Around the World in Eighty Days (1972 TV series) facts for kids
Around the World in Eighty Days is a fun animated TV show that aired for one season in 1972–1973 on NBC. It was special because it was the first cartoon made in Australia to be shown on American TV! Leif Gram directed all 16 episodes. The stories were inspired by the famous 1873 novel, Around the World in Eighty Days, written by Jules Verne.
Contents
The Story of the Show
The TV show's story is more comedic and lighthearted than the original book. In this version, the main character, Phileas Fogg (voiced by Alistair Duncan), is deeply in love with Belinda Maze (Janet Waldo). Belinda's uncle, Lord Maze (Owen Weingott), doesn't approve of Fogg because he's not from a noble family.
The Big Wager
Fogg makes a daring bet with Lord Maze. He says if he can travel all the way around the world in just eighty days, then Lord Maze must let him marry Belinda. If Fogg fails, he promises to leave Belinda alone forever. They also make a side bet for £20,000, which is a lot of money!
Fogg's Amazing Journey
Fogg doesn't travel alone. He brings his loyal helper, Jean Passepartout (Ross Higgins), and Passepartout's clever pet monkey, Toto. They use all sorts of transportation from the late 1800s. This includes hot air balloons, trains, elephants, and big steamships. As they travel, Fogg and Passepartout share interesting facts about the places they visit.
The Saboteur
Lord Maze isn't happy about the bet. So, he hires a sneaky person named Mr. Fix (Max Osbiston) to try and stop Fogg and Passepartout. Unlike the book, Mr. Fix isn't a detective. He's just there to cause trouble and make sure Fogg loses the bet.
The Exciting Finish
Despite all the challenges, Fogg manages to finish his journey just in time! He wins the bet and gets to marry Belinda, proving that he can do anything he sets his mind to.
How Each Episode Works
Every episode of Around the World in Eighty Days follows a similar and fun pattern:
- Fogg tells Passepartout about their next exciting destination.
- Fogg asks Passepartout to pack a bag with items that seem random at first.
- Fogg shares a wise saying or proverb.
- Mr. Fix talks about his plan to stop Fogg's journey.
- Fogg and Passepartout continue their trip, while Fix tries to interfere.
- During their travels, Fogg explains the history and geography of the places they visit.
- Surprisingly, all the items Fogg asked Passepartout to pack become super important later on.
- The proverb Fogg shared at the start of the episode also helps them succeed.
- Each episode ends with Fogg happily saying, "Good show, Passepartout!"
Places and Proverbs in the Episodes
Here are some of the places Fogg and Passepartout visited and the proverbs Fogg shared:
| Episode Number | Place Visited | Proverb Shared |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | London, Buckingham Palace | The motto of the wise is, be prepared for surprises. |
| 2 | Paris | Don't jump to conclusions, or conclusions may jump on you. |
| 3 | Switzerland and the Alps | There is always a way to save the day. |
| 4 | Rome | Don't put the cart before the horse. |
| 5 | Naples, Pompei | Don't make a mountain out of a molehill. |
| 6 | Mediterranean Sea, Greek islands | Doubting your chances before you're done, may cost you the race you might have won. On the other hand: If you're over confident, you might miss the boat. |
| 7 | Greece, Athens | There is a time and a place for everything. |
| 8 | Egypt and the pyramids | Always think a problem through, before deciding what to do. |
| 9 | Sinai and Petra | The cure to most fear is knowledge. |
| 10 | Gaza, Damascus and Palmyra | The little things in life are like links in a chain: they never seem important by themselves. |
| 11 | Persia, Isfahan | To win life's game without a fall, keep your eyes open and on the ball. |
| 12 | India, Udaipur | We always help ourselves whenever we help others. |
| 13 | China sea, China | Honesty is the best policy. |
| 14 | Japan, Tokyo, Mount Fuji | Our rewards will be sweet, if we keep our world neat. |
| 15 | United States, California, San Francisco | Don't let your thoughts get in a rut; the knife which spreads may also cut. |
| 16 | United States, Louisiana, New Orleans; boat to England. | Learn to use what you have got, and you won't need what you have not. |
Music of the Show
The catchy theme music for the show was created by John Sangster. It used a variation of the tune from an old song called "Mademoiselle from Armentières." The words for the theme song were written specially for the show, but the writer was not named.
Watching the Show at Home
If you want to watch Around the World in Eighty Days, it was released on DVD in the United States. A two-disc set was put out by Visual Entertainment on September 27, 2011.
