The Toothbrush Family
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Animation, Entertainment |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Founder | Marcia Hatfield (concept originator) |
| Headquarters | Toronto , Canada |
| Products | Television series, DVDs, CDs, videos, audio tapes, books, records |
| Parent | Rainbow Animation (original production), Southern Star Productions, Film Australia, Shanghai Animation Film Studio, Roymark Television (revival) |
The Toothbrush Family is an Australian animated television show that brings to life anthropomorphized personal hygiene products. The series initially premiered in 1977 and concluded with its last episode in 1999.
Concept and production
The concept originated from Marcia Hatfield, who created the stories to motivate her son to maintain good dental hygiene. Hatfield authored the original tales, while Al Guest and Jean Mathieson adapted them into screenplays. The production and direction were managed by Guest and Mathieson at their Toronto-based studio, Rainbow Animation. Voice performances were delivered by Len Carlson and Billie Mae Richards.
A follow-up series debuted in 1998, featuring new characters such as Molly and Max, alongside established figures like Susie Sponge, Flash Fluoride toothpaste, and Countess de Comb. Kurt Elling provided the vocals for the theme song. This revival was penned by John Patterson, produced by Ron Saunders, directed by Craig Handley, and brought to fruition through a collaboration between Southern Star Productions, Film Australia, Shanghai Animation Film Studio, and Roymark Television. It frequently aired in conjunction with the animated show Ketchup: Cats Who Cook.
Plot
The storyline of the original show revolves around a household of bathroom items that animate after dark. Central characters include father Tom, mother Tess, their children Tina and Toby, as well as Gramps. Additional characters comprise Flash Fluoride toothpaste; Hot Rod Harry, an electric toothbrush characterized by wheels and a love for speed; Bert Brush; Cecily Comb; Nev Nailbrush; Susie Sponge; Shaggy Dog; Callie Conditioner; and Sally Shampoo.
Franchise and merchandise
The Toothbrush Family brand expanded globally, encompassing two television series along with a range of merchandise such as DVDs, CDs, videos, audio tapes, books, and EP/LP records.
Telecast and home media
In the United States, the program was featured on Captain Kangaroo, with the revival series airing on Pax (currently Ion). Australian broadcasts included ABC Kids, Network Ten (for the 1998 series), and Nine Network. Internationally, it was shown on Cartoon Network in the UK and Ireland; TV Tokyo in Japan; YTV in Canada; Italia 1 in Italy; Spacetoon in Indonesia; and Almajd Kids in Saudi Arabia. During the late 1990s, Just for Kids distributed the series on DVD and video formats. As of 2022, it is available for streaming on premium Amazon Prime.