Mr. Dress-Up: The Magic of Make Believe

Mr. Dress-Up: The Magic of Make Believe

90 mins | Documentary | Sept. 8, 2023

Canadian documentary based on the life and career of legendary Canadian children’s entertainer Ernie Coombs—or, as he is more commonly known by millions of fans, Mr. Dressup. The documentary celebrates the origins and history of one of Canada’s most beloved CBC children shows, Mr. Dressup, which enriched the lives of five generations. The feature-length documentary celebrates the origins and history of Canada’s favourite children’s show, Mr. Dressup, which built a legacy of kindness, patience, inclusiveness, and creativity in over 4,000 episodes across 29 years on CBC in Canada. The documentary combines never-before-seen archival footage, and interviews with series puppeteers, the Coombs family, and other notable Canadians, all sharing the impact the series had on them. The project also includes fascinating insights into Coombs and how he worked with other key creators and partners, including his friendship with Fred Rogers.

Mr. Dress-Up: The Magic of Make Believe

90 mins | Documentary | Sept. 8, 2023

Mr. Dress-Up: The Magic of Make Believe
Canadian documentary based on the life and career of legendary Canadian children’s entertainer Ernie Coombs—or, as he is more commonly known by millions of fans, Mr. Dressup. The documentary celebrates the origins and history of one of Canada’s most beloved CBC children shows, Mr. Dressup, which enriched the lives of five generations. The feature-length documentary celebrates the origins and history of Canada’s favourite children’s show, Mr. Dressup, which built a legacy of kindness, patience, inclusiveness, and creativity in over 4,000 episodes across 29 years on CBC in Canada. The documentary combines never-before-seen archival footage, and interviews with series puppeteers, the Coombs family, and other notable Canadians, all sharing the impact the series had on them. The project also includes fascinating insights into Coombs and how he worked with other key creators and partners, including his friendship with Fred Rogers.
IMDb rating 8.5
Producers Shaw Rocket Fund, Ontario Creates, Departments and Agencies of the Government of Canada, Roger Documentary Fund
Original title Mr. Dress-Up: The Magic of Make Believe
Directors Robert McCallum
Writers Jordan Christopher Morris, Robert McCallum

Cast

Ernie Coombs

as Self

Andrew Phung

as Self

Michael J. Fox

as Self

Bruce McCulloch

as Self

Scott Thompson

as Self

Craig Baird

as Self

Fred Rogers

as Self

Catherine Tait

as Self

Robert Mills

as Self

Ed Robertson

as Self

Graham Greene

as Self

Jim Creeggan

as Self

Tyler Stewart

as Self

Kevin Hearn

as Self

Lynn Coombs

as Self

Fred Penner

as Self

Sandra Beech

as Self

Jani Lauzon

as Self, Granny

Nina Keogh

as Self, Truffles

Jim Parker

as Self

Susan Marcus

as Self

Denise Dicken

as Self

Rob Salem

as Self

Caitlin Zwicker

as Self

Trina McQueen

as Self

Eric McCormack

as Self

Chris Coombs

as Self

Maxwell King

as Self

Cathie LeFort

as Self

Bif Naked

as Self

Lilly Barnes

as Self

Patty Sullivan

as Self

Terry McManus

as Self

Judith Lawrence

as Self, Casey, Finnegan

Yannick Bisson

as Self