Emily of New Moon (TV series)

Emily of New Moon
Based on	Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery
Developed by	Marlene Matthews
Starring	Martha MacIsaac
Country of origin	Canada
Original language	English
No. of seasons	4
No. of episodes	46
Production
Executive producers	Micheline Charest Michael Donovan Ronald Weinberg Marlene Matthews Dale A. Andrews Matthew Nodella
Producers	Marlene Matthews Deb LeFaive Jenipher Ritchie
Production locations	Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island Summerside, Prince Edward Island Cavendish Beach, Prince Edward Island
Running time	60 minutes
Production companies	WIC Entertainment Salter Street Films CINAR Corporation
Original release
Network	CBC
Release	January 4, 1998 (1998-01-04) – June 6, 2000 (2000-06-06)

Emily of New Moon is a Canadian television series, which aired on CBC Television from 1998 to 2000. The series originally aired in the United States on the Cookie Jar Toons block on This TV and it was also broadcast in Canada on the Viva, Bravo! and Vision TV cable channels. The series, produced by Salter Street Films, was based on the Emily of New Moon series of novels by Lucy Maud Montgomery. The series consisted of three seasons of thirteen episodes and one season of seven episodes, for a total of forty-six episodes produced. The executive producers were Micheline Charest, Michael Donovan, and Ronald Weinberg.

Series overview

The series starred Martha MacIsaac as the titular orphan Emily Starr. Susan Clark and Sheila McCarthy played Emily's aunts Elizabeth and Laura, who had taken on the responsibility of raising Emily following her father's death, and Stephen McHattie played her cousin Jimmy. Susan Clark left the series after the first season when her character, Elizabeth, was killed off.

Recurring cast included Chip Chuipka as Mr. Carpenter, Peter Donaldson as Ian Bowles, Richard Donat as Dr. Burnley, Kris Lemche as Perry Miller, John Neville as Uncle Malcolm, Jessica Pellerin as Ilse Burnley, Shawn Roberts as Teddy Kent, and Linda Thorson as Cousin Isabel.

Guest stars included Janet Wright, Phyllis Diller, Martha Burns, Maury Chaykin, Martha Henry, Lisa Houle, William Hutt, Michael Moriarty, Barbara Feldon, Macha Grenon and Claire Rankin.

Plot

This is the story of a young orphan girl named Emily Starr who is sent to live at New Moon Farm on Prince Edward Island with her aunts Elizabeth and Laura Murray and her Cousin Jimmy after her father dies of tuberculosis. She makes friends with Ilse Burnley, Teddy Kent, and Perry Miller, the hired boy, who Aunt Elizabeth looks down upon because he was born in 'Stovepipe Town', a poorer district.

Each of the children has a special gift. Emily was born to be a writer, Teddy is a gifted artist, Ilse is a talented elocutionist, and Perry has the makings of a great politician. They also each have a few problems with their families. Emily has a hard time getting along with Aunt Elizabeth, who does not understand her need to write. Ilse's father, Dr. Burnley, ignores Ilse most of the time because of a dreadful secret concerning Ilse's mother. Teddy's mother is jealous of her son's talents and friends, fearing that his love for them will eclipse his love for her; as a result, she hates Emily, Teddy's drawings, and even his pets. Perry is not as well off as the other three, so his Aunt Tom once tries to make Emily promise to marry Perry when they grow up, threatening that unless Emily does so, she will not pay for Perry's schooling.

Other unforgettable characters are Dean "Jarback" Priest, a quiet, mysterious cynic who wants something he fears is ever unattainable; fiery Mr Carpenter, the crusty old schoolteacher who is Emily's mentor and honest critic when it comes to evaluating her stories and poems; "simple" Cousin Jimmy, who recites his poetry when the spirit moves him; Aunt Laura, who is the kind aunt; and strict, suspicious Aunt Elizabeth who yet proves to be an unexpected ally in times of trouble.

