Rainbow Brite

Most Children's toys and characters start with a TV series and then the merchandising starts! However, with Rainbow Brite, it started as merchandise first!

Rainbow Brite was created in 1983 by Hallmark Cards, but she didn't make her TV debut in a programme until "Peril in the Pits," 1984.

Bascially, if you didn’t know – Rainbow Brite is a little orphan girl called Whisp who is taken by a magical fairy to “The Colourless World”, where she must find the sphere of light. In that world she finds a creature called Twink, as well as a big white horse called Starlite. In her adventures she finds all the colours of the rainbow (Or the “Colour Kids” as they were known) and uses magic to defeat the “King of Shadows”.

Basically it’s like a creation myth of why there is a rainbow. Because Rainbow Brite lives in "Colour land" and is in charge of all the colours, with the “Colour Kids”. Ironically when I saw this on V we only had a Black and White TV, so basically Rainbow Brite lived in "Different shades of Grey Land" for me and my brother...

For me, a boy growing up in the 1980’s though, I avoided Rainbow Brite like the lurgy! I remember the programme, but it was like glitter and Barbie dolls, and all about the little girls. I mean they didn’t even spell “Bright” right! Shouldn’t it be “Rainbow bright? With her trusty horse starLIGHT?

Well, anyway it became more and more popular and in April 1986, Rainbow Brite became a regular series and it was produced until May 1987. (Still, at least I had Transformers)

Amazingly there was even a movie, “Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer”, made in 1985. Continuing with the theme of colours and light – the basic plot is : The Dark Princess try to catch the “Light Diamond” when she haul the giant diamond to her palace, which blocks out the light and throws Earth into a permanent winter!!