Nellie the Elephant (TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nellie the Elephant |
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|---|---|
| Genre | Children's TV series |
| Created by | Terry Ward |
| Written by | Bernie Kay Richard Everett |
| Directed by | Terry Ward |
| Voices of | Lulu Tony Robinson |
| Narrated by | Tony Robinson |
| Theme music composer | Ralph Butler Peter Hart |
| Opening theme | "Nellie the Elephant" performed by Lulu |
| Ending theme | Nellie the Elephant" performed by Lulu |
| Composer(s) | John Hyde (incidental music) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 30 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Terry Ward |
| Production location(s) | UK |
| Editor(s) | Morgan Daniels Ltd |
| Running time | 5 minutes |
| Production company(s) | FilmFair 101 Film Productions Limited Flicks Films |
| Release | |
| Original network | ITV |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original release | 8 January 1990 – 21 January 1991 |
Nellie the Elephant was a fun British cartoon show for kids. It was made by Terry Ward and shown in the United Kingdom. The show ran from January 8, 1990, to January 21, 1991.
In the series, the famous singer Lulu was the voice of Nellie. The well-known actor Tony Robinson was the narrator, telling the story. A comic book was even made in 1990 to help share the show with more people.
What's the Story?
The cartoon is based on the popular children's song, "Nellie the Elephant". It's all about a pink elephant named Nellie. She has run away from the circus and wants to go back home to Mandalay.
Nellie travels a lot in the show. She meets many new friends and sometimes visits places she's been before. It's a bit funny because even though she wants to go to Mandalay, all her adventures happen within the United Kingdom!
There's also a sneaky Ringmaster in the show. He's like a villain who always tries to catch Nellie. He wants to bring her back to the circus. But Nellie and her friends are always too clever for him!
Meet the Characters
Here are some of the main characters you'll meet in Nellie the Elephant:
- Nellie - She's the main character, a lovely pink elephant. Nellie loves currant buns, which sometimes gets her into trouble! She escaped from the circus and is determined to get back home. Nellie travels by train, taxi, bus, plane, and even ship. She's always ready to help others and stands up for what's right.
- Captain Jack - He's a sea-captain from a place called Oyster Bay. Captain Jack has a small tug-boat. His loyal companion is his one-eyed parrot, Nelson.
- Mr. Mack and Mr. Tosh - These two are tailors who own a shop. Nellie often finds herself returning to their shop during her travels. Their names sound a bit like "Mackintosh."
- The Ringmaster - This is the bad guy of the show. He owns the circus that Nellie ran away from. He's always trying to catch Nellie. We don't really know why he's so mean, but he never gives up! In one episode, he almost catches Nellie at a big store. Luckily, she escapes in a balloon!
- Farmer Styles - Nellie meets this farmer in an episode called "Nellie Visits a Farm." She helps him find a lost sheep. Farmer Styles and his wife are so thankful that they give her a huge meal. He also appears when his barn catches fire, and Nellie helps put out the blaze.
- Sergeant Boot - A police officer who sometimes appears in Nellie's adventures.
- Captain Match - He's the chief of the Fire Brigade from a village near Farmer Styles' farm. He arrives after Nellie has already put out the fire at the barn. He also helps Nellie rescue a cat from a high telephone wire.
- The Bluebells - These are a group of characters who sometimes appear in the show.
Episode Guide
Nellie the Elephant had 30 episodes across two seasons. Each episode was about five minutes long. Here is a list of all the adventures Nellie had:
- Nellie and the Ghost (January 8, 1990)
- Nellie Visits a Farm (January 15, 1990)
- Nellie Goes to Sea (January 22, 1990)
- Nellie on a Snowy Day (January 29, 1990)
- Nellie at the Seaside (February 5, 1990)
- Nellie's Raincoat (February 12, 1990)
- Nellie and the Whale (February 19, 1990)
- Nellie and the Burning Farm (February 26, 1990)
- Nellie Takes a Jumbo Jet (March 5, 1990)
- Nellie the Theatre Star (March 12, 1990)
- Nellie and the Haunted House (March 19, 1990)
- Nellie and the Park Disco (March 26, 1990)
- Nellie at the Fun Fair (April 2, 1990)
- Nellie Rescues Mrs Maple's Moggy (April 9, 1990)
- Nellie Goes Ballooning (September 5, 1990)
- Nellie Goes to the Moon (September 12, 1990)
- Nellie Goes Swimming (September 19, 1990)
- Nellie and the Flying Saucer (September 26, 1990)
- Nellie and the Brass Band (October 10, 1990)
- Nellie Joins the Team (October 24, 1990)
- Nellie Visits a Library (October 31, 1990)
- Nellie on an Ocean Cruise (November 7, 1990)
- Nellie Goes Apple Picking (November 21, 1990)
- Nellie at the Olympics (November 28, 1990)
- Nellie Goes to Peanut Junction (December 5, 1990)
- Nellie the Ski Champion (December 12, 1990)
- Nellie Takes the Train (December 19, 1990)
- Nellie and the Mystery Tour (January 7, 1991)
- Nellie at the Big Store (January 14, 1991)
- Nellie Goes Time Travelling (January 21, 1991)
Where to Watch It
Nellie the Elephant was first shown on ITV in the UK. It started on January 8, 1990. The first 14 episodes were part of the first series. Then, a second series began on September 5, 1990, with the next thirteen episodes. The last three episodes aired from January 7 to January 21, 1991. All these episodes were shown as part of Children's ITV.
Home Video Releases
After the show aired on ITV, it was released on VHS tapes in the UK. This happened in 1990, 1991, and 1992. Later, in 2006 and 2007, two DVDs of Nellie the Elephant were released. Each DVD had ten episodes, so fans could watch Nellie's adventures at home.
