Follyfoot facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Follyfoot
Created by	Based on an idea by Monica Dickens
Starring	Gillian Blake Steve Hodson Christian Rodska Desmond Llewelyn Arthur English
Country of origin	United Kingdom West Germany
No. of series	3
No. of episodes	39 (list of episodes)
Production
Camera setup	Single camera
Running time	30 minutes
Release
Original network	Yorkshire Television for ITV
Original release	28 June 1971 (28 June 1971) – 15 September 1973 (15 September 1973)

Follyfoot is a popular children's TV show from the 1970s. It was made by a British company called Yorkshire Television and a German company called TV Munich. The show was all about a special farm called Follyfoot, where injured or badly treated horses were rescued and cared for.

The series first aired in the United Kingdom between 1971 and 1973. It was so loved that it was shown again many times, even in the late 1980s! The main star was Gillian Blake, who played Dora. Famous directors like Stephen Frears and Michael Apted also worked on the show.

The idea for Follyfoot came from a book called Cobbler's Dream by Monica Dickens. She later wrote more books about the Follyfoot farm and its horses, including Follyfoot, Dora at Follyfoot, The Horses of Follyfoot, and Stranger at Follyfoot.

Meet the Characters of Follyfoot

Main Characters

• Dora Maddocks (Gillian Blake): Dora is the main character. She's the niece of the Colonel, who owns Follyfoot. Dora grew up with parents who didn't really understand her, and she felt lonely even with lots of toys. When her parents went to South America, Dora came to live with her uncle. At Follyfoot, she found her true home and a purpose: helping horses. Dora is a dreamer who wants to protect the horses and the farm. When her uncle gives her Follyfoot, she tries hard to keep it running just as it always has, even when it gets difficult.
• Steve Ross (Steve Hodson): Steve is a skilled horseman who comes to work at Follyfoot. He had a tough past and has seen a lot of the world. He believes in helping horses, just like Dora, but he's more realistic about how things work. This sometimes causes disagreements between him and Dora, especially in the later seasons. He cares deeply for Dora and wishes he could be as hopeful as she is.
• Ron Stryker (Christian Rodska): Ron is another young worker at Follyfoot. He's known to be a bit of a rebel and has friends who cause trouble. His dad helped him get a job at Follyfoot to keep him out of mischief. Ron can be a bit lazy and loves riding his Triumph Tiger motorbike too fast. But deep down, Ron has a good heart and loves the horses just as much as everyone else on the farm.
• Slugger Jones (Arthur English): Slugger is a former boxer who works as the housekeeper at Follyfoot. He's been with the Colonel for over 20 years. Slugger is a strong, reliable person for Dora, always there to support her but also ready to tell her to be strong when needed. He might seem a bit rough, but he's very kind and cares a lot for Ron, even though they often pretend to argue. His cooking is famous for being simple, usually just bacon and eggs or stew!
• Colonel Geoffrey Maddocks (Desmond Llewelyn): The Colonel is Dora's uncle and the kind owner who started Follyfoot farm. He created Follyfoot years ago because he wanted to help animals suffering from cruelty. People know him as a kind and unique person, and he's often the first person they call when a horse needs a new home. He loves Dora like his own daughter. When he gets sick in the second season, he signs Follyfoot over to Dora, trusting her to continue his important work.

Other Characters

• Lewis Hammond (Paul Guess): Lewis is Ron's friend and the leader of a group of motorcycle riders who cause trouble.
• Callie Holmes (Gillian Bailey): Callie is a teenage schoolgirl who sometimes helps out at Follyfoot. She loves horses and sometimes gets into tricky situations trying to help them.
• Gip Willens (Bryan Sweeney): Gip is a young boy who loves horses but needs to learn more about how to care for them properly.
• Wendy Bendiger (Elaine Donnelly): Wendy is a girl Steve briefly likes, which makes Dora feel a bit sad.
• Sam Lockwood (Frederick Treves): Sam is a horse trader who only cares about making money, not about the horses' well-being. He causes a lot of problems for Follyfoot in the third season. His son, Chip (Nigel Crewe), briefly dates Dora, but he's too loyal to his dad.
• Hazel Donnelly (Veronica Quilligan): Hazel is a 14-year-old girl who comes to Follyfoot from a special school. Dora doesn't like her at first, but Hazel is actually a lot like Dora, with similar family problems. She eventually starts to enjoy working with the horses.
• The Vet (Geoffrey Morris and Colin Rix): A kind vet who helps the horses at Follyfoot.

Episodes Overview

The Follyfoot series has three seasons, with 13 episodes in each season, making a total of 39 episodes. Each episode tells a story about the horses and the people who care for them at the farm.