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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Trailer
The Secret City : Episode 1 : Moonscape Building
Cast
Seasons
Mark Kistler starring as 'Commander Mark' Teaches children perspective drawing using the '7 Magic Words of Drawing' techniques pioneered by Bruce McIntyre in his long-standing classroom curriculum, the Audio-Visual Drawing Program (AVDP).
1.Moonscape Building
02-09-198527 minUS 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, wed...
2.Flying Saucers
03-09-198527 min
3.Mountains With Lids
04-09-198527 min- Ep 4
4.Observatory
05-09-198527 minUS Log Line: A segment on computer art. Pre-Production Name (AVM); #104: "Shooting Stars"
5.Moonbots - Club Day
06-09-198527 min
6.Robot
09-09-198527 min
7.Optical Illusions
10-09-198527 min- Ep 8
8.Home
11-09-198527 minUS Log Line: Tips on drawing your home.
9.Animation
12-09-198527 min
10.Unibear - Club Day
13-09-198527 min
11.Flip Book
16-09-198527 min
12.Go Underground
17-09-198527 min- Ep 13
13.Animal Hand Puppets
18-09-198527 minUS Log Line: How to create 3-D mazes.
14.Humanlike Hand Puppets
19-09-198527 min
15.Monorail - Club Day
20-09-198527 min
16.Space Station - Platform
23-09-198527 min- Ep 17
17.Architecture
24-09-198527 min 
18.Spaceships
25-09-198527 min
19.Castles
26-09-198527 min
20.Covered Cities - Club Day
27-09-198527 min- Ep 21
21.SHOW: 21
30-09-198527 min 
22.Masks
01-10-198527 min
23.Party Favors
02-10-198527 min
24.Cake Decorations
03-10-198527 min
25.Birthday Party - Club Day
04-10-198527 min
26.Underground Village
07-10-198527 min
27.Frog Family
08-10-198527 min
28.Skylines
09-10-198527 min
29.Space Landing
10-10-198527 min
30.City Art - Club Day
11-10-198527 min
31.Flags
14-10-198527 min
32.Fences
15-10-198527 min
33.Hot Dog Stand
16-10-198527 min
34.Chain Power
17-10-198527 min
35.Two-Headed Animal - Club Day
18-10-198527 min
36.Coloring
21-10-198527 min
37.Computer Color
22-10-198527 min
38.Contraptions
23-10-198527 min- Ep 39
39.SHOW: 39
24-10-198527 min - Ep 40
40.Flying Bird - Club Day
25-10-198527 min - Ep 41
41.SHOW: 41
28-10-198527 min - Ep 42
42.SHOW: 42
29-10-198527 min - Ep 43
43.SHOW: 43
30-10-198527 min - Ep 44
44.SHOW: 44
31-10-198527 min - Ep 45
45.SHOW: 45
01-11-198527 min - Ep 46
46.SHOW: 46
04-11-198527 min - Ep 47
47.SHOW: 47
05-11-198527 min - Ep 48
48.SHOW: 48
06-11-198527 min - Ep 49
49.SHOW: 49
07-11-198527 min 
50.Puppets - Club Day
08-11-198527 min
51.Natural Design
11-11-198527 min
52.Columns
12-11-198527 min
53.Stripes
13-11-198527 min
54.People
14-11-198527 min
55.Faces - Club Day
15-11-198527 min
56.Silhouettes
18-11-198527 min
57.Disguises
19-11-198527 min
58.People Moves
20-11-198527 min
59.Spots
21-11-198527 min
60.Lettering - Club Day
22-11-198527 min
61.Igloo
25-11-198527 min
62.Wishing Well
26-11-198527 min
63.Flying Animals
27-11-198527 min
64.Airplanes
28-11-198527 min- Ep 65
65.Cartooning - Club Day
29-11-198527 minUS 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...
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