Rhode Island Stories: "Ballad of Baby Roger" and "Carolina, RI"

The Ballad of Baby Roger, a short documentary written and directed by Jamestown resident Patti Cassidy, tells the fascinating story about a four year old elephant that the children of Rhode Island purchased for Roger Williams Park back in 1893. Baby Roger was the Park's first elephant and the only male elephant in its 139 year history. The South County Independent and The Westerly Sun published stories about the short film earlier this year.

WSBE Rhode Island PBS will show The Ballad of Baby Roger on Saturday, June 18 at 7 p.m. as part of its ongoing series Rhode Island Stories.



Following The Ballad of Baby Roger, WSBE airs part 1 of Carolina, RI: The Smallest of the Small, a film by Carla Ricci about the village of Carolina in Richmond, RI.


UPDATE: Broadcast of Carolina, RI: The Smallest of the Small is postponed until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience.

A hundred years ago, New England had 2,000 milltowns - and one of them was tiny: 75 houses clustered around one street less than a mile long. But, Carla Ricci says, "don't let looks deceive you: Carolina, RI, has a big story." As mill towns go, it may be the smallest of the small, but this film makes the case that it may be one of the best.

What started out for Ricci as casual conversation between neighbors turned into a seven-year long journey of research and discovery,  poring over historical letters, photos, and documents, as well as hours of captured recollections and reminiscences. What resulted is the woven tapestry of the rich - and almost forgotten - history of remarkable Rhode Islanders from a remarkable Rhode Island village.


This link will take you to a video preview. Don't miss the "Cutting Room Floor" for more stories that didn't make it into the final film.


Carolina, RI: The Smallest of the Small will be shown in two parts: June 18 at approximately 7:15 p.m. and on June 25 at 7 p.m. on WSBE Rhode Island PBS. On WSBE Learn, the film will air June 22 (part 1) and June 29 (part 2) at 10 p.m., June 23 (part 1) and June 30 (part 2) at 5 a.m., and June 24 (part 1) and July 1 (part 2) at 2 a.m.  New air dates and times will be announced when broadcast-quality version of the video is available.

"Come Home to Rhode Island PBS"

Fall season preview of programs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS. What do you think of the spot?

GOD IN AMERICA series begins October 20

WSBE Rhode Island PBS airs a new 6-hour PBS series from the producers of American Experience and Frontline: God in America at 9 PM on three consecutive Wednesdays, October 20, October 27, and November 3 (with series re-broadcast at 1:30 AM on October 22, October 29, and November 5.) 

What follows is the introduction to an interview with the producers of the documentary, Michael Sullivan and Marilyn Mellowes, courtesy of pbs.org: 

What was the genesis of God in America? Why take on this subject now?

You don't need to look any further that today's political/religious controversies -- over President Obama's personal faith, plans to build an Islamic center in lower Manhattan, or threats by a Florida pastor to burn copies of the Quran -- to sense the relevance of a series on how religious ideas and spiritual experience shaped America's public life.

However, the genesis of God in America did not occur in the crucible of today's headlines, but during a conference WGBH convened several years ago to discuss, with a room full of scholars and thinkers about religion, what direction public broadcasting could take to do more about the role of religious faith for an American audience.

The consensus at that conference was that America had a religious literacy problem. Several scholars define the problem this way: "Although many Americans are deeply religious, man can also be profoundly ignorant about religion -- about other faiths and sometimes even their own, as well as the religious history of the country."

Out of that conference five years ago came the idea for God in America -- to tell the often-neglected historical story of how religious ideas and spiritual experience shaped the public life of the country.

And undergirding the effort is a simple idea: In America, religion matters. In American history, it has always mattered, and we can't fully understand the American story without also understanding our religious history.

The rest of the interview...

Farewell, Bob

Despite a certain serene beauty of its own, bleak and dreary Winter's promise is its passage into vibrant Spring, bursting with new life, new beginnings. Summer blesses us with growth - setting deep roots to produce in abundance. Autumn's gift is fruition of our endeavors. Sated, fulfilled, realized, Autumn surrenders to Winter's sleep, with its promise to turn to Spring again. That's the cycle of seasons, the cycle of life.

On Friday morning, we at WSBE Rhode Island PBS learned the sad news that our president and CEO, Robert "Bob" Fish, had passed into his Winter. With his trademark confidence and strength, Bob waged a fierce but brief battle with cancer. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his charming and dedicated wife, Jane, and their family. It's a loss we all share.

When Bob arrived at WSBE in December of 2005, it was my job to write the public announcement of his appointment, and I asked him for his bio and a photo. At that first meeting, shaking his hand, I sensed there was a lot more to this tall, imposing man than his outwardly reserved demeanor. There was an underlying energy, a... secret joke, if you will, that he was bottling up. The photo he sent to me (published here) showed twinkling, mischievous eyes despite the serious pose.

Sure enough, Bob lived up to that first impression. He filled any room with his commanding presence, booming voice and jovial laugh. He thrived on the "art of the deal," evidenced by his successful 40+ year career in radio and television broadcasting management. He was a deft negotiator - Bob had a vision all his own and just made it work. On his own terms. And everyone left as friends.

I vividly remember one incident when someone kept introducing Bob as the "general manager" at a station event. That really irked me - it seemed like a deliberate slight by someone who should have known better. When I talked to Bob about it afterward, he just smirked and said,

"It doesn't matter what they call me. They all know who's the boss in the room."

LOL! So true. You will be missed, Bob.

