''Miss Switch to the Rescue'' is a 1982
animated television special and a
sequel to ''
The Trouble with Miss Switch'' (1980) produced by
Ruby-Spears Productions
Ruby-Spears Productions (also known as Ruby-Spears Enterprises) was a Burbank, California–based American entertainment production company that specialized in animation with another branch in Rome, Italy. This company was founded in 1977 by vete ...
. It is based on the 1981
children's book of the same name by
Barbara Brooks Wallace
Barbara Brooks Wallace (December 3, 1922 – November 27, 2018) was an American children's writer. She won the NLAPW Children's Book Award and International Youth Library "Best of the Best" for ''Claudia'' (2001) and William Allen White Childre ...
and originally aired in two parts on ''
ABC Weekend Special'' series on January 16 and 23, 1982. It also features the final role for actor
Hans Conried, who died only a few weeks before the first part aired.
The special was rebroadcast on ABC in April/May 1982, as well as June 1983, February 1985, July 1986, April 1987 and February 1989.
Synopsis
Rupert Brown and Amelia Daley receive a mysterious package from a spooky old crone: a ship inside a bottle with a miniature man aboard. Rupert opens the bottle, unwittingly releasing the evil
warlock Mordo, who quickly kidnaps Amelia. Rupert calls upon the good witch Miss Switch to use her magic powers to rescue Amelia. Miss Switch conjures ''The Witches Encyclopedia'' and traces Mordo and Amelia to the year 1640, when good witches imprisoned Mordo in the bottle. Traveling back in time on her broomstick, Miss Switch and Rupert eventually find Amelia on Mordo's pirate ship, where the warlock is about to administer his evil potion to mayor Daley. They manage to rescue Amelia, but Mordo is still able to transform the mayor into a troll. Upon their return to the present, Amelia and Rupert learn from Miss Switch's magic encyclopedia that the real power behind this diabolical plot is Saturna, meddling from afar on the Island of Fire and Ice. As Saturna vows to get her revenge, Amelia begins to fade away and then vanishes – a disappearance Miss Switch knows will be permanent unless Amelia is saved by sunset.
Miss Switch rewinds the clock to bring back Amelia, then uses the additional time to mix an antidote potion. Miss Switch uses ingredients in the school
science lab, with the addition of
unicorn dust. Mordo kidnaps the classroom of children on his flying pirate ship. An expanded rescue mission unfolds, culminating with the troll Thaddeus drinking the antidote, transforming back into Mayor Daley, who is in fact Amelia's 300-years-removed grandfather. Angered by the turn of events, Saturna battles Mordo with magic, causing a massive
cave-in that traps them both in ice. Miss Switch safely returns all the children to school, magically ensuring the other classmates forget the whole incident. When Rupert asks Miss Switch if they'll ever see her again, she and Bathsheba vanish on her broomstick, leaving behind the response "Who Knows?" on the
chalkboard.
Voices
*
Janet Waldo as Miss Switch
*
Eric Taslitz
Eric Taslitz is an American actor best known for roles in such films and television series as '' American Pop'', ''Galactica 1980
''Galactica 1980'' is an American science fiction television series and a spin-off from the original '' Battles ...
as Rupert Brown
*
Nancy McKeon as Amelia Daley
*
Hans Conried as Mordo, the Warlock
*
Walker Edmiston as Witch's Book / Old Salt / Mayor
*
June Foray as Bathsheba / Saturna
*
Anne Lockhart as Teacher / Barmaid
*
Hal Smith as Smirch
* Philip Tanzini as Banana / Conrad
*
Willie Tyler as Himself - Host
Production credits
*Executive Producers:
Joe Ruby &
Ken Spears
*Directed by:
Charles A. Nichols
*Written by: Sheldon Stark
*Based on the Characters Created by:
Barbara Brooks Wallace
Barbara Brooks Wallace (December 3, 1922 – November 27, 2018) was an American children's writer. She won the NLAPW Children's Book Award and International Youth Library "Best of the Best" for ''Claudia'' (2001) and William Allen White Childre ...
*Voices:
Janet Waldo,
Eric Taslitz
Eric Taslitz is an American actor best known for roles in such films and television series as '' American Pop'', ''Galactica 1980
''Galactica 1980'' is an American science fiction television series and a spin-off from the original '' Battles ...
