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Imagination Island (titled Bedtime with Barney: Imagination Island in its initial broadcast) is a 1994 special that premiered on NBC on April 24, 1994.[1] Based on the children's television series Barney & Friends, it was the first Barney video to be on prime time television. The special was later released on home video on October 4, 1994.

Plot[]

Min and Tosha are having a sleepover; and Tosha's mom reads them a story about a mystical place called "Imagination Island" unable to finish the story. Tosha's baby brothers get heard crying. When Barney comes to life, he shows the two girls that they can go on a sailing adventure if they use their imaginations. With that, Barney mystically takes the two girls on deck aboard a huge ship destined for Imagination Island. Along the way, they meet up with Shawn, Derek, Baby Bop, and BJ. As the ship sails closer to the island, a big storm causes a huge tidal wave to knock the ship up onto some palm trees on the island.

Baby Bop and the parrot

Baby Bop and the parrot.

While Baby Bop and BJ stay on the ship, Barney and the children go explore the island. After hiking through the island's jungle, they eventually find a tropical house where they meet Professor Tinkerputt, a toy inventor who doesn't like to share his creations. He explains to the group the he moved to Imagination Island to be alone with his toys.

Promotinkerputtbarney94

Promotional black and white photo of Barney and Professor Tinkerputt.

The professor shows the group his new balloon maker that does not properly work. After Tosha realizes that her heart-shaped locket is the key to make the machine work, she gives the professor her locket. Through the process, Barney helps him understand that sharing with others makes people happy. By finally sharing different toys with the group, the professor realizes that making other people happy makes him happy too. Wanting to leave the island himself, Tinkerputt agrees to help the explorers get off the island. After a moment of thinking, Tinkerputt gets an idea of how to get the ship out of the trees. They can fly back with help from his balloon machine.

The group returns to the ship where Tinkerputt inflates many balloons to attach to the ship. Tinkerputt takes control of the ship, and the ship flies up to the sky. Baby Bop and BJ return home, and Barney reminds the kids the importance of home.

Later, the ship reaches back home, and Barney and the kids leave. With Tosha and Min falling asleep, the ship sails off into the night sky with the professor heading to build a new toy factory.

Stories: "Imagination Island"

Cast[]

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Group photo of the main cast of Imagination Island.

Songs[]

  1. "Just Imagine"
  2. "Sea Medley ("Sailing, Sailing", "Row, Row, Row Your Boat", "Blow the Man Down", "My Blankey Lies Over the Ocean" and "A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea")"
  3. "That's What an Island Is"
  4. "Jungle Adventure"
  5. "Tinkerputt's Song"
  6. "If You're Happy and You Know It"
  7. "Just Imagine" (Reprise)
  8. "It's Good to Be Home"

Production[]

II Cast & Crew

Cast & Crew of Imagination Island

1994ImagCast

The crew of Imagination Island

In June 1992, the same time that Barney & Friends was initially cancelled, Sheryl Leach (creator of Barney) and Kathy Parker (co-creator) were contacted by CBS about doing a fall prime-time special based on the show.[2]

In April 1993, it surfaced that two television networks were bidding the rights to a prime time special based on Barney & Friends that was scheduled to be released in Winter 1994.[3] In September 1993 it was announced that The Lyons Group was negotiating with four commercial networks for a prime-time Barney special that was now moved up to Spring 1994.[4]

Production for this video took place in February 1994 at Mercury Studios in Las Colinas, Irving, Texas. During production of this video, a lawsuit revolving around the song "I Love You" occurred. Unlike other Barney videos, "I Love You" was not sung due to the lawsuit but also to give the video a separate identity.[5]

(Left to right) Derek, Tosha, Shawn and Min on set of Imagination Island

(Left to right) Derek, Tosha, Shawn and Min on set of Imagination Island.

Casting[]

Julie Johnson was not on set during production due to an off Broadway gig she received at the time the video was being filmed. Carol Farabee replaced Julie Johnson as the voice of Baby Bop but soon later returned to dub over Carol Farabee's lines, due to the NBC network wanting the continuity to continue from the television series.[6] This explains why both actresses were listed in the end credits for voicing that said character.

