The Secret World of Benjamin Bear

The Secret World of Benjamin Bear was an animated television series produced from 2003 to 2006 by Amberwood Entertainment. It is still being aired in Canada on both Family and Playhouse Disney specialty TV channels.

The title character is a stuffed toy bear which, together with other stuffed bears, are "alive" and have adventures of their own. They are very careful to try to appear inanimate when in sight of humans (Referred to as 'Going Teddy'). The teddy bears of brother Max (Benjamin Bear) and sister Eliza (Howie Bear) are often seen together, even though Max is sometimes mean to his sister.

Benjamin Bear was voiced by Jonathan Crombie, who is also known for playing Gilbert Blythe on "Anne of Green Gables" during the 1980s and 1990s. Leslie Nielsen was the consultant of the TV series.

The bears main duty is to their child (The bears refer to them as 'their kids', or 'kidies'). They keep them happy, are a friend to talk to when in need, and secretly keep them out of harms way, and on the right path to success.

Characters

Teddy Bears

Benjamin Bear (voiced by Jonathan Crombie) - The main protagonist of the series. His kid is Max Tanner. His best friend is Howie, and he is also Howie's teacher. Of all the teddies, Benjamin is one of the the most trustworthy and often called on to help the others, especially the new teddies. He is extremely allergic to lavender.

Howie Bear (voiced by Nika Futterman) - Ben's friend. Howie is young and inexperienced, but eager to learn. His child is Eliza Tanner.

Edgar Bear (voiced by Carlos Alazraqui) - A two-hundred year old bear and the first teddy ever made, he was the stuffed bear originally given to Theodore Roosevelt, which is where the term 'Teddy Bear' originated. He is the leader of the teddy community. Due to his extensive age he tends to walk slowly and isn't as agile as the others, but doesn't otherwise show his age. His child is Miss Abby Pennywinkle, and she is the only human he and all the other teddy bears move in front of. He appears to be grooming Benjamin to take over when he finally retires.

Ruby Red (voiced by Alyson Stoner) - A friend of Ben's whom Ben has a crush on. She is owned by a toy store owner named MacLaren. She is a sweet bear, and gets along well with Ben and Howie. She is always willing to lend a helping hand. Her full name is Ruby Red, but she's almost always called Ruby.

Holly Bear (voiced by Zach Tyler Eisen) - A panda teddy bear and very close friend of Howie. Her kid is Lindsay.

Sebastian Biggleboar (voiced by Thomas Sangster) - A pompous bear who considers himself better than everyone else. He enjoys causing trouble for Benjamin and Howie or embarrassing them. He also has a crush on Ruby, and hopes to win her over. However, sometimes, he does get his just desserts. Bobbie Tanner is his kid, and he considers her the perfect girl, and one of the few things other than himself that he loves.

Raymond (voiced by Jonah Bobo) A 6-foot purple teddy bear who was a carnival prize before being dumped on the street. After wandering around the woods nearby, he was found by Ben and Howie, and taken to Maclaren's toy store, and put on a rocking chair next to the entrance.

Toot Sweet (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) - A polar teddy bear who run's Toot's, a diner where bears like to congregate. He is famous for honey shakes. When his kid went to college, he tried to stop him, but stopped when his kid promised he would return.

The Clean-up Crew (voiced by Owen Wilson, Richard Petty and John Ratzenberger) - Three small teddy bears who belong to three energetic children. They're usually seen in black suits and sunglasses, and riding around in a toy gyrocopter with a bucket on a string hanging from it. It's their job to deal with big problems that arise in the teddy world.

Wally'

Frankie

Dr Tiffany Tuff

Gonzo

Winifred

Bernie

Trixie Belle

Mrs Crackers

Woowly

Felix

Generale

Humans

Max Tanner (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) But was first voiced by Kenia Pena for Seasons 1 and 2. - Benjamin's kid. Max was given Benjamin by his father, Ben's previous kid.

Eliza Tanner (voiced by Ashley Tisdale) - Howie's kid. She is Max's sister.

Simon Tanner (voiced by Dan Povenmire) - Max's father, and Benjamin's previous kid. He is a very creative man, and enjoys tinkering. Unfortunately, most of his inventions don't work properly, but this hasn't stopped him yet. He owns a Bulldog named Slurp, who helps out Benjamin and Howie whenever possible.

Bobbie {voiced by Caroline Rhea) - The daughter of the Tanner's neighbours. She considers herself superior to Max and Eliza like Sebastian does Ben and Howie. Her father dotes on her and she has a Doberman Pinscher named Chomper, who absolutely loves Sebastian.

Miss Abby Pennywinkle (voiced by Ariel Winter) - Edgar's kid. She is the only human who knows that teddy bears can walk and talk like humans. When she was a child, she tried to pilot a sailboat by herself but was knocked unconscious by the sail's boom when she steered it. Edgar steered the boat back to the dock in order to save her, but she regained consciousness and saw him. She told her friends her bear was alive but nobody believed her, and they began treating her like she was weird. Edgar saw how much this hurt her and admitted to her that teddies were alive, but it was a secret only she could know. She has kept this secret ever since, and her house is the only ones teddies can come and go as they please without having to hide or go teddy.

Mr. Maclarean (voiced by Bobby Gaylor) - Ruby's kid. A Scottish man who owns a large toy store called "Maclarean's", and behaves like a child himself. He has also taken several trips around the world, and has plenty of stories to tell. He has a sister who wishes he acted his age.

Lindsay (voiced by Kōichi Yamadera) - Holly's kid. She's friends with Eliza.

Locations

Maclarean's Toy Store - This is Mr. Maclearean's toy store. There is a teddy library, a place where the teddy council meets, and other secret teddy hiding places.

Toot Sweet's Garden Cafe- This is Toot Sweet's cafe where he is known for making yummy honey shakes. Howie loves stopping by the cafe to drink shakes.

Abby Pennywinkle's House- This is the home of Miss Pennywinkle. She lives there with her bear Edgar. There are different teddy hiding places in the house. Miss Pennywinkle's garden is used for special occasions like Greeting Ceremonies.

Tanner House - This is where the Tanner family lives ( consisting of Max and Eliza Tanner). This is also where Ben and Howie live. There are different teddy tunnels so Ben and Howie can get from "room to room" and "place to place" easily.

Bobbie's House This is where Bobbie's family lives. This is also where Sebastian lives. It is the neighbouring home to the Tanner House. Chomper acts as a watch dog to the house at night.

Teddy Hospital- The Teddy Hospital is in a real hospital. This is where the teddies go if they have teddy health problems, like new stuffing or stitching.

Animals

Slurp - Slurp is the Tanner's family dog. He is very playful and friendly, with humans and teddy bears alike. He is called Slurp because of his slobbery dog kisses.

Chomper - Chomper is Bobbie's dog. He only likes Sebastian, and dislikes Ben and Howie. Sebastian enjoys seeing Chomper chase Ben and Howie around.

Marigold- Marigold is Lindsay's dog. She is very energetic and loves to disturb the teddies. She is a very perky puppy.

Froth Moth- A Froth Moth is a fictional species of moth that feeds on teddy bear stuffing. As a result, Froth Moths are the most feared creature in the teddy world. They don't like lavendar, which teddy bears use to fend them off.

See also

Teddy Bear

External links

• [IMDB entry: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0898768/]
• Full-length episodes