Carland Cross (TV series) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carland Cross
Intertitle
Created by	Michel Oleffe Olivier Grenson
Developed by	Michel Oleffe Emmanuel Errer Gérald Dupeyrot
Directed by	Michel Oleffe Olivier Grenson
Starring	Ellen David Dean Hagopian Thor Bishopric Mark Camacho Terrence Scammell Hubert Fielden
Theme music composer	Didier Ledan Joseph Refalo
Country of origin	Belgium Canada France
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	26
Production
Producer(s)	ODEC KID Cartoons Les Armateurs Toonarific Cartoons
Running time	26 minutes
Production company(s)	TF1 Canal+
Release
Original network	Belgium: BRTN, RTBF France: Canal+, Télétoon, TF1 Quebec: Super Écran, TVA
Original release	1996 (1996) – 1997 (1997)

Carland Cross was an exciting animated detective TV show. It came out in 1996. This series was a team effort between Belgium, France, and Canada. There were 26 episodes, each about 26 minutes long.

The show was based on a comic book series called The Adventures of Carland Cross. These comics were created by Olivier Grenson and Michel Oleffe from Belgium. The story follows a British private investigator named Carland Cross. He specializes in solving strange and mysterious cases. The series was first shown in French as Carland Cross. In other places, like Spain, it was known as Las aventuras de Carland Cross.

Out of the 26 episodes, only three stories came directly from the original comic books. These were 'The Golem', 'The Monster Under Sea' (also known as 'The Tunnel'), and 'The Mysteries of The Loch Ness'. Even though the show isn't very well known globally, it was quite popular. It was a big hit in the late 1990s and early 2000s. This was especially true in European countries like Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland. It also gained many fans in South America, particularly in Argentina.

What is Carland Cross About?

The Main Story

Carland Cross is a classic British private detective. He lives in the 1930s. He is often called to investigate very strange and mysterious events. Cross works to solve cases involving old ruins and forbidden places. He also looks into weird murders, mysterious evil plots, and deserted cities. He even faces many unbelievable monsters!

The main story takes place in the United Kingdom, mostly in London. London is shown as a foggy, mysterious city. It's a place where crime is common, and danger is always lurking.

Who are the Characters?

The Main Hero

Carland Cross: He is a smart and careful British private investigator. His office is on Baker Street in London. He often works with the police. Carland shares his investigations with his young student, Andy White. He also works with Medwenna Simpson, a rich admirer. Plus, Superintendent Marmaduke Wingfield often helps him out.

The Good Guys

• Andy White: Born in Whitechapel in 1916, Andy is Cross's energetic student. He can be a bit hotheaded and feisty. But he is also a promising young detective with a kind heart. Andy's main job is to help explain things. He writes down the adventures of Carland Cross, who is a bit of a loner. Andy's occasional clumsiness also adds some unexpected fun to the show.
• Mrs. Stone: Mildred Stone is around sixty years old. She is a kind housekeeper and a great cook. She makes sure Cross and White are well-fed. She also looks after the detective. Mrs. Stone doesn't always agree with their dangerous detective work.
• Medwenna Simpson: Medwenna is a beautiful, wealthy woman. She has green eyes and red hair. She works as a novelist. She met Carland Cross by chance at The Derby. After that, she decided to write a book about the famous detective. To do this, she often investigates alongside Cross. This makes them close partners.
• Marmaduke Wingfield: He is one of the Police Superintendents in London. He can be gruff, grumpy, and easily stressed. In the series, Marmaduke Wingfield represents the power of the police. He can call on police resources when an investigation needs it. His relationship with Carland Cross is interesting. They are often allies, but sometimes they act like rivals.

The Bad Guys

• Murdock: Murdock is the main villain in most of the series. He is Carland Cross's evil arch-enemy. Murdock is a Prussian international adventurer. He is also a mercenary, smuggler, and spy. Carland Cross injured his left hand in 1914 during a fight. Murdock has long silver hair, wears a monocle, and uses a cigarette holder. He is a cruel person who doesn't care about rules. He always wants more power, loves secret plots, and seeks revenge. Murdock has a personal vendetta against England because of Carland Cross.
• Snoops: Snoops is Murdock's strong but not-so-smart helper. Bardolph Snoops is a big man with long black hair. He is a bit intelligent, but also a bit naive and easily scared. He doesn't talk much.

How the Show Was Made

The Carland Cross crime comics first appeared in 1990. They were inspired by famous authors like Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle, William Hope Hodgson, and Jean Ray.

In 1994, Olivier Grenson had an idea to make a computer animation of Carland Cross. He worked with a friend who owned a studio called ASAP. They picked images from the comic books and made a short animated clip. They added sounds and a script by Michel Oleffe.

After that, they contacted a Belgian animation studio called ODEC-Kid Cartoons. They quickly decided to make a test animation, called a pilot. Michel Oleffe wrote a script for the pilot based on the Mystery of Loch Ness story. This pilot was shown at an animation meeting in the Azores in 1995. People liked the pilot a lot. So, Odec-Kid Cartoons, along with French and Canadian partners, quickly got the money to start making the full series.

Olivier Grenson and Michel Oleffe, the creators, later turned their comics into a special 3D animated series. It was for both kids and adults. The show mixed crime, suspense, and supernatural themes. The series had 26 episodes, each 26 minutes long, and was finished in 1997.

Episodes

Season 1 (1996)

DVD Releases

The Carland Cross series was released on DVD only in Spain. This happened between 1999 and 2000. It came out in a slim box set. [1]

See also

In Spanish: Las aventuras de Carland Cross para niños