The Origin Story Of DreamWorks' Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron

Also Read

An inspiring story of survival, strength, friendship, and freedom, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron is an all-time favorite movie for horse lovers of all ages. It follows a wild mustang as he fights for his freedom and that of his herd. The artistry, story line, and killer soundtrack work together to make a horse movie worth watching over and over.

It’s been 18 years since the original animated movie made its debut. You might have every line memorized, but did you know there is a real-life Spirit that inspired the fictional character?

Unlike other animated movies, Spirit is based on reality as much as possible. The horses don’t talk, and generalized events including the expansion of the railroad are based on fact, not fiction. Producers thought it was important to deliver a film that inspired viewers while melding the worlds of animation and real life. Achieving that goal would take more than clever animation. They needed artistry that could tell a story without dialogue and evoke emotions with each movement.

To do that, artists needed a model. They needed a real-life horse that would serve as inspiration and example. After a search, they found a Kiger mustang with beautiful conformation, coloring, and strength. His name was Donner, but these days, that real-life mustang goes by a different name: Spirit.

DreamWorks selected the now-named Spirit when he was a colt. Born to a stallion and mare that had been captured by the BLM in Oregon, Spirit was (and still is) a beautiful example of the Kiger mustang breed. His wide-set eyes and thick, wavy, multi-colored tail and mane became the inspiration for the animated horse that is still stealing hearts all these years later.

Before the 2002 movie made it to the big screen, animators spent countless hours observing Spirit. They watched how his muscles moved when he ran and how his face changed with his mood. With Spirit’s help, animators created an accurate equine character that looks and moves just like their live model.

When the movie was finished, DreamWorks chose Return to Freedom’s American Wild Horse Sanctuary to be Spirit’s permanent home. It’s been almost two decades since Spirit posed for animators, but the beautiful mustang we all love still serves as an advocate for Kiger mustangs and all of America’s wild horses. In fact, he recently celebrated his 25th birthday!

Like his animated character, the real-life Spirit is part of the fight to help wild horses maintain their natural habitats and freedom. While he lives at the sanctuary and loves interacting with people, Spirit is a prominent ambassador for wild horses. He engages youth around the world to learn more about America’s mustangs and every horse’s need for freedom and protection.

He lives on Return to Freedom’s headquarter facility in Santa Barbara County on 300 acres of pristine California pasture. From a young age he learned to be comfortable around people, but those who know him best say he has spunk and spirit similar to that of his fictional character. He’s grown to be an important part of the wild horse sanctuary, and he’s helping educate the public about his breed and ways humans can protect all of America’s wild horses.

With Spirit’s claim to fame, he attracts crowds of fans to his sanctuary home. During these visits, the real-life Spirit helps the sanctuary spread an important message about what’s currently happening to the country’s wild horses and what the public can do to help.

Spirit’s work in inspiring others has been recognized not only by the countless people he has met, but also by the EQUUS Foundation and the United States Equestrian Foundation. The organizations inducted Spirit into the Horse Stars Hall of Fame in 2018, and he continues to influence the sanctuary’s mission even decades after Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron was released.

Now 25 years old, the real-life Spirit is busy enjoying life at the sanctuary. He spends his days interacting with a few of his equine friends and enjoying attention and care from his favorite humans. He was born in captivity, but the spirit of independence and the wild west lives in his veins. And thanks to Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, his image will continue to show others that freedom is always worth fighting for.

DreamWorks Animation Rumoured To Be "Undergoing Further Restructure" As It Closes TV Division

Also Read

DreamWorks Animation Television is a American based production company operated by NBCUniversal that distributes various animated titles. It is home to award winning productions such as Shrek, The Croods, How To Train Your Dragon and Boss Baby.

Accompanied by this, DreamWorks Animation Television operated several 24 hour channels across the world including Universal Kids (US), Sky Kids (UK) and DreamWorks Channel (Europe, Asia and Africa).

Following last year's dismal performance at the global box-office, it was announced that the brand would "no longer be producing films independently". By 2025, two upcoming films are said to headed by Imagework known for Hotel Transylvania and Spiderverse.

At the time fear lurked around the move away from in-house production with mass layoffs likely on the cards and downsizing of new content in the coming years.

In an interview with Kung Fu Panda co-director, it was revealed that most if not all TV divisons headed by DreamWorks Animation Television had been dissolved with the company reportedly wrapping up some "final projects" likely The Wild Robot.

It is currently unknown what fate may await short form projects like Megamind Rules and Jurassic World: Chaos Theory. Considering that the latter was based on existing IPs its likely that these will remain operational for the time being if not scrapped.

But considering the current state of DreamWorks Animation Television, we may be seeing less content of this stature going forward. Of course, the company had produced various content outside existing IPs such as Fright Krewe, Curses! and The Mighty Ones.

This had been more noticeable mainly through their preschool counterpart DreamWorks Jr., home to shows like Gabby's Dollhouse, Pinecone & Pony, Doug Unplugs and Rhyme Time Town.

Sprout Is Dead But Still Lives On Through DreamWorks Junior

Also Read

Sprout was a preschool channel NBCUniversal acquired from PBS, Sesame Workshop and HiT Entertainment from the period of 2011-2013. Under the new ownership, the channel increased investment toward original programming.

