Long Ago and Far Away

Long Ago and Far Away

Long Ago and Far Away is a TV series that aired on PBS Television from 1989 to 1993. It was created by WGBH, a public television broadcast service located in Boston, Massachusetts. WGBH is a member of PBS, which allowed for this TV series to be viewed on various other PBS stations. Each episode began with host James Earl Jones sitting in a chair in a room with a table, lamp and window. The walls were blue with white dots in order to make it appear as if these living room items were sitting out in space. James Earl Jones talks during the short opening section, then acts as narrator for the balance of an episode. This series, aimed at children aged six to nine years old, presents stories based on traditional fairy tales. A number of presentation methods were used to tell these stories, with stop motion animation, live-action or cel animation being used depending on the episode. Long Ago and Far Away also featured a number of guest narrators including: Tammy Grimes, Kim Loughran, David Suchet, and Mia Farrow.

AnimationDramaFamily

Seasons

1. The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Air Date: 1989-02-11

A piper rids a town of rats.

2. The Reluctant Dragon

Air Date: 1990-01-01

A boy befriends a peaceable dragon.

3. Abel's Island

Air Date: 1990-09-08

A mouse is stranded on an isolated island.

4. Happy Circus

Air Date: 1989-01-01

3 Tales in clay animation

5. Hungarian Folk Tales

Air Date: 1989-01-01

Three animated stories. Janko Raven; Plinko; The Hedgehog

6. The Talking Parcel - Pt.1

Air Date: 1981-01-01

Penelope finds a parrot.

7. The Talking Parcel - Pt.2

Air Date: 1989-01-01

Penelope and Parrot travel.

8. Svatohor

Air Date: 1989-01-01

A hunter tries to save the czar and wed his daughter.

9. The Sleeping Princess

Air Date: 1989-01-01

An evil fairy bewitches a princess.

10. As Long as He Can Count the Cows

Air Date: 1989-01-01

A schoolboy needs eyeglasses.

11. The Man Who Planted Trees

Air Date: 1989-01-01

A shepherd sows a forest.

12. The Silver Cornet

Air Date: 1989-01-01

A boy yearns to play the cornet.

13. Bill & Bunny

Air Date: 1989-01-01

A boy learns his sister is autistic.

14. Frog and Toad Are Friends

Air Date: 1989-01-01

Frog and Toad find adventure.

15. Frog and Toad Together

Air Date: 1981-01-01

A leggy green frog and a squat green toad share adventures together.

1. Beauty & the Beast

Air Date: 1990-01-01

A beauty agrees to live in a beast's castle.

2. Noah's Ark

Air Date: 1990-01-01

God commands Noah to build an ark. Animated.

3. Rarg

Air Date: 1990-01-01

People discover they exist in a man's dream.

4. Circus Dreams

Air Date: 1990-01-01

Three tales in clay animation. Circus Dream - by Franck Flanquart and Pierre Scarella; The Elephant and the Whale - by Jacques-Remy Girerd; Timber the Woodsman - by Alexandre Fletchet

5. More Hungarian Folk Tales

Air Date: 1990-01-01

The Poor Man’s Vineyard; First the Dance, Then the Feast; The Wandering of the Needle, the Dog, the Egg, and the Rooster; The Astronomer, the Thief, the Hunter, and the Tailor

6. The Boy in the Oak Tree

Air Date: 1990-01-01

A boy refuses to eat peas.

7. Oh, Mr. Toad! - Pt.1

Air Date: 1990-01-01

Weasels capture Toad Hall.

8. Oh, Mr. Toad! - Pt. 2

Air Date: 1990-01-01

Friends help Toad save his house.

9. Bill the Minder

Air Date: 1990-02-04

Bill babysits his cousins.

1. The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship - Pt.1

Air Date: 1991-01-01

A Czar declares that whoever makes him a ship that could sail through the air would marry his daughter.

2. The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship - Pt.2

Air Date: 1991-01-01

Pytor may die.

3. The Emperor's New Clothes

Air Date: 1991-01-01

A child shames a vain ruler.

4. Uncle Elephant

Air Date: 1991-01-01

A young elephant goes to live with his eccentric uncle when his parents are lost at sea.

5. Jazztime Tale

Air Date: 1991-01-01

Two girls become friends in 1919 Harlem.

6. Merlin and the Dragons

Air Date: 1991-01-01

Merlin tells King Arthur a tale.

7. Pegasus the Flying Horse

Air Date: 1991-01-01

A winged horse gains immortality.

8. The Wind in the Willows

Air Date: 1991-01-01

Elderly Badger, unworldly Mole and brave Rat repeatedly save reckless Toad from misadventures stemming from his infatuation with cars. In puppet animation.

1. Nightingale

Air Date: 1992-01-01

An emperor learns a lesson from a tiny bird.

2. Mouse Soup

Air Date: 1992-01-01

A mouse's tales distract a hungry weasel.

3. The Talking Eggs

Air Date: 1992-01-01

Magic transforms poor siblings' lives.

Select an episode to start watching

Rating

9.0/10

Release Date

1989-02-11

Episodes

35 (4 seasons)

Status

Ended

Cast

James Earl Jones

James Earl Jones

Host

Tammy Grimes

Tammy Grimes

Kim Loughran

Kim Loughran

David Suchet

David Suchet

Mia Farrow

Mia Farrow

Production Companies

GBH

GBH