Punky Brewster
Punky Brewster was a popular children's television comedy show. The show was run on NBC from 1984 to 1986 and again in syndication from 1987 to 1988.
The titular character was named for a childhood crush of NBC president Brandon Tartikoff. The real-life Punky was tapped to play a teacher in one episode.
Punky Brewster (real first name Penelope), a warm, funny and bright orphan girl, was adopted by photographer Henry Warnimont, a older bachelor who enjoyed the energy Punky's presence provided him. Punky's rambunctious, faithful dog Brandon was named for Tartikoff.
Punky was played by Soleil Moon Frye. Fred Gwynne auditioned to play Henry, but lost to George Gaynes. Gaynes later became well-known as the elderly, bumbling commandant in the Police Academy movies.
Probably one of the most memorable episodes was built around the 1986 Challenger disaster, in which Punky hears about the deaths and her dreams of being an astronaut are nearly quashed. In the end, however, her schoolteacher and Henry both tell her that she should still follow her dreams.
It's Punky Brewster!, an animated spinoff with the original cast, as well as a hairy bearded magical creature called Glomer, appeared on Saturday mornings from Ruby-Spears in the mid-1980s.