The channel went to experiment with its offering by sourcing more half hours for older preschool audiences with shows like Noddy: Toyland Detective, Floogals, Kipper, LazyTown, The Wiggles, Poppy Cat, Nina's World and Justin Time.

In 2017, it was announced that Sprout would become serve as programming block to Universal Kids a new channel that wanted to aim toward older children with shows like Bajillionaires, Hank Zipzer, Polly Pocket and The Deep.

Universal Kids is not known by a lot of consumers internationally same with Sprout but for several years now the international feed has been known as DreamWorks Channel within the brand there's a preschool block known as DreamWorks Junior.

Unlike Sprout, DreamWorks Jr. doesn't offer much educational content as it follows the likes of Disney Junior and Nick Jr. that gear toward character driven shows or anything remotely similar but tone down to main brands Disney Channel and Nickelodeon.

No matter what opinion Sprout fans have over DreamWorks Junior, these type of content get viewers glued not that the offering on Sprout was bad but the world evolves and you still find alternatives like CBeebies and PBS Kids that do have a following.

Some of the content seen on this new version of Sprout includes Noddy: Toyland Detective, VeggieTales In The House, Doug Unplugs, Go Dog Go, Madagascar: A Little Wild and Dragons: Rescue Riders and you even get nostalgic content like Little Charley Bear and Olivia.

Although Universal Kids was said to have destroyed Sprout. DreamWorks Junior actually saved the brand from complete annihilation. I know the content ain't branded as Sprout but think about for a second.

Not a lot of households had access to Sprout and same outcome had fallen onto Universal Kids. If NBCUniversal had kept Sprout would it have survived the linear business especially now that more consumers are binging their favourite shows through their cellular gadgets.

Shrek "I Feel Good" Animation Test Part 1-4 Compilation

Also Read

Shrek is a 2001 computer-animated film directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, based on the book of the same name. However, production for the film dates back to around 1995, when Chris Farley was originally cast as Shrek. Around this time, Dreamworks made an animation test featuring an early version of Shrek. It is currently unknown how long the animation test was. 

Plot 

All that's known about the plot is that Shrek enters a gated city at night, singing "I Got You (I Feel Good)" by James Brown. He comes across a Mugger tied to a rope, who was singing along with Shrek. Shrek proceeds to play with him and then stretches the Mugger on his rope, and sends him soaring into the night sky.

Availability 

Very little information is known about the topic, and all that remains of the actual animation test are still images. In April of 2017, YouTuber "unclesporkums" uploaded a storyboard version of the animation test. He later re-uploaded it in September of 2017 because he found more storyboards of the animatic. Since voices were absent from the original upload, he decided to voice over the missing lines by himself. The upload can be watched down below and is roughly 2 minutes and 23 seconds long. Considering the storyboards' existence, it’s likely that the actual animation is either somewhere in the Dreamworks Archives or in the hands of a collector.

On July 30th, 2022, LMW user DingleManBoy (aka DoofusManBoy on YouTube) found a sped-up clip of the tape in HD quality on a demo reel of a previous animator for Dreamworks' pre-production stage of Shrek (1996-1998). It was uploaded to YouTube and slowed down/zoomed so that every frame was visible (31 frames total). It is partially covered by another film and has no audio. 

On August 14th, 2022, YouTube user TheSecretLifeOfAliens uploaded two snippets of the test, a snippet with just Shrek, and a snippet with both Shrek and the Mugger, without the original audio. The footage comes from demo reels by another Dreamworks animator. 

On August 17th, 2022, a video containing early models for Shrek and the Mugger was found on the Hester Studios website. It's unknown if they were used in the final test. Credits: Lost Media Wiki and Simtonpore Studio

DreamWorks USA Is Falling Apart: The History Of Universal Kids

Also Read

On October 20th, 2004, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) announced a partnership with Comcast, HiT Entertainment (now Mattel Creations) and Sesame Workshop to create a new subscription based channel for aimed at children under the age of 4 kind of like Baby TV.

On April 4th, 2005, Comcast announced that the new kids channel would be called PBS Kids Sprout and it launched 6 months later on September 26. At first it launched as an on demand service then it got a channel later.

Unlike PBS Kids, the channel aired adverts however they were minimal and featured products aimed at babies and toddlers. Among the shows to air on the channel were Barney And Friends, Kipper, Pingu, Angelina Ballerina, Boobah, Calliou, Teletubbies and more.

In addition to airing many programming blocks, Sprout did something unique on the channel where it would take several short episodes of a show and combine it into a half hour show of its own complete with interstitials between segments.

2011 to 2013 saw a complex of business decisions that would lead NBC to get full control of the channel.

To summarise, Comcast claimed a 51% share of NBCUniversal at the time leaving them to handle the channel. Apex Partners sold HiT Entertainment to NBCUniversal and claimed their stake in Sprout. Sesame Workshop and PBS solder their share of Sprout forcing PBS to retract PBS Kids from the name by November 2013.

While all of this began in July 2012, Sprout began to run NBC Kids and Mi Telemundo respectively. This was a block that aired Saturday mornings aimed at younger children.

On September 26, 2015, Sprout recieved a refresh.

On May 1st, 2017, since Sprout was owned entirely by NBCUniversal. They announced that the channel would rebrand into Universal Kids and begin airing shows aimed at preteens at primetime hours. They would continue producing original content some from DreamWorks Animation that NBCUniversal purchased in 2016.

