2000 – February 11, 2005
Oobi is a puppet show made in 2000 for Nickelodeon and its sister channel Noggin. It started as a series of two-minute shorts and premiered as a long-form series in 2003. The show revolves around four hand puppets with eyes and accessories who use very simple, distilled dialog.
The show's concept is based on a training method used by puppeteers learning to operate Muppets, which involves using their hands and a pair of ping pong balls instead of a puppet. The show won many awards from organizations like Parents' Choice and the Television Academy. A spin-off, Oobi: Dasdasi, premiered in 2012 and ran for 78 episodes.
Oobi is available on Paramount+ since 2021.
Dick Maitland was the sound effect director and foley artist for the show. Maitland was also the sound artist for Sesame Street.
Storyline
The show takes place in a neighborhood where bare hand puppets talk and act like people. The main character is a boy named Oobi. He lives in a quaint, old-fashioned house with his sister Uma and his grandpa Grampu. His friend Kako lives across the street and often visits. Together, Oobi and his family have funny, simple adventures that celebrate the awkward steps of growing up. The characters have a very simple manner of speaking, meant to mimic how kids talk in very early childhood.
Secondary characters include Frieda the Foot, one of Oobi's best friends who happens to be a foot puppet instead of a hand; Inka, Oobi's piano teacher who eventually becomes Grampu's girlfriend; and Angus, a nerdy and insecure classmate of Oobi's whose eyes are below his fingers rather than on top.
Sound Effects Used
This show mainly uses Hanna-Barbera, Warner Bros., Animal Trax, Background Trax, Cartoon Trax Volume 1, Series 2000, Series 4000, Series 9000, The General Series 6000, The Premiere Edition Volume 1, The Premiere Edition Volume 2, and The Premiere Edition Volume 3.
- Cartoon Bulb Horn Sound (Heard in "Pretend Circus!")
- Dick Maitland Crunching Sound 01 (Heard in "Dinosaur!")
- Dick Maitland Crunching Sound 02 (Heard in "Dinosaur!")
- Hollywoodedge, Bird Canary SingingC PE020201/Sound Ideas, BIRDS, VARIOUS - LIGHT CHIRPING, ANIMAL (Heard in "Bird!".)
- Hollywoodedge, Bird Chirp Close Dis PE010401 (Heard in "Superheroes!".)
- Hollywoodedge, Eagle Bald Chirps Cal AT082601 (Heard in "Nature Walk!".)
- Hollywoodedge, Elephant Calls 3x Wl CRT012902 (Heard in "Pretend Circus!")
- Hollywoodedge, Elephant Single Shor AT043401 (Heard in "Pretend Circus!")
- Hollywoodedge, Elephant Trumpeting PE024801 (Heard in "Pretend Circus!")
- Hollywoodedge, Forest Ambience Bird PE010101/Hollywoodedge, Field Meadow Light Br BT020801 (Heard in "Kako's Puppy!" and "Nature Walk!".)
- Hollywoodedge, Forest Mountain Echo BT021001 (Heard in "Nature Walk!".)
- Hollywoodedge, Guinea Pig Squeak Two AT045201 (Heard in "Uma Preschool!")
- Hollywoodedge, Seagulls No Surf BT022101 (Heard in "Fishing!")
- Hollywoodedge, Several Rapid Swish CRT054101 (Heard in "Haircut!")
- Hollywoodedge, Slide Whistle Up Dw CRT2028301 (5th slide down, heard in a high pitch in "Haircut!")
- Hollywoodedge, Small Creak Cork CRT052802 (Heard in "Uma's Birthday!")
- Hollywoodedge, Synth Laser Single PE260601 (Heard in "Fishing!")
- Hollywoodedge, Wet Mustard Farts Squ PE351002
- Hollywoodedge, Wet Mustard Farts Squ PE351003
- Hollywoodedge, Wet Splats Various CRT052101 (Heard in "Uma Bathroom!")
- Hollywoodedge, Wet Squirty Farts Bub PE350705
- Hollywoodedge, Wet Squirty Farts Bub PE350803
- Sound Ideas, APPLAUSE, CROWD - SMALL STUDIO AUDIENCE: SHORT APPLAUSE 01
- Sound Ideas, ARROW, CARTOON - BUNG ZIP BOW (Heard in "Make Music!".)