Adaptation[]

Book[]

Main Article: Imagination Island (book)

The video was adapted into a book of the same name. Released on April 12, 1994. It was adapted by Stephen White, who also contributed in writing to the special, and illustrated by Jay B. Johnson.

Release[]

BedtimewithbarneyIIad

Newspaper ad with the "Bedtime with Barney" title.

Broadcast[]

Airing at 7PM (EST), the airing of Imagination Island on NBC was sponsored by JCPenney. 7.7 million American households watched the original broadcast on NBC[7] but the special scored 4.6 in ratings and ranked eighty-seventh (out of eighty-nine) in prime-time ratings. Imagination Island only attracted 9% of preschoolers upon its premiere.[8]

Home media[]

Prior to the release of Imagination Island on home video, The Lyons Group hosted a screening of the video at the 1994 VSDA conference in Las Vegas, Nevada for their VSDA Island Party event that took place on July 26, 1994 from 5PM-7PM at the Las Vegas Hilton in Ballroom C. Following the event was a sing along appearance and keepsake photo with Barney.

Imagination Island was available for pre-order on home video on September 14, 1994. It was available on October 4, 1994 at a suggested retail price of $14.95.[7] In 2001, this special was featured in the Blockbuster Exclusive video, Barney's Island Safari (along with Let's Go to the Zoo) and it released with the video The Land of Make Believe in 2007 by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment and HIT Entertainment under the Kids' Double Features banner.

Releases[]

Gallery[]

Photo shoots[]

Behind the scenes[]

Sets[]

Ads[]

Trivia[]

Barney 175x224

Barney on the ship set during production of Imagination Island.

Music[]

  • Most home video releases claim that the special contains the song, "Our Friend Barney Had a Boat". That song was never sung in this TV special/video, not even during its original air date.
    • When the tape was reprinted in 1996, the song was properly removed from the song list. However, every home video release since 1999 has the song reinserted in the list. 
  • Although the "Barney Theme Song" is not sung in this video, it is heard as an underscore when Barney fixes Tosha's bed, and Barney greets Tosha and Min.

Occurrences[]

  • This TV special/video marked:
  • This group (Derek, Min, Shawn, Tosha) also appeared in "May I Help You?".

Release[]

  • On the original NBC airing, an extended shot of Professor Tinkerputt looking out the window door accompanied with the final few notes of "Pop Goes the Weasel" was used. This short clip was edited out of all home video releases. 
  • This TV special/video aired on NBC two years after the Barney & Friends episode, "Let's Help Mother Goose!", aired and one year after "Hoo's In The Forest?" aired on television.
  • The Original 1995 UK/Ireland Release cut out the Bedtime with Barney Title Card, instead just fading in to Barney's Introduction. It was later restored in the 1998 Actimates Compatible Release.
  • The 2010 DVD release refers to this video as a movie as evidenced on the front cover (similar to the releases of Barney's Jungle Friends, Big World Adventure and A Very Merry Christmas for instance) despite Barney's Great Adventure being the only movie released during the series' original run.
    • Also, the cover received new artwork by showcasing the dinosaur's current costume performers at the time on the front.

Sequel[]

  • Following Imagination Island, Stephen White (writer of the video) thought of a sequel for the video that involved Rainbow Beard the Pirate, a character from the episode "The Treasure of Rainbow Beard", stealing all the colors from the Island. This idea never came to fruition.

