| Host | |
| Alan Thicke | |
| Model | |
| Debbie Bartlett | |
| Voice of Reggie the Hedgie | |
| Susan Blu | |
| Broadcast (ABC) | |
 Saturday Mornings: 9/12/1987 – 12/30/1989 (reruns aired 6/2/1990 – 9/1/1990) | |
| Packagers | |
| ABC Productions Vin Di Bona Productions | |
Animal Crack-Ups was a game show where celebrities competed by answering wildlife themed trivia questions to win $2,500 for their favorite charities. This was based on the Japanese game show called わくわく動物ランド (Wakuwaku Dōbutsu Land) which means "Exciting Animal Land".
Although this was considered a game show for children, no civilians participated in this show.
Gameplay[]
Four celebrities competed. Host Thicke would show a video clip about an animal; at some point, the video was paused and Thicke asked a question about the clip. The celebrities give their answers, after which the remainder of the clip was played, revealing the answer. At one point, they were each asked an individual question.
Any celebrities giving the correct answer received a point; score was kept by placing a stuffed animal (a monkey in the first season, a hedgehog in later seasons) in front of the celebrity's podium. Co-host Debbie Bartlett provided the stuffed animals. The celebrity with the most toy animals/points won the game and $2,500 for their favorite animal charity. If a tie occurred, the money was split between the charities.
On segues to two commercial breaks, a hedgehog puppet named "Reggie the Hedgie" (voiced by Susan Blu, performed by Lisa Sturz) gave animal facts to the home viewers and read home-viewer mail.
Rating[]
Music[]
Main – "Animals Are Just Like People Too" written by Thickovit music (Alan & Todd Thicke and Gary Pickus) & sung by Alan Thicke
Inventor[]
Based on a Japanese game show entitled Wakuwaku Dōbutsu Land (わくわく動物ランド).
Studio[]
ABC Television Center, Hollywood, CA
International Versions[]
Here is a list of countries that aired their own versions of Animal Crack-Ups:
- Argentina (as Waku Waku)
- Brazil (as TV Animal)
- Chile (as Maravillozoo)
- The Netherlands (as Waku Waku)
- Portugal (as Arca de Noe)
- Spain (as Waku Waku, later as Jimanji Kanana)
Trivia[]
In 1999, ten years after Animal Crack-Ups ended, Alan hosted a similar show but without a game element called, Animals are People Too.[1]
References[]
Links[]
Animal Crack-Ups at Vin Di Bona Productions
Blog about Animal Crack-Ups
Video clip of the show's intro
Videos[]
A promo from Summer 1988
A full episode from 1988 (Betty White, Jeff MacGregor, Christina Applegate, Jimmie Walker)
A full episode from February 11, 1989 (Todd Christensen, Soleil Moon Frye, Sally Struthers, Dan Frischman; has a 1988 copyright date)
A full closing segment from March 18, 1989 (Todd Christensen, Soleil Moon Frye, Sally Struthers, Dan Frischman; has a 1988 copyright date)