Learn more about Big Pete & Little Pete and their cool 90s TV show.
The Adventures of Pete and Pete was one of the coolest shows on TV in the 90s. Airing on Nickelodeon for three seasons from 1993-1995, the show revolved around two brothers named Pete Wrigley - referred to as Big Pete (Michael Maronna) and Little Pete (Danny Tamberelli) respectively - and their various adventures in the quiet suburban town of Wellsville. The show was often compared to Eerie Indiana, another show that aired in the early 90s, for the use of surreal, often bizarre everyday-life situations the brothers find themselves in.
I only discovered this series in the late 90s and I remember enjoying it immensely, which is why I'm devoting this little corner of the web to spreading the word about it. If the summary I posted above intrigued you enough to get this far into my intro, please hang on and stay with me 'til we get to the end of the page. There's a whole lot more about the show that I want you to know about.
(Most photos on this site are courtesy of Sitcom Online's Pete & Pete gallery)
The long and the short of it.
What the show is about.
The Adventures of Pete and Pete is a surreal comedy in which a peaceful suburban neighborhood was a strange and skewed world as seen through the eyes of a preteen--in this case hyperactive "Little Pete" Wrigley.
Strangeness abounded in the quiet town of Wellsville. For one thing Pete's teenage brother was also named Pete, for no particular reason.
Don, his dad was a balding goofball obsessed by his lawn, and Joyce, his mom, had a plate in her head on which she could pick up police radio and other odd signals. Artie, the truly nutty neighbor, was a rubber-faced inventor who dressed in red tights and maybe really was a comic-book superhero. Certainly he was Little Pete's hero. Ellen was Big Pete's friend and Nonas the oddly perceptive little girl next door; only Big Pete, who narrated, was half normal.
Nimbus was the family dog, and Petunia was Little Pete's bizarre tattoo. Parents, teachers, neighbors, school crossing guards, and others all acted illogically (as adults often do from a kid's point of view), but Little Pete's adventures usually worked out in the end.
(Summary reprinted from The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows: 1946-Present)
The cast.
Who's who in Wellsville.
"Soon you will be like Cheese Boy: melty, melty, melty!"
-Artie, The Strongest Man in the World
And that quote defines just one of the many quirky moments the Adventures of Pete & Pete is known for.
Here are some of the townsfolk of Wellsville.
Michael C. Maronna as Big Pete Wrigley
Danny Tamberelli as Little Pete Wrigley
Hardy Rawls as Don Wrigley
Judy Grafe as Joyce Wrigley
Alison Fanelli as Ellen Hickle
Toby Huss as Artie, The Strongest Man in the World
Michelle Trachtenberg as Nona Mecklenberg
Iggy Pop as Mr. Mecklenberg
Part of the allure of the show, aside from the unique quirky surrealistic feel of it is that popular rock star personalities, such as Iggy Pop and Kate Pierson, would appear in cameo roles when you least expected it. The soundtrack also featured fabulous music by indie music artists, helping the series gain a cult following. The show actually started out as a series of one-minute vignettes in 1990. It was then expanded into a series of five specials and eventually evolved into a regular TV series in late 1993. It was filmed in Leonia, New Jersey.
More Pete & Pete resources are below:
- The Adventures of Pete & Pete on Wikipedia
- Cliffnotes of what you need to know about the show.
- The Adventures of Pete & Pete on IMDB
- Created by Will McRobb, Chris Viscardi. With Michael C. Maronna, Danny Tamberelli, Alison Fanelli. This delightfully quirky show looks at the lives and adventures of two red headed brothers with the same name. Visit IMDb for Photos, Showtimes, Cast, Crew, Reviews, Plot Summary, Comments, Discussions
- TV.com Episode Guide
- The Adventures of Pete & Pete TV Show, TV.com is your reference guide to The Adventures of Pete & Pete Show. Episode guide, photos, videos, cast and crew information, forums, reviews and more.
- The Website of Pete and Pete
- A virtual encylopedia detailing everything there is to know about the show. Includes episode guides and lists of fictitious products (i.e. Krebstar brand products) seen throughout the series.
- The original Pete and Pete Fan Page
- The world's largest Pete and Pete website. Includes an FAQ, episode guides, character lists, music downloads, and more.
The opening credits.
Hey smilin' strange,
Sound familiar? Maybe the show's original opening credits will refresh your memory. Hearing and seeing this opening sequence never fails to bring back happy memories.
The first episode.
"King of the Road"
King O Frod T-Shirt
In the official* pilot, the Wrigley family goes on their yearly trip to Hoover Dam. When the family stops to eat for lunch, another man and his family also stop off at the same place, on their way to the Hoover Dam. Dad is determined to beat the other father for the title 'King of the Road'. The outcome? A bunch of naked Wrigleys! Watch the full episode below.