- Sound Ideas, BELL, DESK - DESK BELL: SINGLE RING (Heard in "Neighborhood!")
- Sound Ideas, BELL, HAND - LARGE BRASS BELL: SHORT RING (Heard in "Haircut!")
- Sound Ideas, BIRD, BLUE JAY - SINGLE CALLS, ANIMAL 01 (Heard in "Uma Swing!", "Grown-Ups!" and "Nature Walk!".)
- Sound Ideas, BIRD, OWL - SINGLE OWL HOOTING, ANIMAL (Heard in a high pitch in "Halloween!")
- Sound Ideas, BIRD, SPARROW - WHITE THROATED SPARROW CHIRPING, ANIMAL (Heard in "Kako's Puppy!".)
- Sound Ideas, BIRD, THRUSHES - WOOD THRUSHES, ANIMAL (Heard in "Nature!".)
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, BELL - METAL XYLOPHONE, ARPEGGIO UP, QUICK, MUSIC, PERCUSSION (Last note heard every time in Season 2 whenever the characters ask the viewers to interact with them; also heard in "Grown-Up!" and "Superheroes!".)
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, BELL - METAL XYLOPHONE, GLISS UP, MUSIC, PERCUSSION (Heard in "Neighborhood")
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, CRASH - LARGE JUNK CRASH 01 (Heard in "Dinosaur!" when Oobi-Rex, Umasaurus & Dino-Kako are pushing the rock.)
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, POP - SMALL POP 01/Sound Ideas, CARTOON, POP - ZIP, POP 01/Sound Ideas, CARTOON, ZIP - HIGH 01 (Heard in "Haircut!" and "Halloween!")
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, TWANG - SHORT RISING TWANG 03 (Heard in "Halloween!")
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, WHISTLE - FAST ZIP BY (Various episodes)
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, WHISTLE - FLUTTER WHISTLE: LONG SPINNING WHISTLE (Heard in "Make Pizza!")
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, WHISTLE - SLIDE WHISTLE: FAST ZIP BY 01 (Heard in "Haircut!" and "Uma's Birthday!")
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, ZIP - VERY QUICK (Heard in "Halloween!")
- Sound Ideas, CAT - DOMESTIC: SINGLE MEOW, ANIMAL 02 (Heard once in "Cat!".)
- Sound Ideas, CAT - DOMESTIC: SINGLE MEOW, ANIMAL 03 (Heard twice in "Cat!".)
- Sound Ideas, CHIMES - DOORBELL, MUSIC, PERCUSSION 01 (Heard in "Video!")
- Sound Ideas, COUNTRY, DAY - BIRDS, CRICKETS, STEADY BREEZE, AMBIENCE (Heard in "Cat!", "Peekaboo!" and "Toys!".)
- Sound Ideas, COUNTRY, NIGHT - EVENING AMBIENCE: CRICKETS 01 (Heard in "Halloween!")
- Sound Ideas, DOOR, BELL - SINGLE RING (Heard in "Chez Oobi!" and "Babysitter!")
- Sound Ideas, EATING, CARTOON - BIG GLOPPY CHEWING
- Sound Ideas, ELECTRONIC - MAGICAL SWISH 03 (Heard in "Garden Day!")
- Sound Ideas, GUN, RICOCHET - SHORT THIN RICOCHET, BULLET 02 (Heard in "Clean Up!")
- Sound Ideas, LAUGHTER, CHILDREN - GIGGLE
- Sound Ideas, LAUGHTER, CHILD - FEMALE CHILD: LAUGHING, HUMAN 01 (Heard in "Make Pizza!")
- Sound Ideas, LAUGHTER, CHILD - FEMALE CHILD: LAUGHING, HUMAN 02
- Sound Ideas, SPLAT, CARTOON - PIE IN FACE SPLAT/Sound Ideas, SQUISH, CARTOON - SOFT SQUISH (Heard in "Uma's Birthday!")
- Sound Ideas, SPOOGE, CARTOON - HIGH, GLOPPY SPOOGES 01 (Heard in "Uma's Birthday!")
- Sound Ideas, SPOOGE, CARTOON - HIGH, GLOPPY SPOOGES 02
- Sound Ideas, SPOOGE, CARTOON - HIGH, GLOPPY SPOOGES 03
- Sound Ideas, SQUEAK, CARTOON - LITTLE ZABORK (Heard in "Play Ball!")
