Emily, a Golden Retriever posing with Clifford, T-Bone and Cleo.
Clifford the Big Red Dog is one classic that has been around for years. It is the story of Emily Elizabeth, a little blond-haired girl who adopts a very small red pup who is the runt of the litter. She was told her dog would grow up small and sick, but she gave her little puppy so much love that it grew to be the biggest dog in the world. In order to keep her dog, she and her family move from the city to the county, where Clifford and Emily find many new friends, but no one has a dog as big as Clifford! He's friendly, big-hearted, loyal, fun-loving and sweet. Clifford is a kid at heart, representing the pre-school audience with their hopes, dreams and fears. His reactions to situations are wide-eyed and innocent, he learns from his mistakes, and he doesn't think twice about standing up for what is right. He thinks like a dog, acts like a dog, smells like a dog—hey! He is a dog!
Q: How old is Emily Elizabeth?
A: She's eight.
Q:Where does Emily Elizabeth get Clifford?
A:From the man down the hall in her apartment building in the city.
Q: Who is the voice of Clifford in the Clifford TV series?
A: John Ritter provides the voice of Clifford on the TV show.
Q: Who is Clifford's creator?
A: Norman Bridwell
Q: What was the name Norman originally wanted to call his big red dog character?
A: Norman states that he originally wanted to call Clifford's character "Tiny," but his wife, Norma said that was boring and suggested ”Clifford” after an imaginary friend from her childhood.
Q: Where did Norman Bridwell grow up?
A: Kokomo, Indiana
Q: Who is the character Emily Elizabeth named after?
A: Norman Bridwell's first-born daughter.
Q: Where is Norman Bridwell living currently?
A: Norman Bridwell now resides on Martha's Vineyard with his family, where he enjoys beachcombing, photography and, of course, creating new tales and drawings for his fans the world over.
Clifford likes treats, but he is so big and he eats so much that Emily Elizabeth often makes Clifford homemade biscuits! Here is her recipe.
1 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2½ cups of sifted flour
½ teaspoons salt
Cream the butter and sugar. Then beat in the egg and vanilla. In separate bowl, combine the flour and salt then mix with the butter/egg/sugar mixture. Chill the dough for at least 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 350° F.
On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness and cut into shapes with floured cookie cutters. Bake cookies on greased cookies sheet for about 8 minutes.
