Berenstain Bears, The

1 9 8 5 – 1 9 8 7 (USA)
52 x 11 minute episodes

“This way to Bear Country, you’ll know when you’re there, as soon as you enter, you’ll feel like a bear.”

Thus began each episode of The Berenstain Bears, which led into a tune which sounded like Stars and Stripes Forever, followed by an enjoyable adventure about a family of four bears – Mama (voiced by Ruth Buzzi), Papa (Brian Cummings), 8-year-old Brother (David Mendenhall), and 6-year-old Sister (Christina Lange) – who lived in a split-level tree.

They congregated with other types like Mayor Horace J Honeypot and Professor Actual Factual.

The recurring threat -albeit a mild one – was Raffish Ralph (voiced by Frank Welker), who often nearly bankrupted the Bears with his moneymaking plans.

Stan and Jan Berenstain created the books on which this series was based and served as producers and writers of the TV episodes.

The first TV adaptation of their books was an NBC nighttime special, The Berenstain Bears’ Christmas Tree, on 3 December 1979, followed by several others through 1984 before this CBS show debuted. The series was reprised on PBS in 2003

Mama Bear
Ruth Buzzi
Papa Q Bear
Brian Cummings
Brother Bear
David Mendenhall
Sister Bear
Christina Lange
Raffish Ralph
Frank Welker

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