The Woodentops (TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Woodentops |
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The Woodentops, opening titles
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| 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 is a children's television series first shown on BBC Television in 1955. Created by Freda Lingstrom and Maria Bird, it featured on the Friday edition of Watch with Mother and regularly repeated until 1973. The main characters are the members of a family living on a farm. The aim of the programme was to teach pre-school children about family life.
Puppet characters
- Daddy Woodentop
- Mummy Woodentop
- Jenny Woodentop
- Willy Woodentop
- Baby Woodentop
- Spotty Dog ("the very biggest spotty dog you ever did see")
The children, Jenny and Willy, were twins. They spoke, walked and did many things together.
Other characters included:
- Mrs Scrubbitt (who comes to "help" Mrs Woodentop)
- Sam Scrubbitt (who helps Daddy Woodentop with the animals)
- Buttercup the Cow
Cast
Scripts and music: Maria Bird
Puppeteers: Audrey Atterbury, Molly Gibson and Gordon Murray
Voices: Eileen Browne, Josephina Ray, Peter Hawkins
Designs: Barbara Jones
Episodes
1. Introduction (9 September 1955)
2. Boats and Pigs
3. Horse
4. Spotty’s Paw
5. Spotty’s Sheep
6. Spotty’s Joke
7. Dog Washing
8. Injured Bird
9. Bird Set Free
10. Twins’ Holiday
11. Soap Box
12. Baby’s Bath
13. Surprises
14. Show
15. Party
16. Buttercup
17. Belling the Cow
18. Hayfield
19. Horse Shoe (14 March 1958)
20. Steam Roller
21. Geese
22. Ducks
23. Pram
24. Dinner Bell
25. Sacks
26. Paper Hats
The Official BBC Children in Need Medley
In 2009 the Woodentops appeared in The Official BBC Children in Need Medley music video which reached No.1 in the UK singles chart. Daddy and Mummy Woodentop appeared in the video; Jenny appears on the front cover of the CD and DVD but not in the music video.