Cast

Main cast

• Martha MacIsaac as Emily Byrd Starr
• Stephen McHattie as Cousin Jimmy Murray
• Sheila McCarthy as Aunt Laura Murray
• Susan Clark as Aunt Elizabeth Murray (main season 1; guest star seasons 2-3)
• Linda Thorson as Cousin Isabel Murray (season 2-3)
• John Neville as Uncle Malcolm Murray (season 2-3)
• Jessica Pellerin as Ilse Burnley (main season 4; recurring seasons 1-3)

Recurring cast

• Shawn Roberts as Teddy Kent
• Kris Lemche as Perry Miller
• Chip Chuipka as Mr. Francis Carpenter
• Peter Donaldson as Ian Bowles
• Richard Donat as Dr. Allan Burnley
• Marlene O'Brien as Mrs. Velma Stuart
• Emily Cara Cook as Rhoda Stuart
• Carroll Godsman as Mildred Kent
• Aaron Ashmore as Harrison Bowles

Guest cast

• Michael Moriarty as Douglas Starr
• Janet Wright as Aunt Thom
• Phyllis Diller as Great Aunt Nancy Priest
• Martha Burns as Eve Kinch
• Maury Chaykin as Lofty John
• Martha Henry as Megan Moore
• Lisa Houle as Eve Kinch/Dr. Iris Campbell/Iris Burnley
• William Hutt as Reverend Pitch/Satan
• Barbara Feldon as Madame Marlena
• Macha Grenon as Nadine
• Claire Rankin as Juliet Starr
• Ken Leckey as Officer Finchley
• Sarah Briand as Young Emily
• Peter Levi as Wowkiss
• William Greenblatt as Duncan McHugh

Production

The series was developed by Marlene Matthews, who also wrote or co-wrote nineteen episodes of the series and served as one of the producers for the first three years.

Additional writers include Nobu Adilman, Leila Basen, Heather Conkie, Dennis Foon and Peter Meech. Episodes were directed by George Bloomfield, Richard Ciupka, Phil Comeau, Jimmy Kaufman, Michael Kennedy, Don McBrearty, Stephen McHattie, Gabriel Pelletier, Jean-François Pouliot, and Giles Walker.

Episodes

Season 1 (1998)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
1	1	"Eye of Heaven"	George Bloomfield	Marlene Matthews	January 4, 1998 (1998-01-04)
2	2	"Storms of the Heart"	Unknown	Unknown	January 11, 1998 (1998-01-11)
3	3	"The Book of Yesterday"	Unknown	Unknown	January 18, 1998 (1998-01-18)
4	4	"The Disappointed House"	Eleanore Lindo	Heather Conkie	January 25, 1998 (1998-01-25)
5	5	"Paradise Lost"	Unknown	Unknown	February 1, 1998 (1998-02-01)
6	6	"The Enchanted Doll"	Unknown	Unknown	March 8, 1998 (1998-03-08)
7	7	"Falling Angels"	Unknown	Unknown	March 15, 1998 (1998-03-15)
8	8	"The Tale of Duncan McHugh"	Giles Walker	Rob Forsyth	March 22, 1998 (1998-03-22)
9	9	"The Wild Rover"	Unknown	Unknown	March 29, 1998 (1998-03-29)
10	10	"The Ghost of Whyther Grange"	Unknown	Unknown	April 5, 1998 (1998-04-05)
11	11	"A Child Shall Lead Them"	Unknown	Unknown	April 12, 1998 (1998-04-12)
12	12	"A Winter's Tale"	Unknown	Unknown	April 12, 1998 (1998-04-12)
13	13	"The Sound of Silence"	Unknown	Unknown	April 19, 1998 (1998-04-19)

Season 2 (1998–99)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
14	1	"Summer of Sorrows"	Unknown	Unknown	October 4, 1998 (1998-10-04)
15	2	"And So Shall They Reap"	Unknown	Unknown	October 11, 1998 (1998-10-11)
16	3	"A Shadow in His Dream"	Unknown	Unknown	October 18, 1998 (1998-10-18)
17	4	"Where Angels Fear to Tread"	Unknown	Unknown	October 25, 1998 (1998-10-25)
18	5	"The Curse of the Poppet"	Unknown	Unknown	November 8, 1998 (1998-11-08)
19	6	"By the Rivers of Babylon"	Giles Walker	Marlene Matthews	November 15, 1998 (1998-11-15)
20	7	"A Time to Heal"	Unknown	Unknown	November 29, 1998 (1998-11-29)
21	8	"The Devil's Punchbowl"	Don McBrearty	Rob Forsythe	December 6, 1998 (1998-12-06)
22	9	"Pins and Needles, Needles and Pins, When a Man Gets Married, His Trouble Begins"	Unknown	Unknown	December 13, 1998 (1998-12-13)
23	10	"Crown of Thorns"	Unknown	Unknown	December 20, 1998 (1998-12-20)
24	11	"When the Bough Breaks"	Unknown	Unknown	December 27, 1998 (1998-12-27)
25	12	"Love Knots"	Unknown	Unknown	January 3, 1999 (1999-01-03)
26	13	"The Book of Hours"	Unknown	Unknown	January 10, 1999 (1999-01-10)

