Reading Rainbow

Reading Rainbow
Logo used between 1999 and 2006
Format	Children's television series
Presented by	LeVar Burton
Theme music composer	Steve Horelick Dennis Neil Kleinman Janet Weir
Composer(s)	Steve Horelick
Country of origin	United States
Language(s)	English
No. of seasons	21
No. of episodes	155 (List of episodes)
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	PBS
Picture format	480i (SDTV)
Audio format	Mono (1983–1987) Stereo (1984–1987; some episodes, all episodes 1988–2006)
Original run	June 6, 1983 (1983-06-06) – November 10, 2006 (2006-11-10)

Reading Rainbow is an American children's television series aired by PBS from June 6, 1983 until November 10, 2006 that encouraged reading among children.

The award-winning public television series garnered over 200 broadcast awards, including scores of Emmy Awards, many for "Outstanding Children's Series". The series was created under the leadership of Cecily Truett Lancit and Larry Lancit, at Lancit Media Productions in New York. The concept of a reading series for children was inspired by Twila Liggett, Ph.D., of Lincoln, Nebraska of the Great Plains National Instructional Television Library at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln; Paul Schupbach, director of the Great Plains National Instructional Television LIbrary; and Tony Buttino, of WNED-TV Buffalo, New York. The original team included Lynne Brenner Ganek, Ellen Schecter, and LeVar Burton as host.

Each episode centers on a theme from a book or other children's literature which is explored through a number of segments or stories. The show also provides book recommendations for kids to look for when they go to the library. It is the third-longest running children's series in PBS history, after Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and Sesame Street. It was also one of the first PBS shows to be broadcast in stereo.

Reading Rainbow has won a Peabody Award and twenty-six Emmy Awards, ten of which were in the "Outstanding Children's Series" category.

Former executive producer LeVar Burton announced on his Twitter feed on March 19, 2010, that "Reading Rainbow 2.0 is in the works."

It was released on VHS by Children's Video Library, PBS Home Video, Schlessinger Media, and others.

Show details

Reading Rainbow was hosted by actor and executive producer LeVar Burton, who is also known for his roles in Roots and Star Trek: The Next Generation. It was originally co-created and produced by Lancit Media Entertainment from 1983 until 2000, and was produced by On-Screen Entertainment from 2000 through 2006.

A regular feature was a children's book narrated by a noted celebrity. Some of the celebrities who have read on the show include Philip Bosco (Barbara Bash's Desert Giant: The World of the Saguaro Cactus), Michael Ansara (Paul Goble's The Gift of the Sacred Dog, Sheila MacGill Callahan's And Still the Turtle Watched), Josie de Guzman (Leyla Torres' Saturday Sancocho), Jason Robards (Francine Jacobs' Sam the Sea Cow), Bill Cosby (Marc Brown's Arthur's Eyes), and Charles Kimbrough (David Wiesner's June 29, 1999). Another segment of the show featured Burton in different places talking to different people about their work and other contributions, focusing on the theme of each episode. The final segment of each show, called Book Reviews, began with Burton's introductory phrase, "But you don't have to take my word for it," and features children giving capsule reviews of books they recommend. Burton ended every show with, "I'll see you next time."

The series' pilot, which aired as the show's eighth episode in 1983, featured the book Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, and was narrated by Doug Parvin. It was created and produced in 1981. Burton hosted the programme.

Its theme song was written by Steve Horelick, Dennis Neil Kleinman, and Janet Weir; Horelick also served as the series' music director and composer. The theme was sung by Tina Fabrique. The original opening, which depicted a cartoon butterfly transforming the surroundings of young children reading books into cartoon fantasylands, was used until 1999. Later episodes used a new opening, this time a live-action sequence in a space-themed environment with the same theme song performed by R&B performer Chaka Khan.

The daughter of producer Larry Lancit, Shaune Lancit, was often featured in the series, most notably as the child thanking the sponsors at the end of the show.

Reading Rainbow's last years

The Reading Rainbow logo used between 1983 and 1999.

Original production was to have ended in 2005, with the show continuing to air in reruns, but host LeVar Burton said on February 7, 2006 that five new episodes of the show would be shot in 2006 despite the continuing financial troubles of PBS.

