Care Bears
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The Care Bears are toys that were extremely popular in the 1980s. Over 40 million units were sold between 1983 and 1987. The toys are stuffed teddy bears which were sold in various colours. Each bear had a name such as Bedtime Bear. Each bear's name determines its colour and the logo on its rotund midriff; for example, Bedtime Bear is pastel blue and sports a sleepy-looking anthropromorphised crescent moon. There were also some non-bear toys made in the product line called Care Bear Cousins, such as Brave Heart Lion. In the backstory, the characters lived in the clouds in a place called Care-a-lot, maintained by a portly gentleman who went by the name of The Cloud Keeper.
The Care Bears television series ran from 1985 to 1988; three animated feature film spinoffs, The Care Bears Movie (1985), The Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation (1986), and The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland (1987) followed.
The Care Bears characters were originally created by the greeting card company American Greetings for use on their cards, two years before the toys were released by Kenner in 1983. The original artwork was painted by artist Elena Kucharik.
As of 2005, Care Bears are being marketed once more. The new toys offer features such as light-up bellies when pressed. As part of this comeback, the Bears' straight-to-DVD CGI debut, Care Bears: Journey to Joke-a-lot, was released on October 5, 2004 to less than critical acclaim. Another such film from Nelvana Limited is currently in the works, and scheduled for an autumn 2005 release.
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Alphabetical list of Care Bears
- America Cares Bear
- A brand-new addition to the famous toy line (2004), America Cares Bear is the Kingdom of Caring's most patriotic member, a happy and energetic bear who believes that America's greatest strength is in caring. Her shooting-star tummy symbol reminds America to lift up their red, white and blue by caring for those around them, and making their country--and the world--a better place.
- Baby Hugs Bear
- Baby Hugs Bear (often called Hugs), along with her brother, Baby Tugs Bear, with whom she often gets into mischief, is the youngest member of the Care Bears family. Sweet, curious and loving, she can never go anywhere without being hugged by anyone. A Star Buddy inside a pink box—her tummy symbol—shows her personality.
- Baby Tugs Bear
- Baby Tugs Bear (often called Tugs), whose sister is Baby Hugs Bear, is a rough and tumble little boy cub who always gets into mischief. The two siblings, looked after by their grandmother, Grams Bear (see below), are the youngest members of the Care Bears family. Baby Tugs' aspiration is to become a Care Bear himself and join the other Bears on missions in caring. His tummy symbol, a smiling Star Buddy inside a diaper, reflects his bright and happy personality.
- Bedtime Bear
- The sleepiest Bear of them all, Bedtime Bear makes sure that people get a good night's sleep all over the world. His tummy symbol (see above) says everything best about his job.
- Birthday Bear
- Birthday Bear knows how to celebrate his namesake all the time. His symbol is a cupcake with one candle on it.
- Champ Bear
- The Kingdom of Caring's sports guru, Champ Bear encourages the message of playtime--he is especially good at games he has never played before. A yellow trophy with a heart is his symbol.
- He appeared in some of the Nelvana episodes and made a cameo appearance in the beginning of the third movie, Adventure in Wonderland.
- Cheer Bear
- One of the original ten, Cheer Bear's job (see picture below) is to make people feel their happiest. A rainbow stands out as her symbol.
Missing image
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Cheer Bear from the Nelvana episode, The Lost Gift
- Do-Your-Best Bear
- A recent addition to the toy line (2004), Do-Your-Best Bear helps people be the best they can. His symbol--a colourful kite--reminds everyone that the sky's the limit when you do your best. However, he is the only one in the Kingdom of Caring who cannot fly a kite!
- Day Dream Bear
- Made exclusively for the British version of the franchise in the 1980s, Day Dream Bear shows that daydreams are fun and help inspire people to do things, but also shows how to pay attention. She is constantly getting into funny little scrapes because her mind is somewhere else. Her tummy symbol, two heart-shaped ballons, shows that, with imagination, there is a rainbow of happiness that we can create.
- Forest Friend Bear
- A joint exclusive between Tonka and the World Wildlife Fund for the 80's British franchise, Forest Friend Bear's job is to help keep forested areas safe.
- Friend Bear
- Friend Bear, one of the original ten Bears, is the ideal friend for everyone she meets. Two smiling flowers show up on her tummy symbol.
