Andy Pandy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Andy Pandy |
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From the 1952 Andy Pandy opening titles. The blocks turned to reveal the title one letter at a time.
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| Created by | Freda Lingstrom & Maria Bird |
| Starring |
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| Opening theme | Andy Pandy Theme (2002) |
| Ending theme | Andy Pandy Theme (instrumental; 2002) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom United States (2002 revival) |
| No. of series | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 91 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | David Boisseau Peter Thompson |
| Running time | 15–16 minutes (Watch with Mother) 5 minutes (revival) |
| Production company(s) | Original series BBC 2002 revival Cosgrove Hall Films BBC Worldwide Ben Productions LLC |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC Television Service 1950, 1970 CBeebies 2002–2008 |
| Original release | 20 June 1950 – 27 September 2002 |
Andy Pandy was a popular British children's television series that first appeared on BBC TV in the summer of 1950. It started as a live show, meaning it was performed as it was broadcast! Later, 26 filmed episodes were made and shown repeatedly until 1970. That year, a new series of 13 episodes was created. The show was brought back again in 2002 with a fresh look. Andy Pandy also inspired a comic strip that appeared in children's magazines like Robin and Pippin.
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What was the Original Andy Pandy Like?
The very first Andy Pandy show aired on BBC TV in 1950. It was part of a special block of children's programmes called For the Children, which later became Watch with Mother. Maria Bird was the narrator, telling the stories.
At first, the shows were live, but soon people realized it would be better to film them so they could be shown again and again. So, 26 episodes, each about 15 minutes long, were filmed around 1952. These episodes were so popular that they were repeated constantly until 1969! In 1970, 13 brand new episodes were made in colour, with Vera McKechnie as the narrator.
Who were the Characters?
Andy Pandy himself was a marionette, which is a puppet controlled by strings. He lived in a picnic basket. Later, two more friends joined him: Teddy, a teddy bear, and Looby Loo, a rag doll. Looby Loo would magically come to life when Andy and Teddy weren't around and would often sing the song Here we go Looby Loo. All three characters shared the same picnic basket. Every episode ended with a special goodbye song: "Time to go home, Time to go home, Andy is waving goodbye."
It's said that the way Andy Pandy looked was based on Paul Atterbury, who was the young son of one of the puppeteers, Audrey Atterbury.
Who Made the Original Show?
Many talented people worked on the original Andy Pandy series:
- Producer: Freda Lingstrom
- Narrator: Maria Bird and later Vera McKechnie
- Writer and Composer: Freda Lingstrom and Maria Bird
- Singers: Gladys Whitred, Julia Williams, and Maria Bird (in the 1970 colour series)
- Puppeteers: Audrey Atterbury, Molly Gibson, Martin Grainger, The Stavordales, and Christopher Leith (in the 1970 colour series)
The 1970 Colour Series
By 1970, BBC1 (the TV channel) was broadcasting in colour. Because of this, 13 new episodes of Andy Pandy were made in colour and started airing on January 5, 1970. These episodes continued the adventures of Andy, Teddy, and Looby Loo for a new generation of viewers.
The 2002 Revival: A New Look for Andy Pandy
In 2002, a completely new set of 52 episodes was created. This time, instead of string puppets, the show used stop-motion animation. This is a technique where objects are moved tiny amounts between individually photographed frames, making them appear to move on their own when the pictures are played quickly.
The familiar nursery and garden from the original series were expanded into an entire village. Andy, Teddy, and Looby Loo now had their own houses. Four new characters were also introduced:
- Missy Hissy: A snake.
- Tiffo: A teal and purple dog.
- Bilbo: A sailor.
- Orbie: A yellow and blue ball.
The new series was narrated by the actor Tom Conti. While the older shows focused a lot on music and movement, the 2002 series put more emphasis on "making and doing" – showing characters creating things and solving problems.
Images for kids
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From the 1952 Andy Pandy opening titles. The blocks turned to reveal the title one letter at a time.
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A stop-motion set from the 2002 series on display at the National Science and Media Museum, featuring Andy Pandy, Looby Loo, and Teddy.
Andy Pandy at BBC Programmes