- written by Lucie Raposo

Will You Be 'Walking With Dinosaurs'?

Dinosaurs once again roam the earth in a spectacular theatrical arena show, Walking with Dinosaurs – The Arena Spectacular, based on the award-winning BBC Television Series, and coming to the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence on Wednesday, June 23.

Internationally renowned designers have worked with scientists to create 15 life-size dinosaurs - including the terror of the ancient terrain, Tyrannosaurus Rex. Audiences are amazed and thrilled as the greatest creatures ever to walk the earth return before their eyes. The largest creature is 72 feet from nose to tail; the T-Rex is 18 feet tall at the shoulder!

It’s a dazzling 10 million pound arena spectacle of unprecedented size and quality, set to captivate young and old alike. The show combines of a rich sensory experience woven into a story of dinosaurs' 200 million year domination of life on earth. Watch them walk. Hear the roar. Be there as they fight for survival and supremacy. From the ripple of their skin to the glint in their eye, you will know the dinosaurs really have returned!

Through an agreement with promoters, WSBE Rhode Island PBS has great tickets to this amazing family experience at the Dunkin Donuts Center! To whet your curiosity, we will air The Making of 'Walking with Dinosaurs' a behind-the-scenes look at how the animators, sculptors, and palaeontologists, using the latest state-of-the-art animatronics and computer graphics, collaborated to re-create these pre-historic behemoths - and their behavior as well.

Starting May 19 and through June 12, WSBE presents several opportunities for you to get tickets and support Rhode Island PBS, too. Tune in to watch The Making of 'Walking with Dinosaurs' on these dates:


Wednesday, May 19 at 7:30 PM, and re-broadcast at 8:30 PM
Sunday, May 30 at 3:30 PM
Saturday, June 5 at noon
Monday, June 7 at 7:30 PM, with re-broadcast at 8:30 PM
Thursday, June 10 at midnight
Friday, June 11 at 9:30 PM
Saturday, June 12 at noon


Here's a video clip about the live show:

Do your little ones love PBS Kids shows?

WSBE "Learn" More

The digital conversion earlier this year was rocky for some, and no sweat for others. But how ever you weathered the revolution, all of your local television stations emerged with new channel choices for your enjoyment. WSBE Rhode Island PBS, for example, broadcasts on two over-the-air channels: its main schedule on 36.1 (formerly known as analog "36"), and WSBE Learn on 36.2. Of course, those channel numbers are only meaningful to you if you watch TV over-the-air, but it's a pure, basic starting point. Cable and satellite TV services have WSBE all over the place channel number-wise. More on that - and a clear Finder's Guide - in an upcoming blog!

The prime time programming on WSBE Learn has evolved nicely since we first started broadcasting almost two years ago. (That's right, two years! But most of that was in obscurity until Cox finally picked up the channel in February.) As for the schedule itself, it's different from WSBE Rhode Island PBS - both in broadcast dates/times as well as content. Learn airs some series that are not broadcast on WSBE Rhode Island PBS: Austin City Limits, NewsHour, plus Tracks Ahead, Africa Trek, and From the Top at Carnegie Hall. Some main channel favorites are featured, of course, but on different days and at different times: American Experience, Scientific American Frontiers, P.O.V, Independent Lens, Great Performances, and a variety of How-To series from This Old House, to Everyday Edisons, to America's Test Kitchen, and more.

Visit www.ripbs.org and click TV SCHEDULE (your second option from the left on the menu under the welcome banner) for the schedules for both channels!

As always, your comments and questions are always welcome - post it here, or send an email to public @ the station Web site.

- LMR
Public Information Manager

The Gefilte Fish Chronicles on WSBE RI PBS

With all the wonderful chaos of preparing for a large gathering of extended family, The Gefilte Fish Chronicles honors the rich tradition of Pesach (Passover) with an intimate and candid look at the Dubroff family preparing for Seder.

But don't be misled - no matter what your heritage is, you will find your own family members among these charming and feisty storytellers.

The story began in 1904, when Abe and Minnie Dubroff emigrated from Russia to Brooklyn where they raised seven daughters and a son. For a century, the family has gathered at Passover and celebrated the Seder together, first in Brooklyn, then in Boonton, New Jersey. For the last four decades, Passover has been celebrated in Newburgh, New York.

"Don't Just Stand There… Cook!"

Led by the three surviving sisters, Sophie Patasnik, Peppy Barer, and Rosie Groman, traditional preparations are made for the Seder at Peppy's home in Newburgh. Six weeks before the Seder they shop and chop, taste and season. Using recipes nearly a century old, they begin to put together the gefilte fish, cholent, horse radish, and sponge cake.

"Don't Just Sit There… Eat!"

The Gefilte Fish Chronicles is a funny, touching, and universally familiar story of love, of tradition, and of generational family unity - and it's reality television the way it should be. This is a loving, living photo album.

"I've heard it said many times, and it's the truth:
The family that sits around the table together,
stays together. And we have many tables."

Peppy Barer

The Gefilte Fish Chronicles returns to WSBE Rhode Island PBS on Wednesday, April 1 at 8 PM, with rebroadcast on April 3 at 12:30 AM; April 5 at 3 AM and 11 PM; April 6 at 4 AM and 2 PM; April 7 at 12:30 AM.

WSBE Rhode Island PBS is found on digital channel 36.1, Cox /Verizon /Full Channel 8 (Massachusetts cable subscribers should check local cable listings), Dish 7776, and DirecTV 36.