View source for The Kids of Degrassi Street

{{Short description|1979 Canadian children's television series}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = The Kids Of Degrassi Street.jpg
| caption              = ''The Kids of Degrassi Street'' title card
| creator              = [[Linda Schuyler]]
| starring             = {{plainlist|
*[[Stacie Mistysyn]]
*[[Neil Hope]]
*[[Sarah Charlesworth (actress)|Sarah Charlesworth]]
*Zoe Newman}}
| country              = Canada
| network              = {{plainlist|
*[[CBC Television]] (Canada)
*[[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]], [[Disney Channel]] (United States)}}
| first_aired          = {{start date|1979|12|08}}
| last_aired           = {{end date|1986|1|5}}
| related              = {{Plainlist|
* ''[[Degrassi Junior High]]''
* ''[[Degrassi High]]''
* ''[[Degrassi: The Next Generation]]''
* ''[[Degrassi: Next Class]]''
}}
| num_episodes         = 26<ref>{{cite news |title='Degrassi High' Prize Winner at Banff TV Fest : Realistic Teen Series Tops Network Shows |work=[[The Los Angeles Times]] |url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-08-08-ca-47-story.html|access-date=2012-03-12}}</ref>
| company              = [[Playing With Time, Inc.]]
}}
'''''The Kids of Degrassi Street''''' is a Canadian children's television series created by [[Kit Hood]] and [[Linda Schuyler]]. The first entry in the ''[[Degrassi]]'' franchise and the only one to focus on children instead of teenagers, it follows the lives of a group of children living on [[De Grassi Street]] in [[Toronto]]. It was produced by Hood and Schuyler's independent company [[Playing With Time, Inc.|Playing With Time]]. The series originated as a collection of annual standalone short films that started with ''[[Ida Makes a Movie]],'' a live-action adaptation of the [[Kay Chorao]] book which premiered on the [[CBC Television|CBC]] on December 8, 1979.<ref name="Roper 15">{{Cite news |last=Roper |first=Wayne |date=1979-12-11 |title=The movie maker: Former Paris girl hits success in film work |pages=15 |work=The Expositor |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107231264/the-expositor/ |access-date=2022-10-23}}</ref> It became a full series in 1982 when the CBC ordered five more episodes.
It is notable for featuring several actors who would later star in ''[[Degrassi Junior High]]'' and ''[[Degrassi High]]'' playing different characters.
{{Degrassi series}}
== Development ==
[[Linda Schuyler]], a seventh and eighth grade teacher at Earl Grey Senior Public School in Toronto, formed the company Playing With Time with [[Kit Hood]] in 1976.<ref name=":02">{{Cite news |last=West |first=Linda |date=September 1979 |title=Introducing...Kit Hood and Linda Schuyler |work=[[Cinema Canada]] |format=PDF |url=http://cinemacanada.athabascau.ca/index.php/cinema/article/viewFile/2292/2342}}</ref> At the time, Schuyler had been teaching her students an early version of media studies, which included filmmaking with [[Super 8 film|Super-8]] film.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Conroy |first=Ed |date=May 8, 2022 |title=The history of The Kids of Degrassi Street |url=https://www.blogto.com/film/2022/05/kids-of-degrassi-street/ |access-date=2022-05-08 |website=BlogTO |language=en}}</ref> Discovering that there was a lack of resources on the subject, Earl Grey librarian Bruce Mackey ordered several books about filmmaking,<ref name=":45">{{Harvnb|Ellis|2005|pp=9}}</ref> one of which was the picture book ''Ida Makes a Movie'', which was written by [[Kay Chorao]].<ref name=":45"/>
Neither were aware that ''Ida Makes A Movie'' was a preschool book, in which the titular character was a cat.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":45"/> Nonetheless, Schuyler felt the story was powerful,<ref name=":1" /> and became interested in making a live-action adaptation, featuring children instead of cats. She sought the advice of then-lawyer and future [[Epitome Pictures]] co-founder [[Stephen Stohn]],<ref name=":45"/> who advised her to forego a lawyer, and instead propose the deal herself.<ref>{{cite web |title=Growing up Degrassi |url=https://playbackonline.ca/hall-of-fame/inductees/growing-up-degrassi/ |access-date=February 13, 2022}}</ref> Schuyler flew to New York, where she met with Chorao and secured a $200 deal<ref name=":3">{{cite web |title=The real-life story that inspired the 'Degrassi' universe |date=3 June 2015 |url=https://ca.celebrity.yahoo.com/blogs/celebrity-news/the-real-life-story-that-inspired-the-degrassi-universe-192257424.html |access-date=April 23, 2016 |publisher=Yahoo!}}</ref> to adapt the book into a movie.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |author=Ellis, Kathryn |url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/59136593 |title=The official 411 Degrassi generations |date=2005 |publisher=Fenn Pub. Co |isbn=1-55168-278-8 |oclc=59136593}}</ref><ref name=":45"/> [[Yan Moore]], who would eventually become ''Degrassi Junior High'' and ''Degrassi High''<nowiki/>'s head writer, became a writer for the series after he rectified problems with the story of the episode ''Casey Draws The Line''.<ref name=":0" />
==Shooting==
The series was shot in [[Toronto]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/archives/when-cbc-visited-the-set-of-the-kids-of-degrassi-st-1.5676787|title=When CBC visited the set of The Kids of Degrassi Streeet|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|language=Swedish|date=13 August 2020|accessdate=21 September 2023}}</ref>
=== Opening sequence and music ===
The opening sequence consists of a short piano piece, set to black and white stills of the [[Leslieville]] neighbourhood.<ref name=":1" />