Educate Inc. recently announced a new corporate configuration spinning-off Reading Rainbow into a new products division. The future of the series is uncertain. Burton stated on February 18, 2009, that he is considering webisodes of "a new version of a Reading Rainbow-like show" for adults.

Animation producers

Feature Book filming

The photographing of the Feature Book segments was by:

• Centron Films (1983–1987; renamed in 1986 to "Centron Productions Inc.")
• Loren Dolezal (1988–1998; renamed in 1995 to "Dolezal Animation"); Take Ten Animation teamed up with Dolezal from 1995–1998
• On Screen Entertainment (1999–2006)

Funding

Corporate funding for Reading Rainbow is/was provided by the following:

• National Science Foundation (1986–2002)
• The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations (1994–2002, 2006)
• National Endowment for the Arts (1983–2006)
• Corporation for Public Broadcasting (1983–2006)
• Public Television Stations/Viewers Like You (1984–2006)
• Ready to Learn Grants (2004–2005)
• United States Department of Education (2004–2005)
• Kellogg's (1983–84; 1989–1998)
• The Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation (1984–85)
• The Pew Charitable Trusts (1994–1998)
• Barnes and Noble (1998–2002)
• The Carnegie Corporation of New York (1986–1993)
• B. Dalton Bookseller (1985–86)
• Dayton Hudson Corporation (1987–88)

