Hilltop Hospital facts for kids

Hilltop Hospital is a super fun animated TV show. It was made in 1999 using a special technique called claymation. This means the characters and sets are made from clay, then moved slightly and photographed frame by frame. When you play the photos fast, it looks like they are moving!

The show has 52 short episodes, each about ten minutes long. It was created in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. Because of this, it has different names in other languages. For example, it's called Hôpital Hilltop in French and Klinik Hügelheim in German. The series is based on popular books by Nicholas Allan.

The catchy theme song and music for the English version were made by Ben Heneghan and Ian Lawson. They also created music for other well-known shows like Fireman Sam.

Meet the Hospital Staff

Hilltop Hospital is a special place where animals are the doctors, nurses, and patients! The grown-up animals work there, and the young animals are usually the ones who need help. Here are some of the main characters you'll meet:

• Dr. Matthews: He's a friendly dog who works at the hospital. He really likes Surgeon Sally!
• Nurse Kitty: A sweet cat who works as a nurse. She hopes Dr. Matthews will notice her, but he's often too busy.
• Surgeon Sally: This hardworking hippo is a very skilled surgeon. She's always focused on her job and doesn't have much time for distractions.
• Clare and Arthur: These two clever rats handle all the technical and lab work. They help figure out what's wrong with the patients.
• Dr. Atticus: A slow and steady tortoise who is the anesthetist. He sometimes falls asleep on the job!
• The Two Teds: These are twin bears who drive the hospital ambulance. They also help out as orderlies, making sure everything runs smoothly.

Many talented actors gave voices to these characters in the English version. Kevin Whately was the voice of Dr. Matthews. Sally Ann Marsh voiced Nurse Kitty, and Celia Imrie was Surgeon Sally. The two Teds were voiced by Paul Shane, and Brian Murphy was Dr. Atticus. Julie Higginson voiced Clare, and Jonathan Kydd was Arthur. Sometimes, famous guest voices appeared, like Dame Thora Hird as Gracey Greyshell in one episode.

Episode Adventures: Series 1 (1999)

The first season of Hilltop Hospital brought many exciting and sometimes funny medical adventures. Here are the episodes from 1999:

• Heart Trouble
• Easter Bunnies
• Blood Bank
• The Big Event
• Rag Week at Hilltop
• The Big Match (Le Grand Match)
• Gracey Greyshell's Last Day
• Fire Alert
• Happy Birthday, Dr Matthews!
• The Mystery Illness
• Radio Hilltop
• Nurse Kitty's a Star
• The Ghost of Hilltop
• Blind as a Bat
• Accidents Will Happen
• Lift-off at Hilltop
• A Perfect Wedding
• Flower-Power
• Dogs Dinner
• Weasel Kneasal
• Mouth-to-Mouth
• All Creatures Great and Small
• Butterflies in My Tummy
• The Bear Who Wouldn't Share
• Press-ups and Bunny Hops
• Pamela's Secret

Episode Adventures: Series 2 (2001)

The second season continued the fun with more patients and new challenges for the hospital staff. These episodes aired in 2001:

• Secret Beds
• Saving Your Bacon
• Teething Trouble
• The Hyper Hedgehog
• Lazy Eye
• Laughter is the Best Medecine
• Bully For You
• Hot and Bothered
• Nits
• Nightmare at Hilltop
• A Good Sketch
• Fond Memory
• C-C-Caspar
• Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
• Safety First
• Wee Trouble
• Testing Time
• Earache at Hilltop
• Larger Than Life
• Smile
• New Talent
• Skin Deep
• An Extra Pair of Hands
• Siamese Twins
• Cold Feet
• The Blues