Pipkins down at Cockleshell Bay with Mr Spoon (Part Two)

So where did we get to then? Its the early 1980's and it all change with the new ITV franchises coming into effect and even over at the BBC where Watch with Mother is phased out for something new and a new raft of programmes as well.

In late 1980, the new ITV franchises were announced with the biggest being ATV changing into Central Television. With that came new ideas and for Hartley Hare, the end of the line... 


Let's Pretend which used both former Pipkins puppeteer Nigel Plaskitt and also former Pipkins producer Michael Jeans and deviser of Let's Pretend as well, was unique in that it used what it found around to make stories and also letting children use their imagination to create their own stories following on from the programme's end. First broadcast in January 1982, parents were disappointed to see Pipkins being replaced by a new programme but over time the programme grew in people's conciousness not only for the theme but also the puppet caterpillar which would move across the screen in the titles. For some people it would seem almost surreal with the puppet making a squeaking noise as it moved along, with its montage of what had happened during the programme at the end. It lasted nearly seven years until 1988 when once again new shows were brought in to replace it.




Meanwhile over at the BBC, the Watch with Mother strand has changed into See Saw. The See Saw branding was first used in 1980 introduced Pigeon Street, King Rollo and The Flumps to programmes for the under five's. Originally like Mr Benn, King Rollo had been a series of books  for children written by David McKee published in 1979. Seeing the potential once again, the BBC commissioned the books to be animated creating 13 episodes made by King Rollo Films 
which was set up by McKee in 1978. 


The tales of King Rollo, The Magician, Cook and his cat Hamlet were one of the young king exploring through life much like the young viewers at home whilst entertaining them as well. By using the same animation technique as Mr Benn, it gave the programme a bright look almost like a parent would have drawn for their child. With the walking aspect, the characters legs rotating outwards as they walked gave it charm and a look of something which had taken time to create. Much like the simple animations of Firman and Postgate did before this, enabling simplistic animation to become the norm which would used again in Peppa Pig at the start of the 21st century. 


After the 13 episodes had been broadcast, King Rollo Films found a niche area for producing animations for younger children. Towser made in 1982 voiced by Roy Kinnear, Victor and Maria broadcast by ITV in 1983 and The Adventures of Spot made in 1987 adapting Eric Hill's books for television very much like had been done to McKee's one nearly twenty years before that. Such was the success of the animation studio, that it still makes programmes for the under fives, even reviving Mr Benn for Nickelodeon's Nick Jr channel in 2004 with a brand new adventure following McKee writing Mr Benn - Gladiator as a book in 2001. 




Pigeon Street which like Mary, Mungo and Midge was set in an urban settting. Where as Mary's flat was a penthouse, Pigeon Street was more like an ordinary urban estate with terraced housing and tower blocks. Much were the norm of social housing at that time, Alan Rogers and Peter Lang made the animation who were later to make Rub-A-Dub-Dub for Tv-am. It showed an urban landscape which was real for most children in early 80's Britain. Using the character and their mixture of them allowed something different to what had been seen before, by taking Long Distance Clara and Hugo the Cook, who were cohabiting partners showed that people lived together who might not be married but this was balanced out by Mr Macadoo, his wife and  their twins Molly with an 'M' and Polly with a 'P' as their song went when ever they first appeared on screen during the episode. 


But not only this, the use of ethnic characters as well meant that these programmes were showing that Britain was changing and so the characters in these programmes had to as well. Reflecting the world outside the young viewers windows meant that seeing this changing Britain that they could recognise.


Meanwhile up at Yorkshire Television, they had been invaded by the cat from outer space... Get Up and Go featured Beryl Reid and Stephen Boxer assisting Mooncat in adjusting to his life on earth explaining his new surrounds to him much like a parent or guardian would do to a young child. In a similar vain to earlier shows such as Hickory House, the exploration of a young child's  world. With a tried and tested format of filmed inserts, stories and songs kept the series going for four years even with a change of title to emphasize Mooncat's role in the show and allowed Mooncat to finally dump the Moon Machine in which he saw life outside on and get out into the wide world. Though Beryl Reid wasn't available to film the 1984 series after being offered a role in a major ITV drama, meaning the setting was changed to Mooncat and Boxer living in a junk shop that Boxer was supposed to own. 


