I mentioned yesterday that I was going to be buying this DVD after work (which I did, with the help of my Best Buy rewards points!)
For those of you who weren't lucky enough to have experienced the joys of Hey Dude and the adventures at the Bar None Dude Ranch when it first aired, I thought I would give you a background on the show. The show aired from 1989-1991 on Nickelodeon and was set on a dude ranch in Arizona. Think of it kind of like Saved by the Bell but on a ranch. It followed the adventures of Mr. Ernst, his son, and the teenage staff that worked there.
The characters:
Mr. Ernst (also called Mr. E): a kind of goofy man who leaves his job in New York and buys a dude ranch in Arizona (despite having no experience with owning a dude ranch.) He is divorced and moves to the ranch with his young son Buddy. Actor: David Brisbin- he has had small roles on various TV shows since Hey Dude.
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| Yeah, he really wore that hat! |
Benjamin "Buddy" Ernst, Jr.: Mr. Ernst's son (I think he was supposed to be 10 or 11 when the show started). He tries to fit in with the older staff members, but does his share of creating mischief. Actor: Josh Tygiel- per IMDB, he didn't do anything after Hey Dude.
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| Buddy |
Ted McGriff: The good-looking "senior staff" member at the Bar None (think of him as the Zack Morris of the ranch). There were times he could come off as an arrogant guy, but deep down he had a good heart. My 11 year old self thought he was "the bee's knees". Yes, I just said that. :) Actor: David Lascher- some of you might remember him as Blossom's boyfriend Vinnie on the show Blossom or as Josh in Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
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| Be still my 11 year old heart! ;) |
Bradley "Brad" Taylor: The rich girl who grew up around horses and comes to the Bar None to be the horse trainer (despite never working before in her life). She is always said to be older than the rest of the teenage staff, although they never give ages. I would think she wasn't much older, maybe two or three years at most. This does not stop Ted from asking her out throughout the series. Actress: Kelly Brown- per IMDB, she didn't star in anything else after Hey Dude.
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| She kinda looked like she could be Punky Brewster's older sister. |
Melody "Mel" Hanson: The all-American "girl next door" character who has been serving as the ranch's lifeguard for several summers. She was always the "voice of reason" and overall nice girl. Actress: Christine Taylor- better known these days as Mrs. Ben Stiller. She starred in The Brady Bunch Movie (she was Marcia), The Wedding Singer and Zoolander (just to name a few). Hey Dude was her first role.
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| Wait-I'm going to marry Ben Stiller?? |
Danny Lightfoot: The Native American who was raised in the area and tries to teach his friends and fellow staff members to respect nature and the land around them. Actor: Joe Torres- IMDB doesn't have anything else listed after Hey Dude. For a while a rumor was going around the IMDB message board that he had passed away, but it has never been confirmed.
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| Danny |
Jake Decker: The nephew of Mr. Ernst who comes to work at the Bar None after Ted is forced to leave to go to summer school (never fear, he comes back!) He's into playing his drums and complains that he can't surf in a desert. He tries to get fired at first, but eventually decides he likes it at the ranch. Actor: Jonathan Galkin- he made a guest appearance in one other show after Hey Dude. Per Wikipedia, he is now a label manager for DFA Records.
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| He kept a drum set in his room. |
Kyle Chandler: The good looking (but not too bright) cowboy who comes to the ranch as a guest but ends up staying to work on the staff. He also shows an interest in Brad (and when Ted returns from summer school, it because a battle of "may the best man win".) Actor: Geoffrey Coy- Hey Dude was the only thing he starred in. Author's note: I never thought about the fact that the character's name was Kyle Chandler and that is the name of the actor who starred in the TV shows Early Edition and Friday Night Lights. :)
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| There aren't many pictures of this character online. |
Lucy: The adult member on the Bar None staff who helps with the horse training and riding. I think she is also some sort of assistant to Mr. Ernst. I don't think they ever said her last name. Actress: Debrah Kalman- Hey Dude was the only thing she ever starred in. Per IMDB she is a full time teacher in Florida.
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| Lucy |
Cassie: Buddy's dog, who mysteriously disappeared after episode 13 (kinda like the dog on The Brady Bunch).
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| Cassie |
Yes, watching it now I can see that it's very cheesy. But I think it's a good show, even for kids today. Here are some clips I found on YouTube!
Seriously, how can you not like this theme song?? ;)
For those of you who are just dying to check out some episodes, I found a YouTube user who has uploaded a lot of them.
Click here for their page.
Have a great weekend!!
XOXO!
