Katie and Orbie

Katie and Orbie
Orbie (left) and Katie (right)
Genre	Children's television series
Created by	Ben Wicks and Susan Wicks
Written by	Mary Mackay-Smith Ben Wicks Susan Wicks
Directed by	Lee Williams Hana Kukal Richard Vanatte Maryl T. Morris
Voices of	Chris Wightman Amanda Tripp
Narrated by	Leslie Nielsen
Composer(s)	Edmund Eagan
Country of origin	Canada
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	6
No. of episodes	78 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Sheldon S. Wiseman
Producer(s)	Mark Edwards Weldon Poapst
Running time	26 minutes
Release
Original network	Family Channel
Original release	1994–2002

Katie and Orbie is a Canadian animated sci-fi television series aimed at preschoolers, originally broadcast in Canada from 1994–2002 by Family Channel and later aired in the United States on PBS from 1996–1997 and on Disney Channel from 1997–2000. In Canada, the series aired uninterruptedly on Family Channel and (beginning on 2007) Disney Junior (formerly called Playhouse Disney) until December 31, 2012. The series has also aired in several countries around the world.

The animated series is based on a series of four environment-themed children's books titled Katie and Orbie Save the Planet, illustrated by Canadian cartoonist Ben Wicks and written by his daughter Susan Wicks, which were published in 1991. In 1993, Lacewood Productions adapted the characters into an animated series which was originally in production until 1996, being revived five years later by Amberwood Entertainment and then ending in 2002. Contrary to the original books, the series isn't strictly environment-themed, having stories that range from having a new pet or helping their friends, to address themes like children with divorced parents, Down syndrome and cerebral palsy, one of the few series aimed at preschoolers to do so.

The theme song was written by Edmund Eagan and performed by his niece, Mireille Eagan.

Unlike most TV series, the animation on Katie and Orbie was made in a technique referred to by producer Sheldon Wiseman as "picture-mation" similar to an electronic storybook, instead of coming to life, also, none of the characters actually speak, so a variety of sound effects are used during the stories, with a narrator telling the story. The series was narrated by Leslie Nielsen.

The family's surname was never mentioned. They also possess a cottage on the shore of a lake (which was bought by Wayne's parents) in which they occasionally spend time, especially in the summer.