Marie-Soleil was a Canadian children's television show in the 1980s and early 1990s, which aired on many stations associated with the CTV Television Network.[1] The show, starring children's entertainer Suzanne Pinel, used stories and songs to teach French to anglophone kids.[2]

The series was initially produced by Mid-Canada Communications for the MCTV stations in Northern Ontario in 1984,[3] and shot in Sudbury;[4] however, as a resident of Ottawa, Pinel found travelling to Sudbury on a regular basis to film the show difficult to reconcile with raising her children, so after a single season it went on hiatus before production was relaunched on Ottawa's CJOH-TV in 1987.[4]

The puppet character, an English-speaking dog named Fergus, was played by Jon Park-Wheeler.[4] There was also a clown named Samuel, played by Suzanne Lalonde, who spoke with sign language for the hearing impaired.[4]

The series was also later broadcast in reruns on YTV.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Janice Kennedy, "Suzanne Pinel wants Quebecers to catch the spirit of Marie- Soleil". Montreal Gazette, November 24, 1990.
  2. ^ Janice Kennedy, "Singer delights in both languages". Ottawa Citizen, June 22, 1992.
  3. ^ Audrey M. Ashley, "Music Pinel's medium for teaching kids French". Ottawa Citizen, November 8, 1984.
  4. ^ a b c d Tony Atherton, "CJOH ends morning show era; After 15 years- unscripted format replaces magazine". Ottawa Citizen, July 6, 1987.