The role of Reid was filled by various celebrities playing different roles when they popped in the junk shop such as Pam Ayres, Wilf Lunn, Patsy Rowlands, Kenny Lynch and Pat Coombs later to have her own programme with Ragdolly Anna. Boxer eventually left as well with former Opportunity Knocks winner Bernie Flint taking over Boxer's role with Mooncat even though Boxer's face was on the opening credits still.


With Claridge's move with Roland Rat to the BBC in late 1985 meant Mooncat ended but the format of celebrities playing roles in a shop would be seen again though...


By the mid to late 80's, shows for the under fives were changing with more animations and puppet based shows becoming the norm each trying to compete with Rainbow which by 1987 had been on the air for fifteen years. In the mid to late 80's though two comedy stars were on both sides of the airwaves lending their voices to animated shows. From the BBC came Bertha  
with Towzer's own Roy Kinnear lending his vocal talents to the show, the show made by Woodland Animations came from a line of shows such as Postman Pat made by Ivor Wood. Bertha's purpose was to manufacture varying items but whenever there was a problem, Bertha would solve it. Bringing out teamwork and helping people in the show to the children.


On ITV, a man who had links with Monty Python was already performing in Puddle Lane for Yorkshire Television. Neil Innes, who had previously worked along side the Pythons and Eric Idle in Rutland Weekend Television narrated, voiced the characters, performed and composed the music as well. Where are Pigeon Street reflected a different Britain at the start of the 1980's , The Raggy Dolls encouraged young children to think about people with disabilities and also teaching them about humility as well. With Sad Sack being gloomy and cynical but with a heart of gold, Dotty with paint split on her and being the leader of the Raggy Dolls, Hi-Fi having a stammer after being dropped when being tested, Lucy having limbs which were poorly stitched,  Back to Front having his head round the wrong way, Claude who was dropped out of a box of French Dolls heading for export over the channel and finally of the original dolls comes Princess who is made up of left over material. 


The vast majority of the dolls in their own ways represent different disabilities both physical and mental as well. Hi-Fi having a speech impediment, Sad Sack having a mental illness Lucy having weak joints, Dotty having a birthmark and Back to Front having mobility problems etc. But this is a difference in these types of shows, at the time it doesn't seem obivious like most of  these shows, they are dealing in social issues behind the background of animations and songs.  



Where as The Raggy Dolls brought an understanding of physical disabilities to the screen, Granada's Tickle on the Tum brought the everyday local shop to the screen, familiar to any young child or parent who would go shopping locally. Ralph McTell who had come from another Granada programme for the under fives, Alphabet Zoo along with Danuschia Harwood in the first series and Jaqueline Reddin from the second series onwards worked in their shop where a local person came in recalling something which happened to them during that week, allowing McTell to play a song on the guitar or either play a song which would be related the story in that week's episode. 


Similar to Mooncat and Co. performers played the local residents who came into the shop, such as Tim Healy playing Barney Bodger, the local handyman or Kenny Lynch, playing the local milkman. Plus Penelope Keith playing the local school bus driver or the late, great John Wells playing a local farmer. These characters helped the plot along interacting with Ralph, Danuschia or Jaqueline, it was a fun series always seeing familiar faces coming into the shop and making good use of performers as well who were established at that time and especially good comic people as well. Before the end of the final series in 1988, McTell went back to his recording career leaving Jaqueline in charge of the shop and to sing the theme tune that McTell did previously. 




By the end of the 1980's lead to the ITV franchises changing again in 1992, meaning saying goodbye to another lot of shows, but with new franchises came new shows such as Meridian getting in on the slot with Wizadora. Wizadora, the trainee wizard performed the usual role of being the main performer with her friends Stan, the local shopkeeper played by Brian Murphy and Tatty Bogle, a scarecrow who was more bumbling then dim witted played from 1993 to 1994 by Joe Greco  and from 1995 to 1998 by later to become the main anchor of CITV and future Dick and Dom in Da Bungalow producer Steve Ryde, himself a alumni of the Central Television Workshop in the early 1980's. 