- Funshine Bear
- A regular in the toy line's animated fare for years, Funshine Bear, Care-a-lot's class clown, has a smiling sun as her tummy symbol--and even a smile on her face. Being happy is what she is all about.
- In the 2004 toy line and the direct-to-DVD feature, Journey to Joke-a-lot, Funshine was a male bear.
- Good Luck Bear
- Good Luck Bear helps spread his namesake to those he encounters. What can say better about his mission than (of course) a four-leaf clover on his tummy?
- Grams Bear
- The grandmother of all the Care Bears family, Grams Bear looks after the Kingdom of Caring's two youngest members, Hugs and Tugs (see above). A seasoned "veteran", an excellent storyteller, and a valued mentor for the family, she knows just about all there is about being a Bear, and is ready to lend a hand or a patient ear to help anyone in need. A rose stands out as her symbol.
- As a later addition to the toy line, Grams Bear was featured, along with her grandchildren, in the first movie and on some of the Nelvana TV episodes.
- Grumpy Bear
- Grumpy Bear, whose symbol is a grey rain cloud with falling hearts, tells us that it is okay to be grumpy sometimes, but that we are silly when we take our grumpiness too far. Grumpy is a fan favourite.
- Harmony Bear
- Harmony Bear, a peace-lover, helps others overcome differences and get along. Her symbol (see below) shows that harmony can be achieved when different people come together for the good of all.
- In the second movie (1986), Harmony's symbol was three joint-together hearts (the US version); in the British toys, it was three music notes. In 2004, it was changed into a multi-coloured flower.
- Laugh-A-Lot Bear
- Also a new addition in 2004, Laugh-A-Lot Bear turns her worst mistakes into the best jokes. Her symbol--a laughing star at giving others the giggles--shows what she really is.
- Love-A-Lot Bear
- With two intertwined hearts as her tummy symbol, Love-a-Lot Bear spreads the message of her namesake and makes it grow wherever she goes. Though a true believer in the power of love, she is not afraid to help it along. She can be seen dancing with her crush, Tenderheart Bear, at the beginning of the first movie.
- Perfect & Polite Panda
- Looking after Paradise up above the skies of Care-a-lot, Perfect & Polite Panda always spoke in rhyme, finishing each other's sentences and complimenting one another's feelings. They only appeared in one Care Bears episode, The Long Lost Care Bears.
- Sea Friend Bear
- Another British exclusive in the 80's between Tonka and the World Wildlfe Fund, Sea Friend Bear makes sure that the world's oceans and seas are safe from harm.
- Secret Bear
- Secret Bear, a later addition to the Care Bears family, acts as a mime to the other members. She can only tell secrets to her partner, Friend Bear (as the first movie strongly shows). Secret's tummy symbol is a red heart-shaped padlock.
- Share Bear
- Share Bear, also a later addition, helps others to learn about sharing the things they have. She shows that, through her symbol (see below), sharing is a treat that comes from the heart.
- In the 1980's franchise, Share Bear's symbol was a heart-sprinkled sundae with two straws; in 2004 it was changed to two lollipops (on the grounds that sharing milkshakes can spread germs, according to present-day distributors Play Along Toys).
- Surprise Bear
- A rare find in the 80's franchise, there is no one who loves good surprises so much like Surprise Bear. His symbol represents his job: a jack-in-the box with a star popping out. He was featured in the British franchise as an exclusive plush.
- Take Care Bear
- The least-known of all the Bears, Take Care Bear helps her friends live in the best of health. Her only appearance in the early franchise was in a 1987 cough medicine colouring book. A smiling apple was her symbol back then.
- Tenderheart Bear
- Tenderheart Bear is the leader of the Care Bears, and one of the original ten characters introduced in the franchise (the others were Bedtime Bear, Birthday Bear, Cheer Bear, Friend Bear, Funshine Bear, Good Luck Bear, Grumpy Bear, Love-A-Lot Bear and Wish Bear). A loving and lovable brown bear who knows a lot about helping others share their feelings, Tenderheart helps spread love and make it grow by helping people show they care. He wears the perfect symbol for his job on his tummy--a red heart with a narrow pink border.
- True Heart Bear
- The mother of the Care Bears and the Cousins, True Heart Bear, who first appeared in the second movie, is everything one would expect the first Bear to be: warm and perky, fun and friendly and extra-lovable and loving! Her symbol, a multi-coloured star radiating from a central heart, shows all the beautiful ways that caring shines out from a loving heart.
