Here Come the Double Deckers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Here Come the Double Deckers!
Created by	Harry Booth Roy Simpson Glyn Jones
Starring	Michael Audreson Gillian Bailey Bruce Clark Peter Firth Brinsley Forde Melvyn Hayes Debbie Russ Douglas Simmonds
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Production
Running time	22 minutes (approx.) per episode
Release
Original network	ABC BBC1
Original release	First aired: 12 September 1970 (US) 1 January 1971 (UK) – Last aired: 3 September 1972 (US) 30 April 1971 (UK)

Here Come the Double Deckers! was a fun British TV show for kids. It had 17 episodes and first aired between 1970 and 1971. The story was about seven friends who had a secret clubhouse. Their special hideout was an old red double-decker bus. It was parked in a scrap yard, making it the perfect place for adventures!

About the Show

This show was a sitcom, which means it was a funny show with a regular group of characters. It was made by a British film company called Century Films and 20th Century Fox Television. Each episode was about 22 minutes long.

Exciting Adventures

Every week, the Double Deckers gang went on a new adventure. Imagine them trying to control a homemade hovercraft that gets away! They also visited a chocolate factory. One time, they even thought 'Martians' were invading. These 'Martians' had guns that shot out chocolate candy! Other adventures included a camping trip that went wrong. They also collected tin foil to help buy a guide dog. The gang even tried to make a pop star famous. And they explored a spooky old house that seemed haunted.

Who Was in the Show?

Some of the actors were new to TV. But Melvyn Hayes was already a well-known adult actor. Gillian Bailey had a lot of experience for a child actor. Both Brinsley Forde and Michael Audreson had been in a similar film series. This earlier series was called The Magnificent Six and a Half. Melvyn Hayes also helped write some episodes and the show's theme song. He even helped the actors with their lines.

Many of the actors went on to do amazing things. Gillian Bailey now leads the drama department at a university. Peter Firth became a very famous actor. He appeared in movies like The Hunt for Red October. He was also in the TV series Spooks. Brinsley Forde later became the lead singer for the band Aswad.

When Did It Air?

The show first came out in the US on 12 September 1970. It was shown on ABC. In the UK, it started on 1 January 1971 on BBC1. The series was shown again in the US from 1971 to 1972. Some ITV channels in the UK also repeated the show in the early 1990s.

The creators had planned to make 26 episodes. They even thought about a second series! But only 17 episodes were made in the end. All the episodes were released on DVD in the UK in 2010.

Meet the Cast

The show had a great group of young actors. They played the main characters in the Double Deckers gang.

The Children

• Michael Audreson played Brains. He was the smart one who loved science.
• Gillian Bailey played Billie. She was a tomboy and a strong girl in the group.
• Bruce Clark played Sticks. He was from America and got his name because he was great at drumming.
• Peter Firth played Scooper. He was the leader of the gang.
• Brinsley Forde played Spring.
• Debbie Russ played Tiger. She was the youngest and always had her stuffed tiger with her.
• Douglas Simmonds played Doughnut. He loved to eat and was always snacking.

Other Actors

• Melvyn Hayes played Albert in most episodes.
• Ivor Salter often appeared as a police officer.
• Many other guest stars appeared in single episodes. These included famous actors like Jane Seymour and Frank Thornton.

Episode Guide

Here are some of the exciting adventures the Double Deckers had:

• Tiger Takes Off (Episode 1): Tiger accidentally goes for a ride on a hovercraft that Brains built!
• The Case of the Missing Doughnut (Episode 2): Doughnut drinks a special formula Brains made and becomes invisible.
• Get a Movie On (Episode 3): The gang makes a film for a contest. Brains has to edit it all together.
• Starstruck (Episode 4): The gang chases a movie star's lost dog around a film studio.
• Happy Haunting (Episode 5): Albert takes the gang to a spooky stately home for a day trip.
• Summer Camp (Episode 6): The gang goes camping and causes some trouble for a couple.
• The Pop Singer (Episode 7): They find a musician hiding in their bus. They try to make him a star!
• Scooper Strikes Out (Episode 8): Scooper gets hit by a baseball. He then dreams he's with Alice in Wonderland.
• Robbie the Robot (Episode 9): Brains builds a robot to get Tiger's stuffed animal back from a neighbor.
• The Go-Karters (Episode 10): A biker messes with their go-kart. Spring ends up in a police chase!
• A Helping Hound (Episode 11): The gang tries to help a woman decorate her house.
• Invaders from Space (Episode 12): The kids think men in spacesuits are aliens. But they are just advertising candy!
• Barney (Episode 13): The gang becomes friends with Barney, a one-man band.
• Man's Best Friend (Episode 14): The gang puts on a show to raise money for a guide dog.
• United We Stand (Episode 15): The owner of the scrap yard wants to build a car park. The kids try to stop him!
• Up to Scratch (Episode 16): Billie has to look after a dog named Scratch. But it runs off!
• A Hit for a Miss (Episode 17): The boys like their new substitute teacher. Billie gets jealous.

Music from the Show

Music was a big part of Here Come the Double Deckers!. The cast sang songs written by Harry Booth, Melvyn Hayes, and Johnny Arthey. Ivor Slaney composed and directed the music. An album with 11 songs was released in 1970. It was re-released on CD in 2007.

Song List

• It's a Day and a Half (from episode 5)
• To the Countryside (from episode 6)
• Good Day at Yellow Rock (from episode 3)
• With a Little Bit of Love (from episode 17)
• I Gotta Get Through (from episode 7)
• Get On Board (This was the main theme song!)
• Life Is a Wonderful Thing (from episode 7)
• Grannie's Rocking Chair (from episode 6)
• One Man Band (from episode 13)
• Welcome to the Party (from episode 8)
• Fat Ladies (from episode 17)

Other Appearances

Comic Strip

The children's comic Whizzer and Chips had a "Double Deckers" cartoon strip. It ran from May 1971 to May 1972.

Go for a Take Film

Debbie Russ, who played Tiger, appeared as herself in the 1972 comedy film Go for a Take. This movie was directed by Harry Booth, who also helped create Double Deckers!. The film is set in a movie studio. It shows Here Come the Double Deckers! as one of the shows being made there. Sadly, the original stuffed tiger prop was lost after the TV series finished. So, a similar-looking tiger was used in the movie.

The Magnificent Six and 1/2

Before Here Come the Double Deckers!, a film series called The Magnificent Six and 1/2 was made. It was very similar to Double Deckers! and helped inspire it. Six and a Half also focused on seven children's adventures. Many of the people who worked on Six and a Half also worked on Double Deckers!. This included the producer Roy Simpson and director Harry Booth. Actors Brinsley Forde and Michael Audreson were in both series. Melvyn Hayes also appeared in some Six and a Half episodes. Some of the jokes and storylines from Six and a Half were even used again in Double Deckers!.