The Fire
- Studio
- Toadbag Productions Inc., Edward Sarson Productions Inc., Funbag Animation Studios Inc., Vision Entertainment, RME
- Animation studio
- Helix Animation Inc., Akom Production Company
- Distributor
- Vision Entertainment
Synopsis
Eight toadlets miss the great migration and set out alone on a perilous journey through the treacherous forest. Slippery Jack, Puff Ball, Beauty Stem and the other members of the Toad Patrol as evade hungry snakes, shoot rushing rapids, outrun forest fires, and creep through toadstool graveyards- all in an effort to find the mystical Fairy Ring and reach the safety of Toad Hollow.
Characters
Mistle Toad, Fur Foot, Beauty Stem, Elf Cup, Shaggy Mane, Puff Ball, Oyster, Slippery Jack, Panther Cap, Earth Star, Erebus, Digger, Hera, The Outsider, Daphne
Credits
Directing
- Director
- Jerry Popowich, Nelson Shin
Producing
- Producer
- Rick Morrison
- Executive Producers
- Curtis Crawford, George Sarson, Peggy Sarson, Frank Shin, Nelson Shin, Frank Taylor, Jack Wilson
Writing
- Writer
- Mary Crawford, Alan Templeton
Voices
- Voice
- Long John Baldry (Mistle Toad), Terrence Scammell (Fur Foot), Sonja Ball (Beauty Stem, Panther Cap), Dawn Ford (Elf Cup, Shaggy Mane), Rick Jones (Puff Ball, Erebus, Digger), Bryn McAuley (Oyster), Brady Moffatt (Slippery Jack), Michael O
Music
- Music
- Ian Tamblyn
Crew
- Creator
- George Sarson
- Developers
- Rob Hudnut, Thomas LaPierre
- Head Writer
- Patricia Lewis
- Animation Posting Artist
- J. Michael Higgins
Companies and other credits
- Developers: Edward Sarson Productions
- Developers: Funbag Animation Studios
Production notes
In the fall of 1984, as George Sarson sat musing with some mistletoe and a box of toy frogs, the character Mistle-Toad was born.
In one short year, that name led to the highly successful Mistle-Toad boxed chocolate line. It was the seed of what would become, nearly a decade and a half later, the Toad Patrol television series.
Exploring his idea further, Sarson learned that the first toad tunnel was built in 1969 in Switzerland, and since 1976, several other countries have followed suit. Now the Europeans have company when it comes to protecting amphibious residents: one North American tunnel was recently built under the Pole Line Road overpass across Interstate 80 in Oregon. If an area requires a toad tunnel but no resources can be found to build it, scores of volunteers- usually kids and their families- hit the roads at night with yellow buckets, flashlights, reflective vests and toad crossing signs. These human toad patrols scour the roads during toad migrations, looking for toads, and giving them a lift to the other side.
As Sarson continued to follow the plight of the toads, he went on to create nine other toad characters, which he called Toadlets. With the help of Wisteria Productions, the back story was developed and several villains were created. The journey of Toad Patro eventually led to a partnership between Edward Sarson Productions and Funbag Animation Studios through the formation of a sole object corporation: Toadbag Productions.
Work quickly commenced to complete development. But the perils that the Toadlets would face on screen would be nothing compared to the trials that Sarson and Funbag would have to overcome in securing the financing for the series. Ironically, after four years of effort, the financing finally came together quickly. Funbag brought in Akom Production Co., Sarson hooked up with Vision Entertainment, RME, and Universal Studios acquired international television and video rights for the first season.
In one short year, that name led to the highly successful Mistle-Toad boxed chocolate line. It was the seed of what would become, nearly a decade and a half later, the Toad Patrol television series.
Exploring his idea further, Sarson learned that the first toad tunnel was built in 1969 in Switzerland, and since 1976, several other countries have followed suit. Now the Europeans have company when it comes to protecting amphibious residents: one North American tunnel was recently built under the Pole Line Road overpass across Interstate 80 in Oregon. If an area requires a toad tunnel but no resources can be found to build it, scores of volunteers- usually kids and their families- hit the roads at night with yellow buckets, flashlights, reflective vests and toad crossing signs. These human toad patrols scour the roads during toad migrations, looking for toads, and giving them a lift to the other side.
As Sarson continued to follow the plight of the toads, he went on to create nine other toad characters, which he called Toadlets. With the help of Wisteria Productions, the back story was developed and several villains were created. The journey of Toad Patro eventually led to a partnership between Edward Sarson Productions and Funbag Animation Studios through the formation of a sole object corporation: Toadbag Productions.
Work quickly commenced to complete development. But the perils that the Toadlets would face on screen would be nothing compared to the trials that Sarson and Funbag would have to overcome in securing the financing for the series. Ironically, after four years of effort, the financing finally came together quickly. Funbag brought in Akom Production Co., Sarson hooked up with Vision Entertainment, RME, and Universal Studios acquired international television and video rights for the first season.