Film Technologies, with key animation by comic book artist Terrie Smith. |
September 1994–August 30, 1997 |
Adventures in Reading
During the mid 1990s, the graphics package was again updated. This CGI opener takes place back at the library, where we pan through a row of books. The camera stops at a book with the ABC Circle signature printed on the side. The logo then magically pops out and grows arms and legs and leaps to a book on a nearby desk. It opens the book and dives into an array of worlds and universes inhabited by letters! The Circle figure fights off combatants at a medieval castle, swings a vine in the jungle and flies through the solar system in its spacecraft. The Circle figure ends its journey on the front cover of a book with the show's title beside it. |
| Closing Credits
The closing sequence varied over the years. In the '70s and '80s, a short version of the theme played as a bookmark floats into view, gently landing in the closing Pop-Up Book. An intertitle fades in: Recommended by the National Education Association. The latter title was used until c. 1983. |
Listed by original airdate, however many of the episodes were put into heavy rotation, continuing to air in reruns for years after their original airdate.
| No. | Title | Airdate | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valentine's Second Chance | 1977 January 29 | |
| 2 | The Haunted Trailer | 1977 March 26 | |
| 3 | My Dear Uncle Sherlock | 1977 April 16 | |
| 4 | Homer and the Wacky Doughnut Machine | 1977 April 30 |
14 episodes:
| No. | Title | Airdate | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | The Winged Colt (Part 1) | 1977 September 10 | |
| 6 | The Winged Colt (Part 2) | 1977 September 17 | |
| 7 | The Winged Colt (Part 3) | 1977 September 24 | |
| 8 | The Ransom of Red Chief | 1977 October 22 | |
| 9 | Portrait of Grandpa Doc | 1977 November 5 | |
| 10 | Trouble River (Part 1) | 1977 November 12 | |
| 11 | Trouble River (Part 2) | 1977 November 19 | |
| 12 | Tales of the Nunundaga (Part 1) | 1977 November 26 | |
| 13 | Tales of the Nunundaga (Part 2) | 1977 December 3 | |
| 14 | Escape of a One-Ton Pet (Part 1) | 1978 January 7 | |
| 15 | Escape of a One-Ton Pet (Part 2) | 1978 January 14 | |
| 16 | Escape of a One-Ton Pet (Part 3) | 1978 January 21 | |
| 17 | Soup and Me | 1978 February 4 | |
| 18 | The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy | 1978 May 6 |
11 episodes:
| No. | Title | Airdate | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | The Seven Wishes of Joanna Peabody | 1978 September 9 | |
| 20 | The Contest Kid and the Big Prize | 1978 September 16 | |
| 21 | If I'm Lost, How Come I Found You? (Part 1) | 1978 September 30 | |
| 22 | If I'm Lost, How Come I Found You? (Part 2) | 1978 October 7 | |
| 23 | The $1000 Bill | 1978 October 28 | |
| 24 | Little Lulu | 1978 November 4 | |
| 25 | Soup for President | 1978 November 18 | |
| 26 | Weep No More, My Lady | 1979 February 10 | |
| 27 | The Horse That Played Center Field (Part 1) | 1979 February 24 | |
| 28 | The Horse That Played Center Field (Part 2) | 1979 March 3 | |
| 29 | The Puppy's Great Adventure | 1979 May 5 |
12 episodes:
| No. | Title | Airdate | Production Company | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | The Big Hex of Little Lulu | 1979 September 15 | ABC | |
| 31 | The Contest Kid Strikes Again | 1979 September 22 | ||
| 32 | The Girl with ESP | 1979 October 20 | ||
| 33 | The Ghost of Thomas Kempe (Part 1) | 1979 November 3 | ||
| 34 | The Ghost of Thomas Kempe (Part 2) | 1979 November 10 | ||
| 35 | The Incredible Detectives | 1979 November 17 | ||
| 36 | The Revenge of Red Chief | 1979 December 15 | ||
| 37 | The Puppy's Amazing Rescue | 1980 January 26 | ||
| 38 | The Gold Bug (Part 1) | 1980 February 2 | ||
| 39 | The Gold Bug (Part 2) | 1980 February 9 | ||
| 40 | The Trouble with Miss Switch (Part 1) | 1980 February 16 | ||
| 41 | The Trouble with Miss Switch (Part 2) | 1980 February 23 |
8 episodes:
| No. | Title | Airdate | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42 | Scruffy (Part 1) | 1980 October 4 | |
| 43 | Scruffy (Part 2) | 1980 October 11 | |
| 44 | Scruffy (Part 3) | 1980 October 18 | |
| 45 | Arthur the Kid | 1981 January 3 | |
