50 Fun Facts About Arthur (PBS)

What kind of animal is Arthur Read?

Marc Brown drew him with a long snout in the first books, but the nose shrank steadily over the years.

In which fictional town is the show set?

The suburb bears a strong resemblance to the Boston area, home of producer WGBH.

Which children's author created Arthur, first as a bedtime story for his son Tolon?

The names of his children Tolon, Tucker and Eliza are hidden in the books' illustrations.

The first picture book about Arthur, published in 1976, was named after which feature of his?

Brown has said he was 'literally rescued by Arthur'; the series grew to more than 100 books.

On what date did the Arthur TV series premiere on PBS?

PBS's children's block was then called PTV; the show was announced by WGBH and CINAR in March 1995.

How many half-hour episodes did Arthur air across its 25 seasons?

Each half hour held two self-contained 11-minute stories; the last episode aired on 21 February 2022.

Which show overtook Arthur in 2024 as America's longest-running children's animated series?

Arthur held the record from its 2022 finale until the sponge caught up.

Which PBS station developed the series with the books' author after approaching him in January 1993?

Brown was reluctant at first because he did not want to give up creative control of his characters.

Most of Arthur's animation and voice acting was produced in which country?

Montreal's CINAR co-produced at first; production moved to Toronto in 2004 under Cookie Jar and later to 9 Story and Oasis.

Who performed the reggae theme song 'Believe in Yourself'?

Judy Henderson and Jerry de Villiers Jr. wrote it; Chance the Rapper released his own version, 'Wonderful Everyday', in 2014.

Which song, written and performed by head writer Joe Fallon, was introduced in season two and became a gag?

D.W. plays it endlessly on the family stereo, to Arthur's despair.

What grade is Arthur in at Lakewood Elementary School?

He stays eight years old and in Mr. Ratburn's class for the entire 25-year run.

What do Arthur's parents, David and Jane Read, do for a living?

Both work from home, which is why Dad is forever catering parties from the kitchen.

What do D.W.'s initials stand for?

She is four years old and the middle child; baby Kate is the youngest Read.

What is the name of D.W.'s imaginary friend, a squirrel who acts as her conscience?

Emily is D.W.'s real best friend at preschool; Nadine's surname is Flumberghast.

Which two members of the Read household can talk to each other in certain episodes?

The puppy speaks with an English accent in an adult voice, and baby Kate understands animals.

Arthur's best friend Buster Baxter is which animal, and lives with which chronic condition?

Buster loves food and aliens; his parents are divorced and his father is a pilot.

What job does Francine Frensky's father do?

The sporty monkey lives in an apartment and her family is Jewish; her friend Muffy's father owns Crosswire Motors.

Alan Powers, aka the Brain, comes from an ice-cream-parlour family of what heritage?

The Brain is a bear; the ice-cream shop is a regular hangout for the gang.

Why is Binky Barnes older than the rest of Mr. Ratburn's class?

The bulldog also has a severe peanut allergy and, secretly, a love of ballet and butterflies.

Sue Ellen Armstrong has lived all over the world because her father does what job?

The cat is the class martial artist.

Which quiet classmate is a moose with dyslexia who does ventriloquism with a giraffe dummy called Wally?

Carl Gould, who is on the autism spectrum, becomes George's best friend.

Which classmate is a poodle who loves poetry and solving mysteries?

Prunella, also a poodle, is the one into yoga, fortune telling and the paranormal.

In the 2019 episode 'Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone', whom does Arthur's teacher marry?

Alabama Public Television declined to air the episode.

Which episode supplied the still of a clenched fist that became a hugely popular internet meme in 2016?

The meme took off on Black Twitter in July 2016 and helped the show build a cult following among adults.

Which beloved TV neighbour paid a surprise visit to the show's town as himself?

A Hollywood star appeared in 'The Making of Arthur' and the Backstreet Boys in the hour-long 'It's Only Rock 'N' Roll'.

Which two celebrities are the only guest stars to appear more than once on Arthur?

Armstrong featured in 'The Great MacGrady', the episode about the lunch lady's cancer.

Which movie star appeared as himself in the episode 'The Making of Arthur'?

Like Elwood City's producers, Damon is from the Boston area.

Which two awards has Arthur received, according to its record of honours?

TV Guide ranked Arthur Read 26th on its 2002 list of the 50 greatest cartoon characters.

Which hip-hop artist released 'Wonderful Everyday', a reworking of the theme song, in 2014?

The show's parodies of South Park, Jeopardy! and other adult fare helped build its older fanbase.

Which co-producer took over from Cookie Jar in 2011 and moved the animation in-house using Adobe Flash?

The switch from season 16 gave the show its noticeably different later look; Oasis Animation took over from season 20.

Which original voice of Arthur returned to voice the character's adult self in the finale 'All Grown Up'?

The finale flashed forward to show what became of the gang; Yarmush had voiced Arthur in the show's earliest seasons.

In how many countries has Arthur been broadcast?

The Associated Press's television writers voted it one of the top ten shows of the 1990s.

Which two four-year-old bear brothers terrorise D.W. at preschool?

Tommy and Timmy Tibble are identical and live with their grandmother.

Where did Lakewood Elementary's principal Mr. Haney move to when he left the show?

The school librarian is Ms. Paige Turner, a name that is a pun on 'page turner'.

Which of Arthur's grandparents is shown in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease?

Grandma Thora, Arthur's paternal grandmother, writes a newspaper column.

Which classmate, a rabbit with a strong Southern accent, joined the show in its later seasons?

Her family arrived in Elwood City from Louisiana; her little brother is Bud.

Which health and social issues has Arthur been praised for portraying?

The show also promotes reading and family through a deliberately diverse cast.

Where was Arthur's creator born in 1946?

He later settled in New England, which is why the show's town looks so much like suburban Boston.

Roughly how many Arthur books has his creator produced?

The TV adaptation was announced in 1995 and premiered the following autumn.

Where did the show's production move for its final seasons, from season 20 onward?

Production of the final season was already complete by the end of 2019, though it aired in 2022.

Which Arthur spin-off followed the rabbit's travels with his pilot father?

The show mixed animation with live-action footage of real children around the world.

Each half-hour episode of Arthur is made up of two self-contained stories of what length?

Stories usually open with a character, often Arthur, addressing the audience before the title card.

Which state's public television network refused to air Mr. Ratburn's 2019 wedding episode?

The same station had declined a 2005 Postcards from Buster episode featuring a friend with two mothers.

Which live-action segments were the only parts of Arthur filmed outside Canada?

They were shot at schools around Boston until season 11, when viewer-submitted videos replaced them.

Which publisher of the Arthur books became the show's North American home video distributor?

Its VHS and DVD releases grouped two or three episodes on similar subjects.

Which cellist covered the show's alternate anthem with Joshua Redman for a season 4 finale?

The episode was 'My Music Rules'; the song itself was written and sung by head writer Joe Fallon.

Who developed the Arthur television series together with Marc Brown?

WGBH and Montreal studio CINAR announced the show on March 13, 1995, aiming for a 1996 debut.

What was the name of Microsoft's interactive toy line tied to Arthur, discontinued before season 5?

Later episodes stopped including the toys' code, reportedly amid a patent lawsuit and falling sales.

Which studio produced Arthur's Missing Pal, the first Arthur project made in 3-D computer animation?

The franchise also spawned seven hour-long films that PBS often ran during pledge drives.