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.
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.
TV Show Intro
Add a photo to this gallerySound Effects Used
- Hollywoodedge, Elephant Single Shor AT043401 (used in "Pretend Circus!")
- Hollywoodedge, Elephant Trumpeting PE024801 (used in "Pretend Circus!")
- Hollywoodedge, Guinea Pig Squeak Two AT045201 (used in "Uma Preschool!")
- Hollywoodedge, Seagulls No Surf BT022101 (used in "Fishing!")
- Jim Henson COOKIES - SEVERAL CRUNCHES, BITE (used in "Dinosaur!")
- Jim Henson COOKIES - SINGLE CRUNCH, BITE (used in "Dinosaur!")
- Sesame Street Honk (used in "Pretend Circus!")
- Sound Ideas, ARROW, CARTOON - BUNG ZIP BOW
- Sound Ideas, BIRD, OWL - SINGLE OWL HOOTING, ANIMAL (used in a high pitch in "Halloween!")
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, CRASH - LARGE JUNK CRASH 01 (used in "Dinosaur!")
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, TWANG - SHORT RISING TWANG 03 (used in "Halloween!")
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, WHISTLE - FAST ZIP BY (various episodes)
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, WHISTLE - FLUTTER WHISTLE: LONG SPINNING WHISTLE (used in "Make Pizza!")
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, ZIP - VERY QUICK (used in "Halloween!")
- Sound Ideas, COUNTRY, NIGHT - EVENING AMBIENCE: CRICKETS 01 (used in "Halloween!")
- Sound Ideas, DOOR, BELL - SINGLE RING (used in "Chez Oobi!" and "Babysitter!")
- Sound Ideas, EATING, CARTOON - BIG GLOPPY CHEWING
- Sound Ideas, LAUGHTER, CHILD - FEMALE CHILD: LAUGHING, HUMAN 01 (used in "Make Pizza!")
- Sound Ideas, SPOOGE, CARTOON - HIGH, GLOPPY SPOOGES 01 (used in "Uma Birthday!")
- Sound Ideas, SPOOGE, CARTOON - HIGH, GLOPPY SPOOGES 02
- Sound Ideas, SPOOGE, CARTOON - HIGH, GLOPPY SPOOGES 03
- Sound Ideas, SQUISH, CARTOON - ROTTEN EGG SQUISH
- Sound Ideas, SQUISH, CARTOON - SOFT SQUISH (used in "Uma Birthday!")
- Sound Ideas, WHISTLE, SLIDE - SLIDE, DOWN, COMEDY
- Sound Ideas, WHISTLE, SLIDE - SLIDE, UP, COMEDY (used in "Shopping!")
- Sound Ideas, ZIP, CARTOON - BIG WHISTLE ZING OUT (various episodes)
- Sound Ideas, ZIP, CARTOON - BIG WHISTLE ZING IN
- Sound Ideas, ZIP, CARTOON - BIG WHISTLE ZING IN, LONG (used in "Make Pizza!")
- Sound Ideas, ZIP, CARTOON - QUICK SLIDE WHISTLE ZIP UP
- Sound Ideas, ZIP, CARTOON - QUICK SLIDE WHISTLE ZIP DOWN (used in "Make Pizza!")
- Sound Ideas, ZIP, CARTOON - QUICK WHISTLE ZIP OUT, HIGH
- Sound Ideas, ZIP, CARTOON - SHARP WHISTLE ZIP
