The Woodentops (TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Woodentops |
|
|---|---|
The Woodentops, opening titles
|
|
| Genre | Children's television series Puppet show |
| Created by | Freda Lingstrom Maria Bird |
| Narrated by | Maria Bird, Eileen Browne, Josephina Ray, Peter Hawkins, |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 15 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC Television |
| Picture format | 4:3 |
| Original release | September 1955 – 1957 |
The Woodentops was a popular children's TV show that first appeared on BBC Television in 1955. It was created by Freda Lingstrom and Maria Bird. This puppet show was a regular part of Watch with Mother on Fridays and was shown many times until 1973. The show was about a family who lived on a farm. Its main goal was to help young children learn about family life.
Contents
Meet the Woodentops Family
This section introduces the main characters of the show. The Woodentops were a family of puppets living on a farm.
Main Characters
- Daddy Woodentop
- Mummy Woodentop
- Jenny Woodentop
- Willy Woodentop
- Baby Woodentop
- Spotty Dog ("the very biggest spotty dog you ever did see")
Jenny and Willy were twin children in the family. They often did things together, like talking and walking.
Other Farm Friends
- Mrs Scrubbitt (who came to help Mummy Woodentop)
- Sam Scrubbitt (who helped Daddy Woodentop with the farm animals)
- Buttercup the Cow
Behind the Scenes: Who Made the Show?
Many talented people worked together to bring The Woodentops to life.
Creative Team
- Scripts and music: Maria Bird
- Puppeteers: Audrey Atterbury, Molly Gibson, and Gordon Murray
- Voices: Eileen Browne, Josephina Ray, Peter Hawkins
- Designs: Barbara Jones
Episodes of The Woodentops
The show had 26 episodes, each telling a new story about the Woodentops family and their farm life. Here are some of the episode titles:
- Introduction (September 9, 1955)
- Boats and Pigs
- Horse
- Spotty’s Paw
- Spotty’s Sheep
- Spotty’s Joke
- Dog Washing
- Injured Bird
- Bird Set Free
- Twins’ Holiday
- Soap Box
- Baby’s Bath
- Surprises
- Show
- Party
- Buttercup
- Belling the Cow
- Hayfield
- Horse Shoe (March 14, 1958)
- Steam Roller
- Geese
- Ducks
- Pram
- Dinner Bell
- Sacks
- Paper Hats
The Woodentops in Pop Culture
Even many years after the show first aired, the Woodentops characters made a special appearance.
Children in Need Medley
In 2009, the Woodentops were featured in a music video called The Official BBC Children in Need Medley. This song became a number one hit on the UK singles chart. Daddy and Mummy Woodentop appeared in the video. Jenny Woodentop was shown on the cover of the CD and DVD, but she was not in the music video itself.
