From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Adventures in Wonderland is a live-action children's television
series based on Walt
Disney's animated classic Alice in
Wonderland. In the series, Alice (played by Elisabeth
Harnois), was portrayed as a girl who can go to and from
Wonderland simply by walking through her mirror (a reference to
Wonderland's source material Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass).
Usually the format consisted of Alice coming home from school
and talking to Dinah (her cat) about a problem facing her that day,
then going into Wonderland and finding the residents of that world
facing a similar crisis. At the end of each episode she would
return to the real world with a solution to her problem. In some
cases, Alice would have a problem with her little brother, her
older sister, a friend, or some other dilemma, and by the show's
end, she would know how to deal with it. In "To Tear Is Human,"
Alice learns a lesson in humility when she splits her pants in the
middle of a charades game, making her not so quick to laugh at
other people's misfortune. (Earlier in the episode, she had laughed
at another student for dropping his lunch tray.)
The show ran from 1991 to 1995 on
the Disney Channel and on stations across the country. Like many Disney Channel
original shows, Adventures in Wonderland was taped at Disney's Hollywood Studios
at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida,
but on a single giant set for all scenes in "wonderland", used
exclusively for the show.
Walt Disney Studios
Home Entertainment released three VHS tapes of certain episodes, however, there are
currently no plans to release Adventures in Wonderland on
DVD.
Cast
Main
Characters
- Alice: The show's protagonist, played by Elisabeth
Harnois. Alice is an average preteen, often facing problems in
school, with her brother or sister, or some other issue. She often
confides in her cat Dina about her day. Alice has a special gift in
that she is able to pass into Wonderland by walking through her mirror. Whenever she arrives, she
helps her friends solve their problems, which in turn offers a
solution to hers in the real world.
- The Red Queen: The ruler of Wonderland, played
by Armelia
McQueen. The Red Queen or Queen of Hearts, is Wonderland's sole
monarch (she is combination of The Queen of
Hearts from Carroll's original book and the Red Queen from Through
The Looking Glass). She is strict but fair, often citing her
mother and grandmother's example in her ruling. Unfortunately, the
Queen is occasionally a source for trouble, usually due to her
selfish attitude. As queen, she expects to get whatever she wants
right away, and often pouts when things go wrong. She usually ends
up eating
crow by the end of the episode, but sometimes, she offers
solutions to problems other Wonderland residents face. Deep down,
she cares greatly for her subjects (especially the White Rabbit),
throwing them parties and celebrating their accomplishments.
- The White Rabbit: The queen's chief lackey, played by Patrick
Richwood. The White Rabbit is the Queen's personal chef, servant,
butler, event planner, shopping assistant, and every other job that
she can think of at the time. He wears roller skates to get around, and
occasionally loses control-with humorous results. He is also
exceptionally timid, unable to stand up to the Queen when he is
being treated unjustly. Rabbit is good friends with the other
citizens of Wonderland, and he is often a notable accomplice in
their schemes, given his proximity to Her Majesty. Though he
occasionally complains, the White Rabbit is actually the Queen's
closest confidant, and he often sympathizes with her.
- Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee: A pair of wacky
twins played
by Robert Barry Fleming and Harry Waters Jr..
The Tweedles wear bright, colorful clothing and sing and dance in
the style of hip hop music.
As brothers, they share a strong sibling rivalry, often competing with
each other about nearly everything. They are the most athletic
residents of Wonderland, often playing sports and organizing games.
The two's brotherly love usually triumphs over petty problems, and
they usually offer Alice some sensible advice on any problems she
may have.
- The Mad Hatter: Wonderland's resident oddball,
played by John Robert Hoffman. The Mad Hatter
lives in a house shaped like a hat, and is usually seen at his
perpetually set tea table. He tends to be rather careless with his
dishes and cups. The Mad Hatter is Wonderland's chief inventor,
often devising crazy machines and potions to get himself and the
gang out of trouble. However, the devices tend to get them into
further trouble. He also has an affinity for disguises, such as
fake beards and nose/eyeglasses. His catch phrase is, "How true
that is."
- The March Hare: The hare that manages to be
bright and foolish at the same time, played by Reece Holland. The
March Hare is quite intelligent, and he often assists his best
friend the Mad Hatter in inventing and scheming. Unfortunately, the
Hare lacks common
sense, and is easily duped by others. The March Hare also
usually serves the role of conscience among his friends; when a poor
choice of judgment is reached, he is usually the one who questions
the decision the most. He and the Hatter are best friends, but they
annoy each other almost as much as they pal around.
- The Caterpillar: This mammoth insect is Wonderland's wisest
resident, played by Wesley Mann. When the Caterpillar speaks,
he draws out his vowels in a
long, deep voice. As a bug, he has three pairs of hands, which he
often uses in tandem to complete tasks. The Caterpillar has a book
of wondrous stories, similar to fables in their animal characters and
simple morals. The characters often visit the Caterpillar in his
mushroom glen to seek advice, which comes in the form of a story.
Occasionally, he leaves his patch to visit other Wonderland
areas.
- The Cheshire Cat: a sarcastic, purple-striped
cat that has the power to disappear and reappear at
will. The Cat loves to play all manner of practical jokes on
the Wonderlanders, but even he occasionally performs some act of
kindness.
- The Dormouse: A tiny rodent played by a puppet. The Dormouse lives in
a teapot on the Hatter's tea table. Despite his small size, he
apparently has all the necessities of life inside his home,
including a kitchen sink and a painting gallery.
Minor
Characters
- The Duchess: The Red Queen's chief rival and,
in a strange way, good friend (played by Teri Garr). The Duchess and the Queen
constantly quest to upstage each other, often trading insults along
the way. Apparently, their rivalry began when they were still quite
young. All of the Wonderlanders assume that the Queen and Duchess
dislike each other-but deep down, the two admit that they have a
special, if rocky, relationship.
- The Walrus: A newcomer to Wonderland, played
by veteran Broadway actor Ken Page. When the Walrus first moved to
Wonderland, he was the victim of prejudice, but soon gained friendships with
all of the other citizens. The Walrus is quite smart-although he
does have one rather strange oddity, in that his best friend Pinniped is completely
invisible. Though the Walrus seems different, he is accepted as
just another member of the Wonderland gang.
- Crystalvision: Although not really a living
breathing character Crystalvision (Crystal for short) is often seen
around Wonderland in various places. Crystal's role in Wonderland
is something like that of a television showing clips and prerecorded
images for all the citizens of Wonderland to see. In some episodes
it was shown having a real personality by making joke via showing
words on its screen and by the characters acknowledging it as a
person.
Episodes
External
links
| Lewis Carroll's Alice |
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| Novels |
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| Characters |
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Alice's Adventures
in Wonderland
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Through the
Looking-Glass
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| Film adaptations |
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| Poems |
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| Related topics |
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