Katie and Orbie
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Animation, Children's television |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Headquarters | Ontario , Canada |
| Products | Animated preschool television series |
Katie and Orbie is an animated series from Canada aimed at preschool audiences, initially airing on Family Channel between 1993 and 2003. The show was subsequently broadcast in the United States on PBS from 1995 to 1997, followed by Disney Channel (Playhouse Disney) from 1997 through 2000. In Canada, it remained on Family Channel and later appeared on Disney Junior from 2007 until 2012. Across six seasons, the series produced a total of 78 episodes and was distributed globally.
Main
- Katie – A creative and lively five-year-old girl who typically wears a green-and-white striped shirt paired with blue overalls. She resides with her adoptive brother Orbie and their parents. Katie is inquisitive, sociable, and occasionally participates in dance lessons. Amanda Tripp contributed her signature laugh and vocal sounds.
- Orbie – A small alien with pink skin originating from a polluted planet beyond Earth's Solar System who becomes part of Katie’s family after arriving in her backyard. Orbie is the same age as Katie and communicates through various sounds like squeaks, chirps, and honks that others understand despite lacking a formal language. His red polka dots change according to his emotions, and he displays acrobatic skills supported by specialized pads on his fingers and toes for climbing. Chris Wightman produced his unique sound effects.
- Wayne – The father of Katie and Orbie, working in an unspecified office position. He is affectionate and often entertains the family with his sense of humor.
- Susan – Mother to Katie and Orbie, she manages both family responsibilities and a professional career that includes business calls, meetings, and notable accomplishments.
Recurring
- Mrs. Elaine Parette – An older family friend known for her baking and painting talents. Her garden’s willow tree serves as a frequent hideaway for Katie, Orbie, and their friends. She has at least one daughter and two grandchildren. Her first name is disclosed in the episode "Mrs. Parette's Picture."
- Chance – The family cat characterized by orange fur with a distinctive white left ear.
- Andy – A blond-haired boy living with his mother and stepfather Harry following his parents’ divorce. He is one of Katie and Orbie’s three regular companions along with Arthur and Yee Ping.
- Arthur – A redheaded Jewish boy who transitioned from being a bully to a playful yet friendly friend.
- Yee Ping – A kind Chinese Canadian girl who shares knowledge about Chinese cultural customs; she is the second friend introduced to Katie.
- Kyra – Recognizable by her light blue diadem, Kyra has asthma and later begins wearing glasses; she features mainly in seasons two and three with fewer appearances afterward.
- Phoebe and Bryn – Sisters with blonde-haired Phoebe being younger and brown-haired Bryn older; Bryn has an allergy to eggs.
- Dakota – A First Nations boy who appears prominently during the first three seasons before being largely succeeded by Miguel, a Latino character introduced in later seasons.
- Micah – A nine-year-old boy with Down syndrome living on a farm with his mother Ara. He is notable as the first animated character depicted with this condition; Micah excels at drumming and caring for animals.
- Tom – A young adult who serves as a babysitter for Katie and Orbie.
- Polly – Tom’s girlfriend who enjoys spending time playing with children; Orbie once had a crush on her. Her appearance varies between episodes.
- Belkis – A foreign girl who does not speak English, appearing alongside her mother; her country of origin is unspecified.
- Charisse – An African American girl with cerebral palsy who uses a wheelchair; she lives in a high-rise apartment with her mother and appears infrequently.
- Miguel – Introduced late in season four, Miguel is a Latino boy resembling Dakota but with lighter skin tone; his appearances are limited.
- Charlie and Megan Cobbington – Neighbors of Katie and Orbie who are siblings; Charlie along with their parents depart after season two while Megan appears occasionally afterward.
- Greg, Jenny and Megan – A young family consisting of a couple with an infant daughter and their dog Bruce; they appear in only a few episodes.
- Kerry – Featured as Katie’s best friend in one episode before relocating due to her father’s job; remembered through heart-shaped collars given by Mrs. Parette.
Episodes
The Ontario-based animation company Lacewood Productions initiated development of the series in 1993, producing 13 half-hour episodes that debuted on Family Channel and quickly garnered popularity. This success prompted Lacewood to create two further seasons in 1995 and 1996, with the third season marking a shift to digital ink and paint techniques for coloring. By the sixth season, the series transitioned to Flash animation.
Following Lacewood’s closure in 1997, Paragon Entertainment assumed production responsibilities. In 1999, Amberwood Entertainment—established by Sheldon Wiseman after Lacewood’s shutdown—acquired certain assets from Paragon, including the series. Amberwood, in partnership with Entertainment Rights, developed an additional 26 episodes that premiered on Family Channel in 2001. Production concluded permanently after the sixth season wrapped up in 2003.
Altogether, 234 individual stories were created, with three segments per half-hour episode. Each installment also incorporated two Did You Know? interstitials offering concise educational insights on topics such as flora, fauna, and the arts. These segments were narrated off-screen by Katie’s voice actor, Amanda Tripp.
The episode format consists of: an opening theme, the first story segment, a Did You Know? interlude, a second story segment, another Did You Know? segment, the third story segment, and closing credits.
Production
The series draws inspiration from four environmentally themed children’s books titled Katie and Orbie Save the Planet, illustrated by Canadian cartoonist Ben Wicks and authored by his daughter Susan Wicks, published in 1991. In 1993, Lacewood Productions adapted these works into an animated series that initially aired until 1996 and was later revived by Amberwood Entertainment until its finale in 2003. Unlike the books’ exclusive focus on environmental topics, the television adaptation explores a wider range of subjects including pets, friendship, and social issues such as children experiencing parental divorce, Down syndrome, and cerebral palsy—subjects seldom addressed in preschool programming.
The theme music was composed by Edmund Eagan and performed by his niece, Mireille Eagan.
Producer Sheldon Wiseman characterized the animation technique as "picture-mation," resembling a Play-a-sound book rather than conventional animation. While primarily employing limited animation, brief animated sequences appear—for example, a butterfly fluttering during the opening credits or characters blinking. Characters do not have spoken dialogue; instead, cartoon-like sound effects accompany narration provided by Leslie Nielsen.
DVD releases
DVD editions of seasons 1, 4, 5, and 6 were once available through the now-defunct Canadian retailer Express Media; however, seasons 2 and 3 were never released on DVD. In 2010, two DVDs featuring episodes from season 6 were issued in Australia.