The Great Space Coaster

The Great Space Coaster was a children's television show that ran from 1981 through 1986. The series was directed by Dick Feldman, and distributed by Sunbow Productions.

Plot
The show is about three young singers (Francine, Danny, and Roy) who are brought to a habitable asteroid in space by a puppet clown character named Baxter who pilots the "space coaster", a roller coaster-like spaceship. The asteroid is populated by strange-looking, wise-cracking characters like Goriddle Gorilla, Knock-Knock the Bird, Edison the Elephant and Gary Gnu, who hosts the "Gnus of the Week". Baxter is forever on the run from M.T. Promises, a nefarious circus owner (played by a large, top-hatted puppet) who plans to capture Baxter and make him work at the circus. Each episode ends with a different life lesson, and various celebrity guest stars (such as Mark Hamill and Marvin Hamlisch, etc.) occasionally dropped by.

Cast

 * Emily Bindiger - Francine
 * Chris Gifford - Danny
 * Ray Stephens - Roy
 * Ken Myles - Speed Reader

Puppeteers

 * Pam Arciero - Fluffy the Huggle, Puffy the Huggle
 * Kevin Clash - Goriddle Gorilla, Rory, Big Jock Ox, Scruffy the Huggle
 * Francis Kane - Baxter
 * John Lovelady - Knock Knock the Woodpecker, Edison the Elephant (1981-1983)
 * Noel MacNeal - Knock Knock the Woodpecker (1983-1986)
 * Jim Martin - Gary Gnu, M.T. Promises, Edison the Elephant (1981-1983), Baffle