Unfortunately this change seemed to negatively impact the channel's viewership. It dropped by 30% in 2017 and a cut of 73% percent in 2018.

In June 2019, to try and recover Universal Kids financially they stopped producing new original content and shifted their focus to acquired series. But still in 2019 they were the lowest viewed channel in the United States with only 31,000 viewers per day luckily the decline dropped to 3%.

So it seems Universal Kids has fallen from its prime in recent years. Why is this?

I believe it is because of the brand change not everyone was familiar with Universal Kids even though it was the same channel. The new changes turned people off the channel. I think they could have slowed the rebrand perhaps add the changes to the lineup and take use of an intermediary name like Universal Sprout.

It seems like Universal Kids is in trouble and I mean soon to be terminated kind of trouble, can they dig themselves out of this?

At the moment, Universal Kids hasn't updated their programming and offers less and less content which often signals the downfall of a brand but with it being ranked the 132nd most watched channel in the United States one would hope but with cable becoming endangered I doubt.

 

Roundups #17: DreamWorks Animation Preps Up Four New Series, Obi-Wan Streaming May 22nd On Disney+, WWE Replaces 205 Live With NXT: Level Up And New Documentary Film KungFu Stuntmen Coming Soon To KIX Africa

Also Read

DreamWorks Junior expands with two animated series on Netflix

Based on the book of the same name, Not Quite Narwhal dives into the daily adventures of a narwhal named Kelp, who discovers he’s part-unicorn and must learn to navigate life in the sea and on land.

Dew Drop Diaries pulls back the curtain
on a group of pint-sized fairies who have been assigned to help city-dwelling human families with tasks such as organizing toys and placing lost teeth under pillows for the Tooth Fairy.

Both slated to air in 2023.

Source: Kidscreen

Also read: 
- Paramount+ and Nickelodeon expand kids slate
- Possible channel closures from Warner Bros. Discovery
- ViacomCBS rebrands into Paramount
- Warner Bros. Discovery could terminate these channels
- NCIS: Los Angeles might get cancelled
- Cartoonito launches on Boomerang across Europe possibly as a trial run before scrapping the channel
- Could ESPN close alongside National Geographic and Disney Channel?
- February on ViacomCBS Africa channels
- February on TNT, Cartoon Network and Boomerang

Peacock greenlits Megamind and Abominable TV series

Megamind’s Guide To Defending Your City, follow-up to the 2010 film will see Megamind going from “being a supervillain and the scourge of Metro City to a superhero who’s learning on the job. He’ll be bringing the audience along for the ride, as Megamind’s trusty brainbots will be recording everything, making him the world’s first superhero influencer.”

Abominable and the Invisible City, a comedy adventure series that will continue the story of DreamWorks Animation’s film. “Through Everest, the yeti, Yi, Jin, and Peng know that there’s a whole magical world out there. “When they discover that their surroundings are teeming with magical creatures in need of their help, the kids will set out on extraordinary and heartfelt adventures throughout their city and beyond.

Source: Deadline

Disney+ Limited Series Obi-Wan Kenobi to Debut on May 25th

The series begins with Obi-Wan Kenobi watching over Luke Skywalker on Tatooine, ten years after the events of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), and takes the character on a "rollicking adventure".

The new Disney+ limited series from Lucasfilm, will debut exclusively on Disney+ May 25. The series stars Ewan McGregor, reprising his role as the iconic Jedi Master.

NXT is getting a spinoff, kills 205 Live

WWE has canceled 205 Live currently seen on SuperSport and the WWE Channel and will air a new series in its place called “NXT: Level Up.” According to reports, WWE will tape NXT: Level Up at the WWE Performance Center and the new show is expected to be 60 minutes long.

WWE 205 Live premiered on November 2016 on WWE Network and it primarily featured talent from the NXT and NXT UK brands and originally focused on the WWE Cruiserweight division. More recently, WWE began to phase out the weight limit originally in place for the show, and the Cruiserweight Championship was unified with the NXT North American Championship.

SuperSport's WWE Channel is available on DStv channel 128 and a ray of WWE content can be viewed on other SuperSport channels.

KIX continue their martial arts journey with a brand new documentary

The documentary features such martial arts legends as Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, action choreographer Yuen Woo-ping, filmmakers Tsui Hark and Andrew Lau, along with a number of other stuntmen in the industry.

“Many legendary stuntmen live hard lives and many are unknown. That’s why I decided to make a documentary film in tribute to their continued efforts and never-yielding spirit,” said director Wei.

KIX is available on DStv channel 114

Also read:
- Baby TV could be on the chopping block
- Curiosity Channel to launch St Patrick's Day special
- Disney closing multiple channels in Latin America
- Why VH1 Classic was terminated on DStv?
- In March, E! will also be hosting the Oscars live from the red carpet and launch the cover bands
- Could G4 launch on DStv perhaps to replace a channel like Ginx Esports TV?
- Paramount+ greenlit Knuckle TV series and Seal Team movie
- Coroner and Tell Me Your Secrets coming soon to Universal TV
- AEW: Battle Of The Belts launches on TNT

You can also find me through the other platforms by pressing this link in brackets and if you're struggling to share the article through certain platforms use this link (Lnk.Bio).