- Wish Bear
- Wish Bear's job is help, simply enough, everyone's wishes come true, even though not all of them work the way they should. Her symbol--a shooting star with a rainbow tail--reminds us to believe in our dreams.
Alphabetical list of Care Bear Cousins
Below are the descriptions for all of the Cousins, old and new. (NOTE: Noble Heart Horse was a later addition to the franchise, appearing on five of the TV episodes.)
- Brave Heart Lion
- Brave Heart Lion is the (un)official leader of the Care Bear Cousins, and one of the original ten when these cousins were introduced in the Care Bears franchise--Swift Heart Rabbit, Lotsa Heart Elephant, Loyal Heart Dog and Proud Heart Cat to name a few. Brave Heart's tummy symbol is a red heart with a crown hanging on the right side.
- Bright Heart Raccoon
- The smart aleck of the Cousins, Bright Heart Raccoon is a walking supercomputer who can solve problems thinking logically, and helps his friends on their toughest dilemmas. His symbol is a yellow heart-shaped light bulb.
- Cozy Heart Penguin
- A star of the first movie, Cozy Heart Penguin is the sweetest and warmest of the Cousins, and the one most suited to winter conditions. His symbol is a stocking cap resting on the left side of a red heart.
- Gentle Heart Lamb
- Featured in the first and second movies, Gentle Heart Lamb is the most softhearted of the Cousins, gentle and shy as her name suggests. A red-heart pillow is her symbol.
- Lotsa Heart Elephant
- Featured in the movies and TV series, Lotsa Heart Elephant is the strongest of the Cousins in physical ability and perseverance, despite having a very weak mind. His symbol is a pink heart-stamped weight.
- Loyal Heart Dog
- Loyal Heart Dog is a very proper and formal-mannered pup, honest and loyal and true beyond compare. The reason behind his tummy symbol, a heart-shaped medal, is because of his warm personality combined with his faithfulness and his namesake.
- Noble Heart Horse
- Noble Heart Horse is the founder of the Care Bear Cousins, and was an overseer of the Forest of Feelings in the second movie, but on the TV series, he was not much of a regular. In A New Generation, he took care of the other baby Bears and Cousins; his partner was True Heart Bear. He himself was a later addition to the family.
- Playful Heart Monkey
- Also appearing in the animated franchise, Playful Heart Monkey is the most mischievous Cousin anyone can meet--for him, the whole world is a playground. A heart with a party horn is his symbol.
- Proud Heart Cat
- A regular in the animated movies and series, Proud Heart Cat is the "purr-fectionist" of the Care Bears family, and reminds us to do our best in everything we do. His symbol is a curved pink star with a red heart inside.
- Swift Heart Rabbit
- Swift Heart Rabbit was the fastest of the Care Bear Cousins, reportedly running up to 90 mph to "help others". Sometimes his cockiness and overconfidence get him into trouble, but his quick thinking gets him out of it. His tummy symbol is a red heart with white wings.
- It is interesting to note that the gender of this character changed between movies and television series. (For one such example, see the Adventure in Wonderland article's synopsis.)
- Treat Heart Pig
- Featured on some of the TV episodes, Treat Heart Pig knows how to turn any occasion into a holiday. A real sweetheart, she gets along well with everyone she meets, though she has a tendency to overeat but takes things in moderation. Her symbol is an ice cream cone, showing her wholehearted devotion to helping others live life to the fullest.
Places
- The Kingdom of Caring is made up of Care-a-lot and the Forest of Feelings (see descriptions below).
- Care-a-lot is the special place where the Care Bears live, and the softest, coziest place anyone can imagine. High up in the clouds, it floats above all air traffic, and, with a nice comfy cloud floating above it, stays away from all satellite photographs too. Thus protected, the Bears protect caring on Earth.
- The Forest of Feelings is where the Care Bear Cousins live.
- The Hall of Hearts, located inside Care-a-lot, is the Care Bears family's meeting place.
- Paradise Valley is home to Perfect and Polite Panda (see above for profile).
Friends
- The Cloud Keeper is the portly gentleman who maintains Care-a-lot. He only appeared in some of the franchise's early publications and on the DiC-produced TV episodes.
- The Star and Heart Buddies look out for the Bears whenever they are on missions in caring.
- The Birds are usually seen in the Forest of Feelings with the Care Bear Cousins and watch over them.
