Tales of the Riverbank facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tales of the Riverbank |
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Hammy the Hamster and G.P. the Guinea Pig during the episode Hammy the Flying Postman
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| Genre | Children's television |
| Created by | Dave Ellison Paul Sutherland |
| Written by | Dave Ellison Charles Fullman Paul Sutherland Cliff Braggins |
| Presented by | Peggy Miller |
| Voices of | Paul Sutherland (Canada) Johnny Morris (UK) |
| Opening theme | Raccolta, op. 43, no. 6: Andante in C by Mauro Giuliani |
| Country of origin | Canada/UK |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 143 First: 13 Second: 39 Hammy Hamster: 26 HBO/C4: 65 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Dave Ellison Paul Sutherland |
| Cinematography | Josef Seckeresh |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC (1960) HBO (Hammy Hamster), (1972) Channel 4 (1995–1998) |
| Picture format | Black-and-white (1960s) 405-line (Hammy Hamster) PAL (C4 episodes) |
Tales of the Riverbank is a classic British children's television show. It's also known as Hammy Hamster or Once Upon a Hamster in Canada. The show started from a Canadian idea and later became popular in the UK and other countries.
The first idea for the show came from David Ellison and Paul Sutherland in 1959. They were film editors for the CBC. After making a test episode, the CBC wasn't interested. So, Dave Ellison took the idea to the BBC in London. The BBC loved it and ordered 13 episodes! Later, more episodes were made, including a color series in the 1970s.
The show even aired on the Animal Planet channel in the late 1990s and early 2000s. A new version was made in 1995 by YTV and Channel 4, which ran for three years. There was also a movie in 2008 that used puppets instead of real animals.
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How the Show Works
The show was special because it made it seem like real animals were talking and doing things. Human voices were added to match the animals' actions. The animals lived in a place called "The Riverbank." They used tiny toy sailboats, cars, and even a diving bell. To get the animals to do what was needed, sometimes jam was put on objects for them to touch! The voices chosen for each animal matched their personalities.
Every episode ended with the narrator hinting at a future adventure. They would say, "But that is another story," leaving viewers excited for what might happen next.
The first Tales of the Riverbank was shown by the BBC on July 3, 1960. It was in black and white. Paul Sutherland first narrated it, but the BBC wanted British accents. So, Johnny Morris did all the voices for the BBC version. This popular show was eventually sold to 34 countries around the world.
More Riverbank Adventures
After the first 13 episodes, 39 more black and white episodes were created. Many of these were written by David Ellison, Charles Fullman, Paul Sutherland, and Cliff Braggins. Peggy Miller, a writer for the BBC, helped adapt the stories. A lot of the filming happened outdoors at Wootton Creek on the Isle of Wight.
In the 1970s, a new series of 26 episodes was filmed in color. It was called Hammy Hamster (or Hammy Hamster's Adventures On the Riverbank). The BBC had decided not to use human voices for real animals anymore. So, this series was shown in the UK by ITV. In Australia, it was known as Adventures on the River Bank and aired on ABC TV.
The very last series, Further Tales of the Riverbank, was made from 1991 to 1992. It had 26 episodes and was produced for WTTV and Channel 4. This series was voted 79th in Channel 4's 2001 list of the 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows. It's also the only series that has been released on DVD.
In the United States, the show Once Upon A Hamster was shown late at night. This helped it become popular with older viewers and gain a special "cult" following.
Dave Ellison, one of the creators, even had a website to share updates about Hammy Hamster and his friends. He also helped get the TV series ready for DVD release.
Three children's books based on the show were published by Scholastic Publications Ltd in 1993. Pauline Hazelwood drew the pictures for these books.
Main Characters
The show featured many animal friends. In later series, more characters joined the original group.
| Character | Description |
|---|---|
| Hammy Hamster | The main character and the most famous! He is curious and kind. Hammy lives in an old boot by the Riverbank. He even became GP's co-pilot in an episode called The Aeroplane Ride. |
| Roderick the Water Rat | Hammy's best friend. Roderick is careful and clever. He owns a small motorboat. In the Canadian and U.S. versions, he was called Matty or Martha Mouse. In Australia, he was known as Matthew. |
| G. P. the Guinea Pig | He loves to brag and is very creative! G. P. is the Riverbank's inventor. He made things like a "winch-a-ma-bob" and a "recyclamobile." He lived in a wooden house with a big water wheel. G. P. also had a small plane he flew in many episodes. |
| Turtle | A slow and steady character. Turtle teaches his friends how important it is to be patient. |
| Wise Old Frog | A bit grumpy but very smart! The other characters often ask the Wise Old Frog for advice. |
| Granny Rabbit | She acts like a grandmother to everyone in the community. Granny Rabbit loves to bake, sing, and tell stories. |
| Berti and Herbi | Roderick's sneaky hamster nephews. They are not related to Hammy. They appeared in the episode Bubbles. |
| The Owl | Always sitting on a tree branch. The Owl usually only says "who," but sometimes asks other questions too. |
The Riverbank Movie
A full-length movie called Tales of the Riverbank came out in September 2008. It was released straight to DVD. The movie combined puppets, real action, and special effects. It was directed by John Henderson and produced by Handmade Pictures. Famous actors like Stephen Fry (as Owl), Ardal O'Hanlon (as Hammy), Steve Coogan (as Roderick), and Jim Broadbent (as G. P.) lent their voices.
The story follows three friends who live by a river. After a big storm washes them away from their homes, they go on an adventure. They try to find their way back and save their home from a factory run by "Fat Cats."
The Animals' New Homes
The show was filmed at a place called Cothey Butts near Fishbourne, Isle of Wight. After filming ended in 1973, the animals were set free in this area. The rats, hamsters, and guinea pigs did not survive long after being released. However, the Mongolian Gerbils did well and lived for at least three more years. Their group grew to about 100 gerbils!