Roundups #71: Trolls: The Beat Goes On Coming Soon To DreamWorks Africa, Mzansi Wethu Airs Its First Drama Series Titled Isibopho And eExtra Goes For Two With Ice Adonis And Twice My Son In Law

Also Read

More eToonz repeats for DStv customers

eToonz left the DStv platform for almost a month and since March various content mostly repeats from the channel are currently viewed on the DreamWorks Channel.

As mentioned through various sources and press statements, Trolls: The Beat Goes On will be added to the channel's portfolio in the coming months.

Queen Poppy, her boyfriend Branch and the other trolls embark on cheerful adventures in the Troll village, where they celebrate several exciting holidays and dance parties.

 

Mzansi Wethu gets some exclusive content

Mzansi Wethu has released the trailer of its first-ever original drama series since the channel debuted. Through Mzansi Magic’s Instagram page the channel has announced that Isibopho will be released and start streaming soon on the channel. The drama series has an all-star cast, and viewers can not wait for it to begin showing.

The drama series will be about a fight for survival and enemies and families bound by blood. People will be fighting for their lives and sneaking around to get the revenge they seek. The story will follow an innocent woman who will be trying to fight off a powerful opponent that she is called a sheep trying to fight dogs.

The drama series will debut at 21:00 from July 10th.

 

More kdramas on eExtra

The Bollywood lineup had manifested throughout eExtra's schedule alongside Turkish. Bad news is Korean is only viewable on the daytime good news is the channel will continue uploading more Korean series.

High Society Scandal will conclude later this month and repeats of A-Lifestyle and Mahadi Lobola take up the timeslot for the rest of the month thereafter a rerun of Ice Adonis takes up the show's timeslot with a second slot added for the new series, Twice My Son In Law.

Lee Jin-sook is a speaker on family happiness. However, she has a sad past. Years ago, she was kicked out of the house by her mother-in-law and was forced to be separated from her newborn daughter. An encounter with Hyeon-tae leads her to not only fall in love but meet her birth daughter.

The series airs at 14:50 from July 4th with Ice Adonis at 14:05.

Roundups #61: Explore The Island Of Huttsgalor On DreamWorks Channel Africa, Universal TV Africa's Upcoming Series Fantasy Island Gets Season 2 Renewal And WildEarth Celebrates Father's Day With A Trip To The Animal Kingdom

Also Read

DreamWorks Jr. launching new series

Amidst the launch on DStv, DreamWorks Channel unveiled a bunch of content that wasn't part of the channel's lineup as seen during its run on StarTimes. It looks like part of this content is starting to resurface as DreamWorks Channel picked by the second prequel to DreamWorks Dragons titled Rescue Riders.

The series follows Dak and Leyla, human twins raised by dragons who have developed, as a result, a unique ability to directly communicate with them, helping and rescuing dragons and the people of the town Huttsgalor.

DreamWorks Dragons: Rescue Riders will likely debut by August which concides with the debut of another original series, George Of The Jungle.

 

Universal acquired rights to this FOX drama

Set in a luxury resort that aims to fulfil its guest's every fantasy. Elena Roarke (Roselyn Sanchez) who sets aside her ambitions and true love to run the family business. The series also stars Kiara Barnes and John Gabriel Rodriguez.

Last year, the series was renewed for a second season by American network FOX which is set for debut by fall 2022 which coincides with the launch of the first season on Universal TV.

WildEarth continues its exploration into the wilderness

 

Hyena Hullabaloo
“ A week long celebration of hyenas”
13th to 18th June 2022

Long misunderstood as dim-witted, gluttonous scavengers, the hyena, over the years has had a “serious PR crisis on its paws. Here at WildEarth, our beloved Djuma Clan have allowed us a chance to set the record straight. So now it's time to honor this critical animal and join our hyena Hullabaloo. Trishala Naidu, a naturalist and self confessed hyena lover, will be leading the celebrations culminating in a chance to name Ribbons new cubs and win some hyena merchandise.

 

Wild Dads
“A week-long celebration of fathers in the animal kingdom.”
19th to 24th June 2022

As we prepare to sing paternal praises this Father’s Day, let us not forget the Dads in the animal kingdom. Unfortunately, when it comes to paternal instincts, there are more than a couple of lousy dads in nature. Most are programmed to produce as many heirs as possible but their role as protectors are beyond important. In aid of fathers day this year, we are going to look at all males in the wild and the critical part that they play. Join us for a week of fun as we celebrate the wild men of the bush.

Roundups #60: George Of The Jungle Coming Soon To DreamWorks Africa, Season Finale Alert For Star Life Plus New Series Unspoken Bonds And Musiekpaniek Returns For The Seventh Season On VIA

Also Read

Watch out for that tree

This animated series spreads its wings or in jungle terms branch mighty fast, from SABC 3 to eToonz which are locals to well renowned brand like DreamWorks home to award-winning content. The King Of The Jungle holds a huge responsibility on his hands.

Inspired by the story of Tarzan, George Of The Jungle follows the adventures of the jungle dweller and his friends Ape and Magnolia, female companion Ursula and pet bird and elephant Tookie and Chep.

 

Until further notice: eToonz is expected to cease transmission on the DStv platform by the end of June as MultiChoice couldn't reach an agreement with eMedia that took them to court regarding the channel alongside eMovies, eMovies Extra and eExtra.