*This episode first aired on November 28, 1993. I noted that this was the official pilot because several shorts have already been released before it became a weekly series. See the complete episode guide for reference.
"King of the Road" (Part 1) - The Adventures of Pete & Pete [Higher Quality]
Runtime: 430
11068 views
40 Comments:
"King of the Road" (Part 2) - The Adventures of Pete & Pete [Higher Quality]
Runtime: 503
7402 views
24 Comments:
"King of the Road" (Part 3) - The Adventures of Pete & Pete [Higher Quality]
Runtime: 563
7253 views
30 Comments:
The videos.
Must-haves for any 90s collection.
So did the pilot episode that I posted above leave you craving for more Pete & Pete awesomeness? Don't worry because the boxed sets are here! After a lot of clamor from fans, the first two seasons were finally released on DVD in 2005. The third was planned for 2006 but was postponed indefinitely. (err...petition, anyone?)
The Adventures of Pete & Pete - Season 1
Meet the Wrigleys: redheaded teenager Pete (Michael Maronna, Home Alone), redheaded elementary school student Pete (Danny Tamberelli, The Mighty Ducks) and his tattoo Petunia, Dad (Hardy Rawls), Mom (Judy Grafe)--and the metal plate in her head. First season cast members include Big Pete's almost-girlfriend Ellen (Alison Fanelli), Little Pete's pal Natasha (Heather Matarazzo, Welcome to the Dollhouse), bus driver Stu (Damian Young), and Little Pete's personal superhero, Artie (Toby Huss), the strongest man in the world. Buscemi appears as Ellen's dad in "Apocalypse Pete" and would return for another episode in the second season.
Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 12/25/2009) 
The Adventures of Pete & Pete - Season 2
As before, Big Pete narrates in that delightful deadpan, and many old favorites are back: bus driver Stu (Damian Young), math teacher Miss Fingerwood (Syd Straw), Ellen's dad, Mr. Hickle (Steve Buscemi), and strongman Artie (Toby Huss). Little Pete's personal superhero will make his final appearance in the two-part "Farewell, My Little Viking." Guest stars include Gordon Gano as substitute teacher Zank ("X=Why?"), Bebe Neuwirth as McGinty the mailcarrier, David Johansen as park ranger Thorsen ("On Golden Pete"), and Chris Elliot as psychic meter man Ray ("Sick Day").
Amazon Price: $20.49 (as of 12/25/2009)
![Adventures of Pete & Pete - Classic Petes [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/213M2MJGXCL._SL75_.jpg)
Adventures of Pete & Pete - Classic Petes [VHS]
Amazon Price: (as of 12/25/2009)
![The Adventures of Pete & Pete - School Dazed [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/2170Y319XKL._SL75_.jpg)
The Adventures of Pete & Pete - School Dazed [VHS]
Amazon Price: (as of 12/25/2009)
The essential playlist.
Music from the Adventures of Pete and Pete.
Wanna make a playlist for your Squidoo lens?
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Add A Music Playlist To Your Squidoo Lens Using Grooveshark
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If you love writing about music on Squidoo, naturally you'd want your readers to listen to what you're raving about. Fortunately there are various ways to add music to your lenses but I've found that Grooveshark is the best option for me...
More information about the music featured in the show.
Polaris T-shirt
Polaris, a side project of Mark Mulcahy's Miracle Legion, served as the show's "house band," providing the theme song and many other tunes heard throughout the series and even appearing in "Hard Day's Pete" as a local four-piece playing out of a garage. Some of the Polaris' music from the show was released as a CD, Music from The Adventures of Pete & Pete, including the theme song "Hey Sandy".
Music From The Adventures Of Pete & Pete
When you sign up for a FREE trial at eMusic, you have up to 14 days to download 25 MP3s, absolutely free of charge. This album features the TV show's theme song "Hey Sandy". The band Polaris also acts as a house band and appears in the episode "Hard Day's Pete".
The show also featured music by such artists as Luscious Jackson, Nice, Drop Nineteens, Racecar, Chug, Poi Dog Pondering, Syd Straw, and The Apples in Stereo. The music of Stephin Merritt can also be heard throughout the series, including songs from his projects The Magnetic Fields, The 6ths, and The Gothic Archies.
