Animal Crack-Ups


Animal Crack-Ups is an ABC game show which aired in primetime from August 8 to September 12, 1987, after which it aired on Saturday mornings from September 12, 1987, to December 30, 1989, and again from June 2 to September 1, 1990. It was produced by ABC Productions in association with Vin Di Bona Productions and hosted by Alan Thicke, who was on Growing Pains at the time. The program was based on a Japanese TBS Television series, Wakuwaku Dōbutsu Land.
The show's theme song was "Animals Are Just Like People Too", created by Thickovit music.

Gameplay

Four celebrities competed. Host Thicke introduced a video clip about an animal; at some point, the video was paused and Thicke asked a question about the clip. The celebrities give their answers, after which the remainder of the clip was played, revealing the answer.
Any celebrities giving the correct answer received a point; score was kept by placing a stuffed animal in front of the celebrity's podium. The celeb with the most toy animals/points won the game and $2,500 for their favorite animal charity. If a tie occurred, the money was split between the charities.
On segues to two commercial breaks, a hedgehog puppet named "Reggie the Hedgie" gave animal facts to the home viewers and read home-viewer mail.

International versions

CountryNameHostTV stationYear aired
Japan :ja:わくわく動物ランド|わくわく動物ランド
Wakuwaku Dōbutsu Land		VariousTBS1983–1992
ArgentinaWaku WakuHéctor LarreaAzul Televisión/Canal 91999–2000
Brazil:pt:TV Animal|TV AnimalAngélica
Eliana
Gugu Liberato
Beto Marden
Roberta Peporine		SBT1988–1992
1995–1996
2009–2010
Chile:es:Maravillozoo|MaravillozooJavier Miranda
Paulina Nin
Antonio Vodanovic 		Canal 131995–2002
Netherlands:nl:Waku Waku|Waku WakuRob Fruithof
Sybrand Niessen
Paula Udondek 		KRO1988–2001
PortugalArca de NoéFialho Gouveia
Ana do Carmo
Carlos Alberto Moniz		RTP2
RTP1		1990–1993
1994–1995
Spain:es:Waku Waku|Waku Waku
Jimanji Kanana		Consuelo Barlanga
Nuria Roca
Rosa García Caro		TVE-1
La 1		1989–1991; 1998–2001
2003