Mulligan Stew is an American children's educational television series, produced and sponsored by the USDA Extension Service and its youth outreach program, 4-H. Taking its name from the hobo dish, Mulligan Stew aired in syndication beginning in the fall of 1972 and continued in reruns on public television into the early 80s. The six-episode series follows the adventures of a group of five school-age musicians and their mentor, all dedicated to teaching others about good nutrition and developing healthier eating habits. The series, along with various educational materials including a companion comic book with additional adventures of the characters, was developed by the Michigan State UniversityCooperative Extension Service.
Overview
The series centers on the humorous adventures of a group of five school-aged kids who are all members of a rock band called "Mulligan Stew". The band members are:
Mulligan, the leader; occasionally plays guitar
Maggie, identified by her long blond pigtailed hair; keyboards
Mike, an Italian; drums
Manny, a Black preteen; bass
Micki, a young Asian girl; guitar
The group's clubhouse is a basement in a brownstone apartment, fully furnished with a kitchen, shortwave radio, home gym, laboratory, and even a small stage where they rehearse their music. Their grownup advisor and mentor is Wilbur Dooright, a bespectacled, bumbling accountant who, in some episodes, gives the kids their assignments "from upstairs", assumed to be a secret governmental organization. Wilbur provides much of the comic relief throughout the series.
An integral and ubiquitous part of the program's message was the "4-4-3-2" balanced diet program, part of the standard USDA nutrition guidelines/recommendations promoted during the 1960s and 1970s. The use of dietary supplements was strongly discouraged; it was taught that all nutritional needs, including the proper intake of vitamins, minerals, fats and carbohydrates, could be adequately obtained solely by adhering to a balanced diet, with appropriate servings from the "basic four" food groups. This message was enthusiastically repeated by the children several times per episode.
Production and development
Mulligan Stew was developed in early 1971 by the USDA Extension Service, and filmed by the USDA Motion Picture Service. Mulligan Stew was developed based on plan and design proposals by Developmental Committees, Iowa State University Extension Service 4-H Nutrition Television Programs. The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program provided a grant to produce the series. The target audience of the program was older elementary school students, fourth through sixth grade. Eleanor Wilson, the national 4-H TV coordinator at the time, was tapped to be the series' technical advisor. Wilson subcontracted with Iowa State University to develop an outline of educational concepts for the series. USDA Extension then hired Ira Klugerman to direct the series. Klugerman, who came from a background of children's television at WQED in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, came up with the title and general treatment for the series. V. "Buddy" Renfro was the credited producer. Production began on location in southeast Washington, DC in 1971. Other filming locations included major production partner Michigan State University's home base of Lansing, Michigan, and on location for one episode at Johnson Space Center in Houston. The low budget of the project proved to be a significant challenge, as well as the unique challenges of working with child actors. The producers wanted the style of the series to reflect trends begun in other popular and innovative TV shows such as Sesame Street and Laugh-In. Puppetry and animation were frequently used. Sometimes one or two of the kids would conduct "man-on-the-street" interviews, asking ordinary citizens about nutrition-related topics. All of the music, including the theme song and the various songs sung by the kids during an episode, were composed and arranged by Washington, DC musician and recording engineer Paul Brier, and performed by a rock combo credited on screen as "The Eye". Mulligan Stew premiered on October 4, 1972, during the National 4-H Week at the National 4-H Center in Washington, DC. The program was considered a success, especially by previous standards for television outreach sponsored by 4-H. The series had a moderate impact on kids making better choices in what they ate, and provided 4-H with a sizable marketing, promotional and public relations boost. Thanks in part to the popularity of Mulligan Stew, 4-H membership was boosted to an all-time high in 1974, and continued to air in reruns on public television until 1981. The show has not aged well and has rarely been seen since leaving the air. However, many 1970s schoolchildren remember the series fondly, especially the episode in which pizza is touted as an ideal food, since it contains all four of the major food groups.
Episode list
Guest appearances
Several celebrities or future celebrities made uncredited appearances, either as part of the main storyline or in brief segments; among these were Richard Sanders who later gained fame playing Les Nessman on WKRP in Cincinnati. Ordinary citizens were interviewed by the kids in selected segments of some episodes in a "man on the street" format.
Larry Friedman recently appeared in the musical Rasputin with Ted Neeley and John Hurt.
Mion Hahm is now a realtor in Florida.
Steve Einbender is Senior Manager of Customer Analytics for The Home Depot, in Atlanta, Georgia. He still plays drums.
Benjamin Sands is now a music teacher in the Washington, D.C. area.
Sherry Wright pursued an acting and singing career while living in Alexandria, Virginia; she died in July 2009.
Barry Michlin had a number of minor roles throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and also made recurring appearances in several TV commercials including for Arm & Hammer Baking Soda with actress Beverly Sanders. He is now a photographer based in Los Angeles.