Wendy Watson and Lewis Manne, who later composed the music for ''[[Degrassi Junior High]]'' and ''[[Degrassi High]]'', composed the music for ''The Kids Of Degrassi Street'', with John Forbes initially performing the music on a [[Fairlight CMI]].<ref>{{Cite episode |title=Noel Buys A Suit |series=The Kids Of Degrassi Street |series-link=The Kids of Degrassi Street |network=[[CBC Television|CBC]] |date=May 30, 1982 |season=1 |number=4}}</ref>
==Cast==
''The Kids of Degrassi Street'' featured many of the same actors who would later appear on ''[[Degrassi Junior High]]'' and ''[[Degrassi High]]'', including [[Stacie Mistysyn]], [[Neil Hope]], [[Anais Granofsky]], [[Sarah Charlesworth (actress)|Sarah Charlesworth]], [[John Ioannou]], in different unrelated roles.<ref>{{cite news |title=Popsmacked!: The sad, sweet legacy of Degrassi's 'Wheels' |work=[[The Record (Kitchener, Ontario)|The Record]] |url=http://www.therecord.com/whatson/artsentertainment/article/684889--the-sad-sweet-legacy-of-degrassi-s-wheels |access-date=2012-03-11 |archive-date=2016-01-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109162637/http://www.therecord.com/whatson-story/2598685-popsmacked-the-sad-sweet-legacy-of-degrassi-s-wheels-/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Episodes==
{{Episode table |background=#EC9045 |overall= |title= |airdate= |prodcode= |episodes=
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 1
| Title= [[Ida Makes a Movie]]
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1979|12|08}}
| ProdCode= 101
| ShortSummary=When Ida Lucas' movie on garbage wins first prize in a competition, but the judges commend her film on war, she has to decide between accepting the prize, and owning up to the truth.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 2
| Title= Cookie Goes To The Hospital
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1980|9|01}}
| ProdCode= 201
| ShortSummary=When Cookie goes to hospital without her doll, Ida and Noel, having sworn a pledge of loyalty, have to get it out to her somehow, but the hospital is a pretty scary place.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 3
| Title= Irene Moves In
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1981|9|01}}
| ProdCode= 301
| ShortSummary=When Irene comes to live on Degrassi Street, Ida thinks she is just a little too friendly with Cookie. But Irene is not the only newcomer to Degrassi Street. Reports are circulating that Bigfoot has been seen in the neighbourhood.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 4
| Title= Noel Buys A Suit
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1982|5|30}}
| ProdCode= 302
| ShortSummary=When Noel's dad decides to get married again, Noel is not so sure he likes the idea. Gayle is ruining everything, changing the house around, and she does not like the terrific checked suit Noel has bought for the wedding.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 5
| Title= Lisa Makes The Headlines
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1982|12|13}}
| ProdCode= 401
| ShortSummary=What Lisa needs to make her newspaper is a real scoop. But when she does find some real news, she has to decide which is more important - the truth or family loyalty.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 6
| Title= Sophie Minds The Store
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1982|12|20}}
| ProdCode= 402 | ShortSummary=Sophie gets Chuck to help her out at her parents' store, but the cash is out by $20 at the end of the day. Chuck's father is in jail, so it appears that it must be like father, like son.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 7
| Title= Casey Draws The Line
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1982|12|27}}
| ProdCode= 403
| ShortSummary=When a new survey line goes through the pen of the rabbit Casey and Lisa share, too much arguing over rights makes them lose sight of their responsibilities - to look after Rabbit.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 8
| Title= Pete Takes A Chance
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1983|1|02}}
| ProdCode= 404
| ShortSummary=Pete always has his eye out for a money-making proposition, and he knows he has found a winner, but he just needs a little capital. However, his "investment" costs him more than he expected, when he puts his friendships on the line.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 9
| Title= Chuck Makes A Choice
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1983|9|01}}
| ProdCode= 501
| ShortSummary=Chuck has told Tina his dad is a pilot, but Pete insists on inviting their father to the school play. Chuck has to decide if the only way he can he hide the fact that his father is actually finishing up his time behind bars is by un-inviting him.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 10
| Title= Billy Breaks The Chain
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1984|11|09}}
| ProdCode= 601
| ShortSummary=Billy knows it will not be luck that sends him to hockey camp, it will be his own hard work. Then a bad-luck chain letter comes to him, and while he hesitates about passing on the bad luck, disasters begin to occur.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 11
| Title= Catharine Finds Her Balance
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1984|11|16}}
| ProdCode= 602
| ShortSummary=When both divorced parents want to come and watch her at the gymnastics meet, Catharine gets involved in some fancy footwork to prevent them from making a scene in front of the whole school.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 12
| Title= Benjamin Walks The Dog
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1984|11|23}}
| ProdCode= 603
| ShortSummary=Billy and Pete want to do grown up things, without Billy's pesky little brother, Benjamin. They finally get rid of him, but Billy has second thoughts when it looks like they might have gotten rid of him forever.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 13
