The Wiggles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Wiggles
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The Wiggles performing live in Sydney, 2018.
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Genres | Children's |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Labels | ABC Music |
| Members |
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| Past members | |
The Wiggles are an Australian children's music group formed in Sydney, New South Wales in 1991. Since 2013, the group members are Anthony Field, Lachlan Gillespie, Simon Pryce, and Emma Watkins. The original members were Field, Phillip Wilcher, Murray Cook, Greg Page, and Jeff Fatt. Wilcher left the group after their first album. Page retired in 2006 due to ill health and was replaced by understudy Sam Moran, but returned in 2012, replacing Moran. At the end of 2012, Page, Cook, and Fatt retired, and were replaced by Gillespie, Pryce, and Watkins. Cook and Fatt retained their shareholding in the group and all three continued to have input into its creative and production aspects.
Field and Fatt were members of the Australian pop band The Cockroaches in the 1980s, and Cook was a member of several bands before meeting Field and Page at Macquarie University, where they were studying to become pre-school teachers.
In 1991, Field was inspired to create an album of children's music based upon concepts of early childhood education, and enlisted Cook, Page, and Fatt to assist him. They began touring to promote the album, and became so successful, they quit their teaching jobs to perform full-time.
The group augmented their act with animal characters Dorothy the Dinosaur, Henry the Octopus, and Wags the Dog, as well as the character Captain Feathersword, played by Paul Paddick since 1993. They travelled with a small group of dancers, which later grew into a larger troupe.
The group's DVDs, CDs, and television programs have been produced independently since their inception. Their high point came in the early 2000s, after they broke into the American market.
Band members
Current members
- Anthony Field – Blue Wiggle (1991–present)
- Lachlan Gillespie – Purple Wiggle (2013–present)
- Simon Pryce – Red Wiggle (2013–present)
- Emma Watkins – Yellow Wiggle (2013–present)
Former members
- Murray Cook – Red Wiggle (1991–2012, occasionally since)
- Jeff Fatt – Purple Wiggle (1991–2012, occasionally since)
- Greg Page – Yellow Wiggle (1991–2006; 2012, occasionally since)
- Phillip Wilcher (1991–1992)
- Sam Moran – Yellow Wiggle (2006–2012)
Minor characters
There are several other characters who are friends with the Wiggles.
- Dorothy the Dinosaur is a large green dinosaur with yellow spots. She wears a floppy white hat and likes to eat roses. Dorothy is 5 years old. She is very wise for her age. Her birth is November 3.1991 She loves dancing, and is known to do ballet, Irish, Scottish, and line dancing. She loves her birthday as The Wiggles always make it a very special fun day for her. Dorothy has a heart of gold and is a very friendly dinosaur.
- Captain Feathersword is a friendly pirate who wears a coat, hat, eye patch and a sword made of feathers. His birthday is on February 4.
- Wags the Dog is a tall, brown, furry dog with floppy ears and a happy face. He likes eating. Wags is said to keep The Wiggles up all night if he gets hungry. Wags also enjoys digging in his garden. Wags can only talk to the audience, but The Wiggles understand him when he barks. Wags is a good Tango dancer. He believes everyone is his friend and is said to love having a good time. His birthday is October 27.
- Henry the Octopus is a fun-loving octopus with purple skin. He wears tartan clothes, a straw hat and black polished shoes on the end of every tentacle. Henry likes to wave to all his friends at the same time. This is easy for him to do since he has eight tentacles. Henry lives under the sea. He is the leader of the Underwater Big Band.
Images for kids
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Four of the original Wiggles (and a fan) in 2004 (seated from left to right: Greg Page, Jeff Fatt, Murray Cook, and Anthony Field)
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The Wiggles' line up in 2007, riding in the Big Red Car during a concert
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Anthony Field (in 2012). Field was instrumental in developing The Wiggles' business model.
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The Wiggles performing on stage]]
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