Pit Pony (TV series)

Last updated
Pit Pony
Created by Joyce Barkhouse
Based on Pit Pony by Joyce Barkhouse
StarringAlex Wrathell
Jennie Raymond
Shaun Smyth
Denny Doherty
Elliot Page (credited as Ellen Philpotts-Page)
Jeremy Akerman
Country of originCanada
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes44
Production
ProducerAndrew Cochran
Running time30 minutes
Original release
Network CBC
ReleaseFebruary 5, 1999 (1999-02-05) –
February 4, 2000 (2000-02-04)

Pit Pony is a 1999 CBC television series which tells the story of small-town life in Glace Bay, on the island of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia in 1904. The plot line revolves around the lives of the families of the men and boys who work in the coal mines.

Contents

Production

The series followed the production of the 1997 Pit Pony television film, both of which were based on the novel Pit Pony by Joyce Barkhouse and produced by Cochran Entertainment. Mike Clattenburg, Stephen Reynolds, Phil Comeau and Peter Rowe directed the series. [1] Seventy percent of the cast and crew were from Cape Breton and 20% were from other regions of Nova Scotia.

Stories in the series were written by Heather Conkie, Paul Ledoux, Edwina Follows and Lori Houzer. It is based on the award-winning 1997 Canadian television film inspired by Joyce Barkhouse's novel of the same name.

In June 1999, production began for the second season of Pit Pony. [2] The series was subsequently cancelled on February 4, 2000. [3]

Telecast and home media

Pit Pony premiered on the Canadian CBC on February 5, 1999, and ended on February 4, 2000. It ran for two seasons with 44 episodes. [4] The series aired in the U.S. on Encore, along with its multiplex channel, Starz Kids & Family. As of 2023, the series is streaming on Tubi.

Plot summary

Set in the small Canadian mining town of Glace Bay, Nova Scotia in the early 1900s, the series revolves around the lives and work of the town's male population, virtually all of whom were employed by the local coal mine, and the trials and tribulations of the women of the town, who waited anxiously to see if their loved ones would return home safely.

In particular, the plot line focuses on the story of the MacLean family. Willie MacLean is a 12-year-old boy with a love for horses and liking to school to escape the difficult times his family has. When the series starts, Willie's father has been dead for over a year from coal consumption, and his older brother, John also died in a mine cave in. When Willie's brother was killed in a cave in and his father wounded two or three years earlier (in the Pit Pony television film), Willie was forced to fill his brother's shoes to support his older sister Nellie, and two younger sisters, Maggie and Sarah, until their father recovered. Willie found work at the mine lonely and unfriendly; as a result he forms a bond with a pit pony horse in order to make it through each day.

The principal characters included the members of the MacLean and Hall families: Alex Wrathell as young Willie MacLean, through whose eyes most of the stories unfolded around, Jennie Raymond as Willie's older sister Nellie MacLean Hall, Shaun Smyth as Nellie's Scott husband Ned Hall. Elliot Page played Maggie MacLean, and Anna Wedlock played Sarah MacLean, Willie's two younger sisters. Among the other major characters were Willie's surrogate father and stable owner Charley (Denny Doherty), town gossip Lorena MacTavish (Mary-Colin Chisholm) and the firm, but fair, mine owner Mr. Frawley (Jeremy Akerman).

