Pocket Money (non-existent inaugural Nickelodeon series; 1979)

The paragraph in the Nickelodeon 1979 press kit mentioning Pocket Money.

Status: Non-existent

Pocket Money is a non-existent TV series set to air on Nickelodeon that was first mentioned in the 1979 press kit for the channel. Until being confirmed to not exist as a separate property, it was unknown if the show ever entered production for the network or if it was mentioned for another reason entirely.

History

Pocket Money was mentioned for the first and only time in the 1979 press kit for the then-new children's cable network Nickelodeon. On page 2 of the press kit, the network is introduced and various inaugural shows that were set to air on the network such as Video Comics, Nickel Flicks, America Goes Bananaz, and Pinwheel were given brief descriptions, including Pocket Money.

The description reads:

"Pocket Money, a show that will cover everything from lollypop factories to youth in politics."

This is the only mention of the show officially by Nickelodeon, as the show was never mentioned again in any capacity by the network. It is unknown what exactly the show was and what exactly became of it.

Theories

There are several theories of what exactly Pocket Money was and what became of it, and they go as follows:

Early Name for By The Way

The most well-known theory for Pocket Money is that it was an early name for By The Way, another obscure inaugural Nickelodeon show. This theory was first corroborated by YouTuber poparena in an addendum episode of his series Nick Knacks.

This theory is backed up by the fact that besides Nickelodeon's inaugural TV schedule, By The Way is not mentioned anywhere else in the press kit, while other inaugural Nickelodeon shows are.

However, some found footage of By The Way goes against the original plot of Pocket Money mentioned in the press kit, though another mention of By The Way seems to be somewhat vague like the Pocket Money description, meaning this theory is still up for debate.

Pocket Money was Cancelled

Another theory is that Pocket Money was outright cancelled entirely by Nickelodeon, explaining why the series was never mentioned after the press kit. However, this theory does not confirm nor deny that Pocket Money ever entered production in the first place.

Pocket Money was Filler in the Press Kit

The final theory is that Pocket Money was simply filler in the press kit to make it seem like there were more shows set to air on Nickelodeon or to make the kit seem longer. This explains why the show's description is not very detailed and doesn't explain clearly what the show was about. This seems to also support the fact that the show would never be mentioned again afterward.

Non-existence

On March 21st, 2022, YouTube user and Nickelodeon archivist CDCB2 had found a listing from The Shreveport Journal in Shreveport, Louisiana from July 6th, 1979, mentioning Nickelodeon's premiere and the shows that would launch onto the network. The description of By The Way in the listing has similar wording as the description of the show that would be described in future newspaper articles, with the heading stating "BY THE WAY (Title changed from Pocket Money)".

This confirms the theory that Pocket Money was an in-development name for By The Way, and not a separate show as previously touted. It also confirms that no other footage of Pocket Money separate from By The Way exists.

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  The newspaper listing mentioning Pocket Money and By The Way as the same show.

Gallery

Images

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  Page 2 of the press kit where Pocket Money was mentioned.

Videos

BrayBray's video on the subject.

Poparena's Nick Knacks Addendum 1979 episode, where the press kit and Pocket Money are mentioned.

See Also

Anthology and Short Series

• Astrology with Squidward (found series of "SpongeBob SquarePants" Nickelodeon animated short series; early 2000s)
• Attack of the Giant Vulture (found Nickelodeon short film; 1998)
• Balinese Slapping Fish (partially lost Nickelodeon Australia animated short series; 1998)
• Bobby the Lizard Boy (found Nickelodeon animated short; 2000)
• Gordon Bleugh! (found Nickelodeon animated short series; early 2000s)
• ICarly at the 2008 Kids Choice Awards (found Nickelodeon promotional short web series; 2008)
• Leader Dog (partially lost Nickelodeon animated short series; 2004)
• Making Fiends (partially lost promotional shorts for Nickelodeon animated series based on web series; 2008)
• Meet The Moores (partially found British Nicktoons animated short series; 2002-2003)
• Nick Studio 10 (partially found Nickelodeon channel block; 2013)
• Nickelodeon Blimp (found Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards animated short; 2005-2007)
• Oh Yeah! Cartoons (found Nickelodeon animated anthology series; 1998-2001)
• Schoolyard Safari (found Nickelodeon short series; 2002-2003)
• SpongeBob: Re-Hydrated (partially lost "SpongeBob SquarePants" animated short; 2003)
• Tortellini Western (partially found Nickelodeon animated short series; 2004)
• A Very Aggressive Vegetable (partially lost Nickelodeon Australia animated short series; 1998)

