GEORGE CARLIN: Imagination on Tracks

The Hippie-Dippy Weatherman himself, comedian George Carlin, boards PBS’ award-winning children’s series, “Shining Time Station,” this week as the magical 18-inch high Mr. Conductor, replacing Ringo Starr in the role.

“Shining Time Station,” which begins with 20 new episodes, is about a magical small-town depot, the focal point of the mythical Indian Valley Railroad.

Mr. Conductor weaves stories about the adventures of Thomas the Tank Engine and his railroad pals. “Shining Time Station” also is inhabited by station master Stacy Jones (Didi Conn), the sly arcade owner Schemer (Brian O’Connor) and children Matt (Jason Woliner) and Tanya (Nicole Leach). Also new to the series this season is chief engineer Billy Twofeathers (Tom Jackson) and three new children, Dan (Ari Madger), Kara (Erica Luttrell) and Becky (Danielle Marcot).

Carlin, 54, has been a controversial and popular stand-up comic in America for the past three decades. He’s the man who advised America about the “Seven Words You Can’t Use on Television” and has been on the eternal search for “A Place for My Stuff.”

Carlin has appeared in such films as “With Six You Get Eggroll” and “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.”

A serious and subdued Carlin talked about his new role as the star of “Shining Time Station” with Susan King.

How did you become involved with “Shining Time Station”?

The producers thought I was well-suited in terms of my voice and the kind of things I represent--comedy, fun and imagination.

From my own standpoint, once they made the offer I thought it had just terrific people (involved) and was a terrific series. I thought it was a great project to be a part of. First of all, it was an acting job for me. I have tried to increase the number (of acting jobs) and range of things. This certainly offered me something I never attempted, to play to an audience from 3 to 8 years of age and to bring whatever I have in me to this character. I like the fact that the kids who see me on this will be seeing me without a lot of other preconceptions of who I have or haven’t been.

What does “Shining Time Station” teach children?

What it does is teach in a passive manner by presenting some small adventures of the people who inhabit Shining Time Station, especially the three children, revealing scrapes and situations that they get into--sometimes of their own making and sometimes not.

It teaches things that deal with growing up, being afraid, making new friends, telling a lie--things children confront--and it offers a kind of lesson in a very gentle way so the child will come to the solution rather than have it forced on them.

How do you approach a character like Mr. Conductor?

The part that was easy for me is that I don’t talk down to children and I don’t have a problem with communicating on a level with children, so I was able to be myself in the character. I didn’t have to figure something out about how children would react to me if I just acted like a man of imagination and had a reason for appearing to them and had something to offer them.

Your daughter Kelly is in her late 20s now. Did you tell her stories when she was little?

I can remember the times I did read to her when I wasn’t on the road. (In “Shining Time Station”), I tried to put myself in mind of not only the times I told stories, but when I had them told to me and just to remember that whole experience and what it means, what the possibilities of imagination are.

My mother used to make up stories. She happened to use the Disney characters and she would just make up stories about all the Disney characters getting on the Fifth Avenue bus and going somewhere. So the ability to dream and imagine and get in touch with your own magic is so obvious in these stories, that I was able to marry my own memories of that to what I had to do as Mr. Conductor.

Will you be taping more episodes of “Shining Time Station”?

The producers plan to do another batch of these at some point when all the forces come together, and their other dream is perhaps a movie, which I think would be a great idea.

You also are in Barbra Streisand’s film, “Prince of Tides,” which opens next month. What part do you play?

I play a character named Eddie, but I am not really saying much about him because I think the impact of him in this story is in the fact that it happens as a surprise. It is a nice role and I think it will attract attention.

Has your stand-up act taken back seat to acting?

No, I think I will always do my comedy. The amount I do will vary on according to how much acting comes into my life. I would like to curtail some of my road travel and activity and put my life in a better balance geographically, but comedy is how I define myself. I am a person who sees things and gets an attitude about them and has to talk about it.

“Shining Time Station” airs Mondays-Fridays at 7 a.m. on KCET and at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on KPBS.