Jones’ ‘Peter and the Wolf’ a Charmer for Children

“Peter and the Wolf,” a new animated/live-action program based on the Prokofiev classic, is a gentle charmer for children that was created, conducted and directed by George Daugherty and animated by one of the cartoon world’s grand old men, Bugs Bunny creator Chuck Jones, now in his 80s.

Prokofiev’s 1936 musical tale about a little boy, his grumpy grandfather, three animal friends and a fierce wolf has been used for decades in countless classrooms to teach kids the sounds of orchestra instruments. Here, entertainment is the aim, not education, so the emphasis is on the story; the music, beautifully rendered by the RCA Symphony Orchestra, provides the mood.

Kirstie Alley narrates and provides voices for duck and cat; “Sleepless in Seattle’s” young Ross Malinger is the voice of Peter, and Lloyd Bridges is Grandfather. Each appears in live-action segments that exude a cozy family warmth, smoothly woven into the cartoon.

The red-eyed wolf is downright fiendish, but the rest of Jones’ characters have a winning simplicity; his blunderbuss-toting hunters are a hoot. There’s a bit of cartoon magic in the surprise live-action ending, too.

The hourlong special by Daugherty, who co-wrote with Janis Diamond, is a refreshing break from a good amount of children’s entertainment that is heavy on attitude and light on real feeling.

* “Peter and the Wolf” airs at 8:30 tonight on ABC (Channels 7 , 3 and 42).