,
Nancy McKeon,
Hans Conried,
Alan Dinehart
Mason Alan Dinehart Sr. (born Harold Alan Dinehart; October 3, 1889 – July 18, 1944) was an American actor, director, writer, and stage manager.
Biography
Dinehart initially studied to be a priest, but he turned to the theater instead. ...
,
Walker Edmiston,
June Foray,
Anne Lockhart,
Hal Smith, Philip Tanzini
*Director of Production Design: Ric Gonzalez
*Supervising Story Director: Gordon Kent
*Story Direction:
Ron Campbell
*Models: Alan Huck
*Voice Direction:
Alan Dinehart
Mason Alan Dinehart Sr. (born Harold Alan Dinehart; October 3, 1889 – July 18, 1944) was an American actor, director, writer, and stage manager.
Biography
Dinehart initially studied to be a priest, but he turned to the theater instead. ...
*Layout Supervision:
Larry Huber
*Layout: Kathleen Carr, Kurt Conner, Hak Ficq, George Goode, Fred Irvin, Lew Ott, Mario Piluso, Aaron St. John, Wallace Sides
*Background Layout Supervision: David High
*Background Layout: John F. Guerin, Bruce Zick
*Animation Supervision: Jay Sarbry
*Animation: Frank Andrina, Ed Barge, Tom Barnes, Bob Bemiller, Oliver Callahan, Rudy Cataldi, Rick Leon, Hicks Lokey, Mircea Mantta, Costi Mustatea, Bob Nesler, Margaret Nichols, Zeon Davush, Ed Demattia, Joan Drake, Hugh Fraser, Al Green, Terry Harrison, Fred Hullmich, Aundre Knutson, Barney Posner, Bill Pratt, Joanna Romersa, Don Ruch, Kunio Shimamura, Ken Southworth
*Assistant Animation Supervision: John Boersema
*Production Coordinator: Loretta High
*Xerography: Star Wirth
*Checking and Scene Planning: Paul Strickland
*Ink and Paint Supervision: Alison Victory
*Studio Manager: Jeff Cooke
*Background Styling: Eric Semones
*Backgrounds Painted by: Katsuyoshi Hozumi, Dennis Durrel, Gary Selvaggio, P.S. Lewis, Peter Van Elk, Bob Schaefer, Dennis Venizelos, Gloria Wood, Tom Woodington
*Color Key: Bunny Semones
*Title Design: Bob Schaefer
*Assistants to the Executive Producers: Erika Grossbart, Kayte Kuch
*Production Assistants: Joyce Benson, Bryna Melnick, Kathy Rose
*Music:
Dean Elliott
*Musical Supervision: Paul DeKorte
*Supervising Film Editor: Chip Yaras
*Effects Editors: Jack Durney, Pete Grives, Karla McGregor, Kevin Spears
*Music Editor: Denise O'Hara
*Negative Cutting: Mary Nelson
*Post Production Supervision: Lenore Nelson
*Technical Supervision: Jerry Mills
*Camera: Steve Altman, Charles Flekal, Curtis Hall, Dan Larsen, Raymond Lee, Ralph Migliori, Joe Ponticelle, Cliff Shirpser, Roy Wade, Jerry Whittington, Dave Valentine
Home video release
''Miss Switch to the Rescue'' was released on a
VHS titled ''The Miss Switch Mystery Special'' as a double feature with ''The Trouble with Miss Switch'' by Strand VCI Entertainment in 1991. To date, it has not been released on
DVD by current rightsholder
Warner Home Video.
''The Miss Switch Mystery Special''
at WorldCat
See also
* '' The Trouble with Miss Switch''
* List of Ruby-Spears productions
This is a list of Ruby-Spears productions, including television series in animation and live-action.
Most of the pre-1991 library of Ruby-Spears is currently owned by Warner Bros. Television Studios through Warner Bros. Animation.
Main list ...
* ABC Weekend Special
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Miss Switch to the Rescue
1982 television specials
1980s American animated films
1980s American television specials
1980s animated television specials
ABC Weekend Special
American Broadcasting Company television specials
American television shows based on children's books
Films directed by Charles August Nichols
Films scored by Dean Elliott
Television series about witchcraft
Ruby-Spears television specials