Villains
Throughout movies and series, there were bad guys who often tried to stop the Bears and Cousins on their missions:
- First movie - Nicholas and the Evil Spirit
- Second movie - Dark Heart
- Third movie - The Wizard and Dim & Dumb
- DiC-produced episodes - Professor Coldheart, Frostbite
- Nelvana episodes - No Heart, Beastly and Shrieky (see TV series article)
The villains' profiles will be dealt with in the individual articles for the animated franchise.
Miscellaneous
- In French-speaking countries, the Care Bears are referred to as Bisounours, roughly translating as kiss bears, from bisou (kiss) and nounours (teddy bear). However, French-speaking Quebec knows them as Les Calinours.
- When the franchise was introduced in the 1980's, a mistake was made causing Bedtime Bear (blue) and Wish Bear (aqua) to swap colours. As soon as the mistake was discovered, the two bears returned into their appropriate hues, and later on a children's story was written explaining why.
- The term Care Bears was used as a fan base name for Carrie Underwood (the winner of 2005's American Idol). Coincidentally, she comes from Sigma Sigma Sigma, the same group where the cartoon's founder came from.
Discography
1980s (Kid Stuff Records)
1983 -
- Introducing the Care Bears
- The Care Bears Care For You
- Adventures in Care-a-lot
- The Care Bears Christmas
1986 - Friends Make Everything Better
2000s (Madacy Kids)
2004 -
- Meet the Care Bears
- Journey to Joke-a-lot Soundtrack
- Care Bears Holiday Hugs
2005 - Care Bears Nighty-Night
The Bears in other languages
- Czech: Starostliví medvídci
- Dutch: Troetelbeertjes
- French: Les Bisounours
- German: Glücksbärchis
- Greek: ΤΑ ΑΡΚΟΥΔΑΚΙA
- Hebrew: דובוני אכפת לי (Doobonei eechpattli)
- Italian: Gli Orsetti del Cuore
- Polish: Troskliwe Misie
- Portuguese: Ursinhos Carinhosos
- Serbo-Croatian: Mede medenjaci
- Spanish: Ositos Cariñositos
- Swedish: Krambjörnarna
See also
- Transformers, a contemporaneous toy aimed at boys.
- Rainbow Brite, another 1980s franchise launched from greeting cards.
- Strawberry Shortcake, a toy line launched by American Greetings' licensing division, Those Characters from Cleveland, Inc.
- Ziggy, another AGC/TCFC creation who first appeared in comic strips.
External links
Official sites
- US version (http://www.care-bears.com/)
- Australian version (http://www.care-bears.com.au/)
Fan sites
- Care Bears Forever (http://wishbear.net/)
- Kingdom of Caring (http://www.bedtimebear.net/kingdomofcaring/) (for information on individual bears)
- Angel Bear's Care Bear Poseable Place (http://www.poseableplace.com/) (more information on individual bears)
- Take Care Bear's Place (http://www.takecarebearsplace.net/) (the homepage of Take Care Bear)
- Care Bears - The Toy Shelf (http://www.thetoyshelf.com/care-bears.html)
- Noble Heart's Home (http://free.hostdepartment.com/N/NobleHeart/) (up-and-growing site for Care Bear fanfiction)
- Regal Heart's Den (http://www.freewebs.com/regalstellarforever/) (a great site for customs and great stories)
- Swift Heart's Rabbit Hole (http://mywebpages.comcast.net/toyotasupra/shrhindex.htm) (another fan site with lots to see and do)
- Josefine's Care Bears (http://www.jossefine.com) (site with photos of collection & information on bears)
- Rainbow Fantasies (http://rainbowfantasies.net) (Care Bears history, other information, and downloads)
Picture gallery
- The Care Bear Zone (http://www.carebearzone.com) (Site dedicated to screen captures of the Nelvana produced movies and episodes. All images were captured from DVD and enhanced for quality)
Message Forums
- The Memories Board (http://www.memoriesboard.net/) (a place to discuss all 80's toys including Care Bears)
- Forever Friends Care Bear Board (http://invisionfree.com/forums/FFCBB/index.php) (another wonderful Care Bear Board)
IMDb movie and show entries
- The Care Bears (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0284713/combined)
- The Care Bears Movie (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088885/combined)
- The Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090799/combined)
- The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092723/combined)
- Care Bears: Journey to Joke-a-lot (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0429739/combined)fr:Les Bisounours