Handy Manny

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Handy Manny
File:HandyManny.jpg
Handy Manny and his tools.
Genre Animation, Preschool edutainment
Created by Roger Bollen
Marilyn Sadler
Rick Gitelson
Directed by Ted Bastien
Voices of Wilmer Valderrama
Tom Kenny
Dee Bradley Baker
Fred Stoller
Nika Futterman
Kath Soucie
Carlos Alazraqui
Country of origin  USA
 Canada
Language(s) English/Spanish
No. of seasons 3
No. of episodes 59 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Pam Lehn
Producer(s) Vanessa Tilley, Jane Sobol
Production company(s) Walt Disney Television Animation
Nelvana
Distributor Buena Vista International Television
Broadcast
Original channel Playhouse Disney
Original run September 16, 2006 – present
Chronology
Related shows Bob the Builder
External links
Official website

Handy Manny is a TV animated children's program launched in 2006, part of the Playhouse Disney morning block of the Disney Channel. The show features the adventures of Manny Garcia, a bilingual Hispanic handyman, and his anthropomorphic, talking tools. It also teaches young children the beginnings of Spanish and the importance of cultural diversity. A bilingual French version premiered June 3, 2009 on Teletoon alongside the original version.

The show was created by Roger Bollen, Marilyn Sadler and Emmy Award-winning writer and producer Rick Gitelson. The animation is produced by Toronto-based Nelvana and features the voice performances of Wilmer Valderrama, Tom Kenny, Dee Bradley Baker, Fred Stoller, Nika Futterman, Kath Soucie and Carlos Alazraqui. Special guest stars in the series have included Lance Bass, Kurtwood Smith, Shelley Morrison, Fred Willard, Penn Jillette, Jane Lynch, Jon Polito, Ashley Parker Angel' Brian George, Snoop Dogg, and Bob Glouberman. The theme song is performed by Los Lobos.

Contents

[edit] Synopsis

Handy Manny is set in the fictional town of Sheetrock Hills – a play on the genericized trademark for drywall in the United States – where the titular character, Manny, owns a repair shop along with his anthropomorphic tools. Each 30-minute episode contains two stories; each story typically begins with Manny and the tools interacting in Manny's repair shop. While at the shop, someone calls Manny asking him to repair something that has broken. Usually the item that needs repair is of some importance to one of the show's characters, or some group of people depends on it. Manny and the tools sing a start-of song in which Manny wears his gloves and special belt. Tools hop into his tool box singing "keep-up". In each episode when Manny and the tools step out of their store for repair, they see Lopart and his pet cat Fluffy in front of their candy store. Lopart would try to do something on his own without any prior experience, mostly related to the theme of the episode. Manny offers him to help but Lopart would deny by saying "Everything under control" which is actually not. Manny and the tools then spring into action and head out to repair the broken item, usually stopping at Kelly's hardware store along the way. Once there, they collaborate on the best way to fix the broken item. When they arrive on a solution, they sing a song while performing the repair, to the delight of the item's owner or the people that were depending on the item.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Main human characters

  • Manuel "Manny" Garcia (voiced by Wilmer Valderrama) — the No.1 repairman of Sheetrock Hills who has anthropomorphic tools. He has a reputation for helping everyone, and was awarded the "Good Citizens Award" last season, after unknowingly repairing his own prize, a trophy. He is of Puerto Rican and Mexican descent. He is Abuelito's grandson and is sister to Lola. Also uncle to two boys named Pepe and Chico.
  • Kelly (voiced by Nancy Truman) — owner of a hardware store frequented by Manny and his tools. She also seem to know and have anything and everything Manny needs for his work. It is also hinted that she is smitten to Manny. In the episode "A Day at the Beach", we find out that Kelly is an excellent windsurfer.
  • Leonard Francis Lopart, usually called Mr. Lopart (voiced by Tom Kenny) — Slightly camp owner of a candy store next to Manny's workshop. Mr Lopart's know-it-all attitude and refusal of Manny's assistance often lands him in trouble, usually resulting in his falling on the floor or on the objects he lifts. His mother is Mrs. Lopart and he has twin nephews. His relative is known to have designed the Gift Shop in Sheetrock Hills.

[edit] Tools

  • Felipe (voiced by Carlos Alazraqui) - is a Phillips screwdriver who always considers himself a very important tool. Sometimes, his ideas could make a problem worse. He provides a lot of the Spanish language content in the show, translating for the other tools. He also loves to sing.
  • Turner (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) - is a flathead screwdriver who appears to be sarcastic and cynical, who often fights with Felipe. He also appears to have a soft side with Felipe as he saved Felipe from falling off a scaffold in the episode "Supremoguy".
  • Stretch (voiced by Nika Futterman) - is a tape measure who loves to measure things. He can speak out accurate measurements, is able to count well, and can use his tape as a extendable hand.
  • Squeeze (voiced by Nika Futterman) - is a pair of pliers who is sometimes impatient to fix something (usually repairs that involve bolts).
  • Pat (voiced by Tom Kenny) - is a hammer who is talkative, clumsy, and not very intelligent. His catchphrase is "I'm a hammer." He is very obsessed with nails.
  • Dusty (voiced by Katherine Soucie) - is a hand saw who gives good advice. She loves to cut things like wood
  • Rusty (voiced by Fred Stoller) - is a monkey wrench (though drawn as a pipe wrench) who is not very brave and a worrywart. He sometimes needs Manny's assistance to get courage.
  • Flicker (voiced by Grey DeLisle) - is a flashlight who is still learning English and speaks Spanish completely. Felipe is the only tool that can talk to him.

