Network: CTV Television Network
Broadcast Run: 1988 to 1990
Broadcast Medium: Television
Born as a local program on CTV’s Regina affiliate CKCK, Puttnam’s Prairie Emporium found its way into the Network’s Saturday morning children’s program block in the fall of 1989. A rare contribution from a prairie affiliate, Puttnam’s quickly developed a small but highly enthusiastic following for its imaginative writing and quirky characters.
Set in an other-worldly general store run by an eccentric owner (played by George Alexander), the oddball cast included a puppet, Caldicott C. Catt, and a talking moose head on the wall. Regulars in the series included Brandie Mickleborough, Jeremy Drummond, Coral Crum and Billy Morton.
Despite its ingenuity, or, sadly, perhaps because of it, Puttnam’s Prairie Emporium only occupied its half-hour Saturday 10:00am slot on CTV for two seasons, ending in the fall of 1990. It did however resurface later in repeats on the YTV speciality channel.
Written by Pip Wedge – July, 2002