A Rubovian Legend facts for kids

A Rubovian Legend (1955) is a fun British children's television series. It was created by a talented puppeteer named Gordon Murray.

How it Started

This show began as a black and white puppet play for the BBC in the mid-1950s. It was part of "The BBC Puppet Theatre." The very first play about Rubovia was shown live in December 1955. It was called 'The Queen's Dragon'. This play used special puppets called marionettes, which are controlled by strings.

Puppeteers Bob Bura and John Hardwick helped Gordon Murray. Designers Andrew and Margaret Brownfoot also worked on the show. Together, they made 26 more episodes between 1955 and 1960. The puppets in Rubovia were large and had funny, exaggerated features. They were moved using strings.

Who Voiced the Characters?

Many people lent their voices to the characters in the series. These included Roy Skelton, Derek Nimmo, and Philip Latham. The music for the show was created by Freddie Phillips.

Episodes and Remakes

The episodes were shown again many times in the early 1960s. Later, in 1976, six of the plays were remade in color. These new versions used different puppets and settings. They were made using a technique called stop-motion animation. This means objects are moved slightly between each photo, making them look like they are moving when played quickly. These remakes were also called Rubovia and introduced some new characters.

The Kingdom of Rubovia

Rubovia is a made-up kingdom located somewhere in Central Europe. It shares borders with other fictional places. These include the Kingdom of Borsovia and the Grand Duchy of Humperstein.

Who Rules Rubovia?

The land is ruled by King Rufus XIV. He is a kind king and comes from a long line of kings named Rufus. His son, the next in line for the throne, is Prince Rupert. King Rufus rules alongside his wife, Queen Caroline.

The people of Rubovia, especially the Royal Family, speak English. They wear clothes that look like European styles from the late 1700s.

Technology in Rubovia

Rubovia does not have modern technology. It seems the Industrial Revolution, which brought many new machines to Europe, somehow missed Rubovia. The country mostly uses steam engines for its technology. They do not use electricity or telecommunication devices like the telephone. Instead, they rely a lot on clockwork machines.

Magic in Rubovia

Rubovia is a special place where magic still works. However, it doesn't always go as planned! The main person who tries to use magic is Albert Wetherspoon. He works for the Royal Family and has many important jobs. He is the Master of the Rolls, the Court Photographer, and the Royal Gardener. As the Court Musician, he plays the Royal organ. His cat, Puss, helps by pressing the air pump with its tail.

Main Characters

King Rufus is a friendly and sometimes clumsy character. He lets others handle most of his duties. He is good friends with King Boris of Borsovia.

Queen Caroline is a much stronger character. She is a close friend and cousin of Grand Duchess Arabella of Humperstein. Queen Caroline loves her pet dragon named Pongo. Pongo has a funny habit: he turns into a cabbage whenever he hiccups!

Another character who often appears is McGregor. He is an Indian character with a Chinese accent. He usually causes some kind of trouble.

Life in Rubovia

We don't know much about the regular people of Rubovia. Most of them work in farming. Because of this, Rubovia's main export is high-quality vegetables. The cabbages from the Royal Cabbage Patch are especially famous and valued.