64 Questions. 64
Answers. Updated August 23, 2008
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Why does Whit own
the land around Whit's End in "Recollections," but only owns the
building in later episodes? -Submitted by Grace, Goggles,
Jonathan
Let's clear up this
madness once and for all. It seems like there's a big continuity
issue surrounding Whit's End and the property around it. Years ago,
Focus on the Family published the first
Complete Guide to
Adventures in Odyssey. Pages 189-190 give a brief account of a
few of the bloopers on Adventures in Odyssey. Among them is
the inconsistency surrounding Whit's End. Let's take a look at the
words of the original Complete Guide, for those of you who never got
to experience the excitement of that release!
"...In
"Recollections," Tom tells Connie how Whit burst into a city
council meeting and saved the building that eventually became
Whit's End by buying it -- "and its adjoining land" -- for 3.5
million dollars. But in "Moving Targets," Phillip Glossman tells
Connie and Jason that "the land Whit's End sits on is owned by
the city. The building belongs to you, that's all.
"Of course, it
could be argued that Glossman was lying, and that in the eight
years between the two incidents, Connie and Tom just forgot. But
the truth is... we goofed."
Oops! is right.
But is it really an Oops! moment now? The AIO team decided to
make their wrong right with the release of
The Forgotten Deed.
In this episode, Whit and the gang are worried that Whit's End will
never be able to open again based on Christian
principles. Here we find that Mr. Whittaker purchased Whit's End and
thought he was obtaining the land as well. Unfortunately, he wasn't
and believed he owned it for years. Our first clue that Whit knows
about the city's ownership of the land is stated in
Hold-Up! Fortunately, the property around
Whit's End is discovered to be on a conditional loan to the city of
Odyssey. In other words, the city owned the land just as long as it
met one big requirement: to glorify God. If the city went back on
the terms of the loan, then the property would revert back to the
ownership of the McAllister family. Whit's End glorified God all
those years by providence. Now that it faced a crisis in
The Forgotten Deed,
Whit had to locate the original deed to the land and make sure the
city knew what it said. Ultimately, Whit is given the opportunity to
officially purchase the land from the McAllister family once and for
all. Whit's End and McAllister Park are no longer an issue.
Now if that's not
enough to confuse you about real estate, I don't know what is! Let's
just be glad that Whit finally owns Whit's End and the
adjoining land.
How much does
Eugene weigh? He did say his doctor said he practically disappeared
when he turned side ways. -Submitted by Aaron Thornburg
It's good to see
someone cares about obesity in the Meltsner household, Aaron. Thanks
for asking! I've been waiting a long time to set things straight
once and for all. I think we can fairly say in a completely
objective way that John Avery Whittaker is fat. I think I may have
called Whit "pudgy" in
How
much does Whit weigh? Generally, people have a really good base
for their observations. If something looks thin, it's probably thin.
If someone sees something a little more rotund, it's probably,
well... rotund.
Evidently, Eugene is
not rotund, nor is he anorexic. He's eating right, he's staying fit
(we wouldn't call him a muscle man or anything -- his bachelor party
conversation in For
Better or For Worse proves that), and he's dying anyway. Yes,
Eugene will die someday. Until then, I'd like to call him skinny.
Now let's have a talk
about Eugene's doctor. Dr. What's-His-Name has a sense of humor.
It's kind of like your mother telling you that you're "pale as a
sheet." You aren't completely white like a sheet. It's just a good
comparison. Talking as Dr. What's-His-Name does is comic relief in
his boring life of telling people they have high blood pressure and
that they need to lose weight. Eugene is pretty skinny, don't get me
wrong. He's just got a little more sideways pudge than the doctor is
making him out to have.
With that being said,
let's talk about Eugene's weight. How much does he weigh, really?
Well, considering I'm a skinny guy myself and didn't make it past
120 pounds for years, I'd place Eugene between 120 to 140 pounds.
I'd say that's a great guesstimate. Eugene's a tall guy, and tall
people have more room to distribute body fat. Eugene must be at
least six feet.
In conclusion, I have
a few words to say to Dr. What's-His-Name. Don't go around telling
Eugene he practically disappears when he turns sideways. You might
find him on a couch jamming in potato chips because of his
self-esteem problems. We don't want him to turn out like Whit!
What happened to
Jared, Dwayne, Sarah? They were great characters and I would like to
see them come back. -Submitted by Becci Cutting
Characters are
constantly coming and going on Adventures in Odyssey.
Sometimes actors move away, some just quit working with the program
because of big opportunities, and others are simply written out of
the show. With Jared, actor
Brandon Gilberstadt
hitched a ride on a brief fifteen minutes of fame with a television
show opportunity. Thus, Jared DeWhite moved away right after the
Timothy Center opened. The show didn't last too long, apparently,
and the writers and fans liked Jared's character so much that he
later re-appeared in the Novacom Saga episodes. Unfortunately, as
many of us are beginning to see, or have seen over the years, that
stupid puberty tax (a reference to
The Buck Starts Here) got
Dwayne and Jared. Both of them served a short role
in the show until their teenage voices had to be silenced. Don't ask me
why, but somewhere along the line, Adventures in Odyssey was
designated as a kids show. Am I right?
The same goes for
Dwayne, though he had a more teenage,
sounded-as-if-it-were-mutating-all-along voice from the very start.
As for Sarah, I guess she just outlived her usefulness to the
series.
Where do the makers
of Odyssey think which state it is located in? -Submitted by
Anonymous
They will never tell!
Mwahaha! Actually, it's very true. Over the course of the series,
AIO has never released where the town of Odyssey resides in the
United States, but we do know that Odyssey is in the United
States. We also have a pretty good idea where Odyssey is not in the
U.S. If you take some time to step over to our
Where Odyssey Is Not
section, you'll find out how the possibilities for Odyssey's
location are narrowing down (and the list is growing!). A shortened
version of this feature was recently published on page 200 of
The Official Guide
if you care to turn there for starters. I feel all warm inside to
make it into a book!
In the episode
"Sixties-Something," Bart calls his store the Electic Castle, instead
of what it is normally called, the Electric Palace. Is this a goof?
