Imagination Island (Titled Bedtime with Barney: Imagination Island in its initial broadcast) is a 1994 NBC Primetime TV special spun-off of Barney & Friends. It originally aired on NBC on April 24, 1994. It was later released on home video on October 4, 1994.
Min and Tosha are having a sleepover; and Tosha's mom reads them a story about a mystical place called "Imagination Island" unable to finish the story. When Barney comes to life, he shows the two girls that they can go on a sailing adventure if they use their imaginations. With that, Barney mystically takes the two girls on deck aboard a huge ship destined for Imagination Island. Along the way, they meet up with Shawn, Derek, Baby Bop, and BJ. As the ship sails closer to the island, a big storm causes a huge tidal wave to knock the ship up onto some palm trees on the island.
While Baby Bop and BJ stay on the ship, Barney and the children go explore the island. After hiking through the island's jungle, they eventually find a tropical house where they meet Professor Tinkerputt, a toy inventor who doesn't like to share his creations.
He explains to the group the he moved to Imagination Island to be alone with his toys.
The professor shows the group his new balloon maker that does not properly work. After Tosha realizes that her heart-shaped locket is the key to make the machine work, she gives the professor her locket. Through the process, Barney helps him understand that sharing with others makes people happy. By finally sharing different toys with the group, the professor realizes that making other people happy makes him happy too.
Wanting to leave the island himself, Tinkerputt agrees to help the explorers get off the island. After a moment of thinking, Tinkerputt gets an idea of how to get the ship out of the trees. They can fly back with help from his balloon machine.
The group returns to the ship where Tinkerputt inflates many balloons to attach to the ship. Tinkerputt takes control of the ship, and the ship flies up to the sky. Baby Bop and BJ return home, and Barney reminds the kids the importance of home.
Later, the ship reaches back home, and Barney and the kids leave. With Tosha and Min falling asleep, the ship sails off into the night sky with the professor heading to build a new toy factory.
Julie Johnson was not on set during production due to an off Broadway gig she received at the time the video was being filmed. Carol Farabee replaced Julie Johnson as the voice but soon later returned to dub over Carol Farabee's lines, due to the NBC network wanting the continuity to continue from the television series.[1]
Production for this TV special/video took place in February 1994.
Release
Broadcast
7.7 million American households watched the original broadcast on NBC.
This group (Derek, Min, Shawn, Tosha) also appeared in "May I Help You?".
The shot where Barney and his friends looks at Imagination Island, is taken from the 1993 Super Mario Bros. Movie (Released by Hollywood Pictures (A Division of Walt Disney Pictures)).
Appearances
This TV special/video marked:
The first video, in home video releases, to feature the "Please Stay Tuned" bumper.
Another time something happens to the Barney doll before coming to life.
Most home video releases claim that the special contains the song, "Our Friend Barney Had a Boat". That song was never sung in this TV special/video, not even during its original air date.
When the tape was reprinted in 1996, the song was properly removed from the song list. However, every home video release since 1999 has the song reinserted in the list.
Although the "Barney Theme Song" is not sung in this TV special/video, it is heard as an underscore when Barney fixes Tosha's bed, and Barney greets Tosha and Min.
Release
On the original NBC airing, an extended shot of Professor Tinkerputt looking out the window door accompanied with the final few notes of "Pop Goes the Weasel" was used. This short clip was edited out of all home video releases.
.jpg "Barney and Friends group picture (Imagination Island).jpg (57 KB)")