- Sound Ideas, SQUEAK, METAL - TURNING (Heard in a high pitch in "Oobi's Car!".)
- Sound Ideas, SQUEEZE, CARTOON - HORN SQUEEZE, SHORT (Heard in "Haircut!".)
- Sound Ideas, SQUIRREL - CHATTERING, ANIMAL, RODENT (Universal Studios) (Heard in "Nature Walk!".)
- Sound Ideas, SQUIRT, WATER - SMALL STREAM OF WATER SQUIRTING, CARTOON 01 (Heard in "Kako's Puppy!".)
- Sound Ideas, SQUISH, CARTOON - ROTTEN EGG SQUISH (Heard in "Pretend Circus!".)
- Sound Ideas, SQUISH, MUD - SINGLE MUD BUBBLE SQUISH 01 (Heard in "Make Pizza")
- Sound Ideas, STEREO, TURNTABLE - NEEDLE SCRATCHING RECORD, RECORD PLAYER 03 (Heard in "Macaroni Jewelry!".)
- Sound Ideas, SWITCH, PULL - SWITCH WITH PULL CHAIN: SLOW PULL (Heard in "Uma Dreams!")
- Sound Ideas, TAPE, CUEING - VOICE: REWIND ON PROFESSIONAL RECORDER (Heard in "Video!")
- Sound Ideas, TELEVISION - REMOTE CONTROL TELEVISION: SWITCH OFF (Heard in "Video!")
- Sound Ideas, WAHEEP, CARTOON - WAHEEP (Heard in "Garden Day!".)
- Sound Ideas, WATER, DRIP - DOUG'S DRIPS, SLOW (Heard in "Haircut!" and "Play Ball!".)
- Sound Ideas, WHISTLE, SLIDE - SLIDE, DOWN AND UP, COMEDY 01 (Heard in "Parade!")
- Sound Ideas, WHISTLE, SLIDE - SLIDE, DOWN, COMEDY (Heard in "Uma Swing!", "Chopsticks" and "Superheroes!".)
- Sound Ideas, WHISTLE, SLIDE - SLIDE, UP, COMEDY (Heard in "Shopping!", "Haircut" and "Uma Sick!".)
- Sound Ideas, WOOD, DOOR - OLD HOLLOW RESIDENTIAL WOOD DOOR: CLOSE 05 (Heard in "Checkup!".)
- Sound Ideas, WOOD, DOOR - OLD HOLLOW RESIDENTIAL WOOD DOOR: OPEN 05 (Heard in "Checkup!")
- Sound Ideas, XYLOPHONE - BELL TONE: IDEA!, MUSIC, PERCUSSION, TWINKLING 01 (Heard in "Macaroni Jewelry!".)
- Sound Ideas, XYLOPHONE - BELL TONE: IDEA!, MUSIC, PERCUSSION, TWINKLING 02 (Heard in "Macaroni Jewelry!".)
- Sound Ideas, XYLOPHONE - BELL TONE: IDEA!, MUSIC, PERCUSSION, TWINKLING 03 (Heard in "Macaroni Jewelry!".)
- Sound Ideas, ZIP, CARTOON - BIG WHISTLE ZING IN
- Sound Ideas, ZIP, CARTOON - BIG WHISTLE ZING IN, LONG (Heard in "Make Pizza!")
- Sound Ideas, ZIP, CARTOON - BIG WHISTLE ZING OUT (Various episodes)
- Sound Ideas, ZIP, CARTOON - QUICK FIDDLE ZIP DOWN (Heard in "Pretend Circus!" and "Uma Trip!")
- Sound Ideas, ZIP, CARTOON - QUICK FIDDLE ZIP UP, HIGH (Heard in "Uma Trip!")
- Sound Ideas, ZIP, CARTOON - QUICK SLIDE WHISTLE ZIP UP (Heard once in "Pretend Circus!".)
- Sound Ideas, ZIP, CARTOON - QUICK SLIDE WHISTLE ZIP DOWN (Heard in "Make Pizza!" and "Uma Sick!".)
- Sound Ideas, ZIP, CARTOON - QUICK WHISTLE ZIP OUT, HIGH (Heard once in "Pretend Circus!".)
- Sound Ideas, ZIP, CARTOON - SHARP WHISTLE ZIP