| 46 | Zack and the Magic Factory (Part 1) | 1981 January 10 | |
| 47 | Zack and the Magic Factory (Part 2) | 1981 January 17 | |
| 48 | Mayday! Mayday! (Part 1) | 1981 January 24 | |
| 49 | Mayday! Mayday! (Part 2) | 1981 January 31 |
6 episodes:
| No. | Title | Airdate | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | The Puppy Saves the Circus | 1981 September 12 | |
| 51 | The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County | 1981 September 19 | |
| 52 | Bunnicula, the Vampire Rabbit | 1982 January 9 | |
| 53 | Miss Switch to the Rescue (Part 1) | 1982 January 16 | |
| 54 | Miss Switch to the Rescue (Part 2) | 1982 January 23 | |
| 55 | The Joke's on Mr. Little | 1982 February 6 |
9 episodes:
| No. | Title | Airdate | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56 | The Haunted Mansion Mystery (Part 1) | 1983 January 8 | |
| 57 | The Haunted Mansion Mystery (Part 2) | 1983 January 15 | |
| 58 | The Red Room Riddle | 1983 February 5 | |
| 59 | Horatio Alger Updated: Frank and Fearless (Part 1) | 1983 February 12 | |
| 60 | Horatio Alger Updated: Frank and Fearless (Part 2) | 1983 February 19 | |
| 61 | All the Money in the World | 1983 March 19 | |
| 62 | The Secret World of Og (Part 1) | 1983 April 30 | |
| 63 | The Secret World of Og (Part 2) | 1983 May 7 | |
| 64 | The Secret World of Og (Part 3) | 1983 May 14 |
9 episodes:
| No. | Title | Airdate | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 65 | Cougar! (Part 1) | 1984 January 7 | |
| 66 | Cougar! (Part 2) | 1984 January 14 | |
| 67 | Cougar! (Part 3) | 1984 January 21 | |
| 68 | The Dog Days of Arthur Cane, Part 1 | 1984 February 18 | |
| 69 | The Dog Days of Arthur Cane, Part 2 | 1984 February 25 | |
| 70 | A Different Twist | 1984 March 10 | |
| 71 | The Amazing Bunjee Venture (Part 1) | 1984 March 24 | |
| 72 | The Amazing Bunjee Venture (Part 2) | 1984 March 31 | |
| 73 | Bad Cat | 1984 April 14 |
8 episodes:
| No. | Title | Airdate | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 74 | Henry Hamilton, Graduate Ghost (Part 1) | 1984 December 8 | |
| 75 | Henry Hamilton, Graduate Ghost (Part 2) | 1984 December 15 | |
| 76 | The Bollo Caper | 1985 February 2 | |
| 77 | The Adventures of a Two-Minute Werewolf (Part 1) | 1985 February 23 | |
| 78 | The Adventures of a Two-Minute Werewolf (Part 2) | 1985 March 2 | |
| 79 | The Return of the Bunjee (Part 1) | 1985 April 6 | |
| 80 | The Return of the Bunjee (Part 2) | 1985 April 13 | |
| 81 | The Velveteen Rabbit | 1985 April 20 |
9 episodes:
| No. | Title | Airdate | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 82 | The Adventures of Con Sawyer and Hucklemary Finn (Part 1) | 1985 September 7 | |
| 83 | The Adventures of Con Sawyer and Hucklemary Finn (Part 2) | 1985 September 14 | |
| 84 | Jeeter Mason and the Magic Headset | 1985 October 5 | |
| 85 | Cap'n O.G. Readmore's Jack and the Beanstalk | 1985 October 12 | |
| 86 | Pippi Longstocking (Part 1) | 1985 November 2 | |
| 87 | Pippi Longstocking (Part 2) | 1985 November 9 | |
| 88 | Columbus Circle | 1985 November 23 | |
| 89 | The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin (Part 1) | 1985 November 30 | |
| 90 | The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin (Part 2) | 1985 December 7 |
9 episodes:
| No. | Title | Airdate | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 91 | Cap'n O.G. Readmore Meets Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde | 1986 September 13 | |
| 92 | The Day the Kids Took Over (Part 1) | 1986 September 20 | |
| 93 | The Day the Kids Took Over (Part 2) | 1986 September 27 | |
| 94 | Liberty and the Littles (Part 1) | 1986 October 18 | |
| 95 | Liberty and the Littles (Part 2) | 1986 October 25 | |
| 96 | Liberty and the Littles (Part 3) | 1986 November 1 | |
| 97 | The Mouse and the Motorcycle (Part 1) | 1986 November 8 | |
| 98 | The Mouse and the Motorcycle (Part 2) | 1986 November 15 | |
| 99 | Santabear's First Christmas | 1986 November 22 |
Occasionally, during the Weekend Specials timeslot, ABC aired a series of specials under the title ABC Saturday Morning Specials. Two ABC's Wide World of Sports for Kids specials were also produced in 1994.
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