Bananaman (TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bananaman |
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Title card
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| Genre | Superhero Comedy |
| Created by | Steve Bright |
| Starring |
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| Theme music composer | Dave Cooke |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 40 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Trevor Bond |
| Running time | 5 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | |
| Original release | 3 October 1983 – 4 March 1986 (reruns 1989–1997) |
Bananaman was a fun animated TV show from the United Kingdom. It was a comedy about a superhero! The show ran from 1983 to 1986. It was based on a popular comic strip character named Bananaman. Each episode was short, about five minutes long. Famous comedians called The Goodies (Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, and Bill Oddie) did the voices for the characters.
The TV show made a few changes from the comic strip. The hero's secret identity was now Eric Twinge. In the comic, he was Eric Wimp. Eric Twinge also had a special banana-shaped hairstyle. This was different from his punk stubble in the comics. When Eric changed into Bananaman, he had a love interest. Her name was Fiona, and she was a newsreader.
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Meet Bananaman: The Hero
Bananaman is a silly superhero who gets his powers from bananas. When Eric Twinge eats a banana, he turns into the mighty Bananaman! He becomes super strong and can fly. But sometimes, he is not very smart. This often leads to funny situations.
Eric Twinge: The Boy Behind the Hero
Eric Twinge is just a normal schoolboy. He lives at 29 Acacia Road. Eric is a bit clumsy and shy. He is the secret identity of Bananaman. When danger calls, Eric quickly eats a banana. Then, with a flash, he transforms into the hero.
Bananaman's Powers and Weaknesses
Bananaman has incredible strength. He can lift heavy objects easily. He can also fly through the sky. His main weakness is that he is not very clever. He often misunderstands things. This makes his adventures even funnier. He always tries his best to help people.
The Voice Cast: Who Played Who?
The show was known for its talented voice actors. Many of them were famous comedians. They brought the characters to life with their unique voices.
The Goodies: Comedy Legends
The main voices were done by members of a comedy group. They were known as The Goodies.
- Tim Brooke-Taylor voiced Eric Twinge. He was the shy schoolboy.
- Graeme Garden was the voice of Bananaman himself. He also voiced General Blight.
- Bill Oddie voiced Crow, Bananaman's sidekick. He also voiced Doctor Gloom.
Other Key Voices
- Jill Shilling voiced Fiona. She was the newsreader and Bananaman's love interest.
The show was written by Bernie Kay. It was produced and directed by Terry Ward.
Bananaman's Friends and Foes
Bananaman had a few friends who helped him. He also had many silly villains to fight.
Crow: The Helpful Bird
Crow is Bananaman's loyal friend. He is a talking crow. Crow often gives Bananaman advice. He also helps him find trouble. Crow is usually smarter than Bananaman. He tries to guide the hero.
The Villains: Silly and Harmless
Bananaman's enemies were never truly scary. They were mostly funny and a bit silly.
- General Blight: He was a grumpy military leader. He often tried to take over the world.
- Doctor Gloom: A mad scientist with silly inventions. He always failed in his plans.
- Weatherman: He could control the weather. But he mostly used his powers for mischief.
These villains made the show exciting. They also added to the comedy.
Episodes and Broadcast
The show had a good run on television. It was popular with children.
How Many Episodes?
There were 40 episodes of Bananaman made. Each episode was short and sweet. They were perfect for quick laughs. The show was divided into three series.
Where Was It Shown?
Bananaman first aired in the United Kingdom. It was shown on the BBC. The show was also popular in other countries. It was even shown in Australia and on Nickelodeon in the United States. Reruns continued for many years after the original broadcast.