Star Life launching another remake

During the week, it was reported that My Desire a spinoff to This Is Love is coming to Star Life within the next month but from sources statements it looks like that won't be only new series joining the lineup.

Apparently the Hindi adaptation of Star Jalsha's Sanjher Baati titled Unspoken Bonds (Aapki Nazron Ne Samjha) starring Vijayendra Kumeria, Richa Rathore and Narayani Shastri is set to replace A New Life from June 13th.

Here's a short description about the show:

 

 

The story begins with Darsh Rawal receiving an award for his photographic skills at an event in Paris. Despite being deprived of his eyesight, Darsh possesses amazing photography skills. He can sense and visualize the complete world through his mind, and never lets his disability bring him down. But soon, his mother Rajvi becomes concerned about his marriage. Elsewhere in Dwarka, Nandini Rawal prepares for her sister Bansuri's marriage but is caught in a storm near the sea harbor. Darsh risks his life and saves Nandini.

Musiekpaniek gets another season

Musiekpaniek is a fun-filled game show in which a local musician and their superfans join our presenter in studio to test their music trivia. Hosted by Carla Mackenzie.

Season 7 is expected to air from 20:00 from 1st July.

 

In other developments, MultiChoice delayed the launch of the rumoured VIA duplicate while eMedia will be rolling out the second season of Die Kontrak which serves as a competitor to Musiekpaniek.

Roundups #50: Dora The Explorer Horror Series Currently Streaming On YouTube, The Bad Guys TV Series Rumoured To Be In Development On DreamWorks And Plants Vs. Zombies Scrapped Feature Film From DreamWorks

Also Read

Dora The Explorer and Learning With Pibby rip-off

Amanda The Adventurer follows the escapades of the titular character and her sheep friend Woody except it contains more darker themes which is where the Adult Swim original Learning With Pibby tags along.

The project was produced by James Pratt's (Woody) Gaming Design and was meant to give viewers a nostalgic and curiosity feel. The main characters are the centre peace to the whole show with others being plot fillers who are quickly forgotten.

 

Throughout the show, viewers will be encouraged to help Amanda on her journey if you get the answer wrong she huffs and puffs and as episodes go by you'll see several warning signs until the inevitable end.

The Bad Guys might be coming to a station near you

The #1 movie in the U.S. follows a group of criminal animals who, upon being caught, pretend to attempt to reform themselves as model citizens, only for their leader to find himself genuinely drawn to changing his ways as a new villain has his own plans.

 

In an interview with Marc Maron (the voice of snake), it was said that a TV series might be in development. A friend of his auditioned for his role and went on to joke about the whole issue. Most of the cast members expressed interest in a sequel.

At the moment, DreamWorks Animation hasn't confirmed anything for The Bad Guys but the idea of a TV series doesn't seem far fetched almost all their movies particularly ones as big as Madagascar and Dragons come with a prequel.

 

Plants Vs. Zombies movie enters the recycle bin

Plants vs. Zombies is a video game franchise developed by PopCap Games, a subsidiary of Electronic Arts (EA) where players take on the role of a human as they have to defend their home from a couple of mindless zombies.

According to sources, a feature film from DreamWorks Animation was currently underway with several concepts and ideas already planned. The news came at the time the beloved video game alongside Angry Birds were on the verge of extinction.

 

The first Plants Vs. Zombies game is available on Insidus Games.

The Alleged Real Life Story Of DreamWorks Shrek

Also Read

Voiced by Mike Myers, Shrek is the reluctant hero of the 2001 fairy tale comedy of the same name, which was based on a children's book by William Steig about a brutish ogre with a distinctive look. Although Dreamworks, the production company behind Shrek, has neither confirmed nor denied the rumors, many believe that Shrek was inspired by a French wrestler from the 1930s and '40s named Maurice Tillet. You have to admit, it is kind of uncanny.

The French Angel
Maurice Tillet was born in 1903 in Russia to French parents who soon moved back to France to raise their son. By all accounts, he had a relatively normal childhood with no major health issues. In fact, he had such a cherubic face that he earned the nickname "The French Angel " in the course of his wrestling career, but wrestling wasn't always Tillet's dream. He initially hoped to become a lawyer. That all changed, however, shortly after his 20th birthday.

 

 

Tillet And Acromegaly
As he entered his twenties, Tillet started to notice unusual swelling in his hands, feet, and head. When the issue persisted, Tillet sought medical attention, and after running a battery of tests, the doctor gave Tillet a chilling diagnosis: He had acromegaly.

What Is Acromegaly?
Acromegaly is a medical condition that causes a benign tumor to grow on the pituitary gland in the brain. The tumor causes the pituitary gland to release excess amounts of growth hormones, which means the tremendous growth spurts that a person experiences in childhood continue unabated into adulthood in patients with acromegaly. People who suffer from acromegaly are much larger than the average adult, with bones that thicken as they lengthen. The bones in their hands, feet, and face are affected the most. As you can imagine, this greatly alters the appearance of the patient.

No Longer An Angel Face
As his acromegaly progressed, Maurice Tillet's once angelic face drastically changed. His jaw took on a square shape as it grew, protruding slightly, and his entire face broadened. His skull elongated until his ears appeared out of place. His hands and feet were gigantic, and he had to relearn how to navigate the world with giant mitts and clumsy feet.