Taking elements from other shows meant that Wizadora followed in a long line of shows which is continued by both Cbeebies and Mini CITV for the terrestrial channels as well as plenty of other digital channels. 


Television for younger children maybe seen by some people as stunting their growth, its also a part of growing up no matter what their age is. From the grandparents of The Woodentops, the parents of Pipkins, the Uncles and Aunties of Pigeon Street and King Rollo to the children of Wizadora. Thanks to DVDs, that we no matter what our age can still see them and show them to the next generation too...

Pipkins down at Cockleshell Bay with Mr Spoon (Part 1)...

You may think "Now that's an odd title for a blogpost..." But in a way, our earliest memories of television watching comes from puppets and their human friends. I'll admit, my earliest memory comes of watching Cockleshell Bay eating cheese and pickle sandwiches as a very young avid viewer. I know its odd that something as odd as a cheese and pickle sandwich can remind me of that, but it just does.

For as long as we've known it, we been lead on a journey by television through trying to make sense of the world as a young child. Programmes for the under fives do this, in their time dealing with new experiences even touching on death as well. Though with that, escapism play a part in the development of new viewers. Though originally For The Children which was presented by Annette Mills, the sister of Sir John Mills was conceived in 1937 being broadcast in a ten minute slot, with Muffin the Mule becoming the first success of this slot. With this arrangement happening until 1952 when Watch with Mother was launched.

From Watch with Mother's launch in 1952 as an offshoot of radio's Listen with Mother, these programmes have formed formative memories. Created by Freda Lingstrom, this slot was seen to be as a pre Children's Hour programme allowing older children their own programme a bit later in the afternoon. The show such as Bill and Ben, Andy Pandy and Muffin the Mule would have their own longevity such as Muffin being shown upto 1955, just before Annette's own death. Andy Pandy, which its twenty-six episodes had been repeated until just before the advent of colour, lead to the BBC commissioning thirteen new ones in colour and showing this upto 1976. 

None the less, Andy even made a comeback at the turn of the 21st century when Cbeebies brought him, Teddy and Looby Loo back again so a new generation could see them playing together. Similarly the same happened with Bill and Ben and Muffin the Mule being revived for a new audience, meaning that in these classic shows that Grandparents, Parents, their children and their own children could watch together.

As the Sixties drew in new programmes such as the Johnny Morris voiced Tales of the Riverbank, The Trumptonshire Trillogy, The Herbs, Pogles' Wood were added to the line-up not reflecting as such the times outside the window. But one programme, got the atmosphere of that time just right. Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin, had been making children's programmes since the 1950's with Alexander the Mouse for Rediffusion being their earliest example of work. Though having to do cut-out animation live was not the most ideal solution for either of them. Their first joint project was to be a story told over and over again, as in 1959 they let the handbrake off Ivor the Engine for the first time. As this was such as success for the fledgling network, that Rediffusion wanted more to made, although Postgate and Firmin thought that Ivor had arrived in the sidings for good.

They offered a new idea Noggin the Nog to Rediffusion as a replacement for Ivor, but much like the Beatles being rejected like Decca, they took the idea to the BBC and six episodes were made, shortly after their success another six were made. Leading to other projects for their new production company Smallfilms to be made for both the BBC and ITV, but it was in 1968 that they took a colourful leap into a new era of programmes for younger children. Taking two ideas which come together to make seminal programme of its age.

The Clangers was the right programme at the right time, with the focus being on the lunar landings and also the new age as well. It was seen as something different to what had gone before, where as series previously had been only earth bound. It took an age old question and made it real, which was "Is there anybody out there?" By taking the situation of lunar exploration let Postgate and Firmin run their imaginations to another level, take on these types of programmes to new levels and to new imaginary worlds. But even The Clangers made it out of their own sphere when Postgate and Firmin made "Vote for Froglet" which was broadcast on the night of the second election of 1974, this was an answer the political unrest of the early 1970's and to be able to convey this to the voters in such a way they could understand it much like a child would.

Over at ITV, with the relaxing of broadcasting hours in 1972, this allowed programme for the under fives to become part of their daily daytime schedule. Allowing each of the big four weekday franchises to provide programmes of their own in different styles. From Thames came  

Rainbow, originally with David Cook presenting with Bungle, Sunshine and Moony. When Zippy came along, they were phased out for George and the pattern of the regulars was completed when Geoffrey Hayes came into present. As such the programme lasted for twenty years, even with revivals the early 90's.

