Thirty years ago, a scrappy little Jack Russell Terrier with an oversized imagination convinced an entire generation of American kids that classic literature was worth their time. Now, the show responsible for that unlikely achievement is finally getting a documentary of its own.
“What’s the Story, Wishbone?” is an upcoming film from Novel Tails, in association with Loud Pictures, that turns the lens on the beloved PBS children’s series “Wishbone” and the passionate, often chaotic creative process behind it. The documentary brings together the cast, writers, and original producers to revisit what made the show such an enduring piece of television history.
“Wishbone” ran on PBS from 1995 to 1997, using the conceit of a quick-witted terrier daydreaming himself into the roles of famous literary characters. In doing so, it introduced young viewers to works ranging from Homer’s “The Odyssey” to the detective stories of Sherlock Holmes, wrapping centuries of storytelling into a format that actually held a child’s attention. The ambition of the project was staggering by any standard, but by the standards of children’s television production, it bordered on reckless. According to the documentary’s trailer, individual episodes were written and filmed within a single week, a pace that left little room for error and demanded extraordinary commitment from everyone involved.
That pressure is something Larry Brantley knows well. Brantley, who served as the voice of Wishbone during the show’s original run and is now a producer on the documentary, captures the mood of the production succinctly in the trailer: “We all had the same question, which was, ‘How are we going to do this?’ “
The film is directed by Joey Stewart, who frames the project as both a personal milestone and a tribute to a community of viewers who have never quite let the show go. “On the 30th anniversary of ‘Wishbone,’ I’m excited to pull back the curtain on how this little show became a real cultural phenomenon,” Stewart says. “I made this film to celebrate its impact and reconnect the audiences who grew up with it in a meaningful way.” She describes the documentary as a passion project unlike anything else in her body of work, calling it “a love letter to the fans who grew up with the show and still carry it with them.”
Stewart has also spoken to the sheer scale of what the original production attempted. Adapting classic literature across wildly different centuries, genres, and narrative worlds, all on a grueling television schedule, was a task that could have easily collapsed under its own weight. The fact that it didn’t, and that it left such a deep mark on an entire generation, is precisely what she set out to investigate. Through interviews with the writers, directors, producers, and cast, the film reconstructs how something that felt improvised and borderline impossible in the moment turned into something genuinely meaningful.
Producer Betty Buckley, reflecting on her time with the original series, offered her own perspective on why the project resonated so broadly. “Producing ‘Wishbone’ was such a joy in every way,” she said. “Revisiting this iconic series and reflecting on the experience that inspired a love of reading in children is something I’m incredibly excited to share with audiences.”
For Brantley, the documentary also closes a loop that has been open for three decades. Having spent years fielding questions about what it was actually like to work on “Wishbone,” he now has a direct answer. “After 30 years, I can finally say, ‘Watch this film!’ ” he shared.
“What’s the Story, Wishbone?” will make its debut on public television stations beginning May 27, running through June 9. It will then become available to rent or purchase on digital platforms across North America starting June 10, directly following its broadcast window. Viewers can locate the film in their market or find their preferred viewing platform at whatsthestorywishbone.com.