 

The Wrestler
As he grew disillusioned by his diagnosis—a career in the legal profession was right out—Tillet made the acquaintance of a professional wrestler from Lithuania named Karl Pojello in 1937. Pojello was impressed by Tillet's powerful build and persuaded him to become a wrestler, even moving to Paris to train him. Tillet found moderate success as a professional wrestler in France and England until the outbreak of World War II, when he immigrated to America.

The Champ
In the early 1940s in Boston, Tillet connected with wrestling promoter Paul Bowser, and it was here where he truly flourished as a wrestler. He maintained an undefeated winning streak for more than a year and a half, holding the title of AWA World Heavyweight Champion from 1940–1942. He even inspired a slew of imitators: The Irish Angel, Russian Angel, Czech Angel, Canadian Angel, etc. Only one of them—Paul Olaffsen, the Swedish Angel—also suffered from acromegaly.

 

An Early Demise
Unfortunately, as with nearly all acromegaly patients, Tillet's condition cut his life short. At the age of 51, his heart and vascular system could no longer keep up with the demands of his oversize frame, and he died of cardiovascular disease on September 4, 1954 in Chicago. A few years before his death, however, Tillet allowed a Chicago-area sculptor named Louis Linck to craft several plaster busts of his face to both commemorate his wrestling career and document the effects of acromegaly. One of Linck's busts of Tillet is currently housed at the International Museum of Surgical Science in Chicago.

 

Does Shrek Resemble Tillet?
From these busts and photos taken of Tillet during his life, it's clear that he bears more than a passing resemblance to the lovable ogre, from the protruding jaw to the lopsided grin to the minuscule and misplaced ears. Still, there is no concrete proof that Shrek's appearance was based on Tillet. It could simply be a coincidence.

Other Acromegaly Sufferers
After all, it's not like Tillet was the only high-profile figure who suffered from acromegaly. Although the disorder is rare, its effects result in such striking features that those who suffer from it often use their appearance to make money (and often have no other choice). Andre the Giant, a fellow professional wrestler and actor best remembered for his role as the cuddly brute Fezzick in The Princess Bride, also suffered from acromegaly. Other performers afflicted with the disorder include the 6'9" Ted Cassidy, who played Lurch in The Addams Family , and Richard Keil, who played the villain Jaws in the James Bond movies The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker. Shrek's appearance could have been influenced by any or none of these men, and although it might be a dubious honor to inspire a literal ogre, he does have a way with the ladies (not unlike Andre the Giant himself ).

Credit: Karen Harris

Roundups #42: Pablo Renewed For A Third Season On CBeebies, When Billie Met Lisa Begins Streaming On Disney+ And Peacock Working On Live-Action Series For Casper Scare School

Also Read

Pablo continues on CBeebies

BBC Children’s has greenlit a third season of CBeebies animated series Pablo, which has a new look and narrative focus to resonate with all kid viewers, not just those on the autism spectrum.

The 52 x 11-minute season finds its titular star Pablo— now eight years old—heading off to school. (He was five at the end of season two.) Pablo’s older age will be reflected in the series’ animation style, which has moved away from a flat 2D look with the addition of mixed-media elements including 3D animation and photo-real textures.

 

 

Development of the third season was funded by BBC Children’s, NI Screen and CAKE, Pablo‘s international distributor.

Billie Eilish makes an appearance on The Simpsons

Billie Eilish and Finneas will star in a new Simpsons short on Disney+. The short, called “When Billie Met Lisa,” will premiere on Friday, April 22.

A press release provides the following description of the short episode:

In “When Billie Met Lisa,” Lisa Simpson is discovered by chart-topping artists Billie Eilish and Finneas while searching for a quiet place to practice her saxophone. Billie invites Lisa to her studio for a special jam session she’ll never forget.

 

The Weeknd was recently featured on a new episode of The Simpsons called “Bart the Cool Kid.”

 

Casper is coming to Peacock

Casper the Friendly Ghost is coming back to television in a brand new incarnation reminiscent of Riverdale ‘s darker interpretation of the Archie comics. Peacock is developing Casper, a live-action, horror/adventure series, which reimagines the origin of Casper in a coming-of-age story that explores what it means to be alive.

Set in high school, Casper is written/executive produced by The Ghost Bride head writer Kai Yu Wu. In it, when a new family arrives in the small town of Eternal Falls, Casper finds himself entangled in a mystery uncovering dark secrets that have been buried for over 100 years.

Roundups #31: Jack Black Reprises His Role As Po In New Kung Fu Panda Series For Netflix, New Amsterdam To End With Season 5, Harley Quinn Animated Series Is Getting A Spinoff And Selena Gomez Developing New Comedy Series 15 Candles

Also Read

Kung Fu Panda is back with a new series on Netflix

Netflix has commissioned a new “Kung Fu Panda” animated series with Jack Black returning to voice the main character, Po.

In the series, titled “Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight,” a mysterious pair of weasels set their sights on a collection of four powerful weapons. Po must leave his home to embark on a globe-trotting quest for redemption and justice that finds him partnered up with a no-nonsense English knight named Wandering Blade. Together, these two mismatched warriors set out on an epic adventure to find the magical weapons first and save the world from destruction — and they may even learn a thing or two from each other along the way.

