Remember that TV show Dinosaurs with the awesomely adorable baby who always said "not the mama" and hit his dad with a frying pan? Get ready to feel old because it's officially been over 20 years since that show left the airwaves. The popular '90s series will bring back all kinds of memories, and there's plenty that went on behind the scenes that you might not have known about this classic television series. Want to learn some fun and fascinating Dinosaurs TV show trivia? You know you do.
The Jim Henson sitcom about a dysfunctional working class family of dinosaurs including Earl, Fran, Robbie, Charlene, and Baby ran from 1991-1994, and it was easily one of the best TGIF shows of the era. But what was the Dinosaurs set like? Which Dinosaurs cast member married an actor from Titanic? And why did Earl sigh so much?
If you were a child of the 1990s, then you'll definitely appreciate these relatively unknown facts and fun trivia about that weird show Dinosaurs. Upvote the most interesting facts about Dinosaurs below and take a trip back to the world of one of your childhood favorite TV shows.
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The Last Names of Most of the Dinosaurs are Petroleum Companies
The family's last name "Sinclair" was in reference to Sinclair Oil Corporation which used a dinosaur in its logo. Other characters had names such as Phillips, Hess, Richfield, B.P., and even Ethyl which were in reference to oil companies and the fuel they produced.
No Press Was Allowed on Set During Season One
Producers and the network forbade any members of the press from coming to the set during the first season because they didn't want any photos taken of puppeteers with just portions of the costumes on. They thought it would kill the vision for children and upset them if they saw a dinosaur with its head off.
"Not the Mama" Came from a Real Baby
The show's most famous catchphrase "NOT THE MAMA" came from creator Bob Young. Young had an infant son named Ethan who used to say those words at home. Take that, Hollywood screenwriters.
Earl Sighs a Lot Because the Puppeteer Needed to Be Able to See
The puppeteer inside the Earl costume could only see out of the character's mouth. So, in order to allow him to see where he was going, they created a character trait where Earl sighed a lot as he crossed the room. Otherwise the puppeteer had to move based on his memory of previous steps.
Earl Sinclair Was a Master Rapper
Jk, jk. . . this is just a fun Notorious B.I.G. mashup that you should watch if you're a fan of the show.
via redditor animalrobot
The Guy Who Voiced Earl Was in Fatal Attraction
Stuart Pankin did the voice of Earl on Dinosaurs, but he had a successful career as an actor prior to that role, including playing Michael Douglas's best friend in the thriller Fatal Attraction. You can also find him as a frequent guest on The $100,000 Pyramid and several late night infomercials.
The Original Design for Earl Was SCARY!
Designers initially made the father Earl a lot scarier looking, but producers thought he was too "fierce." So, they gave him a second chin and made him chubbier to soften his look.
They Basically Invented "You Killed Kenny"
One of the characters known as Mr. Lizard (a spoof of Mr. Wizard) had a lab assistant that would continuously die during various lab experiments. One of the show's well-known catchphrases became "We're gonna need another Timmy!" South Park didn't air until 1997.
The Series Finale Started with a Warning for Children
The series ended in 1994 in a totally dramatic fashion. The dinosaurs themselves were causing terrible changes in climate and needed rain, so they dropped bombs in volcanoes to create clouds. Unfortunately, it created snow which then led to the Ice Age, and the family knew they were going to die. Knowing how heavy this stuff was, producers put up a CHILD WARNING graphic before the episode aired.
Puppeteers Would Fall Asleep in Their Costumes
The puppeteers would have to stay in their costumes because it was so difficult to get them in and out. Thus, many of them would just take naps inside their get-ups while sitting down or even while filming.