-Submitted by Ricky Derocher
Come one, come all to
the the Electric Castle and we'll cheat you on a large assortment of
products. We'll take your money, regardless of whether the product
works or not! Indeed, sometimes Bart gets himself into some moral
dilemmas on the show, and sometimes he says the wrong thing. Yes,
Ricky, you've caught an Oops! moment on Adventures in
Odyssey. Looks like the writers let a mistake slip right
through, or they wanted it that way. Or Bart did. Next thing we
know, Dr. Blackgaard will be advertising his Blackgaard's Palace
even though he is dead, and Finneman's Market will be selling the
Odyssey Tattler!
Why do you have to
go to another place to record your shows? Why not do it in one spot?
-Submitted by Emily
Last time I checked, I
wasn't recording any shows, and if I was, I would probably know.
Yet, if I wasn't, which I'm not, I would be confused by what you
said about me and my shows -- which have ironically never been
recorded.
However, Emily, I
believe I know you're referring to the Odyssey team. It's
understandable. You're not the only one who has mistaken the Odyssey
Scoop for the Official Site
over the years. I've gotten so many emails from fans who thought I
was the real thing. It's flattering, but only for a second. Then I
realize I'm probably reading an email meant for someone else.
Regardless, we're discussing that "other place" you mentioned in
your question. That place you're referring to is California. Here's
the painful truth. Most of the actors who grace Adventures in
Odyssey with their talents reside in California. However, Focus
on the Family is located in Colorado, Springs, Colorado (80995 if
your brain is automatically filling in the gaps). The Odyssey team
gets together and collectively brainstorms, writes, and gets ready
for episodes in Colorado to be recorded in California (Los Angeles, near the
actors). From there, the producers will edit the show together and
make it exciting.
Though I am still
wondering one thing -- Maybe the actors could move to Colorado and
the team could get another recording studio together there. Better yet, we
could just move the state of California. Either way, I'm glad the
actors are there to give us fans something to listen to!
In the preview for
album #50, I heard some unfamiliar voices that sounded somewhat
similar to Bart Rathbone's. Has the AIO team found a new voice for
Bart and/or Tom? -Submitted by Josh
Josh, you were hearing
right. In 2007, Walker
Edmiston, voice of both Tom Riley and Bart Rathbone, passed
away, leaving the AIO team at a loss for what to do. While Tom
Riley's character is currently alive in Odyssey and appears in
episodes up through The Best Small
Town collection, Walker Edmiston's death was sad for all of us.
The team looked for a Bart replacement and found one (you be the
judge of whether or not we should have one), but the same actor
decided not to play Tom Riley. Personally, I think Tom Riley should
pass away in Odyssey and Bart Rathbone should move away. He and
Rodney have become a bit redundant anyway. Don't you think?
In multiple
episodes Mr. Whitaker says that he doesn't own or want a television,
yet in the movie "Baby Daze" there is a television set in Whit's
End. What's going on? -Submitted by AREM
Uh oh, it sounds like
Whit's been bluffing all these years, AREM. Maybe you should tell
the FBI or something. In all reality, Whit consistently doesn't have
a TV in the audio series and never has because of his vulnerability
to becoming a "TV junky." Yet, in the video series, Whit is caught
staring at a television screen. The answer: inconsistencies. The
video series has never been close to the audio series in relation to
facts, and neither has it been close to the books. The video series
is its own identity. Let's just be glad that we don't have to watch
Odyssey to love it so much. Otherwise, we'd think Whit was lying.
And our DVD players would wear out sooner.
Will Jason ever get
married to Monica Stone? -Submitted by Joy Burgess and Connie&Mitch
Oh joy, it looks like
Monica's trying to put up curtains in her jail cell again. I don't
think Jason Whittaker is too fond of burnt sienna though. I think he
would be more of a mauve color person. It's hard to say. Either way,
Monica Stone is still serving time in a state penitentiary for
helping someone try to take over the world. I don't think Jason
wants to get involved now that he's taken a step away from the
Novacom Saga. It's worth noting that Monica isn't necessarily a
Christian, so Jason better remember what he learned in the past.
Tasha might get jealous!
Still, they sure did
show a lot of interest in each other when Jason showed up to her
cell for a visit... Stink! Monica better make those curtains look
amazing! Maybe Martha Stewart could help her with those wrinkles on
her bed.
How do you think
fans would react if the AIO team made Tom pass away in the series?
-Submitted by Eugene's Vest
Wow, I've always
wanted to talk to Eugene's Vest at some point in my life. So hello,
Eugene's Vest. I'm sure you keep Eugene looking quite trendy from
day to day.
In answer to your
question, I believe that the fans would be terribly emotionally
connected with Whit, Tom, Bernard, and Connie as they find out that
Tom has passed away. Fans would probably reminisce about all the
wonderful years we have shared in Odyssey with Tom, and they would
also get to see his surviving friends thinking back on his life and
ministry. We would obviously witness a cry scene from Connie -
guaranteed - and then she would go into a state of dehydration and
die also. Or not. Probably in Dr. Blackgaard's wildest dreams, since
she told him he had more loopholes than a spaghetti strainer all
those years ago.
Actually, I'm hoping
the AIO lays Tom Riley to rest on the series. It would be a first to
see a major character pass away, and I think it would open up many
more avenues for the show. Hold on just a second... I'll call the
funeral home.
What does "I Slap
Floor" mean in one of the episodes in the Gold Audio Series?
-Submitted by Morgan
Well, Morgan,
unfortunately, the Gold Audio Series covers only the first fifteen
collections of Adventures in Odyssey, otherwise
I Slap Floor
would actually be included. The phrase "I Slap Floor" generally
refers to the following:
-
I (me, myself) -
the one in whom this phrase is based
-
Slap - a word
meaning "to strike sharply,
especially with the open hand or with something flat," in this
instance a hand
-
Floor - a hard
surface by which a majority of the human species uses to walk on
two legs or spill soda after tripping
So in summary, "I Slap
Floor" means I apply a good amount of pressure, with my hand
containing five phalanges, to a hard surface upon which humans walk
on two legs or spill soda after tripping. Now, if you're in Ohio,
it's pop.
Yeah, it's simple. I slap floor. Now am I slapping the floor?
I don't know. I just know I'm slapping a floor. And someone
spilled cherry soda.
In other words, look
on your calendar to April 1st and see if you see anything special
about it. There's a very special and fun holiday on this day every
year.