Bumpers and Promos

• 101% Whizbang! with Henry & June (partially found Nickelodeon channel block; 1999)
• Blood and Guts (partially found Nickelodeon bumpers; 2000s)
• HaHa Nick (lost Chinese block of Nickelodeon shows; 2005-2007)
• Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (partially found TV promos for Nickelodeon animated film and TV series; 2001–2002)
• Nickelodeon (partially found idents and bumpers from TV channel; 1979-present)
• Nickelodeon's Historical Firsts (partially lost animated promos from TV channel; 1997)

Game Shows

• BrainSurge (partially lost episodes of Nickelodeon game show; 2009-2014)
• Double Dare (partially lost Nickelodeon game show; 1986-1993)
• Figure It Out (partially found Nickelodeon game show; 1998)
• Gamefarm (partially lost Nickelodeon GAS game show; 2003)
• Legends of the Hidden Temple (lost Pit of Despair incident footage from unaired final round/episode of Nickelodeon game show; 1994)
• Legends of the Hidden Temple (partially found original consolation plugs from Nickelodeon game show; 1993-1995)
• Nick Arcade (found Nickelodeon game show; 1992)
• Nick Arcade (partially found original consolation prize plugs from Nickelodeon game show; 1992)
• Nickelodeon Splat! (partially lost Nickelodeon game show; 2004)
• SuperNick (partially found Dutch Nickelodeon game show; 2007-2011)
• SuperNick op De Stoep Bij... (partially found Dutch Nickelodeon sports show; 2007-2008)
• Vic's Vacant Lot (partially found ESPN/Nickelodeon sports series; 1982-1985)

Inaugural Series

• By The Way (partially found inaugural Nickelodeon series; 1979-1980)
• Hocus Focus (partially found inaugural Nickelodeon series; 1979-1981)
• Nickel Flicks (lost inaugural Nickelodeon series; 1979)
• Pinwheel (partially found Nickelodeon educational puppet series; 1977-1990)
• Video Comics (partially found inaugural Nickelodeon series; 1979-1981)

Live Action

• The Adventures of Pete & Pete (partially found original versions of episodes of Nickelodeon live-action comedy series; 1991-1993)
• All That (partially lost Nickelodeon sketch comedy series; 1994-2005)
• Bing! The Sound of Something New (partially found Nickelodeon magazine TV series; 1995)
• Cousin Skeeter (partially lost Nickelodeon live-action/puppet series; 1998-2001)
• Drake & Josh (partially found widescreen version of episodes of Nickelodeon sitcom; 2004-2007)
• Just For Kicks (found Nickelodeon live-action comedy-drama series; 2006)
• Kids' Court (partially found Nickelodeon non-traditional court series and other media; 1988-1994)
• Mcjuniorclub TV (partially found Dutch Nickelodeon/McDonald's live-action short series; 2008)
• Nick News with Linda Ellerbee (partially found Nickelodeon educational news series; 1992-2015)
• Noah Knows Best (partially found English audio of Nickelodeon sitcom; 2000-2001)
• Reggie Jackson's World of Sports (partially found Nickelodeon sports series; 1981-1982)
• U to U (partially found Nickelodeon interactive series; 1994-1996)
• Vic's Vacant Lot (partially found ESPN/Nickelodeon sports series; 1982-1985)