the only tool that flicker mentioned was squeeze while flying on the hose pipe nozzle

[edit] Minor characters

  • Abuelito - is Manny's grandfather, who he occasionally does repairs for. He also appears as an expert gardener
  • Elliot (voiced by Lance Bass) - is Kelly's little brother who is a drummer and skateboarder. He forget things often. Elliot has a pet rooster named Milton. In the episode "Frank's Barber Shop," it is revealed that Elliot is also a lifeguard.
  • Mrs. Portillo (voiced by Shelley Morrison) is a grandmotherly resident of Sheetrock Hills. She is of Mexican descent and often calls upon Manny to make repairs at her home. She is an excellent baker. Her grandsons are Quin and Alex and their friend is Kyle. She has a chihuahua named Carlos and a chameleon named Morris.
  • Mayor Rosa - is the mayor of Sheetrock Hills. In several episodes Manny is asked by the Mayor to make repairs to community facilities in Sheetrock Hills.
  • Mr. Chu - The principal of Sheetrock Hills Elementary School, he features in episodes where Manny does repairs at the school.
  • Fluffy - is Mr. Lopart's cat, and is often involved in whatever trouble Mr. Lopart finds himself in.
  • Fix-It - is Manny's zoomorphic "dog". She was made by Manny out of spare parts, and lives in Manny's repair shop.
  • Mr. Kumar is the Indian owner of the Sheetrock Hills's China Shop. He appears as a very timid but friendly man.
  • Senor Sanchez and Julieta - A middle-aged Spanish man who is often seen. He has a pet cat named Patches which the tools and Manny gave him. Julieta is his small, little granddaughter.
  • Sherman is the owner of the Sheetrock Hills Shoe Store. He is a kind but forgetful man and sometimes loses his glasses.
  • Coach Johnson is the Sheetrock Hills Elemantary School's coach.
  • The Lees - Nelson's family.
  • Senor Lopez - is the science teacher of the Sheetrock Hills Elementary School. He also works as a meteorologist. (formerly played by Mario Lopez. Replaced by Steven Moreno in "Rusty's Second Wind".

[edit] Episode List

Main article: List of Handy Manny episodes

[edit] Crew

  • Executive Producer: Rick Gitelson
  • Writers: Rick Gitelson, Jeff Wynne
  • Directors: Charles E. Bastien, Sue Blu
  • Composer: Fernando Rivas
  • Production/Animation: Nelvana Studio/ Corus Entertainment

[edit] International broadcasting

  • Canada: Playhouse Disney and Family Channel: Title is not translated, as in other countries it is bilingual. The English words are translated into French only for the Canadian French version, the Canadian English version of the channel will have its version bought intact from the original version.
  • Denmark: Playhouse Disney: Not translated but also Handy Manny, as in the other countries it is bilingual, but the main language is Danish and the Spanish words are translated into English. Original soundtrack (English / Spanish) usually broadcast in digital cable and digital satellite along with Swedish/English and Norwegian/English versions.
  • France: Playhouse Disney: Translated as Manny et ses outils (Manny and his tools) is still bilingual but the English words are translated into French.
  • Germany: Playhouse Disney: Translated as Meister Manny (Master Manny), the series is still bilingual, but the main language is German and the few words in Spanish.
  • Greece: ET1: Translated as O Μαστοράκος (O Mastorakos), as in the other countries it is bilingual, but the main language is Greek and the Spanish words are translated into English.
  • Israel: HOP!: translated as Nadav Yadey Zahav (Nadav Golden Hands), the English and the Spanish are both translated in Hebrew.
  • Italy: Playhouse Disney: Translated as Manny Tuttofare (Manny Handyperson), just like the Spanish translation, the series is still bilingual, but the main language is Italian and the few words in Spanish are translated into English.
  • Japan: Playhouse Disney: Translated as おたすけマニー　 (Otasuke Manii or Helping Manny), as in the other countries it is bilingual, but the main language is Japanese and the Spanish words are translated into English. However, the original version (English/Spanish) can also be heard if the television is equipped with a selectable bilingual function.
  • Latin America: Playhouse Disney: Translated as Manny a la Obra, the series keep its bilingual format, but inverting the English and Spanish languages. In Spain Manny speaks mostly Spanish with a few words in English.
  • Portugal: Disney Channel: Translated as Manny Manicas, the English and the Spanish are both translated in Portuguese.
  • Sweden: Playhouse Disney: Translated as Händige Manny, as in the other countries it is bilingual, but the main language is Swedish and the Spanish words are translated into English.

[edit] DVD releases

Four DVD compilations have been released:

  • Handy Manny: Tooling Around
  • Handy Manny: Fixing it Right
  • Handy Manny: Manny's Pet Roundup
  • Handy Manny: Manny's Green Team

[edit] References


[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handy_Manny"
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