Highlight for answer:
April Fools
Thank you so much
for updating!!!!!!!! -Submitted by A Very Happy Trying Not to Be
Rude
Well, a Very Happy
Trying Not to Be Rude, you're welcome. And since you haven't
followed directions and asked a relevant question, or a question at
all for that matter, I'll be saying good day.
What is the Timothy
center exactly? I think I missed that section of episodes.
-Submitted by Connie's Biggest Fan
It's nice to finally
meet Connie's Biggest Fan. No doubt that other fans out there who
think they are the biggest fan will become jealous that you are the
real thing!
In answer to your
question, the Timothy Center is a retreat center/camp for all ages.
It is a ministry that reaches out to youth and families alike.
Started by Tom Riley, this retreat center features horseback riding,
special programs, cabins, and much more. Tom had the inspiration to
start the Timothy Center in the episode
Malachi's Message
and the center opened shortly afterwards in
Opening Day. Ever
since then, we've seen a variety of groups come and go, ranging from
kids in the intercity, to families needing a getaway, to special
groups like the Happy Smilers who need to throw a convention, and
many more.
Consequently, the Shepard family has
been instrumental with the Timothy Center. They came to Odyssey when
it first opened, and Tom was able to convince them to stay on and
help. While Aubrey has moved away from Odyssey for her college
education, her family sticks around in Odyssey to help run the
Timothy Center as usual. Once you're in Odyssey, you're trapped.
Is Connie's mother
a Christian? If not, will she ever become one? <sigh> I love Connie!
-Submitted by Connie's Biggest Fan
I'm so glad you're
such a big fan of Connie. I'm glad someone is...
Now, on to business.
Connie's mother is indeed a Christian. After the death of her mother
Mildred, she became a Christian following the funeral service in
Where Is Thy Sting?
We see evidence of her new faith in
With a Little Help
from My Friends in which she finds herself falling for peer
pressure in the workplace. Here we see that the Lord is working on
her convictions.
Careful... if you sigh
too much you'll faint.
Will they ever make
an episode where Whit messes up? It seems like Whit is a perfect
guy, and I'd like an episode where he messes up and has to fix his
mistake. -Submitted by Connie's Biggest Fan
Actually, I don't want
to burst your bubble, but we have seen a few of Whit's mistakes over
the course of Adventures in Odyssey. The biggest malfunction
of everyone's favorite discovery emporium owner is evident in his
very own family. Whit was always getting into it with his daughter
Jana. Try A Member of
the Family and Monty's Christmas on for size. How about the time in
The Mortal Coil
when he decided to create an Imagination Station program about death
and nearly pushed up daisies as well? I remember Tom ended up gently
rebuking Whit. What about Whit's selfish actions in
Clara when he
angrily told Jack Allen he never wanted to speak to him again? Also,
Whit felt sorry for himself in
The W.E. and gave
Whit's End a major interior redesign. Then in
The Triangle,
young Whit is caught making fun of his future wife. Be sure your sin
will find you out, Whit! Oh yeah, and then there's the time in
Between You and Me
when Mr. Whittaker, sage friend and comrade, decided to ignore
Connie for days - a very cruel action - to prove a biblical
principle! We mustn't forget about all the bad advice Whit gave the
kids visiting Whit's End in
I Slap Floor!
No, Mr. Whittaker is
far from perfect.
Will Odyssey ever
make a series of episodes, or even an album, especially for teens?
Like, more episodes about abuse, eating disorders, dating, and some
that go more in depth about Connie and Whit's life? 'Cause I think a
lot of teens would enjoy that. I know I would! -Submitted by
Connie's Biggest Fan
I
seriously doubt it. This is a kids show, starting at age eight. I
don't think eight year-olds could handle it. I would love to see a
series like this myself.
If Mitch left for Budapest will
we really not hear anything about him for 2 years' worth of episodes?
I don't think I can last that long!!! I think Connie and Mitch are
SUCH a cute couple! -Submitted by Connie's Biggest Fan
Well, it looks like you did (wait
that long, I mean). It has
been at least two years since Connie and Mitch so dramatically broke
up and went their separate ways. I, too, had such high hopes for
them. I, too, wanted so much to see them tie the knot, stay in
Odyssey, have kids, watch them grow up, and watch Connie's kids'
kids grow up. That would have been the day. Yet, if we ever got to
the point where Connie's children's children were keeping the tables
at Whit's End wiped down, the floors cleaned, and the dishes washed,
we'd have to put Whit into a nursing home. Either that, or we'd get
to visit Whit in his grave every few episodes. Or maybe he could
check into Hillingdale Haven. Wow, that means
Connie would probably be a senior citizen (55 or so) collecting dinner
discounts at local restaurants. Just imagine!
In reality, we never know what we're
going to get with Adventures in Odyssey. Keep listening...
Mitch may be just a phone call away.
Is
Jared DeWhite going to be in new Odyssey's? He's funny and I haven't
seen him in 10 albums. -Submitted by Samuel
Well,
Samuel, I hate to break this to you, but Jared DeWhite has gone bye
bye. He has served his time in Odyssey as a kid, became a teenager,
and he simply sounds too old for the betterment of Whit's End and the
town of Odyssey. It's heart-wrenching, I know. It's just encouraging
to know that this is one of the natural processes of life in
Odyssey. Once a favorite character hits puberty, death is definitely
around the corner. Or at least a disappearing act.
I've been listening
to AIO since I was a fetus. It's been a dream of mine to be a voice
actor on the show one day. How does someone go about doing this?
-Submitted by Derrick
It's great to hear
that you were such a big fan of Adventures in Odyssey,
despite the fact that every baby I've talked to doesn't understand
the English language until later on in his young life! I'll need to
talk to your mother. Someone as alert and learned as you must be
some sort of child prodigy and needs a well-paying acting career.
I'm glad to hear that
you're interested in acting for Odyssey! Actually, there are some
specific requirements that AIO holds to, so it'd be best if you make
sure you apply them. The big factor AIO holds to in choosing actors
is that the majority of actors on Odyssey live in California. That
way, they're close to the recording studio for sessions throughout
the year. I would recommend putting together an audition tape and
having it ready when you contact them directly. You can contact
Focus on the Family for their requirements for AIO by calling
1-800-A-FAMILY.
Does Wooton write
the Powerboy comics? -Submitted by Kim
Yes, Wooton writes the
Powerboy comics, but we have yet to see why these little comic books
are so popular. They sound stupid to me. Perhaps it's because such a
strange yet likeable person wrote them? The truth about Powerboy's
writer came out in Rights, Wrongs, and Winners.
