Super Gran facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Super Gran |
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Gudrun Ure as Super Gran
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| Created by | Forrest Wilson |
| Written by | Jenny McDade |
| Starring |
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| Narrated by | Bill McAllister ("The Reporter") |
| Theme music composer | Phil Coulter Billy Connolly |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 27 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Keith Richardson (1985) Graham Williams (1986–1987) |
| Cinematography | Graham Brown |
| Editor(s) | Mike Pounder |
| Running time | 25 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | ITV Network (CITV) |
| Original release | 20 January 1985 – 31 May 1987 |
Super Gran is a fictional series about a grandmother with super powers. Initially a series of books written by Forrest Wilson, a children's television show was adapted by Jenny McDade and produced by Tyne Tees Television for Children's ITV. The title character was played by Gudrun Ure, with Iain Cuthbertson as her nemesis, The Scunner Campbell. It originally ran from 1985 to 1987.
Two series, each consisting of 13 episodes, were produced, alongside a Christmas special. All episodes have been released on DVD by Network. The show inspired two computer games.
Contents
Premise
An elderly grandmother, Granny Smith (Gudrun Ure), acquires superpowers when she is accidentally hit by a magic ray created by Inventor Black (Bill Shine). Under the guise of 'Super Gran', she protects the residents of the fictional town of Chiselton from villains such as Roderick Scunner Campbell (Iain Cuthbertson) and his gang, The Muscles (Alan Snell and Brian Lewis) and Tub (Lee Marshall, Jason Carrielies). Super Gran was usually accompanied by her grandson, Willard (Iam Towell, Michael Graham) and Inventor Black's assistant Edison (Holly English, Samantha Duffy).
Episodes were narrated by Bill McAllister.
Episodes
The transmission of the first episode in 1985 was preceded by a "making-of" documentary.
Series one
| Episode title | Original airdate | Directed by | # | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Supergran and the Magic Ray" | 20 January 1985 | Anthony Simmons | 1 | ||
| While watching her grandson play football, Granny Smith (Gudrun Ure) is hit by a ray created by Inventor Black (Bill Shine), giving her magical powers. | |||||
| "Supergran and the Skimmer" | 27 January 1985 | Gerry Mill | 2 | ||
| "Supergran and the Course of True Love" | 3 February 1985 | Tony Kysh | 3 | ||
| Eccentric Scottish millionaire Angus McSporran (Billy Connolly) comes to Chisleton to ask Supergran for his hand in marriage. Simultaneously, the Scunner Campbell has asked the hand of the Black Pudding Heiress Lady Valerie Glutt (Patsy Rowlands). Supergran doesn't like the thought of either of these romantic pairings. | |||||
| "Supergran and the Pearl of Pinnell's End" | 10 February 1985 | Anthony Simmons | 4 | ||
| "Supergran and the Super Match" | 17 February 1985 | Tony Kysh | 5 | ||
| The aging local football team, managed by Roy Kinnear, are drawn against the top side The Mighty Rovers with star striker Gary Bootle (Jon Iles) in the cup. Worse still, somebody has drugged the half time drinks and the substitute (George Best) has seen better days. Only Supergran and the local kids can save the day. | |||||
| "Supergran Grounded" | 24 February 1985 | Tony Kysh | 6 | ||
| Geoff Capes injures Supergran during an event at a stadium. Meanwhile, the Scunner Campbell plans to kidnap honorable Bertrand Battenburg (Andrew Forbes) but is beaten to it by Mad Mick Merseyside Nick Stringer but is Super Gran too weak to help! | |||||
| "Supergran and the Magic Ian" | 3 March 1985 | Gerry Mill | 7 | ||
| "Supergran and the TV Villains" | 10 March 1985 | Gerry Mill | 8 | ||
| "Supergran and the Doppelganger" | 17 March 1985 | Tony Kysh | 9 | ||
| "Supergran and the Day at the Sea" | 24 March 1985 | Tony Kysh | 10 | ||
| "Supergran and the Raid on Race Day" | 31 March 1985 | Anthony Simmons | 11 | ||
