HBO Cinemax Television Guides (1983)

Fraggle Rock first appeared in the January issue of the HBO Cinemax television guide booklets in 1983. A picture of Red Fraggle graced the cover of that issue.

Inside is a two page article explaining HBO's newest series with several color photos. The latest episodes of Fraggle
Rock would be described in every issue of the guide book after this
until the books were discontinued ( possibly after 1985 ). Occasionally
the listing would be accompanied by a picture of one of the characters.
Also, published at the same time was a TV booklet that just focused on
HBO's programming (no Cinemax) that also featured a similar article
when the series premiered. A different photo of Red Fraggle graced that
cover.

The TV Book (1983)

January 9-15, 1983

This is simply a local newspaper television guide book included with the Detroit Free Press. It has an article on the inside front cover about HBO's new series Fraggle Rock. The article points out an interesting fact being that in some parts of Michigan, viewers have access to Canadian channels and could view Fraggle Rock there for free as well as paying for HBO to watch.

TV Guide (1983)

January 22, 1983

Volume 7, No. 4 Issue No. 317 Toronto, Canada

This issue of TV Guide features possibly it's first major Fraggle Rock related article titled "Goodbye Muppets, Hello Fraggles". The title seems to suggest a change in the Muppet world.

This article mainly just talks about Jim Henson latest Muppet outing Fraggle Rock. The opening statement reads "Jim Henson created a whole new race of adorable and instructive creatures". It goes on to explain the characters and the basis of the series. The article has several color pictures and is 6 pages long with a huge picture of the Fraggle Five on its cover. This particular issue of TV Guide was only available in Canada.

Hotdog! (1983)

Number 21

Scholastic Inc.

This issue of the children's magazine Hotdog! featured Fraggle Rock with a 3 page article entitled " Fun At Fraggle Rock ". The article is pretty much an introduction for kids to the series, which includes Jim Henson's world wide intentions for the series along with 5 full color pictures. The article was written by Sonia Black.

Look In: Junior TV Times (1984, UK)

Week ending 7 April 1984

No. 15

This is an odd sort of British teen magazine and TV program guide book combined with Mad Magazine type of comic strips which are spread throughout the pages. This particular issue sports a huge color photo of Red Fraggle on the cover and an article on the series titled "Fraggle Rock Conquers The World".

The "colour centre" of the book features a full color picture of the Fraggle Five that pulls out to become a poster. The poster image is one of the very common group shots. The magazine itself is very flimsy for it is entirely printed on newsprint.

TV Guide (1984)

December 22, 1984

Volume 8, No. 51 Issue No. 417 Toronto, Ontario

This issue has Gobo Fraggle and Cantus the Minstrel in their winter garb adorning the cover along with the words "Christmas At "Fraggle Rock ", which is sort of an incorrect statement because Fraggles don't know what Christmas is.

The article inside titled "Fraggle Rock" Sings From The Heart " and is primarily about the song writers of the series Dennis Lee and Philip Balsam along with an explanation of the new holiday episode "The Bells of Fraggle Rock". The article also appears to reintroduce the entire show and it's characters once again for possible new viewers. The issue also only seems to have been produced in Canada.

Aviva Hasbro Magazine (1985)

This toy magazine and catalog was sent to the retailers from the toy manufacturer Aviva Hasbro when introducing their take on the Fraggle Rock merchandise. The Fraggles do not appear on the catalog's cover but they have two pages of their own inside.

The pictures show prototype versions of the Hasbro Softies Fraggle and Doozer dolls. These are also the same dolls used on the back of the Hasbro Softies box. It gives the buyer information as to the weight of the pieces and the case assortment breakdown. It may also shed some light as to why it seems that the Mokey and Wembley dolls are more difficult to find on the collectors market today. Those two were shipped one per case and Gobo and Red were two per case. This was also before they released their Boober and Traveling Matt dolls.

They also offered Fraggle Rock PVC figures that are the same as the Schleich versions but the catalog gives no reference to Schleich or Applause for making them. According the the PVC case assortment info, 24 for were packed per case and these were sold on a blister card. The back of the catalog gives the address and telephone information for the Aviva Hasbros in Pawtucket, RI., New York and Hong Kong. It also lists the numbers for sales representative organizations. The Aviva title must have been dropped since then.

McDonaldland Fun Times (1988)

February/March 1988

Vol. 10 No. 1

During McDonald's Fraggle Rock Happy Meal promotion, their current issue of McDonaldland Fun Times had a focus on the characters of Fraggle Rock.

This magazine may now be defunct but it once was available for free within the restaurants. This issue had the Fraggle Five in the corner of the cover. Inside it had a Fraggle maze, a cutout puzzle that formed the Fraggles' vegetable car toys and a spelling game. On the inside of the back cover there was an ad for the Fraggle Rock Weekly Reader book subscription with a very nice illustration of Gobo and Red Fraggle with a Doozer. The entire magazine was printed on newsprint.

Go back to Fraggle Rock Collectibles.

Section compiled by
Nick Bondra, Cindy Chapman, and Phillip Chapman

Fan site Muppet Central created by Phillip Chapman. Updates by Muppet Central Staff. All Muppets, Bear
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