Where can I find
what the odyssey characters look like? -Submitted by Ciera
The best way to find
out what the Odyssey characters look like is through your
imagination station. However, for branding purposes and product
recognition,
the AIO team has provided a little look at some of the characters. I
would recommend you start with our Citizens on Odyssey feature for starters. From there, I would
suggest you check out the sites (proverbial speaking) and visit
the Official Site and all the fan
sites out there. Don't forget mine!
Now do they look the
same as you always imagined them, or is someone's hair a little too
colorful, shapey eyes, or rotund face? You be the judge.
Is the person who
plays Connie's mom the same person who plays Joanne? -Submitted
by Hannah
I can see how you find
a slight resemblance between the two voices. However, June Kendall
has been played by Maggie
Malloy since the beginning of the series, and Joanne Allen is
played by Janet Waldo. Two
characters... two completely different names.
Has Richard Maxwell
ever become a Christian? -Submitted by Charis
During the life of the
series, Richard Maxwell developed and matured. It is not surprising
that you asked about Richard's salvation. After his kind deeds to
Tom Riley and the town during the terrible days with Regis
Blackgaard, one might wonder if Richard became a Christian along the
way. Yet, the subject was never brought up on AIO. Did Richard
become a Christian? Despite his improved character and good actions
in Odyssey, I would venture to say that Richard is not yet a
Christian. He may have made a decision along the way and the
characters in Odyssey know, but we as the listeners do not. It seems
only right that we believe that he is indeed not saved. We must look
at the motives behind his actions. A whole lot of people will do
good things with good intentions. In this case, Richard wanted
acceptance from Tom Riley who held a bitter grudge against him for
burning down his barn. Richard's life exemplifies a convincing
secular testimony, one that would easily convince a non-Christian to
remain unsaved. But we need to be told that Richard is a Christian
on the show before I start believing that.
How did you make
this site? -Submitted by Samuel
From the ground up. I
would highly recommend you read all about it at another one of our
AIO FAQ questions answered in the past:
How
long have you had this website? It'll provide you with all the details.
I
really think the Twilife Zones are out of the ordinary. How many are
there and what are the titles? -Submitted by Eugene's Brother
Eugene's Brother, it's
really good to make your acquaintance! I've been longing to meet you
all these years, assuming I actually knew you existed. But now that
it looks like you do exist, allow me to shake your hand. Come on,
don't be shy.
Yes, the Twilife Zone
episodes are a little out of the ordinary, especially since you've
been hiding out in Africa all the years of your life. You know, you
could have gotten a phone through Verizon or something to stay in
touch with Eugene. It's the least you could do. After all, he only stars on the world's #1 audio
drama series! But we need to stay on topic. Here are the titles
you're looking for. I'll let you do the counting:
The episodes with the
Twilife Zone just aren't as common as others. I think that's why we
appreciate them more.
Is Mitch
related to Connie's next door neighbor Mr. Mitchell, or does someone just like the last name? -Submitted by
bookworm15
Mitchell happens to be
a very common last name. Robert Mitchell. John Mitchell. Olga
Mitchell could also work. I like Robert's last name. It's a very
defining last name. It makes the family heritage all the more worth
living in. Maybe Connie should go next door and check on her
neighbor and ask him if he's related to her ex-boyfriend. Now that
would be an awkward moment. That is, to say, if she could climb over
Mr. Mitchell's fence. I think he had it put in to keep her away!
No, bookworm15,
Connie's neighbor is not related to Robert Mitchell.
I used to listen to
Adventures in Odyssey all the time and I was just wondering
what happened with Connie and Mitch? Are they still together? Did
they get married? -Submitted by Katie
Katie, I hate to break
this news to you, but Connie is still hanging around Whit's End
wondering what to do with her life. Meanwhile, Mitch has taken on an
exciting FBI job in Budapest. Apparently, Connie and Mitch weren't
as compatible as everyone hoped they would be. At least Connie can
now look back and say she almost got married. Almost.
There's a start,
especially for Connie!
Will Mitch appear
on Adventures in Odyssey again? -Submitted by Alycia
Let's
leave that open. There is always a possibility for a character to
come back to the show. Mitch is currently serving in Budapest with
the FBI. He seems to like it there. At least that's what he said when I talked to him
last. We text now and I stay informed. Unlimited texting. It's a
blast. In fact, I use T9WORD for
faster texting. It looks like you need to get with the times.
Discover the possibilities. If you need his cell phone number, ask.
Just
curious, does Chris play Mrs. Rush in the
episode, "Isaac the Insecure"? -Submitted
by Connie's Jogging Suit
I
have a question for you, too. You wouldn't happen to be the very
same ugly green jogging suit that a certain Connie Kendall wears,
would you? I think I saw you on just about all the Odyssey
merchandise, saw you in action on the Odyssey videos, and I just
love your weird foofy things at the edges of your sleeves and near
your neck. I wouldn't be caught dead in them, let alone a jogging
suit in these current times. Do you realize how unpopular jogging
suits have become? Do you even realize that Connie's mom made her
start wearing dresses earlier on in her life?
Well, Miss Suit (or are you a he?),
your ears were right (and I can't believe you have ears). Mrs. Rush
is played by Chris
Anthony, voice of our beloved host and fabricator of faith-based
morals. Chris has also played other random characters on Adventures in Odyssey. Let's see if you can pick
those
out. Connie picked you out.
Will
Connie & Jason ever get married & to who? -Submitted by Joy
and Alexis, also posed as an exclamation by "Wooton's Purple Bunny
Slippers"
If
I were Eugene Meltsner, I would probably begin by slapping you on
the hand because you used "who" instead of "whom." You know, that's
a big no-no in the language of grammar. Also, Eugene doesn't like to
think about Jason and Connie getting married, even if Connie did
have a crush on Jason at one point. Instead he would rather have
Connie marry Mitch or Jason marry Tasha... maybe even Monica Stone.
Of course, Jason would have to introduce Eugene to Monica Stone
along the way if he did pursue such an interesting relationship.
After all, Eugene disappeared from Odyssey for several years and
came back with such a loud return. Then again, seeing Connie and
Jason get married after all these years would be quite a
twist.