| "Supergran and the Raving Beauty Contest" | 7 April 1985 | Roger Cheveley | 12 | ||
| When Supergran organizes a Chisleton Beauty Contest with her niece Isla St. Porridge (Lulu) entering, the Scunner is tasked by the head of the Gangster Guild to make sure her daughter Wanda ends up the winner. | |||||
| "Supergran and the Missing Hissing" | 14 April 1985 | Roger Cheveley | 13 | ||
| Guest starring Spike Milligan | |||||
Christmas special
| Episode title | Original airdate | Directed by | # | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Christmas Supergran: The World's Worst Circus" | 24 December 1986 | Gerald Blake | 1 | ||
Series 2
| Episode title | Original airdate | Directed by | # | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Supergran and the Racing Cert" | 8 March 1987 | Tony Kysh | 1 | ||
| Rock star Newcastle Brown (Gary Glitter) arrives to enter his pigeon in a race. | |||||
| "Supergran and the Treasure Trovers" | 15 March 1987 | Roger Cheveley | 2 | ||
| "Supergran and the Birthday Dambusters" | 22 March 1987 | Tony Kysh | 3 | ||
| Scunner Campbell, the Muscles and Tubbs enlist in the RAF. Supergran is surprised to discover that she misses them. | |||||
| "Supergran and the Yankee Doodle's Boodle" | 29 March 1987 | Gerald Blake | 4 | ||
| Chistleton celebrates American Week. | |||||
| "Supergran and the Rookie Recruit" | 5 April 1987 | Tony Kysh | 5 | ||
| The Chistleton Games are about to take place and the Scunner is trying his luck as an accountant. Only clumsy P.C. Derek Dumpling (Melvyn Hayes) can stop him on his first day on the job. | |||||
| "Supergran and the State Visit" | 12 April 1987 | Gerald Blake | 6 | ||
| Guest starring Charles Hawtrey | |||||
| "Chiselton Street Blues" | 19 April 1987 | Tony Kysh | 7 | ||
| "Supergran and the School for Scoundrels" | 26 April 1987 | Tony Kysh | 8 | ||
| "Supergran and the Media Star" | 3 May 1987 | Roger Cheveley | 9 | ||
| "Supergran Snookered" | 10 May 1987 | Roger Cheveley | 10 | ||
| "Supergran and the Fancy Dress Fanciers" | 17 May 1987 | Tony Kysh | 11 | ||
| "Supergran and the Chronic Crooner" | 24 May 1987 | Tim Dowd | 12 | ||
| "Supergran and the Heir Apparent" | 31 May 1987 | Tony Kysh | 13 | ||
| Guest starring Patrick Troughton | |||||
Planned third series, cancellation and possible film
A third series was planned to begin filming in early 1988 but the programme was abandoned by Tyne Tees Television in favour of increased spending on daytime gameshows such as 'Chain Letters' (which was very popular in the late 1980s). Several episodes had been plotted and even story-boarded prior to the cancellation and included working titles "Supergran and the Underwater Terror" (Supergran would foil Scunner Campbell's plot to destroy Chistleton using a gigantic tidal wave), "Supergran and the Miniscule Marionette" (Inventor Black mistakenly miniaturizes a precious marionette heirloom and Supergran must find a way to resize it before an important dignitary arrives to view it) and "Supergran and the Rhyming Ruin" (the plot is unknown but would have involved filming in Tynemouth's famous ruined Priory).
The cancellation of the TV series did not dampen hopes of a motion picture version – hopes which had been alive since midway through the popular Series One. While no firm production plans ever emerged due to the cancellation, one early plot would have involved Supergran travelling to Spain to foil an attempt by Scunner Campbell to control the 'world trade market'.
Computer games
Tynesoft produced two games based on the show in 1985.
The game Super Gran was an action game involving Supergran's anti-gravity belt. It was released for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 16, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum.
Super Gran - The Adventure was a text adventure based on the show, written by Adventure Soft's Brian Howarth. The premise is that Super Gran has to save people whilst looking out for Scunner Campbell. This game was released on the Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, C16, C64 and Spectrum.
See also
In Spanish: La Superabuela para niños