| Title= Liz Sits The Schlegels
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1984|11|30}}
| ProdCode= 604
| ShortSummary=Liz finds she has her hands full when she takes on a babysitting job with two lively kids, and one who refuses to have anything to do with her.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 14
| Title= The Canards Move Out
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1984|12|14}}
| ProdCode= 605
| ShortSummary=Lisa simply does not want to leave Degrassi Street and move to Vancouver, but it seems no one will listen to her feelings on the subject. In fact, her feelings are so strong she is having trouble listening to anyone else's.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 15
| Title= Martin Meets The Pirates
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1985|1|04}}
| ProdCode= 606
| ShortSummary=Martin cannot believe the Pirates from Boulton Ave. want him as area lieutenant for their expansion to Degrassi Street - they are the toughest gang around. But he is not sure that he is that tough.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 16
| Title= Connie Goes To Court
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1985|1|11}}
| ProdCode= 607
| ShortSummary=When Connie returns five dollars Casey has dropped on the floor, Casey thinks Connie is contributing her share for the present for their teacher, and does not pay attention to Connie's explanations. Connie is not worried - she will be collecting for her paper route on Wednesday, anyway, and she can pay up then. But the paper goes on strike, and Connie finds herself in more trouble than she thought.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 17
| Title= Griff Makes A Date
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1985|1|18}}
| ProdCode= 608
| ShortSummary=No one really likes Griff - after all, he used to be a Pirate - but it does not matter much to him, until he meets Lisa, just back from Vancouver.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 18
| Title= Samantha Gets A Visitor
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1985|1|25}}
| ProdCode= 609
| ShortSummary=Samantha cannot wait for her city slicker cousin, Lisa, to arrive for the weekend. She is so sophisticated now she just knows that Lisa will be impressed.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 19
| Title= Rachel Runs For Office
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1985|2|01}}
| ProdCode= 610
| ShortSummary=Rachel is very keen to be her school's representative to the new City Hall Youth Council. She is interested in the issues and is ready to work hard. But Billy's break dancing and Pete's campaign management have put Billy well in the lead.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 20
| Title= Jeffrey Finds A Friend
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1985|2|08}}
| ProdCode= 611
| ShortSummary=Jeffrey is supposed to be the smartest kid in the class, and he is mortified when Connie, who claims she never studies, beats him on a math test - in fact, she bets that she can beat him on the next one, too.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 21
| Title= Connie Makes A Catch
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1985|12|01}}
| ProdCode= 701
| ShortSummary=Connie has her eye on Candy, the popular captain of the baseball team, but he does not even know she exists. She would do anything to catch his eye, and everyone has advice to offer, but being a "lady" is tough for a tomboy like Connie who would rather be playing baseball.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 22
| Title= Karen Keeps Her Word
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1985|12|08}}
| ProdCode= 702
| ShortSummary=Money is on everyone's mind as the yearbook is in desperate financial straits. But Karen is not remotely interested in the yearbook's problems, or in the class voting itself a nuclear- free zone. She has found a pair of roller skates that are destined for her feet - all she needs now is the money to buy them.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 23
| Title= Ryan Runs For Help
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1985|12|15}}
| ProdCode= 703
| ShortSummary=Ryan is always making up stories, and it is hard to know when he is telling the truth. But his best friend Benjamin is convinced of Ryan's tales of treasure when Ryan produces evidence - he actually has a gold coin he found. Even though he is grounded, Benjamin sneaks out to a construction site to investigate with Ryan, and ends up falling down a hole and cannot get out.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 24
| Title= Martin Hears The Music
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1985|12|22}}
| ProdCode= 704
| ShortSummary=Nobody wants to be different from everyone else, and Martin is horrified to discover that he is going to have to wear a hearing aid. And it certainly does not help that everybody starts acting so weird around him.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 25
| Title= Lisa Gets The Picture
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1985|12|29}}
| ProdCode= 705
| ShortSummary=The Yearbook needs pictures. Lisa sees her chance to spend some time with Griff when Casey comes up with a brilliant plan - Griff can draw caricatures of everyone.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber= 26
| Title= Griff Gets A Hand
| OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1986|1|05}}
| ProdCode= 706
| ShortSummary=Robin "Griff" Griffith is having trouble with schoolwork. He would rather be drawing pictures than studying, and when his friend Danny, the crossing guard, asks for a caricature of himself, Griff is determined to make it his best ever. But Danny suddenly dies of a stroke, and Griff just cannot stand that he did not finish the caricature in time.