The series marks Black’s first time back as Po since the 2016 film “Kung Fu Panda 3.” He previously voiced the character in the first two films in the franchise, which were released in 2008 and 2011. In total, the three films have grossed over $1.8 billion at the global box office.

New Amsterdam cancelled after 5 seasons

Season 5 of the Ryan Eggold-starring drama, which begins in the fall, will also be the show's shortest, with just 13 episodes to wrap up the story of Dr. Max Goodwin and his many battles against hospital bureaucracy. This will take its run to just under 90 episodes.

Why Is 'New Amsterdam' Canceled?

When deciding whether or not to renew a show, a network has to weigh how much it costs with how popular it is—and obviously, more expensive shows need to be more popular to justify their continued existence.

Also read:
- Boss Baby returns with new series
- The Deep coming soon to Da Vinci Kids
- Press release of DreamWorks Channel on DStv
- DreamWorks working on a batch of preschool series
- Agent Binky: Pets Of The Universe returning for a third season
- SWAT Katz is back with a new series
- A list of series coming to Cartoonito/Boomerang in EMEA
- DreamWorks working on four new series
- The truth about Disney's beloved fairytale princess Pocahontas
- Ice Age: Scrat TV series coming in April to Disney+
- CBeebies working on new cooking show

Clearly, the ratings of New Amsterdam had fallen to a point where NBC was not getting enough viewers for its investment. This is despite it still being a solid ratings performer, with the current season drawing in an average of 7 million people an episode across all platforms, according to Deadline.

Harley Quinn is getting a spinoff

DC has been killing it when it comes to their superhero-centric programming on HBO Max. One of the many highlights has been the Harley Quinn animated series starring Kaley Cuoco. While fans have been anxiously waiting for the third season for a while now, series co-creator Patrick Schumacker just announced that a spin-off series is in the works at the streamer.

The series is currently titled Noonan's and would center around Kite Man after he buys Noonan’s Bar. This is an iconic hangout spot for the criminal underworld in Gotham City and the location itself first appeared in The Demon Annual in 1993. The bar is named after the hitman Sean Noonan.

Matched  

When talking about the show during the panel Schumacker said, “He tries to run the bar by himself, but it doesn't turn out so easy”. The co-creator would go on to reveal more saying, “We have Harley and Ivy appear in the first episode, but after that we have with different goons and villains appearing every episode like Lex Luthor and Bane. It will be kind of like Cheers for supervillains."

Selena Gomez Has Been Tapped To Bring A Coming-Of-Age Classic To The Small-Screen

Teaming up with producers Tanya Saracho and Gabriela Revilla Lugo, the Only Murders in the Building star is developing a new comedy series that will reimagine John Hughes’ 1984 rom-com, Sixteen Candles, with a Latinx spin.

The half-hour sitcom, titled 15 Candles, will follow four young Latinas entering high school “as they overcome their feelings of invisibility while exploring what it means to leave childhood behind through the lens of the traditional female coming-of-age rite: the quinceañera,”.

Also read:
- Xtreme League Football founded by WWE's Vince McMahon returns in 2023
- Telemundo working on new series Until Money Do Us Apart
- Chris Evans and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson working on new film, RedOne
- 50 Cent working on Hip-Hop Docuseries
- WWE was almost sold to FOX
- NCIS: Los Angeles might be cancelled
- Paramount+ and Nickelodeon expand kids and family slate
- The Wendy Williams Show cancelled on BET
- Gloomy Sunday, the Hungarian suicide song
- Serena Williams is not giving up on Grand Slam Record Chase

You can also find me through the other platforms by pressing this link in brackets and if you're struggling to share the article through certain platforms use this link (Lnk.Bio).

Roundups #30: Boss Baby Returns To Netflix With New Series, Could Imbewu Be Moving To A New Timeslot On e.tv? And Channel Closure Notices On DStv For The 4 e.tv Channels

Also Read

Netflix and DreamWorks are teaming up for more Boss Baby

The Boss Baby: Back in the Crib is set to debut globally on Netflix May 19, picking up where last year’s feature film sequel The Boss Baby: Family Business left off.

In the latest series, main character Theodore Templeton is framed for embezzlement and forced to turn back into Boss Baby. Now living with his brother Tim and nieces Tabitha and Tina, Theodore must band together with his family to fight against a new group of arch-enemies, the Uncuddelables.

Back in the Crib is produced by Brandon Sawyer and Matt Engstrom, and its voice cast has yet to be announced.

This is the second series in the franchise that Netflix and DreamWorks have collaborated on. The first, Back in Business, ran for four seasons from 2018 to 2020. And Family Business grossed US$ 147 million at the worldwide box office across 3,644 theaters in 2021.

Also read:
- The Deep coming soon to Da Vinci Kids
- Press release of DreamWorks Channel on DStv
- DreamWorks working on a batch of preschool series
- A list of series coming to Cartoonito/Boomerang in EMEA
- SWAT Katz is back with a new series
- Agent Binky: Pets Of The Universe returning for a third season
- DreamWorks working on four new series
- The truth about Disney's beloved fairytale princess Pocahontas
- Ice Age: Scrat TV series coming in April to Disney+
- CBeebies working on new cooking show

It's possible that Imbewu is going nowhere

As stated earlier, e.tv will be airing a new series The Black Door during Imbewu, could this signal the end of Imbewu or is there more to the story that e.tv is not mentioning?