Now will Bachelor Whittaker and
Bachelorette Constance ever tie the knot with each other or with someone
else? I don't see Connie ever getting married on the show because it
would kill her character. However, Jason could manage. Besides, he
seems to have better luck with love.
Now, let's talk, Wooton's Purple
Bunny Slippers -- if that's your name. I would recommend that you be
strong and don't let him walk all over you. You're stronger than
that!
After
"Accidental Dilemma" is Jason Whittaker really leaving Odyssey for
good? -Submitted by nec
How
can he? He's Jason Whittaker. He's one of Odyssey's favorite
reckless personalities. Jason will be back, oh yes. You can count on
it. That has been confirmed by the AIO team.
Hey,
you know it does say where Odyssey is. Listen to the very
first episode, "Whits Visitor." It says the state in that one.
-Submitted by Cryin' Brian Dern
Last
time I checked, Whit's
Visitor was not included in a collection of Adventures in
Odyssey. Also, that episode was part of the Family Portraits
test series before Odyssey USA and ultimately AIO. If it's not under
the AIO title or even included in an AIO collection, I would presume
we're not supposed to put those puzzle pieces together and say
Odyssey is in Ohio. I will admit that Odyssey is referenced as being
in Ohio in Whit's
Visitor, but the truth remains that it hasn't officially been
mentioned in the chronological audio series. In other words, I know
Adventures in Odyssey doesn't say where Odyssey is. I do know
Where Odyssey Is Not.
You may want to keep tabs on that section and believe it.
How
can you download an adventure off of the web? -Submitted by
Carissa
Occasionally, the
Official Podcast
provides free episode downloads. If you are looking for a particular
episode and would like to have it for playback on your computer, I
would recommend purchasing episodes from
ChristianAudio.com and/or
Songtouch. If you would rather listen to an episode as it airs, you can
visit
Oneplace each day or listen at Focus on the Family's
media center. Finding Odyssey on the internet is becoming more
and more convenient as time goes on!
Will Arthur Dent
ever come back to Odyssey? -Submitted by Mitch and Connie
You two lovebirds are
bad! You've been keeping it a secret all this time and you haven't
told the rest of us! Sure you went to Budapest, Mitch. You fakers!
Arthur Dent is gone
from Odyssey. There is really no reason for him to return, of course
unless some evil corporation called Andromeda comes back and Arthur
Dent finds out. Let's leave the door open on this one. Usually when
a character leaves Odyssey for an extended period of time, there's a
good chance he will return.
Will they be making
a new 'Complete Guide to Adventures in Odyssey' in the near future?
We have the last one but it doesn't seem to have been updated since
1997... -Submitted by Mitch and Connie
I'm
so glad you asked, and it couldn't have been at a better time. The
new Adventures
in Odyssey: The Official Guide was released as part of a
celebration of 20 years of AIO. Can you believe it? Twenty years and
two Complete Guides later. This newer edition of the guide contains
much more behind-the-scenes information and fan material. I think
we're all glad this new book is out. And we've been mentioned!
You'll find a little tidbit on the Acknowledgements page and also
page 200 featuring a plug for our
Where Odyssey Is Not
section!
1997 sure seems like a long time
ago. I'm glad it was time to update.
What is the name of the actor
who reads for the character Heather? -Submitted by Jennifer
Ruschell
There are four Heather's who come
to mind, but I'm not sure which Heather you're referring to. Take a
look:
- Heather: Lucy's friend with
whom she makes a sacred trust (voiced by actress Natalie
Buffington, The
Sacred Trust)
- Heather Shapely: A girl who
played Connie in the movie about Odyssey (voiced actress Debbie
Schneider, A Day
in the Life)
- Heather: A girl who appears in
Whit's Rights, Wrongs, and Reasons game (voiced by
actress Erin Love,
Rights, Wrongs, &
Reasons)
Did I catch them all?
How old is Mr. Whittaker?
-Submitted by "Jared's alien in Arizona," Hannah, and Aaron Thornburg
Beam me up, Scotty! You better be a
little more quiet about who you are, Mr. Alien. Jared will catch on
to what you're doing and come after you with his Toasty Oaties
souvenirs!
It's an age-old question that the
fans are dying to ask. How old is Mr. John Avery Whittaker?
Is he supposed to be alive right now? Is he an imposter? Well, let's
take a look at Whit's age.
It's important to note that John
Avery Whittaker served in the navy fighting the Japanese during the
Battle of Guadalcanal. For Whit, that took place in July 1942, a
long time ago. The episode
Rescue from Manatugo
Point does clue us in on how old Whit was during this time, but
he does say that time slips away from us. If we were to guesstimate,
we'd probably put Whit around 20 years old at that point, maybe
close to 25. That's a good age frame.
So, if Whit is at least 20-25 years old in 1942, the year 2008 would
place him at 86-91 years old. Dang! Our Whittaker is getting old!
And then
there's the time delay between real time and Adventures in
Odyssey time. We don't know if Odyssey time lines are up with our
year on the timeline. It could still be 1994 for all we know, but
the internet wasn't so widely used and it is on AIO. It seems that
the technology of our time proves that Whit and the gang have made
it to at least the late 90's and 2000's. All the technological
advances on the show point to it. Besides, it has been mentioned on
the show that they are living in the 21st century.
So yes, I'm going to stick with the
evidence that John Avery Whittaker is in his late eighties or early
nineties. For an
old guy, he sure has a lot of energy. He has so much energy he swims
through lakes chasing children, jogs, stops riots, and keeps two
Whit's End discovery emporiums running. Pretty amazing stuff. If
only we could all be like Whit.
In Best Laid Plans, is
the person whose named Tony the same Tony that's in the episode Chains? Their voices sound the same and they're the leader of
the same gang, so I'm not sure if they're the same character or not.
-Submitted by Rose (AlexCalandJaredFan)
Ding! Ding! Ding! You are the
winner of the golden cigar! Wait, you probably don't smoke. Here's a
cookie instead. Tony first appears in
Best Laid Plans,
but the team may have not thought about it too much. He later shows
up in Chains and
we learn a little more about his character. It's interesting to note
that Tony is played by Fabio Stephens, our very own Curt Stevens
from the past!
