Captain Star facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Captain Star |
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| Created by | Steven Appleby Frank Cottrell-Boyce Pete Bishop |
| Starring | Richard E. Grant Adrian Edmondson Denica Fairman Kerry Shale Gary Martin Kate Harper (pilot only) Enn Reitel (pilot only) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom, Canada |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 13 (and 1 pilot) (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Cosgrove Hall Films HTV |
| Release | |
| Original network | ITV (United Kingdom) Teletoon (Canada) |
| Original release | 8 July 1997 – 27 August 1998 |
Captain Star was an exciting animated TV show from the UK and Canada. It featured the voice of Richard E. Grant as Captain Jim Star. The show was based on a comic by Steven Appleby called Rockets Passing Overhead. Only 13 episodes, each about 30 minutes long, were made and shown between 1997 and 1998.
Contents
Story of Captain Star
The story of Captain Star follows the crew of a rocketship called the Boiling Hell. They are sent to a dry planet known as "the Nameless Planet." This planet is located at the very edge of the universe. Their mission is to wait there for their next assignment.
The ship's crew includes:
- Captain Star: He is very proud of himself and sometimes a bit worried.
- Science Officer Scarlett: She is smart and uses science to solve problems.
- "Limbs" Jones: He is the engineer and stoker, a mutant with nine heads and six arms.
- Navigator Black: He is a nervous fish-lover who keeps fish.
Later, a robot named Jim-Bob-Bob joins them. He helps with chores like laundry.
Captain Star is known as "the greatest hero any world has ever known." He is a famous explorer with hundreds of planets named after him. His birthday is even a holiday across the universe!
The crew waits for new orders from Mission Control, but they never arrive. They have been waiting so long that Navigator Black has built a fish restaurant on the planet. It's mostly a giant aquarium for his fish. It seems Mission Control might have forgotten about them. Or, they might have quietly retired Captain Star while still letting him seem like a hero to the public. Even so, events often happen that need Captain Star and his crew to step in and save the day.
Main Characters
Captain Jim Star (Richard E. Grant) Captain Star was trained from birth to be a starship captain. He is seen as the best captain in the fleet. He left the Captain's Academy at age 12. He spent a year learning from Captain Ned Nova, who had named 115 planets after himself. Captain Star broke that record! He is about 127 "space years" old, which makes him seem like a man in his 50s. Captain Star believes he is a hero and deserves his fame. He often doesn't notice danger or listen to his crew's advice. He is very loyal and truly believes his orders will come eventually.
First Officer Scarlett (Denica Fairman) Scarlett is a strong, brave woman with red hair. She is also a very good scientist. She often saves the day using her scientific skills. Scarlett uses logic and investigates problems, which is different from Captain Star's way of just trying things in an emergency. On the Nameless Planet, where Captain Star has no ship to command, Scarlett handles most of the leadership duties.
Atomic Engine Stoker "Limbs" Jones (Adrian Edmondson) "Limbs" Jones became a mutant after an atomic accident. He has nine heads and six arms. Each of his heads holds a different part of his brain, so each head has a slightly different personality. Jones loves cats and has named many pets, from Sputnik 1 to Sputnik 374! When his many heads talk to each other or to the crew, it can sometimes make others impatient.
Navigator Black (Kerry Shale/Gary Martin) Navigator Black used to guide the Boiling Hell. Now, he runs a small fish-shaped restaurant on the Nameless Planet and is the cook. He loves fish so much that his restaurant is full of aquariums. Black often swims with his fish. He even made a device that shows what his fish are thinking! Black gets nervous easily and often panics under pressure. A funny part of the show is that Navigator Black can't tell his left from his right.
Other Characters
- Captain Bloater (Gary Martin)
- Jasper Quilt (Gary Martin)
- Captain Spratt (Denica Fairman)
Episodes
Pilot (1992)
| Title | Original air date |
|---|---|
| "Invasion of the Tasty Morsels" | 1992 |
Season 1 (1997)
| No. | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Atomic Alarm Clock" | 8 July 1997 |
| 2 | "Day of the Zooties" | 15 July 1997 |
| 3 | "The Worm Turns" | 22 July 1997 |
| 4 | "No Future" | 29 July 1997 |
| 5 | "Nine Heads are Better than One" | 5 August 1997 |
| 6 | "Waiting for Sputnik" | 12 August 1997 |
Season 2 (1998)
| No. | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | "Rocket to Nowhere" | 16 July 1998 |
| 8 | "It's Written in the Stars" | 23 July 1998 |
| 9 | "Ned Nova" | 30 July 1998 |
| 10 | "The Gravity of the Situation" | 6 August 1998 |
| 11 | "The Collector" | 13 August 1998 |
| 12 | "The Edge of the Universe" | 20 August 1998 |
| 13 | "A Galaxy of Stars" | 27 August 1998 |
Where it Was Shown
The Captain Star series was shown on ITV in the UK. In Canada, it was broadcast on Teletoon. Later, the show was re-run on other channels. These included Locomotion in Latin America, Nickelodeon in the UK, and Space in Canada.
Home Video
At least one VHS tape of Captain Star was released. It included the first three episodes of the series.
See also
In Spanish: Captain Star para niños
