The Secret City
"Learn to draw with Commander Mark."
The Secret City was a television program designed to teach children how to draw, starring Mark Kistler as as the fictional ‘Commander Mark’ who led viewers and in-studio club members through various drawing exercises in a sci-fi clubhouse setting full of fun, fantasy, and adventure. While the show’s format essentially prioritizes instruction over narrative, ongoing ‘drama’ is created by the frequent addition of new key features to the emerging scenery of the giant Secret City mural. Often Special Guests would appear on the show to demonstrate other art forms or practical applications for drawing skills. The show was created by John Price & Mark Kistler, based on Bruce McIntyre's AVDP. Much of the series was edited live in-camera and was shot in a somewhat semi-scripted format. It was produced at Maryland Public Television through private funding by Children's Video Associates, and intended for broadcast via national PBS syndication. It also aired on TVOntario.
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Seasons & Episodes
1. Moonscape Building
US Log Line: [ Debut: "Fun, fantasy and adventure" are the tools used by host Commander Mark to teach youngsters the joys of drawing. First up: using squares to create a table, wedding cake.]
2. Flying Saucers
No description available.
3. Mountains With Lids
No description available.
4. Observatory
US Log Line: A segment on computer art. Pre-Production Name (AVM); #104: "Shooting Stars"
5. Moonbots - Club Day
No description available.
6. Robot
No description available.
7. Optical Illusions
No description available.
8. Home
US Log Line: Tips on drawing your home.
9. Animation
No description available.
10. Unibear - Club Day
No description available.
11. Flip Book
No description available.
12. Go Underground
No description available.
13. Animal Hand Puppets
US Log Line: How to create 3-D mazes.
14. Humanlike Hand Puppets
No description available.
15. Monorail - Club Day
No description available.
16. Space Station - Platform
No description available.
17. Architecture
No description available.
18. Spaceships
No description available.
19. Castles
No description available.
20. Covered Cities - Club Day
No description available.
21. SHOW: 21
No description available.
22. Masks
No description available.
23. Party Favors
No description available.
24. Cake Decorations
No description available.
25. Birthday Party - Club Day
No description available.
26. Underground Village
No description available.
27. Frog Family
No description available.
28. Skylines
No description available.
29. Space Landing
No description available.
30. City Art - Club Day
No description available.
31. Flags
No description available.
32. Fences
No description available.
33. Hot Dog Stand
No description available.
34. Chain Power
No description available.
35. Two-Headed Animal - Club Day
No description available.
36. Coloring
No description available.
37. Computer Color
No description available.
38. Contraptions
No description available.
39. SHOW: 39
No description available.
40. Flying Bird - Club Day
No description available.
41. SHOW: 41
No description available.
42. SHOW: 42
No description available.
43. SHOW: 43
No description available.
44. SHOW: 44
No description available.
45. SHOW: 45
No description available.
46. SHOW: 46
No description available.
47. SHOW: 47
No description available.
48. SHOW: 48
No description available.
49. SHOW: 49
No description available.
50. Puppets - Club Day
No description available.
51. Natural Design
No description available.
52. Columns
No description available.
53. Stripes
No description available.
54. People
No description available.
55. Faces - Club Day
No description available.
56. Silhouettes
No description available.
57. Disguises
No description available.
58. People Moves
No description available.
59. Spots
No description available.
60. Lettering - Club Day
No description available.
61. Igloo
No description available.
62. Wishing Well
No description available.
63. Flying Animals
No description available.
64. Airplanes
No description available.
65. Cartooning - Club Day
US Log Line: The Secret City mural is completed. Pre-Production Name (AVM); #165:"Cartooning" {Note: The Log Line as printed in TV Guide was inaccurate. Episode 65 was a Club Day and there are no mural segments on Club Days. The mural was completed the prior Thursday in episode 64. This error likely originates with the pre-production Program Listings developed for the show by Adler Video Marketing which stated "#165: "Cartooning." Cartoonist Al Grosso helps Commander Mark finish the secret city mural."}