Do you have any suggestions
where I can get a poster with a lot of the AIO characters on it? Oh,
and do you think the characters at the Birthday Bash will be signing
autographs? -Submitted by Aaron Thornburg
If you're looking for an Odyssey
poster, you're in luck. Currently Focus on the Family is providing
an Adventures in Odyssey
20th Anniversary
Poster for a special donation. AIO is getting more and more
popular every year. They just celebrated their 20th anniversary and
signed plenty of fans' apparel, books, collections, and posters.
Thousands showed up for the live episode recording and it was an
exciting day for all. I think even more people will be present for
the 25th anniversary celebration.
Will there be an album 51?
-Submitted by Luke
Luke,
I'm glad you asked. We have received many emails regarding the
future of Adventures in Odyssey, and it's good to be able to
clear things up. According to the AIO team, there are plans to
continue producing Adventures in Odyssey, so it's okay for
you to expect an album 51 release. The name will be decided later
when things come together. Right now, the team is doing some
rethinking about the show, thus there will be no new shows until
Fall 2009. They did this in the 1990's around the time the original
guide to Odyssey came out. For now, keep flipping through those
pages of Adventures
in Odyssey: The Official Guide, released August 2008.
I do have good news for you. We
aren't completely out of shows, though none of the ones I'm about to
tell you about are technically part of the AIO series. Focus on the
Family is putting together a big ministry opportunity, The Truth
Project, and a special AIO release is planned to complement the
project. You can find
The Truth Chronicles
AIO collection in stores soon. Now, don't put this next to your
album 50 or you might confuse yourself. These episodes are special
collection, and you will find that the episodes in this collection
have a different Odyssey feel to them.
While we wait for Album 51, I think
we're going to find that AIO has some surprises up their sleeves.
Does
Adventures in Odyssey have a final date when they will "throwing in
the towel" (quitting) or is it still undecided? -Submitted by
Aaron Thornburg
The day Adventures in Odyssey
says goodbye will be the day fans stop buying the series. In fact,
God has blessed AIO over the years because the fans who buy the
albums keep the series going. In other words, the show pays for
itself. As long as there is a large amount of fan interest, the show
will go on. A few years back, however, AIO did come close to saying
goodbye to the series. Would you believe that right after
Darkness Before Dawn aired, the
team almost quit making Odyssey episodes? Now that would have been a
real disappointment for all of us who loved the series back then.
Just think... Eugene would have never gotten married, Connie would
have never met Mitch, and Whit would have never come back from the
Middle East! Scary!
One big reason for shutting down
the series in the future is if we lose too many of our prominent
actors. Walker Edmiston
recently passed away in February 2007, leaving us without Bart
Rathbone or Tom Riley. I imagine if we lose
Paul Herlinger,
Katie Leigh, or
Will Ryan along the way, the
series would be better off at a stopping point. A series is no good
if all of your original actors on the show have to be replaced.
So in answer to your question -- at
the moment -- Adventures in Odyssey must live on!
I couldn't find it on the page,
so who is answering all these questions? -Submitted by Aaron
Thornburg
Don't worry! Someone is
answering these questions, and it's the same someone you'll find in
another question submitted by another fan,
Who answers these FAQ questions?
Will
Connie and Mitch get Married? -Submitted by Kat and Rachel
Well,
Kat, as much as many of us would love to see Connie and Mitch get
back together again, I don't think it's ever going to happen. We've
already found out that the two of them just aren't as compatible as
we once thought. For Connie and Mitch to get married, Connie would
probably have to start enjoying her time outside of Odyssey (that
doesn't seem plausible since her whole life is Whit's End), she'd
have to enjoy the adrenaline rush that working for the FBI brings,
and Mitch would have to want to marry her again.
Now, I do think that Mitch might
show up for a visit in Odyssey again, but evidence shows that a
barrier will remain and keep Connie and Mitch from tying the knot.
I have oodles of questions for
you, but I don't have oodles of time so I'll ask one. How do the AIO
people pick actors to play different roles? Do they have auditions
or pick out people they see in movies or hear on the radio and ask
them if they're interested or what? How does all that work? I've
always wondered. Thanks so much! -Submitted by Kallie, also
posed in different words by Snookies
Dearest Kallie, it's actually
healthy to stop and breathe every few phrases and not talk in run-on
sentences because people get really confused that you're saying so
many things in such a long sentence full of tons of details that
could be spread out over possibly two or three sentences and you
could probably actually hear yourself think as well because it helps
your brain to process what you're saying and to formulate what
you're going to say next because that's just the way it is and human
brains cannot process too much information at one time and mine
didn't either. So I read your question again.
Generally, the actors for Adventures in Odyssey are chosen based on an audition tape.
Actors will submit an audition tape to Focus on the Family in hopes
of being chosen. The AIO team sifts through these tapes and chooses
the voices they like. It's also a good thing if the people
auditioning live in California because that's where AIO is recorded.
Another way actors are chosen is
through connections. For instance,
Katie Leigh knew
Jess Harnell, who
ultimately debuted as Wooton Bassett. If you've got connections, you
can go places. Also, Paul
Herlinger was chosen because someone heard him on the radio and
thought he was Mr. Whittaker. From there he was contacted and
entered the world of Odyssey. In the past,
Sage and
Erin Bolte acted for AIO
because their father was prominent in the behind-the-scenes workings
of the program. It's all about connections. It makes things simpler.
Who played Agent Borland?
-Submitted by Smilee94 and Torie Stephens
Peter Bourland's character was
voiced by actor Keith Silverstein. Smile long and hard enough and
you could start going to S.M.I.L.E. conventions!
How come in the Odyssey movies
you never show Rodney Rathbone and the Gang? -Submitted by
Rachel Kessler
The Odyssey videos
exist outside of the audio series. Rodney doesn't exist in the video
series, and neither did Connie for a while there. Rodney's gang
doesn't exist in the video series for that matter. But now that
Connie exists in both series, maybe she could introduce Rodney to
the video series characters. Yet, I think that Connie can only
handle Rodney in the audio series. He's a real piece of work and so
are his parents.
Could you give an
idea on what I should say auditioning for AIO? -Submitted by AIO
Actor Wanna-be
Well at least you're a wanna-be at this point! There's a start. Usually an audition tape is
very involved. If they want you, they'll call you up to come to the
studio. What follows is an excerpt from awn.com:
To get work as a
voice actor, you must have an agent. Casting directors will not
even consider you if you are not represented. (In the US, you
can get a list of agent from AFTRA and SAG, the two actors'
unions. Equally important is that you really should live where
the jobs are; in North America, this means Los Angeles, where
most of the cartoon voice work is cast and recorded. Some actors
such as David Kaye and Stephanie Morganstern are based in
Canada, but they are exceptions. No one will hire you if you
live in New Jersey or Texas, no matter how talented you are.