Pilots

• Aaahh!!! Real Monsters (partially found unaired pilot of Nickelodeon animated series; early 1990s)
• The Adventures of Johnny Quasar (found prototype "Jimmy Neutron" animated shorts; 1995-1997)
• The Angry Beavers "Cuffed Together" (non-existent pilot episode of Nickelodeon animated series; early-mid 1990s)
• Back at the Barnyard (partially found original test pitch of Nickelodeon CGI animated series; 2000)
• Bad Seeds (found pilot of "Harvey Beaks" Nickelodeon animated series; 2013)
• Big Beast Quintet (lost Nickelodeon animated pilot; 1990)
• Camp Nick (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; mid-1990s)
• Catscratch (found animated pitch of Nickelodeon animated series; 2004)
• The Crowville Chronicles (lost Nickelodeon animated pilot; 1990)
• Drake & Josh (partially found unaired pilot of Nickelodeon sitcom; 2002)
• Fresh Beat Band of Spies (found unaired pilot of Nickelodeon animated spin-off of "The Fresh Beat Band" musical series; 2013)
• Generation Gap (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; early 1990s)
• Gibby! (partially found unaired pilot of cancelled spin-off of "iCarly" Nickelodeon teen sitcom; 2012)
• Go For It (lost Nickelodeon game show pilot; early 1990s)
• Hey Arnold! (found unaired pilot of Nickelodeon animated series; 1994)
• Humongous (lost pilot of Nickelodeon game show; early 1990s)
• I Don't Think So (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; 1994)
• Invader Zim (lost 3D animation test sequence from pilot of Nickelodeon animated series; 1999)
• KaBlam! "The Henry and June Show" (found spinoff pilot of Nickelodeon animated series; 2000)
• Kappa Mikey (found original MTV pitch and Nicktoons pilots of animated series; 2004)
• Morph Sports (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; 1995-1996)
• Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide (partially found pilots of Nickelodeon sitcom; 2003)
• Ned's Declassified High School Survival Guide (lost pilot of rejected spin-off series of Nickelodeon sitcom; 2008)
• Pudding Toast (lost Nickelodeon animated pitch pilots; 2012)
• Rocket Beach (partially found unaired pilot of "Rocket Power" Nickelodeon animated series; 1998)
• Roundhouse (partially found unaired pilot of Nickelodeon comedy series; 1991)
• Slime Survivor (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; 2000)
• The Thundermans (partially lost unaired pilot of Nickelodeon live action comedy series; 2012)
• Tooned In! (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; 1998)
• Trash (lost Nickelodeon stop-motion animated pilot; 1990)
• The Weasel Patrol (lost Nickelodeon animated pilot; 1990)
• Who Knew? (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; 1998)
• The Wild Thornberrys (found pilot of Nickelodeon animated series; 1998)

TV Films

• Aaahh!!! Real Monsters (non-existent Nickelodeon TV film; 1998)
• Cry Baby Lane (found Nickelodeon TV horror film; 2000)
• The Electric Piper (found Nickelodeon animated TV film; 2003)

Other

• Action League Now!: The Series "Monster Mashed" (lost episode of "Kablam!" spinoff animated series; 2002)
• Action League Now!: The Series "Thunder Girl: Tracking The Storm" (found episode of "Kablam!" spinoff animated series; 2001-2002)
• The Angry Beavers "A Tail of Two Rangers/Bye Bye Beavers" (partially found finale episode of Nickelodeon animated series; 2001)
• The Butcher (lost Nickelodeon puppet short film; existence unconfirmed; 2001)
• Crash Nebula (lost production material of cancelled spinoff of" The Fairly OddParents" Nickelodeon animated series; 2004-2006)
• Danny Phantom (partially found original opening title sequence of Nickelodeon animated series; 2003)
• Gruff's Groove Box (lost Nickelodeon music series; 2001)
• Invader Zim (partially found production material of cancelled episodes of Nickelodeon animated series; 2001-2002)
• KaBlam! "Episode 29" (non-existent episode of Nickelodeon animated series; 1998)
• KaBlam! "Just Chillin" (found episode of Nickelodeon animated series; 2000)
• KaBlam! "KaFun!" (found episode of Nickelodeon animated series; 1999)
• KaBlam! "An Off-Beats Valentine's" (found spinoff special of Nickelodeon animated series; 1998)
• The Loud House (partially lost deleted scenes of Nickelodeon animated series; 2016-present)
• Nickelodeon Japan (lost final sign-off of Japanese TV channel; 2009)
• Nickelodeon Launch Box (partially found educational series; 1991-1994)
• Nickelodeon Magazine's Big 10 Birthday Bash (found TV special; 2003)
• Nickelodeon Studios Opening Day Celebration (found live broadcast of Nickelodeon event; 1990)
• Ren and Stimpy (lost unused Kurt Cobain song for Nickelodeon animated series; existence unconfirmed; 1990)
• Robot and Monster (partially found unaired/unfinished episodes of Nickelodeon animated series; 2012-2013)
• Rugrats: A Live Adventure (partially found footage of musical adaptation of Nickelodeon animated series; 1998-2000)
• SpongeBob SquarePants (partially found deleted scenes of Nickelodeon animated series; 1999-present)
• SpongeBob SquarePants "Sailor Mouth" (lost uncensored version of Nickelodeon animated series episode; 2001)
• SpongeBob SquarePants "Shanghaied/You Wish" (lost English audio from alternate "Patchy the Pirate" segments of Nickelodeon animated series episode; 2001)
• SpongeBob SquarePants "SpaceBob InvaderPants/Krabs' Army" (lost unfinished episodes of Nickelodeon animated series; 2015)
• War Blowers (found full version of "SpongeBob SquarePants" production music; 1999)
• Weinerville (partially lost Nickelodeon variety puppet series; 1993-1997)