Dodger, Bonzo and the Rest facts for kids

Dodger, Bonzo and the Rest was a popular British TV show from the 1980s. It was a drama series that followed the lives of two main characters, Michael "Dodger" Dolan and his sister, Carol, who was nicknamed "Bonzo." They lived in London as part of a big foster family. The show aired on the ITV channel's Children's ITV in the early evenings. There were two seasons, each with six episodes, shown between 1985 and 1986. A special Christmas episode aired on December 22, 1986, which was the very last episode of the series.

The show starred Lee Ross as Dodger. His sister Bonzo was first played by Sophy McCallum, and later by Jodie Gordon.

What Was the Show About?

The series focused on the daily adventures and challenges of Dodger, Bonzo, and the other kids in their foster family. It showed how they lived together and supported each other. The stories often explored themes of family, friendship, and growing up.

How Did the Show Start?

The idea for Dodger, Bonzo and the Rest came from a single episode of another TV show called Dramarama. Dramarama was an anthology series, which means it showed a different, complete story each week. The episode featuring Dodger and Bonzo was written by Geoffrey Case. It became very popular, so popular that the TV channel decided to turn it into its own full series!

Music in the Show

The theme song for Dodger, Bonzo and the Rest was the famous song "Our House" by the band Madness. What's cool is that the young actors from the show actually sang this version of the song for the opening credits! Another well-known song, "Sailing" by Rod Stewart, was also featured in one episode. The cast members sang this song too, during the closing credits of an early episode, as their characters were sailing along the River Thames in London.

Even though it was a popular show, Dodger, Bonzo and the Rest has never been released on DVD.

The Final Episode

The very last episode of the series was a special Christmas show in 1986. In this episode, Dodger gets a job at a department store. He's trying to earn some money for Christmas. He likes working in the packing area, but his dream of becoming an important staff member changes when the new manager, Mr. French, asks Dodger to work at Santa's Grotto instead, dressed as an elf. Dodger is not happy about this at first, but he agrees when he finds out he'll get paid more.

Meanwhile, another character named Lisa really wants to see her mother for Christmas. Ronnie, another character, tries to help Lisa understand if seeing her mother again is the best idea for her.

Also, Sharon is going through a tough time and needs support to make sure her baby son, Darren, has a good life.