Mortimer and Arabel facts for kids

Mortimer and Arabel is a fun BBC puppet comedy-drama TV series. It's based on the popular book series by Joan Aiken (1924-2004). The show was first shown on BBC One as part of Children's BBC from November 15, 1993, to December 21, 1994. Some of the original books, which had cool drawings by Sir Quentin Blake, were also featured on the BBC show Jackanory.

The stories are about a four-year-old girl named Arabel Jones. She adopts an injured raven that her dad, Ebenezer Jones, a taxi driver, finds on the road. Arabel names the raven "Mortimer." Mortimer is a bit unusual because his only way to communicate is to squawk "Nevermore!" when he's upset.

The Jones family lives at 6 Rainwater Crescent in Rumbury Town, London. Many of their neighbors, like Mr. Coughtrack, Mr. and Mrs. Hamstring, and especially grumpy Mr. Leggitt, don't really like Mortimer. This is because he often causes a lot of chaos! It's usually up to Arabel to keep Mortimer out of trouble, even though he loves to be mischievous. In total, thirty-six 15-minute episodes were made across two series.

Meet the Characters

Besides Arabel, Mortimer, and Arabel's parents, Martha and Ebenezer Jones, there are many other interesting characters in the show.

The Neighbors and Friends

• Mr. Leggitt: A grumpy neighbor who often gets annoyed by Mortimer's antics.
• Bill and Joe: Mr. Leggitt's helpers.
• Chris Cross: Arabel's babysitter. She's one of the few neighbors who actually likes Mortimer!
• Pianono: Mr. Leggitt's pet pigeon.

Town Officials and Other Folks

• Mayor Saddlejoy: The mayor who retired at the end of the first series.
• Sergeant Cutlink: He later becomes the Mayor after Saddlejoy.
• P.C. Barnoff: A police officer.
• Doreen: The Town Hall's secretary.
• Flo: A Scottish odd-job woman, also known as "Have-A-Go Flo" or "Odd-Job Flo."
• Seleena: An Indian singer.
• Professor from Pollyargos: A Greek professor.
• Mr. Bonny: An American millionaire.
• Duchess of Skew: A noblewoman.
• Mr. Westropp: A farmer.
• Daisy, Lazy, and Maisie: A herd of Jersey cows.

The Jones Family and More

• Granny Jones: Ebenezer's mother.
• Augustus: Granny Jones's pet cat.
• Perce Jones: Ebenezer's not-so-nice cousin.
• Sir Humphrey Burbage: A ghost who haunts Mallards' Bank. He was a prisoner in the Tower of London when he was alive. He died owing money to the bank. Mortimer and Arabel help him by finding his hidden gold.
• Mr. Sterrett and Miss Gracie: They work at Mallards' Bank.
• Mrs. Catchpenny: The cleaner at Mallards' Bank.

Series 1: Mortimer's Pocket (1993)

The first series of Mortimer and Arabel was shown on BBC One. New episodes aired on Mondays and Wednesdays from November 15 to December 22, 1993. This series was also available on VHS tapes, but it's not printed anymore. However, you can still find both series to download online!

In this series, Mortimer often gets into funny situations. He might cause trouble in the kitchen or get involved in mysteries. For example, he helps solve the case of some missing computer tapes. The neighbors, especially Mr. Leggitt, often blame Mortimer for any damage, like to their gardens. Mortimer even gets questioned at the Town Hall after swallowing a tape! Arabel always tries her best to help Mortimer and keep him out of trouble. In the end, Mortimer helps the Jones family get a reward by finding the important master tape.

Series 2: More Adventures (1994)

The second series was split into three parts, bringing even more adventures for Mortimer and Arabel.

Mortimer's Mine (October–November 1994)

This part of Series 2 was shown on Mondays and Wednesdays from October 3 to November 9, 1994. In these episodes, the Jones family faces new challenges. Mr. Jones feels unwell, and there's a huge hole in their garden! Mortimer tries to help fill the hole, but it keeps growing. New characters like Seleena, a singer, and the Professor from Pollyargos appear. Mortimer also meets Mr. Bonny, a millionaire. The story involves a song contest and a big stunt with a building called Tower Heights. Mortimer's actions often lead to unexpected and funny outcomes, like hitting Mr. Leggitt's pigeon, Pianono!

May Day in Rumbury (November 1994)

The second part of Series 2 aired on Mondays and Wednesdays from November 14 to November 30, 1994. This section focuses on the traditional May Day Show in Rumbury. Mayor Cutlink asks the Duchess of Skew for help planning the event. Granny Jones visits and is even chosen to be the May Queen! Of course, Mortimer manages to cause some chaos, like building a nest with umbrellas. The celebrations continue, but then the Duchess of Skew's valuable Queen Anne brooch goes missing!

The Bank Ghost (December 1994)

The final part of Series 2 was shown on Mondays and Wednesdays from December 5 to December 21, 1994. This story takes place around Christmas time. Mortimer is tired from guarding a special ring. He and Arabel get involved with a ghost named Sir Humphrey Burbage, who haunts Mallards' Bank. Sir Humphrey died owing money to the bank, and his gold is hidden. Mortimer and Arabel go on a quest to find Sir Humphrey's gold at the Tower of London. They also have to deal with Mr. Leggitt and Cousin Perce Jones. In the end, the ghost leaves a special farewell gift for Mortimer and Arabel at the bank.