Episodes

Season 1: 1999

No.
overall 		No. in
season 		Title Directed by Written by Original air date
11"The Light to the Future"UnknownUnknownFebruary 5, 1999 (1999-02-05)
22"Best Laid Plans"UnknownUnknownFebruary 12, 1999 (1999-02-12)
33"Forerunner"UnknownUnknownFebruary 19, 1999 (1999-02-19)
44"The Ball Game"UnknownUnknownFebruary 26, 1999 (1999-02-26)
55"To Have and to Hold"UnknownUnknownMarch 5, 1999 (1999-03-05)
66"Endings and Beginnings"UnknownUnknownMarch 12, 1999 (1999-03-12)
77"The Phantom Ship"UnknownUnknownMarch 19, 1999 (1999-03-19)
88"The Mine's Mark"UnknownUnknownMarch 26, 1999 (1999-03-26)
99"Sleeping Dogs Lie"UnknownUnknownApril 2, 1999 (1999-04-02)
1010"Calling Mr. Bell"UnknownUnknownApril 9, 1999 (1999-04-09)
1111"Ghost in the Lens"UnknownUnknownApril 16, 1999 (1999-04-16)
1212"Famous"UnknownUnknownApril 23, 1999 (1999-04-23)
1313"Winds of Change"UnknownUnknownApril 30, 1999 (1999-04-30)
1414"Reunion"UnknownUnknownMay 7, 1999 (1999-05-07)
1515"Making Their Way"UnknownUnknownMay 14, 1999 (1999-05-14)
1616"Where There's a Will"UnknownUnknownMay 21, 1999 (1999-05-21)
1717"Evolution"UnknownUnknownMay 28, 1999 (1999-05-28)
1818"The Truth About Heroes"UnknownUnknownJune 4, 1999 (1999-06-04)
1919"Night Into Day"UnknownUnknownJune 11, 1999 (1999-06-11)
2020"Transformations"UnknownUnknownJune 18, 1999 (1999-06-18)
2121"Connections"UnknownUnknownJune 25, 1999 (1999-06-25)
2222"Homecoming"UnknownUnknownJuly 2, 1999 (1999-07-02)
2323"Charley's Secret"UnknownUnknownJuly 9, 1999 (1999-07-09)
2424"Sunshine and Shadows"UnknownUnknownJuly 16, 1999 (1999-07-16)
2525"Into the Dark"UnknownUnknownJuly 23, 1999 (1999-07-23)
2626"Our Sons and Daughters"Stephen ReynoldsHeather ConkieJuly 30, 1999 (1999-07-30)

Season 2: 1999–2000

No.
overall 		No. in
season 		Title Directed by Written by Original air date
271"Power Plays"UnknownUnknownSeptember 24, 1999 (1999-09-24)
282"Two Sides of the Coin"UnknownUnknownOctober 1, 1999 (1999-10-01)
293"Coal Dust"UnknownUnknownOctober 8, 1999 (1999-10-08)
304"A Weighty Matter"UnknownUnknownOctober 15, 1999 (1999-10-15)
315"Gone Fishin'"UnknownUnknownOctober 22, 1999 (1999-10-22)
326"Home"UnknownUnknownOctober 29, 1999 (1999-10-29)
337"Company Business"UnknownUnknownNovember 5, 1999 (1999-11-05)
348"The Game"UnknownUnknownNovember 12, 1999 (1999-11-12)
359"Taking Chances"UnknownUnknownNovember 19, 1999 (1999-11-19)
3610"In Harmony"UnknownUnknownNovember 26, 1999 (1999-11-26)
3711"Sarah's Return"UnknownUnknownDecember 3, 1999 (1999-12-03)
3812"That Special Spark"UnknownUnknownDecember 10, 1999 (1999-12-10)
3913"Lost"UnknownUnknownDecember 17, 1999 (1999-12-17)
4014"Fiddler's Fall"UnknownUnknownJanuary 7, 2000 (2000-01-07)
4115"Chasing Shadows"UnknownUnknownJanuary 14, 2000 (2000-01-14)
4216"Price of Change"UnknownUnknownJanuary 21, 2000 (2000-01-21)
4317"Small Steps"UnknownUnknownJanuary 28, 2000 (2000-01-28)
4418"Securities"UnknownUnknownFebruary 4, 2000 (2000-02-04)

Awards and nominations

Gemini Awards

YearCategoryNomineeResultRef
1999Best Production Design or Art Direction in a Dramatic Program or SeriesGraeme Morphy, Alan MacLeodNominated [5]
2000Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series Elliot Page (nominated as Ellen Philpotts Page)Nominated

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References

  1. ↑ "Mike Clattenburg - Director - The Internet Movie Database". IMDB.com. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  2. ↑ "Pit Pony Enters Second Season - News Releases - Government of Nova Scotia". Gov.NS.ca. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  3. ↑ "CBC axes Pit Pony from TV line-up". CBC.ca. February 4, 2000. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  4. ↑ "Pit Pony (1999) TV series - The Internet Movie Database". IMDB.com. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  5. ↑ "awards database". academy.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-11-25. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
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