Ella the Elephant
A preschool series about a kind elephant with a magic hat.
Ella the Elephant is a Canadian animated preschool television series based on the books by Carmela D'Amico and Steven Henry. The series premiered on TVOKids in Canada on September 2, 2013, and on Disney Junior in the United States on February 17, 2014. It follows the adventures of a young elephant named Ella and her friends on Elephant Island, where her magic hat can transform into almost anything.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Animated television series; Adventure
- Based on
- Ella the Elegant Elephant, Carmela and Steven D'Amico
- Director
- Larry Jacobs
- Voices
- Addison Holley
- Annick Obonsawin
- Avery Kadish
- Devan Cohen
- Executive producers
- Michael Hirsh
- Toper Taylor
- John Vandervelde
- Sander Schwartz
- Alyssa Cooper Sapire, For TVOKids:, Patricia Ellingson
- Producer
- Jonah Stroh
- Theme music
- Brent Barkman; Earl Torno
- Opening theme
- "Ella Theme", performed by Addison Holley
Facts from the source article.
Characters
Ella, a young elephant with a red magic hat from her grandma, is the main character. She uses the hat, which can change into whatever she needs, to solve problems and is always kind to her friends. Her friend Belinda, whose father is the mayor of Elephant Island, loves dancing and has a diva personality. Tiki is a smart elephant who enjoys reading and biking, and she has a pet monkey named Lola. Frankie, the only male in the group, often exclaims "Great woolly mammoth!" Lola is Tiki's monkey. Their teacher, Mrs. Briggs, likes interpretive dancing. Ada and Ida are twin elephants who sometimes speak at the same time, then high-five and say "Jinx!" with a giggle. Captain Kelp works in a lighthouse. Ella's mother, Mrs. Grey, is a baker, and her father, Captain Shamus Grey, is a sea captain. Frankie's mother, Mrs. Harriet Melba, briefly ran Mrs. Grey's bakery when she was sick. Mr. Mercer sells many items and can be grumpy. Georgie is Frankie's little brother. Mayor Jeremiah Blue is Belinda's father and the island's mayor. Grandma Grey, who originally owned the magic hat, appeared in "Grandma's Visit." An old lady with no known name appeared in "Hello Dolly," where Frankie accidentally sold Ella's doll to her. Jasper is a mouse who causes trouble. E.L. Weathers writes books and appeared in "Tiki's Quest." Mrs. Everheart, a librarian, also appeared in that episode.
Production
The children's animated series was brought to television by DHX Cookie Jar Inc. for TVOKids and Disney Junior, with Atomic Cartoons handling the animation. Distribution rights were split: DHX Media covered Canada, the United States, the Middle East, and India, while FremantleMedia Kids & Family managed other territories. Financial support came from the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit and the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit, with Film Finances Canada Ltd. providing a completion guarantee. Carmela D'Amico and Steven D'Amico adapted the show, and Larry Jacobs directed it. Executive producers included Michael Hirsh, Toper Taylor, and John Vandervelde from DHX Cookie Jar Inc., Sander Schwartz and Alyssa Cooper Sapire from FremantleMedia Kids & Family, and Patricia Ellingson from TVOKids. Jonah Stroh produced the series, and Brad Birch served as executive story editor. Production began, as announced by Chris Arrant of Cartoon Brew on February 7, 2012. Toper Taylor described Ella as a magical character who is optimistic, responsible, and compassionate. Sander Schwartz noted that adapting the books into a series was a labor of love for everyone involved.
Distribution
Ella the Elephant first appeared on TVOKids and Disney Junior, with its Canadian debut on September 2, 2013, followed by a U.S. premiere on February 17, 2014. The show later reached audiences in the UK via Tiny Pop, in Australia through ABC 4 Kids, and in Ireland on RTÉjr. Disney Junior in Latin America started broadcasting it on June 23, 2014. Broadcasters in France (TiJi), Spain (Clan), Poland (MiniMini+), Eastern and Central Europe (Minimax), Germany (KiKA), and Finland (MTV3 Juniori) picked up the show for their 2014 schedules. Two volumes of episodes were made available for digital purchase on the iTunes Music Store. A Region 4 DVD from Shock Entertainment, running 154 minutes, came out on August 6, 2014, while Warner Home Video released a Volume 1 DVD for Canada and the U.S. on September 16, 2014, featuring eight episodes (sixteen segments). American Netflix subscribers could stream the series starting February 28, 2015.
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