Season 3 (1999)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
27	1	"Ask Me Questions, I'll Tell You No Lies"	Unknown	Unknown	September 28, 1999 (1999-09-28)
28	2	"The Return of Maida Flynn"	Unknown	Unknown	September 29, 1999 (1999-09-29)
29	3	"Under the Wishing Moon"	Unknown	Unknown	September 30, 1999 (1999-09-30)
30	4	"Bridge of Dreams"	Unknown	Unknown	October 1, 1999 (1999-10-01)
31	5	"Bred to the Bone"	Unknown	Unknown	October 4, 1999 (1999-10-04)
32	6	"The Return of Malcolm Murray"	Unknown	Unknown	October 5, 1999 (1999-10-05)
33	7	"In the Valley of the Shadow of Death"	Unknown	Unknown	October 6, 1999 (1999-10-06)
34	8	"The Plague"	Unknown	Unknown	October 6, 1999 (1999-10-06)
35	9	"Had a Wife and Couldn't Keep Her"	Unknown	Unknown	October 7, 1999 (1999-10-07)
36	10	"A Fall from Grace"	Unknown	Unknown	October 8, 1999 (1999-10-08)
37	11	"The Bequest"	Unknown	Unknown	October 11, 1999 (1999-10-11)
38	12	"Command Performance"	Unknown	Unknown	October 12, 1999 (1999-10-12)
39	13	"A Man May Work from Sun to Sun, But a Woman's Work is Never Done"	Unknown	Unknown	October 13, 1999 (1999-10-13)
40	14	"A Weaver of Dreams"	Unknown	Unknown	October 14, 1999 (1999-10-14)

Season 4 (2000)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
41	1	"Rites of Passage"	Unknown	Unknown	May 29, 2000 (2000-05-29)
42	2	"The Taming of Ilse Burnley"	Unknown	Unknown	May 30, 2000 (2000-05-30)
43	3	"A Bill of Divorcement"	Unknown	Unknown	May 31, 2000 (2000-05-31)
44	4	"Too Close to the Sun"	Unknown	Unknown	June 1, 2000 (2000-06-01)
45	5	"Weight of the World"	Unknown	Unknown	June 2, 2000 (2000-06-02)
46	6	"Away"	Unknown	Unknown	June 5, 2000 (2000-06-05)
47	7	"A Seller of Dreams"	Unknown	Unknown	June 6, 2000 (2000-06-06)

Home Media releases

United States

Echo Bridge Home Entertainment has released all four seasons on DVD in the United States, as well as a complete series DVD set.

Canada

Alliance Home Entertainment has released all four seasons on DVD in Canada for the very first time.

DVD Name	Ep#	Region 1 (US)	Region 1 (CAN)
Season 1	13	September 30, 2008	April 20, 2010
Season 2	13	December 29, 2009	May 18, 2010
Season 3	13	June 1, 2010	June 22, 2010
Season 4	7	June 1, 2010	July 20, 2010

Streaming

As of 2017, the show has begun streaming for free on Canada Media Fund's Encore+ YouTube page. Unfortunately Encore+ YouTube channel was discontinued in November 2022.

External links

• L.M. Montgomery Online This scholarly site includes a blog, a bibliography of reference materials, and a complete filmography of all adaptations of Montgomery texts. See, in particular, the page for Emily of New Moon.
• Emily of New Moon at IMDb
• The Official Emily of New Moon Fan Site Includes a synopsis of the series and information on the cast and crew behind the Emily of New Moon television series.