When a casting call comes, you need to be there, sometimes
within the hour.
In order to get a good agent, you need a great demo tape. Bob
Bergen feels, "As far as the demo tape process goes, I don't
believe in telling a story. Each segment should sound like it's
a clip from a cartoon, where your character is involved and
doing some kind of action. You should never repeat a voice on
your demo tape. Each clip should have a totally different scene;
perhaps one is jet fighter pilot, another a nerdy kid trying to
ask a girl out, but scenes that contrast. You want to leave the
listener asking for more. The average length of a demo tape is
two-and-a-half minutes. I recommend one-and-a-half, because you
are asking someone to take one-and-a-half minutes of their life
for your life. And chances are you are one of 20 or 30 tapes
they have to listen to that day...
...Voice actors
today are faced with a number of stumbling blocks to creating
truly original character voices. The studios want the familiar,
not the new. Most of the great voices actors, such as Mel Blanc,
Daws Butler, and Paul Frees are gone now, and the studios need
sound-alikes to keep their cartoon franchises going...
...When creating
original character voices, it is important to put yourself into
it entirely. The physical aspects of a character are as
important as the voice. When I perform my characters for my Willoughby and the Professor radio cartoon show, I don't
just stand still in front of the microphone and speak. I put my
full body into the perfomance just as I would on stage. People
who watch me perform find it as enjoyable as hearing the
finished recording. For example, I flail my arms a lot when
speaking since I find that this movement gives my performance an
extra "hmmph". For naïve 12-year old Willoughby, I raise my
eyebrows up, open my eye as wide as I can and stand very
straight. This gives me a brighter young alert sound for
Willoughby. My Professor character has very large jowls but I
have a thin face with no jowls, so to get a "hollow" jowl sound
for him I hold the sides of my face with my thumb and forefinger
and pull my cheeks out as far as I can and hold them there
everytime I speak as the Professor. All good voice actors work
from the physical.
To read the full
article,
click here. I hope this information has helped your ideas to
begin to understand the commitment that auditioning takes. One thing
I'd like to leave you with is that AIO really would like to hire
actors who live in California. It's easier for them to round up
actors that way, especially on short notice. I would suggest calling
1-800-A-FAMILY for more information regarding an audition with
Adventures in Odyssey.
Do you have to live
around in California to be an actor on Odyssey? -Submitted by
AIO's #1 Fan
Yes, you have to live
around in California to be an actor on Odyssey. This makes it easier
on the producers of Adventures in Odyssey because they like
to have their actors close to the studio, and it's cheaper not to
have to fly actors to California to record. Sometimes there is an
exception (example: Paul
Herlinger), but not often. Actors working for Odyssey may move
away, such as Travis Tredford.
Travis moved to Texas, and Alex Jefferson disappeared from Odyssey.
I take it you're not
from California?
Is Mitch's old
girlfriend Justine really dead? -Submitted by Really Wondering
Last time I checked
she was. Yep. Dead. Justeen is very dead. Ran off the side of the
road by a bad guy, so the story goes - just in case you're
wondering.
How
rich is Wooton Bassett? -Submitted by Alexis
Wooton Bassett is
rich. That's all we know. He's probably richer than Nathaniel Graham
and the Graham Cracker family. He does have a slide sticking
out of his house, but who's to say rich people can't put up a slide
for an easy exit ride? You know how easy it would be for people to
escape a burning home if they could just jump on a slide and ride
away from the flames? They'd probably have a few seconds to grab
those valued photo albums and baby videos. I think I'm on to
something here!
To tell you the truth,
I don't want to know how rich Wooton is. I might get jealous. I
might get jealous enough to egg his slide. Now there's an exciting
ride!
What is the name of
the mountain just outside of Odyssey? -Submitted by Ladymouse
Two mountains
immediately come to mind right now. Forest Mountain and Summit
Mountain. Odyssey has been a town described as having mountains
nearby.
How old is Nick
Mulligan? -Submitted by Raspberry Ripple
Hello, Miss Ripple,
ice cream flavor that many have grown to enjoy at Whit's ice cream
shop and discovery emporium. It's nice to make your acquaintance.
Nick Mulligan gained some good experience serving you to the kids at
Whit's End. He's been around Odyssey for a while in fact. He's the
only child character who survived alongside Mandy Straussberg since
Signed, Sealed & Committed. All
the others have either left Odyssey or just slipped into the
shadows. Nick Mulligan is at least old enough to maintain a job (15
years old) and young enough to enjoy his youth. I'd place him at
around age 16. Connie started at 16, and though the show doesn't
give us information about Nick's age, I'd like to wager that Whit
hired another 16 year-old. He hired Aubrey along the way, too, but
let's not talk about Aubrey's age, since she's old enough to be in
college.
Why hasn't Nick
Mulligan been in new shows? -Submitted by Little Joe (Tom's
horse)
Hello Little Joe. You know, we've heard
so many things from your owner Tom Riley for the past couple of
decades. It seems only fair that you should share a little more
about yourself with us, Little Joe. But of course, something tells
me you'd say "Nay" since you're so shy. Alright then. Neigh it is.
In answer to your
question, sometimes it's time for characters to move on. Apparently,
Nick Mulligan followed in his close acquaintance Lisa Mulligan's
footsteps.
How
did Aubrey Shepard know who Jared was in the episode "Bethany's
Flood" but not know who he was because he had moved in "Blind Girl's
Bluff"? -Submitted by Torie Stephens
Oops! Shh! No one was
supposed to catch on to that Adventures in Odyssey blooper!
Occasionally the AIO team forgets about continuity. Soon, our
beloved Odyssey characters are experiencing early warning signs of
amnesia. There have been worse bloopers over the years, which I will
not mention unless someone brings it up. In fact, I think somebody
probably will sooner or later.