According to sources, Isono airs in the 20:30 timeslot which was known for international dramas and I haven't watched any BET for a long time and if I had to guess Isono runs for a duration of 23-25 minutes.

Meaning there's extra 25-30 minutes which will likely be used for Imbewu or this new telenovela although a timeslot was provided you can never be certain about anything.

Also read:
- Imbewu and possibly Durban Gen might be cancelled
- Dokter Ali S2 coming in April to eExtra
- The Daughter-In-Law coming soon to Zee World while a repeat of The Vow debuts on Zee One
- Should eReality merge with News And Sport?
- SABC Encore and SABC Children channel might be in development
- Unforseen Love, Bold and Beautiful and Destined Love coming soon to Star Life
- Doodsondes returning for a fourth season on eExtra
- Saloni and East Meets West coming soon to SABC 2

Important notice for DStv customers

To assure viewers that MultiChoice is not kidding about scrapping most of the e.tv channels. They'll soon be adding a channel termination notice on each station.

Interesting enough, these notices target channels particularly on DStv Family and Access:

• eExtra - viewers are encouraged to tune into kykNET & Kie and Mzansi Wethu. (Someone was doing their homework to recommend kykNET)
• eMovies and eMovies Extra - both movie channels so of course same recommendation. Viewers are encouraged to tune into M-Net Movies, Studio Universal and TNT.
• eToonz - basically treated like a preschool channel encourages viewers to tune into Disney Junior and JimJam with the help of Cartoon Network.

Also read:
- eExtra, eMovies, eMovies Extra and eToonz will stop airing on DStv
- What to expect on the upcoming DreamWorks Channel?
- PBS Kids will be made available to DStv Easyview customers
- KIX will be made available to DStv Family and Access customers
- Press release of DreamWorks Channel on DStv
- Could Timeless Dizi Channel and possibly tvN replace eExtra on DStv?
- Could ESPN close alongside National Geographic and Disney Channel?
- New movie channel launching later in the year on DStv
- Lifetime could be on the chopping block on DStv

You can also find me through the other platforms by pressing this link in brackets and if you're struggling to share the article through certain platforms use this link (Lnk.Bio).

Roundups #21: DreamWorks Preps Up More Preschool Series For Netflix And Peacock, 4WD To The Max Coming Soon To Ignition And More Info On TLNovelas Africa Upcoming Series Overcoming Fear

Also Read

DreamWorks is proving to be a best source in animation

During the month of February, DreamWorks Animation announced a further lineup of preschool series launching on Netflix the following year, Not Quite Narwhal and Dew Drop Diaries.

Ahead of the launch, Netflix will be airing another DreamWorks production Team Zenko Go! which centers around four friends who help their fellow citizens by doing random and secret acts of kindness.

NBCUniversal the parent company of DreamWorks Animation has greenlit a handful of preschool content including Team Mekbots Animal Rescue and Dino Pops to join other upcoming productions Megamind’s Guide to Defending Your City and Abominable and the Invisible City.

4WD To The Max coming soon to Ignition

They may be old(er), but they are far from cold! Long-time friends Gustav Erasmus and Sakkie Coetzee are old hands at conquering tough 4x4 obstacles.

Both competed in the former Bridgestone 4x4 Club Challenge. Over the years Sakkie Coetzee won several events, and eventually ended up as the route master - the person that created the toughest of tough 4x4 challenges for competitors.

Will Gustav and Sakkie show the youngsters how it should be done? Or will they end up in the crosshairs of the other teams when it comes to the voting process?

Also read:
- Disney Channel and Junior welcomes back returning shows during the school holidays
- My Heart Beats For Lola coming soon to Telemundo
- DreamWorks Channel will be added to MultiChoice's DStv
- Morgan Freeman is coming to History for a new series
- Modern Family is back on Comedy Central with Love And Hip-Hop on MTV
- Warner Bros. Discovery potential channel closures
- Dive into the Big Blue with Cartoon Network Africa
- Possible channel closures from Warner Bros. Discovery
- In March, E! will also be hosting the Oscars live from the red carpet and launch the cover bands
- Tellytrack will stop airing on DStv
- Kidz Club is back for the March holidays and more on Studio Universal

The first series of 4WD to the Max kicks of at the end of March on DStv's Ignition TV channel (189).

Overcoming Fear/Vencer O Medo synopsis and guidelines for TLNovelas

To everyone's eyes, the Durán family projects unity, harmony and respect, but reality is different for all the women in the family: Inés lives under the yoke of her husband Vicente, a despotic macho man; Cristina, the eldest of the daughters, was once her father's great pride through her promissory swimming, until an incident pushed her away from sports; Areli, Lorenzo's daughter Inés’s eldest son from a previous relationship has challenged her conservative father.

Since she awoke to sexuality and wants to lose her virginity. Marcela, the youngest daughter, tired of being watched and scolded, takes refuge in her boyfriend Rommel and his gang. Everything becomes worse when Marcela steals a car, not knowing that the body of an important businessman is inside the trunk. At 15, she will end up in a juvenile detention center accused of theft and become a suspect in a murder she did not commit.

As mentioned, the series airs weekdays at 16:30 from May 2nd.

You can also find me through the other platforms by pressing this link in brackets and if you're struggling to share the article through certain platforms use this link (Lnk.Bio).