Animal Crack-Ups is an ABC game show which aired in primetime from August 8 to September 12, 1987, after which it aired on Saturday mornings from September 12, 1987, to December 30, 1989, and again from June 2 to September 1, 1990.[1] It was produced by ABC Productions in association with Vin Di Bona Productions (both companies also produce America's Funniest Home Videos) and hosted by Alan Thicke, who was on Growing Pains at the time. The program was based on a Japanese Tokyo Broadcasting System Television series, Wakuwaku Dōbutsu Land (わくわく動物ランド).

Animal Crack-Ups
GenreGame Show  
Based onWakuwaku Dōbutsu Land  
Written byTodd Thicke
Presented byAlan Thicke
Voices ofSusan Blu
Theme music composer
  • Alan and Todd Thicke
  • Gary Pickus
Ending theme"Animals Are Just Like People Too" by Alan Thicke
Country of originUnited States
Production
Executive producerVin Di Bona
Producers
Running time30 minutes
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseAugust 8, 1987 (1987-08-08) –
September 1, 1990 (1990-09-01)

The show's theme song was "Animals Are Just Like People Too", created by Thickovit music (Alan and Todd Thicke and Gary Pickus).[2]

Gameplay

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Four celebrities competed. Host Thicke introduced a video clip about an animal; at some point, the video was paused and Thicke asked a question about the clip. The celebrities give their answers, after which the remainder of the clip was played, revealing the answer.

Any celebrities giving the correct answer received a point; score was kept by placing a stuffed animal (a monkey in the first season, a hedgehog in later seasons) in front of the celebrity's podium. Co-host Debbie Bartlett provided the stuffed animals. The celeb with the most toy animals/points won the game and $2,500 for their favorite animal charity. If a tie occurred, the money was split between the charities.

On segues to two commercial breaks, a hedgehog puppet named "Reggie the Hedgie" (voiced by Susan Blu, performed by Lisa Sturz) gave animal facts to the home viewers and read home-viewer mail.

International versions

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Country Name Host(s) TV station Year aired
  Japan (original version) わくわく動物ランド
Wakuwaku Dōbutsu Land
Various TBS Television 1983–1992
  Argentina Waku Waku Héctor Larrea Azul Televisión/Canal 9 1999–2000
  Brazil TV Animal Angélica
Eliana
Gugu Liberato
Beto Marden
Roberta Peporine
SBT 1988–1992
1995–1996
2009–2010
  Chile Maravillozoo Javier Miranda (1995-1999)
Paulina Nin (2000)
Antonio Vodanovic (2001-2002)
Canal 13 1995–2002
  Netherlands Waku Waku Rob Fruithof (1988-1996)
Sybrand Niessen (1996-2000)
Paula Udondek (2000-2001)
Sosha Duysker (2022-)
Nederland 1
NPO Zapp (NPO 3)
1988–2001
2022–
  Portugal Arca de Noé Fialho Gouveia
Ana do Carmo
Carlos Alberto Moniz
RTP2
RTP1
1990–1993
1994–1995
  Spain Waku Waku
Jimanji Kanana
Consuelo Barlanga
Nuria Roca
Rosa García Caro
TVE-1
La 1
1989–1991; 1998–2001
2003

References

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  1. ^ Hyatt, Wesley (1997). The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television. Watson-Guptill Publications. pp. 24–25. ISBN 978-0823083152. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  2. ^ Library of Congress. "Animals are just like people too : Theme from Animal crack-ups." Copyright registration PAu001011105.
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