What happened to
Ker-plunk, Connie's friend's fish? -Submitted by Hannah
Sometimes people ask
stupid questions, but I am dying to know what happened to Ker-plunk
too. So it's definitely not a stupid question. Is Ker-plunk still
alive? Did he get auctioned off to the highest bidder? Is his name
actually spelled like that? These are the deep and probing
questions. These probing questions lead us human beings into deeper
questions. Deeper questions such as, Why did Connie not offer to
care for this specially-named Beta fish? Because she didn't want a
fish. Well, there is hope. At least Mandy Straussberg didn't take care of the fish. We've seen where having a
pet fish put her goldfish Crackers. We've seen the painful side of
death. We've seen Mandy grieve over the loss of her finned friend
who had such a nice burial service. Hmm. I guess you could say it
was more like an amusement park ride. Either way, Mandy did not care
for Connie's friend's fish. That gives me a ray of sunshine bigger
than a caricature's oversized head.
In conclusion, I am
inclined (not reclined, though that sounds relaxing) to believe that
Ker-plunk is safely cared for and collecting social security. After
all, Ker-plunk's original owner decided to give him to Connie. Now
Ker-plunk is probably
retired and living in his submerged two-story castle.
How old is Eugene?
-Submitted by Hannah
Ah, Eugene Meltsner.
How old indeed? Let's compare his age to others so we can get a
better picture of his own age. First, Eugene is slightly older than
Connie, who is about 5-7 years older than the kids who come to
Whit's End. Eugene is the same age range as Katrina Shanks Meltsner,
and both of them (and Connie) are younger than Jason Whittaker by a
few years. So Jason is older than everyone I mentioned so far.
However, he is younger than Bernard, Tom, Whit, and Jack Allen.
Bernard is slightly younger than Tom, Whit, and Jack Allen, who all
rest within the same age bracket.
Now that we have a
better picture of where Eugene fits into the timeline of life, I
would place him at his late twenties/early thirties. The series does
not reveal his age, but we have a pretty good idea.
How long have Liz
and Mandy been in middle school? What happened to them being
fourteen in the episode "True Calling"? -Submitted by Stuck in
Time Like Connie
Actually, your name
answers the question, ironically enough. The Odyssey characters are
stuck in time. Because Odyssey runs on a different time table, or
appears to, people can stay in middle school as long as they want.
Connie remained at 16 for years, but she finally discovered that
graduating from high school was worth it. Rodney Rathbone surpassed
her age years ago. As for Liz and Mandy being 14, their age is
perfectly acceptable for kids who are middle school.
Where
did you get the sound effects as AREM comes online, transmits, and
goes offline? Also, what "voice processor" do you use for him?
-Submitted by AREM wanna-be
If I'm not mistaken,
the AREM sound effects were created by the Adventures in Odyssey
producers from existing sound effects. It's funny you should mention
voice processors for the voice of AREM. Actually, according to the
show, Mitch used a voice processor to disguise his voice. In
reality, the AIO team recorded the voice of sound designer
Bob Luttrell. Sometimes
with radio drama, you don't need a voice processor when you've got
plenty of people with just the right voice!
Are the DVD's
available in any other languages? I'm looking for French.
-Submitted by Wendy Barras
Adventures in
Odyssey is primarily targeted at English-speaking people, so the
video series is not available in other languages. The audio series,
however, does have a Spanish version of the episode
The Visitors,
called "Los Visitantes." Availability may be an issue.
I recall Katie
Leigh had a baby boy named Adam. I was wondering if she had any more
during the show and how many and what are their names?
-Submitted by Aaron Thornburg
Aaron, I'm glad I can
help you out with this question! Katie Leigh had two children, Adam
and Laura. It's interesting to note (if you didn't know already)
that Adam went on to play Cal Jordan during the Novacom Saga. He
also had a chance to shout "Gangway!" in the episode
The Painting.
Who do you think
was the Chairman of Andromeda? Some people think that it might have
been Dr. Blackgaard. -Submitted by Curious FBI Agent
I remember the days
when the Novacom Saga began to air. There was talk on all the old Adventures in Odyssey message boards about what was going to
happen next, who AREM might be, whether or not Mary Hopkins was
trustworthy, et cetera. I never saw so much excitement expressed for
AIO until then. It was during that time that the term "Chairman" was
mentioned in one of the Novacom episodes. Fans began to speculate
that the Chairman was indeed Dr. Blackgaard, but the folks at Focus
on the Family confirmed that Dr. Blackgaard was truly dead. It was
also a speculation that Margaret Faye was the Chairman because
politicians always end up being corrupt and power hungry. This is
the theory that I latched onto, although I never became an advocate
for it because I knew I was probably wrong all along. Yes, there was
talk about every aspect of the Novacom Saga. The fan-base for AIO
really took off when the die-hard fans started chatting with one
another and connecting via the internet. There has been a consistent
means of communication since around 2000, starting from a simple
bulletin board called the Town Hall and ending with what we call
today The Town of Odyssey.
I have a question
about the untitled poem in 'Best Laid Plans'. It's one poem that
really moved me, but I wanted to find out who really wrote it.
-Submitted by Emily
I really like that
poem, and most of the people I've talked to like that poem as well.
Marshal Younger admitted
on the Official Podcast
once that he found out someone had used the poem in school and
claimed it was theirs! Plagiarism at its worst! Now if you want to
find out how he found out about it, you'll have to dig deep through
the podcasts.
What happened to
Tasha? Did she just disappear? Now you see - Jason, Tasha AND
Monica! THAT could make an interesting love triangle. -Submitted
by Connie and Mitch
Agent 2362 is still
lurking about. She might be hiding in the bushes watching the
Whisperer practicing his evil laugh. Connie and Mitch, it's good to
see that you're concerned for the well being of Tasha Forbes. Tasha
is currently working with the National Security Agency as she's
always done. Her most recent visit to Odyssey is in
Accidental Dilemma,
a very suspenseful episode. As for Tasha and Monica, I think Monica
has a better chance at this point. Jason already ruled out Tasha in
the past because she wasn't a Christian. Now for Monica. Is she?
I know this isn't
AIO related, but is Focus on the Family going to make new Last
Chance Detectives radio episodes or videos? -Submitted by Austin
Peachey
I would love to see
them put together some new dramas for Last Chance Detectives,
but by the way "The Last Flight of the Dragon Lady" ended, it seemed
as if the series had some closure to it. They also ended in such a
way that a possible continuation could be produced. I guess we'll
have to find out together if and when they decide to surprise us
with more episodes.
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