Big Blue Marble

"Big Blue Marble" was a half-hour children's television series that ran from 1974-1983 in syndication. Distinctive content included stories about children around the world and a pen-pal club that encouraged inter-cultural communication. The show was a very early example of gentle multiculturalism.

There was a weekly segment in which a singing globe invited viewers to write letters to the show, often requests for pen pals (the predecessor of the modern-day e-mail). The address to send the letters was in Santa Barbara, California.

Production personnel included creator Harry Fownes, producer Rick Berman (later of "Star Trek" fame), writers Lynn Rogoff and Robert Wiemer, and directors Joseph Consentino and Peter Hammer.

In 1974, A&M Records released an album of songs from the show entitled "Big Blue Marble". The catalogue number for the album was SP-3401.

Funded by ITT, "Big Blue Marble" was syndicated to television stations, including PBS, throughout the United States and Canada. Today, C/F International owns the rights to the series.

Theme Song

First Version

:The Earth's a Big Blue Marble when you see it from out there.:The sun and moon declare our beauty's very rare.:Folks are folks and kids are kids we share a common name.:We speak a different name but work and play the same.:We sing pretty much alike, enjoy Spring pretty much alike;:Peace and love we all understand and laughter, we use the very same brand.:Our differences, our problems from out there there's not much trace.:Our friendships they can place while looking at the face of the Big Blue Marble in space.

econd Version

:The Earth's a Big Blue Marble when you see it from out there...:Closer, getting closer, perspectives start to change things look a little strange, as we get closer.:Closer, growing closer, no need to be afraid our troubles start to fade, as we get closer.:Together is a word we must learn to understand, if we ever want to get to know each other better.:Together is a word that holds tomorrow in its hand, tomorrow's just another day to get together, and...:Get closer, closer, closer, closer...

Awards

* Peabody award (1975)
* Emmy awards (multiple)

External links

*imdb title|id=0258339|title=Big Blue Marble
*tv.com show|id=34095|title=Big Blue Marble
* [http://www.jumptheshark.com/topic/big-blue-marble-general-comments/207 Jump The Shark page on Big Blue Marble]
* [http://www.cfhf.net/lyrics/big-blue.htm Lyrics to first Big Blue Marble Theme Song]
* [http://www.itemz.org/item_52/070.html Lyrics and music to second Big Blue Marble Theme Song]
* [http://www.coolvariety.com/programming/bigbluemarble.htm C/F International: Big Blue Marble]
* [http://www.coolvariety.com/programming/bbmlist.htm Big Blue Marble episode guide] courtesy of C/F International
* [http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/Big_Blue_Marble_Fans/ Discussion Group] ("registration required")
* [http://katyana.tripod.com/marble.wav Big Blue Marble -intro ] [http://katyana.tripod.com/marble.html "The Earth's a Big Blue Marble]