War and Peace
By Syd Straw. Syd also appears as math teacher Miss Fingerwood in some episodes. She also played bass in little Pete's band "Blowholes"
Amazon Price: (as of 12/25/2009)
Holiday
By the Magnetic Fields, one of the featured artists in the series
Amazon Price: $10.99 (as of 12/25/2009)
Fun Trick Noisemaker
By the Apples in Stereo, one of the featured artists in the series
Amazon Price: $13.98 (as of 12/25/2009)
Natural Ingredients
By Luscious Jackson, one of the featured artists in the series
Amazon Price: (as of 12/25/2009)
The Tragic Treasury: Songs from a Series of Unfortunate Events
By the Gothic Archies, one of the featured artists in the series
Amazon Price: $17.99 (as of 12/25/2009)
The Adventures of Pete and Pete t-shirts.
Wear Pete & Pete on your sleeve.
"Now begins the Age of Pete!" - Little Pete Wrigley
And so it does. Below are t-shirts and other cool swag you can wear to pay homage to one of the hippest TV shows ever to grace Nickelodeon. True fans will be able to recognize the references. You may click on the images below to see other t-shirt styles & colors the designs are available on.
Want more? Here you go! Click on the small thumbnails below for a closer look at the shirts.
The Blowholes Yellow T-Shirt
The "Blowholes" is the name of the band Little Pete formed with his friends.
Price: 18.99
Krebstar 2000 Jr. Ringer T-Shirt
The Krebstar 2000: Pumping fresh funk into your cortex.
Price: 26.99
I Am A Dot Jr. Jersey T-Shirt
"I Am A Dot" design from the episode where Ellen took her role as Wellsville Marching Squid's "dot" to heart a tad too seriously.
Price: 28.99
Memorable Pete & Pete episodes.
Sit back, grab a bowl of popcorn and relax.
1. Hard Day's Pete
2. Sickday
3. O' Christmas Pete
The Artie workout.
A special exercise routine by the Strongest Man in the World, no less.
Pete and Pete
"Begone with you pulpy, before I fold you into some type of brochure!" - Artie, the Strongest Man in the World.
One of the oddest characters in The Adventures of Pete & Pete is Artie, the Strongest Man in the World. Skeptical about his title? But he really is the Strongest Man in the World. Several episodes in the series showcase his super-human strength. Oh and here's a bit of trivia: Artie derives his super powers from the red and blue underwear that is his costume, a 40/60 blend of titanium and cotton.
The following video is a short bonus feature from the 1994 "Classic Petes" videotape. May this leave no doubt in your head about Artie really being the Strongest Man in the World.
Where is Big Pete now?
Life for Mike Maronna after their Wellsville adventures.
Michael C. Maronna ("Big Pete") was in a widely seen series of 1999 ads for the web brokerage Ameritrade, as Stuart, a slacker employee of a clueless boss whom he helps get on the internet with over-the-top zealousness. Maronna reprised the role in a comedy reel with President Bill Clinton which was shown at Clinton's final appearance as President at the 2000 White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
Maronna has been an electrician for movies since 1997 and recently on major films such as, Sex and The City, and Be Kind Rewind. More recently, Maronna also appeared in the movies Slackers and 40 Days and 40 Nights.
Maronna guest-starred in the "All My Friends" video for the power pop band The XYZ Affair along with notable other Nickelodeon alumni Marc Summers (host of Double Dare), Jason Zimbler (Ferguson from Clarissa Explains It All), and Danny Cooksey (Bobby Budnick from Salute Your Shorts). You can also see photos of him as "the Bagel Guy" in the 2002 movie 40 Days and 40 Nights.
More recently, Maronna starred in the Jonathan Krisel-directed music video for "Whose Authority" by the band Nada Surf. Watch it below.
(more info on Mike Maronna on IMDB)
Where is Little Pete now?
Life for Danny Tamberelli after their Wellsville adventures.
Daniel Patrick "Danny" Tamberelli ("Little Pete") now is the bassist and vocalist for the rock band Jounce who recently released an eponymous debut album. He is also the bassist for the Folk/Pop band Every Good Boy.
See Danny in a video of a Jounce live performance below.
(more info on Danny Tamberelli on IMDB)
Little Pete on Twitter.
See what Danny Tamberelli is up to these days.
"Read it and weep, fungus-lick!" - Little Pete Wrigley
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byHey Sandy!
Lyrics by Polaris.
The Adventures of Pete and Pete's theme.Hey Sandy!
Hey smilin' strange
You're lookin' happily deranged
Could you settle to shoot me?
Or have you picked your target yet?
Hey Sandy
Don't you talk back,
Hey Sandy
Four feet away
End of speech, it's the end of the day
We was only funnin'
But guiltily I thought you had it comin'
Hey Sandy
Don't you talk back,
Hey Sandy
Hey Sandy
Don't you talk back,
Hey Sandy
Hey Sandy
Don't you talk back,
Hey Sandy
More music by Mark Mulcahy.