| LineColor= EC9045
}}
}}
==Broadcast==
Ida Makes A Movie premiered on [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]] on December 8, 1979.<ref name="Roper 15"/><ref group="note">''Degrassi Generations: The Official 411'' states that it premiered on September 20, 1980. ({{Harvnb|Ellis|2005|pp=10}})</ref> By 1982, the CBC, enamored with the short films that Hood and Schuyler were producing, ordered five more, effectively turning the annual movies into a television series.<ref name=":6">{{Harvnb|Ellis|2005|pp=10}}</ref> In the lead-up to Degrassi Junior High, the series was re-run on Sundays at 5:00pm, until it was replaced by its successor in the same timeslot.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Kennedy |first=Janice |date=1986-11-08 |title=Viewers in 26 countries are tuning into Toronto's Kids Of Degrassi Street |pages=144 |work=The Gazette |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48144983/the-gazette/ |access-date=2022-05-15}}</ref> In the [[United Kingdom]], the series debuted on [[BBC One]] on July 9, 1984,<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC Programme Index |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/7607e5f8c03b45dfa319fa692349a197 |access-date=2022-05-08 |website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=9 July 1984 }}</ref> with the final episode airing on June 16, 1986.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC Programme Index |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/dcf568bb1f7a4985a37ab2dbf4318bf6 |access-date=2022-05-08 |website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=16 June 1986 }}</ref> In [[Australia]], the series debuted at 6:00pm on February 2, 1987, on [[ABC TV (Australian TV channel)|ABC TV]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1987-02-02 |title=The Guide: Television |pages=56 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102377850/the-sydney-morning-herald/ |access-date=2022-05-23}}</ref>
== Print media ==
In late 1986, James Lorimer & Company published a series of illustrated paperback books based on the television series, written by Schuyler and Hood with the assistance of author Eve Jennings.<ref name=":2" />
==Home media==
On July 31, 2007, [[WGBH-TV|WGBH Boston]] Home Video released ''The Kids of Degrassi Street: The Complete Series'' on DVD in Region 1.
In Region 4, [[Beyond Home Entertainment]] released the entire series on DVD in Australia on March 12, 2008.
{| class="wikitable"
! DVD Name
! Ep #
! Region 1
! Region 2
! Region 4
|-
| ''The Kids of Degrassi Street: The Complete Series''
| align="center"|26
| July 31, 2007
| February 11, 2008 (Vol.1)
| March 12, 2008
|}
==See also==
{{Portal|Television|Canada}}
*''[[Degrassi Junior High]]'' - The immediate successor of ''The Kids Of Degrassi Street,'' featuring several cast members from this series
== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=note}}
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== Sources ==
* {{Cite book |last=Ellis |first=Kathryn |url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/59136593 |title=The official 411 Degrassi generations |date=2005 |publisher=Fenn Pub. Co |isbn=1-55168-278-8 |oclc=59136593}}
==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0083435}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040321190850/http://www.degrassi.tv/fan/kidsOfDegrassi.jsp Episode guide for ''The Kids of Degrassi Street'']
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080620061018/http://kidsofdegrassistreet.degrassi.ca/ Kids of Degrassi cast and character page]
{{Degrassi}}{{Playing With Time, Inc. and Epitome Pictures}}{{InternationalEmmyAward Children and Young People}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kids Of Degrassi Street, The}}
[[Category:1979 Canadian television series debuts]]
[[Category:1986 Canadian television series endings]]
[[Category:1970s Canadian children's television series]]
[[Category:1970s Canadian drama television series]]
[[Category:Canadian television soap operas]]
[[Category:1980s Canadian children's television series]]
[[Category:1980s Canadian drama television series]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Toronto]]
[[Category:Television shows filmed in Toronto]]
[[Category:Degrassi]]
[[Category:CBC Television original programming]]
[[Category:Television series by WildBrain]]
[[Category:Television series about children]]