Videos[]

Trailer[]

Interview[]

See also[]

References[]


v - e
Barney Home Video (Wink Gif)
Barney & The Backyard Gang
The Backyard Show (1988) • Three Wishes (1988) • A Day At The Beach (1989) • Waiting for Santa (1990) • Campfire Sing-Along (1990) • Barney Goes To School (1990) • Barney in Concert (1991) • Rock with Barney (1991)
1990s
1992: Barney's Magical Musical AdventureBarney's Birthday

1993: Barney's Best MannersBarney Rhymes with Mother GooseBarney's Home Sweet HomesLove To Read, With Barney

1994: Let's Pretend with BarneyBarney's Alphabet ZooBarney Live! In New York CityImagination Island

1995: Barney's Families are SpecialBarney SafetyMaking New FriendsBarney's Birthday / Home Sweet HomesRiding In Barney's CarBarney Songs

1996: Barney's All Aboard For SharingBarney's Talent ShowBarney's Fun & GamesBarney's Exercises Circus / Barney's Parade of NumbersBarney's 1-2-3-4 SeasonsOnce Upon A Time

1997: Barney's Sense-Sational DayBarney's Colors & ShapesBarney's Musical ScrapbookCamp WannarunnaroundBarney's Adventure BusBarney's Stu-u-upendous Puzzle Fun!Barney's Good Day, Good Night

1998: It's Time For CountingDown on Barney's FarmBarney in Outer SpaceMy Party with BarneyBarney's Big SurpriseBarney's Halloween PartyBarney's First AdventuresBarney's Good, Clean Fun! / Barney's Oh, Brother...She's My Sister

1999: Sing & Dance With BarneyWhat A World We ShareWalk Around The Block With BarneyLet's Play School!Barney's Night Before ChristmasMore Barney Songs

2000s
2000: Barney's Rhyme Time RhythmBarney's Super Singing CircusCome on Over to Barney's HouseBe My Valentine Love, Barney

2001: Barney's Musical CastleA to Z with BarneyBarney's Dino Dancin' TunesLet's Go To The ZooBarney's Pajama Party

2002: You Can Be Anything!Barney's Beach PartyRound and Round We GoBarney's Christmas Star

2003: Barney Songs from the ParkRead With Me, Dance With MeBarney's It's A Happy Day!It's Nice To Meet YouBarney's Red, Yellow and Blue!Barney's Numbers! Numbers!Barney's Best Manners: Your Invitation to Fun!Happy Mad Silly Sad

2004: Movin' and Groovin'Let's Pretend with BarneyNow I Know My ABCsBarney's Colorful World!Ready, Set, Play!

2005: Let's Go to the FarmJust ImagineEveryone Is SpecialThe Land of Make BelieveCan You Sing That Song?

2006: Let's Make Music

2007: Let's Go To The FirehouseShake Your Dino Tail!Dino-Mite Birthday

2008: Celebrating Around The WorldBarney's Animal ABC'sHi! I'm Riff!The Best of Barney

2009: Once Upon A Dino TaleTop 20 CountdownLet's Go on VacationSharing is Caring!Barney's Jungle FriendsWe Love Our Family
2010s
2010: Please & Thank YouEgg-Cellent AdventuresLet's Play OutsideFurry FriendsA-Counting We Will GoBest Fairy Tales

2011: Musical ZooShapes & Colors All AroundI Can Do It!1-2-3 LearnBig World AdventureA Very Merry Christmas

2012: I Love My FriendsClean Up, Clean Up!Planes, Trains & CarsAll About OppositesMost Loveable MomentsLet's Go to the Doctor

2013: Let's Go To The MoonPlay with BarneyDance with BarneyImagine with BarneyMost Huggable MomentsPerfectly Purple

2014: Story Time with BarneyHappy Birthday, Barney!A Super-Dee-Duper DayThis Is How I Feel

2015: Tee-rific Bugs & AnimalsIt's Showtime with BarneyBarney's Worldwide Adventure!

2016: Dinos in the Park

2017: Playground Fun
Other releases
Feature film: Barney's Great Adventure

Blockbuster: Play and Learn with BarneyBarney's Time for SchoolBarney's Rockin' Rhyme TimeBarney's Favorite SongsBarney's Big Top FunBarney's Valentine AdventureMovin' & Groovin' with BarneyBarney's Learning Round-UpBarney's Island SafariBarney's Night-Light StoriesBarney's Summertime FunGoing Places With BarneyOn The Move with BarneySing-Along Fun!

Re-releases: Barney's ABC's and 123'sBarney's Outdoor Fun!Let's Go to the BeachBarney's Book FairFun on WheelsMother Goose Collection


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