Nickelodeon has announced that its new Nick Jr. series, OSWALD THE OCTOPUS, will premiere in primetime on Monday, August 20, at 8 pm. The series follows the thoughtful blue octopus (voiced by Fred Savage of THE WONDER YEARS) and his friends Weenie the dog, Henry the penguin and Daisy the flower. The show was created by children's author and illustrator Dan Yaccarino. Nickelodeon and HIT Entertainment are co-producing the series. The acoustic music in OSWALD is done by jazz musician Evan Lurie, a member of the group The Lounge Lizards. The series will also air on CBS on weekends during "Nick Jr. on CBS," beginning September 15. "Dan Yaccarino has created an octopus who could be a pre-schooler's best friend," said Brown Johnson, senior vice president of Nick Jr. "He's honest, brave, true and ready to try anything, from Egg Foo Yummy to rollerskating on eight legs." Yaccarino said, "Oswald lives in a world where snowmen don't melt, penguins live in apartments and flowers can play the drums. Oswald is an 'everykid' hero whose life in Big City bursts with friends, music and adventures." Nick Jr. is also creating a Website to support the new series. The site will feature interactive games, printables and other activities.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
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