Product Description

The award-winning Nature series is the longest-running weekly natural history series on television. Program 1: Extraordinary Dogs - Through amazing and emotional stories about dogs and their special bonds with humans, witness some of the extraordinary things canines do as our companions, protectors, and assistants. Program 2: Dogs: The Early Years - Narrated by John Ritter, this playful and practical look at the irresistibly adorable stage of a young dog s life profiles different breeds and their owners, and provides advice on choosing the right puppy for you.

Review

...The greatest cinematography on earth. --The New York Times

About the Actor

John Ritter - John was an American actor and son of renowned country singer and actor, Tex Ritter and his wife, Dorothy Fay who was also an actress. He was the father of actors Jason Ritter and Tyler Ritter. He was best known for playing the character of Jack Tripper in ABC sitcom Threes Company; he also won the Golden Globe Award and the Emmy Award in 1984 for his performance in the sitcom. John nurtured his acting skills since his college years when he majored in Theatre Arts. Prior to Threes Company, he made small appearances on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Waltons in 1970, Hawaii Five-O in 1971 and M.A.S.H. in 1973. He then formed his own production company in 1984. He acted in numerous films and television shows including Problem Child (1990) and Bad Santa (2003). He was nominated four times for Daytime Emmy Award for his voice work on the childrens television series, Clifford the Big Red Dog. He was also called the greatest physical comedian on the planet by the famous American comedic actor Don Knotts. He died from an aortic dissection in 2003 soon after the production of an episode for the second season of 8 Simple Rules. George Page - George was an editor and producer, known for PBS Nature, A Day in the Life of the Jukebox Band (1993), and The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn (1986). His incredible speaking voice was perfect for narration. As director of science and natural history at PBS station WNET in New York City, he helped create, and eventually host, Nature series which celebrated its 20th season in May 2002. George was the author of Inside the Animal Mind. He graduated Emory University, which awarded him a Doctorate of Humane Letters in 1990 for his contributions to science education in the United States. George served on the boards of the inner-city non-profit group, The Natural Guard; College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine; and The Dessin Animal Shelter in Honesdale, Pennsylvania.

About the Director

Allison Argo - Producer, Director, Writer, Editor Allison Argo has been making films for nearly two decades. She has traveled the globe searching for gorillas in the Impenetrable Forest, combing the Amazon for endangered frogs and scouring the underbelly of Bangkok in search of displaced elephants. Argo was raised in the theater and enjoyed a successful acting career on Broadway and television, but a chance encounter in the late 90s propelled her to move behind the camera. The seeds for ArgoFilms were planted when she met a gorilla named Ivan living in a shopping mall in Tacoma, Washington. Ivan had lived in isolation for nearly three decades. Concerned about the lives of gorillas in captivity, Argo was compelled to write, produce and direct her first film THE URBAN GORILLA. The film was narrated by Glenn Close and broadcast by National Geographic in 1992. It earned the prestigious duPont-Columbia award for journalism, a Genesis Award, the Jackson Hole Newcomers Award and was nominated for two national Emmys but more important, after the film aired, Ivan was moved to Zoo Atlanta so that he could live with other gorillas. Argo went on to produce, direct, write and narrate 18 films for National Geographic and PBS. Her second film, KEEPERS OF THE WILD, won a national Emmy Award for directing. THE LAST FROG also won a national Emmy, and major awards from Jackson Hole, Missoula and Japan. THE SECRET LIFE OF CATS also received a national Emmy and major awards from Jackson Hole, Japan, and Missoula. Argo has made 14 films with National Geographic. She has also produced and directed numerous films for PBS, including CHIMPANZEES: AN UNNATURAL HISTORY, which received a National Emmy in 2007, a Genesis, a Christopher and numerous other awards. This ground-breaking film takes a hard look at the lives of thousands of chimpanzees living in North America. Other films for PBS include: WISDOM OF THE WILD; FROGS: THE THIN GREEN LINE; EXTRAORDINARY DOGS; and CRASH: A TALE OF TWO SPECIES, which received a national Emmy nomination. THE URBAN ELEPHANT, for which Argo won two National Emmys one for Directing and the other for Outstanding Documentary profiled 10 elephants living in captivity. This landmark film (for PBS and Nat Geo) was the inspiration for her current project, THE STORY OF DAO. In the spirit of the beloved tale Black Beauty, this deeply moving story follows an elephant through fifty years of life. Alternately heartbreaking and uplifting, the film is inspired by a true story. In addition to making films, Argo is also devoted to inspiring the next generation. She has given numerous presentations at museums, schools and venues around the world, including the California Academy of Sciences, the American Embassy in London and the National Zoo. ArgoFilms is based on Cape Cod. Muffie Meyer - Muffie (Marion) Meyer is an award-winning American director, whose productions include documentaries, theatrical features, television series and children s films. Films that she directed are the recipients of two Emmy Awards, CINE Golden Eagles, the Japan Prize, Christopher Awards, the Freddie Award, the Columbia-DuPont, and the Peabody Awards. Her work has been selected for festivals in Japan, Greece, London, Edinburgh, Cannes, Toronto, Chicago and New York and she has been twice nominated by the Directors Guild of America. Ellen Hovde - Nova (TV Series documentary) (1 episode) Saving the National Treasures; Benjamin Franklin (TV Mini-Series documentary) (3 episodes) (2002) The Chess Master, The Making of a Revolutionary, Let the Experiment Be Made (2002). Nature (TV Series documentary) (1 episode) (2001) Dogs: The Early Years. Heres My Question: Where Does My Garbage Go? (Video documentary short) (2000). American Photography: A Century of Images (TV Series documentary) (1999).

• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 0.7 x 5.4 inches; 2.72 ounces
• Director ‏ : ‎ Extraordinary Dogs - Allison Argo, Dogs: The Early Years - Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Color, Multiple Formats, NTSC
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour
• Release date ‏ : ‎ August 12, 2003
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Dogs: The Early Years Narrated By John Ritter, Extraordinary Dogs - Hosted & Narrated By George Page
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Questar
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1