Those as such were memorable, but backing Rainbow up was Indigo Pipkins. Originally based around a puppet maker and his puppets, Hartley Hare was sent into the world on the first day of 1973. With George Woodbridge originally presenting up until March 1973 when during the filming of the second series he died. The following year this was put into the programme, which this had never been done by children's television. Although the subject was repeated in 1978 when a pet goldfish died, leading to Topov the Monkey and Johnny, played by Wayne Laryrea to discuss why did people had to die. When Woodbridge died, the original idea of a puppet workshop was changed to the puppet becoming "The Help People" as suggested they would help people in their daily lives. 

Laryrea moved on himself in 1978 to be replaced by Jonathan Kydd, with him coming the human helper to Hartley and all with Kydd himself leaving in 1980 replaced by Paddy O'Hagan for the final two years. Even the set was given a revamp in 1979, by using techniques perfected on The Muppet Show lead to the set becoming roomier and giving the puppeteers more space to move around in.   

Meanwhile, Granada had gone for different approach in its programme. Hickory House from the outside seemed almost like ITV's own version of Playschool. With human presenters in a mocked up house with puppers, it did have the feel of being able to talk down the lens to children at home, almost one on one... But also had the same sort of thing as Rainbow, Pipkins and other shows, with humans and puppets interacting with each other. But with concept of being based in a house, it allowed household objects to come alive. By setting it in what a young child could recognise as similar to their own surroundings with everyday objects. Encouraging them to build a fantasy world in their own real one, allowing them to learn at the same time. 


Alan Rothwell with fellow Coronation Street alumni Amanda Barrie, Louise Hall-Taylor later present Watch for the BBC and Julia North all presented Hickory House until 1977 when the programme finished, though the programme may have been memorable in itself, it was also so for the Granada Giro 'G' ident transforming into the house itself through animating. Of all the shows for the under fives, it has never been released on DVD much to the opposite of Pipkins released through Network DVD although 129 editions remain in the Granada archives to this day.


For all the puppets and humans, come the shows from left field. One of the strangest has to be Yorkshire's entry into the pantheon of these shows, Mr Trimble. It was first broadcast like the others in 1972, by using the usual mixture of live actors, puppets and filmed inserts. Tony Boden played Mr Trimble whose wife Maureen Sutcliffe worked on another Yorkshire series for schools, My World took the leading part, although Sutcliffe provided some of the voices for the puppets. Based in an attic, Mr Trimble lived with Glug the Goldfish and also a robot for company as well. Though Trimble's look owed more to Mr Pastry, with glasses and a prominent moustache on his top lip, almost like a friendly uncle type of figure to be exact. Its strange combination of elements lead to the viewing experience to be slightly odder for anyone tuning in to catch Leonard Parkin reading the News at One, but this gave it a freedom to be more informal to younger eyes almost they had been invited to visit this man to interact with him. Seemingly almost trusting him in learning new experiences and also being entertained as well.


Though from the mind of John Read, a key part of Gerry Anderson's Supermarionation films during the 50's and 60's, having worked on Four Feather Falls, Supercar, Stingray, Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet came three series which were to key parts of the schedule in the mid to late 70's. Cloppa Castle was the first of these three, where he took a producing role then came Here Comes Mumfie in 1975 where he was producer/director. 


The Munch Bunch set of books were created in 1979 by Denis Bond under the pen name Giles Reed, after their success Lord Lew Grade through ITC Entertainment commissioned 12 episodes to be made under Read and Mary Turner, the stories were different to the books with Read mainly penning new stories for the characters. The success of those first twelve, lead to another forty to be made over the next four years. The series of books lasted longer then the television show lasting until 1984 with the final episode of the series being shown in May 1982.


By this time with the ITV franchises changing in January 1982, lead to shows coming in plus new ideas as well, though old favourites would still be there on both channels...


Coming up next time...


A King, A cat from Outer Space, Neil Innes in full effect and a ride on the See Saw...


That's in Part Two of Pipkins down at Cockshell Bay with Mr Spoon...