Guest readers and contributors

Guest readers and contributors 

• Jason Alexander ("Pet Stories You Don't Have to Walk")
• Maya Angelou ("All the Colors of the Race)
• Michael Ansara ("The Gift of the Sacred Dog," "And Still the Turtle Watched")
• Lucie Arnaz ("When Aunt Lena did the Rhumba")
• Edward Asner ("Dinosaur Bob and His Adventures with the Family Lazardo")
• James Avery ("Berlioz the Bear")
• Hoyt Axton ("Meanwhile Back at the Ranch")
• Julia Barr ("Raccoons and Ripe Corn," "Deer at the Brook," "Come Out, Muskrats")
• Angela Bassett ("The Wonderful Towers of Watts")
• Orson Bean ("The Runaway Duck")
• Philip Bosco ("Desert Giant: The World of the Saguaro Cactus")
• Reizl Bozyk ("Mrs. Katz and Tush")
• Wayne Brady ("Mr. George Baker")
• Jeff Bridges ("The Tin Forest")
• Fran Brill ("Dive to the Coral Reefs")
• Matthew Broderick ("Owen")
• Ruth Buzzi ("Miss Nelson is Back")
• David Canary ("Work Song")
• Diahann Carroll ("Show Way")
• Dixie Carter ("Come a Tide")
• Lacey Chabert ("Snowy Day: Stories and Poems")
• Julia Child ("Florence and Eric Take the Cake")
• Roy Clark ("Barn Dance")
• Kevin Clash
• Imogene Coca ("Imogene's Antlers")
• James Coco ("Perfect the Pig")
• Tim Conway ("The Secret Shortcut")
• Bill Cosby ("Arthur's Eyes")
• Jane Curtin ("Duncan and Dolores")
• Tyne Daly ("Amazing Grace")
• Keith David ("Follow the Drinking Gourd")
• Ossie Davis ("Summmer")
• Ruby Dee ("Simon's Book," "Tar Beach," "Badger's Parting Gifts")
• Josie de Guzman ("Saturday Sancocho")
• Brian Dennehy ("Kate Shelley and the Midnight Express")
• Phyllis Diller ("Ludlow Laughs")
• Michael Dorn
• Ann Duquesnay ("Hip Cat")
• Eliza Dushku ("Unique Monique")
• Buddy Ebsen (Steven Kellogg's "Paul Bunyan")
• Georgia Engel ("Chickens Aren't the Only Ones")
• Hector Elizondo ("Brush")
• Fernando Escandon (Hill of Fire)
• Lola Falana ("Sophie and Lou")
• Peter Falk ("The Robbery at the Diamond Dog Diner")
• Jamie Farr ("The Sign Painter's Dream")
• Tovah Feldshuh ("The Piggy in the Puddle")
• Ron Foster ("My Little Island")
• Vincent Gardenia ("Louis the Fish," "The Adventures of Taxi Dog")
• Richard Gere
• Jack Gilford ("The Purple Coat")
• Whoopi Goldberg
• Jane Goodall
• Robert Guillaume ("My Shadow")
• Lorne Greene ("Ox-Cart Man")
• Ed Harris ("Enemy Pie")
• Jim Henson (as Kermit the Frog)
• Gregory Hines ("Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin")
• Anna Holbrook ("Regina's Big Mistake")
• Lena Horne ("Snowy Day: Stories and Poems")
• Beth Howland ("If You Give a Mouse a Cookie")
• Scott Irby-Ranniar ("My Life with the Wave")
• Anne Jackson ("Stellaluna")
• Victoria Jackson ("Tooth-Gnasher Superflash")
• James Earl Jones ("Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain")
• Raul Julia ("Mystery on the Docks")
• Carol Kane ("Someplace Else")
• Charles Kimbrough ("June 29, 1999")
• Regina King ("Max")
• Eartha Kitt ("Is This a House for Hermit Crab?")
• Gene Klavan ("The Bionic Bunny Show")
• Linda Lavin ("Ruth Law Thrills a Nation")
• Robin Leach
• Michael Learned ("Appelemando's Dreams")
• Maya Lin
• Viveca Lindfors ("Rechenka's Eggs")
• Amy Linker ("A Chair for my Mother")
• Keye Luke ("The Paper Crane")
• Olga Merediz ("Borreguita and the Coyote")
• Andrea McArdle ("Lemonade for Sale")
• Bobby McFerrin
• Marilyn Michaels ("Gregory the Terrible Eater")
• Helen Mirren ("How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World")
• Robert Morse ("Sunken Treasure")
• Fred Newman ("Mama Don't Allow," "Fox on the Job")
• Jerry Orbach
• Corinne Orr (Aliki's "Mummies Made in Egypt")
• Jane Pauley ("Humphrey the Lost Whale: A True Story")
• Faith Prince ("Nosey Mrs. Rat")
• Freddie Prinze, Jr. ("Beegu"
• Keshia Knight Pulliam ("The Magic School Bus: Inside the Earth")
• Phylicia Rashad ("Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters")
• Lou Rawls ("Ty's One Man Band")
• Alaina Reed ("The Milk Makers")
• Lionel Richie
• Jason Robards ("Sam the Sea Cow")
• Al Roker ("Hail to Mail")
• Zelda Rubinstein ("A Three Hat Day")
• Lea Salonga ("Silent Lotus")
• Isabel Sanford ("The Patchwork Quilt")
• Susan Sarandon ("The Shaman's Apprentice: A Tale of the Amazon Rainforest""
• Josh Saviano ("Little Nino's Pizzeria")
• John Sebastian
• Pete Seeger ("Abiyoyo")
• Martin Short ("Animal Cafe")
• Arnold Stang ("Alistair in Outer Space," "Alistair's Time Machine," "Archibald Frisby")
• Stomp
• Gilda Radner ("The Tortoise and the Hare")
• Run-D.M.C.
• Patrick Stewart ("On the Day You Were Born")
• Jerry Stiller
• Regina Taylor ("Uncle Jed's Barber Shop")
• Lynne Thigpen ("The Salamander Room")
• Sada Thompson ("Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie")
• Lauren Tom ("Liang and the Magic Paintbrush")
• Michelle Trachtenberg ("Math Curse")
• Leslie Uggams ("Jack, the Seal and the Sea")
• Ben Vereen
• Tweety Bird
• Ralph Waite ("Rumplestilitskin")
• Eli Wallach ("Once There Was a Tree")
• William Windom ("Hot-Air Henry")
• Michael Winslow ("Space Case")
• Hattie Winston ("Galimoto")
• Alfre Woodard ("Visiting Day")

External links

• Reading Rainbow at the Internet Movie Database
• Reading Rainbow at TV.com
• RRKidz Reading Rainbow products website