(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon today announced the first six episodes of its first original live-action kids series aimed at children aged 6 through 11, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, are now available on Prime Instant Video in the US. Created by first-time writer David Anaxagoras and executive produced by Oscar winner Luke Matheny (God of Love), Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street stars Sloane Morgan Siegel (Partners), Ashley Boettcher (Aliens in the Attic), Drew Justice (The Little Rascals Save the Day), and Robyn Lively (Saving Grace, Twin Peaks). The series is a coming-of-age tale of friendship that centers around Gortimer (Siegel) and the bond with his two best friends Ranger (Justice) and Mel (Boettcher), as they chronicle their adventures on Normal Street—an ordinary suburban neighborhood that has a hint of something unexpected just beneath the surface.
Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street is the first kids series to receive a greenlight from Amazon Studios’ open-door pilot submissions process. Anaxagoras, a preschool teacher, was one of many aspiring filmmakers and screenwriters who submitted their ideas for original series through AmazonStudios.com, and whose concept moved forward as a pilot that debuted on Amazon Instant Video last February. Inviting the audience in early at the pilot stage, the project received positive feedback from customers and ultimately received a full season order.
Amazon Prime members can now watch the first six episodes of Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street on their TVs using the Amazon Instant Video app on Fire TV, Roku, Xbox, PlayStation, Wii, and smart TVs. They can also use the Amazon Instant Video app to watch on mobile devices, including Fire tablets, Fire phone, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, as well as hundreds of other connected devices—or customers can visit Amazon.com/PIV to watch online. Prime members can add Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street to their Watchlist and easily access new episodes. Customers who are not already Prime members can sign up for a free trial at www.amazon.com/prime.
Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street is also available as part of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, the all-you-can-eat subscription service designed from the ground up for kids—FreeTime Unlimited is available exclusively on Amazon devices including Amazon Fire TV and Fire tablets, and a year-long subscription is included with every Fire HD Kids Edition.
“I have much to be thankful for this year and I’m especially grateful that after months of intense work, we can now share Gortimer with the world,” said Anaxagoras. “I couldn’t be more proud of our marvelous cast and crew who managed to tap into that Normal Street magic again and again with each new episode.”
“I can't tell you how excited I am for audiences to watch this show,” added Matheny. “It has such a nice mix of magic, comedy, warmth and weirdness that I wish I could be a kid again to watch the whole series -- or at least have some kids so they could watch it.”
“Gortimer is a fresh approach to a single-camera kids series,” added Tara Sorensen, Head of Kids’ Programming at Amazon Studios. “This show celebrates friendship at the heart. We hope it’s a show that will bring the entire family together.”
Guest stars on Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street include Fionnula Flanagan (Waking Ned Devine) as Miss Hudspith, Ben Koldyke (Big Love) as Greg Gibbon, Paula Marshall (Gary Unmarried) as Lora Fuller, Kim Rhodes (Supernatural) as Vicki Bowen, and Luke Matheny as Fred, and features music from composer Sasha Gordon. The series is co-executive produced by David Anaxagoras and produced by Richard G. King (The League).
Here is what the critics are saying:
“Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street is exploding with treasures like that line. And regardless of your age, I defy you to take a crack at it and not end up getting win all over yourself.” – James Poniewozik, TIME
“Amazon has scored another mini-coup with ‘Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street,’ a series ostensibly aimed at 6-to-11 year olds characterized by its child’s-eye-view and a whimsical perspective on those wonder years, which recalls movies such as ‘Stand by Me’….in terms of kids’ TV, this sort of genuinely clever alternative is anything but normal.” – Brian Lowry, Variety
“There’s an unabashed quaintness about ‘Normal Street,’ reminiscent of a time when kids TV was all about fun and homemade adventure…There are plenty of reasons why any modern-day parent would want to keep their kids from watching TV at all, but ‘Normal Street’ isn’t one of them.” – David Wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle
“There’s a wealth of programming aimed at children on TV these days but ‘Gortimer’ is the rare series that’s creative, occasionally funny and engaging in its own subdued manner.” – Rob Owen, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/McClatchy-Tribune
"As a younger-skewing follow up to its acclaimed 'Transparent,' I’d say Amazon’s got a good bet in ‘Gortimer.’” – Sara Stewart, New York Post
About Amazon Studios
In addition to Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, Amazon Studios most recently debuted a second season of the Garry Trudeau political comedy Alpha House, as well as Jill Soloway’s critically-acclaimed dark comedy Transparent. Dramatic comedy Mozart in the Jungle from Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, Paul Weitz, John Strauss and Alex Timbers will premiere later this year. The studio has also produced the comedy series Betas, and has also launched three children’s series, the Annecy International Animated Film Festival Award-winning Tumble Leaf from Bix Pix Entertainment; Creative Galaxy from Angela Santomero and Out of the Blue Enterprises, the creators of Blue’s Clues; and Annedroids, from Emmy nominated Sinking Ship Entertainment. Amazon Studios has also announced five additional, original series including Chris Carter’s The After; Michael Connelly’s Bosch; Hand of God from Marc Forster and Ben Watkins; Red Oaks from Steven Soderbergh, David Gordon Green, Greg Jacobs and Joe Gangemi; and kids series Wishenpoof! from Angela Santomero and Out of the Blue Enterprises; as well as a second season of Transparent. Recently announced pilots include Cocked, Down Dog, Mad Dogs, The Man in the High Castle, The New Yorker Presents, Point of Honor, and Salem Rogers.
Amazon Studios launched in 2010 as a new way to develop feature films and episodic series—one that’s open to great ideas from creators and audiences around the world. Anyone can upload a script online and Amazon Studios will read and review all submissions. Those who choose to make their projects public can also receive feedback from the Amazon Studios community.
Comprehensive cast and crew information, including bios and filmographies, is available on Amazon's IMDb (www.imdb.com), the world’s most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.
About Amazon
Amazon.com opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire phone, Fire tablets, and Fire TV are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.
Contacts:
Media Hotline: 206-266-7180
www.amazon.com/pr