Mark Mulcahy is the former front-man for the New Haven, Connecticut-based band Miracle Legion in the 1980s to mid 1990s. The band earned modest renown, especially in their native New England region, but disbanded after a sad turn of events with their record label, Morgan Creek. Mark soon formed Polaris; a house band for the mid-1990s alternative television series The Adventures of Pete & Pete (1993-1996). They are perhaps best remembered for the song "Hey Sandy" as it was featured in the opening credits of each show, and for nostalgic tunes such as, "Waiting for October" and "Saturnine". Following the cancellation of Pete & Pete, Mulcahy found himself playing his own shows in New York City, and building up his career from a shadowy past. Mulcahy has opened for many notable artists including Oasis and Jeff Buckley, and received homage from Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, who dedicated a song to Mulcahy at a Boston show. Mark is still working on his solo career today via his own label Mezzotint.com.
The Adventures of Pete & Pete in the news.
Proof that people are still talking about our favorite show.
- Jounce to Join Elvis Perkins, Chris Harford at Mark Mulcahy Benefit Friday
- The Adventures of Pete and Pete stars Danny Tamberelli (Little Pete) and Mike Maronna (Big Pete) will perform together this Friday at New Haven, ...
More Pete & Pete merchandise.
"She's a girl, and she's my friend, but she's not my girlfriend." - Big Pete Wrigley
Take your pick from the following Pete & Pete merchandise we found on Cafepress, made for fans by fans.
White T-Shirt
Price: 14.99
Ash Grey T-Shirt
Price: 17.00
Ash Grey T-Shirt
Price: 17.00
"Save Artie" Dark T-Shirt
Price: 29.99
"Here Lie Pete & Artie" Fitted T-Shi
Price: 18.99
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Are you a fan of Pete & Pete too?
Reprazent here.
I'd love to hear your thoughts about the show and this lens! Please feel free to leave a message below.
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- CleanerLife CleanerLife Dec 15, 2009 @ 10:49 pm
- Great memories! What a terrific show! Thanks for putting together such a nice tribute, hopefully some people who've never heard of this show will discover it through this!
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- dagsmith dagsmith Nov 2, 2009 @ 8:58 pm
- Welcome to the top 100 movie and TV lenses!
5 stars and another angel blessing!
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- mbgphoto mbgphoto Oct 31, 2009 @ 9:48 am
- Lots of good information! 5* and blessed.
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- bdkz bdkz Oct 29, 2009 @ 8:42 pm
- Super lens!
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- arncyn arncyn Oct 29, 2009 @ 5:23 am
- Thank you for the gold stars, AppalachianCountry, I'm glad you learned something new because of this lens; and Tipi! I can't thank you enough for the lovely note and the angel blessing (:
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- Tipi Tipi Oct 28, 2009 @ 7:45 pm
- Outstanding lens my dear. I'm so glad that I have found you, joined your fan club after visiting one of your other lenses, and I'm very impressed by the quality of creativity that you have. You will go far on Squidoo!!! Bless by an angel!
Susie
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- AppalachianCountry AppalachianCountry Oct 23, 2009 @ 7:43 am
- Nice lens. We were unaware of Pete and Pete. Thanks for getting us into the 21st century. 5 stars*****
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- arncyn arncyn Oct 17, 2009 @ 12:00 pm
- Thank you for featuring my lens on your group HQ, Jennifer; and thanks for the kind words about the lens, @ilostmydrumset! Mrs Tamberelli, I just updated this lens with a link to Danny's twitter account. Thanks for stopping by guys (;
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- MrsTamberelli MrsTamberelli Apr 11, 2009 @ 10:51 pm
- I miss my hubby, Danny why did you get ugly?! I miss you and this wonderful show that was my entire childhood. Come back to me.
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- Ilostmydrumset Ilostmydrumset Jul 28, 2008 @ 5:02 pm
- Great lens! I was going to do a lens on this very topic, but I don't think it would compete with yours.
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Lensmaster arncyn has been a member since August 30 2006, has rated 392 lenses, favorited 170, and has created 66 lenses from scratch. Cynthia Bauzon-Arre donates their royalties to Global Giving. This member's top-ranked page is "Have a Chic White Christmas Party". See all my lenses
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I'm a graphic designer who works from home with my artist husband & our marmalade tabby. I design t-shirts and wedding doodads in my free time.
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by arncyn
I'm a graphic designer who works from home with my artist husband & our marmalade tabby. I design t-shirts and wedding doodads in my free time.
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