The Friendly Giant

Before the gentle Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, before the frenzied, loud, noisy muppets of Sesame Street, there was The Friendly Giant. Mr. Homme's show appeared on Chicago's Window to the World WTTW and was broadcast somewhere between The Totem Club, What's New, and the Story Teller starring Val Bentin. The soft music, the little set, the quietness of the show was somehow haunting to watch and a little sad to behold in comparison with the other children shows on the air at that time.

Finding information about the Canadian children's icon The Friendly Giant is very difficult. Apparently there is some reason why the old TV series cannot be released on DVD. Now three generations are deprived of the wonderful nostalgia of a kinder gentler era in Children's TV. That simple armchair was a source of comfort to countless kids in Canada and the US. But, alas, that comfort is gone.

Thankfully, Grant D Fairley has done a masterful job in the 2007 release of "Look Up - Way Up." This is an authorized biography of Friendly based on Grant's personal taped interviews with Bob Homme. You can even hear his voice again at www.thefriendlygiant.info. This is as close as it will ever come to a sequel.

Look up. WAY UP! At the stroke of 10:15 am from coast to coast on the CBC for better than 27 years, this meant that "The Friendly Giant" was about to start. Its theme, "Early One Morning," was written as a nostalgic ballad for the slow pace of Britain prior to the Industrial Revolution. Similarly, in an age of fast food, faster cars, and life in the fast lane, "The Friendly Giant" proved to be an escape from the ratrace of real life. It gave children a chance to "curl up in an armchair" as the Friendly Giant's guests in his castle. Along with Rusty the rooster and Jerome the giraffe, "Friendly" entertained youngsters with children's stories, songs, and music. In addition, the show implicitly taught youngsters that not every giant was a scary monster who ground bones to make their bread. After all, the Friendly Giant was a kind and gentle character. Bob Homme, who died earlier this year, certainly left his legacy with thousands of kids across Canada.

I was in the Czech Republic last month, and my host took me out to Karlstejn Castle, built by Charles IV of Bohemia, who became the Holy Roman Emperor, it was on the top of a ridge over a deep river valley, for its defensive value. As soon as I got through the gate, my mind clicked on with the recorder, accompanied by a gentle harp, playing "Early One Morning" Fact is, you had to "Look up, Wa-a-ay up" to see the castle, and once inside, there was not a lot of furniture left, maybe three chairs and a fireplace, one was big enough for two kids to curl up in and then you could put a rocking chair in the middle. (Can anyone remember the entire quote? Why hasn't it been added here?) I did look over the turrets for giraffes - even whistled for them. Just waited for someone to say "And there's that boot." It is a beautiful place to tour, but it will always be made more memorable by the connection my mind made back to my childhood and some of its warmest memories.

I always enjoyed Rusty the Rooster(from the BookBag), the musical Raccoons( it's been a while...) and the Giraffe too. This was a basic, well done, nicely paced and smart kids' show; from the Mr Rogers school of thought. No they don't make'em like this anymore; it's sad that they don't. Def. a classic.