Holly Hobbie & Friends
Holly Hobbie & Friends is a series of American animated specials produced by American Greetings, American Greetings Properties and Nickelodeon Animation Studio. It is the first series to star the Holly Hobbie doll, albeit redesigned from her traditional look, and centers on a 10-year old girl from a big city named Holly, who goes on adventures in a small country town called Clover with her two best friends Amy and Carrie forming a secret club called the Hey Girls.
The specials aired on both Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. block and the separate Noggin channel. The first special, "Surprise Party," premiered during the Nick Jr. block on February 10, 2006. Eight episodes were made in total. A line of merchandise was also made as a partnership between American Greetings and Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products. DVD releases for the specials were released by Paramount Home Entertainment, but later transitioned to Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
A video game based on the series for the Nintendo DS released on October 8, 2007.
Premise
Holly Hobbie is a 10-year-old girl from a big city. She often visits her best friends Amy Morris and Carrie Baker in a small country town called Clover. The specials feature themes like friendship, dreams, music and aspirations.Production and music
Holly Hobbie & Friends is produced by American Greetings, American Greetings Properties and Nickelodeon Animation Studio, with animation provided by Wang Film Productions and Toon City Animation. It was distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment for episodes 1–3 and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment for episodes 4–8. Producers on the series include Mario Piluso and Dina Buteyn. Ramsey Ann Naito, Maureen Taxter, Jeff Weiss, Jeffrey Conrad, Tamra Knepfer and David Polter served as executive producers. Voice directors of the series were Charlie Adler and Mario Piluso.According to American Greetings, the intention was for Holly to "look pretty much the same, but with new, contemporary colors and patterns."
All of the series' music composed by Jared Faber and Gary Lionelli. Country singer songwriter LeAnn Rimes performed the series' theme song "Twinkle in Her Eye" and lyrics by Kate Boutilier and Eryk Casemiro. LeAnn Rimes also voices Kelly Deegan in the Christmas episode, Christmas Wishes.
Characters
Main
- Holly Hobbie is the protagonist of the series and a kindhearted girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She likes to do cartwheels and design her own clothes. Holly and her friends are part of a secret club called the Hey Girls Club. She also likes to draw on a journal for her adventures. She has a cocker spaniel named Doodles.
- Amy Morris is a silly and imaginative girl with short brown hair and green eyes. She likes to daydream and ride horses. She has her own horse named Cider and a pig named Cheddar.
- Carrie Baker is a smart and determined African American girl with dark brown hair and brown eyes. She’s the most straight-laced and sensible of the Hey Girls, and she often acts the voice of reason.
Supporting
Kids
- Robby Hobbie is Holly's 8-year-old little brother. He can be a little annoying and weird at times.
- Kyle Morris is Amy's younger brother and Robby's best friend. He hangs out with Robby most of the time.
- Devon is a teenage girl and an honorary member of the Hey Girls Club. She works as a waitress at Aunt Jessie's Café. She studies the ocean in college.
- Joey and Paul Deegan.
- Portia is Holly's friend in New York City. She can be a little bit bossy and snobby but she has a good heart and loves fashion.
- K.T. McGee is Holly's friend in Clover School.
Adults
- Aunt Jessie is Holly's aunt who runs a café. She has a cat named Bonnet.
- Uncle Dave is Holly's uncle.
- Joan Hobbie is Holly's mom.
- Gary Hobbie is Holly's dad.
- Jim Bidderman.
- Willie Scranton.
- Bud Morris is Amy's dad.
- Teresa Morris is Amy's mom.
- Carolyn Baker is Carrie's mom.
- Kelly Deegan is a widowed mother.
- Annabelle Crow is a town witch and old lady.
- Mayor Whitman is a mayor of the country town Clover.
- Andy Lieberman is Uncle Dave's friend.
Broadcast and home releases
Holly Hobbie & Friends premiered the first special "Surprise Party" on February 10, 2006 and ended with the fourth special "Best Friends Forever" on September 7, 2007 on Nick Jr. block, and on Noggin channel from December 22, 2006 to 2007.Four episodes that aired on Nick Jr. block and Noggin channel have been released to DVD: Surprise Party, Christmas Wishes, Secret Adventures and Best Friends Forever.
The last four episodes for the last two DVDs that feature two twenty-two minute episodes: Fabulous Fashion Show, which includes "Inside Out" and "Hats Off", and Marvelous Makeover, which includes "Cover Girl" and "Reboot".